Prepare
After seeing Zhang Quanyi and Wang Chaofan off, Yang Zheng drove Shen Anxia back to Peacock City. Shen Anxia kept looking at the invitation letter the whole way, and even after Yang Zheng pulled her to sit on the sofa, she still hadn't recovered from the huge surprise.
Transferring positions across cities is already difficult enough, but now, she has taken the talent introduction route and can directly join the Yi'an Dance Troupe, most importantly, as the principal dancer.
It's worth noting that Bai Yan joined the Xin Feng Dance Troupe at the age of eighteen, after seven years of studying at a dance school. Within the Xin Feng Dance Troupe, it took her another seven years to become the principal dancer, earning her the title of "the youngest principal dancer in the history of the Xin Feng Dance Troupe." Now, Shen Anxia has directly taken the principal position.
She wasn't so narcissistic as to think she truly earned Yi'an's offer to poach her. The extent of Yang Zheng's efforts was immeasurable, and the connections and time required for this step were beyond her comprehension.
At this moment, she really wanted to hug the man who had been working tirelessly for their possible future.
But before Shen Anxia could reach out to Yang Zheng, Yang Zheng had already pulled her into a tight embrace.
Warm breath flowed from her ear to her neck. From Yang Zheng's arms, which were tightly wrapped around her but trembling slightly, Shen Anxia knew clearly that Yang Zheng was just as excited as she was, or even more excited than her.
Letting the invitation slip from her hand, Shen Anxia tightly wrapped her arms around Yang Zheng's waist.
“Anxia,” Yang Zheng’s voice rang in her ears, soft and gentle, “I never dared to imagine this before. I’m a little scared now that I’ve received this result.”
Shen Anxia guessed that Yang Zheng wanted to say something he couldn't imagine, and she felt the same way. At this moment, she was so excited that she didn't know what to say, but when she heard Yang Zheng say "afraid," Shen Anxia asked, "Afraid?"
"This is something I've wanted to have a thousand times, but I've always extinguished my fantasies. I try to convince myself that even if this doesn't work out, there are other ways. But today, when it's really confirmed, I can't believe it."
Shen Anxia felt that Yang Zheng no longer knew what he was trying to express, but she seemed to be able to understand it to some extent.
After a long while, Yang Zheng seemed to calm down and finally let go of Shen Anxia. Looking into her eyes, he smiled and said, "Anxia, you're finally coming back."
Shen Anxia's eyes crinkled into a smile: "I'm finally coming back—don't tell my parents yet. Wait until I've really finished the formalities before telling them, so they won't have to sleep all night again."
“Well, I won’t tell my family yet, but—” Yang Zheng thought for a moment, “Uncle Zhang knows my dad, and he’s also very familiar with my older brothers, so it might not be able to be kept secret for long.”
"Then let nature take its course; anyway, it's all good things."
“Anxia,” Yang Zheng said in a great mood, “Let’s go to the supermarket. We have a gathering tomorrow, so let’s go shopping.”
“Okay.” When Shen Anxia came here last time, she saw a large supermarket at the corner.
The supermarket wasn't crowded, but it had a good selection of items. The two of them chose ingredients for dinner and for tomorrow's party.
Shen Anxia doesn't like snacks, but since her sister-in-law and the children are coming tomorrow, she still took some of each type and will put them in a divided lunchbox.
In addition, there were various camping supplies, but Yang Zheng didn't buy a tent. Shen Anxia asked, "How can we camp without a tent?"
"There is a double room at home - we went camping at the beach with a group of people before, and everyone had a grill, sleeping mat, and cooking utensils."
"So all we need to do is prepare the ingredients?"
"We have tables and chairs in the warehouse, we'll bring them with us. We'll need to buy larger ones for the canopy and placemats later, the ones we used for the last camping trip were too small. If we want a more atmospheric feel, we'll also need a small generator, at least one that can power the ambient lighting."
After the two had bought most of the necessary items, they returned to Peacock City to begin preparations.
While Yang Zheng was cooking dinner, he was also preparing food for the camping trip. Shen Anxia was helping him out. During this time, Ge Chen called once to ask Yang Zheng if there was anything he hadn't prepared yet. After Yang Zheng explained what he had prepared, he was relieved.
Shen Anxia felt that this kind of cool and considerate person should not be called "sister-in-law," but "elder brother."
After dinner, the food was almost ready. There were still some fruits and drinks left, which could be prepared tomorrow. Yang Zheng loaded everything that could be packed into the car, put all the marinated fresh food in the refrigerator, and cut the fruits on the spot.
They didn't drive; the two of them took a taxi back to the city and stayed overnight. The next morning, the six couples, plus Yang Zheng and Shen Anxia, started their day-and-night camping trip.
Upon arrival, a group of men began setting up the venue, and Yang Zheng even brought a blueprint and drew a layout plan.
"Third Brother, you're amazing! You'll be my idol from now on!" Jiang Fanxing said with a fawning expression when she saw the blueprints.
Duan Lixing asked Jiang Fanxing from the side, "Isn't I your idol?"
"Second Brother, just for today, Third Brother is my idol for one day only," Jiang Fanxing quickly explained.
"You're so fickle! You just said I'd be your idol from now on, tsk tsk tsk, not loyal at all." Yang Zheng said disdainfully to Jiang Fanxing.
Xu Qingjing handed Jiang Fanxing a tissue: "Fifth brother, hurry up and wipe your drool! It's almost falling on the ground."
Jiang Fanxing shoved Xu Qingjing's hand away: "Get lost! Fourth Brother, have you already forgotten that you were on my side?"
When Qu Cheng walked over and saw the blueprints, he exploded: "This is so unfair! Now we can't organize any more activities!"
Upon hearing this, Tian Lei also came over to look, his eyes shining as he exclaimed, "Wow, Lao Yang, you're really something!"
As Yang Zheng set up the table, he took a moment to talk to them: "From now on, when you two organize events, we'll be very grateful as long as we're not hungry or thirsty. Also, let me tell you something, this idea came from your older brother."
"Huh?" The group of people were incredulous.
"So, Fifth Brother, you've chosen the wrong idol," Yang Zheng continued to tease Jiang Fanxing.
Jiang Fanxing complained, "Then why didn't you say so earlier!"
"I just want to hear you praise me for a while."
"Third Brother is getting more and more shameless," Jiang Fanxing complained to Xu Qingjing.
"Shameless!" Xu Qingjing chimed in tacitly.
Yang Zheng laughed heartily and directed the two of them: "You two hurry up and get to work! The more you do, the more seafood you can share with your younger siblings later."
"Third Brother, you even make seafood dishes now!" Xu Qingjing suddenly perked up and shouted to a group of ladies sitting around the table, "Jingyi! I'll win you seafood dishes made by Third Brother himself!"
Jiang Fanxing, not to be outdone, shouted at Rong Yi, "Wife, I'm sure I'll win more than Third Brother!"
The duo's antics drew laughter from the group.
“These two,” Ge Chen joked with a laugh, “the third brother is the same age as these two, but much more composed.”
Rong Yi, who was playing in the water with the children nearby, was called upon and responded with a smile: "Jiang! Fan! Xing! You are my crush! You win more often!"
The ladies got off the bus and sat down on small chairs at the low table that Yang Zheng had set up, chatting and preparing fruit salad.
Ding Fei's son was a little older and was setting up the tent with Ding Fei. Duan Lixing's daughter, Qu Cheng's daughter, and Tian Lei's son were about the same age. After getting off the car, they followed Rong Yi to the stream to play in the water. The stream was not deep and the current was slow. At this moment, an adult was leading several children to catch fish with a net.
Rong Yi has a cheerful personality. When Jiang Fanxing confessed his feelings to her loudly, she could immediately reciprocate. But Zhang Jingyi couldn't do that. She blushed and continued Ge Chen's words: "Yes, when I first met Third Brother, I thought he was a very domineering CEO. And I never thought that An Xia could be with Third Brother. But the more I look at you two, the more I think you are a perfect match."
Shen Anxia hugged Da Zizi and loved her to bits. This was the first time she had seen this little baby. Zhang Jingyi was worried that she would get sunburned, so she specially put a soft hat on her. She was so cute and cuddly.
While playing with the child, Shen Anxia also teased Zhang Jingyi: "Sister-in-law, don't change the subject! Brother Dajing just confessed his feelings to you."
Seeing Zhang Jingyi blush even more, Xi Yan laughed and said, "I haven't seen your fourth sister-in-law much before, and she's so cute."
"Second sister-in-law, don't tease me." Zhang Jingyi's face turned even redder.
“Jingyi, let’s go out and have fun more often in the future. When the kids are a bit older, let’s go on a trip as a group, without these old men,” Xi Yan suggested.
Ge Chen laughed at her: "You're something else. Every time you go on a business trip, your second brother wants to come with you. You say your second brother is usually steady and serious, and seems smart, but it turns out he's a hopeless romantic."
"Big brother is quite something, his reputation as a henpecked husband has spread throughout the public security, procuratorate, court and judicial system!" Xi Yan retorted.
"Hahahahaha—" The group burst into laughter, drawing sidelong glances from the old men working nearby.
"Third brother chose a good place this time. We should bring our families out more often in the future. Look how happy they are," praised Ding Fei, a family-oriented man.
Qu Cheng agreed: "Yes, before it was just the few of us getting together occasionally, but now it feels so great to bring our wives and kids!"
Zhang Qing, sitting at the table, also thought it was wonderful: "The air is so fresh! You can't find this kind of environment in the city!"
“Yes! And the difference between taking care of kids in a chaotic and stressful way and taking care of kids while traveling and having fun is huge. Every weekend is more tiring than working a regular job. I haven’t been this relaxed in a long time.” Wang Hui agreed.
The group cut the fruit and packed it into containers. Then they took out a large glass bowl, put some ice in it, added a few more fruits, and finally filled it with Sprite.
Zhang Jingyi wiped her hands and took Da Zizi from Shen Anxia's arms: "Are you tired?"
Shen Anxia felt a slight soreness in her arm and rotated her shoulder: "I don't think Da Zizi is heavy at all, but it does feel a bit sore right now. I don't know if it's because I'm nervous."
“That’s how it is when you hold a baby; it gets very tiring after a while,” Wang Hui said. “Elders like us can help take care of the baby, but I have a friend who has always taken care of the baby herself. The last time I saw her, she looked ten years older.”
Ge Chen, being a few years older, had a lot to say: "That's why some people say that marriage is the only time you can choose your family with your eyes open, so you must be careful."
“What you say is true, sister-in-law,” Xi Yan agreed. “Fortunately, the men here are all quite good.”
By now, the men who had been praised had already set up the tents and tarpaulin, laid out placemats under the tarpaulin, and set up the barbecue grill. A group of people took out the fresh seafood that Yang Zheng had marinated the night before from the trunk of Yang Zheng's car.
Duan Lixing and Ding Fei each set up a barbecue grill to grill skewers, Yang Zheng and Qu Cheng each set up a portable gas stove to fry steaks, and Tian Lei and Jiang Fanxing filled a beer barrel with ice and then poured in beer. With everyone working together, the area was soon filled with a rich aroma of meat.
Xu Qingjing didn't help prepare the meal; instead, she took the big trinkets from Zhang Jingyi and played with them.
Around noon, Rongyi returned with her three children. In the small red plastic bucket, she had caught three willow roots about the length of a middle finger, as well as a group of transparent shrimp.
"You've reaped quite a harvest!" Wang Hui served each of them a bowl of fruit salad and then looked at their spoils.
"That's right!" Rong Yi scooped a few pieces of ice from the glass and gulped them down.
"Is it okay to drink something so cold?" Zhang Qing was completely bewildered.
"I drink like this all the time, it's fine," Rong Yi said, waving her hand dismissively.
“Rong Yi and An Xia look like they have plenty of energy and vitality. They’re not like us at their age, who are so sensitive to cold,” Ge Chen observed carefully.
Xi Yan also agreed: "Indeed, being young, not having children, getting plenty of sunshine, and exercising a lot all contribute to this."
Shen Anxia nodded: "The amount of exercise is high, and you get a lot of sun exposure."
“So we can really get together more often in the future, away from the office and air conditioning, and do more outdoor sports,” Ge Chen said.
"I think it's a good idea." Zhang Jingyi also wanted to go out more often.
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