Chapter 424 Logic
Gu Yan also knew that this disease was incurable; it could only be slowed down, not reversed.
He was silent for a moment, then his Adam's apple bobbed: "I need to make more time to come back and spend with Dad in the future."
Nan Zhiyi recalled Gu Xiao's words.
She and Gu Xiao had suggested more than once that they bring the old man to the capital, but Commander Gu always refused and shook his head. Gu Xiao said that his mother was buried here, and his father's old comrades-in-arms were all in Jian'an, so Commander Gu couldn't bear to leave.
She looked at Gu Yan and said, "I plan to have Xiaoman pester Grandpa more. Maybe the old man will soften his heart and be willing to go to the capital for a while."
“Alright.” Gu Yan nodded. “Let Dad stay in the capital for a while. After I get married, I’ll bring him to the south for the winter.”
It's amazing that neither of them mentioned their eldest or fourth brother.
A burst of laughter rang out, and Chen Anna, pulling Gu Zhao along, jogged over, her forehead beaded with sweat.
She gently touched Gu Yan's arm: "Gu Yan, you've been driving all day, let's go take a break."
Nan Zhiyi chimed in, "Anna is right, you should go take a nap first." She also called to her son, "Gu Zhao, Mom will take a nap with you."
Gu Zhao obediently stretched out her little hand for her mother to hold, then turned and waved to Gu Yan and Chen Anna: "Good afternoon, Uncle and Aunt. Let's play together again this afternoon."
Chen Anna had gotten used to this form of address by now, and she smiled gently at Gu Zhao: "Okay, if it's convenient this afternoon, I'll take you out to play?"
"Okay, thank you, Auntie."
Nan Zhiyi took her son upstairs.
The curtains in the master bedroom were half-drawn, and the light was soft.
After helping Gu Zhao wash up, she lay down with him on the bed.
The child's soft hair lay against her forehead, and she gently stroked it.
"Does Zhaozhao like her aunt?"
"Yes, I like her. Didn't Mom say she's my uncle's future wife? So I should like her."
Nan Zhiyi was amused by her son's simple logic: "If she weren't your uncle's future wife, you wouldn't like her?"
Gu Zhao thought about it seriously, "She probably will like it too. When I was in Huacheng, she always took care of me. She was very gentle and never got angry. She gave me whatever I wanted, just like a mother."
Nan Zhiyi lowered her head and kissed her son's forehead. She hadn't expected Chen Anna, at such a young age, to be so maternal.
"Go to sleep. Your older sister Nannan is coming tonight. Play with her then."
Gu Zhao gave a mumbled response, his eyelids gradually drooping.
After her son fell asleep, Nan Zhiyi picked up the reference books she had brought back from the bedside table. The pages were yellowed; they were photocopies of ancient books borrowed from the Kyoto University Library.
She turned the pages gently, careful not to wake the sleeping child beside her.
After returning to the capital, there are still many things to take care of.
Professor Wang's research assignments, the outline for his new book, and that paper on the transformation of contemporary literature. Sometimes she felt that time was like sand slipping through her fingers, impossible to grasp.
A few cicada chirps drifted in from outside the window, their intermittent sounds making the afternoon house even quieter.
As dusk settled, Gu Weimin and his family entered the house in the afterglow of the setting sun.
Wang Juan arrived before her voice came, carrying two beautifully packaged gift boxes, while Gu Weimin followed behind, carrying a box of Daoxiangcun mooncakes.
"I know Dad has everything he needs, this is just a small token of my appreciation." She placed the tea leaves on the coffee table with a smile, her gaze already lightly sweeping across the living room.
Upon seeing Nan Zhiyi, she took two steps forward and grabbed her hand: "Fifth sister-in-law, it's been more than half a year since I last saw you, and you're still as neat and tidy as ever."
Changing the subject, her gaze fell on Chen Anna beside Gu Yan, "Oh my, such a beautiful girl, it's really rare to see one like this."
Wang Juan took out a long brocade box from the paper bag and stuffed it into Chen Anna's hands: "It's our first meeting, this is just a small token. I don't know if you'll like it, but consider it a token of my appreciation as your fourth sister-in-law."
Chen Anna quickly thanked him. During her lunch break, Gu Yan had briefly mentioned the situation of her fourth brother and sister-in-law's family. She was prepared and brought two beautifully packaged gift boxes: "Fourth sister-in-law, you're too kind. This is just a small token of my appreciation. Nannan, it's for you."
Nannan happily took it and immediately waved to Gu Zhao: "Xiaoman, come on, let's play together!"
Gu Zhaole ran over excitedly. The two children squeezed together on the sofa, whispering to each other with their heads close together.
When Wang Juan opened the gift box, she found it contained a fine South Sea pearl necklace.
She immediately beamed, "Gu Yan, you're so lucky to have found such a wonderful partner. Have you set a wedding date yet?"
Gu Yan leaned back on the sofa with an air of nonchalance and accepted the tea that Gu Weimin offered: "Let's have it for the Spring Festival."
Gu Weimin poured tea for his father and younger brother. Seeing his father also pick up his teacup, he smiled at Gu Yan and said, "Alright, Sixth Brother, I'll give you a big red envelope later."
Gu Yan raised an eyebrow. "Not big enough, I don't want it."
Everyone laughed.
Commander Gu sat in the main seat, looking at his children and grandchildren, a faint smile on his face.
Wang Juan pulled Chen Anna and Nan Zhiyi aside to talk, asking about Nan's daily life and praising Chen Anna for being sensible and thoughtful.
Finally, Wang Juan quietly pulled Nan Zhiyi to the window and whispered something to her.
"Fifth sister-in-law, what is the background of this sixth sister-in-law's family?"
Nan Zhiyi knew that everyone would find out sooner or later, so there was no point in hiding it. She said softly, "I don't know much. I only know that she's the daughter of a wealthy businessman from Hong Kong. She met Gu Yan after her parents moved back to Huacheng a couple of years ago. However, Anna is simple-minded and doesn't interfere much in her family's business affairs..."
Wang Juan gave a meaningful "Oh," and said, "Sixth brother has struck gold... His in-laws will definitely be able to give him a lot of help in the future..."
Nan Zhiyi frowned slightly, "Fourth Sister-in-law, Gu Yan is capable himself. The two of them can support each other, after all, they are family."
Wang Juan fell silent for a moment.
Over the years, she has come to understand that the fifth and sixth brothers have a deep bond, and with Nan Zhiyi and Gu Yan having grown up together since childhood, there will probably never be any conflict between the two families.
Wang Juan glanced into the living room, then leaned closer to Nan Zhiyi, lowering her voice even further: "I heard from Weimin that Second Brother hasn't been doing well these past two years, and Dad... is worried about him and might transfer him back. Does Fifth Brother know about this?"
Nan Zhiyi was slightly taken aback.
She hadn't thought about her second brother and sister-in-law's family for a long time. She didn't even know why they had been transferred away in the first place, let alone the fact that they were being transferred back now.
Firstly, she felt it was none of her business, and secondly, Gu Xiao never liked to bother her with such trivial matters.
"Fourth Sister-in-law, I really didn't know about this," she said truthfully.
"Then when you return to the capital, mention it to your fifth brother and see what he says."
Nan Zhiyi suddenly realized that this was the key point her fourth sister-in-law had wanted to talk to her about.
Does Fourth Sister-in-law not like Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law's family coming back?
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