Chapter 5 She is your cousin, the relationship cannot be awkward

Zhou Jihuai's eyes flashed with warmth: "It's been twenty-three years."

When Shu Cheng'an thought of the past, a trace of disgust appeared on his face.

He quickly adjusted his expression and said with a smile: "My grandma was still talking about wanting to meet my good comrade a few days ago. Can you meet her now?"

"Yes." Zhou Jihuai held the steering wheel, his long eyelashes hiding his regret.

Shu Chengan patted him on the shoulder twice. Their team was in a special situation, so they were not allowed to take leave easily, and they could not tell outsiders that they were comrades in the team. As expected...

The jeep drove at a steady speed on the road and arrived at the entrance of the alley in a short while.

Mudan Hutong was quite spacious, so Zhou Jihuai drove straight in.

In the old courtyard at the end of the alley, there was a kind-looking old man sitting under the shade of a tree outside the door. When he saw the person in the passenger seat, he smiled and waved.

Shu Chengan got out of the car and ran towards her: "Grandma, I bought some shrimps for you. Look who I brought over?"

Qu Jinghong looked at Zhou Jihuai who had parked his car and was walking towards him. After a while, he answered, "Is it the comrade you often mentioned who saved your life?"

"Come in quickly, grandma will make braised shrimp for you at noon."

She spoke neither fast nor slow. She was wearing an autumn-colored cheongsam of exquisite tailoring and embroidery. Her white hair was tied up behind her with a wooden hairpin, not a single detail was too neat.

Even though her face is now full of wrinkles, you can still see the charm and sophistication of her youth.

Zhou Jihuai helped her into the house: "Grandma Qu, it's not a big deal, just let Xiaoshu do it, he's a good cook."

Shu Chengan stepped over the threshold with one foot: "Yes, grandma, I'm a good cook, unlike Brother Huai, whose cooking is always unpalatable! By the way, Brother Huai's full name is Zhou Jihuai."

His grandson knew that Cheng'an's cooking skills were not just "good". Qu Jinghong listened to them talking bad about each other with a smile. Hearing this, he looked at Zhou Jihuai carefully and said, "Xiao Zhou, you're stepping down too?"

Zhou Jihuai hummed and said, "I've been transferred to the regular army. No need to keep it secret anymore."

Qu Jinghong looked back ahead, his eyes brimming with sadness: "It's better to turn around. Nothing is more important than life."

"Your grandmother will be very happy to know this. Is she back?"

Zhou Jihuai was stunned.

Shu Chengan was carrying shrimps and a basin to the water pump to wash them. When he came out, he heard this and was also startled: "Grandma, do you know Grandma Zhou?"

Qu Jinghong recalled the past: "You should call her Grandma Ye. Xiao Zhou's grandmother's last name is Ye, right, Xiao Zhou?"

Zhou Jihuai: “Yes.”

The three of them sat down in a cool place in the yard, and Shu Cheng'an listened to his grandmother talking while cleaning the shrimps.

"I, Lao Shu, Lao Zhou, and Xiao Qin were all sent down to the same place. After I came back in 1976, I kept in touch with your grandmother through letters. In her last letter, she said she would be back soon to celebrate her birthday."

"You were only one year old when we were sent down to the countryside. Your grandparents often mentioned you. Cheng An just mentioned your name, and I confirmed it when I saw your appearance."

"You look like your grandfather."

Zhou Jihuai pursed his lips and said, "My parents also said so."

"My grandmother's birthday is the day after tomorrow. I'm here to pick you up and take you to my house."

"Okay." Qu Jinghong kept smiling.

She had already promised Ye Qin in the letter.

"Xiao Zhou, you are 24 this year, right? Are you dating?"

The slightly heavy atmosphere just now was dispelled by this sentence, and Shu Chengan laughed out loud: "Grandma, Brother Huai is a bachelor like me."

The old man smiled and his eyes curved: "It's a pity that your cousin is still young, otherwise I would introduce her to Xiao Zhou."

Shu Chengan stopped laughing immediately: "She wishes."

Qu Jinghong sighed in his heart: "Cheng'an, she is your aunt's daughter and your cousin. This is between the two of us. Your relationship cannot be strained."

Shu Cheng'an said nothing. He wiped his wet hands on his open police uniform, picked up the basin and went into the kitchen.

Qu Jinghong felt bad and stood up, "Xiao Zhou, I'm going to the house to watch TV for a while. You and Cheng'an can go play."