Zeng Jingrong watched the retreating figures of the two brothers.
"Their speed isn't good enough. Although they've mastered the cultivation technique given by Li Weiyan, its integration and practical application are still poor."
Tian Jing was speechless.
As fellow psychics, she couldn't expect Zeng Jingrong to focus on the children's psychological state.
If their psychological resilience couldn't keep up, their abilities would be difficult to improve.
Seeing Tian Jing's silence, Zeng Jingrong asked, "When will you send Ranran in?"
Tian Jing shook her head, "Not for now. Ranran's temperament needs to be improved, and his unique identity also needs time to adapt."
"Let's wait a bit longer, give him some freedom. After he turns fifteen."
The entire camp had just moved in, and there was nothing Tian Jing needed to help with. After a brief tour, she descended the mountain.
Li Zhengguo was waiting for his wife at the foot of the mountain. "Did you see Haohao and Xiaobo? Are they doing well?"
Tian Jing smiled and recounted Xiaobo's changes. "Although Zeng Jingrong did it intentionally, Xiaobo has indeed become much livelier. Haohao also doesn't seem as steadfast as before; he's full of spirit."
Li Zhengguo smiled, "Joining the army makes everyone energetic. Next time, can you bring me along to see them?"
Tian Jing nodded, "Mm-hmm. Are you waiting here just to ask this?"
Li Zhengguo hesitated for a moment, "I want to find a match for Li Daniu. I wonder if Li Aiguo will be so angry he dies when he gets out?"
Tian Jing raised her eyebrows in surprise, "It wouldn't be that bad, would it? Li Daniu is already in her early twenties. Because of Zhang Fangcao and Li Aiguo's stubbornness, no one has been willing to propose marriage to her."
"If someone is actively arranging a marriage for his daughter and he still gets angry to death, he's truly petty."
Li Zhengguo glanced at the nearby construction workers eavesdropping with their ears perked up and lowered his voice.
"I plan to introduce someone from that group of retired soldiers. They are willing to settle down with the bride's family."
Tian Jing also lowered her voice, "Didn't you ask the villagers to publicize the settlement policy?"
"Alas!" Li Zhengguo sighed.
"Forget publicizing, I've personally asked, but no one is willing to leave their hometown. After earning money, they still want to go back."
"Their parents, siblings, relatives, and extended family are all in their hometown. No one wants to put down roots in a strange place again."
Tian Jing was unwilling to get involved in the Li family's affairs.
"You should let mother ask Li Daniu. If Daniu has someone in mind, or doesn't want to take in a son-in-law, you'd be worrying for nothing."
The couple first went to the small Western-style building, but Li's mother wasn't there.
Upon returning to the courtyard house, they found everyone gathered around Little Black, with Yuan Man removing stitches from him.
The wound had healed well, but it was still uneven.
Without bandages, the mangy wolf looked somewhat pathetic, but his spirits had greatly improved.
Li Zhengguo quietly told his mother about his plan to find a match for Li Daniu.
Li's mother found it difficult, "Daniu has grandparents. Is it appropriate for us to bypass her grandparents and arrange it directly?"
Li Zhengguo stated that there was nothing inappropriate about it. Accountant Li was unwilling to be involved in Li Aiguo's affairs.
Now that Li Aiguo was sentenced, Accountant Li was even less inclined to get involved.
Li's mother decided to ask Zhang Fangcao first.
Zhang Fangcao shook her head, "I won't meddle in anyone's business. I just want to live out my remaining years in peace."
Li's mother deliberated for two days before approaching Li Daniu.
Li Daniu was surprised, "Someone is willing to marry into my family?"
The girl's words were so humble that Li's mother's sympathy was aroused.
"Daniu, truly sensible people know that your parents' actions have nothing to do with you."
Li Daniu teared up, "But the villagers say I'm heartless. I didn't visit my mother that year."
Li's mother patted her hand, "With your father's stubborn and self-centered nature, how could you go against him?"
"If I may say something inappropriate, now that he's gone, you're actually freer and more at ease."
"Take advantage of these ten-plus years to build your own small family and live well."
"By the time he gets out, he'll be an old man, and you'll be an independent woman. He won't be able to interfere with your life."
"Tang Shu Po!"
Li Daniu sobbed on Li's mother's shoulder. For over a decade, she had been strictly controlled by her father.
If she dared to disobey, he would say she was like her mother, wild and promiscuous, and would surely be a flirt in the future.
Now, finally, someone understood her frustration. She couldn't help but burst into tears.
Li's mother sighed, feeling pity for the child she had watched grow up.
"Good child, I've asked about your mother; she won't get involved. I haven't asked your grandparents. However, the matchmaker is your Uncle Zhengguo. Your grandfather will stop your grandmother."
Li Daniu straightened up, "It's Uncle Zhengguo?"
"Yes." Li's mother nodded. "It's inconvenient for your Uncle Zhengguo to come, so he asked me to."
"I've already told you about the other party. Think about it carefully."
"Physical disabilities affect not only the individual but also their wife and children. You already receive a lot of sideways glances because of your parents. To then find a disabled man as your husband, I..."
"Alas, if the other party weren't willing to marry into the family, and if our village's atmosphere hadn't been so well-managed by your Uncle Zhengguo, I wouldn't have come."
Li Daniu wiped away her tears, "Okay, I'll think about it carefully."
Back at the courtyard house, after Li's mother told her younger daughter-in-law the result, she couldn't help but rant about Li Aiguo and Zhang Fangcao, the irresponsible parents.
"...Given Zhang Fangcao's infatuation with Li Weiguo back then, she wouldn't have changed without being locked up."
"Just as she was about to be released, Li Aiguo went in again. The most pitiable is Li Daniu, who has lived under the pointing fingers of others since she was two years old..."
Tian Jing was speechless.
If her mother-in-law knew that Li Zhengguo was the one who orchestrated Li Aiguo and Zhang Fangcao's divorce, she wondered what her reaction would be.
Tian Jing no longer paid attention to Li Daniu's affairs because her two sons had returned for the holidays.
Li Weili and Li Weixin excitedly brought their two elder brothers to see Little Black.
Li's mother also handed the matchmaking task back to her youngest son. She couldn't get enough of looking at her grandsons, and her sympathy temporarily went on strike.
"Haohao, Xiaobo, why did you get holidays so late?"
Li Weihuo and Li Weibo each hugged one of their grandmother's arms.
"There was a lot to learn these past two years. We only got holidays after passing our exams."
Li's mother looked joyfully from side to side, her grandsons were almost as tall as their father. "What about Yanyan? Did he not pass?"
Li Weihuo glanced at his mother and shook his head, "Yes, he has to retake the exam."
Li's mother chided, "That child is just too unfocused. When he passes, ask him to come back and see his grandmother."
After chatting with her two grandsons for a while, Li's mother went to the kitchen.
Li Weihuo accompanied his younger siblings, while Li Weibo spoke with his own mother.
Starting from last summer, Captain Zeng announced that all team members would begin mental training.
The mental training took place in a maze, and team members were transported there by helicopter.
Only two team members were sent at a time. After exiting the maze, they were sent back by helicopter. Upon returning to the special skills team, team members immediately reported their experiences truthfully to Captain Zeng.
After three rounds, no one had managed to pass.
This was because before the team members could even reach the center of the maze, they would fall into pits in the dense fog.
For their special skills team members, climbing out of such pits was not difficult.
What was difficult was that just as they were climbing, the fog would dissipate, the pit would close, and they would either be trapped or fall back into the pit and be stuck for a day.