Chapter 256 Summer Vacation
In mid-July, the heat in Beijing was unbearable.
On the day summer vacation officially started, Nan Zhiyi and Xiao Liu took Zhang Yueran to the train station.
Zhang Yueran returned home with simple luggage, consisting of only a canvas bag, plus some Beijing specialties and gifts that Nan Zhiyi had prepared for Aunt Feng.
On the platform, Nan Zhiyi held Zhang Yueran's hand, nagging, "Be careful on the way, keep your bag safe, and don't talk to strangers..."
"Sister!" Zhang Yueran exclaimed, both amused and exasperated. "Do you really think I'm a three-year-old? I'm a grown woman, and besides, what could possibly happen in broad daylight?"
Looking at her youthful, fearless face, Nan Zhiyi swallowed back the rest of her nagging and finally emphasized, "Okay, okay, anyway, when you get home, remember to call me as soon as possible to let me know you're safe."
"Okay, I promise I'll call you as soon as we get to the camp!"
Zhang Yueran readily agreed, then urged her, "Sister, let's go back quickly. There are too many people here, and the smell isn't good."
Nan Zhiyi sighed helplessly, waved to her, and watched her squeeze onto the green train with the other passengers before leaving.
As Xiao Liu walked out of the bustling train station, he was still waiting by the jeep.
"Sister-in-law, shall we go straight back?"
"Xiao Liu, could you please take me to the General Staff compound? Once you get there, you can go back first. Don't wait for me; I'll take the bus home myself."
The General Staff compound and the Army compound are not too far apart, just a few bus stops away, about a 20-30 minute drive. She wanted to visit Zhou Anping.
Xiao Liu hesitated for a moment: "Sister-in-law, but... Minister Gu instructed..."
“It’s alright,” Nan Zhiyi insisted. “I can’t let something like this delay your day. Don’t worry, it’s broad daylight, and taking the bus is very convenient.”
Seeing that she had made up her mind, Xiao Liu had no choice but to agree: "Okay, then be careful."
Upon arriving at the entrance of the General Staff compound, Nan Zhiyi registered with practiced ease and headed straight for the building where the Meng family lived.
Anping opened the door and was both surprised and delighted to see her: "Zhiyi? What brings you here? Come in quickly, it's so hot!"
She quickly pulled Nan Zhiyi into the house.
The fan in the living room was humming. Nan Zhiyi walked over, her forehead covered in sweat, and consciously walked under the fan to cool off.
Zhou Anping, with his slightly protruding belly, turned around to pour her some water.
Nan Zhiyi quickly stopped her: "Don't move, sit down and rest, I can do it myself."
Zhou Anping was already more than four months pregnant, and Nan Zhiyi was afraid that something might happen to her.
She walked to the coffee table, picked up the thermos, poured herself a glass of cold water, drank half of it in one gulp, and then sat down on the chair next to Zhou Anping.
"I just saw Yueran off at the train station. I thought you were off today, so I stopped by to see you. How are you? How have you been lately? Is work tiring?"
Zhou An is a full-time employee, but her maternity leave is still a long way off.
She patted her stomach and replied, "It's just like that. The troupe knows my situation now, so they don't assign me much work. I just go to show up, watch the young people rehearse, and offer some innocuous suggestions. It's just that it's too hot today, and my body feels heavy. I always feel suffocated."
Nan Zhiyi simply said, "Alright, your health is the most important thing right now. Put your work aside if you can."
Zhou Anping leaned back in his chair and sighed, "It's only been a little over four months, and we still have to endure another six months. Just thinking about it makes me feel like it's going to be tough. How did you get through that? Please share some of your experience."
Nan Zhiyi picked up the palm-leaf fan on the table and gently fanned her, recalling her own early pregnancy.
"Me? I was vomiting like crazy for the first few months, that was real suffering. You hardly had any morning sickness, just some back pain, which is much better than what I went through."
Zhou Anping pouted, not quite satisfied with the comparison: "What's so good about it? This little one isn't even that big yet, and my back is already sore and swollen, I can't sleep well at night. Won't it be even more uncomfortable when my belly gets bigger?"
She imagined it for a moment, and then she shivered.
"Don't scare yourself. Everyone's situation is different. Get plenty of rest, and have Qingshan give you a hot compress tonight. It will make you feel much better. Most importantly, go to the hospital for your check-up on time and listen to what the doctor has to say."
Nan Zhiyi then asked, "When is the next prenatal checkup? If you need someone to accompany you, just call me anytime."
"Yes, I know. Don't worry. No matter how busy Meng Qingshan is with work, he will always find time to accompany me to my prenatal check-ups."
Suddenly remembering something, she leaned closer to Nan Zhiyi and asked mysteriously, "Hey, I have a question for you. During my last prenatal checkup, the doctor told me that if the pregnancy is stable in the second trimester, it's okay...it's okay to have sex...did you and Fifth Brother...did that...?"
Nan Zhiyi was caught off guard by this question, and her face flushed red instantly. She quickly replied, "No! Of course not!"
There really isn't any.
Gu Xiao always put her health first, and even if he wanted to, he would never take any risks during her pregnancy.
During that time, he was extra careful even when hugging her.
After denying it, she looked at Zhou Anping's equally flushed cheeks, her curiosity piqued, and asked her in return, "Could it be... you and Qingshan...?"
Zhou Anping immediately shook his head vigorously, "No, no! I...I don't dare...He...he does want to, and the doctor said it's okay...in the future..."
Unable to continue, she grabbed the snack box from the table and shoved it into Nan Zhiyi's hand, saying, "Have some snacks!"
The two sisters looked at each other's flushed faces, paused for a moment, and then couldn't help but chuckle.
The topic was too private, and after laughing, the two tacitly agreed not to discuss it further.
After a while, the two started talking about everyday family matters.
"My mother-in-law comes over every few days now, bringing chicken soup and checking on me. My mom does the same, sending a ton of food and supplies from Jian'an, repeatedly telling me in her letter that she'll take time off work to come and take care of me until I'm fully postpartum. Sigh... they weren't like this when I wasn't pregnant..."
Nan Zhiyi said, "The elders meant well..."
The two chatted about this and that until almost noon, when Zhou Anping invited her to stay for lunch.
Upon hearing about cooking, Nan Zhiyi frowned: "You still cook for yourself? Aren't you tired?"
Seeing her worried expression, Zhou Anping quickly reassured her, "Don't worry, don't do it. Qingshan's unit is close by, and he basically brings all three meals back from the canteen. I just heat them up at most, so I don't have to deal with any cooking fumes. Besides, he also said that if I feel uncomfortable living here, or if he has an emergency mission, he can let me go back to the Army compound for a while. There are maids there, and his mother... can also lend a hand."
Nan Zhiyi sighed softly to herself.
Returning to the General's Mansion would certainly provide some care, but the rules there are numerous, and Anping might not feel at ease.
She went along with it, saying, "It's good that you come back to live in the compound. It's close by, so it's convenient for us to visit each other. I can also come to see you often and keep you company."
Zhou Anping smiled and said, "Yes, I'll think about it."
Seeing that it was getting late, Nan Zhiyi got up to say goodbye.
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