The Sweetness of the Seventies
Chapter 310 - 281: Coincidence, Indebted (Five updates today, asking for monthly passes!!!)_1

Chapter 310: Chapter 281: Coincidence, Indebted (Five updates today, asking for monthly passes!!!)_1

Huo Yingjun, with a smile on his face like a noble young master, nodded slightly toward Qi Shuliang and extended his right hand toward the door, saying, "Mr. Qi, let’s talk inside."

Qi Shuliang was startled and then realized that the photo had been brought over by Huo Yingjun.

Gripping the photo tightly, Qi Shuliang walked towards Huo Yingjun’s private room, pausing with every step he took.

"Please come inside!" Huo Yingjun said with neither humility nor arrogance.

Anna followed them out, asking with slight tension, "What’s wrong?"

Qi Shuliang turned to Anna and said, "You take the children and wait for me inside."

Having said that, he followed Huo Yingjun into the private room, looking tense.

"What do you want me to do?" Qi Shuliang was a smart man; these people had his mother’s photo, so they must have news about her.

To get something, one must pay the price!

Huo Yingjun personally poured Qi Shuliang a cup of coffee, saying, "Mr. Qi, please sit down! We can talk this over slowly."

Qi Shuliang sat stiffly in his seat, saying, "We mean no harm. Even if you don’t help us, we won’t give your mother a hard time!"

Qi Shuliang was shocked, then overjoyed, asking, "You said my mother... no, you’re cruel to people with overseas connections, I know... "

Huo Yingjun spoke softly, "Relax, don’t worry! People with overseas connections will be interrogated, because there are many who would betray their country for the enemy. For the sake of national security, it has to be done. You understand this, Mr. Qi, don’t you?"

"I understand!" Qi Shuliang nodded, pursing his lips, "Do you have a cigarette?"

Huo Yingjun took out a cigarette from the side, handed it to Qi Shuliang, and offered his lighter to light it.

Qi Shuliang accepted the light from Huo Yingjun and took a puff.

After a while, he exhaled two smoke rings and said, "Tell me first, how is my mother doing?"

Huo Yingjun took out an envelope from his breast pocket, containing seven or eight photos, saying, "Your mother is doing well, here are several pictures. We didn’t investigate this intentionally, it was a coincidence, a twist of fate, if you will."

Qi Shuliang threw away the half-smoked cigarette butt he had in hand, tore open the envelope, and looked at the photos inside.

The first one was a family photo of three.

The second, a solo portrait of Third Grandma Qi.

The third, a photo of Third Grandma Qi and He Tiantian together.

The fourth, a photo of Old Man Qi in military attire.

The fifth...

Together with the photo previously given to Qi Shuliang, there were a total of eight.

Qi Shuliang once again wept profusely, his cries filled with pain, and if it weren’t for the presence of Huo Yingjun, he probably would have knelt down to kowtow again.

Although Huo Yingjun had never experienced the pain of such a family separation, seeing the usually cold and proud Qi Shuliang, and his reaction to the photo of his mother, he too felt a surge of heartache.

Historical reasons have led to countless, innumerable cases of family separation.

Qi Shuliang may have the opportunity to see his still living mother, yet many others are not so lucky; they die without seeing their loved ones, with their eyes unshut and regrets left behind.

Huo Yingjun did not engage in small talk but waited on the side for Qi Shuliang to finish venting his emotions.

When Qi Shuliang had calmed down a bit, Huo Yingjun said, "In fact, many people are in the same situation as you, with sons living abroad and also some with elders abroad. The current division is due to political reasons that we can’t change, but we can change the environment, enabling more people to reunite."

"What about my uncle’s arm?" asked Qi Shuliang. His mother’s condition seemed fine, aside from the white hair and aging, her spirit looked good. But how could his heroic uncle be like this?

Huo Yingjie respectfully replied, "He lost it during the efforts to aid Korea in the war against America, after which he left Yanjing and returned to his hometown of Qijia Village. But rest assured, although he has no power, his unit ensures his livelihood and he is greatly respected."

Qi Shuliang nodded, this ending wasn’t too tragic!

Not everyone can gracefully exit the turbulent waters of life.

Those who can manage it can certainly be considered wise.

Qi Shuliang looked at the girl posing with his mother in the photo and asked, "Who is this beautiful young lady?"

Huo Yingjun smiled proudly, speaking softly as if discussing everyday matters, "This is my cousin’s fiancée! He Tiantian, she’s now your mother’s adopted granddaughter!"

"Your cousin’s fiancée?" Qi Shuliang’s face darkened, "Are you guys monitoring my mother?"

Huo Yingjun gave a bitter smile and hurriedly explained, "No, that’s not it. We didn’t know that Grandma Qi was your mother. This lady, He Tiantian, and my brother have been lovers since childhood. She’s now a young urbanite supporting rural construction, just happened to be assigned to Qijia Village, and fatefully ended up living in your house. After getting on well with your mother, who was both old and alone, she was taken in as an adopted granddaughter. Last year, upon learning that your mother wished to go to Nan City, where you went to university at Nan City University, she helped fulfill your mother’s wish. Your uncle went along too, and they all stayed at He Tiantian’s house, whose parents even recognized your mother as their godmother."

"Still say it wasn’t intentional?" Qi Shuliang scoffed disdainfully, not believing such good people existed in the world.

Huo Yingjun was a bit annoyed and said, "Mr. Qi, I haven’t finished talking yet, you can’t be so arbitrary."

Seeing Huo Yingjun’s displeased expression, Qi Shuliang changed his tone, "Then continue, what were you saying?"

He wanted to see what these people were up to!

"My cousin and He Tiantian took your mother and uncle around Nan City, visited Xuanwu Lake, Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, and Nan City University. Basically, all the places you mentioned in your letters while you were studying, they took your mother to see. At that time, my cousin didn’t know about the relationship between you and Grandma Qi. During the New Year, I was working in the foreign affairs department and met some people. You have always been the focus of our attention. After an assessment, I believed that as long as you are willing to cooperate, we can quickly make headway in Country M. My cousin saw your photo at my place and found you resembled Third Grandma Qi. After investigating through some channels, he learned you were from Huai City of An Province and your name was almost the same as Qi Shuliang. We didn’t believe in so many coincidences, so my cousin personally went to Taoyuan County’s Qijia Village to take photos and even borrowed a few to show you, merely trying his luck. Unexpectedly, you really are Qi Shuliang from Qijia Village," Huo Yingjun explained unhurriedly, "Everything I’ve said is true, and if you don’t believe it, you can ask your mother when you see her."

Regarding those words, Qi Shuliang had his doubts, but he didn’t care; what mattered to him was Huo Yingjun’s phrase "seeing your mother."

He had dreamed of meeting his own mother!

If there was anyone he owed the most in this world, it was undoubtedly his parents.

His father had passed away, and he had not fulfilled his filial duties.

If his mother was alive and he still failed in his filial obligations, what kind of son would he be!