Chapter 510 The Passing Years

Chapter 510 The Passing Years

The next morning, Nan Zhiyi repeatedly urged Chen Anna to rest at home, but Chen Anna held onto her hand and complained pitifully, "Sister-in-law, please let me go for a walk with you! I've been locked up for so many days, I'm really going to get sick from being cooped up for so long."

Gu Yan had no choice but to compromise, arranging for two nannies to accompany his wife throughout the entire process.

So, Nan Zhiyi accompanied the enthusiastic Chen Anna on a shopping trip.

Gu Yan then took Gu Xiao and Gu Zhao to the company. Firstly, to let Gu Zhao familiarize himself with the environment, and secondly, to let his brother see with his own eyes the world he had built up.

Around noon, Gu Xiao and his group returned to the villa.

Gu Xiao immediately spotted Nan Zhiyi, who was slumped on the sofa, looking dejected.

He sat down beside her and asked in a low voice, "Are you tired from walking around?"

Nan Zhiyi gave a wry smile, her voice soft and weak: "Anna is just too enthusiastic... She and Gu Yanzhen are truly a perfect match, their personalities are exactly the same. I can't argue with her, and I can't win against her. Look at all this..."

She pointed to the pile of spoils next to her.

Chen Anna put down the platinum necklace in her hand and smiled charmingly: "Sister-in-law, I'm happy to do it! I'm glad to buy you things! Besides, most of them are things I wanted to buy myself, so I'm getting one for you too, isn't that nice!"

Gu Yan, who was listening nearby, added with a grin, "Exactly! Anna, why didn't you buy your sister-in-law a couple of imported designer bags? Like LV or something?"

Anna Chen slapped her forehead. "Oh! How could I forget that! I'll order two later, so you can take them with you when you send Zhaozhao back to the capital..."

Upon hearing this, Nan Zhiyi was immediately overwhelmed and quickly waved her hands, "Please don't! Anna, Gu Yan, I really appreciate your kindness, but we already have too many and too good things, it's really enough. If we buy any more, my closet won't be full, and we won't be able to use them all. It would be a waste to just leave them sitting there. We're family, there's no need to be so polite, okay?"

Gu Xiao also politely declined: "Gu Yan, Anna, your sister-in-law is right. Friendship is more important than anything else. Your well-being is the greatest comfort to us."

Gu Yan waved his hand dismissively and gave a carefree laugh: "Okay, okay, listen to your brother and sister-in-law! Eat first, eat first! Aunt Lu specially made some delicious soup today. After you finish eating, you can rest for a bit. You have a flight this afternoon, so don't miss it."

Lunch was a hearty Cantonese home-style meal.

After dinner, Nan Zhiyi took a short rest, while Gu Xiao and Gu Yan talked for a while in the study.

Gu Zhao knew that her parents were leaving in the afternoon, so she was a little clingy, but she was also sensible and didn't make a fuss. She just sat close to Nan Zhiyi for a while.

In the late afternoon, Gu Yan personally drove his brother and sister-in-law to the airport.

Upon reaching the departure level, he helped with the luggage. "Brother, sister-in-law, you can go have fun without worry. Leave Xiaoman to me and Anna; we'll make sure she's well-fed and healthy."

Gu Xiao patted his younger brother on the shoulder, his meaning clear without words: "Okay. Call me if you need anything."

That morning, he had personally visited Gu Yan's company. Before, he had only heard his father or Gu Yan talk about it, but it was all just words and data on paper. Now, seeing this well-organized operation in person, Gu Xiao sighed inwardly. His younger brother had truly settled down and was capable of handling things.

Nan Zhiyi wasn't entirely aware of her husband's thoughts, but she noticed that he seemed more relaxed than usual.

She boarded the flight to Nancheng with Gu Xiao.

The plane soared into the sky, leaving behind the dazzling lights and humid heat of Guangzhou.

Upon arrival at Nancheng Airport, a pre-arranged vehicle was waiting for us. The driver was an experienced man who didn't talk much and drove very steadily.

Once out of the city and onto the highway leading to Mount Lu, night gradually descended.

The mountain road winds and twists, and the car headlights can only illuminate a small section of the road ahead. On both sides are the dark shadows of dense forests, and the air is refreshingly cool, which is completely different from the sweltering heat of Guangzhou.

It was 11 p.m. when we arrived at the hotel located halfway up the mountain.

The mountain night was cool and still, with only the rustling of the wind through the pine forest and the faint murmur of a stream.

The hotel is a converted old villa with an architectural style from the Republic of China era, and the environment is quiet and peaceful.

The couple were led by the staff to their reserved room, a suite with a private hot spring pool and a small terrace.

The waiter briefly explained how to use the hot springs and the dining arrangements before politely leaving.

Nan Zhiyi walked to the window and pushed open the wooden door.

There was no moonlight, but after adjusting to the darkness, one could see the shadowy trees nearby and the undulating mountains in the distance.

A cool breeze carrying the sweet scent of grass and the fragrance of earth rushed in, and she took a deep breath.

"Are you tired?" Gu Xiao gently hugged her from behind.

"It's alright, I just feel a little dizzy from the car ride." Nan Zhiyi leaned against him. "It's so quiet here, it's like a different world from outside."

"Yes, that's how it is up in the mountains. The waiter just said the restaurant still has some light meals left, would you like some?"

"I want to soak in a hot spring. I'm so tired after sitting in the car for so long." She reached out and touched his cheek. "What about you? Would you like something to eat?"

Gu Xiao took her hand, pressed it against his face, and shook his head: "I don't have much of an appetite either."

He glanced at the steaming hot spring pool in the middle of the room and said, "Why don't you go soak in it first and relax? We should get some rest."

"Tomorrow morning, we'll walk up the stone steps behind the hotel to Hanpokou. If we're lucky, we might see a sea of ​​clouds. In the afternoon, we can stroll along the 'Flower Path' in Xigu, which is cool and has beautiful scenery. If we still have energy, we can visit 'Meilu'."

"I'll listen to you."

Nan Zhiyi had no specific requirements for the itinerary; being able to come out with him alone in such a tranquil environment was already a great pleasure.

She left his embrace and went into the inner room, saying, "I'll go soak in the bath for a while."

After taking a quick shower, she entered the bathroom and stepped into the hot spring pool.

The hot spring pool wasn't large, and the water was slightly hot. Nan Zhiyi immersed herself in the water, leaving only her shoulders exposed, and closed her eyes.

Not long after, I heard a soft rustling sound of water behind me.

Gu Xiao rinsed himself off briefly, stepped into the pool, and sat down beside her.

The pool water rippled slightly because of his presence.

Nan Zhiyi's face flushed, and she mumbled a reproachful "You're so annoying..."

She said that, but her body betrayed her by moving closer to him until her back was pressed against his chest, then she completely relaxed and sighed comfortably, "I wish the bathtub at home was this big..."

Gu Xiao chuckled softly, the vibrations of his chest transmitting to her through their skin, a pleasant resonance.

He wrapped his arm around her loosely, lowered his head, and gently kissed her slightly flushed cheeks and chin...

The warm water rippled gently, making Nan Zhiyi's toes tingle.

She shifted in his arms, her hands becoming restless.

Gu Xiao grabbed her hand and warned her, pressing it against her ear: "Don't tease me... We have to go hiking tomorrow. If you want to play... wait until tomorrow night."

Having her little scheme exposed, Nan Zhiyi sullenly retorted, "Who flirted with you... I didn't..."

"Yes, yes, it's my fault." Gu Xiao admitted his guilt and kissed her earlobe. "It's because I lacked self-control and my mind wandered."

Enveloped in warm water, the intimate embrace brought complete relaxation.

After about fifteen minutes, he whispered a reminder, "Okay, don't soak for too long, you'll get dizzy."

Nan Zhiyi was indeed completely limp, so tired that she couldn't even lift her eyelids, and mumbled an "Mmm".

Gu Xiao got up, took a bath towel, scooped her out of the water, carefully wrapped her up, and carried her out of the pool.

He gently dried her body with another dry towel, dried her hair, and then took out her cotton pajamas from his luggage and helped her change.

Throughout the entire process, Nan Zhiyi acted like a lazy cat, half-closing her eyes and cooperating with his movements.

Gu Xiao quickly dried himself off and put on his pajamas.

Back in the bedroom.

Gu Xiao tucked Nan Zhiyi into the bedding, then lay down himself, pulling her into his arms.

Her back pressed tightly against his warm chest.

His heartbeat came through the thin fabric of her clothes, steady and strong, rhythmically striking her senses.

She vaguely thought: the man beside her would always be with her, just like every day in the past, and just like the countless ordinary or special days to come.

"Gu Xiao..."

"Hmm?" He responded immediately, pulling his arm back slightly.

"……Thank you."

This thank you, without beginning or end, carried immense weight.

What should I thank him for? For his unwavering protection over the past ten years? For the peace and tranquility he has given her? For understanding her joys and sorrows and being her strongest support? For bringing her to this quiet mountain forest on this night? ...It seems like all of these, yet it seems insufficient to encompass even a fraction of them.

Gu Xiao was silent for a moment, then his voice whispered close to her earlobe:

"I'm the one who should be saying thank you. With you by my side, life is more interesting and full of hope. Life... isn't wasted."

Fame, fortune, future prospects, and status are all fleeting. Having a wife like this and children around him is what truly fills his heart.

He didn't say anything more.

Nan Zhiyi turned over, found her lips, and placed a warm and lingering kiss in the darkness.

"Go to sleep," she snuggled back into his arms, "Tomorrow... let's watch the sunrise together."

"good."

The sun will rise as usual tomorrow.

They will go hand in hand to watch the sunrise over the sea of ​​clouds, to walk long roads, and to see the world's scenery.

But in any case.

She and he always stood side by side.

(End of main text, see bonus chapters)

Gu Zhao received her first love letter not long after the start of the second year of junior high school.

The envelope was light blue, with crooked stars drawn in silver ink along the edges.

He opened it with a childlike curiosity, but was stunned after reading it.

It turned out to be a love letter.

After school, he took the letter home and handed it directly to his mother, who was revising a manuscript in her study. He was still young and always felt that there was nothing in the world he couldn't tell his mother.

After reading the letter, Mom laughed, not the kind of laugh you give a child, but a bright, irrepressible laugh that made her eyes sparkle.

"My son is so popular with young girls?" She asked softly, as if afraid of disturbing a secret.

Gu Zhao's chubby cheeks felt slightly warm. He wanted to lean over and let his mother hug him, like when he was little. But then he felt he shouldn't, so he just stood up straighter.

His mother put her arm around his shoulder and hugged him affectionately for a while.

Smelling his mother's scent, Gu Zhao relaxed a lot, but he pursed his lips and didn't say anything.

His mother handed the letter back to him.

"The letter has a name on it, so you have to protect the person's privacy." Her tone was soft and gentle. "A girl's affection is a very precious feeling. You can keep it safe, but you can't show it off or use it as gossip. Don't belittle someone's feelings."

She looked at him. "Do you understand what your mother means?"

Gu Zhao nodded, but her brows furrowed slightly: "Then... do I need to reply? I don't know her, and I don't like her."

"Son, it's up to you. Just remember to respect them no matter how you handle it," his mother said.

That night, Gu Zhao sat in front of the open letter for half an hour.

In the end, he wrote nothing.

A few days later, the girl with the ponytail mustered up the courage to stop him on her way home from school, her face as red as the evening glow.

Gu Zhao carefully chose her words: "Thank you for your letter. I think my studies should be my priority."

The girl's eyes suddenly reddened, and she turned and ran away.

Gu Zhao stood there, his first thought being: This is troublesome indeed.

This thought accompanied him throughout his adolescence.

It's common knowledge, both inside and outside the compound, that the boys from the Gu family are good-looking.

Gu Zhao inherited his father's appearance and also had his mother's gentle and refined features.

The seventeen-year-old boy had grown tall with straight shoulders. Standing there in a simple white shirt and dark trousers, he seemed to automatically attract attention.

Coupled with the Gu family's distinguished yet unassuming family tradition, Gu Zhao possesses a natural thoughtfulness in his interactions with others, and his excellent academic performance makes him a prominent figure both at school and in the compound.

A fondness for nature is ever-present.

Most girls are reserved, only daring to glance at her a few times during recess exercises or soften their voices when discussing homework.

Some were bolder, such as slipping poems into the title page when borrowing or returning books, or handing over a bottle of soda backstage at a cultural performance.

Gu Zhao consistently brushed them off with the excuse that "studying is the priority."

Sometimes he feels tired.

Even though I did nothing, it feels like I owe the whole world a debt of gratitude.

Therefore, he got used to only hanging out with boys, playing ball, discussing current events, and tackling difficult competition problems.

In non-essential situations, his expression became increasingly indifferent, and he spoke and smiled less.

Over time, "aloof" became a label attached to him. This, in turn, brought him a lot of peace and quiet.

Gu Zhao wasn't arrogant; he just felt that those feelings of racing heartbeats and blushing face were distant and exhausting for him.

Instead of wasting time, you might as well solve another physics problem or go find your uncle Zhou Xingzhi to do carpentry.

He could roughly understand what his mother meant by "precious," but he couldn't truly empathize with it.

It wasn't until the second week of senior year that a new student transferred to our class.

When the homeroom teacher led her into the classroom, a surge of hormones rose from the floor.

The girl wore a light beige dress, had slightly wavy chestnut hair, fair skin, and large, bright eyes.

She stood by the podium, poised and confident: "Hello everyone, my name is Ye Shanshan. I just returned from the United States, and my Chinese isn't very good, so please bear with me." Her voice was sweet, with a slight accent.

The homeroom teacher asked her to sit next to Gu Zhao.

She walked over carrying her schoolbag and smiled brightly at Gu Zhao: "Hello, deskmate."

Gu Zhao nodded without saying anything.

Ye Shanshan's Chinese is indeed not very good.

She couldn't understand classical Chinese, and her compositions were a mix of pinyin and English words. When she read the text aloud, she stumbled and stammered, which drew laughter from the class, but she didn't get annoyed. She just stuck out her tongue and continued to read one word at a time.

Three days later, the homeroom teacher called Gu Zhao to the office.

"Ye's father is an aerospace expert who just returned to China and is contributing to the country. Her Chinese is poor, and she's falling behind. You have good grades and a stable personality, so could you help her out?"

What else could Gu Zhao say but nod?

From then on, Ye Shanshan naturally clung to him. She asked him questions about vocabulary, grammar, math problems, and even "What do you boys usually play?"

She was as passionate as a fire, making no attempt to hide her curiosity and affection for Gu Zhao.

"Gu Zhao, your eyelashes are so long."

"Gu Zhao, you look so good when you play basketball."

"Gu Zhao, can you teach me to write? I want to learn your handwriting."

It's straightforward and intense, like the summer sun, leaving you nowhere to hide.

Gu Zhao was initially troubled.

But gradually, he discovered that Ye Shanshan was different from the other girls. Her affection was direct and passionate, without any of the roundabout shyness.

Gu Zhao initially responded politely and briefly, just as she would with other girls.

But Ye Shanshan seemed oblivious to his aloofness; her warmth permeated the air without hindrance...

A month later, Ye Shanshan's Chinese improved rapidly.

The first complete sentence she learned to write was: "Gu Zhao, I like you."

He wrote it on a light purple sheet of paper and, along with a beautifully packaged chocolate, slipped it into Gu Zhao's schoolbag during recess.

When Gu Zhao realized this, his heart skipped a beat.

He opened the letter.

Ye Shanshan used an entire page to describe how he was "as refreshing as a summer breeze" and how he "made her feel for the first time that returning to China was a wonderful thing."

At the end of the letter, I drew a heart and colored it bright red with watercolors.

Gu Zhao folded the letter, put it back in the envelope, and stuffed it into the innermost part of his schoolbag.

That day after school, Ye Shanshan followed him, chattering about the interesting things that happened that day.

As she reached the school gate, she suddenly stopped: "Gu Zhao, have you seen the letter?"

She looked up at him, her light chestnut eyes sparkling under the streetlights.

Gu Zhao looked away and hummed in agreement.

"Then..." she drawled, a sly smile playing on her lips, "Do you like me?"

Gu Zhao did not answer.

He gripped the strap of his schoolbag and said, "Tomorrow morning reading requires us to recite 'Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng' from memory. Have you memorized it?"

Ye Shanshan was stunned for a moment, then laughed: "Oh dear, you're such a spoilsport." But her eyes were still curved, like two crescent moons.

From that day on, Gu Zhao became extra attentive when teaching her Mandarin and Chinese characters.

She learns very quickly.

By the end of October, he was able to read the texts fluently and write decent compositions.

Gu Zhao was grading her exercise book when she saw that she had written: "Autumn in the capital is beautiful, as clear as Gu Zhao's eyes."

He drew a wavy line under that line of text in red pen and wrote a note next to it: "Inappropriate metaphor."

When it was handed in the next day, that line of text had been erased and replaced with: "Autumn in Beijing is beautiful, the sky is high and blue."

The incident occurred in mid-November.

That day in PE class, after the boys finished running the 1,000-meter race, they gathered by the basketball court to rest.

Li Rui, who was on good terms with Gu Zhao, pulled a letter out of his pocket and waved it in front of his buddies: "Look, it was written by Ye Shanshan."

Li Rui's father is a director of a ministry. He is tall, plays basketball well, and is considered a prominent figure at school.

A jeer broke out from the crowd.

Some boys shouted that they didn't believe it, so Li Rui unfolded the letter and said, "See for yourselves."

The letter was passed around among several people.

Gu Zhao had been leaning against the tree trunk without moving until the page was handed to him.

The last line, "I can't control my feelings for you," is exactly the same.

Gu Zhao scoffed inwardly.

He straightened up and patted the bits of grass off his pants.

“Hey, Gu Zhao,” Li Rui leaned closer, “Did she write something for you too? I heard she keeps asking you questions.”

Gu Zhao looked up and saw that Li Rui's face had a mixture of smugness and probing, looking dull and boring.

He said casually, "No. We're not familiar with each other."

That afternoon after school, Ye Shanshan waited at the classroom door as usual. Today she wore a red scarf, which made her skin look even whiter.

"Gu Zhao!" she ran over with a smile, "Let's go to the cafeteria together..."

"inconvenient."

Ye Shanshan was taken aback: "What's wrong?"

"Li Rui received your letter," he said. "Your handwriting is quite nice."

Ye Shanshan's smile froze on her face.

Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but Gu Zhao had already slung her backpack over her shoulder, turned around, and left without looking back.

I got home in the evening.

Gu Zhao felt a tightness in his chest, not from intense emotions, but more like he had accidentally inhaled a breath of stale air, which felt uncomfortable and suffocating.

He remembered his mother saying "precious" a long time ago.

Can something "precious" really be so easily copied, distributed, and even used as a source of pride?

He took out the light purple letter, carefully crossed out his name, and threw it into the communal trash can in the courtyard along with the box of chocolates.

From that day on, Gu Zhao never spoke to Ye Shanshan again.

She tried to explain several times, but he just nodded slightly and went on with his own thing.

Two weeks later, Ye Shanshan changed seats and sat at the other end of the classroom.

Sometimes Gu Zhao would see her walking with Li Rui, their laughter ringing out.

He simply lowered his eyes and turned a page of the book.

Winter came exceptionally early that year.

The first snow fell at the end of November. Gu Zhao stood in the classroom corridor, watching the snowflakes fall and cover the withered yellow grass on the playground.

"Brother Zhao," a boy from his class put his arm around his shoulder, "What are you daydreaming about? Come on, let's have a snowball fight."

Gu Zhao: "Okay."

He grabbed a handful of snow, rolled it into a ball, and threw it into the distance.

The snowball traced an arc in the air before shattering on the bare branches, creating a cloud of snow mist.

The troubles of youth are probably like snowflakes, arriving in a flurry and departing silently.

Some things are frozen and won't truly thaw until next spring.

But spring will always come. Gu Zhao thought.

The first person to notice that Gu Zhao's mood was off was naturally her mother.

During those days, his mother's eyes always followed him.

At the dinner table, she served him food more frequently than usual, but her gaze darted away. She probably wanted to ask him something, but was afraid that asking would only annoy him.

In their family, the word "adolescence" is like a sensitive switch; touching it will trigger a red light.

Gu Zhao lowered his head and ate his rice. He could feel that gaze falling on the top of his head, then moving away, and then drifting back after a while.

On Wednesday morning, when his mother was putting money into his wallet, she took out two extra ten-yuan bills, folded them neatly, and put them in.

They moved quickly, as if afraid he would see them.

"Mom," he said helplessly, "I'm really fine."

Mom's lips moved as if she wanted to ask something, but then she swallowed her words.

Gu Zhao knew what she was thinking.

Since last year, he has indeed stopped confiding in her. It's not that he's grown distant, but rather that he doesn't know how to bring up those awkward things that are typical of teenagers with his mother.

On the contrary, his father or his uncle Gu Yan would occasionally say a few words.

Between men, some things don't need to be said completely.

But Mom obviously didn't think so.

She seemed convinced that her teenage son was undergoing some kind of mysterious and dramatic transformation, while she felt left out, disappointed and frustrated.

So she could only choose the simplest way: give her more pocket money.

Gu Zhao already had a lot of pocket money.

The New Year's money was always saved separately, and his uncle even secretly opened a savings account for him and deposited money into it regularly. "Don't tell your parents, just consider it your secret stash."

He had hardly touched that savings book, and a considerable sum had already been accumulated in it.

Faced with the extra twenty yuan and her mother's heavy worry, Gu Zhao tried to explain, "Mom, it's just that the physics competition is coming up soon, and I'm a little nervous."

Mom's eyes widened slightly.

Gu Zhao could almost guess what she was thinking: When had her son ever been nervous about a competition?

Indeed, no.

But for the time being, Gu Zhao couldn't find a more suitable excuse.

"Mom, don't worry." He slung his backpack over his shoulder. "I'm going to school, I'm going to be late." With that, he rushed out the door as if fleeing.

As I rode out of the courtyard gate, I glanced back and saw my mother still standing there, her figure somewhat blurred by the morning mist.

Evening self-study ends at nine o'clock.

The prestigious high school he attended had very strict management. Although most of the students had special backgrounds, all the necessary rules were still followed.

After school ends at 5:30 p.m., there is a unified self-study period from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., with teachers of each subject taking turns on duty.

During these evening self-study sessions, Gu Zhao didn't even have time to look up. The preliminary round of the physics competition was next month, and he needed to make more thorough preparations.

His deskmate nudged his arm: "Brother Zhao, wanna come on?"

Gu Zhao snapped out of her daze, realizing it was almost time for school to end. She nodded and began packing her schoolbag.

Afterwards, several young men rode their bicycles home, calling out to each other. Some of the boys who lived in the same army compound and were going the same way followed behind Gu Zhao's bicycle, howling and singing pop songs in a hoarse and unpleasant way, which also gave a unique flavor of youth.

It was almost 9:30 when I got home.

His mother was sitting on the sofa reading a book. When he came in, she closed the book and stood up: "There's a late-night snack in the kitchen."

"I'm not hungry." Gu Zhao changed her shoes. "Mom, go to bed earlier next time, don't wait for me."

"I'm waiting for your dad; he has a meeting tonight." Mom walked over, raised her hand to touch his forehead, then stopped mid-air. "Are you too tired from studying? Do you want to take a couple of days off and rest at home?"

"Mom—" Gu Zhao wanted to act coquettishly, but then cleared her throat and restrained herself, "Do you really treat me like a child?"

Sometimes he felt his mother's pampering had no limits; she even considered asking for leave for him if she thought he was unhappy...

Even from childhood to adulthood, the only requirement for his academic performance was that it be passable.

However, perhaps due to her innate personality, Gu Zhao wanted to be more outstanding, or even the most outstanding, whether in academics or in other aspects...

Mom's face fell for a moment. "Okay, go ahead and get busy."

Gu Zhao avoided her gaze: "Okay. I'm going to do my homework." He added, "Mom, don't worry, I'm fine."

He hurried back to his room, closed the door, and finally let out a long sigh of relief.

A mother's love is too heavy.

The desk lamp in front of the desk was brought back from Shanghai by my dad last year. It's an eye-protecting lamp with soft light.

Gu Zhao opened his exercise book and began studying a problem. But as he stared at the circuit diagram, the lines and symbols looked like a tangled ball of yarn, a complete mess.

Not long after, footsteps came from outside the door. They were steady; it was Dad.

Two knocks sounded, spaced evenly apart.

"Please come in."

Dad pushed the door open and came in. He had already taken off his military jacket and was only wearing a shirt.

Gu Zhao didn't really know her father's specific position, only that the uncles and elders in the compound treated him with caution.

Dad leaned against the doorframe and asked, "Am I disturbing you while you were doing your homework?"

Gu Zhao shook his head: "No, I'm just taking a rest."

Dad then came in and placed the milk glass he was carrying on the table: "Your mother asked me to bring this."

Gu Zhao said, "Yes, thank you."

Dad pulled up a chair and sat down, scrutinizing him for a few seconds. His gaze was calm, like the sea at night, revealing no emotion, yet reflecting everything.

"Your adolescence..." Dad suddenly spoke, his voice tinged with a hint of teasing, "I hope it passes soon. Your mother is very worried about you."

Gu Zhao smiled wryly.

He had read some books about adolescence, which said that boys at this stage would rebel, fight against their parents, and be filled with anger or confusion about the world.

But he didn't.

He just... didn't know how to say some things.

Looking into my father's eyes now, I see that they are very similar to his own, except that there are a few more fine lines at the corners of his eyes and his gaze is deeper.

Gu Zhao thought that perhaps he could try to say something.

"Dad, it's about... a love letter."

He briefly explained the situation, omitting the details and only saying that a transfer student had written similar letters to several people, and he saw one of them and found it somewhat...uninteresting.

The father listened quietly, and after he finished speaking, he asked directly, "You like her?"

Gu Zhao quickly shook his head: "It's not that bad."

"Hmm. So it's just teenage troubles." Dad nodded. "When I was your age, I went through something similar."

Gu Zhao was almost speechless with shock.

"And then what?"

"Later I found out that some people express their affection by casting a wide net. This isn't your problem, it's hers. You did the right thing, cutting your losses in time, that's good."

Gu Zhao felt a little better. It turned out that in her father's eyes, this wasn't something shameful.

"Dad, have you... ever liked anyone else? Before Mom?" He regretted asking as soon as the words left his mouth. The question was too private, and too impulsive.

But Dad wasn't angry.

He said very seriously, "No. Your mother is the first and only person I've ever liked."

Gu Zhao's ears burned.

He recalled the details of his parents' interactions: holding hands, gazing into each other's eyes, kissing, their eyes seeing only each other.

Perhaps this is what love should be like. He thought. Not the kind of passion that Ye Shanshan flaunted everywhere, but a focused, unique, and enduring one.

"And what about you?" Dad changed the subject. "Do you have a girl you like?"

Gu Zhao shook his head: "No."

"Really not?" His father scrutinized him, somewhat sternly. "It's normal to have feelings for the opposite sex during puberty."

"No, there isn't one," Gu Zhao insisted. "At least not right now."

Dad nodded.

The room fell silent again.

Gu Zhao picked up the milk and took a sip. The warm sweetness melted on her tongue. Her mother had added honey to the milk.

Then he heard his father say, "So, when you have a wet dream, who is the girl you dream about?"

Gu Zhao almost spat out his milk.

He coughed violently, his face turning red, and frantically searched for tissues.

Dad handed me a note, his eyes clearly smiling—this time, it was a genuine smile.

"Dad!" Gu Zhao wiped his mouth, his ears burning hot.

He opened his mouth, but the sound got stuck in his throat.

"I...I really didn't dream about any specific girl...at least, it was a girl without a face..." This explanation is worse than no explanation at all.

Dad just grunted in response and reached out to ruffle his hair.

The hands were large and warm, with thin calluses, and when they were rubbed against the scalp, they had a strangely soothing power.

Gu Zhao nodded.

"Secondly, you cannot have sexual relations with your future partner before you get engaged. This is out of respect for the other person and also out of responsibility for yourself. Desires must have limits, understand?"

"Understood," Gu Zhao replied softly, her voice trembling slightly.

"Third, if there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask me. Whether it's physical, psychological, or emotional, it's all fine. I'm your father, and these are things I should be teaching you."

"I understand," Gu Zhao said, his voice much more steady this time.

Dad patted him on the shoulder, ending the conversation between the men.

The door closed gently.

Gu Zhao sat there, the heat in her ears not yet completely gone.

He slowly let out a breath, picked up his pen again, and looked at the circuit problem.

The lines and symbols became clear again; the direction of the current, the distribution of resistance, the formula for Ohm's law—everything had a definite solution.

Some things in adolescence may not need to be explained at all.

Gu Zhao worked through the questions one by one, and his mind gradually calmed down.

Gu Zhao has had a clear understanding of her position in the family since she can remember.

Mom comes first, Dad comes second, and he comes third.

This position manifests in two ways: First, the mother has the final say at home, and the father unconditionally supports whatever she wants to do. Second, the mother controls the family finances and is responsible for all household expenses.

Everything in his bedroom was bought by his mother at the mall with her credit card.

This understanding became more concrete and subtle in the summer when Gu Zhao was fourteen.

He woke up that night and groped around in the dark, washing his underwear in the bathroom.

There was a light knock on the door twice, then it was pushed open.

Dad stood at the door in his pajamas, his face expressionless except for a slight furrow in his brow, as if he were instinctively alert after being startled awake.

He glanced at what Gu Zhao was holding, then at his flushed face.

"Go to bed early after you wash up," Dad said, then closed the door.

Gu Zhao breathed a sigh of relief, but her heart was still beating very fast.

The next day, when his father came home from get off work, he went straight into his room and handed him several brand-new books, all about boys' growth and development and puberty.

Dad said, "You're about to enter a period of rapid growth and development, and there will be many changes in your body and mind. These are all normal physiological phenomena, so don't feel ashamed or afraid."

Gu Zhao stared at the titles of those books, her ears burning.

The father emphasized, "You need to learn to protect yourself and pay attention to personal hygiene. Also, don't follow the example of some of the young boys at school who make a fuss about these things or use words to hurt girls who are also going through changes. That's not skill, that's immorality."

Gu Zhao nodded, her voice barely audible: "Understood."

He read those books carefully, though he only vaguely understood many of them. But at least he grasped that some changes were signs of growth. The inexplicable sense of shame he felt faded considerably in the face of his father's calm and composed attitude.

But this is just the beginning.

A few days later, Dad announced that he and Mom would be staying in the courtyard house for a while, and that the house here needed some simple tidying up.

Mom added with a smile, "Your room has been used for many years, it's time to renovate it and change the layout."

Gu Zhao didn't think much of it.

I went to the mall with my mother to pick out new furniture, curtains, lamps... and even the color of the wall paint.

His mother gave him a lot of autonomy, only offering advice when he hesitated.

The whole process felt like a large-scale shopping game, and he was vaguely excited.

After he and his mother stayed in the courtyard for about half a month before returning, Gu Zhao's bedroom was moved from the second floor to the first floor.

The two originally adjacent guest rooms were combined to create a spacious suite with a private bathroom and a door that leads directly to the garden.

It's beautiful, comfortable, and perfectly suits his taste.

Standing in the center of the room, Gu Zhao belatedly realized that as she grew up, even the place she lived in had to be farther away from her parents.

After learning that Gu Zhao had moved to a new bedroom, his uncle called, and a loud, undisguised, mischievous laugh came from the other end of the line.

"Our Xiaoman has grown up! She has her own little world now! So, do you like your new room?"

"I like it," Gu Zhao answered honestly.

"I'm glad you like it! Hey, summer vacation is almost here, why don't you stay with your uncle for a while longer this year? I'll show you around." The uncle's tone was enticing.

Gu Zhao was indeed tempted.

He enjoys exploring new things with his uncle.

But he still shook his head, even though his uncle couldn't see him: "Dad probably won't agree to the summer training."

"Ha!" The uncle chuckled on the other end of the phone. "Go find your mom! If your mom agrees, would your dad dare say no?"

Gu Zhao held the receiver without saying a word.

That's what he actually thought too.

In family matters, if Mom agrees, it's basically considered approved. This is a truth that has been proven countless times.

Can.

His participation in the training camp was precisely the only thing in the family that his mother couldn't persuade his father against.

My first time participating in military training was during the summer after I graduated from elementary school.

Gu Zhao still remembers what he looked like when he returned after completing the first phase of training.

He was dark-skinned and thin, with peeling skin on his arms and neck, blisters on his palms, and scabs on the soles of his feet.

When his mother saw him, her eyes immediately welled up with tears.

When they got home, she found some ointment to apply to his sunburned areas and burst into tears.

"We're not going anymore, we're not going anymore. Gu Zhao, let's just stay home, run every day, do some military boxing, why do we have to go to places like that..."

But Dad said, "Boys can't always be raised in a greenhouse. They need to toughen up, learn some rules, and experience real strength and responsibility."

"Strength and responsibility aren't gained by torturing your body!" Tears still clung to her eyelashes, but her voice hardened. "Gu Xiao, you're forcing yourself to endure hardship!"

Her father tried to put his arm around her shoulder, but she pushed him away.

That was the first time Gu Zhao had ever seen such a tense atmosphere between her parents.

It wasn't a heated argument; Dad's tone was gentle throughout, even coaxing, as he repeatedly said, "It was my oversight," and "I'm sorry for making you worry," but his attitude remained unusually firm.

“It’s only a month, and my son can stick to it. It’s good for him.”

His mother turned her head away angrily, refusing to look at him: "You can't reason with an old stubborn like you!"

The living room was eerily quiet.

Gu Zhao's sunburnt skin clung to her soft loungewear. Seeing her mother silently weeping and her father's furrowed brows, she suddenly spoke up: "Mom, I want to go."

The two adults turned to look at him at the same time.

“Many people from the compound went, including Chen Lei from the Air Force compound next door and Zhou Yang from Uncle Zhou’s family. They’re still inside. Mom, it was my own idea to go.”

His mother stared at him blankly for a long while before softly asking, "Gu Zhao, tell me the truth, are you really willing to do this? It's been so hard..."

Gu Zhao met her gaze.

Was the training camp tough? Yes, it was.

We had to get up before dawn to run laps, fold our blankets into perfect squares, and not talk while eating. Standing at attention under the sun could make us dizzy.

Most of those who went together were boys of the same age from the same neighborhood, with a few girls as well.

Everyone complained privately, but no one dared to actually quit, since they were all sent by their families and couldn't afford to lose face.

Gu Zhao was even more determined; he was Gu Xiao's son and absolutely could not afford to bring shame upon himself.

"Hmm." He forced a relaxed smile. "It was quite fun."

His mother stared at him for a long time, so long that Gu Zhao's smile almost faded.

Her shoulders slumped slightly. "...Whatever."

Dad came over, pressed his large hand heavily on his shoulder, and didn't say anything.

On the day he returned to training camp, his mother packed his luggage and slipped a bottle of sunscreen into it.

"Remember to apply it, sunburn will hurt."

Gu Zhao felt a little disgusted.

The training camp is full of people rolling in mud and crawling in the dirt, who would wear this? It's too embarrassing.

But seeing his mother's expression, he could only take it and obediently nod, "Okay, Mom. I can apply it."

Later at the training camp, he secretly applied it a few times when no one was looking.

A tan was inevitable, but at least my skin didn't peel like it did the first time.

Gu Zhao did not dislike the training camp.

Even when he first firmly gripped the rifle on the shooting range, pulled the trigger, and saw a small hole appear in the center of the target paper in the distance, he felt an almost solemn sense of accomplishment.

He also liked the instructors from different units; they had dark skin, rough hands, and their eyes shone when they talked about tactics and battle examples.

They are similar in temperament to their father and grandfather, but also different; they are more direct and rougher.

The training camp allowed him to vaguely touch the edge of his father's and grandfather's world.

Now, faced with the temptation of his uncle going out to play, he once again thought of the scorching sun and sweat at the training camp, and also of his mother's red eyes.

“Uncle,” he finally said, “I’ll come see you after I get out of training camp and take a few days off.”

On the other end of the phone, the uncle was silent for a moment, then let out a soft chuckle, seemingly with some emotion, "Alright, kid. Then practice hard. Call me when you're done."

"Yes, I know."

Every summer after that, Gu Zhao would attend training camps, leaving him little time for fun.

Only in the summer of 1994 did he feel a little more relaxed.

On May 15, 1994, he turned 18 and officially became an adult.

There was no grand celebration at home, but the adult gifts he received were exceptionally elaborate.

My parents gave me two documents.

The property certificate for a three-bedroom apartment is in Gu Zhao's name alone.

"I was thinking that it would be convenient for you to have a place to stay after you go to school or graduate. It's fine to rent it out temporarily, and you can manage the rent yourself."

The other document was a securities company account opening certificate and a deposit certificate of a considerable amount. The account holder was also Gu Zhao.

The only explanation for this is: "Learn about economics, get a feel for it. It's not a lot of money, so it's okay if you lose it; consider it tuition."

Some close relatives or elders gave gifts such as luxury watches or generous red envelopes.

The most unexpected coming-of-age ceremony came from my cousin's family in Southeast Asia.

My maternal uncle wrote me a letter in traditional Chinese characters, with a warm and friendly tone.

The letter said that it was very gratifying to learn that he had come of age. The small token of appreciation was placed in a trust account at HSBC as a "small help" for his future studies or career development.

By the end of May, Gu Zhao officially received his admission notice to the National Defense University. He no longer needed to take the college entrance examination in July or go to school. He could simply enjoy a long-awaited vacation at home.

His mother held him for a while, praising him repeatedly with a beaming smile.

Dad only offered a few words of encouragement in a very restrained manner.

The family of three are all low-key people. They only informed their closest relatives and a few long-time family friends about the news of the admission without making a big fuss.

Upon receiving the news, Gu Zhao felt that the happiest person was her uncle.

My uncle made several urgent phone calls, urging him to go to the south.

"What are you waiting for? Come right now! I'll have my assistant pick you up by plane tomorrow, quick!"

Gu Zhao: "Uncle, no need to pick me up. I'm eighteen now, I can just take a plane by myself."

"Okay!" Gu Yan laughed loudly on the other end. "Then come by yourself! I'll book the tickets for you, the fastest flight! I'll give you a big surprise when you arrive, I guarantee you'll love it!"

The surprise was indeed huge.

Gu Zhao followed his uncle into the villa's garage and was stunned when he saw the black sedan.

He recognized the car logo, but the design was clearly brand new.

Introverted and strong, it hits Gu Zhao's aesthetic.

"How about it? It's the latest model, with original German components assembled in China. Its power and stability are excellent. It's perfect for you young guys to drive."

Gu Zhao's heart skipped a beat; it was a natural, instinctive throbbing in men towards the beauty of machinery.

But he quickly calmed down.

“It’s too expensive, Uncle.” He tried to refuse.

"Take it! You got into the National Defense University, this is your uncle's reward for you! Consider it another coming-of-age ceremony. Okay, enough of that... Come on, get in and try it out?"

Gu Yan couldn't refuse his uncle's insistence.

From childhood to adulthood, he received many gifts from his uncle, some valuable and some interesting.

He said helplessly, "But, Uncle, I don't have a driver's license yet."

My uncle waved his hand, "Is this even a problem? We can get it done in the next couple of days! You're definitely good at the theory, the practical part is just a formality, it'll be quick!"

Gu Zhao was taken aback.

"I can get a driver's license in just a few days? Is that... legal?" he asked hesitantly. The sense of discipline instilled in him by his father since childhood came to mind.

"rest assured!"

His uncle walked over, put his arm around his shoulder, and wafted over with the faint scent of cologne. "Would your uncle harm you? The process is absolutely legitimate, just a little rushed. You have a good foundation and quick reflexes, so with a little intensive training, you'll be fine."

"Okay, thank you, Uncle," he finally said.

"That's right!" Gu Yan patted his back hard. "Come on, let's go inside and eat! Your uncle promises that in just a few days, you'll be able to drive it on the road by yourself!"

Over the next few days, Gu Zhao practiced driving at the designated location in the morning, did intensive traffic regulations training in the afternoon, and had practical experience sessions arranged by his uncle in the evening.

He quickly passed all the tests and obtained his driver's license.

In the evening, Gu Yan tossed him the car keys and pointed to the garage: "Want to give it a try?"

Gu Zhao got into the driver's seat, adjusted the seat and rearview mirrors, and slowly drove around the Huacheng Binjiang Road area.

He gripped the steering wheel, gazing at the magnificent sunset of a southern summer.

After one round, my back was soaked with sweat from tension.

When we got back to the villa, it was just getting dark.

Before the car had even come to a complete stop, two figures rushed out of the porch and pressed against the car window, their two identical little faces pressed against the glass.

"Brother! Brother's back!"

"Brother, drive! Take us for a ride!"

They are his uncle's twin sons, Gu Xu and Gu Yang.

These two are incredibly clever and witty. They're angels when they're being affectionate and playful, but when they get naughty, they're like devils. Yet, because of their age difference, they still have a natural sense of awe and admiration for their older brother, Gu Zhao, and are barely able to listen to him.

But Gu Zhao wouldn't let these two moving "bombs" get on the bus.

He unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car, his tone gentle: "Not today. I'm still a new driver, and there are a lot of cars on the road. It's not safe to take the two of you with me."

The two little ones slumped, their lips pouting so much they could hang oil bottles on them, tugging at his clothes and whining.

"It'll only be for a little while..."

"Brother drove so steadily, we saw it!"

Just then, the uncle came out of the house and said, "Alright, alright, stop bothering your brother. Want to go for a drive? Dad will take you to a better place."

The twins' attention was diverted: "Where are we going? Is it better than our brother's car?"

"Are you going to Shenzhen?" Gu Yan raised an eyebrow.

"Go! Go!" The cheers almost lifted the roof off.

So the next day, the uncle drove his wife, the twins T, and Gu Zhao to Shenzhen.

In 1994, Shenzhen was a city of towering buildings, flashing neon lights, bustling traffic, and a fast-paced yet extravagant atmosphere.

The uncle and aunt were very generous, buying the twins the latest remote-controlled cars, Lego models, and a whole bunch of snacks and toys.

The twins went wild with joy, screaming and running around the shelves until Gu Zhao brought them back one in each hand, at which point they calmed down a bit.

The couple also picked out several outfits for Gu Zhao, from the inside out, from top to bottom, from casual sportswear to formal suits, saying that this was the kind of attire a college student should have.

Gu Zhao deeply appreciated his aunt and uncle's astonishing enthusiasm for shopping. He finally understood why his mother said she was most afraid of shopping with his aunt.

Even though Gu Zhao had trained since childhood and had physical strength far exceeding that of ordinary people, he still felt exhausted when faced with such a high-intensity shopping trip.

On the contrary, the younger uncle and aunt remained in high spirits.

That night, they stayed at a newly opened five-star hotel in Shenzhen.

Dinner was at the revolving restaurant on the top floor.

After the meal, Gu Zhao stood on the observation deck, gazing into the distance.

The restaurant slowly rotates, and the night view outside the window unfolds like a giant scroll painting.

In the distance, the harbor was brightly lit, and further across the water, the lights of the New Territories stretched out like a dazzling galaxy.

Nearby, car headlights formed a flowing river of light on the street, and neon signs flashed and jumped, creating a dazzlingly prosperous scene.

His uncle came over with two glasses of champagne and handed him one.

"I'm an adult now, let's have a drink."

The glass cups touched lightly.

Gu Zhao took a sip. It was sweet, with a slight tingling sensation on the tip of her tongue from the bubbles, a very light alcohol taste, and a rich fruity aroma.

This was the first time he had ever drunk alcohol.

The uncle also took a sip, his gaze falling on his nephew's profile, his eyes filled with complex emotions—gratification,感慨, and something even deeper.

"In the blink of an eye, almost twenty years have passed. Xiaoman, even before you were born, I longed for your arrival. Back then, I thought I would give you the best life possible..."

Gu Zhao turned to look at her uncle.

A faint glimmer of tears welled up in my uncle's eyes, but he quickly suppressed them.

"You've grown up to be such an outstanding young man, it's wonderful." The uncle's voice was a little hoarse, and he spoke each word slowly. "I'm so proud of you."

After finishing his sentence, the uncle turned back, looked into the distance, raised his glass, and took another large gulp, his Adam's apple bobbing. The lines of his neck were taut.

Gu Zhao looked at his uncle, the person who, apart from his parents, had given him the most love, the most indulgence, and the most "unconventional" interests since childhood.

Needless to say, his uncle was generous with material things, but spiritually, he never treated him like a child. He would talk to him about business and interpersonal relationships, and he would also comfort him in his own way when he occasionally showed confusion.

"Yes, I know," Gu Zhao said. "My uncle is the best to me."

The uncle seemed to be touched by this straightforward statement.

He was silent for a moment, then spoke with a wistful tone: "Sometimes when I look at you, I think of your father when he was young... He was just as upright and strong-willed. But he wasn't as lucky as you to be able to choose the path he wanted."

He smiled, a smile with an indescribable meaning. "So, in the future... no matter what happens, no matter who you like, don't be like your uncle, wandering around aimlessly. Once you've made up your mind, be more stable, like your dad."

This doesn't sound like something my usually spirited uncle would say.

Gu Zhao was somewhat surprised and didn't know how to respond for a moment.

The uncle, however, had regained his usual composure and raised his glass: "Come on, let's have another one. I wish you a bright future, and I also wish... I wish my nephew will come to his senses soon and stop always having such a cold face, what a waste of such a handsome face."

Gu Zhao chuckled and raised her glass to lightly clink it with his.

The champagne was empty.

After returning to Huacheng, Gu Zhao stayed at her uncle's house for a few more days.

During the day, I accompanied my two twin cousins ​​to the amusement park and science museum, but the two kids kept me from moving an inch.

In the evening, my uncle would pull me aside for tea and conversation, telling me interesting stories about business and the customs and culture of the South.

The aunt also kept asking the nanny to cook delicious meals for him, hoping to make him so well that he would get a nosebleed.

The night before he left, the twins clung to his legs on either side, refusing to let go, and rubbed their little heads against him.

"Brother, don't leave!"

"Brother, stay for another hundred days!"

The uncle's eyes showed a hint of reluctance, but he still smiled and said, "Alright, alright, your brother has important business to attend to back home. We'll have him play with you again during the New Year."

He walked over, picked up his sons with one hand each, and said to Gu Zhao, "Stay one more day. Your flight is tomorrow afternoon. I've arranged the car and the things I bought for you. They'll be shipped directly to the gate of the compound in Beijing, so you don't have to worry about it."

Gu Zhao nodded and hugged the two little ones: "Be good, see you at the New Year."

Two days after returning to the capital, the black sedan was delivered to the gate of the courtyard, along with several sturdy suitcases filled with various gifts packed full by my uncle and his wife.

The mother looked at the car, a smile in her eyes: "It's quite stylish. That's good, from now on, I'll let my son be my driver when I go out."

Gu Zhao saluted: "At your service, sir."

Mom continued, "Do you remember? The year your uncle got married, he said he would give you a real, big car that could run when you grew up."

"Remember."

He nodded.

This time when he went to his uncle's office, he saw the car ornament still sitting neatly on his desk. He hadn't expected his uncle to have kept it all this time.

Mom: "He may seem unreliable, but he always remembers every promise he made to you."

She came over and helped Gu Zhao carry all the suitcases into the house.

The mother and son started tidying up on the sofa in the living room.

Most of them belong to Gu Zhao, a small portion to his mother, and only a few to his father.

Mom smiled and said, "Look at you, your uncle is so biased, it's obvious he favors one over the other."

Gu Zhao couldn't help but laugh.

My uncle's favoritism has always been blatant. He is considerate to his sister-in-law and dotes on his nephew, but he always treats his own brother with a mischievous, deliberately provocative attitude.

“Dad doesn’t lack anything.” Gu Zhao spoke up for her uncle and put the things for her father aside.

When Dad came home from work that evening, he saw the new car parked outside the yard but didn't say much. He was even quieter than usual at the dinner table.

After dinner, Dad called his uncle directly, his tone unusually stern. Although he couldn't hear clearly through the door, the words "nonsense," "too eye-catching," and "outrageous" still reached Gu Zhao's ears intermittently.

Gu Zhao could almost picture his uncle on the other end of the phone, legs crossed, listening casually, letting it go in one ear and out the other, and then laughing and saying, "Brother, don't be so old-fashioned. As long as my nephew is happy."

Sure enough, the next day, Dad's expression remained calm.

Upon seeing him, his tone softened: "Are all the car's paperwork complete?"

“Everything’s ready, Uncle has taken care of everything,” Gu Zhao replied.

"Okay." Dad didn't say anything more, only, "Tomorrow, Xiao Liu will take you to get the necessary registration and filing done. From now on, obey traffic rules and be careful. In the yard... try to drive as little as possible."

"Okay, Dad."

Dad seemed to want to say something more, but in the end he just raised his hand, patted Gu Zhao's shoulder as usual, whispered something in Mom's ear, and went to work.

The mother returned to the window to arrange flowers, her smile gentle. "Son, come help me?"

"good."

Gu Zhao walked over quickly.

He thought that his first summer as an adult would probably be spent slowly learning to savor these different kinds of love.

Gu Yan has always felt that children are probably the most useless and annoying things in the world.

They eat your food, use your things, spend your money, and still find ways to annoy and torment you—they're a bunch of debt collectors.

So when he discovered that his brother Gu Xiao and sister-in-law Nan Zhiyi were about to have a child, Gu Yan's first reaction was not joy, but bewilderment.

Looking at Nan Zhiyi's swollen belly, a sense of awe and fear inexplicably arose in his heart.

Inside... a life is being conceived? The process itself made him feel both amazed and terrified.

The arrival of life, carrying the risks and pain of the mother, seemed almost barbaric to him.

But that's my brother's child.

Blood ties mean that, in a sense, he is also half a child of Gu Yan.

The thought of anticipating the birth of this child quietly grew, startling even himself, and he dared not reveal it in the slightest.

Soon, he left Jian'an and returned to the south, burying himself in a mountain of work.

But that heart is different now.

He began to unconsciously pay attention to baby products.

Finally, he simply called his assistant over and presented a long list, from imported formula and diapers to baby clothes, cribs... and various supplements and herbs that were supposedly to relieve postpartum discomfort, demanding that everything be prepared before the due date.

He was at the negotiating table when he received the good news from his father.

The phone on the table rang.

"It's a boy, both mother and child are safe." The father's voice was filled with barely suppressed joy.

In that instant, Gu Yan's heart pounded so hard that his eardrums rang, and he could barely hear what his father said next.

He gave a brief reply, hung up the phone, and returned to his desk, his face now calm again: "Mr. Wang, I think the terms you just mentioned are acceptable. I'll have my legal department finalize the details with your team tomorrow. That's all for today, I have something urgent to attend to."

The other party was taken aback, but seeing his unusually decisive manner, T immediately agreed.

Gu Yan quickly arranged the urgent matters at hand and drove to Jian'an overnight.

A cool night breeze blew in through the car window, but his blood was burning hot.

He first went back to the Gu family's small building to unload various maternity and baby supplies from the car. His father noticed that he looked unwell and told him to rest at home.

He refused, eager to go to the hospital immediately to see his eldest nephew.

At first glance, um, how ugly, a rosy, wrinkled little face, with eyes tightly closed.

His father punched him.

Actually, he found her incredibly cute, but he was just being hypocritical and habitually trying to hide his true feelings.

He held his breath and moved closer to the swaddled baby.

So small, so soft... so obedient, so pure, so defenseless.

Gu Yan stretched out his hand and gestured vaguely, indicating that it was almost the size of two of his palms.

He carefully touched the small fist with his fingertips. In an instant, a corner of his heart felt like a dam had been breached by a warm tide, a sour and swollen feeling that rushed through his nose and reached his eyes.

While his father and brother and sister-in-law were talking, he quickly wiped the corner of his eye with his fingertip.

When he turned around again, he had his usual smile on his face. "Brother, Zhiyi, have you come up with a name for my nephew yet? We can't just keep calling him 'Hey' and 'Hey' all the time, can we?"

The older brother frowned, completely oblivious to the fact that he was henpecked. His sister-in-law smiled and suggested that their father should choose one.

Finally, the father went back and looked up the full name in the dictionary.

The nickname used was "Xiaoman," which Gu Yan came up with on a whim.

He said, "Xiaoman is good, it has a good meaning, and it's easy to pronounce."

My brother and sister-in-law were very accommodating and agreed immediately.

"Xiaoman, Gu Xiaoman." Gu Yan silently repeated it to himself several times, a wide grin spreading across his face that he couldn't stop.

He secretly resolved to make his Xiaoman the happiest and most carefree child in the world.

In the first few days after Xiaoman was born, Gu Yan was completely obsessed. Whenever he had free time, he would stay by the crib and stare at the baby for hours on end.

Watching Xiaoman sleep, watching Xiaoman unconsciously smack his lips, watching Xiaoman wave his little hand.

He touched that smooth, tofu-like face with his finger, and his heart softened.

For the first time, he experienced what it meant to be "heartbroken," and for the first time, he understood how real the feeling of "wanting to pluck the stars and the moon and present them to him" was.

Of course, Xiaoman's poop smells terrible, and her crying is also ear-piercing.

But Gu Yan felt that even the stench and the crying were endearingly self-righteous.

He was reluctant to leave, but his business in the south was waiting for him, so he had no choice but to leave again.

As I got into the car, I looked back at the small building gradually disappearing into the distance, and for the first time, I felt such a clear sense of longing.

From then on, this concern never ceased.

From Jian'an to the capital, from the south to the north, the distances varied, but Gu Yan's life gained a new, constant thought.

When Xiaoman was learning to speak, every time he called home, he would tease her by calling her "Little Uncle." Hearing her mumbled "Susu" on the other end would make her laugh for a long time, and she would immediately ask her assistant to find the latest children's toys to send back.

Xiaoman, three or four years old, was lively and active, like a snow-white little dumpling. Gu Yan couldn't resist carrying him on his shoulders and running around the yard, listening to his giggles, which made him feel more comfortable than earning any amount of money.

Xiaoman started elementary school and began to look like a young boy. He started learning calligraphy and practicing martial arts, his little face tense as he tried to put on a serious expression. Gu Yan still loved to tease him, but he also began to intentionally tell him about the outside world, about history, about geography, about the vivid and complex human affairs that weren't in textbooks. He didn't want Xiaoman to just know how to study by rote; he wanted him to be like his uncle, to see the wider world.

Xiaoman has grown into a handsome young man, excelling academically and politely. He possesses the maturity of his older brother, yet also a unique clarity and openness in his demeanor. Gu Yan is incredibly proud, and even boasting to his business partners now carries more weight. He begins to think about more practical things, such as secretly saving money for his nephew, and planning to show him the real world in the future.

Time flies, and this summer, eighteen-year-old Gu Zhao stands before him, already taller than him.

Gu Yan fulfilled his promise from many years ago by presenting a new car. When Gu Zhao took the car keys, his eyes were calm and his shoulders were broad, showing that he was already a man who could shoulder responsibilities and see the road ahead clearly.

Gu Yan looked at him, and that familiar sense of melancholy welled up in his heart again, but this time, he felt more gratified and proud, like an old father.

His little girl, Xiaoman, has finally grown up well.

Gu Yan suddenly felt that children weren't so annoying after all.

At least, his Xiaoman was never like that.

but.

His twin sons are definitely...

Gu Xu and Gu Yang, those two lads, were practically sent by God to ward off him and cure all his unruly and carefree nature in the first half of his life.

When they're on good terms, they shower you with sweet words that make you lose your bearings, making you sit on their laps and say things like, "Dad is the best," or "Dad, you've worked so hard."

Most of the time, however, they are walking troublemakers, with outrageous energy, boundless curiosity, and destructive power that increases exponentially with age.

This month after Gu Zhao returned to the capital,

Gu Xu and Gu Yang filled the draft of the important contract that was about to be signed with colored pens, depicting "alien warships fighting dinosaurs," and even poked several holes in the key clauses, euphemistically calling them "pierced by laser cannons."

Gu Yan was so angry that his vision blurred, and he threw the two brothers directly into the Chen family villa.

Within two days, the two brothers joined forces to uproot several precious orchids that their father had carefully tended for over a decade in the garden, claiming they wanted to "build a water park for the ants," and plastered half the yard with mud.

Not to mention the everyday little mistakes she made before, like sticking chewing gum to her grandmother's wig, adding "ink and color" to her grandfather's treasured rare calligraphy copybook, and using Anna Chen's lipstick as crayons to create abstract paintings on the wall...

Every time they get into trouble, the two of them are extremely good at admitting their mistakes.

She knelt upright, her little hands behind her back, tears welling up but not falling, looking extremely pitiful.

"Dad, we know we were wrong."

"We won't do it again next time."

"We want to help/learn/create..."

But then, a fresh idea pops into his head, and he forgets his promise again, never learning his lesson.

What troubled Gu Yan even more was that the two brothers had an overwhelmingly powerful support group.

The father-in-law and mother-in-law doted on their grandson, always thinking, "What little boy isn't naughty?" and "They're still very obedient," and were overly protective of him.

His wife, Anna Chen, is charming and lively, and she is incredibly tolerant of her sons, always feeling that her husband is too strict.

“Well, little boys are mischievous when they’re young,” she said dismissively. “They haven’t committed any heinous crimes. They just love to play, and curiosity is a good thing.”

Even his sister-in-law Chen Anni and his older brother Chen Siming were exceptionally indulgent towards their two lively nephews, giving them whatever they wanted.

Sometimes, when Gu Yan puts on a stern face and tries to discipline someone seriously, he often just gets started when reinforcements arrive from all directions, and in the end, nothing ever comes of it.

Gu Yan could only respond with a cold snort.

If he were to commit a truly irreparable and irreversible mistake, he would have already taken action, regardless of who was protecting him.

But these mischievous acts happen to fall into the gray area of ​​"children being naughty," which makes you furious but doesn't seem to be a matter of principle.

Looking at his two sons, whose features were exactly like his own, and their fearless and reckless attitude, he felt as if he were looking in a mirror that made his blood pressure soar.

When we returned to Jian'an for the New Year, my brother and sister-in-law saw the twins climbing on the roof and tearing off the tiles, and they shook their heads and laughed.

His sister-in-law would offer a few words of gentle comfort, but his brother would often give him a meaningful look and casually remark, "Like father, like son."

Gu Yan was so angry that he suffered internal injuries, but dared not speak out.

What could he say? Praise his brother's wisdom? Praise his sister-in-law's correctness? He could only swallow his anger silently.

The only person who could make these two little devils behave a little was Gu Zhao.

The twins have a kind of blind worship for Gu Zhao. As long as Gu Zhao is around, the two will behave much better. Although they are still jumping around, they can carry out most of the instructions.

Gu Yan was more than once grateful that Gu Zhao, the "mountain-guarding tyrant," could occasionally come and suppress him.

Because of these two debt collectors, he felt that the wrinkles around his eyes had deepened, and a few strands of white hair had quietly sprouted at his temples.

Sigh, it must be something I owed from a past life.

After the two little devils moved in with their grandparents, the house suddenly became quiet.

That night, Gu Yan collapsed on the large bed, feeling utterly exhausted.

Anna Chen sat in front of her dressing table, slowly applying skincare products in front of the mirror.

Gu Yan looked at her slender figure and sighed, "Let those two boys stay at your parents' house for a while longer... I really can't take this kind of trouble. Anyway, my older brother is there too, he can help keep things under control."

Anna Chen glanced at him in the mirror: "Okay."

Gu Yan rolled over and lay on his side watching her apply skincare products.

His wife is well-maintained; although she is in her thirties, she looks like she is in her late twenties. The immaturity in her eyes has faded, and she has gained a more capable air.

Over the years, she has skillfully navigated between his business and family, and has raised the twins to be... at least presentable to outsiders.

Gu Yan knew that she deserved most of the credit for how comfortable he was as a hands-off manager.

After applying the last layer of night cream, Anna Chen picked up the perfume bottle and lightly sprayed it twice on her wrists and neck.

A familiar scent, with fruity and white musk notes, wafts over.

She got up, walked to the bedside, lifted a corner of the blanket, and snuggled up to him.

"Hey, honey, don't you always complain that our son is noisy and not sweet enough?"

Gu Yan's vigilance increased, and he gave a vague "hmm".

“My mom said it again today,” Chen Anna looked up at him, her voice soft, “that now that we’re in a better position, why don’t we… have another daughter? They say daughters are like warm little cotton-padded jackets, well-behaved and sensible, definitely not as naughty as Xu Xu and Yang Yang.”

Gu Yan's heart skipped a beat.

As expected, this is an old story being brought up again.

In the past six months, Anna Chen has mentioned wanting a daughter much more often. Sometimes it's because she sees her friends' little girls wearing princess dresses, and sometimes it's because she sees cute and well-behaved child stars in Hong Kong and Taiwanese dramas.

The year she gave birth to twin sons, Anna Chen suffered a lot, and her postpartum recovery was slow.

The two reached a consensus at the time: once the mission was completed, they would never do it again.

Anna Chen loves beauty, is afraid of losing her figure, and is also afraid of going through the hardships of pregnancy and childbirth again.

Gu Yan himself, although he loved Xiaoman and his two sons very much, felt a chill run down his spine at the thought of the newborn's constant crying day and night and the endless trivialities of growing up. He was naturally happy to not have children.

Moreover, he's been over forty for several years now... He secretly weighed his options and realized that his energy and stamina had reached their limit, so how could he possibly have another one?

"Forget it, Anna," he pleaded earnestly. "If we end up with another pair of twin sons, I'll go crazy. Besides, you're not the same age you used to be. Having children is no small matter; it's too taxing on your health. We have Xuxu and Yangyang; that's enough."

Chen Anna didn't reply immediately, but leaned closer to him, it was unclear whether she had heard him or not.

Gu Yan assumed that it was just a passing fancy, or that she was wavering because of her mother-in-law's nagging, and that she would be fine after this period.

However, in the following months, Gu Yan discovered that things were not so simple.

His mother-in-law invited them to the Chen family home for meals much more frequently, and each time there was a carefully prepared nourishing soup, specifically for him and Chen Anna.

"You work hard in business, it takes a lot of effort. This soup will help you replenish your energy and strengthen your body." His mother-in-law smiled kindly and pushed the soup bowl in front of him without saying another word.

"Anna, you too, you look thin. Drink some soup to nourish your body, it's good for women." Another bowl was pushed to Chen Anna's side.

Gu Yan felt a little apprehensive looking at the dark, murky medicinal soup and wanted to refuse: "Mom, I'm perfectly healthy, I don't need any tonics..."

"Mom specially brewed this for you, drink it quickly, it won't be as effective if it gets cold." The mother-in-law's attitude was gentle.

Gu Yan glanced at his father-in-law, who remained silent and only smiled beside him, and then at his wife.

Anna Chen, however, remained calm, took the soup bowl, and sipped it slowly.

So, Gu Yan forced himself to drink the mixed-tasting tonic soup.

I thought to myself, at worst... I'll just consider it a way to show respect to my parents-in-law. What's the worst that could happen? I wonder if drinking some soup could actually result in a baby?

As it turns out, some things shouldn't be said carelessly, and some soups... shouldn't be drunk carelessly.

Not long after winter began, on an ordinary morning, Chen Anna sat down beside him and announced, "It's been almost two months. My mom says... there's a high probability it's a girl."

He's going to be a father again.

again.

When one reaches middle age, all things come to an end.

Zhou Xingzhi would occasionally recall this old saying, especially under the solitary lamp in his study late at night, or after an autumn rain, when a familiar, bittersweet feeling of age would rise in his bones.

Psychological desires, like the receding tide, gradually subside; physiological impulses, like a dying candle, should also slowly dim.

The flame, far from being extinguished, was willingly ignited by her unbridled provocation and burned for her.

He remained willing and eager to give himself and do everything in his power to respond to her passion.

However, this "willingness" gradually requires some additional support.

He could no longer respond to her boundless energy on instinct alone, as he had in his youth.

Therefore, Zhou Xingzhi, who has always been reserved, self-disciplined, and health-conscious, had to place health preservation in an unprecedentedly important position.

Privately, he earnestly asked his brother-in-law how to maintain the necessary physical strength through long-term and appropriate exercise.

Zhou Xingzhi simply could not bear the thought that one day he would be unable to satisfy Yueyue due to his lack of strength.

Although she had passed the age of thirty, women's bodies and desires seemed to be inherently different from men's, with a longer blooming period and a more intense blossoming.

She is like a child who is forever full of curiosity about the world, and she also has an open and honest attitude towards intimate matters.

Years ago, she had a perfectly reasonable idea of ​​asking him to find books and pictures so they could study together.

Zhou Xingzhi had no choice but to maintain his refined and elegant demeanor and teach her step by step, demonstrating his skills through his actions. Even he himself was nothing more than a novice teacher who only knew theory and adhered strictly to gentlemanly etiquette.

Now that he is older, he looks back on the past with regret.

I regret that I didn't let go of those unnecessary worries sooner and welcome her into my life sooner.

He desperately wanted her, yet he deliberately put on a cold and indifferent facade, rejecting her harshly time and time again.

Even after she ran away in tears, she locked herself in her study and copied the Heart Sutra over and over again, trying to suppress the surging longing in her heart with the fragrance of ink and Buddhist verses.

At that time, Zhou Xingzhi stubbornly believed that he was destined to be alone for the rest of his life.

In his view, marriage, and even love, were merely products of a whim for a girl like Yue Ran, who had been pampered and raised with love.

What she loved was perhaps the refined, elegant, and untainted "Mr. Zhou" of her imagination, rather than the real, rigid, and boring self.

He pessimistically predicted that if she were to stay with him, a man steeped in old rules, it wouldn't be long before she felt bored and constrained, and eventually grew tired of him and left.

He would rather have never had it than have had it and then lost it.

Fortunately, his little sun was steadfast enough.

In the end, it was she who pulled him along, without hesitation, and entered into marriage.

Even after marriage, Zhang Yueran's passion remained undiminished.

She remains curious about the world, continues to delve into the field of radio, and still... embraces intimacy with her husband with a calm and enjoyable attitude, approaching it with a research-like interest.

From initial embarrassment and passivity to later helpless indulgence, and now to finding a rhythm and tacit understanding that belongs only to the two of them in this matter.

As night deepened, the cicadas began to chirp.

The study door was gently pushed open, and Zhang Yueran walked in with her long, slightly damp hair cascading down her back.

She snuggled into his arms, leaning over to look at the unfinished garden sketch he was drawing. A few drops of water from her hair fell onto the rice paper, spreading out small ink blots.

"It's not finished yet?"

Zhou Xingzhi put down his pen and reached out to tuck a strand of wet hair behind her ear.

"Almost there. I'll go get the hairdryer; wet hair gives me a headache."

Zhang Yueran wouldn't let him leave, and pointed to the electric fan next to her that was oscillating: "It's so hot, you'll dry out in no time."

She leaned closer to his shoulder, her touch damp and warm, and said, "Hurry up and finish drawing so we can go to sleep."

Zhou Xingzhi had no choice but to loosely hold her waist with one hand to prevent her from slipping down, while he picked up his pen again with the other hand, trying to concentrate on completing the last few strokes of the sketch.

Zhang Yueran, however, was restless. She looked up at him and kept saying, "Brother Xingzhi, you look so beautiful when you draw."

Her fingertips wandered up, playing with his lower lip and tracing his slightly furrowed brow.

The tip of the brush paused on the rice paper.

Zhou Xingzhi sighed silently.

He began to wonder if Zhang Yueran's reckless pursuit of him back then was because he had a reasonably good-looking appearance.

This thought brought a touch of self-mocking melancholy to his heart.

The worry that his love would fade before his beauty had faded seemed somewhat fitting when it came to him.

"Yueyue," he placed the pen back on the ceramic pen holder, lowered his eyes, and looked at the bright and beautiful face of the person in his arms, "Then... what if I get old? What if I'm no longer pretty?"

Zhang Yueran seemed to have heard something strange, and hugged his neck even tighter, almost embedding herself in his arms.

"Even when I'm old, I'll still be the most handsome old man in the world!" she answered resolutely. "Then I'll find the strongest rope and tie you to my side, taking you wherever I go, so you won't be lured away by other old ladies!"

Such a nonsensical and unreasonable declaration.

Zhou Xingzhi chuckled to himself.

"Oh no, I can't bear to do it now." Zhang Yueran seemed to be annoyed by her own assumption. She shifted her body, changing from sitting sideways to sitting face-to-face with him, straddling his lap, wrapping her arms tightly around him, and tilting her head up to kiss him.

Zhou Xingzhi's breath hitched, and he instinctively reached out to protect her back.

Her kisses were always unpredictable, yet passionate and sincere. The scent of mint tea mingled with her unique warm fragrance, subtly entangling his senses.

The fan was still running, blowing her half-dry hair, a few strands brushing against his cheek, tickling him.

Outside the window, the summer night was thick and oppressive; the cicadas had stopped chirping sometime earlier, leaving only a deep silence.

In this stillness, her breath, her warmth, and her restless writhing became the only distinct and clamorous presence.

Zhou Xingzhi closed his eyes, his hand on her back tightened slightly, and his other hand went through her long hair to support the back of her head, gradually deepening the kiss that she had originally initiated, making it long and tender.

He temporarily forgot about the unfinished sketch, the worries about growing old, and even his consistent adherence to the gentlemanly conduct.

Zhang Yueran let out a muffled sob and was forced to press even closer to him.

He carried his young wife and walked towards the bedroom.

The morning light, a bluish-green hue, shone through the window lattice.

Zhang Yueran stayed in bed, curled up in the thin blanket, her cheeks flushed from sleep.

Zhou Xingzhi's biological clock never wavered. He quietly got up and finished a set of Tai Chi in the courtyard, stretching his muscles and bones.

The maid had prepared congee and side dishes. He finished eating quietly and left a note in a conspicuous place on the table: "I'm going to my parents' place to pick up Pengpeng."

Pengpeng, Zhou Pengpeng, his daughter, whose name is taken from the Book of Songs, "Pengpeng Qi Mai", hoping that she will be like the new seedlings in the fields, free and abundant.

Since Pengpeng became a primary school student last September, picking her up and dropping her off every day has become a real challenge. Zhou Xingzhi and Zhang Yueran are both busy with their careers and cannot be on time every day.

My parents-in-law took the initiative to bring their granddaughter to live with them; the small courtyard was closer to the school, within walking distance.

Pengpeng is sensible and knows that her parents are busy. She also likes to stay with her grandparents every day after school. She only goes back to her own home for a couple of days on weekends or when her parents have free time.

My parents-in-law's small courtyard is only a three- to five-minute walk from here.

When the two elders retired, Zhou Xingzhi sincerely invited them to move to Beijing.

The parents-in-law are very sensible people and insisted on not living with the young couple, fearing that it would disturb their lives.

Following their wishes, Zhou Xingzhi found a courtyard house with a small patio nearby, bought it, renovated and maintained it, and invited the two elders to move in.

As I walked outside the courtyard gate, I heard a little girl's clear, melodious voice reciting her lessons.

Zhou Xingzhi's lips unconsciously curved into a smile as he raised his hand and knocked on the half-closed courtyard gate.

"Is that Xingzhi? Come in quickly!" Feng Xuemei's voice was filled with laughter.

Zhou Xingzhi pushed open the door and entered.

In the courtyard, Zhou Pengpeng sat upright on a small bamboo stool, a book called "Primer of Prosody" open in front of her. She pointed to the words with her little finger and read them carefully: "Clouds against rain, snow against wind, evening glow against clear sky..."

She wore a light green cotton dress, her hair was soft and fluffy, and she looked as quiet and beautiful as a traditional Chinese painting.

Upon seeing him, the little girl's eyes lit up instantly, but remembering her grandmother's teaching that "you must concentrate when you read," she didn't run over immediately. Instead, she unconsciously raised her voice and read more diligently.

"Dad, Mom."

Zhou Xingzhi first greeted his father-in-law and mother-in-law.

"Hey, come on over." Feng Xuemei smiled as she set out the bowls and chopsticks. "We were just talking about Wanwan. She got up early today and has been reading for a while. Have you had breakfast yet? We made mung bean porridge and some fried dough rings that your dad bought on his walk this morning."

"I've already eaten, Mom."

Zhou Xingzhi walked over to his father-in-law and sat down on another empty rattan chair.

Zhang Jianguo held a palm-leaf fan in his hand, slowly fanning himself, and nodded to him: "Where's Yueran? Sleeping in again, huh?"

Zhou Xingzhi smiled: "Yes, I went to bed a little late yesterday."

Zhang Jianguo grunted in response and didn't ask any more questions. He then turned to his granddaughter and said, "Pengpeng, Daddy's here. Read this passage and then we'll have breakfast."

“Good!” Zhou Pengpeng responded loudly, and recited the last few lines clearly and accurately: “The Qing Shu Palace on earth, the Guang Han Palace in heaven. The morning mist on both banks makes the willows green, the spring rain in the garden makes the apricot blossoms red. The temples are frosted with the wind, the early traveler on the road; the rain and mist in the rain make the old man fishing by the stream at dusk.

After reading it, she looked up at Zhou Xingzhi with her little face.

Zhou Xingzhi patted her head: "Pengpeng reads very well."

Zhou Pengpeng covered her mouth and laughed triumphantly. She loved beauty and was currently in the process of losing her baby teeth, so she didn't want others to see her gap teeth.

After Zhou Pengpeng finished breakfast, Zhou Xingzhi greeted his parents-in-law. Gu Yan's twins had arrived in Beijing and they had arranged to bring Zhou Pengpeng over today for a get-together.

Feng Xuemei packed a small package and asked her to take it to Nan Zhiyi, saying it contained dishes she had made herself.

Zhou Xingzhi took it and told Zhou Pengpeng to set off.

Feng Xuemei helped Zhou Pengpeng put on her sun hat and asked, "Pengpeng, do you remember those two older brothers? They picked a lot of grapes from the yard when they came last summer."

Pengpeng nodded, then shook her head: "I vaguely remember. They ran fast, I couldn't catch up."

She looked up at Zhou Xingzhi, "Dad, is Brother Gu Zhao here too? I miss him."

"Yes, he's resting these two days," Zhou Xingzhi replied. Gu Zhao entered the National Defense University, and his holidays were different from those of ordinary students, with strict discipline.

Pengpeng gave an "Oh" like a little adult, and the corners of her mouth subtly turned up.

She turned and ran back into the house, then came out with her little water bottle on her back. "Grandpa and Grandma, I'm leaving!"

Zhou Xingzhi took his daughter's hand and said goodbye to the two elders.

The father and daughter returned to their own courtyard.

Zhang Yueran had already gotten up and was sitting at the dining table, slowly drinking her porridge.

"You've brought her back? Has Pengpeng had breakfast yet?"

"We've already eaten at Grandma's house." Pengpeng ran to her mother's side and leaned against her. "Mom, we're going to see Brother Gu Zhao."

"Okay." Zhang Yueran put down her spoon, reached out and hugged her daughter, nuzzling her. "Let Mom see, hmm, our Pengpeng looks so energetic today."

She looked up at Zhou Xingzhi and said, "I'll be done soon. I'll change my clothes and leave."

In just ten minutes, Zhang Yueran had tidied herself up, changed into a new dress, and the family of three walked out along the alleyway.

Summer days are long and the sun shines brightly.

Pengpeng walked in the middle, holding her father's hand in one hand and her mother's hand in the other.

They had walked this road together many times, to the Gu family, to the Qin family, and to every familiar place in the capital.

Each time, it's the same ordinary and down-to-earth scene.

Zhou Xingzhi's anxieties about the passing of time and the fading of passion seemed insignificant in the face of this genuine warmth.

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