Rebirth in the 50s: The Couple with the Hidden Space-Chapter 714 - 589: Did You Know Jiao Jiao Is Back?
The phone rang with a ding-ding-ding sound, and before Zhang Guoqing could remind him, Ping’an quickly hopped onto the sofa, picked up the receiver, and held it to his ear. "Hello, who are you looking for?"
"I’m looking for you!" Yi Jiefang’s cheerful laughter came from the receiver.
"Uncle, what do you need me for?"
"Want to go fishing?"
"A few days ago, I went to Houhai with my dad and only caught little shrimps. Where are the fish? No fish!"
"Then where do you suggest we go? Is your dad home?"
"Yes, he’s home. Uncle, come over; we can plan together."
Yi Jiefang laughed heartily, "Alright, I’ll come over after dinner, and we can plan together."
After hanging up the phone, Ping’an ran over to Zhang Guoqing, looked at him with wide blinking eyes. His grandmother said he was cutest this way, making everyone want to give him anything; his dad probably felt the same. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚
Zhang Guoqing chuckled as he looked at him, "If you have something to say, say it."
"Dad, can’t I come with you wherever you go? I’m a good baby, really good."
Zhang Guoqing scooped him up, "Good baby, give daddy a kiss..."
"It tickles... tickles..."
From the kitchen, Aunt Chen heard the laughter between father and son in the living room and chuckled along. Such a big kid with a little kid, no one knows when Jiao Jiao will be back.
As Zhou Xiaozheng came home from work, he heard laughter from the living room before he even entered, and instantly a smile curled at the corners of his lips, eyes full of delight.
"Dad, you’re back! Son, go serve your grandpa..."
Ping’an: "Yes!" He ran to get slippers.
Zhou Xiaozheng, amused watching the father and son fetching water and fetching shoes like treasures, laughed, "So happy today, you know Jiao Jiao is coming back?"
Zhang Guoqing exclaimed, and suddenly the father and son rushed up to Zhou Xiaozheng, staring at him.
"Latest news, she’ll be home before dinner."
"Ah..."
"Oh... my mom is back..."
Zhou Xiaozheng watched the father and son happily hugging and spinning around. Actually, his daughter had been back for three days, busy drawing blueprints to turn the place upside down, and he couldn’t even see her. Now it’s good; finally, the family will reunite!
Zhang Guoqing didn’t think too much, thinking his wife was still on the plane.
"By the way, Dad, you guys eat first; I have to go out for a bit."
Zhou Xiaozheng glared at him, "Eat first; after eating, do what you want."
Zhang Guoqing hesitated for a moment, nodded, and said, "Alright. I’ll go hurry Aunt Chen, Ping’an, call your grandma and see if she’s out yet."
Zhou Xiaozheng saw him rushing to the kitchen impatiently, smiled and shook his head, waving to Ping’an, "Don’t call; your grandma will be back soon. Do you know what your dad is going to do?"
"Buy old hens! Every time he goes to the countryside, he asks which family has old hens, but they don’t sell them, wanting to keep them for laying eggs. My dad also wants to buy meat, asking who has a wedding. He secretly told me foreigners all eat bread and milk, my mom must be thin as a sheet."
After Ping’an said this, he waved to his grandpa, motioning for him to squat down.
Zhou Xiaozheng amusedly cooperated, only to see him lean closer and whisper in his ear, "My dad said he found out official travel expenses are very little, and the journey requires company. And my mom always does things cautiously, surely not daring to spend money casually or make special arrangements. Having money but unable to spend it, must be both angry and hungry, still thinking of us, definitely suffering."
Zhou Xiaozheng patted his head. How didn’t he consider these things then? Given his daughter’s nature, she would indeed do these things. Isn’t this wanting the child to enjoy prosperity but making her suffer?
"Grandpa, don’t worry! My mom is really smart."
Zhou Xiaozheng smiled at his reassurance. This kid is sharp, easily noticing any emotional shift in him.
"Grandpa, let me accompany you to bathe, I can help rub your back."
Zhou Xiaozheng held his little hand, "Alright. In summer, no need to rub back, wait until winter, we’ll go to the bathhouse, and grandpa will take you."
While Aunt Chen was setting up lunch, Lin Lishan finally came back late, and upon hearing her daughter was back, she was so happy that she chuckled and repeatedly asked Aunt Chen what supplies were at home.
Zhang Guoqing quickly advised, "Mom, have lunch first, I’ve prepared everything. You should return home early this afternoon; tonight, we can have a nice family meal."
"I’ll go make a short stop this afternoon and come back. Brother Zheng, with Jiao Jiao back, should our family be leaving too? You’re running back and forth like this, it’s too tiring."
"I’ll probably have to go on a business trip soon, we’ll talk then."
Zhang Guoqing glanced at the time, quickly ate a few bites while listening. He had to go out to buy some things as cover; otherwise, it wouldn’t be easy to take out things when Zhou Jiao gets back.
"Dad, you guys eat slowly, I’ll head out first."
Zhou Xiaozheng nodded, "Be careful on the road."
"Okay."
Lin Lishan watched her son-in-law leave quickly and asked curiously, "Why go out now? Even for shopping, there’s no need to go so early; the sun outside is blazing."
"Young people have their own thoughts."
Seeing this, Lin Lishan said no more. He’s gone, stopping is useless.
Meanwhile, Zhang Guoqing pushed his bike out the door, wandered near Shi Dashen’s workplace. During lunch, he regained clarity and quickly reasoned his wife was most likely finishing matters before returning home.
After examining the surroundings, he found a small diner in a place she would surely pass, ordered a bowl of noodles, and sat there leisurely killing time.
This small diner’s business wasn’t very good. After all, those able to eat in the workplace cafeteria nearby wouldn’t want to spend on an outside meal. There were two old men who didn’t go home at noon, happily sipping liquor and gossiping about which alley housed big personalities, what people might be eating.
Zhang Guoqing listened and laughed heartily.
Beijing’s old and young are known for being talkative. Listening to the old men narrating time from today to ancient times, which alley was previously an official’s mansion, he indeed gained a lot of insights.
The two old men, drinking and having an audience, spoke even more energetically. From secrets of the Qing Dynasty to how many bundle-escaping palace maids and eunuchs ran when it fell.
Grown up near the Imperial City, after all, their knowledge about nearby buildings was casually fluent, loses were prompted by old friends. They remembered things vividly as if yesterday. Considering their age, they indeed lived through three dynasties, keeping up with the times.
Time flows, the ancient city remains as it is, relentlessly aging people; reminiscing, isn’t this often an episode in the elderly’s life?
As the sun set and the distant alley cast half golden, half gray, its ancient aura posed history heavily, embedding more charm and poignancy like these elders’ extraordinary lives.
Zhang Guoqing saw it was getting late, amiably bid them farewell, pushed his bike slowly approaching the workplace vicinity, striving to be the first to see Zhou Jiao walk out the doorway.
Time seemed to slow down; his heart thumped like waiting in early infatuation. Thinking how absence makes the heart grow fonder, Zhang Guoqing wore a silly, infatuated smile.
