Chapter 584: Business Trip
Chapter 584: Business Trip
During dinner, Gu Heng told his wife, "I have to go on a business trip for a few days tomorrow."
Dong Yan asked, "Where are you going?"
Gu Heng replied, "To Sui City."
After lunch, Gu Heng spent some time in his study, then rested a bit at home before heading back to work.
Gu Yue had plans to go shopping with her friends.
Dong Yan asked her daughter, "Where are you going again?"
Gu Yue said, "I'm meeting my roommate to go shopping this afternoon. By the way, Zeng Jing and I are roommates."
"Where is your roommate, Jiang Xia, from? Is she from Sui City?"
Gu Yue thought for a moment. "I'm not sure; she hasn't mentioned it. Mom, are you curious about her too? Did you know she changed her watch again today!"
"Why would I be curious about her? Just don't get too close to her."
Gu Yue was puzzled. "Why not? I think they are quite remarkable. Did you know I saw them with Old Master He and Principal Zhou today? They were chatting and laughing together. Old Master He seems very close to them. You know how serious he usually is, but he was very friendly and smiling with them."
From a distance, she saw Old Master He affectionately pat Jiang Xia's husband on the arm twice.
He probably couldn't reach the shoulder, so he patted the arm instead.
Once, he even held Jiang Xia's husband's arm and talked for about half a minute.
If he wasn't close to them, he wouldn't do that, right?
"Who he is close to is none of your business. I can tell they are people with no class. Just look at how they tussle at the mall entrance, blocking everyone's way. And who changes watches every day? Such extravagance is a capitalist behavior. Stay away from people like that; they might corrupt you! You're not going shopping with her, are you?"
"No! She's taking the kids and left right after class."
Gu Yue didn't listen to her at all. "Mom, I'm leaving, or I'll be late."
"Learn from your older brother and focus on your studies instead of always going shopping."
Gu Yue quickly ran out.
Dong Yan was frustrated.
After her daughter left, she thought of something and quickly went to the study.
The book had already been put back in its place.
She took it out and looked inside, but the photo that had been tucked in for over twenty years was gone.
Dong Yan opened the drawers and checked each one.
The photo wasn't there either.
Dong Yan was both amused and angry.
Was he taking the photo to Sui City to find out if he was the biological father?
*
In the afternoon, Jiang Xia had no classes. After lunch, she lay on the bed, breastfeeding and trying to get the children to sleep.
Before the children could fall asleep, she dozed off herself.
Zhao Chenglei was holding both children, trying to soothe them to sleep.
He walked back and forth, softly singing, "Unity is strength..."
Usually, after singing it twice, the children would fall asleep.
He finished singing and looked down; both children were asleep.
He walked to the bed, intending to call Jiang Xia for help, but saw that she had already fallen asleep.
The older brother was still awake and smiled at his father when he saw him approach.
Zhao Chenglei smiled back at his son, his eyes filled with warmth. Every time Jiang Xia tried to put the children to sleep, she would fall asleep faster than they did.
He carefully placed one child on the big bed, then freed his hands to put the daughter in the crib.
He then placed the younger brother in the crib as well.
Finally, he covered Jiang Xia's waist and abdomen with a thin blanket to keep her from catching a chill and silently urged his son, who was drinking milk and watching him, "Go to sleep."
Zhao Chenglei walked away, knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep if he stayed.
He felt that among the three children, the older brother was the most alert.
Recently, this had happened twice when it was Jiang Xia's turn to put him to sleep. Even when he was almost asleep while drinking milk, he would open his eyes wide to look at Zhao Chenglei if he approached.
He wasn't sure if it was a coincidence or if the older brother was naturally more alert.
The younger brother and the little sister were different.
The younger brother was very much like Jiang Xia, with a remarkable ability to fall asleep instantly.
Once he was asleep, nothing could wake him up.
Little sister was probably a combination of the two of them.
Zhao Chenglei sat down at the desk and picked up one of Jiang Xia's textbooks to flip through.
He wasn't particularly interested, but since Jiang Xia liked it and was studying it, he decided to learn a bit more about it.
He read quickly, skimming through the thick book and finishing it in just a few minutes.
Then he checked on the elder brother, who had also fallen asleep.
He carefully carried the elder brother to the crib, being even more gentle than he had been with the other two, so all three siblings could sleep together.
He then adjusted Jiang Xia's clothes and pulled the blanket over her abdomen to keep her warm but not too hot.
With that done, he returned to the desk and took out a foreign book to translate.
Jiang Xia didn't sleep soundly, still thinking about feeding the children. She woke up suddenly.
The crib was empty, and the three children were sleeping soundly.
Zhao Chenglei was sitting at the desk, translating.
The sunlight streaming in from the window fell on his soft hair and stern profile.
The way he focused on his work, head bent in concentration, was captivating.
This man, for her sake, had put everything aside to stay at home and take care of the children while she attended university.
In this era, men like him were few and far between.
Zhao Chenglei finished a page of translation and, sensing something, turned to look back.
Sure enough, Jiang Xia was awake, lying in bed and lazily watching him.
Her long hair spread across his pillow.
Jiang Xia asked, "How long have I been asleep?"
Zhao Chenglei glanced at the time, "Only ten minutes. Go back to sleep."
"I'm not tired anymore. You should sleep. I'll do the translation; you get less sleep than I do." Jiang Xia sat up and tried to get out of bed.
Zhao Chenglei closed his pen and returned to the bed, pulling her back down to lie with him. "Stay and sleep a bit more with me."
It was only one-thirty in the afternoon. She would have to get up to breastfeed the children at night, and he knew she wouldn't agree to just giving them formula. She insisted that each child already received less breast milk and couldn't skip the midnight feeding.
Getting up twice a night to breastfeed meant she needed more rest during the day.
Jiang Xia lay in his arms for five minutes but still couldn't fall asleep. She usually only needed a few minutes of midday nap to feel refreshed, especially since her naps were longer during her pregnancy.
"I can't sleep. I want to get up."
Zhao Chenglei didn't let go, knowing she would fall asleep soon.
He reached up with his hand,
and leaned down to find her lips.
Jiang Xia was startled and dodged, "Grandma and the others are outside."
"They're in the east room; they won't come in here."
...
Jiang Xia woke up again at four-thirty.
The three children were still sleeping soundly, and Zhao Chenglei was quietly translating at the desk.
She propped herself up on her elbow, and the movement still caused a slight flutter in her chest.
Zhao Chenglei noticed she was awake and turned to her, "Your aunt's made a bowl of papaya and milk. Should I bring it to you?"
He set down his pen and stood up.
Jiang Xia also stood up, her legs still a bit shaky.
Zhao Chenglei quickly stepped forward and embraced her. "Are you feeling unwell?"
The frequency had been a bit high lately.
Jiang Xia glared at him.
Seeing her blushing face, Zhao Chenglei smiled.
If she wasn't unwell, then it must be the opposite.
He lifted her, their foreheads touching, and laughed, "Me too. It's worth it."
No need to be so careful anymore.
"..."
Jiang Xia didn't immediately understand what he meant by "worth it", but then her eyes widened.
Zhao Chenglei's eyes sparkled with amusement, and he leaned down to kiss her.
Then he set her down, about to say he would go get the papaya and milk, when he saw the elder brother in the crib, wide awake and watching them.
Zhao Chenglei: "..."
(End of Chapter)
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