Chapter 299 Grandfather and Grandson
Commander Gu and his fourth brother, Gu Weimin, came out of the study. Commander Gu's serious expression immediately relaxed when he saw Xiaoman. "Oh, our Xiaoman is up?"
Before Nan Zhiyi could even prompt her, Xiaoman looked up and greeted loudly, "Good morning, Grandpa!"
"Hey, good morning, Xiaoman."
He sat down at the head of the table and said to Nan Zhiyi, "Dress him warmly later. I'll take him out for a walk, let him get acquainted with the place, and meet some old friends."
Nan Zhiyi nodded in agreement: "Okay, Dad."
Commander Gu leaned down again and asked his grandson with a gentle smile, "Xiaoman, how about Grandpa takes you out to play?"
Upon hearing "go out to play," Xiaoman nodded vigorously, "Okay!"
Seeing that her son readily agreed, Nan Zhiyi got up and said, "You watch him eat first, and I'll go upstairs to find him a thick coat and hat."
After Xiaoman finished eating, Nan Zhiyi wrapped him up like a round little cotton ball.
Commander Gu was delighted and reached out to pick up his grandson, but Xiaoman squirmed in his arms, saying, "Grandpa, I can walk by myself! Xiaoman is heavy, don't tire Grandpa out!"
Commander Gu was overjoyed to hear this. His eldest grandson was not only good-looking, but also so thoughtful and sensible. He was simply the best child in the world!
"Okay, okay! Our little Man is such a good girl, she knows how to care for her grandpa! Then let's walk slowly, grandpa will hold your hand!"
Nan Zhiyi saw the old man and the child out of the courtyard before turning around and going to the kitchen.
Wu Ma and Wang Juan are preparing ingredients for lunch.
Nan Zhiyi rolled up her sleeves, wanting to help, but Aunt Wu quickly stopped her: "Oh dear, this kitchen is so small, and we've almost finished our work. We don't need so many people. If we squeeze in any more, there won't even be room to turn around!"
Nan Zhiyi had no choice but to give up.
Seeing that there was nothing urgent to do at the stove, Wang Juan washed her hands and affectionately took Nan Zhiyi's arm: "Alright, there's really nothing for us to do here. Come on, Zhiyi, we haven't seen each other in a long time, let's go have a chat."
The two sat down at the dining table.
Wang Juan asked them about their life in Beijing.
Nan Zhiyi picked out some everyday trivia and talked about it.
Wang Juan listened with envy, "Beijing is such a big city, everything is so great. I really wonder when we can go and broaden our horizons..."
Nan Zhiyi didn't want to take the bait, so she smiled and said, "If Fourth Sister-in-law has some free time someday, it would be nice to take the kids on a trip. Just let me know in advance, and I'll be your guide."
Wang Juan nodded, then noticed that her second sister-in-law, Zhang Xiufen, wasn't nearby, so she lowered her voice, "Zhiyi, I have something to tell you. A couple of years ago, Dad really pulled some strings and got my second brother transferred from the Agricultural Machinery Bureau!"
Nan Zhiyi feigned curiosity: "Oh? How did it go?"
"He was transferred to the supply and marketing department of the municipal industrial bureau as a deputy section chief. Dad made it clear that my second brother had to make some achievements honestly and give up drinking! So you see, last night at the dinner table, my second brother didn't dare to mention the word 'alcohol' once."
She curled her lip, quite unconvinced, "However, it's been almost a year or two since he was transferred, who knows what he's accomplished as the deputy head of the supply and marketing department? I haven't heard anything about it."
Nan Zhiyi listened quietly without making any comments.
This job transfer is a promotion, but moving from the relatively peripheral Agricultural Machinery Bureau to the more powerful and potentially problematic Supply and Marketing Department is both an opportunity and a severe test for Commander Gu's son.
She simply nodded slightly to indicate that she understood.
Nan Zhiyi didn't want to discuss the gossip of her second brother's family, so she said in a low voice, "Fourth sister-in-law, Gu Yan sent some new things back from the south, such as face cream and lip balm. I can't use them all myself, and I was thinking you might like them. Why don't you go upstairs and take a look, and pick out a few that you like?"
Upon hearing this, Wang Juan affectionately squeezed Nan Zhiyi's arm, "You're the one who still cares about me!"
She knew perfectly well that Nan Zhiyi hadn't called her "Second Sister-in-law," and she was quite pleased with this exclusive treatment.
The two went upstairs together and entered Nan Zhiyi and Gu Xiao's bedroom.
Nan Zhiyi took a small package out of her luggage and gently opened it on the bed.
Inside were several bottles of exquisitely packaged face cream and lotion, two lipsticks in different shades, and two small bottles of perfume.
Wang Juan has always loved fashion and has no resistance to these things. She picks up this to look at it, then picks up that to touch it, and can't put it down.
Finally, she chose a lipstick and a bottle of face cream, "These two are my favorites."
Nan Zhiyi advised, "Fourth Sister-in-law, why don't you take a couple more items? Why don't you try this perfume too?"
Wang Juan waved her hand, her tone sincere, "I understand your feelings, but we don't stand on ceremony between us. We'll use the good things slowly; you can't expect me to take them all at once."
She remembered something important, "Oh right, I need to write down my third sister's address for you."
Nan Zhiyi then went to get paper and pen.
As Wang Juan wrote down the address, she couldn't help but sigh again. "Sigh, I really don't know what Third Sister is thinking! Her first two children are already so big, and now she wants to have another one? How much suffering will that be! ... Look at me, after giving birth to Nannan, I said I wouldn't have any more children, and your Fourth Brother didn't dare to say a word, did he? Men, they're all just like that, you can't just have a child because he says he wants one. You have to consider whether your body can handle it!"
Nan Zhiyi sighed softly, "Yes, having children at an older age is indeed more dangerous..."
Wang Juan grew increasingly angry as she spoke, and said with great disdain, "If you ask me, the Zhao family is just being hypocritical after getting a good deal! My third sister works hard to supplement the family income, raises children, and manages the household chores, isn't that enough? They insist on having another son, they're simply out of their minds! I think a daughter is much better, my little girl is like my warm cotton-padded jacket, so sweet!"
Nan Zhiyi chimed in at the right moment, "Nannan is really good. She's polite, beautiful, and knows how to take care of Xiaoman. Fourth Sister-in-law, you've taught her so well."
These words struck a chord with Wang Juan, and her earlier dissatisfaction with her third sister's family dissipated considerably. She then pulled Nan Zhiyi aside to talk about other interesting and interesting things.
As lunchtime approached, Wang Juan and Nan Zhiyi decided to go downstairs to the kitchen to help Wu Ma with the cooking.
"Zhiyi, if you stay home a little longer, I'll come visit you after I finish visiting my relatives, and the two of us sisters will have a good look around Jian'an. Don't be fooled by the fact that it's only been two years; a lot of new shops have opened in the city, and it's changed quite a bit!"
Nan Zhiyi smiled and nodded in agreement: "Okay, let's go shopping together."
The two went downstairs while talking. As soon as they entered the kitchen, they saw that their second sister-in-law, Zhang Xiufen, was already busy inside. She was bending down and vigorously scrubbing the vegetables in the basin, splashing water high into the air.
She glanced up and saw Wang Juan and Nan Zhiyi walking in arm in arm, looking very affectionate. Feeling excluded, her face darkened, and she scrubbed the basin harder, making it clang loudly.
Wang Juan and Nan Zhiyi exchanged a knowing glance, and both tacitly stopped the lighthearted conversation they had just had, only asking Wu Ma if she needed any work to do.
Aunt Wu looked up and glanced at the atmosphere, then quickly assigned her two sisters-in-law to do two tasks: one to mash garlic and the other to beat eggs.
The kitchen suddenly became bustling with activity.
Just before lunchtime, the phone in the study rang.
Gu Sige went to answer the call, and then called out towards the kitchen, "Aunt Wu! Dad called and said he won't be home for lunch. He's eating out with Xiaoman and told us to eat by ourselves and not to wait for them."
Sure enough, it wasn't until it was completely dark that Commander Gu carried the already sleeping Xiaoman back home.
He handed his grandson to Nan Zhiyi, saying, "The little one is exhausted today. Take her to rest first."
After watching Nan Zhiyi carry her son upstairs, Commander Gu returned to his study.
A short while later, he received a call from Gu Yan saying that he was too busy to come home for the Chinese New Year.
Commander Gu didn't say anything, just gave a few brief instructions, and then hung up the phone.
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