Chapter 289 Composure

Nan Zhiyi looked at Zhou Zhengping. He was much more mature than he had been a few years ago. The gentle, scholarly air he once had between his brows had settled down and transformed into a more reserved composure.

After greeting him, she didn't intend to exchange any more pleasantries and said, "I'll take Xiaoman to see her little brother."

Zhou Zhengping's gaze lingered on her face for a moment, then he nodded slightly, "When we were in the south, Gu Yan asked me to bring you some things."

Nan Zhiyi smiled slightly: "Okay, I'll take it with me when I leave. Thank you for your trouble."

Zhou Zhengping didn't say anything more and stepped aside to make way.

Nan Zhiyi then led Xiaoman into the inner room.

Zhou Anping was leaning against the headboard, talking to Zhang Yueran. "The official name still needs Grandpa's approval, so we've chosen the nickname Lele for now."

Zhang Yueran said with a smile, "Lele is great! It makes me happy just hearing that."

Xiaoman had visited once and was very curious about the little one. She stood on tiptoe, her little hands gripping the edge of the bed, staring intently into the room.

Nan Zhiyi noticed that Zhou Anping looked rosy-cheeked and much better than when he was in the hospital, and he was also full of energy, which showed that Aunt Song had taken very good care of him.

She squatted down and whispered to Xiaoman, "Son, you can only look at your little brother, you can't touch him."

Song Lanxin tucked the corner of Lele's blanket in and said with a smile to Nan Zhiyi, "Zhiyi, you sisters talk, I'll go to the kitchen to see how the soup is cooking."

She had only taken two steps when she turned back and warmly invited them to stay for dinner, saying, "You can eat at home tonight, everything is ready."

Zhang Yueran was still eager to go out and play, so she quickly declined, "No, no, Aunt Song, my sister promised to take me out for a walk later. I'll bother you again next time!"

Seeing that she said that, Song Lanxin stopped insisting and went out with a smile.

After his mother left, Zhou Anping called to Nan Zhiyi, "Don't just stand there, sit here and talk."

Nan Zhiyi sat down on the chair by the bed and asked, "Is the Meng family planning to hold a full moon celebration for Lele? My fifth brother and I are going back to Jian'an for the New Year, and I'm afraid we won't make it in time."

“My mother-in-law said it’s too cold and the baby is too young to handle all that. We should have a proper celebration when the baby is 100 days old.”

"That's great, there's plenty of time. I'll definitely come then and prepare a 100-day celebration for Lele."

Nan Zhiyi was thinking of getting a small silver ornament or something else made, and she would ask Sister Zhang about it later.

Zhang Yueran also said, "If I have time then, I'll come and join in the fun!"

Zhou Anping smiled, but his eyes dimmed. "You're all going back for the New Year... Sigh... We won't be going back to Jian'an for the New Year this year. The children are too young, and it's inconvenient for them to travel back and forth. And my brother... He can't stay for more than a few days; he has to go back south tomorrow."

Zhang Yueran was unaware of the events of a few years ago, assuming it was just a job transfer for Zhou Zhengping, and asked curiously, "Brother Zhengping was transferred to the Southern Military Region?"

Nan Zhiyi gently patted the back of her hand, signaling her not to ask any more questions.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Anping started talking non-stop, "My brother left the army a long time ago and now does some small business in the south. He hasn't been home for several years. This time, after I gave birth, I asked Qingshan to call him and say that if he didn't come back, his sister would disown him! Only then did he finally show up and bring back a lot of fresh things from the south."

She got more and more excited as she talked, and took Zhang Yueran's hand, "Come on, Yueyue, I have some new gadgets, go and see if there's anything you like."

As he spoke, he enthusiastically led Zhang Yueran towards the outer living room.

Zhang Yueran, who has always loved new things, immediately followed Zhou Anping out.

As soon as Xiaoman saw her aunt leave, she followed after her with her short legs.

Nan Zhiyi remained alone by the crib, looking down at the baby Lele inside.

The little guy was awake, looking around blankly, his expression and demeanor strikingly similar to Zhou Anping's when he was a child.

At this moment, Song Lanxin walked in carrying a steaming bowl of soup.

"Zhiyi, why didn't you go out and pick out some things with them? Zhengping brought back some rare items from the south."

Nan Zhiyi smiled and said, "Auntie, Lele is awake and needs someone to watch over him. I'll stay with him for a while."

"You're such a thoughtful and considerate child."

Song Lanxin looked at her, her eyes filled with mixed emotions, and sighed softly, "Zhiyi, so many years have passed in the blink of an eye... The first time I saw you, you were about the same age as Lele is now, being held in your father's arms, so tiny..."

Nan Zhiyi knew what Song Lanxin was going to say.

Her family and the Zhou family were old friends. Her father and Uncle Zhou were like brothers, and they got married around the same time.

However, her mother was unable to conceive for many years after marriage, and it was not until Aunt Song gave birth to Zhou Anping that her mother became pregnant with her.

It is said that during a gathering, Uncle Zhou and his father, after drinking a lot, jokingly said that if they had a daughter, they would become in-laws...

Later, this joke came true, and a marriage certificate was issued, arranging a childhood betrothal between her and Zhou Zhengping.

But in the end, times changed, and that marriage contract became a joke, leaving only a few sighs.

Nan Zhiyi did not want to reminisce with Aunt Song about these long-lost memories at this moment.

Whether Song Lanxin felt guilty or had some other emotion, it was all in the past for her.

She interrupted Song Lanxin at the right moment: "Auntie, I just saw Lele moving around a lot. Is her diaper wet? Should we change it?"

Song Lanxin put the soup bowl she was holding on the table, walked over and reached out to touch it, and sure enough, she felt a wet patch.

"Oh, really, this little rascal doesn't say a word."

She immediately got busy preparing to change her grandson's diaper.

Taking the opportunity, Nan Zhiyi stood up and said, "Auntie, you're busy. I'll go out and see how Yueran and the others are doing with their selections."

She walked a few steps into the living room.

In the living room, Zhang Yueran was squatting on the floor, picking through a pile of new gadgets she had brought from the south, and holding up a pair of brightly colored nylon stockings.

Xiaoman sat next to her, fiddling with a tin frog, watching intently.

Nan Zhiyi sat down on the sofa and looked at them with a smile.

When Zhou Zhengping saw her come out, he took a slightly worn military green canvas bag from the side and placed it not far from her feet: "Zhiyi, this is something Gu Yan asked me to bring to you."

Nan Zhiyi nodded politely: "Okay, thank you."

Zhou Zhengping didn't say anything more, turned around and walked a little further away, his gaze fixed on the window, his figure appearing somewhat distant in the lively living room.

Zhou Anping rolled his eyes at his brother's back, but put on a warm smile when he turned to Nan Zhiyi.

She beckoned, "Zhiyi, come and pick out a few things too, don't just sit there!"

Nan Zhiyi waved her hand with a smile: "Anping, why are you being so polite with me? I really don't need anything. Let Yueran choose, she's thick-skinned anyway, she won't stand on ceremony with you."

Zhang Yueran was holding up a woolen hat adorned with colorful pom-poms and gesturing to her own head when she heard this. She raised her chin, striking a pose as if she were robbing a rich person.

"Exactly! What's my relationship with Sister Anping? If I could carry this whole bag, I would have carried it with me!"