The car returned to Zhang Family Village from the provincial city as night fell, with only a few scattered lights in the village.
Zhang Guoqing and his mother got off the car. Zhang Guoqing carried the things inside with his mother. His father, who was already anxiously pacing around, very unusually ran out to et them. Apart from books and tapes, he let them move everything into the East Wing of the main house, where they could organize themselves.
Zhang Guoqing didn’t have ti to say much to his parents. He carried a few stacks of old books and tapes into the small living room, then quickly ran back to bring the rest of the things down, parked the car properly, and finally waited for his father. After helping with the last bag, he swiftly brought in the last of the books, jogging back to the room.
Without minding organizing the books, he piled them up in the small living room and entered the room with the bag of tapes. As he entered, he saw Jiao Jiao leaning there waiting for him, and he was imdiately greeted with a bright smile on her face.
"Jiao Jiao, what did you eat for dinner? Were you waiting impatiently?"
"Brother, did you eat? Did my mom get a sleeper ticket? Is she in Beijing now?"
The two of them said in unison and then burst into laughter.
Zhang Guoqing looked at his son, who was still awake and hadn’t slept, "Ping’an, why aren’t you asleep yet? Baby, your daddy is back. Honey, I bought a lot of tapes, you won’t be bored in the future. There are songs, storytelling, opera; they’re all in the bag. I’ll put them aside for now, you can look at them later. Son, daddy will play so music for you."
Zhang Guoqing arranged the tapes, turned down the volu a bit, kissed Zhou Jiao on the cheek while holding her in his arms, "What did you have for dinner? Were they impatient with you? Did anyone make snide remarks? You weren’t wronged, were you?"
Zhou Jiao wriggled comfortably against him, "No, sister-in-law brought it over. At noon, it was noodles with chicken soup and drumsticks on the stove. In the evening, she also brought rice with drumsticks and chicken soup from the stove. Can you sll it? The room is full of chicken soup and a stinky sll."
Zhang Guoqing pressed his chin against her head and took a deep breath, "No stinky sll on your body, it slls quite nice. The whole room slls like chicken soup but it’s a aty aroma. Jiao Jiao, I’m craving so at." He finished with a double entendre, smacking his lips together.
Zhou Jiao burst into laughter, trembling with mirth in his arms. Zhang Guoqing found it amusing too and started teasing her, making her laugh even more.
Finally stopping his teasing, Zhou Jiao stopped laughing, "There happens to be a lot of at at ho these days, eat to your heart’s content. Hehe, brother, go eat first, co back early to chat with after dinner."
"Alright, I’ll be back as soon as I finish eating, even if nine horses can’t pull away. I’ll brew so white fungus and red jujube soup for your late-night snack in the stove. You’ve probably had enough of the old hen soup every day. Tomorrow I’ll change your taste, we’ll eat sothing else. With a stove now, we don’t have to avoid them, at most just leaving them a bowl or two."
Zhang Guoqing released her, found white fungus, red dates, and sugar blocks from the box, washed them, and put them in a small pot on the charcoal stove, closing its vent to let it simr slowly.
"How’s that Ah Jiao intake going? If it’s still tolerable, continue treating it as dicine. Your mom’s way of brewing is not good. I think we should find a doctor to make it into Ah Jiao paste with so walnuts, red dates, and honey, just like before. This way, you can have it as a nutritional supplent even after confinent."
"No need to find soone, I learned from Grandma, I can make it better myself. Bring so black sesa seeds, look at my hair, it’s all dry and ugly. I have the rest of the ingredients here."
Zhang Guoqing looked at her with disbelief.
Zhou Jiao rolled her eyes at him, "What kind of look was that? I really do know dicine, I’m an inherited Imperial Physician, specialized in gynecology and pediatrics. You have to have confidence in . I’ll make a small batch to show you."
"I don’t doubt you being unattractive, you’re the prettiest in my eyes, your smile is very captivating. Honey, really. Look into my eyes, do you see the sincerity? How about letting Doctor Zhou brew you just one or two bottles first, then after your confinent, you can brew more."
Zhou Jiao shook her head proudly, raising her chin, "No need to be so troubleso, I’m already 7-8 days in and can get out of bed. I’ll brew it myself, if I use rock sugar, I know how it tastes, too sweet isn’t good."
Zhang Guoqing adored her deanor, embraced her, and gave her a bite, "Alright, as you say, I’ll fetch so black sesa seeds, and you direct on what to do."
"Then go eat first, you’ve got everything sorted here." After saying that, Zhou Jiao dismissively waved her hand for him to go eat, before his mother started calling him.
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