Chapter 402 Regret

When they left the publishing house, Editor-in-Chief Lin insisted on seeing them to the door and even gave Gu Zhao a stack of new books.

Nan Zhiyi offered to help carry the things, but Gu Zhao refused, his little face serious: "Mom, you're carrying things too. I'm a man, I can manage."

"You're great, Gu Zhao. Mommy will take you out to eat, and then we'll go to the playground, okay?"

Nan Zhiyi thought that it had been a long time since she had taken her son out to play alone. Since she had some time, she decided to enjoy this time with her son. The children's amusement park in the city center was newly opened this year, and Gu Zhao had not been there yet.

Gu Zhao's eyes lit up. "Okay!"

The mother and son first went to have a Western meal, and then spent the whole afternoon playing at the children's playground.

There are children's cars, toy tanks, and swings and slides here...

As the sun began to set, Gu Zhao's shirt was stained, and there were mud marks on his knees.

Before Nan Zhiyi could say anything, he became uneasy and was in a hurry to change his clothes.

When I got home, the setting sun had already turned the brick floor of the courtyard orange-red.

Sister Zhang was cooking in the kitchen, the sound of the spatula mingling with the aroma of scallions wafting out.

Gu Zhao quickly went up to the second floor, put down the book in her hand, and headed towards the bathroom.

Nan Zhiyi caught up with him: "Gu Zhao, do you need me to help you wash?"

Gu Zhao whispered through the crack in the door, "Mom, I can manage by myself!"

Nan Zhiyi had no choice but to go along with him. She placed the clean clothes and towel on the small stool by the door before returning to the master bedroom to wash and change.

When she came downstairs, she ran into Feng Xuemei and the other two being brought back by Zhou Xingzhi.

Zhang Yueran's cheeks were flushed, as if she had drunk sweet wine.

"Why didn't you invite Comrade Zhou to stay for dinner?" Nan Zhiyi asked.

Zhang Yueran chuckled, "He said he had something to do tonight... I told him he didn't need to be so polite with us..."

Feng Xuemei, humming "Sweet Honey," tidied up the things she had bought, unfolding a bright red dress: "Time was too tight, so I could only buy ready-made clothes. If there had been time to have it custom-made, the waist could have been reduced by an inch, and the style would have been even better."

She looked at Nan Zhiyi and asked, "Is this dress fashionable?"

Nan Zhiyi praised him a few times.

Feng Xuemei looked around with some dissatisfaction, "It's the best of a bad bunch. It'll have to do. I'll have to prepare my wedding dress well in advance and make some more new clothes..."

Zhang Yueran peeked in and said, "Okay, then Mom will take care of the wedding dress. I'm not going to worry about it."

Feng Xuemei poked her daughter's forehead. "I know, I'll prepare your dowry then..."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yueran felt embarrassed and turned to run away: "Mom, I'll leave you here, I... I'll go find Gu Zhao..."

Nan Zhiyi smiled and said, "He's upstairs reading a book."

"Yes!" Zhang Yueran responded and went upstairs.

Feng Xuemei glared at her daughter before pulling Nan Zhiyi to sit down on the sofa. She sighed softly, "Back when you and Gu Xiao got married, I didn't even get to properly arrange things... I just let you go to the army with only a marriage certificate in your hand..."

"Aunt Feng, please don't say that," Nan Zhiyi said, taking her arm. "Can you compare then to now? We're content just to be together peacefully."

She said in a lighthearted tone, "Do I look like someone who cares about those formalities?"

Feng Xuemei forced a smile. "We looked at hotels and wedding attire today. Comrade Zhou even mentioned needing a photographer and wedding planner. He's very thoughtful, but I...sigh...I was just thinking, if my brother and sister-in-law were still here, your wedding would definitely be one of a kind in Jian'an City..."

A hint of sadness flashed across Nan Zhiyi's eyes, but she quickly put on a smile again. "Good Aunt Feng, please don't say these things. It'll only make you sad. What's past is past. Look at me now, I'm doing very well, aren't I?"

She reached out and patted Feng Xuemei's hand, "When Yueyue has her engagement party, let's all dress up nicely and have a great time."

Feng Xuemei took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the corners of her eyes, carefully folding the sadness and tucking it into her heart.

"Look at me, I'm getting senile, just talking nonsense."

She neatly folded the red dress, then took out the matching lace gloves and pearl necklace. "These were all picked out by Yueyue and Comrade Zhou together. We don't need to prepare a suit; he said he just had a new one made a few days ago."

As she spoke, her eyes lit up again: "The hotel is booked at the Peace Hotel, and the engagement banquet will be for close relatives and friends. Comrade Zhou said that the wedding ceremony is entirely up to us... He's usually so reserved, but he's willing to have a big celebration for his wedding, which shows he's truly sincere..."

Nan Zhiyi looked at Aunt Feng's radiant face, even the lines on her nasolabial folds were filled with joy.

Zhang Jianguo, who had been sitting in a wicker chair with the fan blowing on him ever since he returned, finally interjected, "Honey, when we go back to prepare the dowry, you'll be so busy every day, let's see if you'll still be smiling so happily then."

"I'd be happy to!" Feng Xuemei exclaimed. "Preparing a dowry for my daughter, I'd gladly break my back."

Nan Zhiyi laughed along, "Okay, Gu Xiao and I will also contribute a dowry."

Feng Xuemei and Zhang Jianguo interrupted in unison, "No need!"

Feng Xuemei pressed down on the back of her hand, "Zhiyi, it's enough that you have this thought. Just give her a red envelope later. If it really costs money, Aunt Feng will definitely have Yueyue return it all."

Seeing Aunt Feng's resolute attitude, Nan Zhiyi had no choice but to suppress her thoughts for the time being, and would find a reason to express her feelings later.

Gu Xiao came home very late that night. Nan Zhiyi was so sleepy that her eyelids were drooping, but she still forced herself to stay awake by leaning against the headboard, the book in her hand almost falling.

"You're so tired, why are you waiting for me?"

Gu Xiao walked to the bedside. In the dim light of the bedside lamp, her hair was scattered around her cheeks, looking lazy and gentle.

Nan Zhiyi barely opened her eyes, reached out to pull him, then wrinkled her nose and withdrew her hand: "I wanted to wait for you to come back..."

Gu Xiao's heart softened.

He gently touched the back of her hand with his fingertips: "I just washed my hands. I'll take a shower soon."

"good."

Gu Xiao quickly returned after a refreshing shower, wearing only a white vest, his hair still dripping wet, water droplets sliding down his neck, past his Adam's apple, and into his chest.

Nan Zhiyi stared at his skin, which was slightly red from being steamed by the hot water, and was momentarily mesmerized. This man, tempered by the years, had become even more charming, and every inch of his lines exuded a mature sense of strength.

"Fifth Brother, let me dry your hair."

Gu Xiao sat down by the bed and handed her the dry towel he was holding.

Nan Zhiyi picked up a towel and haphazardly dried his hair, her movements clumsy.

Gu Xiao, however, enjoyed her rare attentiveness. "Why are you being so nice today?"

"When have I ever been bad?" Nan Zhiyi gently tugged at his hair. "It's just that you always like to bully people."

Gu Xiao pulled her onto his lap, buried his nose in the crook of her neck and took a deep breath. Mmm, his wife smelled so good.

"My dear wife, is there something you want to say?"

"The engagement party is the day after tomorrow evening," Nan Zhiyi nudged his head, "Remember to make time for it."

"You waited this late just for this? I've already made all the arrangements."

Nan Zhiyi chuckled, "There's also the matter of red envelopes, the matter of us contributing to Yueyue's dowry, the matter of Xiaoman and I going out, the matter of royalties, the matter of recording interviews... I have so many things to tell you..."

She always felt she had so much to say to him.

Gu Xiao kissed her lips, adjusted his position to lean against the headboard, letting her lie comfortably against his chest, and gently stroked her back with his palm.

"Okay, now you can talk. We have plenty of time, so take your time."

Nan Zhiyi nestled in his warm embrace, her nose filled with the crisp scent of soapberry and his unique aroma, feeling so comfortable that she could only sigh.

"Hmm... I need to give double the red envelopes... I want to add to Yueyue's dowry... I took Xiaoman to the publishing house today... Editor-in-Chief Lin talked about royalties..."

She couldn't wait to pour out her heart, her voice growing softer and softer as she spoke.

The moonlight outside the window gradually moved across the window frame, and the voice in my arms gradually softened, turning into even breathing.

Gu Xiao looked down and saw that Nan Zhiyi had closed her eyes at some point, her fingers still clutching the front of his clothes.

"Go to sleep."

He rubbed his chin against her forehead, then pulled the thin blanket over them.