Chapter Eighty-One: Regret or Not Regret

  Because Zou Ze's mobility is limited, someone needs to take care of him all day long. Liu Lihua took a long leave and stayed by his bedside every day, but it was really exhausting for one person to do so day and night.

  Then Ji Xin'an and Zou Ze followed Liu Lihua to take turns taking care of him. At first, Liu Lihua did not agree with Ji Xin'an coming to help, although she treated her as a daughter, but it was really embarrassing to let her do these servant-like chores.

  But later, seeing that he was really too busy to cope, and Zou Ze being too careless, letting him be on his own would often lead to problems, one thing after another, in the end, he had no choice but to agree with Ji Xin'an's suggestion.

  Maybe it's because of the careful care, plus Zou Weiguo's mentality is more calm and peaceful, the wound on his body healed quickly, and his leg recovered well.

  Now he can sit in a wheelchair and go outside for a walk, which has become Zhou Weiguo's only activity every day.

  Although it was easy to push the wheelchair out, every time Ji Xinan pushed him out alone, Zou Ze would follow behind. Now he didn't have the mood to take advantage of getting close to Ji Xinan, but only because he was afraid she might be inconvenient at times.

  "Alright, you guys sit down for a bit too, no need to keep pushing me around. Anyway, I'm sitting wherever I go." Today's weather was nice, so the two of them pushed Zhou Weiguo outside for a stroll and he smiled as he told them to find a place to rest for a bit.

  "Alright, let's find a cool place to sit for a while and take in the scenery of the military hospital." Ji Xin'an pushed him under a tree shade, Zou Ze came over to secure the wheelchair, and the two sat down on a long bench opposite Zou Weiguo.

  Ji Xin'an saw Zou Weiguo wanting to change his posture and sit down, so he hurried over to support him. "Master, be careful, if you touch the wound again, it will hurt for a while." Last time was because he forced himself to move, resulting in touching the wound on his leg, which made him sweat coldly.

  "It's nothing, it's not that fragile, what can happen from just a bump?" Zou Weiguo had forgotten the painful look on his face when he touched the wound, and was being very nonchalant.

  "That's not going to happen, you've just recovered a bit, if you get hurt again. I'll tell Master's wife and she'll make you stay in the hospital for another month or two." Ji Xin'an knew that no matter what she said, he wouldn't listen, but she knew what Zou Weiguo was most afraid of.

  "You mustn't go and tell on me, if she finds out, it'll be a disaster. My injuries are almost healed now, I think I can be discharged from the hospital in a few days." Zou Weiguo heard this and immediately had a bitter smile on his face. He was now completely obedient to Liu Lihua. Even when he wanted to do something she didn't agree with, he would do it behind her back. And when Liu Lihua wasn't around, Ji Xin'an was always there, so Ji Xin'an often used this to threaten him.

  "Now you can forget about being discharged. Don't even mention your mother-in-law, just the two of us won't be able to pass the test. You must stay for a while longer and wait until your body is fully recovered before being discharged." Ji Xin'an heard that he was the first to disagree with his discharge from the hospital, no matter how good the conditions were at home, it's not like in the hospital where doctors can check on him at any time, if there really are any problems when he goes back home, who knows how much trouble it will cause.

  "Now that school has started, you two aren't going to school either. You're already in your third year of high school. If I stay here any longer, it'll only hold you back. In my current state, no matter how long I stay in the hospital, I won't be able to grow another leg. It's all the same wherever I recover." Zhou Weiguo said with self-mockery, telling them to go to class at the start of school. But they didn't listen and insisted on staying behind to take care of him.

  "How can you think like that? Now your task is to heal the wound as quickly as possible, and when the time comes, we will definitely find the best prosthetic leg for you. I guarantee that you will be able to walk without any difference from before, and who knows, maybe even kick a more powerful tornado kick than before! Besides, missing a few days of school might affect others' learning, but it's nothing for us two. Don't forget, I'm the top scorer in the middle school exam, so even if we don't attend school for a semester, it won't be a big deal." Ji Xin'an smiled carelessly, knowing that her master had always been optimistic about her injury, but still having some intention in her heart.

  "Don't be too careless, you're not like Zou Ze, just taking the music college entrance exam, as long as you score enough points, you can get in. You're going to take the military academy exam, if this high school entrance exam doesn't go well, then there won't be another chance." After hearing her words, Zou Weiguo was led by her to think of Ji Xin'an.

  "If I really can't get in, then I won't go to university. I'll just join the army and take the military academy exam later. Who knows, maybe after some training, I'll be even more capable. As long as you have real skills, where can't you get in?" Ji Xin'an smiled slightly, suddenly remembering that he had mentioned Zou Ze wanting to attend music college, and only then realized that Zou Wei Guo had always been firmly opposed to this, "Master, you agree with Zou Ze studying music now? You're not forcing him to join the army anymore?"

  "Never mind, he's grown up now, let him do what he wants. After this incident, I've thought it through clearly. His mother has been worried about me for half her life, and now she can finally rest assured, no longer having to worry every day and losing sleep over it. If I were to force Zou Ze down this path again, his mother would have to go through that kind of life again. If it were his own wish, then fine, but he's not interested in it, so let him do what he wants." Zhou Weiguo felt a wave of emotion, realizing that all these years he had never thoroughly thought about these things, only focusing on cultivating Zou Ze to take over his business and become a soldier, thinking that only men who had been soldiers were real men, but never considering whether Zou Ze or his mother Liu Lihua wanted it.

  "Dad, thank you." Zou Ze heard these words and looked at his dad with emotion.

  "You stinky kid, this time you've chosen your own path. My son must do everything to the best of his ability. If he can't do it well, then don't come back and see me." Zou Weiguo was not used to being so emotional, still accustomed to maintaining his dignity in front of Zou Ze, so he kept a straight face, but the smile in his eyes betrayed his thoughts.

  Zou Ze didn't mind and just nodded heavily.

  Ji Xin'an was delighted to see the two of them talking openly, happy for Zou Ze's single-minded pursuit of his ideals and also happy about their reconciliation.

  Looking at Zou Weiguo again, he was very moved. "Master, have you ever regretted it? If you weren't a soldier, but in local government or business or politics, maybe now you would also be doing well, and you could take care of your family, and you wouldn't be in danger."

  "It's my pride to be a soldier, don't mention now that I've lost a leg, even if I were to suffer an even more severe injury, I wouldn't regret it. My childhood dream was to fight on the battlefield, if being a soldier wasn't right for me, maybe I would have been excellent at something else and lived a peaceful life. Maybe I could have risen through the ranks and become wealthy, but that kind of life, no matter how brilliant, isn't what I want. For me, even with the highest status and the most money, it has no meaning." Zou Weiguo said firmly, without a hint of regret, only looking at Zou Ze with some melancholy. "It's just pitied them, mother and son. From when Zou Ze was small, I wasn't by his side, I didn't participate in his growth process at all, and with his mom, from marriage to now, the time we spent together may not even add up to a year. Now that I'm injured, my military career is over. In the remaining time, what I should do most is make it up to them."

  Ji Xin'an also felt a bit downcast after hearing this. For soldiers, the people they owe the most are their families. "Master, Mistress is also a soldier, she will understand you, I think she won't blame you."

  "An An, seeing Master like this, are you afraid? As a soldier, you may get hurt or sacrifice yourself, and have no time to be with your family. Have you thought all these through? If you regret now, it's still not too late." Zou Weiguo looked at Ji Xin'an, he had always been supportive of her. Moreover, he had also considered letting her try out in his own unit if she continued to work hard and maintain her current state. However, since he got injured, he thought more about it, and for Ji Xin'an's matter, he hesitated even more. After all, she was still so young, and if she realized these things later and regretted them, it would be too late.

  "Of course, I've thought it through. Since I've decided to become a soldier, I won't regret it. It's an honor to be able to fight for my ideals like you do. I know this path may be tough and I'll have to make many sacrifices, but I'll persevere. I don't know if I'll regret my decision when my youth is gone, but at least now I want to work hard for my ideals."

  Ji Xin'an looked at her master's crippled leg and felt a twinge of fear in her heart. She didn't know if she could have the same attitude as Zou Weiguo if she were injured like that one day. But thinking about her past life, which was mediocre and unfulfilling, solidified her determination. If she still hesitated, it would be a waste of the second chance given to her by heaven.

  Zou Ze looked at Ji Xin'an, hoping she would give up, but he knew her stubbornness too well. As expected, her determination didn't waver. Although Zou Ze felt a little disappointed, after hearing her words, he couldn't help but be moved by her.

  "Now that you've made up your mind, Master will support you. Although my legs are crippled, my heart is not. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, just come find Master." Zhou Weiguo smiled, looking at Ji Xin'an as if he saw his former self.

  "Master, you're not crippled, it's just a broken leg, don't think about slacking off, I told you, I'll definitely help you find the best prosthetic limb. With today's advanced technology, what kind of thing doesn't exist? You can rest assured, this matter is taken care of by me." Ji Xin'an saw that Zou Weiguo wasn't afraid to mention his injury at all, so she didn't avoid the topic either.

  "If I can still stand up, I'll teach you myself and be a qualified master. The skills you have now are not many that I taught you. At that time, let you see the true skill of the master." Zou Weiguo smiled slightly, without much concern. Losing one leg meant he would leave his unit, even with the best prosthetic leg, it was impossible to return. So for him, whether he could stand up or walk well was no longer important, but he also didn't appreciate Gu Xian's good intentions.

  "Dad, now I think about it, Ji Xin'an is more like your daughter." Zou Ze looked at the two of them and suddenly felt a sense of connection. They shared the same ideals, were willing to give their all for those ideals, and had the same optimistic outlook on life. Except for being born in different eras, they were the same kind of people.

  "If I had a choice, of course, I would hope that An'an is my daughter. But heaven doesn't even let me choose!" The three of them burst out laughing together, and Zou Ze didn't mind the self-deprecation in his words.

  "When you're a disciple, it's not just about being a teacher for one day and a father for life. I'm like your daughter," said Ji Xin'an with a smile, although they hadn't spent much time together, she really did regard him as her own father.

  Zou Weiguo looked at Ji Xin'an with satisfaction, feeling that this apprentice was indeed worth it. "Yes, since I got injured, you've been following me around to take care of me, just like a biological daughter."

  "Master, you said these things, what am I supposed to do? If everything is fine, I cling to you, but once there's trouble, I hide far away. What kind of person would I be?" Ji Xin'an didn't become complacent due to his praise, and this wasn't something worth showing off about anyway.

  Zou Ze couldn't stand their polite back-and-forth, so he smiled and started joking around. "An An, you keep calling them Master and Mistress, but when they come back, you don't even acknowledge me. Come on, call me 'older brother' and see how it sounds." As he spoke, he patted Ji Xin'an's shoulder, adopting an older-brotherly demeanor.

  Ji Xin'an didn't buy it, and rudely gave him a cold stare. "With an attitude like yours, you're still considered a senior brother? I think the junior brother is more decent. Why don't we let Master decide who's the real senior or junior brother?"

  "Yes, An An is right. From now on, this will be your junior brother." Zou Weiguo surprisingly also joined in the commotion, firmly standing on Ji Xinan's side.

  "This won't do, I'm much bigger than An'an." Zou Ze didn't expect that one sentence wouldn't gain him an advantage, but instead got himself into a predicament.

  "How can it not be okay? We don't go by age, we speak based on ability. You say you're better than Anan in what way, and that's settled." Zou Weiguo became overbearing once again, but this time Ji Xin'an was extremely pleased.

  Looking at Zou Ze's bitter face, Ji Xin'an was delighted, "Younger brother is so obedient, sister will buy you candies to eat."

  Zou Ze's face turned even darker, although he was amused by their laughter and was happy himself, but the cost was a bit too high. Looking at the big and small ones laughing happily, he couldn't help but feel bitter.

  Liu Lihua arrived with lunch just in time to see this scene, and she felt very relieved. Since Zou Weiguo's injury, although he hadn't been as depressed as others, he also hadn't laughed so heartily before. Now that he could laugh so easily, Liu Lihua felt more at ease after seeing it herself.

  And he can have such a smile, without guessing it is Ji Xin'an's credit. Thinking of these days, Ji Xin'an has been busy running around, and my heart feels grateful. Now thinking about how I misunderstood their relationship at first, I feel even more ashamed. Thinking that even if it's to make up for my misunderstanding of her, from now on I will treat her well, just like my own daughter.