lcionline Chapter 1864 Grandma's Instructions? Hao Jian's Instinct?
Chapter 1864 Grandma's Instructions? Hao Jian's Instinct?
Just then, Hao Jian seemed to have completed his initial "observation." He straightened up, and as if he had suddenly remembered something, he unbuttoned his old military uniform, took out a thick, bulging red envelope from an inside pocket, and stuffed it into Li Xiangnan's hand without saying a word.
"Look at my memory! I almost forgot in my excitement, there's also this, for the child!"
Li Xiangnan was caught off guard and took it. When he felt its thickness, his heart skipped a beat.
This is much thicker than the money the classmates pooled together for the wedding!
"Squad Leader Hao, this is unacceptable! I've already accepted the gift and appreciated the sentiment, but I absolutely cannot accept this red envelope. It's too valuable. Please take it back, please take it back. Your salary isn't high; this is really too much of a waste..."
Li Xiangnan quickly declined. He wasn't stupid; the red envelope was almost overflowing, probably containing around eighty yuan!
In the early 1980s, this was a considerable sum for an ordinary cadre or soldier, almost equivalent to two or three months' salary!
But Hao Jian firmly pressed down on his hand, which was politely declining. His smile was undeniable, and he said in a tone that was half serious and half joking, "Why are you being so polite with me? What kind of relationship do we have? It's a bond forged on the battlefield! Your child, how is that any different from our child? Of course they are! I'm busy with work, often traveling all over the country. I might not be able to make it back for the baby's one-month celebration, so this red envelope has to be given in advance. Here, take it!"
Seeing that Li Xiangnan was about to refuse, Hao Jian raised an eyebrow and joked, "What? You think your squad leader is dirty? Don't worry, my money is perfectly clean! Here's what we'll do: if you think it's too expensive and feel bad about it, then you can bring it back for me after your squad leader has a baby! Is that alright?"
His words were half true and half false. He used the camaraderie of war to shut Li Xiangnan up and then used a joke to defuse the awkwardness. His methods were skillful.
At this point, it would be too formal for Li Xiangnan to refuse again; Hao Jian genuinely wanted to give the red envelope.
He could only accept the heavy red envelope, feeling as if he were holding a branding iron, which deepened his doubts.
Li Xiangnan was well aware of Squad Leader Hao's salary level, or rather, the salary level of cadres of this age. Even with some travel allowances, such a generous amount was definitely unusual!
His monthly salary is only about 50 yuan!
This further confirmed his suspicions.
Could it be that Grandma is really behind this?
Is Grandma expressing her concern for... and making amends to the fourth generation of the Li family in her own way?
"Well then... thank you very much, Squad Leader Hao!" Li Xiangnan put the red envelope away for the time being, deciding to discuss it with his wife later when he had time.
Seeing that he accepted it smoothly, Hao Jian's smile widened even more. He then naturally pulled Li Xiangnan to sit under the jujube tree in the yard and started chatting as if it were just a casual conversation.
"Let's not just talk about the kids, let's talk about yourself. How have you been lately? Is work going well? I heard you've been helping the Municipal Bureau as a consultant, handling several tricky cases? You haven't encountered any danger, have you? You even went back to Nanwan?"
He asked casually, but his eyes held a scrutinizing concern, his gaze sweeping across Li Xiangnan's face, not missing a single subtle change in expression.
Li Xiangnan was startled, realizing that it had arrived.
Squad Leader Hao's words were laced with sarcasm. He seemed to be asking about his work, but his tone subtly implied that he had made a seemingly unintentional mistake during his trip to southern Anhui, asking Hao to correct it. This clearly showed that Hao knew the general direction of his work.
Despite his doubts, Li Xiangnan didn't hesitate when faced with someone who cared so much about him, especially since he suspected that the person might be his grandmother. After carefully considering his words, he briefly shared with Hao Jian everything that had happened during this period, especially his trip to southern Anhui.
"...It's not exactly dangerous, but it can be quite unexpected sometimes!"
"It's good that it's resolved!" Hao Jian nodded, not delving into the details. His sharp eyes seemed to see through many things. He glanced at the students around him, and at Ye Buping squatting to the side feeding the sheep, and said:
"Your primary identity is still that of a student, so you should focus on your studies. However, given your current achievements, I've heard about Nan Yi Medical Center, Spring Rain Medical, and even the pharmaceutical factory. They're all doing quite well, which is actually quite good. But you must guard against arrogance and impetuosity. It's good for young people to have drive, but you need to be careful not to get too involved. Don't wade into places that are too complicated for now."
His words sounded like an elder's admonition, yet they also subtly contained a warning or reminder.
His questions covered a wide range of topics, and his understanding of Li Xiangnan's social circle surprised Li Xiangnan.
This is hardly the amount of information a neighbor and class monitor who is constantly away from home and only occasionally returns to Yanjing should have!
"Squad Leader Hao...you...you know me so well!" Li Xiangnan couldn't help but half-jokingly "test" him.
"Haha!" Hao Jian laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "You're my soldier, and we're neighbors. What kind of relationship do we have? You know my family situation. I don't have any relatives left. I already treat you like a younger brother! It's only right that I care about you more! Besides, you have a family to support now, which is different from before. The more you're like this, the more afraid I am that you'll go astray!"
These words warmed Li Xiangnan's heart, but he also felt that it had been a long time since he had seen Hao Jian, and that Hao Jian's composure had become even more profound, and he could handle any question.
"Hey? Hao Jian? You're back? Haven't eaten yet? Sit down, I'll get you something to eat right away!"
Zhu Qiuju, who had just returned from delivering food and chatting with Lei Jin's mother in the neighboring yard, was shocked to see Hao Jian.
Hao Jian quickly stood up, "Auntie, no need to trouble yourself, I'll just make some noodles when I get back and have that..."
"What trouble! It's all ready-made, just heat it up! You rarely come back, and it's such a happy occasion for Nan Nan, you have to eat here! You should also try some of the cooking from Nan Nan's classmates, haha!" Zhu Qiuju didn't give a chance to say anything, tied on her apron and rushed into the kitchen.
Unable to refuse, Hao Jian could only smile and shake his head as he sat down, saying to Li Xiangnan with a hint of helplessness, "Auntie is always so warm-hearted. Whenever I think of her while I'm away from home, it always warms my heart!"
Soon, the sizzling sound of hot oil and the aroma of food wafted from the kitchen, mingling with the lingering lively atmosphere of the students in the courtyard, creating a scene full of ordinary, everyday life.
Hao Jian seemed to enjoy the atmosphere, his expression relaxed, and he chatted with Li Xiangnan, Wang Defa, Song Ziming, and the others about everyday things.
But this brief, peaceful moment, filled with the warmth of everyday life, was quickly shattered.
A burst of laughter and footsteps came from the courtyard. Li Xiangnan's grandfather, Li Dequan, walked into the courtyard with three old men, Song Qiankun and Qin Zongheng, chatting and laughing.
They went to the Municipal Public Security Bureau again this morning, probably to take Qin Zongheng to identify him, and they've only just returned now.
"Xiang Nan, we're back. The neighbors say it's been very lively here..." Li Dequan's cheerful words had barely faded when his gaze fell on Hao Jian, who was sitting in the central courtyard.
In an instant!
Hao Jian's reaction was astonishingly fast.
Almost the instant he saw Li Dequan, he reflexively stood up from the flower bed.
His posture was as upright as a pine tree, and the relaxed expression on his face instantly vanished, replaced by an extremely complex look.
There was a sudden surprise, a fleeting tension, and even more so, a deep-seated, almost instinctive respect!
"???"
This unprecedented and unexpected reaction left Li Xiangnan, Wang Defa, and Song Ziming, who were chatting with him, completely stunned.
What's wrong with Hao Jian?
Li Xiangnan was dumbfounded.