After a busy spell, the bedroom in the East Wing is as warm as spring.
Two baskets have been used as fruit trays on the kang, piled high with golden-yellow oranges, red apples, and dark purple grapes, wafting a faint, fresh fragrance.
Little Ping’an lay at the head of the kang, dreaming away, his little mouth slightly open as he smacked his lips a few tis, smiled, turned over, and continued to sleep. In the study, separated by a wall, Zhou Jiao leaned against the back of a chair, flipping through letters.
Zhang Guoqing lifted the cotton curtain and entered with a plate of frozen pears and persimmons on the table, saying, "Just a little treat; eating too much isn’t good for your health."
Zhou Jiao nodded noncommittally and waved the letter paper in her hand at him, "Don’t rush over to read the mail just yet."
"No hurry, help gather all the parcel slips together, and I’ll collect them all before dinner," Zhang Guoqing picked up the aluminum pot and checked the fla, "Calculate who hasn’t sent theirs yet, or we can wait a couple more days and gather them all."
Zhou Jiao chuckled and glanced at him, "Sounds like they owe you sothing."
"They do owe ," Zhang Guoqing shrugged with a smile, "Previously, we sent so many New Year gifts, there’s got to be so reciprocity."
At this point, Zhang Guoqing wiped his hands and hung the towel on the basin rack by the door, quickly returning to sit at the desk, flipping through a stack of letters.
After a mont, he tapped his fingers on the desk and pointed at the pulled-out parcel slips, "Reciprocity, from now on, New Year gifts will be prepared according to these, and forget about others."
"What, has your son influenced you?"
Zhang Guoqing shook his head, "While you’re pregnant with the second child, our expenses have increased, so it’s the right ti to set rules. Outwardly, high-end items need to be put away soon."
Zhou Jiao found the reciprocity among people uninteresting. She intended to handle others according to the closeness of their relationship, except for Grandpa Jiang in Hai City and her parents-in-law.
But listening now seed to imply sothing else. She recalled Yi Jiefang’s visit earlier, where they whispered outside the door for a good while.
Zhang Guoqing knew her nature to be sensitive and suspicious, worrying she might overthink, so he softly said, "Anyone from the Yi Family who is outside has received notice from Old Yi to stay out of Beijing and, if possible, join the military rather than politics."
Zhou Jiao looked up at him in shock.
Zhang Guoqing glanced at her with an unreadable expression and nodded. Yi Jiefang had co to inform him that so friends had moved their families to cadre schools last month.
However, he didn’t plan to ntion this to Zhou Jiao, considering her pregnancy was stressful enough; why worry her more unnecessarily? Let her think it’s not ti yet.
Zhou Jiao furrowed her brows, pondering, then imdiately pulled out Zuo Lin’s letter and re-read its contents carefully.
Zhang Guoqing sat silently beside her, watching and waiting for her to speak.
After a while, Zhou Jiao sighed, "What’s Aunt’s Uncle planning? Aunt’s family is also at risk; it’s ti to take action."
Zhang Guoqing hadn’t read the letter but, upon hearing this, took it from her hand. Zuo Lin’s tone was normal, as usual, except this ti he ntioned the whole family planned to stay in their hotown county for a few years, asking the couple to look after the elderly relatives.
He got up and patted her, "Don’t worry, I’m going out for a bit to see if Dad’s absence this month hints at anything outside."
Zhou Jiao shook her head, "Don’t move unless necessary; don’t go out to investigate. Let’s find so newspapers from this period to analyze ourselves, and take our son to visit Fang Fei this evening."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Guoqing laughed, "Perfect, let’s go see nursing Dad."
Zhou Jiao hesitated, "Tomorrow, let’s take so New Year’s goods to Uncle Wang’s house. See if he knows when Dad is coming back? Logically, he should be back by now."
"Don’t worry, Dad will be fine! Our family is small, so we’re not a big target." Zhang Guoqing’s eyes glead, "Tomorrow we’ll announce your pregnancy, claiming your symptoms are strong and you need peace."
Zhou Jiao quickly added, "And ask how to contact Dad so we can report the good news first."
Finishing up, the couple traded smiles.
Zhou Jiao looked at the fruit on the desk, pondered, took in the surroundings of the study, then stood up, opened the side door, and entered the bedroom.
Zhang Guoqing followed closely, watching her continue to survey the room, starting to rummage through cabinets. Understanding instantly, he admired his wife.
"Jiao..."
Zhou Jiao put her finger to her lips and whispered, signaling him not to speak. She glanced at their son on the kang, pulled him out of the bedroom, and returned to the study.
"Go ahead."
"Do you have another plan? You’re pregnant now, I hope you take good care of yourself."
"I’ll be cautious." Zhou Jiao extended her hand and held his, "Shall we switch to wearing dostic watches?"
Zhang Guoqing quickly grasped her aning, "The phonograph will be placed in the bedroom to entertain you, along with so necessary high-end items. For the short term, no one can casually enter our room."
Upon hearing his words, Zhou Jiao smiled broadly. That’s her man—understanding instantly. Were they hearts that beat in sync? With the thought, she wanted imdiate action.
She took out two calligraphy works of the Chairman from her hidden space, along with a cara, "Brother, next I’ll need your professional skill to help make three identical sets of the photos."
Zhang Guoqing grinned, "Let know if there are any other instructions."
"Back to basics."
Zhang Guoqing agreed with a nod. With the New Year coming, it was ti to clean up, sorting out eye-catching things to remove any future issues.
The expectant mother’s lip service had exhausted Zhang Guoqing. Starting the next day, after announcing his wife’s pregnancy, regardless of external reactions, he diligently followed Zhou Jiao’s lead.
"Wife, Dad says he can spend the Little New Year’s Eve with us. He tells you not to worry about him; he’s doing well. Right now, he’s outside and can’t call ho; anything important will be discussed upon his return."
Upon receiving vital news, a weight lifted from Zhou Jiao’s heart, allowing her to relax.
Smiling broadly, she nodded, "Understood. Brother, today in the living room."
Zhang Guoqing watched as she pulled him along, frightened, he steadied her, "Slow down. Don’t rush; direct as you please."
Zhou Jiao chuckled and followed him to the living room, smiling and pointing at the wall, "I’d like to hang it here. It should be the first sight upon entering the door. Move the console table to underneath it, and place the old man’s white jade sculpture on top. Does my idea seem right?"
Does it seem right or not? It has to be right! Zhang Guoqing had her sit for a while, retrieved the items from the room. Yesterday, busy until late at night, he created three sets of photos, precisely for this mont.
Aunt Chen watched Zhou Jiao with concern, her belly evident, gently advising, "You sit on the sofa and speak slowly. Let know whatever you need changed."
"Auntie, can you help with the curtain?"
Zhou Jiao pointed at the red curtains on the sofa, glanced at the half-painted green walls, and lied, "I like this red color; it’s so festive."
Weren’t these curtains assigned by the logistics departnt earlier? Aunt Chen’s eyelids twitched. How had her pregnancy caused such a change? Who initially claid that red with green walls strained the eyes?
Alas...what can be done? Pregnancy takes precedence.
"Sure, I’ll swap them out imdiately. Jiao Jiao, anything else that doesn’t please you today, Auntie will change it all."
There’s much!
But how could Zhou Jiao dare let the other party handle it? The most trusted outsider is still an outsider. Anything leaving room for criticism must be done slowly and personally. Fortunately, they were cautious upon moving in, or it would be exhausting.
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