After dinner, we didn't stay long. The children would be leaving that evening, and the three of us at home would be back early today.

"Is there anything you four want?"

"Mom, can we bring some candy back to share with the other classes?"

"Of course, no problem. Let's go to the building first, and then we'll go to the Overseas Chinese Store. You can decide for yourselves what to bring back for the children."

Even if Zhenye and the others are very smart, they are still children, so of course they like to go out and play.

Zhang Hongmei held Liu Qiang's hand, and the five of them no longer needed special care. They happily ran around, selecting lots of fruit candies and pastries, and even went to the third floor to buy over twenty notebooks and pens.

"Liu Qiang, tell your aunt, what do you want?"

"Auntie, everything looks fine to me, but I don't need it. Don't we have everything at home?"

"It's okay, you can buy it if you like it."

"Auntie, can I eat some glutinous rice strips? My mom bought them for me before, and I thought they were really sweet."

"Okay, Auntie will take you downstairs to buy some. Is there anything else you want?"

Liu Qiang shook his head. "Jiangmi Tiao (glutinous rice strips) are fine."

After leaving the building, they went to the Overseas Chinese Store and bought a lot of chocolates, croissants, and milk candies.

"Mom, let's go back." Zhenye persuaded the three of them; none of them wanted to go back.

"It's okay, Zhenye. Do you guys want to go ice skating? Shall we go ice skating at the park?"

"Mommy, Mommy, is it really possible?" Zhang Weiyu was a little skeptical after hearing his mother's words.

"Of course, but you only have one hour."

"Okay, Aunt Lu Jing, hurry up and drive, don't waste time."

Upon arriving at Beihai Park, Zhang Hongmei led the six of them down into the lake.

Zhang Hongmei made an exception today. Since her four children were born, they've hardly had any time to play. Tonight, the children are leaving, and she suddenly wanted to let them have some fun, to let them experience a happy childhood.

Lu Jing and Liang Dan were a little nervous. Zhenye moved closer to them. "Don't be nervous. We can protect ourselves. If there's any real danger, you two will be responsible for my mother. Do you understand?"

"yes!"

"Relax!" Zhenye said before leaving.

Lu Jing and Liang Dan exchanged a glance. At their age, they already possessed such an air of authority. They had genuinely been somewhat taken aback just now.

An hour later, the seven of them came up. Even little Liu Qiang didn't cry or make a fuss.

"Alright, let's go home. Your great-grandfather, grandfather, and father should be home by now."

"Mom, I never thought ice skating was so much fun!" Gu Yaozu's eyes sparkled, and his face was full of smiles.

"There are many other fun activities, but you haven't played any of them. I'm very sorry that I haven't given you a happy childhood."

"Mom, you and Dad have given us a special identity. We are old enough to understand, so please don't worry."

"That's good. Mom is very pleased. I was just afraid that one day you would regret not having a childhood."

“Mom, we won’t. We know the path we will take in the future.”

When they got home, the three of them were indeed home, and they were all sitting in the living room waiting for them.

Seeing their clothes and shoes, Zhang Shouyi knew where they had gone. He felt a pang of sympathy for his wife. She couldn't bear to leave them, but how could he bear to leave them?

We specifically ordered roast duck from a roast duck restaurant for dinner. The children all ate with great satisfaction.

"Dad, you're so kind."

"Eat up, if you like it."

After dinner, the four children snuggled up to the two elderly people, and the whole family sat in the living room.

When the time came, Xiao Li Chengzi came over to take them up the mountain.

The four of them packed their belongings and said goodbye to Zhang Hongmei with smiles.

"Mom, I'll talk to Master Jia and we'll go back to our hometown this summer."

"Okay, Mom is waiting for your good news."

The four children bowed to them and got into the car with smiles.

Once the car drove out of the compound, the happy expressions on the four of them disappeared.

"Boss, I can't bear to leave my family."

"Big brother, me too."

"Big brother, me too."

"Try your best and come back as soon as possible. You did a good job today. Don't make Mom sad, okay?"

"Um."

Xiao Li and Chengzi were both impressed; this was only an eight-year-old child!

As Zhang Hongmei watched the car drive out of the yard, the smile on her face vanished.

"Okay, don't be sad. I was worried you'd cry in front of the children."

"Grandpa, I won't. Don't worry."

Zhang Shouyi put his arm around her and took her back to her room, while Liu Qiang and Jinsong accompanied the two elderly people to the next room.

"Honey, don't worry about it. The children don't want you to worry."

"I know. I'll be fine tomorrow, Brother Zhang, let's go to sleep."

When I woke up the next day, Zhang Shouyi was still asleep beside me. He must have been worried about me, and didn't go to sleep until late that night.

She reached out and touched his handsome face. This was her man, the father of her child.

"Honey, what are you doing today? Should I take the day off to keep you company?"

"No need. I need to talk to Liang Dan today. Liu Jingzhang has taken a liking to her. I need to ask him what he thinks. Also, Song Zigan told me yesterday that his superiors congratulated him. Has his departure date been set?"

"It will be announced today. But he's going with the engineer; they've booked the train for the morning of the 16th."

"Hehe, the newlyweds will be able to meet soon."

Get up, you're late today.

"It's alright, it's not late. Do you want to lie down for a while longer?" Zhang Shouyi said, but his actions were a bit excessive.

Zhang Hongmei slapped his hand away and said, "Get up quickly." Then she got out of bed.

"Wife, when will you take the initiative just once?"

Zhang Hongmei ignored him and went to the bathroom to wash up.

After seeing off the three family members, only he was left.

"Liang Dan, sit down, let's talk?"

"lady?"

"Liang Dan, you're twenty-seven years old, aren't you?"

"Yes, I'm twenty-seven years old this year."

"Among the girls who came with you, only you and Ganlu are not married."

"Madam, I haven't thought about that. For me, whether I get married or not is irrelevant."

"So that means you can get married? Well then I'll just say it directly. Liu Jingzhang, who sat next to me at Song Zigan's wedding last time, is 31 years old this year. He was my senior in college and is now the vice mayor."

He's interested in you, do you still think about him?

"Madam, why are you still unmarried at thirty-one?"

"I don't know about that. I think he was delayed because of work. I didn't ask any more questions. There's nothing wrong with his character."

"But doesn't he mind my status?"