Everyone turned their heads sharply toward the door. A little girl, no older than six, entered with a middle-aged man by her side, hopping and skipping.
"Great-grandfather, Great-grandfather, are you all better?" the little girl asked in her sweet, childish voice. Her face was smudged with dirt, her eyes wide with curiosity. She then pounced forward like a cheerful little rabbit.
"Dad, you... you're sitting up? And you're not even under the covers anymore?" The middle-aged man who followed her in was equally astonished, his words stumbling over each other.
"Haha! My great-granddaughter is back! Oh my, how did you get so dirty?" Division Commander Lu's eyes twinkled with affection as he reached out to wipe the mud from her cheeks.
"Grandpa took me to the countryside to catch frogs, but they were too slippery. I didn't catch any, and I fell face-first into the mud," Nannan said casually, unbothered.
"Jianguo, you're already a grandfather. How can you still be taking Nannan out to catch frogs? Acting like a kid yourself!" Old Lu glared irritably at his eldest son, Lu Jianguo, who had just entered.
"Dad, please stop scolding me. Nannan saw the frogs and insisted on catching them. I tried to help, but she wouldn't let me. The mud was so slippery, that's what made her fall. You always taught us that children should do things themselves and not be afraid of getting dirty, because it builds immunity. You know that." Lu Jianguo replied defensively, his voice low and embarrassed.
"Hmph, Jianguo, how dare you bring up my teachings? Were you the same back then as you are now? In this day and age, we value education. Nannan needs to be cultured and well-mannered. You can't teach her using those old methods. If Ling'er were still here, she wouldn't be able to bear seeing Nannan like this either." Old Lu's eyes reddened instantly at the mention of Lu Ling'er, his voice choked with emotion. "My poor Ling'er..."
For a moment, the room fell so silent you could have heard a pin drop. Everyone held their breath, not daring to make a sound. Even Tang Xiachuan and Jiang Ning watched the scene quietly.
After a long while, Old Lu regained his composure and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Master Jiang, Little Tang. I just missed my granddaughter too much. Please don't take it personally."
"Guo'er, come quickly and meet Master Jiang. She's the one who cured my illness."
Only then did Lu Jianguo turn his gaze to Jiang Ning and Tang Xiachuan, who were sitting nearby. He quickly strode over and said, "Hello, Master Jiang. I'm Lu Jianguo. Thank you so much for saving my father."
Jiang Ning smiled and replied, "Hello, Brother Lu."
Lu Jianguo was taken aback. Jiang Ning looked quite young; he should have been his "Uncle Lu" by rights.
"Jianguo, Master Jiang is correct—he's your Brother Lu. We've been like brothers with his father-in-law for years," Tang Xiachuan quickly explained from the side.
"Oh, I see. Uncle Tang, you're here too?" Lu Jianguo suddenly understood.
Tang Xiachuan nodded. "Jianguo, we haven't seen each other in years. I never thought your granddaughter would have grown so much."
Lu Jianguo had been stationed in the military for a long time, and his father, Division Commander Lu, lived with his mother. Tang Xiachuan had only seen Lu Jianguo a few times in several years during his visits. In reality, Tang Xiachuan was only four or five years older than Lu Jianguo.
Lu Jianguo recalled for a moment. "You're right, Uncle Tang. It's been five years since we last met."
"Oh, by the way, what happened to Ling'er? Is she alright?" Tang Xiachuan asked with concern.
Lu Jianguo glanced at his father, and seeing him nod in approval, slowly began, "Ling'er... she's likely no longer with us.
Five years ago, she returned with Nannan, drifting in and out of consciousness, insisting Nannan was her daughter.
She didn't stay even a month before leaving. It's been five years now, and we haven't heard a word.
We sent many people to search for her, but they found nothing. Everyone suspects she's... she's likely gone..."
As Lu Jianguo spoke, his eyes gradually grew moist.
Listening to his account, the room fell into a heavy silence once more.
"It's all the fault of those damn Japanese! They're definitely involved in this.
Four years ago, they contacted my father and me, threatening and bribing us to work for them. We refused.
Not long after, Ling'er became dazed and confused.
We don't know what happened to her.
When she returned, during her lucid moments, I asked her questions, but she remained silent. When I asked who Nannan's father was, she wouldn't say. When I asked if the Japanese had done this to her, she just shook her head."
Lu Jianguo's voice grew increasingly angry, his fists clenching tightly.
"Jianguo, don't be too discouraged," Tang Xiachuan said, unsure how to comfort him. "Ling'er has always had a guardian spirit. She might still be alive."
"We won't give up searching for her," Lu Jianguo replied firmly. "I refuse to believe Ling'er is just gone. Even if she's truly gone, I'll find her remains."
Jiang Ning sat quietly nearby, listening and watching Nannan. He couldn't help but think of Mengmeng, who was far away in Cangnan City. He felt that both Nannan and Mengmeng were pitiable children, left without their parents' companionship at such a tender age.
As he thought this, his longing for Mengmeng grew even more intense.
Tang Xiachuan quickly offered a suggestion: "Let's try again. With the internet so widespread now, Ling'er will surely be found. If we post her information online, we'll get leads quickly."
Lu Jianguo sighed dejectedly. "We've already tried everything. TV stations, newspapers, popular social media platforms, even Huayin and Xiayin have posted her information. We've received plenty of calls, but not a single one has been useful."
Jiang Ning said sympathetically, "Brother Lu, send me Lu Ling'er's photo. I can help share it on Huayin Video. I'm a streamer, and I have quite a few followers."
Lu Jianguo waved his hand. "Master Jiang, you've already helped us a great deal. Please don't trouble yourself with Ling'er's matter. We owe her recovery to you!"
Tang Xiachuan added, "Exactly, Master Jiang. You should focus on caring for the child. My teacher still needs two more acupuncture sessions, and that's entirely up to you now. As for Ling'er's matter, I'll mobilize the Tang Group's network to help search for her."
Lu Jianguo quickly clasped his hands in a respectful bow. "Uncle Tang, I'll have to trouble you then."
"Elder Teacher, please try this wine. Master Jiang brewed it himself. I'm telling you, you've never tasted anything this delicious in your life," Tang Xiachuan said, picking up a gift-boxed bottle of wine from nearby and handing it to Old Lu. He had been carrying it since entering the community and had set it aside after entering the house.
Old Lu looked at Jiang Ning in surprise, not expecting this young man to be a wine brewer. "Really? Master Jiang can brew wine too?" he asked.
Tang Xiachuan's eyes lit up with enthusiasm as he began to boast, his face beaming with pride. "Elder Teacher, don't underestimate Master Jiang. Her culinary skills are at the Grandmaster level, and her mastery of winemaking and the *erhu* is at the Great Grandmaster level. Her medical skills are also at the Grandmaster level."
As Tang Xiachuan introduced her, the entire group, except for Nannan who looked utterly bewildered, turned to stare at Jiang Ning in shock.
Four Grandmasters! And two of them are Great Grandmasters in *erhu* and winemaking! Just how incredible must this wine be? It probably makes Supreme Emperor Mao look like ditch water in comparison.
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