Chapter 65 The Cafeteria

The wall clock points to twelve.

Zhao Yaqin stretched and said, "Zhiyi, let's go eat. The canteen is right behind the Political Department, just a five-minute walk away. We usually eat at the canteen when we're short on time at noon, it's convenient."

Nan Zhiyi agreed, tidied the table, and followed Zhao Yaqin outside.

"Sister Yaqin, I'm going home for lunch today."

Zhao Yaqin smiled knowingly, "Okay."

Nan Zhiyi waved her hand and walked towards the family compound.

The political department is a half-hour walk from the family quarters, so I guess we'll have to eat in the canteen from now on.

Nan Zhiyi pushed open the courtyard gate, and sure enough, Gu Xiao had already returned with the food.

Hearing the noise, he stepped forward to help her take off her straw hat and brought her a basin of cool water to wash her face.

Are you tired?

Nan Zhiyi was naturally very tired. She just tilted her head back and let him wipe her with a wet towel.

"It's alright."

Gu Xiao carefully wiped her hands and face before pulling her to sit down at the table.

The lunchbox contained the usual canteen dishes: a potato stew with meat (though shredded meat was rare), a cabbage stew with tofu, topped with two steamed white flour buns, and two sliced ​​salted duck eggs.

"How was the first day?" Gu Xiao broke open a steamed bun and handed her half of it.

"It's alright." Nan Zhiyi took the steamed bun and took a small bite. "It's just copying documents and getting familiar with the work. Section Chief Li hasn't assigned any specific tasks for making propaganda posters yet. Sister Yaqin introduced me to my colleagues in the office, Officer Wu and Officer Sun."

"For lunch... Sister Yaqin said that there is an office canteen behind the Political Department, which is only a five-minute walk away. She asked me if I wanted to go, but I forgot to bring my lunchbox today. I thought you would definitely be waiting for me at home, so I ran back."

Nan Zhiyi smiled gently at him, showing exceptional trust.

Gu Xiao picked up a piece of shredded potato and put it in her bowl; he had forgotten to remind her this morning.

"The canteen is for personnel from the political department and logistics departments. Our regimental headquarters has its own canteen, and the two canteens are far apart. Since you have limited time at noon, it's too much trouble for you to come and go to the family compound. From now on, you can eat at the canteen for lunch."

Nan Zhiyi nodded: "I think so too."

"Don't be stingy when you eat in the cafeteria. Eat whatever you want. You can spend all the money and coupons at home."

"Okay."

Nan Zhiyi spoke softly, rummaged through the food in her bowl, and quietly reached for his hand.

Gu Xiao smiled and gently pinched her hand in return, "I'll let you touch me as much as you want when we get home from get off work. Hurry up and eat, it'll be late later."

Nan Zhiyi snorted, "I don't care to touch it."

After the meal, the two went out together.

When they reached the fork in the road, Gu Xiao told her, "Slow down on the road, don't run."

Nan Zhiyi continued walking, amused, and said, "Do you think I'm a child?"

Gu Xiao watched her walk away before turning and heading towards another intersection.

When Nan Zhiyi arrived at the office, the wall clock had just pointed to 1:25, so she wasn't late at all.

In the office, Zhao Yaqin and Wu Jianguo were already writing furiously at their desks, while Sun Xiaobing had not yet returned.

Nan Zhiyi sat down in her seat and had just caught her breath when Section Chief Li Mei walked in with a folder in her hand.

"Comrade Nan Zhiyi." Li Mei walked to her desk, put down the folder, and said, "The theme for next issue's bulletin board has been decided: 'Learn from the spirit of the Iron Man and work hard for 100 days.' You draw the main picture to highlight the spirit of the working class's hard work and struggle. The dimensions and requirements are in the folder. Finish it by next Monday."

"Okay, Section Chief Li."

Nan Zhiyi immediately agreed and opened the folder.

Inside was a sheet of paper with the requirements written on it and several reference pictures; the required size of the images was quite large.

The office was quiet all afternoon, with only the sound of pens scratching paper and documents turning.

Nan Zhiyi was immersed in her ideas, repeatedly sketching on the draft paper with her pencil.

After she finalized the initial design, she looked up and saw that the clock was already pointing to 5:30, and it was time to leave work.

She gathered up the draft paper and reference materials, intending to take them home to continue working on them.

"Zhiyi," Zhao Yaqin, who was packing her bag, leaned over and whispered, "Don't be so honest. You can't finish the work all at once. If you take it home to do, no one will see it and will think you finished it at work. Take your time, you can draw it tomorrow."

She winked at Nan Zhiyi, conveying the experience of someone who had been there before.

Nan Zhiyi immediately understood and smiled somewhat embarrassedly, "Thank you for reminding me, Sister Yaqin."

She put the things back in the drawer and locked it, keeping the idea in her mind.

The two left the political department together.

Because Zhao Yaqin's single dormitory was in another direction, the two parted ways at the intersection.

Nan Zhiyi returned home, put down her straw hat, and changed into a casual cotton shirt.

Summer days are long, and the setting sun still carries its warmth.

She picked a basket of vegetables from the vegetable patch, washed a tender cucumber in the sink, and sat on a small stool at the gate of the courtyard, eating while waiting for Gu Xiao to come home.

As darkness gradually fell, Nan Zhiyi sat down at the small square table and, under the dim light, began sketching in her notebook.

But his ears were always on the lookout for any movement at the courtyard gate.

The rice was kept warm in the pot, and the dishes were prepared, just waiting for Gu Xiao to come back and cook them.

After an unknown amount of time, familiar footsteps finally came from outside the courtyard gate. Nan Zhiyi immediately got up and went to greet them.

Before Gu Xiao could even stand up straight, she pounced on him, and he put his arm around her waist and lifted her up in his arms.

"What's wrong?" He was a little surprised by her enthusiasm.

Nan Zhiyi missed him terribly, and she hugged his neck tightly, saying, "You're late."

Gu Xiao stared into her eyes. "Hmm. You missed me?"

"Just a little bit."

"Will there be a little more later?"

"Um??"

The halo of light cast their shadows on the wall, creating an ambiguous yet passionate atmosphere.

Nan Zhiyi's life quickly entered a new rhythm.

She was awakened by the military camp's reveille in the early morning. The seat next to her was already empty; in the kitchen, there was always a pot of breakfast he had brought back from the regimental canteen.

After washing up and eating quickly, she went to work.

At noon, she and Zhao Yaqin became lunch buddies, eating together in the government canteen and chatting about trivial matters in the department or gossip in the staff quarters.

The food in the cafeteria is pretty much the same, but it saves time on cooking.

In the evenings, sometimes she would go home and cook something simple; other times Gu Xiao would get food directly from the regimental canteen and bring it back.

Within a few days, she adapted very well to this hectic lifestyle.

The Publicity Department is a government agency and is closed on Sundays.

On Monday morning, Nan Zhiyi had just sat down in the publicity department office when a female colleague wearing a floral polyester shirt walked in.

She was about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with fair skin and a beautiful face. When her gaze swept over Nan Zhiyi at the table, her expression turned quite unpleasant.

"Oh, Comrade Zhang Aihong is back? How was your family visit?" Zhao Yaqin greeted her.

"It's alright, just a ton of things to do at home." Zhang Aihong's tone was dry as she stared at Nan Zhiyi.

Nan Zhiyi stood up and smiled politely: "Hello, Comrade Zhang Aihong. I am Nan Zhiyi, a new temporary worker."