Chapter 19 Using this as an excuse: You want me to apologize to a child? ...

Ji Wei was certain she didn't know the woman in front of her, and she disliked the woman's violent knocking even more. She patiently asked again, "Who are you looking for?"

"Teacher Ji, don't you recognize me?" The woman standing at the door kept looking Ji Wei up and down as she spoke, which made Ji Wei very unhappy.

“Mom, she is Zhang Xiaojun’s mother,” Gu Chen’an said, pointing to the woman outside the door as he came out of the main room.

"Oh, you've changed your tune so quickly, you're calling me all that so affectionately," Miao Xiaolan said, pursing her lips.

"Mrs. Zhang Xiaojun, is there something you need?" Recalling Zhang Xiaojun's words yesterday, Ji Wei already disliked the Zhang family, and her sarcastic tone made her even more annoying.

"Of course I came to see you because I have something to say." Miao Xiaolan said, secretly rolling her eyes. Gu Zhiyuan was blind. He would rather have a woman with a child than marry her sister. Apart from her pretty face, what did this woman have that was better than her sister?

"Then may I ask what brings you here? We have other things to attend to right now," Ji Wei politely gestured for them to leave.

"Teacher Ji, even though you're Chen'an's stepmother now, you can't be this biased! He fought with my Xiaojun, and he has bruises on his thighs and stomach, but I haven't seen you punish him at all!" Yes, Miao Xiaolan came specifically to cause trouble. Back when Gu Zhiyuan and his son first moved in, she took good care of them and even introduced her own sister to him without hesitation. She never expected him to refuse. Miao Xiaolan couldn't swallow that anger and forbade her children from playing with this burden anymore. A few days ago, she heard that Gu Zhiyuan had remarried and even distributed wedding candy to the neighbors, but he deliberately skipped their house. She knew that Gu was doing it on purpose. She was just looking for an excuse to cause trouble, and the bruises on Zhang Xiaojun's body gave her just that.

“Zhang Xiaojun’s parent, if you’re here for this matter, we can talk at the school tomorrow. I’ve already dealt with it, and the two children have apologized to each other. As for the bruises on Zhang Xiaojun’s body that you mentioned, I didn’t know about them. He didn’t tell me yesterday. However, Chen’an’s wounds on his face are more obvious.” As soon as Ji Wei finished speaking, Gu Chen’an showed Miao Xiaolan the bloody marks on his face and the back of his hands that Zhang Xiaojun had scratched.

"Even so, you can't just let it go like this. You should at least notify us parents. What if my Xiaojun has internal injuries?" Miao Xiaolan's eyes flashed with satisfaction when she saw the injury on Gu Chen'an's face. Not bad, her Xiaojun didn't lose.

"Okay, I'll definitely let you know immediately if something similar happens again." Ji Wei was now 100% certain that this person was using this as an excuse to make trouble.

"Then, Teacher Ji, what do you think we should do about this? We can't just let it go like this." Miao Xiaolan was somewhat displeased with Ji Wei's attitude.

"Then what do you think is the most appropriate way to handle this?" Ji Wei asked calmly.

“Xiao Jun has bruises all over his body, so he definitely needs to go to the hospital to check for internal injuries. Since Gu Chen’an caused these injuries, you will definitely have to bear the cost of the hospital check-up,” Miao Xiaolan said.

“Of course we can. We’re also worried about the wounds on Chen’an’s face and the back of his hands, so let’s go to the hospital together and ask the doctor if they will leave scars. When do you think would be a good time for us to go?” Ji Wei threw the question back at him.

"No, Teacher Ji, how can you, a teacher, try to extort money? How could this possibly leave a scar?" Miao Xiaolan protested.

“Mrs. Zhang Xiaojun, I’m speaking to you as Gu Chen’an’s parent right now. It’s not just your family that cares about your child; our family cares about him too. We can all go to the hospital for a check-up together so we can all feel more at ease. What do you think?” Ji Wei said, smiling as she looked at Miao Xiaolan.

"Teacher Ji, aren't you being too biased? What do you think other parents will think if I tell them about this?" Miao Xiaolan's tone was laced with threat.

“I have a clear conscience about what other parents think. All the children in the class witnessed their fight. Everyone knows who was right and who was wrong. If you feel that I am treating your child differently, you can apply to transfer him to another class.” Ji Wei was not going to tolerate her. The more you talk to someone like that, the more she will take advantage of you.

"Dad, you're finally back! Come quick, Zhang Xiaojun's mother is trying to extort money from us!" Gu Chen'an, who was standing behind Ji Wei, suddenly ran towards the person at the door.

"Stop talking nonsense, you little brat! What do you mean by extorting money?" Miao Xiaolan said this with a rather weak voice.

"What's going on?" Gu Zhiyuan's voice was icy, which reminded Miao Xiaolan of his terrifyingly cold gaze back then. Her hands, which were originally at her waist, clenched unconsciously. "Alright, alright, we're neighbors, I'll let it go this time. But if you bully my Xiaojun again next time, I won't be so lenient."

Seeing that Miao Xiaolan was about to leave, Ji Wei stepped forward and said, "Wait."

"Is there anything else?" Miao Xiaolan asked impatiently, fearing Gu Zhiyuan who was standing next to her.

“Since you’ve come all this way, I think it’s best to clarify some things. Like you said, we’re all neighbors, so we can’t let everyone really think that Chen’an bullied your child, can we?” Ji Wei said gently.

"So what do you want?" Miao Xiaolan had a bad feeling.

"Since everyone is here, let's make the whole story clear. No one can arbitrarily label Chen'an for something he didn't do." Ji Wei's voice became sharp at the end. After speaking, she turned to look at Gu Chen'an and said gently, "Chen'an, go to the Zhang family and call Zhang Xiaojun over. Only you two know best what really happened that day."

Miao Xiaolan only then noticed that so many people had gathered outside the courtyard. A flash of resentment crossed her eyes: "Teacher Ji, aren't you making a mountain out of a molehill?"

“Mrs. Zhang Xiaojun, as I just said, my role right now isn’t that of a teacher, but simply Gu Chen’an’s mother. If it really is our Chen’an who’s bullying people, then we should apologize.” Ji Wei’s tone was gentle, and coupled with Gu Zhiyuan’s usual care for the neighbors, the people gathered outside the door were already on their side.

Miao Xiaolan was about to say something when she heard Gu Zhiyuan speak up: "Ji Wei is right. At this moment, we are in the same position as you, parents who are worried about their children. We understand your decision to come to us, and we also hope that you understand our feelings of protecting our children."

“Yes, Mr. and Mrs. Gu are right. Just because Xiao Ji is a teacher doesn’t mean she can’t care about her own child.”

"That's right. Besides, could Chen An, with his small frame, really hurt his little Jun?" someone questioned.

The two children arrived at this time. Gu Chen'an and Zhang Xiaojun stood together. One looked like a bean sprout, while the other was as big as one and a half times as wide as Gu Chen'an.

Seeing Zhang Xiaojun approach, Miao Xiaolan quickly lifted his shirt, revealing the bruises on his stomach: "Xiaojun, tell everyone, who did this?"

"It was Gu Chen'an who did it." Zhang Xiaojun didn't actually remember if he had bumped into the table and caused it when he got home from school yesterday.

"Listen to this, everyone. Surely the child wouldn't be talking nonsense?" Miao Xiaolan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“Zhang Xiaojun, can you explain why you and Gu Chenan fought yesterday? Also, you scratched his face and the back of his hands, right? He bled yesterday, didn’t he?” Ji Wei looked at Zhang Xiaojun.

“I was the one who grabbed him. Yesterday, I started swearing first, and then he grabbed my clothes and told me to shut up. I pushed him away, and that’s when we started fighting. But we’ve already apologized to each other. Didn’t you say this matter was over, Teacher Ji?” Zhang Xiaojun sounded a little anxious, thinking that Ji Wei was going to settle scores later, and hurriedly said that it had been dealt with yesterday.

"Since it's all been resolved, what's going on with Miao Xiaolan?" someone in the crowd asked.

"She's trying to extort money. It was Zhang Xiaojun who insulted my parents first, not me who bullied him," Gu Chen'an said, looking aggrieved.

“Zhang Xiaojun’s mother, the children have already explained the cause of the matter very clearly. Now, shouldn’t you apologize to Chen An for what you said before?” Ji Wei looked at Miao Xiaolan.

"You want me to apologize to this burden?" Miao Xiaolan subconsciously called out the name she had always used for Gu Chen'an. Back then, when she wanted to introduce her younger sister to Gu Zhiyuan, wasn't Gu Chen'an just a burden in her eyes?

The words "burden" brought tears to Gu Chen'an's eyes. He remembered that the woman before had also called him that, always saying that he was a burden to her.

"Apologize." Gu Zhiyuan walked coldly to Miao Xiaolan's side.

Miao Xiaolan wanted to refuse, but she couldn't help but shiver when she met Gu Zhiyuan's icy gaze. She was still trying to argue, "It's just a misunderstanding. Besides, what kind of adult apologizes to a child?"

“Isn’t it only natural to apologize when you say or do something wrong? As an adult, you should set a good example for your child. You just accused our Chen’an of bullying your child. Didn’t you think about how he would be hurt by those words? How many strange looks would he receive because of them? This can’t be dismissed with a simple misunderstanding,” Ji Wei retorted without backing down.

Gu Chen'an's eyes welled up with even more tears, not from sadness, but from being moved. No one had ever stood up for him like this before. If it were that woman, she would have slapped him in the face long ago. In her heart, everyone else was always right, and he was the only one who was wrong.

When people around her first heard Ji Wei's request, they thought she was making a mountain out of a molehill. In this day and age, what kind of logic is it for an adult to apologize to a child? But what she said later seemed to make some sense. After all, when people heard those words, they would tell their children to stay away from Gu Chen'an in the future.

Miao Xiaolan didn't want to apologize, but she felt Gu Zhiyuan's gaze on her growing colder. Her husband was a businessman, and she was worried he might take revenge on her for personal reasons. So she spoke softly, "Chen An, I'm sorry, Auntie misunderstood you."

Ji Wei was somewhat dissatisfied with this perfunctory apology, but Miao Xiaolan had already grabbed Zhang Xiaojun's hand and run away after speaking. The onlookers also felt that she had done quite well. Ji Wei could only suppress her displeasure and apologize to the people outside, saying, "I'm sorry, I made a fool of myself in front of everyone. It's probably a professional habit of mine. I tend to take things too seriously when it comes to children. I think that we adults don't like to be wronged, and children must feel the same way."

At this point, everyone still held the view that parents are the children's everything, and even if the parents made a mistake, it was the children's fault. But upon hearing Ji Wei's last words, many people began to ponder this issue for the first time. After all, everyone has been a child, and almost everyone has experienced being wronged or misunderstood. Back then, they felt hurt but couldn't resist their parents. But aren't they doing the same thing as their parents now? It was clearly a small matter, yet it made the onlookers think deeply.

Once most of the people outside had left, Ji Wei turned around and noticed Gu Chen'an's tears. She quickly asked, "What's wrong? Do you think her apology was too perfunctory?"

Gu Chen'an shook his head and hugged her waist tightly: "Mom, you're amazing! Zhang Xiaojun's mom really apologized to me." This was something he never dared to dream of before, but today his mother got it for him.

Watching this scene, Gu Zhiyuan's coldness began to melt away, and his gaze toward Ji Wei revealed an admiration he himself hadn't realized. The apology just now was something he hadn't expected. He had the same thought as those people earlier, believing that the misunderstanding would be resolved, but he forgot about the hurt the child would suffer. He reflected on himself and realized that he was indeed not a qualified father.

"It's only right to apologize for doing something wrong. Even if your dad and I did something wrong or said something wrong, we should still apologize to you." Ji Wei's words were a reminder to Gu Zhiyuan. According to one of her stereotypes about soldiers, they were chauvinistic. Although she didn't know much about Gu Zhiyuan at the moment, it was good to give him a heads-up in advance.

Gu Chen'an was stunned again by her words. He remembered the woman who beat him because the money in the house was missing. No matter how he explained that he didn't steal it, she wouldn't believe him. She whipped him with a thin twig until he bled. But when she later found the money in his pillow, she never apologized to him.

Seeing him lost in thought, Ji Wei gently rubbed his head and asked in a tender tone, "What's wrong?"

Gu Chen'an shook his head and didn't say anything. He just realized once again that people really are different.

"If there's nothing else, you should take your sister to do her homework," Ji Wei said, patting his head.

When the two little ones went to the main room to do their homework, Gu Zhiyuan approached her and said, "Thank you, thank you for protecting Chen An just now. You did a better job than I did." There was a hint of a wry smile in his voice.

"Being parents for the first time, there will definitely be many oversights. We can gradually correct and improve them in the future." Just like the praise she was receiving now, it was earned at the cost of Lulu's grievances in her previous life. Thinking of the grievances Lulu suffered in her previous life, Ji Wei suddenly felt like crying.

Gu Zhiyuan frowned when he saw her leave for the kitchen after saying those words. He felt that there was something strange about what she had said, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Ji Wei was quickly "kicked" out of the kitchen. She was happy to be free. She had already done most of the preparations for the open class, so she simply went upstairs to get the four-piece bedding set that her colleagues had given her. She planned to wash it once and let it dry before using it.

When Gu Zhiyuan finished his work in the kitchen, he saw her hanging out the four-piece bedding set. The festive red color made him momentarily stunned. Seeing this, Ji Wei explained, "These are wedding gifts from my colleagues."

Gu Zhiyuan nodded and also mentioned the gathering on Saturday night: "They are all my comrades-in-arms. They have taken good care of me since I was transferred back from the military. I can leave work early on Saturday, and I can prepare the food."

"Then when you go to the countryside these next few days, take advantage of the local market days to buy some fruit and snacks to bring back, so you can treat their children," Ji Wei reminded her.

Gu Zhiyuan had considered buying groceries, meat, and wine, but these were things he hadn't actually thought of. While he was lost in thought, he heard her say, "We'll make a list of what we need together later, and you can buy it according to that list. By the way, have you finished organizing the things I asked you to pack this morning?"

"It's all sorted out." Gu Zhiyuan said, taking out the written document from his shirt pocket and handing it to her.

This was the first time Ji Wei had seen Gu Zhiyuan's handwriting. It is said that one's handwriting reflects one's character, and this is certainly true. His handwriting looked very sharp. She glanced at it and couldn't help but raise the corners of her lips. Prohibiting the purchase of cigarettes and alcohol—wasn't it a bit too early to worry about this? But it's good to tell them that it's prohibited sooner rather than later.

Seeing that she seemed to intend to finish organizing right away, Gu Zhiyuan stopped her, saying, "Let's eat first."

After Miao Xiaolan apologized, Ji Wei felt that Gu Chen'an seemed to be becoming more and more dependent on her. For a moment, she didn't know whether this was a good thing or a bad thing. Fortunately, Saturday came soon, and she would take them to the city to feed pigeons tomorrow. Of course, she didn't forget to take Gu Chen'an to see a psychologist. But before that, she had to entertain Gu Zhiyuan's comrades.

Over the past few days, Gu Zhiyuan had been buying fruit, various roasted peanuts, melon seeds, and different kinds of candy from the town in the countryside. Since the reform and opening up, rural markets had reopened, making things much cheaper. Ji Wei took these out and placed them on the table. Gu Chen'an and Lulu, not understanding what was going on, asked her in surprise, "Mom, is it almost Chinese New Year?"

In their view, only during the Chinese New Year would so many delicious foods be laid out on the table.

"It's not New Year's, it's just that we have guests coming to our house today. Chen'an, Lulu, you are both little masters of the house, so please take good care of our little guests today," Ji Wei said with a smile.

"Young master?" This was the first time Gu Chen'an had heard this term.

“Yes, Dad and I will take care of the adults, and you and Lulu will take care of the children who are coming today,” Ji Wei explained to him.

"So what should we do?" Gu Chen'an asked nervously, afraid that he might not do a good job.

"Just like you usually do with Lulu, take them to watch TV or play in the yard together," Ji Wei explained to him again.

Gu Chen'an nodded thoughtfully. Lulu's attention was entirely focused on the fruit plate on the table, and she probably hadn't heard a word Ji Wei had said. Ji Wei shook her head helplessly and grabbed a handful of peanuts for each of them: "Here, go eat over there. Don't litter the peanut shells."

It's already June, and the temperature is rising. Since there's no refrigerator at home, Gu Chen'an only bought the meat and vegetables today. He bought the vegetables yesterday. Ji Wei went to the kitchen to prepare the vegetables. Since it's to entertain his comrades-in-arms, he will definitely have to accompany them and can't stay in the kitchen all the time. Preparing the vegetables in advance is also to lighten her workload.

The two little ones were eating peanuts in the yard, whispering to each other as they ate. It was then that Ji Wei noticed that Lulu's cheeks looked rounder than before when she looked at her profile. This discovery made Ji Wei happy but also guilty. She lowered her head and forced back the tears that were about to fall. She told herself that things would get better in the future.

When Gu Zhiyuan returned, neither Lu Shuangcai nor his family had arrived yet. He first prepared the pork ribs he had bought that day, put them in a pot to stew, and then went to the yard to kill fish. Ji Wei stared at the fire in the kitchen, and only asked when he returned from killing the fish, "Are they far from here?"

"They usually live in the county town, but occasionally they come back to Wu'an to stay." The children all study in the county town, and they are probably on their way to pick them up.

"That's not too far," Ji Wei thought. In another two years, they should be able to move to the city center smoothly.

"I'll stew the ribs lightly, but I'm planning to make the fish a bit spicier. Can you and Lulu handle spicy food?" Gu Zhiyuan knew that both of their families preferred strong flavors.

“Follow your comrades’ tastes for a few days. You don’t need to accommodate Lulu’s preferences,” Ji Wei said.

Based on Gu Zhiyuan's observations over the past few days, Ji Wei could handle spicy food, while Lulu, probably because of her young age, couldn't eat too much spice, which was why he had hesitated earlier. Just as he finished marinating the fish, a loud voice came from outside: "Zhiyuan, we're here!"

"I'll go out with you to say hello first, and I'll take care of things here later." Ji Wei indicated that he didn't need to worry about the kitchen.

Gu Zhiyuan hesitated for a moment, then said, "Then I'll have to trouble you."

"No need to be so polite, we're family," Ji Wei reminded them.

Lu Shuangcai's loud voice echoed in the yard. The two little ones doing their homework in the yard were the first to react. Lulu hid behind Gu Chen'an and looked at the group of strangers. Gu Chen'an was not very familiar with them either, but he still got up and greeted them, "Uncle Lu, Uncle Wang, you're here!"

“Chen’an looks a bit taller than last time.” Lu Shuangcai stepped forward and rubbed his head, her gaze falling on Lulu next to him. This must be the daughter that person brought. They seemed to get along quite well.

Noticing her gaze, Gu Chen'an took the initiative to introduce her: "Uncle Lü, this is my sister, her name is Lulu."

"So your name is Lulu, that's so sweet. This is a gift from your uncle." The gift that Lü Shuangcai brought was a toy car and a doll, and it was clear that he had put a lot of thought into it.

"Thank you, Uncle Lü. Lulu, this is Uncle Lü." Gu Chen'an introduced him to Lulu, who obediently greeted him. Qiao Xiaoxue and Zhou Meiyun smiled and responded. Then they nudged the children next to them, inviting them to play together. The children were not shy and soon started playing together.

At this moment, the two people in the kitchen came out. Ji Wei stood next to Gu Zhiyuan and smiled at them. Lü Shuang stepped forward and asked with a smile, "This must be your sister-in-law."

"This is my wife, Ji Wei. Brother Lü, Brother Wang, please have a seat with your wife," Gu Zhiyuan said.

Ji Wei followed his address and called out to people, then whispered, "You can stay here and talk to them. I'll handle things in the kitchen. Or do you not trust me?" Ji Wei said the last sentence in a teasing tone.

"Of course not, then thank you for your trouble." Gu Zhiyuan said without hesitation and invited the group into the main room. On the table were fruits and some roasted nuts that Ji Wei had already washed. Qiao Xiaoxue and Zhou Meiyun exchanged a few pleasantries with them and then offered to help in the kitchen.

Hearing footsteps behind her, Ji Wei asked with some confusion, "Didn't you say I was fine here?" Before she finished speaking, she saw the two approaching people and said apologetically, "Sister-in-law, what brings you here?"

“We’re not interested in listening to those grown men chatting. Ji Wei, are you planning to make sauerkraut fish?” Zhou Meiyun pointed to the fish being pickled next to her.

"Spicy fish, Zhiyuan said you can all handle spicy food, so let's make a big pot of it with some vegetables. We also prepared stewed pork ribs for the kids." The children were worried about getting fish bones stuck in their throats, so there was no fish for them today.

"Your Zhiyuan is so thoughtful. My husband can't even step into the kitchen," Qiao Xiaoxue said, her voice full of disdain.

"We all have different roles." The topic was a bit awkward, but Ji Wei quickly changed the subject and brought up the children. Both of them knew she was a teacher and were happy to talk to her about the children.

Ji Wei also learned about the two families' situations from their conversation. Lü Shuangcai had bought a truck to run a freight business, while Qiao Xiaoxue stayed at home to take care of her children. Wang Haifeng and Zhou Meiyun were currently working in a factory in the county town, but because the factory's performance was getting worse, they were still hesitating about whether to go into business.

“You and Zhiyuan have stable jobs, so you don’t have to worry about these things,” Zhou Meiyun said with envy.

"It's relatively stable, but I have assessments every few days. As for him, he has to go to the countryside every day and can't take care of his family and children at all. Others only see the good points, but only we know the hardships we've endured." Ji Wei sighed after saying this. It's true that every family has its own problems. After saying this, the three of them looked at each other and laughed.

With their help, the cooking time was greatly shortened. When the spicy fish was ready, Ji Wei called out to the outside, "Chen An, take your sister to clear the table, it's almost time to eat."

"Okay." Gu Chen'an had just agreed when Gu Zhiyuan took the initiative. The small table that the family of four usually ate at was definitely not suitable today. He went to the storage room on the first floor and brought out a round table, then instructed Chen'an: "We'll eat with this today. Go and get the soda I brought back today."

It's been a long time since the three of them have eaten together, so they're definitely going to have a drink today. The men will drink alcohol, while the women and children will drink soda.

A large bowl of spicy fish was served, and the aroma instantly filled the courtyard. Lü Shuangcai smiled and joked, "Looks like your cooking skills are pretty good!"

"It's pretty good." Gu Zhiyuan smiled and echoed. Actually, this was the first time he had tasted Ji Wei's cooking. It was delicious and looked great, so it must be good.

"It looks really spicy, but it should taste delicious." This was the first time Gu Chen'an had seen Ji Wei cook such a big meal. He stared at the pot of fish on the table and thought to himself, "This looks really good."

The dishes in the kitchen were gradually brought to the table, and Ji Wei called to them, "You guys eat first, I'll go stir-fry some vegetables." She had just realized that she had forgotten to stir-fry the vegetables that she had washed first.

"Let's go later, it would be such a waste if we couldn't finish it." Qiao Xiaoxue and Zhou Meiyun pulled her back, stopping her from doing so.

"Okay, let's eat first, I'll go later." To entertain our guests, today's market mainly features meat dishes, but we'll still need some vegetables later.

The three men over there had already started pouring drinks. Ji Wei took a bottle of soda from the side of the table, opened it, and then passed it on to the children over there one by one. Finally, she did it herself. She instructed the brother and sister over there, "You can't just drink soda and eat vegetables. You have to eat rice too, you know?"

"Okay, Mom, I'll go get the rice right away." Gu Chen'an didn't forget that he was the little host, and before going to get the rice, he asked today's little guests, "Brother, sister, do you want to eat now, or wait a bit?"

"We'll eat later." Lu Shuangcai's son is ten years old, and Wang Haifeng's daughter is nine years old. Both of them said they would get their rice later.

“Okay, Mom, do you want them now, Aunt Qiao and Aunt Zhou?” Gu Chen’an continued to ask.

"Chen'an is becoming more and more sensible. You can serve yourself and your sister first," Qiao Xiaoxue praised. This time, the child seemed much more generous than last time. It seems that Ji Wei deserves a lot of credit for Chen'an's change.

The three grown men discussed their experiences in the army and the current economic climate. Lu Shuang noticed Wang Haifeng's hesitation and downed his drink: "Haifeng, take my advice. If you want to try your luck, do it sooner rather than later. It's not just your factory that's struggling now; otherwise, ten people will be vying for every opportunity you have."

Gu Zhiyuan, who was quietly listening to them, gripped his cup tightly. Deep down, he had also considered changing jobs, but he knew it wasn't the right time yet. To be honest, Lu Shuangcai's words at this moment made him somewhat tempted.

"Isn't my concern that I'll end up with nothing? Even though business isn't good right now, at least I still get paid every month. If I really have to take a leave of absence without pay, I'll have no money at all." Moreover, you have to bear the risks of doing business yourself, which is why Wang Haifeng has been hesitant.

"You want both? There's no such thing as a free lunch. Don't end up getting neither," Lu Shuangcai said, deliberately provoking him because she couldn't stand his hesitation.

"Isn't it that you can't make up your mind right now? Zhiyuan, what do you think?" Wang Haifeng asked, looking at Gu Zhiyuan.

“Brother Lü is right, but Brother Wang, your concerns are understandable. After all, you have families behind you, so it’s really hard to make a decision.” Gu Zhiyuan’s words made Ji Wei, who had been paying attention to this side, smile. It was the first time she had realized that this guy was so good at playing both sides.

While eating, the children's interest was focused on the dishes on the table and the soft drinks beside them. After they were full, they fussed to get off the table. This time, without waiting for the adults to make arrangements, Gu Chen'an had already led them to the main room to watch TV in a very professional manner. Qiao Xiaoxue and Zhou Meiyun looked at Ji Wei with increasing admiration: "Ji Wei, it must be very tiring for you to take care of two children every day, right?"

"Not bad. Chen'an is a capable child. He can help me take care of Lulu, which has lightened my burden a lot." Whether at home or in front of outsiders, Ji Wei never hesitates to praise Gu Chen'an.

Women can only talk about a few things when they sit together. Ji Wei didn't quite understand how they brought up having children. She looked up and met their concerned eyes, then smiled and shook her head, saying, "We don't plan to have any more children. We think it's enough to take good care of Chen An and Lulu."

"Is this your and Zhiyuan's idea? Or is it Zhiyuan's idea?" Qiao Xiaoxue knew about Gu Zhiyuan's guilt towards Gu Chen'an, so she asked in a low voice.

Sensing her unspoken meaning, Ji Wei smiled gently: "This is what both of us think." Although they hadn't formally discussed the issue, Ji Wei thought they were both on the same page.

"Ji Wei, don't blame me for being nosy, I just think that given your situation, it would be best to have another child, so that the family can be closer." Qiao Xiaoxue genuinely thought Ji Wei was a good person, which is why she was speaking so frankly to her.

"I know you mean well, Sister Qiao, but Zhiyuan and I have already reached an agreement on this matter." Ji Wei's tone remained gentle. From the day she agreed to marry Gu Zhiyuan, she had anticipated that this day would come when she would be persuaded to change her mind.

Qiao Xiaoxue wanted to say something more, but Zhou Meiyun tugged at her sleeve, signaling her to stop talking. This was something the couple had discussed and agreed upon, and she didn't need to interfere.

"Sorry, I talked too much." Qiao Xiaoxue quickly realized her mistake.

"I know Sister Qiao did it for my own good, I should thank you all." Ji Wei said, raising her soda bottle to them. The three of them clinked their bottles together and naturally started talking about other things.

The meal lasted quite a while, and it was almost 7:30 when it ended. Ji Wei stood beside Gu Zhiyuan and watched them leave the courtyard. The air was thick with the smell of alcohol, or rather, the whole courtyard reeked of alcohol, including the mobile source of alcohol beside her. She looked at his cheeks, which were redder than usual, and asked, "Gu Zhiyuan, are you drunk?"

"Don't worry, I'm not drunk." Gu Zhiyuan shook his head. He gets flushed easily when he drinks, which looks scary, but he's not actually drunk.

"Then go sit over there and sober up. I'll clean up these." Ji Wei pointed to the leftover food scraps on the table.

"Go and be with the kids, I'll take care of things here," Gu Zhiyuan said.

"Let me do it. You sit in the yard and sober up a bit. Don't bother the children with the smell." There's a breeze in the yard, so it's good for him to sober up.

"I'm really not drunk." Gu Zhiyuan's tone carried a hint of helplessness. Why wouldn't she believe him?

“Drunkards never admit they’re drunk,” Ji Wei muttered softly, then nodded. “I know you’re not drunk. You usually clean up after yourself, so I’ll do it tonight.”

Seeing her insistence, Gu Zhiyuan gave in and planned to sit in the courtyard for a while before taking a bath to wash away the smell of alcohol.

Ji Wei put away the dishes and went to the kitchen. As for the ground in the yard, she planned to clean it later. The dishes were very oily tonight, so it was best to wash them with hot water. By the time she finished washing the huge pile of dishes, half an hour had passed. When she was about to clean the yard, she found that it had already been cleaned up. Good. It seems that Gu Zhiyuan is a person who pays attention to things. But where is he now?

"Chen'an, have you seen your dad?" Ji Wei asked as she went into the main room.

"Weren't you always outside?" the little guy asked, his eyes full of confusion.

"He didn't come in? Nor did he go upstairs?" Ji Wei's gaze fell on the stairs over there.

"I didn't see him go upstairs." Gu Chen'an shook his head, indicating that he didn't see him.

"I'll go out and look again." Ji Wei frowned even more after saying that. She didn't know what kind of person this was when drunk. She first checked the inner lock on the gate of the courtyard. It was still locked from the inside. It seemed that the person was still at home. Ji Wei was relieved. If he really did have a drunken outburst, it would be at home and he wouldn't embarrass himself in public.

The streetlights in the yard weren't bright enough, and they couldn't reach some places at all. As Ji Wei searched for someone, she thought she had to persuade Gu Zhiyuan to replace the streetlights tomorrow. She searched the yard but couldn't find anyone, so she finally called his name: "Gu Zhiyuan, where are you? Answer me if you hear me."

There was still no movement in the yard, so Ji Wei decided to go upstairs to check, just in case the two little ones hadn't seen him when he came up. Before going upstairs, she went to the dining table to get a drink of water, and it was then that she noticed the light and heard the sound of water coming from the bathroom. She was startled; was this guy taking a cold shower? Although it was already June, the weather was still a bit chilly in the mornings and evenings, as was the water temperature. It seemed this guy was really drunk.

Ji Wei was about to go up and remind him to come out quickly, otherwise he would catch a cold. Before she could go up, the toilet door was opened first, and the person who came out was only wearing a pair of underwear. His wet hair was still dripping water, and water droplets ran down his neck and shoulders. Ji Wei's gaze followed him down until she felt a little thirsty.

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Author's Note: [Rabbit head with upright ears] Thanks for subscribing! Here are 20 random small red envelopes; I'll send them all together after the giveaway ends. [Heart]