Chapter 97 Doubts
Under the dim streetlights, Nan Zhiyi saw Zhao Yaqin and Xu Nannan walking arm in arm behind her. Zhao Yaqin turned her head and smiled at Xu Nannan, saying something to her, and Xu Nannan smiled back.
That smile suddenly became a little glaring in her eyes.
Nan Zhiyi and Zhang Yueran returned to the family compound.
Feng Xuemei had already prepared the meal. Seeing the two return, she said, "Wash your hands and get ready to eat."
She went to the kitchen and brought the dishes to the table.
Upon smelling the odor, Nan Zhiyi felt a sudden nausea and dry heaved for a long time while clinging to the sink.
She ate very little and couldn't vomit anything, only burning acidic fluid. Her body was so weak and limp.
"Sister!" Zhang Yueran stood to the side, pacing anxiously.
Feng Xuemei hurried over, patted Nan Zhiyi's back with one hand, and urged the helpless Zhang Yueran to pour some water.
Zhang Yueran then quickly poured a glass of warm water and held it to Nan Zhiyi's lips.
Nan Zhiyi rinsed her mouth, her face as white as paper, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead.
Seeing the two concerned and worried faces, Nan Zhiyi said softly, "It's really nothing, don't worry, I'm much better than before."
These words clearly do not comfort anyone.
Zhang Yueran carefully helped her sit down at the dining table.
Stir-fried leafy greens, steamed pumpkin until soft, and tofu soup with almost no oil.
Feng Xuemei glanced at Nan Zhiyi's pale face and hesitated, "Will these suit your taste? Just tell me what you want to eat."
Nan Zhiyi picked up her chopsticks, took a small piece of pumpkin, put it in her mouth, swallowed it slowly, and forced a smile: "Aunt Feng's cooking is all delicious. With you all here, everything tastes good to me."
She ate a few more bites of vegetables.
Feng Xuemei's brows relaxed slightly when she saw that she had indeed eaten a few more bites than at noon.
Zhang Yueran picked at her plate of vegetables with some minced meat, and deliberately joked, "Sigh, at least my mom didn't forget about this poor little thing and made me some meat to eat."
"Eat your food!" Feng Xuemei glared at her, but a hint of a smile appeared in her eyes.
Feng Xuemei and Zhang Yueran stayed for another two days.
Every day at noon, Zhang Yueran would deliver a warm lunchbox by bicycle.
Nan Zhiyi felt much better after eating the light meal that Aunt Feng had specially prepared.
She also kept an eye on Zhao Yaqin, who was still inseparable from Xu Nannan, chatting and laughing, as if the gloom brought by Li Weidong had dissipated.
Nan Zhiyi harbored doubts. Zhao Yaqin was her sister, and she couldn't let her be fooled or bullied.
That evening, Zhang Yueran drove her home from get off work.
Nan Zhiyi was taken aback when she pushed open the courtyard gate.
The once messy and overgrown vegetable garden has been transformed.
The weeds were pulled out cleanly, the plots of land were leveled again, and several bundles of withered yellow vegetable seedlings were piled up on the side.
Feng Xuemei was sweeping up the last bit of fallen leaves.
"It's just sitting idle anyway, and it's a waste to leave the land barren. We should harvest it and tidy it up. It's just that some vegetables couldn't be saved; they rotted."
Zhang Yueran stuck out her tongue: "Mom said it would be such a waste if we didn't collect them soon. I worked all day today, wasn't I amazing?"
Nan Zhiyi felt a warmth in her heart, but also felt bad: "Yueyue, you've worked so hard. Aunt Feng, you've worked so hard. I originally wanted to wait..."
"It's no trouble at all, just a quick task." Feng Xuemei waved her hand, looking at the neatly arranged vegetable plots. "It will look beautiful when we plant some new seedlings in the spring."
Nan Zhiyi hummed in agreement and sniffed.
Dinner was eaten in silence.
Feng Xuemei and Zhang Yueran have to go home early tomorrow morning, as they can't afford to be delayed at work for too long.
Zhang Yueran, who was always noisy, quieted down, picked at the rice in her bowl, and kept glancing at Nan Zhiyi.
Nan Zhiyi served her a bowl of egg drop soup. "Aunt Feng, Yueyue, I spoke with the logistics department this afternoon. We'll take their car to the city tomorrow morning."
Feng Xuemei nodded. "That's fine."
The three of them squeezed into the bed at night and chatted for a long time.
Feng Xuemei repeatedly reminded everyone of precautions during pregnancy, saying that she would go back and ask a familiar old military doctor for a remedy to stop morning sickness.
Zhang Yueran snuggled up to Nan Zhiyi, gripping her hand tightly, and whimpered, "Sister, I don't want to go..."
Nan Zhiyi was also reluctant to part, and squeezed her hand: "I'll definitely come to see you when I have the chance..."
In the darkness, they chatted about embarrassing childhood stories, their unborn child, and anecdotes from their lives, until the night deepened and their voices gradually faded.
The next morning.
Nan Zhiyi escorted Feng Xuemei and Zhang Yueran to the main gate of the camp.
Feng Xuemei held Nan Zhiyi's hand and repeatedly urged, "Take good care of yourself. Call me if anything happens, and I'll come see you again next time."
Zhang Yueran's eyes were as red as a rabbit's. She hugged Nan Zhiyi tightly before getting into the truck bed.
Nan Zhiyi's throat tightened, and she waved her hand forcefully: "Aunt Feng, Yueyue, be careful on the road."
The truck started, kicking up dust.
Nan Zhiyi stood there, watching the car disappear at the intersection, before riding her bicycle to work.
As soon as she entered the office, she found that Zhao Yaqin's seat was empty.
"Officer Lin," Nan Zhiyi asked Lin Xiangyang, who was writing materials at his desk next to her, "Where is Sister Yaqin?"
Lin Xiangyang looked up and pushed up his glasses: "Oh, Sister Yaqin and Officer Sun left with the people from the Organization Department early this morning. It seems that several departments are jointly organizing some kind of 'remembering the bitter past and appreciating the sweet present' learning activity. Each department is sending two officers to go to a nearby production brigade for learning and exchange. They won't be back until the afternoon."
Nan Zhiyi nodded, sat down at her desk, picked up her pen, and tried to write something, but her mind was wandering.
As it was nearing the end of the workday, Zhao Yaqin and Sun Xiaobing returned to the publicity department, both looking disheveled and hoarse.
Zhao Yaqin grabbed the enamel mug on the table and gulped down several mouthfuls of water before catching her breath: "I'm exhausted! This isn't a lesson in remembering the bitter past and appreciating the sweet present, it's a lesson in remembering the bitter past and appreciating the hardship! We listened to reports in the morning and went straight to the fields to help the villagers harvest sweet potatoes in the afternoon! My back is about to break!"
Sun Xiaobing echoed with a bitter face, "That's right! With hands like mine, I'm used to holding pens, I've never done this before!"
Nan Zhiyi and Lin Xiangyang came over, handing over towels and pouring water.
Nan Zhiyi smiled and filled Zhao Yaqin's cup with water, saying, "Thank you for your hard work. You've represented the image of our publicity department."
Zhao Yaqin took a few more sips: "He didn't lose his image, and he really got the job done! Moreover, our clerk Sun worked harder than anyone else, he was so energetic, he seemed to want to dig up the whole field!"
Sun Xiaobing scratched his head, "It's alright, it's alright, Sister Yaqin did a good job too."
Zhao Yaqin sat down, took out a small mirror, and tidied her hair, but there was a hint of pride on her face. "Of course, we can't forget the close bond between the military and the people."
Nan Zhiyi casually asked, "Yaqin, did Xu Nannan go too?"
“She went there,” Zhao Yaqin said, smoothing her hair. “She’s been working on that plot of land right next to mine. She’s been busy the whole time. She’s a good person and a very hard worker.”
As Nan Zhiyi listened, her doubts deepened.
Xu Nannan was outwardly warm towards Zhao Yaqin, but behind her back she spoke so differently. What was she after?
Am I just overthinking things?
Is it just to maintain a friendly working relationship?
Two days later, Nan Zhiyi understood the reason.
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