Chapter 170: Chapter 127: Tough Guy, Tender Heart (Part 2)
Zhou Jiao glared at Zhang Guoqing and cried to Zhou Xiaozheng, "Why didn’t you call for me? I didn’t even know you came to see me. Dad, I always thought you were gone. It was my brother who said you were still alive. When I was little, he said people would be in the sky. I often looked up to find you, but I could never see you?"
"Alright, stop crying. Be a good girl, Jiao Jiao. You shouldn’t cry during confinement, or you’ll end up with bulging eyes. Do you know what goldfish eyes look like? All puffy. My good daughter, please don’t cry. Oh no, look, your eyes are no longer beautiful. I promise you, I’ll never leave our little princess again. Be good, look at Dad. Shanshan, hurry and get a towel to wipe Jiao Jiao’s tears." Zhou Xiaozheng bent down, softly coaxing her, occasionally making funny faces to amuse her.
Zhang Guoqing stared at him, dumbfounded. Is this a dual personality? Split personality disorder?
Zhou Xiaozheng took the hot towel and gently wiped his daughter’s little face. Seeing her smile through her tears, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. As he thought, everything about her was good, just like him.
Lin Lishan watched the father and daughter, realizing if she didn’t ask now, she’d lose the chance, "Jiao Jiao, why did you leave the house? You didn’t even want Ping’an anymore. Weren’t you going to stay in for a month?"
Zhang Guoqing snapped back to reality and chided her, "Exactly, wasn’t it all said that there’s no rush to go out? Wait until the time comes, then you can go wherever you want, and I’ll accompany you. Mom, you don’t know, she’s been so bored at home, I don’t even dare let her read books; it’s bad for her eyes. It’s truly been too dull."
Zhou Jiao was feeling happy, tightly holding her dad’s arm. She looked him over from head to toe, saw that his body was intact, and nodded in satisfaction. She scrutinized her dad closely; his complexion was good, not like he was injured.
She was radiating joy, tiptoeing childishly, she smugly kissed her dad’s face and proudly declared to Lin Lishan, "Mom, you always say I look like Grandma. Wrong! Really wrong! Look at my face, then look at Dad’s face. Aren’t the eyes the same, the eyebrows too, even the nose, everywhere alike. Brother, don’t you think I take after Dad?"
Without waiting for a response, Zhou Jiao, beaming with delight, raised her eyebrows, lifted her chin slightly, and boasted, "Do you know why I went out?"
"Haha, it’s because my dad and I have telepathy, did you know? You can all be envious. I was changing Ping’an’s diaper just now, and suddenly my heart started beating erratically, that arrhythmia. No deep breaths could calm it down, and my heart felt sour, always wanting to go out and see. I had no choice, if I didn’t go out, I was afraid my heart wouldn’t take it. I settled Ping’an and went out. Look, as soon as I went out, I saw you two. Dad, am I awesome?"
Before Zhou Xiaozheng could respond. Zhang Guoqing, unable to maintain politeness, hurriedly surrounded her, "Is your heart still racing now? Why haven’t you mentioned it before? Why don’t we go to the hospital now to check?"
Zhang Guoqing looked at her with concern. With all the supplements these days, from old hens and pig trotters to Ah Jiao and bird’s nest, her complexion was only slightly rosy, yet she still looked thin and sallow. Could it be that her heart has always been weak? It sounds dangerous; the heart is not a small matter. It’s better to go to a major hospital for a full-body check-up for peace of mind.
Zhou Jiao realized the joke had gone too far. She quickly waved her hand, afraid they wouldn’t believe her, showing off her arms. Looking at her thin arms, she awkwardly put them down. She quickly stopped her dad from answering, tightly gripping him, fearing that if he answered now, they would drag her to the hospital, which would be quite embarrassing.
"No, my heart is fine. I can handle intense exercise and running. It was a premonition, you know? Look, although I’m skinny, haven’t I been healthy these past few years? Don’t worry, I’m stronger than a bull."
"Pfft," Lin Lishan laughed out loud and tapped her head, "You’re the talker, just you and your dad are close, right? You think your mom is calm, don’t you? You don’t know your mom will hold a grudge against you. Naughty girl!"
Zhou Jiao coquettishly used her other hand to tug at her and said sweetly, "Where would I not think of Mom? I think it was because I saw you two, that’s why my heart was racing. You’re the moon, my dad is the sun, we’re equally important, okay? Don’t be jealous of my dad."
Not forgetting to turn to Zhang Guoqing to explain: "Brother, you too, don’t be jealous of our dad. I can also sense things about you, really. When Ping’an grows up, you’ll know what it’s like to have that blood connection sense."
Zhang Guoqing looked at his father-in-law with envy; he’s not really envious or jealous, Jiao Jiao can also sense him. Before, when he got home and reached downstairs, Jiao Jiao would know he was home.
Seeing it was almost midday, it took a few hours to get here from the provincial city. Presumably, they’d been rushing here since the train this morning, definitely without having eaten anything. He planned to check the kitchen to see if his mother had prepared anything. Before lunch, maybe boil some noodles, crack a couple of eggs on top, and stave off hunger a bit.
Zhang Guoqing looked at her amusingly, so eager to explain to him, afraid he’d misunderstand? He quickly signaled for her to relax, indicating he wasn’t jealous. He’s not the petty type.
"I know, I know. Don’t worry, you sit with your parents and have a good chat. Now that you’ve seen Dad, tell him whatever’s on your mind. Are you relieved now? I have to admit, you really do resemble Dad, not just in facial features but also in temperament. Are you happy now? Dad, Mom, lean back and rest your feet. Jiao Jiao has been thinking of Dad, now she gets to chat with you both. I’ll go out and check. If you need anything, just call me."
After Zhang Guoqing finished, he waited for their response. He poured two cups of tea, brought them into the room, gave Zhou Jiao a look, then turned and went out. He still needed to go out and see if his mother and sisters-in-law were back from the mill yet.
Zhou Jiao saw him casually wave his wrist, and she knew he was going to prepare food. Oh dear, she was so excited that she forgot her parents had taken the early morning train and probably hadn’t had time to eat before rushing here.