Chapter 386 Beidaihe
Gu Xiao kept his word; as soon as the orange-red sunset appeared on the horizon, the jeep was parked outside the gate.
Hearing the noise, Gu Zhao jumped up and ran to open the door.
"Dad! Mom said you're taking us out to play!"
Gu Xiao picked up his son and weighed him in his arms. "Yes, Dad won't break his promise to you."
His gaze passed over his son's head and landed on Nan Zhiyi, who had come out.
"We're leaving first thing tomorrow morning for Beidaihe."
Before long, dinner was served, and Sister Zhang specially cooked two extra dishes.
The family of three washed their hands and sat down at the dining table.
"Comrade Gu Zhao, please pack two or three sets of clothes for yourself, and also bring a towel and toothbrush."
Upon hearing this, Gu Zhao was so excited that he forgot to eat and jumped off the chair to run upstairs.
"Finish your meal first."
Nan Zhiyi gently stopped him, and Gu Zhao obediently sat back down.
Gu Xiao ate his meal slowly and deliberately, his hand still holding his wife's hand under the table.
"We've arranged for you to stay at the seaside guesthouse, which has its own private courtyard. It's close to the beach and quiet."
Nan Zhiyi nodded and put a piece of food on his plate.
She knew that guesthouse; it was specifically for receiving leading cadres. It was a Russian-style building with a red roof and white walls, and the view from the windows was of pine forests and beaches.
"We'll rest when we get there tomorrow, and then go check out Pigeon Nest in the afternoon. We'll go beachcombing the morning after tomorrow; we can find seashells and small crabs there." He said, gently stroking her hand with his thumb. "There aren't many people there yet, and it's much cooler than in the city."
Nan Zhiyi nodded and gently traced her finger across his palm. "Okay."
He added that he was going to take a walk on Lianfeng Mountain, buy fresh seafood at the Shitang Road market, and teach Gu Zhao to swim on the beach, which sounded like a very busy schedule.
Fifth Brother, can you swim?
Gu Xiao raised an eyebrow at her: "What soldier can't swim? But you, do you want me to teach you?"
Nan Zhiyi glared at him gently, withdrew her hand, and served him a bowl of soup.
After finally finishing his meal, Gu Zhao rushed upstairs to pack his luggage as soon as he received permission.
Only the two of them remained in the restaurant. Dusk was falling outside the window, and the cicadas were chirping louder and louder.
Nan Zhiyi was full, but she would occasionally put some food on his plate.
Gu Xiao enjoyed his wife's tenderness, then grabbed her hand and gently circled his thumb around the inside of her wrist, making Nan Zhiyi feel a tingling sensation throughout her arm.
"There are fewer people on that beach, and the water is cleaner. Bring your camera, I'll take more pictures of you."
"Have you arranged all your work?"
"Yes, I took three days off." Gu Xiao put down his chopsticks and looked at her gently. "I've been busy lately and haven't had much time to spend with you all."
Nan Zhiyi shook her head. "We know you're busy, let's not talk about this."
He took her wrist and gently kissed her palm.
That warm touch traveled from her palm into her heart.
Gu Zhao ran downstairs excitedly, clutching her packed bag, shouting, "Dad, Mom, I'm all packed! I even brought my swimming trunks!"
Gu Xiao released Nan Zhiyi's hand and beckoned to his son: "Come here and have a check-up."
The little guy took things out of his backpack one by one.
Two short-sleeved shirts, several pairs of shorts, overalls, a jacket, a hat, and neatly folded swimming trunks.
"Where are your socks?" Gu Xiao asked.
Gu Zhao exclaimed "Ah!" and ran back.
Nan Zhiyi couldn't help but laugh, and Gu Xiao took her hand again: "What are you laughing at?"
"I'm laughing because you're even more meticulous than me."
"When have I ever been careless about things concerning you?"
There was another meaning behind those words, and Nan Zhiyi's ears burned slightly. "Let's eat quickly, the soup is getting cold."
Before going to bed that night, Gu Zhao was too excited to sleep and kept pestering Gu Xiao to tell him about the beach.
Nan Zhiyi went back to the master bedroom to take a shower, changed into a nightgown, and sat in front of the dressing table to comb her hair.
Gu Xiao's figure was reflected in the mirror as he walked over.
"Is Xiaoman asleep?"
"She just fell asleep." He took the wooden comb from her hand and gently combed her long hair. His movements were very light.
The comb teeth glide through the hair, making a soft sound.
Nan Zhiyi closed her eyes, feeling his gentle movements, sighed comfortably, and leaned back against him.
"I'm going to take a shower. We need to get up early tomorrow." He kissed her ear.
Outside the window, the moonlight was perfect.
The trip to Beidaihe went very smoothly.
They collected seashells on the beach in the early morning; Gu Zhao's small plastic bucket was filled with scallops and hermit crabs.
I took a walk in the pine forest in the afternoon.
In the evening, we ate steamed sea fish in the courtyard of the guesthouse. The tender fish meat was dipped in ginger and vinegar sauce.
I got home in the evening three days later.
Sister Zhang knew when they would be returning and was preparing dinner in the kitchen, the aroma of stir-frying filling the yard.
Gu Xiao and his son sat on the living room sofa, spreading out the treasures they brought back from Beidaihe: a bag of colorful seashells, several pieces of mottled coral, and sea sand in a glass bottle.
Nan Zhiyi carried her luggage upstairs and found that the house was exceptionally tidy.
The bedroom had new sheets and washed curtains, which smelled of sunshine.
She packed the three people's luggage, threw their dirty clothes into the washing machine, and then went to the kitchen to find Sister Zhang.
"Thank you so much, Sister Zhang, you've worked hard."
Sister Zhang was cutting tomatoes when she looked up and smiled. "It's nothing. I got a few phone calls at home today, from Comrade Zhou, Editor-in-Chief Lin, and Comrade Li. Comrade Zhou didn't say what he wanted, Editor-in-Chief Lin asked you to call back when you had time, and Comrade Li just said you were on vacation and wanted to play mahjong with you."
Nan Zhiyi was fine with the first two, but the last one made her laugh: "She's really something, she always asks me to play cards. I'll go give her a call."
She walked to the telephone and dialed the Qin family's number.
Li Xiaoxuan's cheerful voice quickly came through the receiver:
"You're finally back! I heard from Sister Zhang that you went to Beidaihe?"
"Yes, I just got home. It's cooler there than in the city, and the seawater is clearer..."
Nan Zhiyi briefly recounted her itinerary in Beidaihe over the past few days, which piqued Li Xiaoxuan's interest. "I'll ask Lao Qin to take me there sometime," she said.
"That's good, you should relax too."
"Want me to relax? It's easy!" Li Xiaoxuan laughed. "Come play cards with me. You haven't been here in ages, almost half a year. I'll call Sister Sun, and she can tell you some interesting things."
Nan Zhiyi's curiosity was piqued: "What's new?"
"I won't tell you unless you come."
"Okay, okay, I'll go after lunch tomorrow."
"Do you think I'm short of food?" Li Xiaoxuan said reproachfully. "Come before lunch, and I'll cook for you myself."
"Then I dare not go." Nan Zhiyi chuckled.
Li Xiaoxuan feigned anger: "I have to come, otherwise I won't poison you."
After hanging up the phone, Gu Xiao walked over, still holding the large conch shell his son had picked up: "Li Xiaoxuan invited you to play cards again?"
"They said they wanted to tell some interesting stories." Nan Zhiyi took the conch shell, her fingertips tracing its smooth surface. "I don't think so. I guess they just want to lure me over there first."
Gu Xiao watched as his wife pretended to pout and complain, but her eyes were full of laughter.
He raised his hand and gently touched her earlobe. "So, are you going to the Qin family tomorrow?"
"Um."
"Shall I go with you?" he asked, his fingers sliding down her hair to her shoulder.
Nan Zhiyi's eyes lit up, then she shook her head: "Aren't you going back to the ministry tomorrow?"
Gu Xiao clicked his tongue softly, as if he had just remembered this.
"I'll pick you up after the meeting."
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