In a blink of an eye, it was time to part. After sending Zhou Jiao off early in the morning, Zhang Guoqing suddenly felt at a loss, holding his son, he momentarily lost the interest to return to school.
All along, in this unfamiliar time and space, he could settle down and blend in smoothly mainly because his only concern was always by his side.
He said he was protecting Zhou Jiao, but wasn’t it Zhou Jiao who had been supporting him all along? Now that she was gone, his fighting spirit seemed to have left with her.
"Dad, I still want to do horse stance and practice boxing."
Zhang Guoqing came back to his senses and put down the child. Having nothing to do, he also started doing horse stance with his son. The difference was his thoughts were scattered, and he couldn’t find peace in his heart.
After Ping’an finished his horse stance and a set of boxing, he stood curiously to the side, observing Zhang Guoqing. He secretly wondered how his dad could keep doing horse stance and not get tired?
Around Zhang Guoqing, Ping’an couldn’t help but giggle. His dad was so funny, even doing horse stance while daydreaming.
"Dad, it’s time for breakfast."
Zhang Guoqing was startled awake by his son’s push, only then realizing his legs were a bit numb. He shook his head with a wry smile, this wouldn’t do! In less than two or three months, he might go mad, seems like he needs to find something to do.
"Are you hungry? I still need to practice boxing."
"Dad, the sun is coming out."
Zhang Guoqing understood his son’s implication, but how could he lose face in front of his son?
He stretched his limbs, jokingly said, "Yes, my set of boxing needs to wait for the sun to come out, to absorb yang energy, then it’s successful."
Ping’an scrutinized him suspiciously and asked uncertainly, "Really?"
"What do you think?"
Upon hearing this, Ping’an immediately jumped up, hugged his leg, and quickly climbed up, being caught and lifted up by Zhang Guoqing, laughing happily—his dad could also lie.
Zhang Guoqing accompanied his son to finish breakfast, personally sent him to kindergarten. Watching the child happily wave and enter, he turned and left the Big Courtyard, got on the bus.
Two stops away, not far in front of a guesthouse, a thin, dark-skinned child darted out from the alley and glanced at him.
Zhang Guoqing checked his watch, it was just past eight o’clock, he walked into the alley, "Heizi, why so early? Didn’t you sleep last night?"
"It’s close to my house, I ate and came over, it’s not even half an hour yet."
After speaking, Heizi lowered his voice, "The person returned this morning, still inside. This person is really bad! Should I keep watch at night too?"
Zhang Guoqing shook his head, "You should just check morning and evening, then go to school. Go to class now, or you’ll get scolded for being late."
"I’m not going. They keep making us work every day, I know everything I need to. I’ll go over later and say I have a stomachache, just as an excuse. I’d better keep an eye, this is definitely a bad person."
Zhang Guoqing didn’t say much, asked about Zhou Xiaocun’s daily routine these past two days. Learning that it was completely different from previous days, he went out early and returned late, always with a sullen face.
He pondered, looking at the guesthouse’s entrance. Seems like another change occurred. These past two days, he hadn’t inquired about Lin Liyin’s matters, not sure if the negotiations broke down.
Thinking of this, Zhang Guoqing gave a quiet instruction, then turned and left.
After half a day’s run, he roughly understood that old bastard Zhou Xiaocun must have made some excessive demands, frightening Lin Liyin and her husband back to their hometown.
Thinking of this, he chuckled to himself. Gu Ruyi, that old woman, finally met her end, should he add more fuel to the fire? Unfortunately, he wasn’t sure how much it involved his own wife. True headache!
Before going home, Zhang Guoqing passed by Fang Fei’s workplace. After some thought, he planned to stop by to see him. Recently he hadn’t seen this guy much and wondered how this soon-to-be dad was doing.
Fang Fei looked surprised when he came in, "I heard you were coming, thought it was a mistake. What is it? Here to scrounge a meal?"
Zhang Guoqing sat down beside him, greeted others, then replied, "Just noon, nowhere to go, thought I’d accompany you for a meal."
"Good brother, finally remembered me. I’ll treat you to a meal out, how’s that for being brothers?"
Zhang Guoqing glanced at the others in the room, shook his head, "Let’s just eat in the canteen, save you some money for baby formula."



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