Chapter 384 Mellow

It was only July, the first day of the official summer vacation, and the morning sun wasn't too hot yet.

Nan Zhiyi sat on the swing under the grape trellis, swaying back and forth, watching Gu Zhao playing on the climbing frame.

The slide and sandpit in the yard have now been removed and replaced with a large climbing frame. In addition to the crisscrossing rope net, there is a balance beam and two hanging rings, designed to exhaust the inexhaustible energy of a six-year-old boy.

Watching Gu Zhao nimbly climb the rope net, her gaze shifted to the rose trellis.

As time passed, the roses in the Gu family courtyard of the Army compound bloomed and faded twice more.

The grapes ripened twice, and she made three wines, failing twice and succeeding once.

The wine that was successfully brewed last year has a fairly mellow flavor.

It was her first time drinking sweet wine, and she didn't know the risks. She got drunk and hugged and kissed Gu Xiao. When she woke up, she felt very embarrassed.

Gu Xiao found it novel and would try to coax her to drink a few more sips whenever he had the chance.

Nan Zhiyi's gaze shifted to Gu Zhao.

After the start of the school year, his son will attend the primary school affiliated with the Army Compound, which is located within the compound. Gu Xiao said that the child is still young and there is no need to go far away for school.

Fortunately, Nan Zhiyi had less academic work after her senior year last year, so she had already taught Gu Zhao a lot of knowledge in advance.

He's now at about the second semester of first grade, or even higher. This child is so focused when he studies that he doesn't seem like a six-year-old.

Ever since he learned to read and write his own name, he has asked his parents to call him by his full name.

Nan Zhiyi and Gu Xiao have always respected their son, and since then, they have tried to call him by his full name as much as possible. However, Nan Zhiyi still occasionally makes a mistake.

Seeing the sweat on her son's forehead, Nan Zhiyi got up to wipe it off for him: "Xiaoman, do you want to go back inside and use the fan?"

Gu Zhao agreed.

Nan Zhiyi pulled him into the house and first poured her son a glass of warm water.

Gu Zhao didn't answer. "Mom, you go ahead and do your work. I'll wash my hands and drink some water. I'll go to the study to assemble the model myself later."

Nan Zhiyi patted her son's head: "Good son. Honghong, Chen Fan is coming. After lunch, let's make some pudding to welcome them, okay?"

"Okay. Make a few more, just in case it's not enough."

As Gu Zhao grew older, he became more and more opinionated, and Nan Zhiyi naturally followed his lead.

Watching her son go to the bathroom to wash his hands, she turned and went into her study to write.

Her manuscript paper lay spread out on the desk; she had just begun writing her new novel.

In recent years, she has published three more books, which have sold better and better, and her royalties have risen to 15%.

Editor-in-Chief Lin said she was a true model worker.

His writing speed and quality are impeccable.

Before the Lunar New Year, after graduating from Peking University, she successfully passed the entrance exam for a government-funded postgraduate program, with Professor Wang Bing as her advisor.

The graduate students receive a monthly stipend of 36 yuan, tuition is waived, and the workload is not heavy. Professor Wang asked her to go to his office twice a week to help organize literature.

The school also asked her if she would like to serve as a teaching assistant, but she declined, wanting to spend more time writing.

Zhang Yueran was also admitted to Professor Chen's graduate program at the same university, and spent the summer vacation conducting experiments at the relevant research institute.

Last year, Zhang Yueran participated in a confidential project, and the two sisters saw each other less often. When they occasionally talked on the phone, the younger sister used ambiguous terms.

Among her classmates, Yang Mei was selected by the central government and entered the State Planning Commission in Beijing.

Shan Xiaoyan obeyed the assignment and returned to work at the newspaper in her hometown of Shandong. Her ambiguous male fellow villager was assigned to Gansu, which was thousands of miles away. Shan Xiaoyan cried twice because of this.

Nan Zhiyi kept writing, and when she was halfway through Chapter Ten, the phone rang downstairs.

She paused, then heard Gu Zhao rushing to answer the phone. She couldn't hear the exact words through the floorboards, only the child's clear voice.

A short while later, the phone call ended, and Xiaoman called out, "Aunt Zhang, my dad said he'll be home for lunch later."

A cheerful reply came from the kitchen.

Immediately afterwards, Gu Zhao ran upstairs to find her mother, pushed open the half-closed door and peeked in: "Mom, Dad said he'll be back at noon."

Nan Zhiyi put down her pen and looked at him. "Okay, I understand."

Gu Zhao did not leave immediately, but went to the desk to look at the stack of manuscript paper filled with writing.

"Mom, how much have you written for this piece? Have you finished the draft yet? Let me see it."

It's exactly like a reader urging for a manuscript.

Ever since he learned that his mother was a writer, he has worked extra hard to learn to read. He managed to learn all the words for the second grade of elementary school before starting school. Now he is the second most loyal reader after his father, and he always wants to be the first to read the book before his father does.

Nan Zhiyi reached out and covered the manuscript paper. "Not yet, don't rush me, it still needs more revisions."

Gu Zhao pursed her lips but didn't press the matter. She turned around, sat on the sofa by the window, and picked up a copy of "100,000 Whys: Astronomy Edition" to read.

The study is a bit more crowded now than when we first moved in. A new bookshelf has been added against the east wall, densely packed with books, including Nan Zhiyi's works and reference materials, Gu Xiao's military theories, and even more of Gu Zhao's ever-growing collection.

Every time Editor-in-Chief Lin comes, he marvels at the child's enthusiasm for reading, saying that he will definitely become a young scholar in the future.

Nan Zhiyi picked up her pen again and continued revising the manuscript, the pen tip scratching on the paper.

“Mom,” Gu Zhao suddenly looked up from his book, a ray of sunlight reflecting off the glass and shining golden on his head.

Why don't stars fall down?

His eyes were clear and bright, waiting for her answer.

Nan Zhiyi put down her pen, walked to the sofa, sat down, and took the book from her son's hand.

“Because there is a force in the universe called gravity…” She opened the book, found the corresponding chapter, and pointed to the illustrations to explain softly.

Gu Zhao listened attentively, then snuggled her little head closer and nestled against her mother's chest.

After explaining, Nan Zhiyi poked his forehead: "Haven't you already read this book several times?"

"I want to hear what Mom has to say." Gu Zhao chuckled. "Mom's explanations are easier to understand than those in the books."

Nan Zhiyi guessed that her son was trying to get close to her in different ways.

Gu Zhao felt that she had grown up and never said it directly when she wanted to get closer to her mother; she always found an excuse.

Nan Zhiyi no longer returned to her desk, but instead read and chatted with her son.

Just after midnight, the sound of a jeep turning off came from outside the courtyard gate.

Gu Zhao jumped off the sofa and pulled Nan Zhiyi downstairs, shouting, "Daddy's home! Daddy!"

He shouted loudly downstairs.

"Gu Zhao," Gu Xiao responded from the entrance hall.

"Why are you back so early today?" Nan Zhiyi went up to help him take off his coat. It's so hot, why is he still so covered up? Isn't that silly?

Gu Xiao understood her look and smiled, "I have to go to Tianjin for a meeting this afternoon and won't be back until tomorrow night."

Nan Zhiyi hummed in agreement, hung the clothes in her hand on the hanger, and he reached out to support her arm.

His body heat traveled through the thin sleeves of his shirt to her arm, making it feel burning hot.

He always does this, finding all sorts of reasons to get close to her, while keeping a serious expression on his face.

Nan Zhiyi nudged him, "Go wash your hands, lunch is coming soon."

Gu Xiao then walked towards the bathroom, and Gu Zhao followed behind her father, reporting, "Dad, Honghong and Chen Fan are coming over this afternoon, and I want to make pudding with Mom."

He raised his large hand and ruffled his son's hair: "Okay. Remember to take care of the children while you play."

Gu Zhao flinched, displeased: "Dad! You haven't washed your hands yet, and you're touching my hair!"

Gu Xiao sighed helplessly. This little guy was just like his mother, always a bit of a germaphobe.

"Okay, I'll definitely pay attention next time."

After the father and son washed their hands, Nan Zhiyi invited them to lunch.