Zhang Guoqing put his son down and asked him to stand back and not move. He took out a dagger, squatted over, took a look, and cut open the seal.
Behind him, Xiao Ping'an clenched his fists, raised his feet, and craned his neck to watch his movements. He whispered, "Be careful, there's poison inside, there's a trap!"
If the timing wasn't wrong, Zhang Guoqing really wanted to ask his son what books he had read in the past two years and how he knew all these unorthodox methods.
However, he actually stood up and took out a handkerchief from his trouser pocket, folded it twice, and wrapped it around his fingers. He then took it down and carefully opened the box again.
——He lifted up a children's book and was about to take it out when Zhang Guoqing's pupils suddenly shrank and he quickly covered it with a "snap".
Ping An didn't see what was inside, but he was sensitive enough to notice that his father was very nervous. He turned his head and looked around, then tugged at the corner of his father's clothes.
Zhang Guoqing exhaled, took out his handkerchief and stuffed it into his trouser pocket, then patted his son: "It's not dangerous, it's just not convenient here. Let's talk about it when we get back."
Ping An was held in his father's arms again. He looked ahead in confusion and asked, "Aren't we supposed to go home first?"
"We haven't confirmed if there's anyone secretly watching our house yet. For safety's sake, everything has to continue as normal. We even need to go buy some things as a cover."
Ping'an listened to what Zhang Guoqing whispered, pinched his father's shoulder solemnly, and then quickly showed an innocent smile.
The father and son went to the mall to buy a bag of milk powder, and then went to a store that specialized in selling straw hats, winnowing baskets, bamboo baskets and bought a few things.
More than an hour later, in the study in the east wing, Zhang Guoqing looked at his son lying on the kang and asked, "How do you feel?"
“Very interesting.”
"Then you will see how I proceed."
Zhang Guoqing took out a pair of medical gloves from the drawer and opened the carton again.
This time, Ping An finally saw what was inside that had made his father so nervous: a magazine he liked, a letter, and a box filled with tickets of various colors and crisp ten-yuan bills.
"dad?"
Zhang Guoqing nodded upon hearing this. Without his son's prompting, he, wearing gloves, had already taken out a piece of letter from the envelope.
There are only a few words in it: This is not a mistake.
"Dad, there's more in there."
Zhang Guoqing, dazed, suddenly came to his senses and poured out the contents of the envelope: a Hong Kong silver coin with the Queen's portrait, a French franc, and a small key.
Zhang Guoqing picked them up, looked at them, smelled them, and then put them in the box.
"Dad, this is for my grandma, right?"
"How clever! Can you help Dad get Grandma Sun out of here so your mom can take a look first?"
Ping An nodded enthusiastically: "Wait a few minutes, it will be done soon. But you have to tell me what's going on."
"Okay, be careful."
After sending Aunt Sun away, Zhang Guoqing carried the small cardboard box into the bedroom.
"What is this?" Zhou Jiao looked at him puzzled.
Zhang Guoqing briefly explained how he got the small cardboard box back.
After listening to the letter, Zhou Jiao sighed softly, "My bloodline is complicated."
These words made Zhang Guoqing's mouth curve up.
"Your mother-in-law is truly God's chosen daughter! Anyone else would be utterly humiliated. How could she be so lucky to have caught my father and give birth to such a wonderful daughter like me?"
Zhang Guoqing smiled and shook his head. Exactly! It was only by chance that Old Lin, her father, favored his eldest daughter, that she could wait for seventeen years without any worries. Otherwise, how could she have earned the true protection of her father-in-law?
So, it's not surprising that his mother-in-law is always thinking about Old Man Lin. Even the most naive person can feel that without her father supporting her, she would have been devoured by now, leaving only a layer of skin.
"Tsk tsk, what a thoughtful move!" Zhou Jiao looked at the small key in her hand, "It's as if my father and I have never seen money before."
Zhou Guoqing smiled and said, "As long as there's no ill intention."
"I hate playing hints and I'm too lazy to think about it. Just give it to my parents tonight." Zhou Jiao casually threw down the things in her hands and leaned back on the kang.
Seeing this, Zhang Guoqing quickly sealed the box and placed it in the cabinet. He didn't want his wife to worry about it. He had heard his father-in-law privately mention that the third son of the Miao family was looking for his sister again according to his father's last words.
As expected, his father-in-law guessed it right. Old Mrs. Lin's big commotion still attracted the attention of the Miao family.
When night fell, Zhang Guoqing found a chance, avoided outsiders, called his mother-in-law, and took the small cardboard box to the study in the main house.
Lin Lishan walked with him and said, "What do you think of the room next to Ping'an? I plan to change it to let Aunt Sun take care of the twins. I'm worried about her taking care of the children in the side room when you're not home."
"Will it affect your rest with my dad? If you're worried, let Aunt Chen stay with her."
"No, our three little ones are so well-behaved. Have you ever seen Liuyiwuyi cry loudly? Your aunt said that in all the children she has taken care of, she has never seen such a carefree little one."
Zhang Guoqing thought of his own son and a smug smile appeared on his face. "It was the same back then with Ping An. He was fed every three hours, and as long as his diaper was clean, he didn't need any care."
"All the children are like Jiaojiao. Our Jiaojiao was also very well-behaved when she was just born..."
For whom?
Zhang Guoqing smiled. His mother had said last time that her son took after her, and that was undeniable. Just like Ping An looked a lot like him, his father-in-law could always see some of Zhou Jiao's influence in his son.
In the study, Zhou Xiaozheng looked up when he saw them come in, raised his eyebrows, and put down his pen: "Jiaojiao, have you had your midnight snack?"
"Yeah." Zhang Guoqing nodded and put the small cardboard box on the desk. "Dad, take a look at what's inside. I'll tell you how to get it to me later."
Zhou Xiaozheng saw his son-in-law signal him to look first, and then saw him intentionally pulling his mother-in-law to sit further away, and a gleam of light flashed in his eyes. Since he brought her in with him, then...
Lin Lishan looked at the small cardboard box curiously: "What's inside? Who sent it? Aren't the children over a month old? Why are they still here?"
Zhang Guoqing poured her a cup of warm water and said, "It's hard to explain. Wait until Dad sees it and see what he says." It was difficult for him to answer so many questions, and it all depended on what his father-in-law decided.
Zhou Xiaozheng didn't look at it for long. Just like Zhou Jiao before him, he glanced at the contents of the envelope and ignored the cash and bills.
After a moment's silence, he looked up at his son-in-law and said, "Tell your mother how I got to you."
Zhang Guoqing understood what she meant. She had no intention of hiding it from her mother-in-law. He nodded and began to talk about his trip with Ping An today...
Zhou Xiaozheng smiled as he heard his son-in-law say he'd gone out of his way to buy some bamboo baskets. This kid is so cautious!
After he finished speaking, Zhou Xiaozheng stood up, carrying the small box to the coffee table, and motioned his wife to read the letter first: "Don't rush to ask, read it first."
Lin Lishan looked at her father-in-law and son-in-law with a confused look on her face, then tapped her nose with her finger: "Me? Is this something someone is planning to give to me?"
Zhang Guoqing handed her the letter and said, "Mom, you'll understand once you read it."
Will you understand after reading it? After Lin Lishan read the things in the envelope and thought about those four words, she still didn't understand.
This is not a lie, she understood. But this is money and a small key to the safe, and it doesn't seem like they are trying to reveal her background, or threaten her...
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