Chapter 30 The sudden excitement in Little Red Flower

Seeing that he didn't speak, Ji Wei glanced at him again: "Do you think this is wrong?"

"No, do you want me to come with you?" Gu Zhiyuan looked at his cast-up leg with some resentment. It was sure to hold him back again. Sure enough, the person opposite him quickly refused, "Your leg isn't healed yet. It's not worth making a trip for people like that. Besides, I'm only here to annoy them. It's such a waste of this watermelon."

"It's not a pity. Watermelon is currently considered a hidden cost, so we didn't pay any extra money. It's worth it to exchange something free for your good mood," Gu Zhiyuan said earnestly.

"You're right, I have to be back before they get out of school." Ji Wei said, picking up her basket and heading out the door. Gu Zhiyuan watched her retreating figure, hesitant to speak, worried that they might make things difficult for her. But before he could finish speaking, she had already run off.

Life in the small town is pleasant, and most people know each other. For example, when Ji Wei goes out carrying a watermelon, everyone will smile and ask, "Weiwei, where are you going?"

"I'm going to my parents' place. Zhiyuan's comrade sent over a big watermelon. I heard it tastes good, so I'm taking it over so they can try it too." Ji Wei said with a smile. She used to think that she didn't need to prove her devotion to her parents to anyone else; as long as her parents knew how filial she was, that was enough. But now that she's doing this again, she realizes that she was completely wrong.

Their current courtyard is not far from the Ji family's, but Ji Wei walked very slowly, repeating the same sentence over and over again, before leaving amidst everyone's laughter and chatter. Even after walking a distance, they could still hear others sighing, "Ji Wei has had a tough time. Her parents treated her like that, yet she still cares about them."

"Who says otherwise? Old Mr. and Mrs. Ji are really confused." Ji Wei smiled slightly. She used to think other people's opinions didn't matter, but when they attacked her with public opinion, she realized how important they were. So, even before Ji Wei arrived, the Ji family already knew she was going to deliver watermelons.

"Sister is so shrewd. The product hasn't even arrived yet, but she's already making a name for herself." Li Shuhui rolled her eyes as she spoke. She knew Ji Wei would put on a show.

Zhou Xiuzhen glared at her: "Don't say a word when Weiwei comes back." In the eyes of the elderly couple, Ji Wei's actions were a way of taking the initiative to submit to them. Zhou Xiuzhen even signaled to Ji Dahai that he shouldn't put on such a high-handed attitude later, otherwise it would be difficult to handle. After all, Ji Wei was not as easy to control as before.

Ji Dahai snorted coldly: "It's not us putting on airs now, it's her."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Ji Wei came up carrying a basket of watermelons. Ji Shengzhou said with a sarcastic tone, "Oh, so our Teacher Ji has finally decided to come back?"

Ji Wei ignored him and took the watermelon out of the basket and placed it in front of Zhou Xiuzhen: "This is a watermelon that Comrade Zhiyuan brought back from another province. He asked me to bring it to you so you can have a taste."

"Sending such a big fuss over just a watermelon, how stingy!" Ji Shengzhou sneered, his eyes full of dissatisfaction. It was obvious that their family didn't get any. Of course, he didn't care about the lousy watermelon, but he felt that even Gu Zhiyuan didn't take him seriously.

"It's not for you, so what's it to you?" Ji Wei sneered. Ji Shengzhou was a typical example of a dog that could never be satisfied.

“Weiwei, how can you talk to Shengzhou like that? Since you’re so kind, why don’t you invite Xiao Gu over for dinner tonight?” Zhou Xiuzhen invited gently.

"No need for dinner, I still need to bring watermelons to my uncle and second brother later." Ji Wei waved to them after saying that. Zhou Xiuzhen stood there stunned, and asked incredulously, "What does she mean by that?"

"What she means is that if she weren't afraid of gossip, she wouldn't have come at all. She now feels closer to her uncle's family and second brother than to us." Ji Shengzhou's tone was a little sour. He knew that Ji Wei had long looked down on him. They didn't believe him when he said it before, but now that he couldn't keep up the act, his true colors were showing!

Ji Dahai, who had been waiting for Ji Wei to back down, slammed his pipe on the table and glared at Ji Shengzhou, who was still rambling on: "Would it hurt you to say less? You were in the wrong before, can't you say a few nice words now that your sister is back?"

"Didn't you see how cocky Ji Wei is? What good would it do if I tried to be nice?" Ji Shengzhou said irritably.

"I want to eat watermelon." The family was making a ruckus, but Ji Cong was the only one staring at the big watermelon, drooling.

Even though Ji Wei had already walked far away, she could still vaguely hear the arguing coming from over there. She nodded with satisfaction, the watermelon she gave away today hadn't been a waste. She went to her uncle's house, where her aunt greeted her: "Weiwei, come in and sit down."

"Auntie, I have to pick up the kids later. Comrade Zhiyuan brought back some watermelons from another province and gave us a few. When you pick up the kids, could you come over and get one to try? I haven't thanked my second brother for his help last time yet," Ji Wei said, holding her hand.

“We’re all family, no need to be so polite. Save it for your children,” her aunt said, patting her hand.

"Aunt, please don't be so polite with me. Just think of me as someone who cares about me. If you hadn't come to get it, I would have brought it to you. Please, just this once, do me a favor?" Ji Wei said in a soft voice.

A flash of surprise crossed Aunt Ji's eyes. This girl has changed her ways. She would never have said such things before. She thought for a moment. There were fresh vegetables at home, as well as rice candy that she bought for the child in the city a couple of days ago. She could take them with her. So she agreed: "Okay, since you said so, I will definitely come and get them later."

"Alright, I'll go back and change my clothes before picking up the child. Auntie, you can come right over after you pick up the child. Zhiyuan is at home." Ji Wei said, preparing to leave.

"Okay, then go back and change your clothes." Aunt Ji stared at her back until she was far away before turning her gaze away. This girl has changed her ways now, which is good. If she still had her old temper, she would be the one who suffers.

Before Ji Wei even arrived, Gu Zhiyuan in the courtyard heard her humming a little tune, and he couldn't help but smile. It seemed that this trip had been very fruitful.

"I'll go pick up the kids first. Your aunt will come over to get the watermelon later. If I'm not back by then, just give it to her." Ji Wei said, taking one out from inside and placing it in the most conspicuous spot.

"Aren't you going to send some to your colleagues?" Gu Zhiyuan asked.

"I'll deliver it later. There are too many people around, so I'll go change my clothes first." Ji Wei's earlier excuse about changing clothes wasn't an excuse. She had only just noticed that there was watermelon juice on her clothes, probably from when Lü Shuangcai was eating watermelon.

Ji Wei ran into Aunt Ji at the school gate. Aunt Ji was there to pick up Ji Erge’s child, who was already in fifth grade. Naturally, he had no interest in playing with Gu Chen’an and Lulu. Gu Chen’an glanced at her curiously, and Ji Wei introduced him with a smile: “This is Brother Xiaohu.”

"This must be Gu's child. He seems quite obedient." Aunt Ji said, her gaze shifting from Gu Chen'an as she spoke.

"He's always been very obedient." Ji Wei nodded with a smile. When they got home, Ji Wei realized that the bag her aunt was carrying was for them. She was touched by her aunt's politeness but couldn't help feeling disappointed in her own family. See, normal people know what reciprocity means, unlike them who only know how to take. She handed the watermelon to her aunt and saw them out. Her aunt glanced around sharply to make sure no one was there before admonishing her, "Weiwei, you need to have another baby soon, otherwise Xiao Gu will only care about the first child and won't be on your side."

Ji Wei was both amused and exasperated, and could only nod in agreement, "I understand, Aunt."

"Don't think I'm being too talkative, but if you two didn't have a child together, he would always be thinking about the child from his previous marriage, which wouldn't be good for Lulu either." Aunt Ji isn't usually someone without boundaries, but since the young couple got married, her sister-in-law has been complaining to others that they never went back home and that Ji Wei didn't care about their sibling relationship. It seems she hasn't told them these things.

"No, I know you mean well." Ji Wei nodded. Although she didn't plan to have the child, she knew that her words were out of concern.

"Alright, as long as you understand. I'll head back now. Thank you for remembering us. Xiaohu, say goodbye to your aunt." Aunt Ji had her grandson say goodbye to her.

"Then be careful on your way back." Ji Wei waved to them, staring blankly at her aunt's retreating figure. She hadn't really cared about them when she gave them watermelons today; it was just to annoy her family. But in the end, she was the one who was disappointed. Even her aunt, who had been at odds with her mother her whole life, knew that relationships needed to be reciprocated. Did her mother not know that? She was just pretending not to understand. Even just now, she had tried to smooth things over with everything Ji Shengzhou had done, forcibly making dumplings.

"Mom, Dad has cut the watermelon, come in quickly." Her disappointment was quickly dispelled by Gu Chen'an's cheerful voice. Ji Wei couldn't help but pat her head. It seemed that she had eaten too much today and even had time to be sentimental.

"Coming right away." She suppressed the jumbled thoughts in her mind.

"So sweet." Lulu swallowed it in one gulp, her eyes filled with satisfaction. It was the first time she had ever eaten such a delicious watermelon.

"It's so delicious, Mom! Did you just buy this today?" Gu Chen'an asked curiously.

"No, your Uncle Lü brought it over." Gu Zhiyuan glanced at him as he spoke, and Ji Wei quickly understood what he meant. They couldn't tell them about the two of them going to the city, otherwise the two little ones would throw a tantrum and say they weren't going with them.

Even though Ji Wei gave away several watermelons, it still took them almost a week to finish the rest. The day after the watermelons were gone, Gu Zhiyuan went to the hospital. The cast on his leg had finally been on for a month, and if nothing unexpected happened, it would be removed today, so he was a little impatient.

"You've endured so much for so long, and you can't even hold on for half a day?" Ji Wei teased, noticing his eagerness.

Gu Zhiyuan nodded, then glanced at it with disdain: "This leg looks rotten."

It's quite possible that her leg would be in a cast for a whole month. Ji Wei slowly looked away, and Gu Zhiyuan's eyes lit up with a smile. He glanced at the people in line ahead of him; there were only two people left before it was his turn.

The doctor removed the cast, checked his recovery, and then nodded in praise: "The recovery is going well, but you still can't lift heavy objects and you should walk less. Just wait for it to heal slowly."

"I understand." This was roughly what Gu Zhiyuan had expected.

"Do I need to take any other medicine?" Ji Wei asked from the side. Isn't it said that it takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone? Is this all it takes to be healed?

Fortunately, the doctor was very patient at this time. He noticed Ji Wei's confusion and explained to her, "The bone has started to heal now. Rest is still the main thing. You don't need to take any medicine. The cast being removed does not mean that you are cured. The bone inside has healed and there is no need to worry about it growing out of place. So the cast is no longer needed. If possible, continue to rest in bed."

Ji Wei quickly understood what the doctor meant, so she nodded and thanked the doctor. Then, when she looked at Gu Zhiyuan, her expression became serious: "Let's go. If you don't want to become a cripple, go back and continue to rest well."

"I think I've almost fully recovered." Gu Zhiyuan said, trying to walk on his own, but Ji Wei handed him the crutches first: "The doctor said to put less weight on this leg, Comrade Gu Zhiyuan, please follow the doctor's advice."

Her expression was unusually serious, and even more so, unusually earnest. Gu Zhiyuan's insistence softened, and he couldn't help but say, "Okay, I'll listen to you."

"That's about enough this time. Let's go back first." Ji Wei looked at him with satisfaction.

"What about your workplace?" Gu Zhiyuan had originally planned to resign today.

"Isn't there a medical record? I'll run it for you later, and then it'll be just the right time for class." Ji Wei calculated the time in her mind.

Gu Zhiyuan, who originally thought that everything would be fine once the cast was removed, couldn't help but sigh inwardly. However, the feeling of being cared for made him feel happy, and for a moment, he was conflicted.

When Gu Chen'an came home from school, the first thing he noticed was that his cast was gone. He asked happily, "Dad, is your leg all better?" He wondered if it would be time to teach them new military boxing moves, as they had already practiced these moves quite well.

"It's almost done. Right now, the bone is just starting to heal, so we don't need a cast yet," Ji Wei added unhurriedly from behind.

"Is that so? But it's good this way, Dad can take a bath by himself now." Gu Chen'an was very happy that he no longer needed to be wiped down.

"You've worked so hard this past month, Chen'an. Tomorrow, I'll reward you with an extra piece of candy." Ji Wei gave him a thumbs up.

"I'm not tired, it's Dad who's tired." Gu Chen'an shook his head. Sometimes he could see the fine beads of sweat on his father's forehead, and he knew it was from pain.

"Wow, our Chen'an is becoming more and more sensible," Ji Wei continued to praise.

Even though he had gotten used to Ji Wei's constant praise, Chen An still blushed from the continuous compliments. He reached out and tugged at Ji Wei's wrist: "Mom, you don't need to praise me anymore!"

"Why?" Ji Wei pretended not to understand.

"I'm a big kid now, I should have been more sensible by now." Gu Chen'an used to not understand why he had a mother like that, but now he thinks, wow, he's already luckier than many people.

“Big kids have the right to be immature too. I understand. Chen An was just shy. How about I secretly praise you next time?” Ji Wei continued to tease.

"Give your brother a little red flower," Lulu interjected from the side.

"Then let's do as Lulu said, and from now on, even if we don't praise you, we'll just give you a little red flower?" Ji Wei originally thought he would refuse, but to her surprise, he agreed immediately, which surprised Ji Wei.

Noticing her surprise, Gu Chen'an explained somewhat embarrassedly, "I've never received a little red flower before, and I want one too." At this time, Gu Chen'an's knowledge was limited, and he didn't know how to describe his kindergarten days. As an adult, he used the word "gloomy" to describe his life before the age of eight, and Ji Wei was the ray of sunshine that shone into his gloomy heart.

"Okay, from now on, whoever deserves a reward will get a little red flower. Ten little red flowers can be exchanged for a small cake." Ji Wei's words made the two little ones even happier. Although their daily allowance was now enough to buy a small cake, the small cakes they received as rewards were completely different from the ones they could buy themselves.

After his initial excitement, Gu Chen'an noticed Gu Zhiyuan standing quietly to the side and asked, "Does Daddy get a little red flower too?"

"Do you want Dad to reward you with little red flowers too?" Ji Wei tried to understand what he meant.

"No, I mean, can Dad get Mom's little red flower too?" Gu Chen'an asked.

Ji Wei smiled genuinely this time. He was putting Gu Zhiyuan on the same level as them. She pretended to be serious and said, "Well, I need to think about this first."

"Alright then." Gu Chen'an looked a little disappointed. Ji Wei suppressed a laugh and went into the kitchen. She could still vaguely hear Gu Chen'an's voice: "Dad, don't worry, I'll get you a little red flower."

Gu Zhiyuan originally wanted to refuse, but seeing his serious expression, he couldn't help but smile and shake his head: "Okay, then I'll wait for your good news."

"Trust me, I can do it," Gu Chen'an assured him.

Gu Zhiyuan nodded, suppressing a smile: "Yes, I believe you."

That day, after the cast was removed, Gu Zhiyuan finally took a good shower. When he came out of the shower, the people who had been in the main room earlier had all gone upstairs. Although the cast was removed, he could still feel pain in his calves when walking, so Gu Zhiyuan slowed down.

Their original room was next to the stairs. He opened Gu Chen'an's room first. The light was still on, and the person on the bed was asleep, seemingly dreaming. There was a faint smile on his lips. The doctor said that the fact that he dared to sleep alone in a room meant that he no longer lacked a sense of security. Gu Zhiyuan tidied the blankets for him and then quietly left the room.

Tonight, he didn't go to Ji Wei's room, but chose the room next to Chen An's. Lu Shuang had slept there the night before, and there was still a faint smell of alcohol on the sheets. Gu Zhiyuan changed the sheets and then tried to fall asleep, but his mind was clear and he couldn't sleep at all. He couldn't help but smile bitterly. Was this a wire bed that was less than a meter long? He was not used to sleeping in a big bed now?

The reason he slept in Ji Wei's room was because of Chen An's words. It was obviously inconvenient for the mother and daughter when he was there, so he couldn't continue to cause her trouble.

Lulu was already fast asleep in the room. Ji Wei heard the sound of the door opening and closing and quickly determined that Gu Zhiyuan was sleeping in the room next to Chen An's tonight. In the moonlight, she looked towards the wire bed. These days, she had gotten used to the creaking sound of the bed. Now that the sound was gone, she felt a little uneasy. Ji Wei couldn't help but think that habit is a terrible thing.

Ji Wei wasn't the only one who wasn't used to it; Gu Zhiyuan was also very uncomfortable. So, that night, both of them suffered from insomnia. The next morning, Gu Chen'an saw them coming out of their different rooms and started to get anxious: "Dad, Mom, did you two have a fight?"

"Of course not." Ji Wei was somewhat surprised by his thought process.

"If you didn't argue, why did you sleep separately?" Gu Chen'an said, pointing to the room next to his, and then to Ji Wei's current room.

“When your dad came up last night, we were already asleep. He slept in the room next to yours so as not to wake us.” Ji Wei didn’t expect that after so long, he was still so insistent on the idea of ​​the two of them sleeping in the same room.

"Oh, I thought you two had a fight." Gu Chen'an said with a sigh of relief. He has made a lot of friends now and knows a lot of things he didn't know before, such as that his parents have to sleep together so that they can have a younger brother or sister. He actually wants a younger brother to play with.

"What argument?" Gu Zhiyuan, who had just come up from downstairs, looked at them with some confusion.

"I just saw you come out from over here. I thought you two had a fight. Guo Yu'an said that his parents only sleep separately when they fight, so you two can't fight." Gu Chen'an looked at the two of them.

"You always have so many things to worry about." Gu Zhiyuan said, ruffling his head.

"Mommy, I want to sleep in the little bed," Lulu said after playing on the wire bed for a while.

“It’s so comfortable sleeping in your own little bed, Lulu. Do you want to move your little bed to my room and sleep with me?” Gu Chen’an suddenly looked interested.

"With my brother?" Lulu blinked, sounding quite amused.

"Let's go downstairs and eat first," Ji Wei interrupted their discussion, hoping Lulu would forget her sudden idea.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. Gu Chen'an pulled Lulu downstairs, muttering that Lulu should move to his room to sleep, and even argued with Lulu, "Mom, you said boys and girls shouldn't sit together after the age of seven. Lulu and I sleep separately, so it should be fine, right?"

"That's not how it works," Ji Wei said, somewhat helplessly.

"Alright then." Gu Chen'an was a little disappointed; he knew his mother wouldn't budge on this matter.

Seeing this, Ji Wei breathed a sigh of relief. As for Lulu wanting to sleep on the wire bed, she wasn't worried. Children forget things easily, and she'd probably forget by tonight, since that's how it's been arranged for so many days.

That day, because Gu Zhiyuan's cast was removed, they were able to eat a hot meal as soon as they got home. Ji Wei thought that this kind of life was pretty good. Unfortunately, they hadn't reached the point of hiring a housekeeper yet. With July approaching, Ji Wei felt that she could start preparing for her summer tutoring classes.

That evening, Ji Wei realized she had been too hasty in letting go. As soon as Lulu returned to her room, she struggled to sleep on the wire bed. Unable to persuade her otherwise, Ji Wei put her there, intending to take her down once she fell asleep. However, the little one became engrossed in playing with it. Every movement on the wire bed produced a creaking sound, which Lulu found extremely amusing. She entertained herself by herself and refused to go to sleep.

As soon as Gu Zhiyuan pushed open the door, he saw that his territory had been occupied by Lulu, while Ji Wei sat on the edge of the bed looking at him helplessly. He lowered his eyes to hide the sudden excitement in them.

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Author's Note: Sorry I'm late tonight. Here are 20 random red envelopes. [Heart]