Chapter 188: Chapter 139: Zhao Yuanyuan, the Whirlwind
Zhao Yuanyuan was ecstatically riding her bicycle, rushing toward the village. She secretly chuckled to herself, Jiao Jiao was finally going to the county town, she finally had a companion.
Arriving at the North Mountain Foot’s Zhang Family Courtyard, before even entering, Zhao Yuanyuan shouted, "Jiao Jiao, I’m here, I’ve got good news for you." After shouting, she pushed her bike into the courtyard and saw Zhang Guoqing’s mother smiling cheerfully at her.
"Girl, you’re here to see Jiao Jiao, right? Just go on over, I suppose Ping’an is sleeping, so Jiao Jiao can’t answer you loudly. Go on in."
Zhao Yuanyuan smiled sheepishly, she had forgotten that the little one couldn’t be startled awake with loud shouting, "Auntie, Zhang Guoqing and my Uncle Zhou were dragged home by my dad for a drink. My dad asked me to come and tell you, he’s an old friend with Uncle Zhou, so you don’t have to worry."
Mother Zhang nodded cheerfully, "Okay, go tell Jiao Jiao, have dinner here and don’t rush back. Have a good chat with Jiao Jiao."
"Alright. I won’t eat dinner here, it’s too late to head back then. Auntie, I’m going in." With that said, she hurriedly ran to the west wing, towards Zhou Jiao’s bedroom.
Zhou Jiao heard her from afar, and upon hearing her approach, she quickly called out, "Yuanyuan, come in, how come you had the time to come over today?"
Zhao Yuanyuan entered the room, seeing Zhou Jiao’s mother, whom she had met before, "Auntie, I should call you Aunt-in-law now, I didn’t know before that you were my Uncle Zhou’s wife. Today, my dad ran into Uncle Zhou, and that’s how I learned they were old comrades. Uncle Zhou and Xiao Wu were taken home by my dad, and he asked me to come and inform you so you wouldn’t worry."
Lin Lishan smiled as she looked at the energetic girl before her. Her personality was completely different from her own Jiao Jiao. This girl rattled away non-stop, her voice clear and bright, her manner confident and agreeable.
"Oh, thank you for the trouble, Yuanyuan. Last time I saw you, you hurried off. This time, sit down and have a good chat with me."
Zhou Jiao smiled as she looked at Zhao Yuanyuan, this one must have something urgent to come rushing over. Seeing her eyes almost sparkling with excitement, wearing a ’hurry up and ask me’ expression, she neither asked nor spoke.
Frustrated, Zhao Yuanyuan stomped her foot, exasperatedly saying, "Aren’t you curious how my dad found Uncle Zhou? Jiao Jiao, it wasn’t at the office, I took him directly to Uncle Zhou, if you don’t ask, I’m not telling."
Zhou Jiao drawled, "Did you spot my dad and Xiao Wu searching for a house near your place and just ran into them?"
Zhao Yuanyuan’s mouth dropped open in disbelief, covering it with her hand, she widened her eyes and accusingly said to Lin Lishan, "Aunt-in-law, look at that, I’m hurt again. She’s no fun at all, couldn’t she just pretend a bit and guess?"
Lin Lishan soothingly patted her, "Ignore her, let her play with her son. We can have a good chat. What were Uncle Zhou and Xiao Wu doing when you saw them? Did they leave any message for you?"
Zhao Yuanyuan patted her forehead, apologetically saying, "I’m such a dum-dum. Aunt-in-law, I didn’t get a chance to ask. When I found them, they were installing a lock, the house had already been bought. The previous owner was a professor, only him and his wife lived in that courtyard. Now they’re older and need their son’s care so they’re selling it. I didn’t go inside but just looked around in the yard, only a flowerbed in the corner, no vegetables planted, no chickens kept, pretty tidy. My dad mentioned, the owner of this courtyard is quite cultured and refined, the inside should be nice as well.
Let me tell you, it took Uncle Zhou less than two hours to buy the place, even quicker than my mom buying napa cabbage. Xiao Wu didn’t ask me to pass any messages, he was busy installing the lock. Uncle Zhou was held up by my dad, didn’t have time to say anything to me. Besides, I was in such a rush to bring the news to Jiao Jiao, I didn’t have time to relay messages."
Lin Lishan and Zhou Jiao burst into laughter at this, Zhao Yuanyuan’s restless nature was indeed as such.
Lin Lishan didn’t expect her husband to finalize the house so quickly and even run into Zhao Dashan. She had met Zhao Dashan last time, he’s to be Xiao Wu’s superior in the future. And now that he’s an acquaintance, it’s even easier for Xiao Wu to manage things.
This chance encounter just set the work schedule. I wonder if they’ve postponed it to after the New Year. They don’t have much time to spend with their daughter and need to rush back. She also plans to have Jiao Jiao and her family stay home for a while, to spend some good time with the kid, and find a chance to take her to Shanghai for a visit.