The Sea Queen of 1985

Chapter 395: Chapter 395: Getting to the Point

Chen Yupeng covered his face with his hands and rubbed it, thinking back to the sweet years of their courtship.

Their longing for each other was sealed in thin envelopes, a romance conducted through letters.

During those difficult years, after brushing with death several times, it was those letters that gave him the conviction to win and the will to survive.

He loved Yao Yulan. He didn’t want to lose her, and he certainly didn’t want his daughter to grow up surrounded by such vicious words.

”Even an honest official can’t settle a family quarrel. I finally get it! No matter how I try to mediate, my parents will never change their minds.”

”Since they won’t change, then it’s just as you said—we’ll just stop seeing them. From now on, if anything comes up, I’ll go back by myself. I’m their son, but Yulan has no obligation to them.”

”Since they look down on my daughter and attack her with such vicious language, then I have no choice but to protect her and keep her away from them.”

Ye Feng patted Chen Yupeng’s shoulder and said comfortingly, ”You’ve actually done a great job. It’s just that some things, and some people, are completely beyond your control. That’s why things don’t always go as you wish.”

”Honestly, these little hardships in life are nothing compared to the constant danger of death we faced on the battlefield. Look at me. I made a clean break and now live with Xiao Rui in Jinshan Bay.”

”My grandparents actually wanted us to live in the city. Not only is the living and educational environment better there, but the transportation and networking opportunities are also more convenient.”

”It would have been a huge benefit for me, saving me a lot of time on my commute and when running errands. But for Xiao Rui and our two daughters, living in the city wasn’t their first choice.”

”So I refused right then and there. I knew that as long as I stood my ground, my grandparents wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.”

”But if I had asked Xiao Rui to move to the city with the kids to live with me, she might have sacrificed her own happiness for my sake at first. But over time, resentment would have been sure to grow in her heart.”

”Then, no matter how deep our love, it would have been eroded by the trivial frictions of daily life, leaving nothing but petty squabbles. That’s not the kind of life I want.”

Chen Yupeng was taken aback by Ye Feng’s words, and then he smiled. ”Captain, you’re as wise and level-headed as ever. You always know what’s most important. Whether on the battlefield or in everyday life, you always grasp the crucial point and see the big picture.”

Ye Feng roared with laughter and clapped Chen Yupeng on the shoulder. ”Well, life isn’t the battlefield. On the battlefield, you run into an enemy, you just mow ’em down with your gun.”

”But in life, you’re mostly dealing with family and friends. You can’t just solve problems with a bullet, and you can’t fix things just by having a fight. So you always have to identify the critical issue and make a choice.”

”Sometimes, when you learn to let certain things go, the situation has a way of turning around. You’re your parents’ only son. They know you’re a filial person, so they know if they just kick up a fuss, you’ll give in.”

”You two have been married for so long, and your kid is already this old, yet your parents still haven’t changed their attitude. At this point, you’re the one who has to change. You need to take the initiative. It’s good to be a filial son, but not to the point of foolishness.”

Chen Yupeng nodded. ”Alright! To be honest, deep down I was also hoping Yulan would come work here. At least she’d have a genuine friend like Xiao Rui around. When she’s upset, she’ll have someone to talk to.”

Ye Feng smiled. ”Now that you put it that way, it seems you wanted to separate the two parties all along.”

When Yao Yulan got back, she saw Chen Yupeng playing with their daughter, Miaomiao, and with Pingping and An’an.

”Did you pick out a house?” Chen Yupeng asked with a smile when he saw Yao Yulan come back.

Yao Yulan paused, slightly taken aback. ”You’re not against it?”

Chen Yupeng smiled. ”As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters. I’m not against it! And it’ll be good to give Miaomiao a change to a better environment!”

Yao Yulan froze for a moment. ”I’ve already picked one, but it’s not close to your work! You could stay at our current place, and Miaomiao and I could move here.”

Hearing this, Chen Yupeng waved his hand dismissively. ”There’s a bus route here. It doesn’t go directly to my office, but it’s only a five-minute walk from the bus stop. It’s not far at all.”

”If the house is picked out, I’m actually free tomorrow. We can start moving our things over, little by little. Once summer vacation starts and you’ve handed off your work responsibilities, we’ll move here for good.”

Hearing her husband say this, Yao Yulan’s eyes immediately reddened. ”Don’t you think I’m being unreasonable?”

Chen Yupeng smiled. ”You and Miaomiao have suffered enough. You said before that you wouldn’t take Miaomiao to see my parents anymore, and I won’t force you.”

”We’ve been married for so long and our child is growing up. Since my parents still can’t accept you, there’s no need for you to get too tangled up with them.”

Just then, Han Xiaorui and Ye Feng took the children outside to play, giving Chen Yupeng and Yao Yulan some space.

The couple reconciled completely.

Han Xiaorui gave Ye Feng a thumbs-up. ”I never knew Mr. Ye had the makings of a political commissar!”

Ye Feng smiled. ”My eloquence isn’t that great! I was just being honest. Back in the day, we stared death in the face. What’s a little friction in life compared to that?”

”Chen Yupeng and Yao Yulan are genuinely in love, and they have such an adorable daughter. They have no intention of divorcing. Since that’s the case, the best thing to do is get away from the root of the problem.”

Han Xiaorui raised an eyebrow. ”Don’t you think that’s not very filial?”

Ye Feng chuckled. ”If parents are right, the younger generation should listen. If parents are wrong, why should we listen? Forget parents, even our ancestors wouldn’t get a pass. In short, I will never let you or our child suffer. It wasn’t an option with my grandparents, and it’s even less of an option with my own father.”

For his words and actions alone, Han Xiaorui wouldn’t trade him, not even for a mountain of gold and silver.

’He was such a wonderful husband.’

’What had she, Han Xiaorui, ever done to deserve such a life partner?’

By the time Han Xiaorui and Ye Feng returned with the kids, Chen Yupeng and Yao Yulan were all smiles. They were back to their old selves, no longer fighting or even mentioning divorce.

And Chen Yupeng did just that.

Ye Feng drove and called over a few of their comrades-in-arms who also worked nearby to help Chen Yupeng move.

Carrying heavy loads and shouting out work calls, it was as if they had returned to those extraordinary, war-torn years.

That evening, as they were drinking beer together, Hu Yaowu’s eyes reddened. ”Captain, I miss Huzi, Er Zhuang, and Dayong...”

His words made everyone at the table think of their fallen comrades.

Ye Feng patted Hu Yaowu’s shoulder. ”I miss them too. Wait until fall. After Xiao Rui has the baby and has had time to recover, I’ll take you all to Malipo.”

”Really?” Hu Yaowu said, excited. ”I couldn’t go before because my family was poor, but now I have some money. I’ll definitely take time off work to go then. I miss them so much. I’m going to buy the best cigarettes and the best liquor. It was so damp over there back then, we had to run around bare-assed. I’m even gonna buy them the best underwear!”

”I mean it. I’ll take you guys,” Ye Feng replied. ”We’ll fly. It’ll cost more, but it’s fast, so it won’t interfere with work.” Seeing that the others were about to speak, he cut them off. ”We’re talking about brotherhood here, not money. Otherwise, I’m going by myself from now on.”