Chapter 356 Happiness
Upon hearing this, Li Xiaoxuan laughed and begged for forgiveness: "Yes, yes, yes, it was my lack of awareness that deserved it! I deserve to be hit!"
The card game proceeded amidst the fragrant aroma of tea and soft laughter.
Shi Lin picked up a card and asked Nan Zhiyi, "Zhiyi, how is your grandfather's health? I heard he wasn't feeling well the other day, but we live far away and haven't been able to visit him."
Nan Zhiyi felt a slight chill run down her spine, and had to admire these people's excellent information network.
She and Gu Xiao kept Commander Gu's illness a secret in the capital, but if there was any disturbance in Jian'an, those who needed to know would eventually find out.
Besides the Meng family calling early to inquire about his well-being, several of Gu Xiao's former superiors and some of his father's former subordinates also called, either personally or through their families, to express their concern.
Just a few days ago, Aunt Wu was complaining that the small storage room at home was almost overflowing with all the gifts sent to people visiting the sick.
These thoughts raced through her mind as she replied gently, "My husband is much better now and is resting at home. The organization is very concerned and has even arranged for a doctor to check on him regularly. Thank you for your concern, sister-in-law."
Shi Lin and Li Xiaoxuan both nodded.
"That's good. The old man's health is the most important thing."
Li Xiaoxuan asked, "So now that you're on vacation, you'll have to go back to Jian'an, right?"
"Yes, it's a good time to go back and spend more time with him."
"I was hoping we could get together more often while you were on vacation. Now that you're gone, I'm going to be so bored."
Nan Zhiyi asked in surprise, "Xiaoxuan, you're on vacation so early?"
Shi Lin, standing nearby, lightly spat at Li Xiaoxuan, "Her! She used the excuse that she was tired from work and it was cold to take a long leave from work and stay home to relax. What a lazybones."
Nan Zhiyi smiled but didn't comment much. When her gaze swept over Li Xiaoxuan, she saw a fleeting sadness in her eyes.
She thought to herself that Xiaoxuan's request for a long leave was probably not because she was afraid of the cold or being tired.
After making two or three more rounds, the maid came in and went to Zhao Liping's side to say that the Zhao family had called.
Zhao Liping stood up, went out to answer the phone, and returned with a very unpleasant expression: "I'm sorry everyone, my family said the hospital called... there's an emergency surgery, I have to go there immediately."
The three quickly expressed their understanding.
Zhao Liping left in a hurry.
Nan Zhiyi was about to get up and leave when Li Xiaoxuan grabbed her arm and said, "Don't rush off! I'll call one more."
Nan Zhiyi wasn't a big card player, and she was still thinking about Zhang Yueran and her son, so she could only say, "Xiaoxuan, my sister is home alone."
"Okay then, can you come again tomorrow?" Li Xiaoxuan said with some reluctance.
My sister is home...
"Then bring Comrade Yueran along, we'll have another card-playing partner!"
Seeing her enthusiasm, Nan Zhi could only say, "Then I'll ask her if she'd like to come tomorrow?"
"Okay, okay." Li Xiaoxuan then greeted Shi Lin, put on her coat, and saw Nan Zhiyi out.
As they reached the alley entrance, she pleaded pitifully, "You absolutely have to come! When Xiaoman comes home for her holiday, you'll be busy taking care of your son, so you probably won't have much time..."
Hearing the pitiful tone in her voice, Nan Zhiyi said, "Okay, I'll try my best to keep you company tomorrow."
Li Xiaoxuan then smiled and said, "You're so understanding. I've been so bored lately, please be understanding."
"Don't be so polite. I'm happy to hear you call me that."
After saying goodbye, Nan Zhiyi checked her watch and decided it was the perfect time to pick up her son from school.
She arrived at the kindergarten gate and ran into Zhang Yueran.
Xiaoman was so happy to see his mother and aunt picking him up today that he jumped for joy, wanting to tell the whole world that his most beautiful mother and dearest aunt had come to pick him up.
He held one in each hand and strode off with an air of superiority.
"Mom, Auntie, I'm so happy!"
Zhang Yueran teased him, "Oh, is Xiaoman's happiness so simple?"
This question stumped Gu Zhao again. He couldn't distinguish between simple and complex, but he felt happy.
The teacher said that being happy is happiness.
Nan Zhiyi understood her son and said, "Mom is holding your hand now, and there's Auntie too. Mom is so happy!" She also thought about how she could see Gu Xiao when she got home, and felt even happier.
Xiaoman was affirmed by her mother and hopped forward a little more. Thinking about how happy her uncle would be, she comforted her aunt: "Auntie, if I buy you delicious food and spend money on you, will you be happy?"
Zhang Yueran finally cheered up, "Okay, whatever you buy for your aunt will make her happy."
Xiaoman dragged the two sisters to buy snacks, took out her wallet and gave it to Zhang Yueran: "Take it and spend it, whatever makes you happy."
Nan Zhiyi was amused by Xiaoman and picked up her son, kissing him repeatedly, saying, "Good baby, you're so generous."
Zhang Yueran laughed, snatched Xiaoman away, and ran off with her in her arms.
Xiaoman laughed heartily in her arms, feeling that he had done something amazing.
Zhang Yueran finally agreed to go to the Qin family's house with her sister, since she knew how to play cards and had nothing else to do anyway.
The two sisters arrived at the Qin family home hand in hand, and could hear the lively commotion inside even before they entered.
There were sounds of people in the living room and the two side rooms.
Li Xiaoxuan greeted her warmly with a smile: "Wow, Comrade Yueran, you've finally arrived! Welcome, welcome. Come in quickly."
She then complained quietly to Nan Zhiyi, "Qin Fen took a day off today and invited some friends over to play some kind of 'Kang Le Chess,' making a lot of noise. Ignore them, let's just play our own game."
She and her two sisters hung up their coats, and the three of them went to the side hall together.
Nan Zhiyi looked around and saw no one, so she turned to Li Xiaoxuan and said, "Oh, you called us here, but no one's here."
"Your sister-in-law was here just now, but she's gone out. You two sisters, please sit down first. I'll go get someone to help out for a while. Sister Sun and the others will be here soon."
Nan Zhiyi pulled Zhang Yueran, who was still a little awkward, to sit down and patted her hand.
A short while later, Li Xiaoxuan came in with someone.
Nan Zhiyi looked up and was somewhat surprised to see that the person who came was Zhou Xingzhi.
Today he wore an indigo blue Chinese-style stand-up collar shirt, with a dark gray cashmere cardigan over it, which made him look even taller and slimmer. His skin was fair, and his phoenix eyes were calm. When he glanced at the card table, he had a cool and aloof air about him.
Li Xiaoxuan laughed and said, "Zhiyi, this is Zhou Xingzhi. You've met him before. Anyway, among that group of people, Xingzhi looks the easiest to bully, so I brought him along to make up the numbers."
She then pointed to Zhang Yueran and said, "This is Zhiyi's younger sister, Zhang Yueran."
Her words were casual, clearly indicating that she was very familiar with Zhou Xingzhi.
Nan Zhiyi smiled and greeted Zhou Xingzhi, "Hello, Boss Zhou."
Zhou Xingzhi nodded slightly: "Hello, Mrs. Gu. Hello, Comrade Zhang."
Zhang Yueran stood up, forcing a dry laugh, her gaze drifting into the distance: "You... hello, hello..."
"Alright, alright, let's talk about polite things later, let's draw the cards first!"
Li Xiaoxuan urged them to sit down again and shuffle and arrange the cards.
The white, jade-like mahjong tiles clinked together with a crisp sound.
While arranging the cards, Li Xiaoxuan asked Nan Zhiyi with great interest, "Zhiyi, how do you know Xingzhi? I forgot to ask."
Nan Zhiyi thought there was nothing to hide, so she simply replied, "I bought the old furniture from him before, and I also asked Boss Zhou to design the small garden."
She then politely said to Zhou Xingzhi, "I haven't had a chance to properly thank you, Boss Zhou, in person yet."
Zhou Xingzhi's gaze fell on his own cards. "Mrs. Gu, you're too kind. I've already been paid; it's just my duty."
That's a very honest statement, even a bit too direct.
Nan Zhiyi didn't seem to mind; she just smiled.
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