Chapter 165 Swing
A blush rose on Zhou Anping's face: "The marriage application... Qingshan said it has been approved. My dad still has some work to do, so he'll come to Beijing after he's done to discuss... discuss getting the marriage certificate and having the wedding. The specific arrangements will have to be decided after both sets of parents meet."
Nan Zhiyi thought to herself that since the marriage application had been approved, the marriage was already 70-80% settled. Asking any more questions would be pointless and would only put Anping in a difficult position, causing him unnecessary trouble.
She suppressed that worry deep in her heart.
Since the bathroom wasn't the place to talk, she turned to ask Anping if he was used to life in the capital and if his work as a temporary worker in the performing arts troupe was tough.
The two walked out hand in hand.
Zhou Anping moved closer to the stroller, and the more she looked at Xiaoman, the more adorable he seemed. Even when the little guy yawned, she exclaimed softly, "Wow, he can yawn! How cute!"
"He's sleepy."
Nan Zhiyi took out the formula and bottle, and together with Zhou Anping went to the kitchen to find warm water. They carefully adjusted the milk temperature and fed it to Xiaoman.
Zhou Anping watched from the side, poking Xiaoman's chubby cheeks one moment and touching his little feet the next, making Xiaoman whimper, but she couldn't bear to let go.
"If you like it so much, why don't you have one yourself?"
Zhou Anping's eyes dimmed, somewhat conflicted: "The work hasn't completely settled yet... and if I get pregnant in the future... I'll probably be transferred to a sinecure position."
Nan Zhiyi immediately guessed that she was reluctant to give up the stage and her career, and sighed as well.
Such is the reality, especially for female performers in performing arts troupes. Once they get married and have children, their careers will inevitably be affected, and changing jobs is the norm.
She was about to say a few words of comfort when Zhou Anping rallied first, patting her hand: "Alright, Zhiyi, you're always worrying about me. Seeing that you're doing well puts my mind at ease. Taking good care of yourself and Xiaoman is the most important thing."
After Xiaoman finished drinking her milk, her eyelids drooped, and she quickly fell asleep.
Nan Zhiyi gently placed him back into the stroller.
Aunt Meng also came over to invite everyone to the restaurant for a meal.
Inside the restaurant, the round table was piled high with chicken, duck, fish, meat, and fresh vegetables—a truly abundant feast.
During the meal, Gu Xiao talked with the elders of the Meng family, but he also took good care of Nan Zhiyi beside him, occasionally putting some of her favorite dishes on her plate.
Aunt Meng looked on and joked, "Gu Xiao and Zhiyi have such a good relationship, and their child is so well-behaved. It's truly enviable."
Gu Xiao remained calm and raised his glass to the elders of the Meng family: "Auntie, Zhiyi is young and has just given birth, so it is only right that I take extra care of her. Grandpa, Uncle, Aunt, I must thank you both for your hospitality tonight. This glass is for you."
He drank it all in one gulp.
The Meng family members also smiled and raised their wine glasses.
Gu Xiao then turned to Meng Qingshan, "Qingshan, Anping is here, so please take good care of him."
Meng Qingshan lowered his wine glass, clinked it against Gu Xiao's, and laughed loudly, "My fifth brother, I've been calling you that since Anping, don't you understand my heart?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Anping blushed slightly, quickly turned her gaze away, and lowered her head to eat.
Nan Zhiyi leaned close to her ear and teased her a couple of times, which made her pinch Nan Zhiyi's thigh lightly under the table.
Aunt Meng's expression remained unchanged, still bearing a kind smile.
Uncle Meng drank another glass of wine and nodded slightly: "Chief of Staff Zhou is also an old acquaintance, we're all on the same side. Anping is a good kid, straightforward and generous."
These words made the atmosphere at the dinner table even more harmonious.
The men drank a few glasses, then stopped, knowing they had to work the next day.
General Meng was clearly still not satisfied, holding his wine cup reluctantly. It was Meng Qingshan who persuaded him, "Grandpa, the doctor said you need to be careful and drink less."
He reluctantly gave up, saying, "Fine, fine, listen to my grandson, everyone eat!"
The meal was enjoyed by both the host and guests.
When they were about to leave, the elders of the Meng family saw them to the door, but Meng Qingshan and Zhou Anping insisted on taking them back.
Zhou Anping pushed the stroller, and Meng Qingshan walked beside her.
A gentle evening breeze blows, and the streetlights cast long shadows.
Meng Qingshan turned his head to look at Zhou Anping's profile as he focused on pushing the stroller: "You like kids so much? Maybe we should..."
Her cheeks flushed: "What nonsense are you talking about!"
Taking advantage of his drunkenness, Meng Qingshan moved even closer. After saying something, Zhou Anping gave him a light pat, her expression a mix of shyness and reproach.
Nan Zhiyi and Gu Xiao lagged behind by a few steps.
The two walked slowly, hand in hand, leaning against each other.
Seeing the two people in front of her with such a deep affection, her worries were largely relieved.
The night breeze was slightly cool, and Gu Xiao's body temperature wafted through his thin clothes.
She rested her cheek against his shoulder: "Being with you makes me feel especially safe and happy."
Gu Xiao lowered his head and nuzzled the top of her head with his chin: "Me too."
Taking advantage of the moment when the two people in front of him weren't paying attention, he quickly planted a kiss on her forehead, as casual as an evening breeze, yet carrying a burning heat.
Nan Zhiyi felt as sweet as honey.
A few days later, the carpentry repair team came to take measurements.
After asking Nan Zhiyi if she had any other requirements and confirming that everything was correct, the master craftsman quoted the final price, which was about the same as what Sister Zhang had inquired about before. He added, "The materials are all readily available. The processing will take a few days, probably around Sunday. We'll come and install it for you, is that alright?"
Nan Zhiyi calculated the time and realized that Gu Xiao was off on Sunday, so she nodded and agreed: "Okay, then I'll trouble you."
After the repair team left, Sister Zhang said to Nan Zhiyi while hanging up the laundry, "Sister-in-law, my husband also inquired about the stone table and chairs. There's an old Beijing resident who has a set of old stone table and chairs. The stone is quite good, just a bit old-fashioned. It can be used after a little polishing, and the price is cheap. He also asked around for flower seedlings. There are a few families in the General Logistics Department compound who have ready-made roses, jasmine, and a few nice grapevines."
Nan Zhiyi was very happy. "That's great. Thank you for your help, Sister Zhang and your husband. I'll cover the cost of the tickets. I won't let you suffer any losses."
Sister Zhang readily agreed: "Don't worry, I'll have him come on Sunday when he's off work and get this done for you."
On Sunday, Gu Xiao took a break.
Early in the morning, just as Nan Zhiyi sat down at the dining table, the master carpenter arrived with his apprentice and materials. They unloaded the materials with a clanging sound and prepared to start building the swing.
Nan Zhiyi handed Xiaoman to Gu Xiao to hold, then went to the kitchen and came out with a tray of several cups of hot tea. She politely handed them to the chefs, saying, "Masters, you've worked hard. Please have some tea and rest."
The master chef thanked him repeatedly and accepted the tea, saying, "You're too kind. It's all my pleasure."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com