Chapter 95 Visiting Relatives

Zhou Zhengping turned his head and saw Nan Zhiyi. His eyes were filled with mixed emotions, but in the end he just nodded slightly as a greeting. Then he quickly looked away and followed the young soldier carrying the table into the house.

Lu Linlang also saw her, a surprised smile spreading across her face, her voice soft: "Oh! Zhiyi? What a coincidence! You live here too?"

This is the regimental headquarters' family compound, where officers of battalion rank and above live. Zhou Zhengping is a battalion-level operations staff officer, and Lu Linlang is a mid-level military doctor. Both of them meet the rank requirements, so they can't stay in the dormitories indefinitely. It's not surprising that they were assigned here...

Nan Zhiyi's face remained expressionless; she simply nodded faintly, "Mm."

Lu Linlang took two more steps forward, speaking familiarly and warmly, "We just got assigned to this courtyard and are busy tidying it up! Look how messy it is!"

Nan Zhiyi felt a churning sensation in her stomach again, more intense than ever before.

She forced herself to speak, saying, "You all go ahead with your work."

She didn't want to say another word and pushed the cart toward her own gate.

"I understand!" Lu Linlang's voice still rang out behind her. "Fifth Brother isn't home, so be careful living alone! If you need any help, just let me know. We live close by!"

"No need. Dr. Lu should focus on taking good care of his new home."

Nan Zhiyi went into the bathroom without stopping and began to gag violently.

These days are truly...

Fortunately, Zhao Yaqin seems to have really recovered.

She and Xu Nannan, a young woman from the Organization Department next door, became dining buddies, going in and out together every day, chatting and laughing.

Nan Zhiyi saw this and felt somewhat relieved.

In her opinion, a marriage without the blessing of parents cannot last long, and it would be good if Zhao Yaqin could get over it as soon as possible.

She ate a soda cracker and continued copying the materials.

It was almost time for the afternoon workday.

Zhao Yaqin rushed back, clutching a glass jar in her hand.

"Look, this is the last can! Xu Nannan asked her cousin to get it for her."

She placed the jar of pickled plums on Nan Zhiyi's table.

Nan Zhiyi was worried about running out of sour plums when she said, "Sister Yaqin, you're so thoughtful. When Director Xu comes later, I should thank her and give her the money."

“I saw you were almost finished eating, so I asked around. Officer Xu found out and helped me out. I’ve already paid her.”

Nan Zhiyi quickly handed the money to Zhao Yaqin.

This time, she didn't stand on ceremony and readily took the money and stuffed it into her pocket.

She saw Nan Zhiyi eat a sour plum, which looked delicious.

Zhao Yaqin's mouth watered, and she casually picked up a sour plum and popped it into her mouth. The sourness made her face scrunch up.

"My goodness, it's so sour!"

She quickly picked up the teacup and gulped down water, taking a while to recover.

"This Sunday, Xu Nannan and I are going to the department store in the city. Her relative works at the fabric counter and says they have wholesale fabric available at reasonable prices without coupons. I'm thinking of making a thick cotton-padded coat for winter. Do you want to come and relax?"

Nan Zhiyi shook her head, "No, it's too stuffy with too many people, I can't stand it. We have enough stuff at home."

Seeing that she looked listless, Zhao Yaqin didn't force her.

"Okay, then you can rest. Just tell me if you want anything, and I'll bring it back for you."

The days passed peacefully.

Nan Zhiyi is almost eight weeks pregnant and has lost a lot of weight; her oversized coat hangs loosely on her body.

That afternoon, Nan Zhiyi was brainstorming ideas for next month's promotional posters.

Section Chief Li came out of the small office. "Zhiyi, the gatekeeper called and said someone is looking for you at the main gate. His surname is Feng, and he's with a young woman. He says she's your aunt and sister."

Nan Zhiyi was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening. Her heart skipped a beat, and her days of lethargy were mostly dispelled.

It's Aunt Feng and Yueyue!

She immediately stood up, her steps hurried as she headed out. "Section Chief, I need to ask for leave..."

Section Chief Li understood her and said gently, "It's almost time to leave work, you can go home now."

Nan Zhiyi: "Thank you, Section Chief."

She nodded to Zhao Yaqin, then grabbed her cloth bag and walked away quickly.

When she rode her bicycle to the sentry post at the camp gate, she indeed saw two dusty figures standing there.

Nan Zhiyi quickly parked her bicycle.

"Aunt Feng! Yueyue!"

"Sister!" Zhang Yueran dropped her luggage and rushed over, hugging her tightly. Then she let go and looked her up and down. "Oh my, you've lost so much weight. And you don't look too good either."

Feng Xuemei disliked her daughter's rudeness and was afraid that she would bump into Nan Zhiyi, so she gently pulled her daughter to her side, saying, "Don't be so clumsy!"

The camp gate is not a place for talking.

Feng Xuemei had her daughter tie the luggage to the bicycle, and the three of them talked as they rode.

Zhang Yueran pouts as she rides her bicycle, while Feng Xuemei holds Nan Zhiyi's hand and walks slowly behind her.

"Aunt Feng, what brings you here? You didn't even tell me beforehand so I could have picked you up from the station."

Feng Xuemei explained with a smile, "This time I'm attending a work exchange meeting of the Women's Federation of the Military Region, which is being held in the next city, so it's on my way. Yue Ran happened to have some time off for visiting relatives, so she came along. All the paperwork is in order, and I've already informed the Political Department here in advance."

Nan Zhiyi asked, "Is everything alright at home?"

"It's all good, it's all good. I've just been thinking about you. You've suffered so much..." Feng Xuemei's gaze fell on Nan Zhiyi's slender figure, and she rubbed the corner of her eye.

Zhang Yueran stopped pedaling and said in a clear voice, "My mother was so worried when she received your letter. She insisted on seeing you in person before she could feel at ease."

Nan Zhiyi felt a warm glow in her heart: "I'm fine, it's just... my reaction was a bit too strong."

She took Feng Xuemei's arm and led the two of them home.

The three returned to the family compound.

Feng Xuemei looked around inside and out, her brows never leaving her face.

The house was clean, but the stove and pots were cold, and there was only half a pack of biscuits and sour plums on the table.

"Where's Gu Xiao? Is he on a mission?" Feng Xuemei asked, her tone displeased.

"Yes, it's been almost two months."

Feng Xuemei sighed and said nothing more.

Zhang Yueran muttered under her breath, "I knew it! Marrying Fifth Brother as a military wife isn't all that great. You're always with him at his post, you never even see him..."

For once, Feng Xuemei didn't scold her daughter for talking nonsense. Looking at the thin and frail Nan Zhiyi, her heart ached.

Zhang Yueran's mood quickly subsided, and she became lively again.

"Sis, are you throwing up badly? My mom brought a lot of stuff!"

She proudly opened the canvas bag she had brought: wild mushrooms, dried tangerine peel, honey, braised beef, a small jar of oily meat sauce, and several pieces of soft cotton cloth...

Looking at these things, Nan Zhiyi's nose tingled with emotion: "Thank you, Aunt Feng, thank you, Yueyue."

"What are you thanking me for? Stop talking nonsense! You're my own daughter, what's a little something like this?"

“That’s right, you’re my own sister!” Zhang Yueran grabbed Nan Zhiyi’s hand and shook it.

Nan Zhiyi held back her tears, "Yes, we are family."

The three of them sat and chatted amicably for a while.

Feng Xuemei glanced at her watch and said to Nan Zhiyi, "Tonight, Aunt Feng will make you a bowl of sour soup noodles to whet your appetite."

Nan Zhiyi tried to decline, but Feng Xuemei had already gotten up, rolled up her sleeves, and gone into the kitchen.