Zhou Xiaozheng and the other two strolled all the way to the guesthouse. Before they reached the lobby, the waiter hurried forward and led them to a private room in the county ** canteen.

There were two tables set up in the private room. Li Aiguo, Zuo Lin, Zhao Dashan and others were chatting with the old man and his group. When they saw the three of them come in, they hurriedly asked for the dishes to be served.

Mr. Cheng and the others watched the dishes coming up one by one and quickly shouted to stop.

Li Aiguo quickly signaled the staff to leave and said to the two old men, "That's all. Don't worry, leaders. This is all we paid for out of our own pockets. We are definitely not taking advantage of the public."

Zhou Xiaozheng winked at Zhang Guoqing, seeing him nod in understanding. He nodded slightly to the two old men and said, "Let's eat first. Everyone must be hungry."

After three rounds of drinks, Zhou Xiaozheng's lips curled slightly as he responded to everyone's toasts. He was secretly anxious. It was almost two o'clock, and he wanted to spend some time with his daughter before leaving. He also had to meet with the old leader in the provincial capital, so time was running out. Seeing his son-in-law go out for a while, he came back and nodded at him. He immediately stood up and said goodbye.

The staff member whispered a few words in Li Aiguo's ear and left.

Li Aiguo immediately complained to Zhang Guoqing, "Xiaowu, uncle is going to scold you. Why are you so anxious? Are you worried that uncle can't afford this meal? If you do this again next time, we will turn around and leave when we see you."

Zhang Guoqing bowed and smiled, "I apologize to you uncles. I'm the youngest here, so I should treat everyone. I'll treat you this time, and from now on you'll have the opportunity to eat at your uncles' homes every day. Don't shut yourself up."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone burst into laughter.

Li Aiguo and the others knew that the old man and his men were decent people. They probably hadn't planned to let them treat them before, so Zhang Guoqing had to act like this.

After declining the invitation of Li Aiguo and others, Zhou Xiaozheng returned to the courtyard with a group of people.

A group of people rushed into the yard.

Zhou Xiaozheng took a few steps ahead and quickly headed towards the main room. Before he even reached the living room, he saw Zhou Jiao standing there with a smile on her face. Remembering that they would be leaving soon, he couldn't help but feel his eyes welling up.

Zhou Jiao nodded and greeted the people behind her. She grabbed Zhou Xiaozheng's arm and pulled him back to the bedroom.

She personally brought him a cup of honey water and handed it to him, "Dad, drink it first to sober up. Neither we are sad, father or daughter. This separation is for a better reunion next time."

There's no need to wait until the end of the year. As soon as I pass my exams, I'll ask Uncle Guang to buy me a ticket home. Let's go visit Grandpa and Grandma and make them happy. Be careful when you're alone in Beijing. Remember to eat well and dress warmly. Don't keep anything to yourself; write to your little one and tell them. We, father and daughter, must be well.

If it gets too much trouble there, I'll go back to the Northeast. I'll then apply to a university in the provincial capital. Don't stay in Beijing for me. Be sure to stay safe. Nothing is more important than your safety."

Zhou Xiaozheng looked at his daughter squatting in front of him, ruffling her hair, and solemnly assured her, "Dad will be fine! I'll wait for you to come home. We are both fine."

After a pause, he couldn't help but tell her, "You must also pay attention to safety here. If you encounter difficulties, send a telegram to Dad and Dad will help you solve it. If you encounter danger, run to Beijing and Dad will pick you up. Don't force yourself in life, live the way you want. If you don't want to pay attention to others, don't pay attention to them. If you don't want to laugh, don't laugh. It's okay to be willful, Dad will support you. Even if you make trouble, Dad is there for you." Thinking of his daughter's understanding and well-behaved, he couldn't say anything else.

Zhou Xiaozheng looked up at the roof with his eyes closed. After a moment, he looked down at Zhou Jiao lying on his knees and patted her back gently.

For a moment, both father and daughter were silent.

Zhou Jiao calmed down and secretly wiped away her tears. She looked up at him and smiled, "Dad, I have a gift for you. You're sure to like it. Let me show it to you."

Zhou Xiaozheng saw her run to the closet and pull out a set of clothes. He knew at a glance that this girl had rushed the work. He was so angry that he wanted to scold her, but when he saw her smiling face, he sighed inwardly.

Zhou Jiao tried hard to create an atmosphere, and raised her chin slightly with a smug look on her face. "Dad, don't be angry. I'm not tired. I just do a little bit every day. It's just right to be finished. Try it on. My dad is definitely like this."

Zhou Xiaozheng slapped her thumbs up and said proudly, "Your dad looks the best even in a sack." As he said this, he put on his coat and touched it lovingly. He took it off again and carefully packed it in the box.

"Dad, don't be reluctant to wear it. You must wear it when you are not working. From now on, your clothes will be covered by your little cotton-padded jacket. Making clothes is too easy for your daughter. Just a few scissors and a few cuts will do."

Zhou Xiaozheng nodded repeatedly, carrying his suitcase and reluctantly looking around the room, then looked at her and said, "Let's go, don't keep your aunt and the others waiting."

As soon as Zhou Xiaozheng and his daughter came out, they saw Zhang Guoqing waiting in the study.

Zhou Xiaozheng remembered that it was because of him that he couldn't bring his own Jiaojiao back. He rolled his eyes at him in annoyance and warned him fiercely, "You better protect Jiaojiao well. If I find out you made her cry, I will definitely take her away from you. You won't be able to see her again."

Zhang Guoqing could only nod speechlessly, listening to his scolding and agreeing with him.

After about ten minutes, Zhou Xiaozheng saw that he was in a good mood and relaxed his expression. Finally, he did not forget to praise him, "Dad knows you are a good child, so I am confident that Jiaojiao will be in your care. If she makes a mistake, tell me and I will teach her a lesson. You must not hit her. If you hit a woman, you are not a man. My Jiaojiao has you in her heart, so you must treat her well."

Zhou Jiao quickly pulled her father out. After talking for about ten minutes, her father must have been thirsty. Oh, she didn't expect her father to recite the spell at such length.

Zhang Guoqing followed behind, carrying his suitcase, chuckling. His father-in-law was truly interesting; any ordinary man wouldn't dare marry a girl from his family. Thinking back to what he'd been telling me today, it seemed he really needed to find a good aunt.

Everyone in the living room burst into laughter when they saw them emerge. Zhou Xiaozheng slowly walked forward, bending down to give Zhou Jiao instructions. Zhou Jiao nodded repeatedly, like a chick pecking at rice. Zhang Guoqing, smiling broadly, followed slowly behind, bag in hand. How could these three be walking?

Zhao Chuangguang stepped forward and pulled him, "Finally, I've been waiting for you to come out. Have you explained everything? You can go back without worry. I promise you that our Jiaojiao will not lose a single hair. Just wait at home. I'll arrange everything. I will definitely buy tickets and send them on the bus before the New Year."

Zhou Xiaozheng patted him gratefully, already wondering if he would have a chance to take some time off to come and pick him up.

Seeing that they had all come out, Old Cheng stood up and said, "It's getting late, let's all go. You will meet again at the end of the year, and then you and your daughter can talk it over."

Zhou Jiao held her father's hand until they reached the car, then let go. She smiled as she watched the car start. As the car sped away from her sight, she couldn't hold back her tears any longer and began to fall.

Zhang Guoqing quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears and joked, "Be careful! Your dad might come back and see you crying and hug you and cry. He might even insist on packing you up and taking you back home."

Father Zhang shook his head at his eldest daughter who was about to speak, pointed inside, and quickly led his wife and the others in. It was up to the young couple to resolve their own affairs.

Zhang Guoqing saw that her eyes were still filled with tears. He coaxed her, "Be good, don't cry. I'll take you to the market, okay?"

Zhou Jiao burst into laughter, rolled her eyes at him, and whispered, "There are no cars left, so I won't walk that far. Okay, I'm fine. Come in."

Next, she will start to live a good life and wait for the next reunion.