Starting a new chapter in life

Chapter 218 He Jin'an went to Xi'an

In mid-July, the college entrance examination results came out. An'an's estimated score was quite accurate: 532 points, which was 10 points higher than the admission score of Northwestern Polytechnical University.

This was very dangerous for He Jin'an, but fortunately it was enough. Jing Yan looked at him and smiled, "Don't say that, my An'an is quite lucky. This score is just enough. If he had made one more mistake, he probably wouldn't have been able to get into this university."

Looking at her grades, An'an smiled contentedly: "Mom, have you ever heard the saying, 'Luck is also a form of ability'? I barely made it through, so Zhizhi, Xiaoxiao, if you two have a school you like, you'll have to work hard for the next two years!"

Don't end up like me, with mediocre grades. I was lucky this time, but you might not have the same luck.

Zhizhi flipped through the brochures of various universities and looked at Xiaoxiao: "What do you want to do in the future? Which school do you want to apply to?"

Xiao Xiao leaned closer to her, and upon hearing this, touched her bright eyebrows and eyes, "Am I pretty?"

Zhizhi looked at her and nodded: "Beautiful."

"With my looks, and the ability to sing and dance, it would be a shame if I didn't become an actress. So I want to go to film school to study acting, and after graduation I can become an actress. I want to play the kind of chivalrous woman," Xiao Xiao said with a smile.

An An looked at him seriously and honestly suggested, "But Xiao Xiao, your appearance is probably more suitable for playing a femme fatale who brings ruin to a country."

Lu Xiaoxiao shouted angrily, "He Jin'an, if you have the guts, say it again! You're the one who brought ruin to the country! You're the one who's a femme fatale!"

The two chased and fought, and Zhizhi even helped Xiaoxiao trick her brother a couple of times. The three children played around on the side, but when they heard that Xiaoxiao wanted to be an actress, He Zhijun and Jingyan exchanged a glance and felt a little worried.

That evening, as the two lay in bed, Jingyan said worriedly, "Xiaoxiao wants to enter the film and television industry, but we ordinary people really don't understand that kind of industry."

But just look at those Hong Kong stars and the gossip in magazines and newspapers, you can tell that it's not a respectable or simple industry. Do you think Xiaoxiao, such a beautiful woman, will be bullied if she goes there?

What if she's pretty and has a lot of suitors, and she gets overwhelmed by the choices and ends up with a jerk? Even though she's not related to us by blood, she's been with us for six or seven years, practically family.

I'm really worried, but I can't exactly tell her not to go. She's watched so many TV dramas; who doesn't dream of becoming a star?

He Zhijun sighed: "I'll go see Commander Lu tomorrow and talk to him about Xiaoxiao's thoughts, and see what he thinks. It's best for her parents to help with this kind of thing; it's not appropriate for us to interfere."

Jing Yan nodded. "Okay, then you can invite Commander Lu to a private room at the restaurant tomorrow to eat and chat. They have all the ingredients there, so you can order whatever you want." After saying that, she habitually snuggled into He Zhijun's arms, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.

He Zhijun, however, couldn't sleep. Although only Xiaoxiao had mentioned wanting to study acting today, knowing Zhizhi as he did, and knowing that Zhizhi and Xiaoxiao were close, he figured she might apply to the same program.

Although he wasn't worried about Zhizhi's fighting skills—she could probably take down four or five strong men with her bare hands without much trouble, at most suffering some minor injuries—people aren't always honest and straightforward. He was afraid that not everyone would openly confront him; he feared they might resort to underhanded tactics.

With Zhizhi's straightforward nature, he might not be able to keep his guard up. He sighed softly and could only keep his worries to himself, not daring to show them. Otherwise, with Jingyan's quick temper, he would have a lot to worry about in the next two years. Sigh, let's see. Fortunately, there is still time.

The next morning, He Zhijun went to Lu Xiaoxiao's house to find Commander Lu. The two went to the restaurant together, up to the innermost private room on the second floor, ordered some snacks to go with the drinks, and two bottles of Shikumen liquor. Once the dishes were served and the door to the private room was closed, Commander Lu smiled and said:

"It's rare for Brother He to come and have a drink with me. What troubles you? If you have any problems, just let me know. Our two families have been friends for so many years, don't be shy."

He Zhijun poured him a drink and said, "It's not exactly urgent. My An'an's scores came out, and the admission score for the school he applied to was just a little higher. He got lucky."

Yesterday we were chatting, and Xiaoxiao said she wants to study film and television acting in the future. Although we don't know much about that industry, we see a lot of gossip about celebrities in magazines and newspapers.

Xiaoxiao is naturally beautiful, and Jingyan and I are quite worried. There are so many handsome men and beautiful women around her. What if she encounters someone with bad intentions, or someone who is good-looking but philandering, and then deceives her? That industry is too murky.

I was just thinking of giving you a heads-up. If Xiaoxiao insists on studying acting and wants to enter the film and television industry after graduation, we need to be careful about her safety. You know a lot of military personnel, so if all else fails, could you get a few retired soldiers with good skills to protect her?

Commander Lu listened quietly without interrupting, his expression calm. As expected of a soldier, his facial expression control was truly excellent.

After He Zhijun finished speaking, Commander Lu took a bite of food and slowly asked, "Did your Zhizhi say what she wanted to do?"

He Zhijun shook his head: "Zhizhi didn't say, but based on my understanding of Zhizhi, she might apply for the exam with Xiaoxiao. I'm not worried about Zhizhi's fighting ability, but I'm worried that she's too naive and might not be able to protect Xiaoxiao in the end, and end up getting herself into trouble."

Commander Lu chuckled: "You really are a father, underestimating your daughter so much. Zhizhi is quite shrewd, she just doesn't use it much at home, but you treat her like she doesn't have any."

There are still two years left. If they still haven't changed their minds by their senior year of high school, then like you said, after they graduate, I'll arrange for a few skilled veterans, mostly reconnaissance soldiers, to be their bodyguards.

Find two more skilled female soldiers to protect them closely. Would that make you feel safe? You're just worrying too much. Don't worry, with our families' connections and relationships in the military...

"As long as we release some information about her family background as a military officer, there shouldn't be any fools on the mainland who would dare to harm our daughter."

He Zhijun was somewhat relieved.

Commander Lu asked with a smile, "Is it because your sister-in-law is worried about the child? That's why you're getting anxious too."

He Zhijun smiled and said, "Not really. She hasn't thought about Zhizhi yet. She just heard Xiaoxiao's goal and is worried that if the child grows up to be too good, she might be taken advantage of in the world of fame and fortune. That's why she asked me to invite you to dinner to talk."

If I remind her of Zhizhi, I'm afraid she'll be too worried for the next two years. You know she has a short temper; she can't keep things bottled up. She needs to resolve things first, otherwise she definitely won't eat or drink properly. I don't want her to worry prematurely.

Commander Lu took a sip of his drink and said, "You two have a good relationship."

"And you're criticizing me? You and your husband have a great relationship, yet you've left the kids behind just so we don't disturb your time together," He Zhijun retorted.

"Our relationship is based on a life-or-death bond. If we had just met and gotten together in our ordinary lives, I don't think we would have such a strong relationship now. That's why I admire you two."

"You don't know, even we soldiers have military marriage protections. These past few years, with all this talk of reform and opening up, the economy has improved, but people's hearts have become restless. Many non-commissioned officer families are not very stable, and now we, the leaders, are also worried."

He Zhijun shrugged: "There's nothing I can do. This is your job. Don't talk to me about it. I can't offer any advice, and I don't want to hear about things that affect my mood. I just want to live my own life."

"Sure enough, this is the confidence of technical personnel. They don't need to worry about these things; they just need to finish their work. It's simple," Commander Lu remarked.

After dinner, the two parted ways at the restaurant entrance. When He Zhijun got home, he saw Jingyan's expectant little eyes and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Commander Lu said that if the child really goes into the entertainment industry, he will arrange for retired reconnaissance soldiers and female soldiers to protect him, so don't worry."

Jing Yan breathed a sigh of relief: "As long as safety is guaranteed, that's fine. As for other setbacks, life is never smooth sailing. It's not a bad thing to experience what you have to go through."

He Zhijun was relieved to see that she hadn't thought much of it.

In early August, He Jin'an received her university acceptance letter. After that, Jing Yan was busy with all sorts of shopping and packing. Tuition was 4,500 yuan a year, plus living expenses; Jing Yan never skimped on her child's needs.

After doing the math, I found that 300 yuan a month is enough for a boy's food and drink. Add in some daily necessities, clothes, shoes, and the occasional treat, and 500 yuan a month is more than enough.

So after discussing it with He Zhijun, they set the price at 500 yuan a month. This surprised An'an, who only had 10 yuan of pocket money each month. He had never received so much money before.

Zhizhi listened with envy. Jingyan looked at her and smiled, "If you can get into a top university in the future, I'll give you 700 yuan a month for living expenses, 200 more than your brother. How about it?"

Zhizhi looked delighted, while An'an pouted and said, "Mom, although there are many boys living in our house, we only have my brother and me. Aren't you being too biased? My sister has a hundred more than me, not just a hundred, but two hundred more. That's almost a thousand yuan this semester."

Jingyan asked him, "Who controls the finances in our family?"

"Mom has the money. With my dad's salary, it's barely enough to support me, let alone the whole family," An'an muttered.

He Zhijun slapped him on the shoulder and said, "Your dad's still here. Can't you give me some face?"

Jingyan shook her head: "Your dad's salary is more than enough to support the whole family. It's just that other families don't have as many meals a day as we do. Many families' combined income doesn't even equal your dad's."

It's just that I love to eat in our family, so we spend a lot, which makes your dad's contributions seem insignificant. But only your dad has never thought I'm greedy for luxury or spend too much money.

If this were anyone else, she would have been labeled a spendthrift woman long ago. Tell me, your dad's magnanimity and character are beyond the reach of most men.

An'an nodded with a pout: "Yes, I know. Dad loves Mom, and Mom spoils Dad. What does that have to do with my sister having more living expenses than me?"

Jingyan said matter-of-factly, "In our family, I spend more money than your father, so naturally, your sister's allowance should be more than yours. That's the logic. Do you have any objections?"

An'an... "I feel very hurt." He looked at He Zhijun.

He Zhijun patted him reassuringly: "You have to understand, girls love to look good. With face cream, lipstick, and clothes for all four seasons, when you add it all up, Zhizhi's living expenses are actually less than yours."

For a boy, a few outfits are enough for all four seasons. You might not even need to buy clothes for four years of college. Your mom has prepared enough for all your needs during college. Thinking about it that way, doesn't it feel like a steal?

An'an... "So, you can actually do the math like this?"

He Zhijun didn't have time to accompany An'an on her shopping trip, as he had to go to work. Only Jingyan, Zhizhi, and Xiaoxiao accompanied An'an. The four of them attracted a lot of attention as they shopped.

First, we bought suitcases. The three children each dragged one, leaving Jingyan's hands free. An'an tried on a set, thought it was okay, and we bought it and stuffed it directly into the suitcase.

After a day of shopping, I had three suitcases: one for spring and summer clothes, one for autumn and winter cotton-padded coats and down jackets, and the other for shoes, socks, and underwear.

An'an finally faced his mother's spending habits firsthand. Watching the money being handed out one bill at a time, he realized for the first time what it meant to feel heartache. Suddenly, he felt that the two hundred yuan allowance his sister received seemed like a really small amount.

After finishing their shopping and returning home, An'an secretly slipped into Zhizhi's room. This hadn't happened since the two children turned ten. Zhizhi asked in confusion, "Brother, what are you doing here?"

An'an asked quietly, "Sis, look at how much money Mom spent today. Don't you think it's too wasteful?"

Zhizhi tilted her head: "Isn't this normal? Mom only bought it for you this time, not for herself or for me, so she didn't buy much."

"Do all girls spend money like this?" An'an asked again, still not giving up.

Zhizhi shook her head: "I don't know about others, but Xiaoxiao and I bought them this way. We just didn't have any money on hand, so we used Mom's and Aunt's money. What's wrong with that?"

An'an felt her heart had been dealt another blow. She shook her head, looking utterly dejected: "It's nothing, it's just that I think it's better if I don't date in college. I can't afford it, I can't afford it..."

Zhizhi looked at An'an leaving her room with a puzzled expression. She still couldn't figure out what had gotten into her brother. If she couldn't figure it out, she wouldn't think about it; that was her principle.

Jingyan never expected that her desire to bring all the necessities for her child would cause An'an to be afraid to date until she was financially independent in college.

In late August, He Zhijun took a week off to take An'an to school. Jing Yan originally wanted to go with him, but after looking at her two older daughters at home, she gave up the idea.

The father and son boarded the train to Xi'an. Three people were seeing them off on the platform. After watching the train depart, Jingyan took Zhizhi and Xiaoxiao home. Looking at the empty house, she felt the quiet for the first time. To be honest, it was really not used to.