Chapter 504 Human Favor
At dinner time, Gu Zhao, with his hair disheveled and damp with sweat, ran home happily, his excitement practically overflowing from every pore.
He placed the alloy transforming toy on the coffee table, washed his hands, and rushed to the dining table.
"Mom! This afternoon was so much fun!"
He sat down next to Nan Zhiyi. "Xiaojun, Binbin, and Damao, they've all come to see my new robot! I'll show them that it can do this... and this..."
He gestured wildly, chattering away, vividly recounting how "impressive" he was that afternoon and how his friends envied him.
Nan Zhiyi listened with a smile, occasionally putting food into his bowl: "Mmm, that's great. It's best if everyone can have fun together."
Gu Zhao ate a few mouthfuls of rice, remained quiet for a while, and slowed down his chewing.
He looked a little confused: "Mom... well, lately, sometimes I feel... a little strange."
Nan Zhiyi put down her chopsticks and asked gently, "Oh? What's strange about it?"
Gu Zhao frowned slightly, struggling to organize his thoughts:
"Well... before, when I played with them, if I lost at marbles, I just lost. I wasn't afraid of getting hurt in fights. But lately... it seems different. These past few days, Xiao Bin's mother came over specifically to tell Xiao Bin, 'Play nicely with Gu Zhao and don't upset him.' And Da Mao, Cao Jilong, who didn't really play with me before, came over today and insisted on letting me play with his best marbles first..."
Nan Zhiyi sighed inwardly.
Children are so sensitive.
The news of Gu Xiao's promotion naturally became the most widely known information within this small courtyard.
The subtle changes in the adult world will inevitably be reflected in children's interactions.
Instead of immediately offering her opinion, she first asked, "Son, how did you feel in this situation? Did you feel uncomfortable, or... a little bit happy?"
Gu Zhao put down his spoon and thought about it seriously: "I can't say I'm unhappy... I can't say I'm happy either. It's just that it's not as fun. It seems like winning isn't entirely due to my own ability, and playing isn't as enjoyable as before. It seems like... I have more friends, but I feel like they're not all the same kind of friends as before."
He concluded with some distress, "And... I'll probably lose some real friends too."
Listening to her son's clear, even somewhat precocious, expression, Nan Zhiyi felt both heartache and relief. She felt heartache that he was already perceiving the subtle changes in human relationships at such a young age, but she was relieved that he was not spoiled or depressed because of it, but instead was trying to understand.
Sister Zhang had mentioned in casual conversation that Gu Zhao was cheerful, generous, and polite, and was very popular among the children of his age in the compound; everyone enjoyed playing with him.
This current "popularity" is likely mixed with other factors.
She reached out and ruffled her son's hair. "Son, the fact that you can sense these things and think this way shows you're a thoughtful and good child. Dad's job has changed, that's a fact. It's not your fault that people are especially polite to you or give way to you because of Dad, but it's not what you really want either, is it?"
Gu Zhao nodded vigorously.
“So,” Nan Zhiyi looked into his eyes, “you just need to remember that the most important thing when you’re with your friends is to be sincere, to have fun, and to play fairly and follow the rules. If some kids are willing to go easy on you for other reasons, you can just say ‘let’s play by the rules,’ or you can simply find kids who are willing to play for real and not do these superficial things.”
She summarized it in simpler terms: "It's like assembling a model; you need to find the right mortise and tenon joints. If you just force them together, they won't be sturdy or look good. It's the same with making friends. You need to find people whose temperaments match yours and with whom you can have fun. As for other things, don't overthink them or worry about them. Just be yourself and have fun when it's time to play, study hard when it's time to study, and treat others sincerely. You will naturally attract true friends."
Gu Zhao listened, her eyes slowly brightening again, and she nodded vigorously, "Yes! I understand, Mom! I'll play nicely with them from now on! If anyone tries to let me win, I'll... I'll say, 'No need to let me win, let's compete fairly!'"
"That's right."
Nan Zhiyi smiled and put the biggest piece of pork rib on his plate. "Eat up. Take a shower tonight and get some rest. Tomorrow is Monday, and you're the flag bearer. Remember to pack your red scarf, school uniform, and schoolbag."
Gu Zhao: "Okay! I'll clean up after I finish washing the dishes!" For a seven or eight-year-old boy, being able to escort the national flag in front of the whole school is much more important than figuring out interpersonal relationships.
After dinner, Gu Zhao helped her mother clean up the dishes, then went to the bathroom by herself, humming an off-key tune as she took a shower and changed into clean pajamas.
Nan Zhiyi took out a copy of "The Adventures of Little Cloth Head," sat down by her son's bed, and read with him for a while until his eyelids drooped and he fell into a deep sleep.
Nan Zhiyi looked at her son's sleeping face, which was so adorable, and couldn't help but kiss him before turning off the lamp and leaving the room.
Knowing that Gu Xiao would be home late tonight, she didn't go back to the bedroom. Instead, she went to the kitchen to reheat the chicken soup that was simmering on the stove, took a book, and waited in the living room while reading.
The night outside the window grew darker, and the courtyard quieted down, with only the occasional distant bark of a dog.
It was almost 10 o'clock when the familiar sound of a car and a door closing came.
Nan Zhiyi put down her book and got up to greet them at the entrance.
"You're back. Your hands are a little cold. The soup's still warm, shall I make you a bowl of chicken noodle soup? It'll be quick."
Gu Xiao put his arm around her shoulder, lowered his head and kissed her forehead, smiling as he said, "My wife is so virtuous."
"Stop talking nonsense, go wash up and change into some comfortable clothes, you'll be done in a little while."
Nan Zhiyi glared at him and turned to go into the kitchen.
When Gu Xiao changed into his everyday cotton clothes and came downstairs, a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup was already on the table.
Thin noodles are soaked in clear, oily chicken broth, topped with a few tender green vegetables and a golden-brown fried egg, with two refreshing side dishes on the side.
Gu Xiao sat down at the table, and Nan Zhiyi sat next to him, resting her chin on her hand, watching him take the first bite with bright eyes.
"How is it?" she asked. "Has my skill improved at all?"
Gu Xiao praised earnestly, "Your cooking skills have always been excellent."
Nan Zhiyi spat at him, "No, it's just that after so many years, I've become more skilled."
She didn't leave, but watched him eat. Thinking about what happened in the afternoon, she told Gu Xiao about her discussion with Editor-in-Chief Lin about overseas copyrights.
Gu Xiao: "This is a great thing. Your book can go global and be seen by more overseas Chinese, which is of great significance."
While Nan Zhiyi was happy, she couldn't help but have some concerns.
"Will this... have any impact on you?"
Although she didn't inquire much about his specific work discipline, she knew that some things required extra caution.
"Your work is published by a legitimate publishing house, and its content is positive and uplifting, promoting universal human emotions and reflections on the future. There is absolutely no problem with it. Military dependents engaging in legitimate cultural creative activities, including the external dissemination of their works, are permitted and even encouraged as long as the content has been reviewed and does not violate principles. This is not a taboo."
He added, "The magazine and the publishing bureau will approve and register the documents according to the proper procedures, as long as the paperwork is complete."
Hearing him say that, Nan Zhiyi's eyes crinkled into a smile: "That's good. Editor-in-Chief Lin asked me to prepare some materials. I wrote a little this afternoon, but then I remembered that I forgot to ask you... so I didn't write any more."
"Don't worry."
Gu Xiao picked up his chopsticks again, finished the last bite of noodles, and even drank the soup clean.
After clearing the dishes and chopsticks to the kitchen, he put his arm around his wife's shoulder and led her back to the bedroom.
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