Zhou Jiao looked at him with a half-smile. Since he didn't want to mention it, how could she force him? "How much can he let someone bring? I still prefer overseas shopping."

"Well, you're like our mom on this one. You'll take care of it all." Zhang Guoqing finished joking and rolled his eyes. "What do you think about me having our southern classmates put the goods on the train for shipment?"

"It would take until winter to write letters back and forth several times."

"No, the timing is perfect. We can finish it before autumn. It's a good way to tackle two problems at once, and the accumulation of both will not cause any problems."

Even the old lecher Emperor Xuanzong of Tang could "ride through the dusty world and make his concubines smile." Zhang Guoqing admits that he doesn't have that ability, but he must at least let his wife eat longan and lychees.

Contrary to what the couple predicted, a few days later, on a quiet night, Zhou Xiaozheng, who had been on a business trip for a long time, returned exhausted.

Zhang Guoqing upstairs immediately turned over when he heard the noise and touched his side, "Jiaojiao?"

Zhou Jiao turned on the light in the darkness. "Dad must be back. Did I wake you up?"

Zhang Guoqing saw her getting dressed and knew that she had just woken up. She was really alert. He didn't know if she hadn't fallen asleep yet, or if it was some kind of telepathy.

Seeing this, he shook his head and followed suit, putting on his clothes. It would be better to discuss these issues with her later; right now, his father-in-law was more important.

"Why aren't you asleep yet?"

As soon as Zhou Jiao opened the door to the living room, she saw her father standing in front of her. She didn't have time to answer. She looked him up and down several times before finally confirming that he had really returned.

"Okay, okay, it would be ridiculous for a grown-up like that to cry. Is your mother home?"

When Zhou Jiao heard what he said, she immediately ran to knock on the door, "Mom, wake up, my dad is back."

Zhang Guoqing took his luggage and said, "Dad, go take a shower first. I'll go to the kitchen and make you some noodles."

"Don't you want to ask me why I came back?"

Zhang Guoqing smiled and shook his head and said, "As long as you're okay, daughter-in-law, you stay with our father. I'll be back soon."

Zhou Xiaozheng looked at his son-in-law who ran to the kitchen and muttered: "This stinky boy actually called me a wife in front of me. My Jiaojiao is not without a name. It seems that you are the only one who has a wife, and I have one too."

Zhou Jiao got a response from Miao Lishan and turned to run to Zhou Xiaozheng. Seeing him mumbling softly and tilting his head, he asked curiously, "Dad, what's wrong?"

Zhou Xiaozheng cleared his throat and said, "It's okay. It's more comfortable at home."

"Of course. I thought you wouldn't come back until after the summer. Why are you thinner again? Didn't Secretary Chen take good care of you?"

Zhou Xiaozheng patted his daughter's head and said, "Silly child, your dad is not thin at all, but why don't you gain some weight? Is it because of the bitter summer?"

Zhou Jiao looked at him speechlessly, not realizing that girls don't look good when they're fat. "I'm fine, but when you go home this time, I have to cook something delicious for you to nourish your body."

Zhou Xiaozheng's eyes flashed. He had to go on a business trip and attend a meeting in a few days. Should he tell the housekeeper now? After thinking about it, he decided to wait a few days, otherwise this silly girl would start to think too much.

"Brother Zheng, you are finally back."

Zhou Xiaozheng turned his head and glanced at Miao Lishan with a half-smile, "Awake?"

Seeing that it was indeed him who came home, Miao Lishan was already so happy that she couldn't stop smiling. She nodded repeatedly, "Are you tired? I'll go make you something to eat."

Zhou Jiao nudged her father and said, "Mom, please help my dad find some clean clothes first. My brother has gone to the kitchen. Dad, go wash some clothes. I'll go help in the kitchen."

After saying that, she slipped away. Looking at her mother's bear-like expression, who only saw her husband in her eyes, she felt drunk. They were an old married couple, was it really that serious?

"Yes, Brother Zheng, is it done?"

Zhou Xiaozheng glanced at his daughter and complained to his wife, "Look at you, it's true that girls are hard to keep when they grow up. Why are you always thinking about that brat and not even chatting with me for a moment?"

Miao Lishan patted him in amusement and said, "Alright, stop being so sour. How many days of vacation are you taking this time?"

Zhou Xiaozheng pulled his wife into the room and said, "I have to go out for a meeting in a couple of days, so don't tell Jiaojiao yet. I'm not home, so no one will come to pick a fight, right?"

Miao Lishan opened the cabinet door and laughed, "How is that possible? Xiaowu is at home. Will he be out for so long this time? When you're not home, the kids are so listless. They all run to answer the phone as soon as it rings. You're such a fool. Why don't you call home more often? Every time you hear it's not you, you get so dejected."

Zhou Xiaozheng shook his head. "Many places don't have phones." More importantly, even if there were phones, they wouldn't be suitable for making calls. But there was no need to say that.

"Should I go upstairs and wake the little ones?"

"It's too late. You can see it tomorrow morning. Oh, and I brought you some food. Go pack it out. Some of the food will go bad if it's kept in the bag."

Zhou Xiaozheng watched his wife put away her clothes and ran outside happily calling her daughter and son-in-law. He shook his head speechlessly, then chuckled. This is home.

How could Miao Lishan not wake up the three Ping'an brothers with such a big noise?

After a while, several doors upstairs opened at the same time. The three brothers in shorts looked at each other and ran downstairs at the same time in surprise.

"Oh, you're awake? Your grandpa wants you to sleep a little longer. Come quickly, he brought you lots of gifts."

The three brothers didn't care about the gifts at all. They looked around and immediately rushed to the bathroom, "Grandpa, you're back. Why didn't you call us?"

"Grandpa, I miss you so much."

"Grandpa, let me rub your back."

"You little bastards, can't you wait any longer?"

"Hahaha, Grandpa, are you shy? We are all men, and we even take a bath together in winter. Let me tell you,..."

Miao Lishan in the living room burst into laughter when she heard this.

In the kitchen, Zhang Guoqing shook his head. "That's good. I don't need to sleep tonight. Wife, give me some more water. I need to make a few more bowls of noodles."

Zhou Jiao, with a smile on her face, held the water scoop and said, "Here it is. The children have such a good relationship with their dad."

"Bringing someone up by yourself is always different."

"Not necessarily. It's up to you to value your children."

My wife is the boss, so whatever you say is what counts. Zhang Guoqing didn't deny it, but nodded with a smile. The children were also very affectionate with their parents when they returned home, but he always felt that something was missing.

Comparing the two, one was unbridled and the other reserved. Having not grown up around his elders, he had become alienated from them, though he also understood that other factors played a role.

For example, his parents have many grandchildren, and his father-in-law gives them a lot of love. Another example is idols, heroes, etc...

"Are you happy that Dad is back?"

Zhou Jiao smiled and nodded repeatedly, "A child with a father is a treasure."

"Hmph, you are also a treasure even if you have a husband. You are the only treasure in my heart."

Zhou Jiao listened to the two words he emphasized, and how could she not know that her man was jealous? She hooked his little finger, "You are also my only treasure."

Zhang Guoqing curled his lips. "Just brag! You have so many treasures." But the smile on his face couldn't hide the pride in his heart.