PFC Chapter 241 Choice
Chapter 241 Choice
As the layoffs neared completion, the island dwindled in number, and the once bustling island seemed to fall silent overnight.
Two companies of soldiers stayed behind, and Company Commander Niu and his family remained.
Every month during the beachcombing season, Li Guixiang would often come and invite Su Jinru to go beachcombing.
Now that there are fewer people on the island, fewer people are going beachcombing, and they are reaping more than before.
Su Jinru went to the beach with Li Guixiang, partly to pass the time.
She would bring Hei Zi along. Hei Zi would hop and skip around in front of her, excitedly grabbing anything good in its mouth and running to Su Jinru to show off.
Su Jinru took the food out of its mouth and patted its head like she was encouraging a child: "Heizi, not bad, great job."
Hearing this, Kuroko happily ran off to find something good.
Li Guixiang is a simple and honest woman, and Su Jinru enjoys interacting with her.
They often take their children and black cats for walks on the beach.
Li Guixiang's daughter and Su Jinru's twins are only a few days apart, and the three children can play together.
Previously, Li Guixiang often envied Su Jinru for having a daughter who was very close to her mother, and often said that she wished she had a daughter.
So after Li Guixiang gave birth to her daughter, Su Jinru said, "Look, sister-in-law, now you have a daughter too, so you have no more regrets!"
Li Guixiang smiled and said, "No regrets, no regrets. Actually, I also like sons, but ever since I met your Anxin, I've been so envious. I often think, if only I had a daughter as beautiful, smart and well-behaved as Anxin."
“My husband also loves his daughter very much. Ever since Guoli was born, he holds her every day when he comes home and won’t let go. He loves her so much. Luckily, my son Guodong is honest and doesn’t complain that his father is biased.”
"Guodong has been serving in the army for two months. Has he written back?"
Li Guixiang smiled and said, "She wrote back, saying she misses home, her parents, and her sister. This child, come to think of it, has never really left me!"
Su Jinru: "Yes! Guodong is only sixteen years old, he's still a child!"
"That's right! Before the child left, our whole family went to a photo studio to take a family photo. We gave one to Guodong so that he could look at the family photo when he missed home."
"Me too, when I miss my child, I look at the photos."
Su Jinru: "The unit where your Guodong is stationed is not far from here. Company Commander Niu has the opportunity to visit him. But our Anran can't. We don't even know where he is. He may have very few opportunities to come home to visit his family in the future."
"I heard that your Anran went to a military academy and then to some research institution. That's a state secret, and even the family doesn't know what they're doing or where they are. Anran is smart, knowledgeable, and cultured. She's a talent cultivated by the country, and you should be proud of her."
“Our sons are all something to be proud of, and your Guodong is no exception. They are all contributing to the country, just with different roles in the revolution.”
“Aru, why don’t you let your Anxin join the army too? If she’s a female soldier, she’ll be assigned a good job after she’s discharged. They’ll all be in government agencies.”
“I asked her, and she said she didn’t want to join the army and wanted to continue being a teacher. I respect her choice.”
In fact, Su Jinru told An Xin that the college entrance examination would be reinstated in the future, but before that, she could choose to join the army or go to high school.
An Xin believes that her mother knew that the college entrance examination would be reinstated because there was inside information from higher authorities. Her father knew this information, so her mother found out as well.
So when her mother said that the college entrance examination would be reinstated in the future, Anxin believed it.
An Xin chose to continue teaching and take the college entrance examination when it was reinstated.
An Xin does enjoy teaching and interacting with children. If the college entrance examination is reinstated, she wants to continue her studies. Also, she is reluctant to leave home.
In this home, she has loving parents, adorable younger siblings, and a picturesque island. Every day is so warm and wonderful, and she doesn't want to leave.
After the layoffs on the island, there were fewer students and fewer teachers.
Now only An Xin and another teacher are on the island.
The other teacher was also a military family member; she was a young woman who had recently gotten married.
Her surname is Chen. She graduated from junior high school and had never taught before. She came here to become a teacher because there was a shortage of staff. Fortunately, she is humble and eager to learn, and under An Xin's guidance, she was able to adapt to the teaching work here very quickly.
At that time, primary school was a five-year system. There were few children on the island, so there were two teachers for five classes, and the two teachers had multiple roles.
Teacher Chen teaches two classes of first and second graders, while An Xin teaches three classes of third, fourth, and fifth graders.
Niu Guodong was An Xin's student for three years, but eventually joined the army when he turned sixteen.
Niu Guodong and An Xin are two children of the same age. One is a teacher and the other is a student. At first, Niu Guodong felt ashamed, but as they spent more time together, he got used to the situation. In class, he treated An Xin as a teacher, but in life, he treated her like a little sister.
Because Anxin grew up under the loving care of her parents and brother, her childlike nature was well protected and not damaged.
An Xin became a teacher simply because the island happened to need one, and An Xin happened to be a suitable teacher.
Being a teacher is just a small part of her life; once she steps out of the classroom, she is an innocent and carefree child.
Therefore, in real life, Niu Guodong and An Xin are just friends.
After Niu Guodong joined the army, he wrote letters back to his parents and also to An Xin every time he wrote back.
As a mother, Li Guixiang knows her son best, and she naturally understands his thoughts.
She joked with Su Jinru, "Anxin and Guodong, the two kids get along so well, maybe they'll become a couple in the future!"
Su Jinru naturally saw Niu Guodong's feelings for An Xin as well.
However, she had already privately asked An Xin if she had feelings for Niu Guodong.
"Anxin, can you sense it? Guodong seems to have those kinds of feelings for you."
An Xin shook her head.
“I know, but I only consider him a friend.”
"Do you have someone you like?"
"Mom, I'm still young, I don't need to think about these things. Didn't you say that the college entrance examination will be reinstated in the future? I want to go to university!"
Su Jinru: "Of course you have to go to university. In a few years, that is, a year before the college entrance examination, I will let you go back to Beijing to attend high school. As for your love life, I will not interfere with you. You can date, but you cannot get married before you go to university."
“Mom, I won’t be love-struck. You once told me that marriage is like being reborn, so I will choose carefully.”
"But the kind of person you marry is not a matter of choice, but a matter of what kind of person you can attract to your side. If the flower is in full bloom, the butterfly will come."
"Therefore, I need to constantly improve my abilities and become good enough so that I can meet the right person I truly like."