Chapter 287 Obtained

Nan Zhiyi: "It's all for Anping's own good, to let her have some nourishment."

Lin Yaru immediately got to work, "Then we won't stand on ceremony with you. I'll empty the food and soup from this thermos first, and then wash the thermos from yesterday for you to take back."

"Okay, thank you for your trouble, sister-in-law." Nan Zhiyi nodded.

Lin Yaru then poured the food, soup, and other ingredients from the thermos into the lunchboxes.

Meng Qingshan, who was gently rocking his son, handed the swaddled baby to his mother, who was chatting with relatives.

He came over to feed Zhou Anping, but Zhou Anping gently pushed his arm away: "Go and talk to your uncle and aunt. I can manage on my own. Don't all fawn over me."

Seeing that she was indeed in much better spirits and could hold the lunchbox steadily by herself, Meng Qingshan smiled, scratched his head, and turned to greet his relatives.

Standing to the side, Nan Zhiyi watched as Zhou Anping regained his spirit and spoke and acted as before, and her heart finally settled down.

She chatted with Zhou Anping for a while longer. The two sisters tacitly chose not to mention the previous events again, as if they had never happened, and only talked about light and pleasant topics.

"Anping, have you decided on a name for the baby?"

Zhou Anping put down his spoon and pointed to Meng Qingshan beside him, "You'll have to ask Qingshan; he's struggling with this right now."

At this moment, Meng's mother came over with a smile, holding the swaddled baby: "Zhiyi, come here for a moment, come and see our little darling."

Nan Zhiyi leaned closer to take a look. The little guy was wrapped up tightly, his eyes were closed, and he looked very cute.

"So cute, her eyebrows look like Anping's."

Meng's mother pushed the child towards her, saying, "Come here, hold him and share in the joy. Later, we can give Commander Gu another grandson or granddaughter, making a perfect family."

Nan Zhiyi quickly waved her hand, not wanting to be associated with this festive occasion.

"Auntie, I dare not hold him. It's been so long since I've held such a small child. I'm still clumsy and afraid I'll drop him."

"Oh, it's alright, just support her head and back," Meng's mother carefully handed the swaddled baby to her. "Practice this, so that when you have another baby in the family, you won't be in a panic."

Nan Zhiyi had no choice but to take it, adjust her posture, place the swaddled baby in the crook of her arm, shake it a couple of times, and stare at it more intently, guessing who the child would look like when he grew up.

Once Meng's mother saw that she had a firm grip on her, she turned to the relatives beside her and introduced them: "This is Nan Zhiyi, the fifth daughter-in-law of Gu Zongshan's family. Her husband, Gu Xiao, is now the deputy minister of the combat department."

She then said to Nan Zhiyi, "These are Qingshan's uncles and aunts. They came all the way from Tongxian to see Anping after hearing that he had passed away."

Holding her child, Nan Zhiyi couldn't get up easily, so she bowed slightly and politely greeted everyone: "Hello, uncles and aunts."

An uncle whose face resembled Uncle Meng's nodded with a smile: "We know Minister Gu. He's a young talent, like father, like son."

The aunt with short curly hair next to her chimed in, "Yes, Comrade Zhiyi looks so gentle and virtuous. She and Minister Gu are a perfect match."

Nan Zhiyi smiled politely and said, "Uncles and aunts, you flatter me."

She felt the little one in her arms stir, as if about to wake up, and handed the child back to Meng's mother, saying, "Auntie, the baby seems to be waking up. It's safer for you to hold him."

Mencius' mother smiled as she took her grandson and gently rocked him.

Nan Zhiyi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, found an excuse to say that she had to go home to see the children, and told Zhou Anping to rest well and come to see her again in a couple of days.

Zhou Anping looked at Nan Zhiyi with some reluctance, "I'll be discharged from the hospital in a couple of days. Can you come visit me at home when you have time?"

"Of course, I'll bring Xiaoman with me then."

After saying goodbye to everyone, Nan Zhiyi picked up the thermos and left the hospital.

Xiao Liu was still waiting in front of the car when a heavy snow began to fall, covering the streets, eaves, and bare tree branches.

Nan Zhiyi got into the car and looked at the snow rushing past the window, her thoughts drifting.

She thought about many things for a moment, yet it was as if she thought about nothing at all. ...Perhaps, this is how life is—you walk along, experience things along the way, and lose something along the way.

When we arrived at the Gu family's courtyard, a thin layer of snow had already accumulated outside the gate, on the path, and on the bare grape trellis, creating a tranquil, silvery-white scene.

In this pure white expanse, she saw the father and son.

Gu Xiao was wearing a military wool coat, but no hat, and some snow had fallen on his hair and shoulders.

He stood there, his gaze fixed on the small figure wrapped in a red ball not far away.

Xiaoman was wearing thick cotton boots and excitedly jumping around in the snow. Her short legs stomped hard on the snow, but she lost her balance and sat down on the snow with a thud.

He didn't cry; he just struggled to his feet.

Hearing the jeep, the father and son walked towards it at the same time.

Xiaoman, on the other hand, was like a clumsy little penguin, running through the snow with uneven steps, exhaling white breath.

Gu Xiao took large strides, walked to the car first, opened the car door, and reached out to help her out of the car.

She turned around and thanked Xiao Liu.

Xiao Liu bowed respectfully to the two men and then drove away.

Gu Xiao took the thermos from her hand. "Why did you bring all of this back? Is it not to your liking?"

Before Nan Zhiyi could answer, Xiaoman rushed over and hugged her leg, her little face covered in snowflakes, "Mommy, it's snowing~"

She bent down, held her son's little hand in her palm, and then looked up at the man beside her.

His collar was damp with a dark patch of snow, and there was a speck of white on his brow bone.

Looking at the two figures in front of her, one big and one small, Nan Zhiyi smiled and said, "Why are you two waiting here in the snow like idiots?"

Gu Xiao tried to pull her inside, saying, "My son and I aren't afraid of the cold, but my wife is. Come on, let's go inside and warm up."

Xiaoman disagreed, "Play in the snow! Play in the snow! Mom!"

Nan Zhiyi was about to take her son's hand.

With a clever move, Gu Xiao pulled his wife into his arms and quickly ran into the house with her in his arms.

Xiaoman was left standing alone in the snow, jumping up and down, yelling angrily.

The couple stood in the entryway and smiled at each other.

Seeing that his wife was in a good mood, Gu Xiao took the opportunity to kiss her cheek.

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, Nan Zhiyi bit his chin hard. Hearing him feign pain, she laughed.

In life, loss may be inevitable, but she is also gaining more and more...