"Hahaha..." Yi Shumin saw the child still crying and lifted her shirt to feed, "I can’t be gentle. You don’t know this girl never sleeps in the middle of the night, making restless every day."
Zhou Jiao saw the child eager to eat and frowned, "Don’t say such things in the future. Don’t underestimate the child’s ability to sense adult emotions."
Yi Shumin looked at her in surprise.
Zhou Jiao nodded, "Really. Have you ever thought about it? If you speak harshly to your child, outsiders might misunderstand you don’t like her. You might not care but others do."
Yi Shumin nodded thoughtfully.
"We dote on our child so others don’t dare to belittle her." Seeing she’s listening, Zhou Jiao didn’t mind speaking a bit more, "Once you’re done with maternity leave, you’ll be going back to work and then sending her to daycare, only seeing her on weekends. How much ti do you really have to spend with her?"
"When you put it like that, it really is the case."
Zhou Jiao smiled and didn’t continue. So things are better left unsaid; saying too much might seem overbearing. Everyone is an individual with their own standards for living and one cannot impose.
But Yi Shumin didn’t feel that way; she found Zhou Jiao’s words very reasonable: "Did you raise your son yourself? Does he fuss at night?"
Can Zhou Jiao brag about her son? She’s not brainless: "Before kids learn to speak, they’re pretty much the sa. If she fusses at night, it’s because she napped too long during the day or she’s hungry or needs changing."
Seeing her nod seriously, Zhou Jiao smiled, "Why not try setting feeding tis for your child to gradually correct her routine?"
"It’s useless, Brother Xiao Fei asks to feed her every ti she cries. I’m not a tap to turn on whenever needed! Every day at ho, he carries her around so much she doesn’t want to lie on the bed. My mom said not to cuddle her, but he just won’t listen."
Zhou Jiao grinned quietly to herself.
"You find it funny too, don’t you?"
"Brother Xiao Fei loving the child so much, isn’t that great? New fathers do understand!"
Yi Shumin laughed recalling sothing, "You don’t know how Xiao Fei said he must learn from Uncle Zhou."
Zhou Jiao couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Not a bad idea!
"Has the child been nad?"
Yi Shumin shook her head, "Her great-grandmother said to wait until her first birthday. Right now, everyone calls her whatever nickna they fancy. Xiao Fei even asked everyone to call her Yueya’er during the day, worried she might get confused by different nas."
"Yueya’er..." Zhou Jiao laughed, nodding, "That’s a nice nickna. Didn’t expect a rough man to be so particular."
"Can’t escape one’s nature. He’s already planning for her to learn martial arts when she grows up."
Seeing her smiling happily and radiating joy, Zhou Jiao felt truly happy for her. It proves how important it is for a woman to find the right man.
Sitting for a while, Zhou Jiao noticed the ti and made her leave.
On the way ho, the couple took a different path and saw the lights in the old Lin Family Courtyard, it truly felt like things had changed.
The next day, after sending their son to kindergarten, Zhou Jiao went with Zhang Guoqing to the City Hospital. After stepping out of the hospital, Zhang Guoqing was smiling foolishly; indeed, she was pregnant.
Even though they’d suspected it, hearing the expert doctor personally say congratulations made him ecstatic. Especially since this esteed female doctor said Zhou Jiao’s health was perfectly fine and there was no need to be overly tense.
"Brother, reveal the news after New Year’s, promise . You see, the doctor said my happy mood is most important."
Zhang Guoqing readily agreed. Delaying the announcent by three months for reliability was even better; besides, his father-in-law was currently very busy.
Confident in finding an excuse, Zhang Guoqing felt no guilt; nothing was more important than his wife. At most, they could tell everyone they only just found out.
With the holiday started and Zhang Guoqing’s careful care, Zhou Jiao set aside other matters, finally able to enjoy leisure with a cup of tea and a book, living comfortably.
Perhaps even the heavens couldn’t bear to watch, for one afternoon a week later, a piercing telephone ring startled Zhou Jiao who was absorbed in her book.
"Hello, who is this?"
"I’m Shi Dashen, co over now."
Zhou Jiao opened her mouth in shock, "Uncle Shi, this is Zhou Jiao." Implied she was asking if he dialed the wrong number?
"I know it’s you. Co quickly, your dad is here too."
"Understood, I’ll be there in half an hour."
After hanging up, Zhou Jiao imdiately ran back to her room, put on an overcoat, and left a note for Zhang Guoqing who went outside. Otherwise, he’d be worrying and searching all over Beijing.
Before going out, she checked the ti and then went to find Aunt Chen: "Ping’an needs you to pick him up today, I have sothing to do and need to go out."
"Leave a note for Xiao Wu."
Zhou Jiao waved her hand from behind, "I did, don’t wait for for dinner."
She dashed through the alley and arrived at the unit gate in less than thirty minutes, registered, and went inside, looking around, intending to go to her dad’s office to ask about the situation.
At this ti, a young colleague from last ti approached and saluted, signaling her to follow.
Zhou Jiao was puzzled but could only follow closely behind.
In the yard, everyone continued their work; familiar passersby nodded lightly as greeting. Entering the last yard, seeing the eting room inside, Zhou Jiao’s eyes flicked.
"Sir, Comrade Zhou Jiao is here."
"Please co in!"
Hearing Shi Dashen’s voice, Zhou Jiao pushed open the door, seeing her father looking up at her, and several familiar faces among a dozen people.
What’s going on?
Shi Dashen gestured to an empty seat for her to sit, then looked at the group and cleared his throat: "Alright, now that everyone is here, open the files on your table."
Zhou Jiao glanced at her father blankly, seeing his natural expression, knew it wasn’t anything serious. Glancing again at the people present, it was peculiar that so looked very excited, even secretly thrilled.
—Yes, excited and thrilled! A young man even took a deep breath before opening the envelope.
"This is your task. To complete it more efficiently and effectively, please read all the instructions carefully." Shi Dashen said, seeing everyone shaking their heads.
He nodded with satisfaction, looking at Zhou Xiaozheng, "Do you see any other issues?"
Zhou Xiaozheng was even cooler; when it ca to keeping a stern face, he wouldn’t lose out compared to anyone else—he shook his head lightly.
"That’s it. You’ll follow orders when the ti cos, especially mind your communication during this period, and ensure the leaders’ safety."
"Yes!"
Zhou Jiao saw everyone retreat and intentionally slowed her steps. She still didn’t understand whether they were being tasked as translators or guards?
Truth be told, she didn’t have any such skills!
As everyone exited, she didn’t hesitate anymore, with curiosity, she still followed them out.
Shi Dashen looked at Zhou Xiaozheng with a smile, "How was it? I guessed right, didn’t I? This child is considerate and observant. Don’t worry, letting her experience the world only has benefits."
Zhou Xiaozheng patted his shoulder, "Thanks."
"Why say such courteous things between us. As long as you don’t bla . Honestly, I appreciate the child’s steady manner. There are clever people everywhere, but..."
Zhou Xiaozheng responded quietly with a smile and shook his head. Honestly speaking, he was very pleased with such arrangents, but he couldn’t let the other side notice it.
anwhile, Zhou Jiao followed the group into another eting room up front. A middle-aged man was the team leader for this occasion and had organized this eting.
He took out a folder, passing it from the head of the table: "My surna is Miao, I am your team leader for this occasion. This is information about the guests; morize it, but no writing allowed."
After half an hour, ten people finished reading, and the file returned to him.
Captain Miao checked his watch, "Tomorrow morning at six, et here. If there are no problems, we’re dismissed. I hope everyone rembers the confidentiality rules and arrives on ti tomorrow."
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