Chapter 42 Could it be such a coincidence? School's about to start.
The issue of family planning supplies was still troubling Gu Zhiyuan, but Ji Wei beside him had already fallen asleep peacefully. Her breathing sounded particularly clear in the darkness, and he couldn't help but move closer to her little by little. Finally, he reached out and held her hand before closing his eyes contentedly and beginning to drift off to sleep.
After the topic was brought up, the next morning their eye contact was filled with an unusual ambiguity. After looking at each other, they couldn't help but smile. Before Gu Zhiyuan could even wipe the smile off his face, Gu Chen'an looked at him with a puzzled expression: "Dad, what are you laughing at?"
"Nothing, what's wrong? Have you finished your homework?" Gu Zhiyuan asked casually.
"Of course I've finished. School starts soon, and Mom said I can do less these next couple of days." Gu Chen'an said, glancing at him sideways. What they were doing these past two days wasn't summer homework anymore, but homework assigned by Ji Wei.
"Then let's listen to her. I'm going back there this afternoon. You and your sister need to behave well at home and not worry your mother, okay?" Gu Zhiyuan said, rubbing Gu Chen'an's head. He thought that perhaps he should have been the matchmaker for him and Ji Wei in the first place.
"Huh? Didn't you just come back yesterday? Are you leaving again today?" Gu Chen'an pouted at him. Didn't you always leave tomorrow before?
"I have something to take care of this time." Gu Zhiyuan said, turning his head away somewhat embarrassedly. There were acquaintances everywhere in Wu'an Town, and it would be awkward to be seen by others whether he went to the family planning office or the hospital to pick up family planning supplies, so he planned to go somewhere a little further away.
"Alright then, be careful. I'll listen to Mom and be her little helper." After driving so many times, Gu Chen'an had already figured out the issues that worried him.
"You're becoming more and more reliable." Because of his parents' neglect of him growing up, Gu Zhiyuan had never been particularly attached to having children. Even without the one-child policy, he would only have one. His parents were the best example; they had so many children but couldn't treat them all equally, which was unfair to the children. He didn't want his child to have the same experience as him. The divorce was an unexpected event, which made him feel even more guilty towards Chen An. Fortunately, fate was kind to them, allowing them to meet the best person, Ji Wei. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but smile.
"I'm a real man." Hearing his praise, Gu Chen'an puffed out his chest proudly. He was at work, and he was the only man in the family. A real man is supposed to protect his mother and sister.
"Well, little man, I'll leave the house to you while I'm away. I'll go with you to register on the first day of school." Ji Wei, as the homeroom teacher, would be very busy on the first day of school, so he had already cleared out those two days.
"I'll go to kindergarten with you then." Gu Chen'an still remembered Ji Cong taking Lulu's snacks and planned to give him another warning.
"What are you two talking about over there?" Ji Wei finished combing Lulu's hair and saw the father and son still chattering away, so she couldn't help but shout at them.
"Mom, Dad said he's leaving again soon." Gu Chen'an winked at Gu Zhiyuan after saying that they shouldn't tell their mother about warning Ji Cong.
"Aren't you leaving tomorrow?" Ji Wei handed the comb to Lulu, telling her to take it back and put it away.
"I have something to take care of." Gu Zhiyuan's eyes darted around as he spoke, and the tips of his ears were so red they looked like they were about to bleed. Ji Wei thought, that feeling of teasing an innocent married man from last night was back. Sigh, his innocence really made her feel quite lustful. But then again, he's already married with children, how come he's still so innocent? Ji Wei wondered curiously.
"Oh, then be careful on your way." Ji Wei glanced at him, suddenly remembering his elevated body temperature and rapid breathing last night, and actually began to look forward to his next return. Well, they were a legally married couple, so it didn't matter what she thought.
"Have they prepared everything they need for the start of school? Is there anything else I need to buy?" Gu Zhiyuan asked, turning to look at her. After exchanging feelings last night, he could finally openly look at her. Before, he was always afraid of being noticed when he wanted to look at her, so he would restrain himself or steal a few glances while talking. Now that he had the opportunity openly, Gu Zhiyuan naturally wouldn't waste it. His gaze was so intense that Ji Wei almost felt embarrassed. She cleared her throat and replied, "No need, everything is ready."
"Okay, I'll buy whatever you think is best." Whenever he went on a business trip to a particular place, Gu Zhiyuan had gotten into the habit of buying all sorts of things for the mother and her two children during his short rest time. Since they didn't need it for their studies, he would buy them something else.
After Gu Zhiyuan left, the house returned to its usual tranquility. The children's emotions came and went quickly, but Ji Wei was unusually absent-minded. Was his early departure because of what she said last night? Realizing this possibility, Ji Wei finally felt embarrassed. But this also proved that she wasn't the only one thinking about this, right? Thinking this way, Ji Wei finally felt a little more at peace.
"Brother, what's wrong with Mom?" Lulu tugged at Gu Chen'an's sleeve and pointed to Ji Wei over there, gesturing for Gu Chen'an to look. Following her gaze, Gu Chen'an noticed that Ji Wei was sometimes smiling happily, and sometimes frowning. He thought for a moment, then lowered his head to comfort Lulu: "Mom is probably thinking about something. Let's not disturb her."
"Really?" Lulu asked doubtfully; this was the first time she had ever seen her mother like this.
"Of course it's true. When have I ever lied to you?" Gu Chen'an said, feigning displeasure.
Lulu thought about it and realized that seemed to be the case. So she put aside her worries and whispered to Gu Chen'an, "Brother, Ji Cong is a big bad guy, I hate him."
"Your dad and I will go with you on the first day of school. He definitely won't dare to come looking for you again." Gu Chen'an told her to relax and that they would help her solve Ji Cong's problem.
"Can Daddy go see Uncle?" Uncle is also annoying, and she hopes he won't come looking for Mommy anymore. Thinking of this, Lulu's eyes were full of anticipation.
"I think so," Gu Chen'an said, his tone uncertain.
*
The new warehouse and garage were already in use. Gu Zhiyuan went straight back to his dormitory in the garage. There weren't too many drivers at the time, and they each had their own room, so as long as he closed the door, no one would notice that he had returned. He planned to go to the family planning office to pick up the family planning supplies and also inquire about the surgery.
The new warehouse wasn't far from the city center, so he chose the family planning office there. An hour later, he emerged with an extra bag. The family planning office staff were even more insistent on persuading him to have Ji Wei get an IUD inserted than to have surgery himself. He naturally refused. Although he wasn't a medical professional, the thought of having something inserted into his body was unpleasant. Even after he said he was willing to have surgery, they persisted in trying to persuade Ji Wei to have it done. Fortunately, his firm stance dissuaded them. Thinking of this, he glanced down at the bag he had brought back and suddenly felt a surge of nervousness mixed with anticipation. His hand gripping the bag tightened involuntarily.
This time, Gu Zhiyuan left a day early to go out on his trip, which surprisingly made Ji Wei feel a sense of longing. She wondered if it was because of what he said that night. Usually, she didn't care so much about his return date, but this time it was different. She looked forward to his return every day, and she couldn't quite explain what that vague expectation was.
"Mom, Dad said he'll come back to take us to register. Will he be able to make it back?" Tomorrow is the registration day, and Gu Chen'an is inevitably a little nervous, afraid that he won't be able to make it back.
"He should be able to get back in time." Gu Zhiyuan rarely made promises, but once he did, he would do his best to keep them. Thinking of this, Ji Wei couldn't help but look towards the courtyard gate. Usually, he would already be home by this time.
"Then I'll wait for him to come back." Gu Chen'an hadn't forgotten that they were going to the kindergarten tomorrow to support Lulu, so he was waiting for his father to come back.
"It's still early, you can wait for him." They had just finished dinner and it was still a while before they went to bed.
Gu Chen'an didn't speak, just stared straight at the door. Lulu even ran to the door and stood there, as if Gu Zhiyuan would appear immediately. Compared to their anticipation, Ji Wei felt more nervous. Had he already taken care of what he needed that day? If he really bought it back, then tonight? Thinking of this, Ji Wei couldn't help but slap her forehead, trying to shake those inappropriate images out of her mind.
"You all wait here and don't leave the hospital. I'm going upstairs to pack my things." Tomorrow is registration day, and as the homeroom teacher, Ji Wei will be very busy. She needs to get some preparations done today.
As luck would have it, not long after Ji Wei went upstairs, Gu Zhiyuan returned with a backpack. The two little ones excitedly surrounded him, calling out to him. While dealing with the children, he searched for Ji Wei in the yard, and finally asked casually, "Where's Mommy?"
"Mom went upstairs," Gu Chen'an replied while looking at the things he was handed to him.
"Oh, isn't school starting tomorrow? Why aren't you asleep yet?" Gu Zhiyuan became nervous thinking about the things in his backpack.
"It's not bedtime yet, Dad. Do you want to sleep?" Gu Chen'an looked at him with some curiosity.
"I'm a little sleepy." Gu Zhiyuan said, his eyes unconsciously looking upstairs. The light shone through the curtains, and he felt a sense of calm. He looked down at the two little ones: "You two play by yourselves, I'm going to take a shower first." Although he had taken a shower as soon as he got back to the dormitory, he was afraid that Ji Wei would dislike it, so he decided to take another shower.
The person upstairs was unaware of what was happening downstairs. While organizing the class roster, she realized that tomorrow was September 1st, and her last period was around the 1st. Could it be such a coincidence?
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