Chapter 148 Leaving Home

After sitting for a while, Zhou Anping saw that it was getting late and got up to say goodbye.

"Zhiyi, you should get some rest too, don't worry too much about Sister Yaqin."

Nan Zhiyi saw her to the door: "Don't worry, I know."

Nan Zhiyi didn't sleep well that night, her mind constantly preoccupied with Zhao Yaqin in the guest room.

The next morning, Nan Zhiyi got up and went downstairs.

As Aunt Wu set out breakfast, she told her, "Comrade Zhao left early this morning. She told me to tell you that she'll be fine and that you and Comrade Anping shouldn't worry about her. She'll definitely write to you when she gets back to her unit."

Nan Zhiyi hurriedly asked, "How was she feeling when she left?"

Aunt Wu thought for a moment: "Looks... alright? Her eyes are still swollen, but her complexion is better than last night, and she speaks quite calmly."

Nan Zhiyi was slightly relieved.

At least Zhao Yaqin remained rational, knowing she needed to return to her unit, and even promised to write a letter.

She had just sat down at the table and picked up her spoon when she heard a burst of firecrackers going off in the distance, making quite a scene.

Wu Ma listened intently and said, "It's the Li family having a wedding... I guess the procession to pick up the bride is about to set off. I had someone take the wedding gift money over this morning."

Nan Zhiyi paused slightly in her hand holding the spoon, realizing why Zhao Yaqin had chosen to leave quietly so early in the morning.

She didn't want to stay here and witness or hear the joyous commotion that belonged to Li Weidong.

"Um."

Nan Zhiyi focused on drinking her porridge, no longer paying attention to the hustle and bustle outside the window.

Wu Ma didn't bring up the topic again, saying, "I'm going to air out the blankets; the sun is nice today."

She set up several clotheslines in the yard and took out the cleaned quilts and sheets, as well as the diapers made of new cotton cloth, to wash and dry.

After Nan Zhiyi finished eating, she also came out to help, slowly drying the small diapers.

Seeing that her movements were slow and gentle, and that the work was indeed not tiring, Aunt Wu did not stop her anymore, muttering, "You just can't sit still."

Nan Zhiyi smiled and made an excuse: "Director Zhang told me to get more exercise."

In the afternoon, Nan Zhiyi continued writing her novel.

Yesterday's events involving Zhao Yaqin and Li Weidong deeply moved her. She became so immersed in the story that she conceived a similar tale set in the Republican era, using the tragic love story of that time as a blueprint.

The characters she portrays struggle, suffer, and are ultimately forced to separate, bearing the imprint of the era and their personal tragedy.

She was so engrossed in writing that she completely forgot about time.

When my eyes started to ache and the words became blurry, I was startled to realize that the sun was setting outside the window, and the orange-red afterglow had already dyed half the sky.

She stood up and stretched her stiff back, only then feeling a wave of backache and pain, and the baby in her belly also moved around in dissatisfaction.

Nan Zhiyi patted her belly reassuringly and walked to the window to look at the sunset in the distance.

Yu Guangzhong saw the Zhou family's gate open, and Zhou Zhengping came out carrying a canvas bag, dressed in casual clothes.

Zhou Zhengping stood at the door, hesitated for a moment, and glanced towards the window on the second floor of the Gu family's courtyard.

The distance was quite far, and Nan Zhiyi couldn't see the expression on his face. She only felt that his figure, stretched long in the setting sun, looked particularly lonely and desolate.

Zhou Zhengping didn't linger for long. He quickly turned around, picked up the suitcase, and strode towards the gate of the compound.

Nan Zhiyi looked in the direction he left, feeling a little strange, but she didn't think much of it, assuming that he was returning to his unit after attending Li Weidong's wedding banquet.

However.

The next day, Nan Zhiyi was having breakfast.

Zhou Anping rushed to the Gu family in a panic, his face pale and his voice trembling.

"Zhiyi! Something terrible has happened! My brother... my brother is gone! He ran away from home!"

Upon hearing this, Nan Zhiyi dropped the spoon in her hand in shock: "What? He's gone? What do you mean? Didn't he go back to the army?"

"No! I didn't go back to the unit!"

Zhou Anping was so anxious that tears welled up in his eyes. "He left a letter! He said... he had submitted his discharge application, but he didn't know if it had been approved or not. Anyway, he was quitting! He said he was going out and told us not to look for him or worry, and to wait for him... to wait for him to get better before he came back!"

She stomped her feet in anger, "He just quits like that?! Is this a joke?! Dad's going to be furious if he finds out! Mom's going crazy! What are we going to do?!"

Nan Zhiyi was also stunned by this sudden news.

Discharged from the military?

A soldier's identity is so precious, especially for a combat staff officer like Zhou Zhengping, who has a bright future. How could he suddenly make such an impulsive, even absurd, decision?

"Anping, when...when was this letter discovered? What else did he say? Did he mention where he might be going?"

Zhou Anping shook his head, tears streaming down his face: "My mother went to help out at the Li family's house yesterday and came back late. This morning, she went to the study to call my brother for breakfast, only to find he wasn't home. The letter was on the table! It didn't say much! Where could he have gone? He didn't have much money or food coupons with him... It's so chaotic outside... What if he does something rash...?"

She was so worried about her brother.

By leaving, he not only abandoned a family, but also a promising future, and may even face serious disciplinary action.

"Tell me, why did my brother suddenly leave? What happened? Was he discharged from the army? Was he trying to clear his head? What was he thinking?"

She couldn't understand her brother's almost self-destructive decision at all, because... she still didn't know the unbearable truth behind his marriage.

Nan Zhiyi quickly pressed down on Zhou Anping's trembling shoulders: "Anping, Anping, don't scare yourself. The most important thing now is to figure out the situation and find a way to find Zhengping."

She took a deep breath and asked, "Does Uncle Zhou know about this?"

Zhou Anping shook his head violently, his face showing even more panic: "No! How could my mom dare to tell my dad... With my dad's temper... if he knew my brother was like this... he'd be furious!"

Nan Zhiyi understood Zhou's mother's fear, but things had come to this point, and hiding it was definitely not the best course of action.

“Anping, I know you’re worried about Uncle Zhou’s anger. But this kind of thing can’t be hidden. Besides, Uncle Zhou has a wide network of connections and has weathered many storms. He’s definitely better than us at finding Zhengping quickly and knowing how to handle things to minimize the impact. You two are just worrying at home, which is only delaying things.”

Zhou Anping's chaotic thoughts cleared up a little.

She bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes again: "But...but I'm scared..."

“I know you’re scared,” Nan Zhiyi’s voice softened further. “This is the best way right now. You need to help your mother calm down and think of a solution together… What about Lu Linlang? Does she know?”