Chapter 35: Holding On Tight

Knowing that Zhou Yu would be leaving for Xiangjiang in a few days, Xu An, despite being annoyed that he had a lot to say but did little, still busied herself preparing things for him to take.

She hadn’t gone to the shop these past couple of days and had rushed to buy a lot of ingredients, making food for Zhou Yu to take on his journey. Especially since the food habits in Xiangjiang were different, Xu An hurriedly made some dishes that he could take with him.

After a few hectic days, Zhou Yu returned with the necessary documents. As Xu An finished packing his things, her heart skipped a beat when she saw him walk in. She called out, “Did you get the introduction letter and the pass?”

Zhou Yu stared at her pale face, his eyes moist with concern. He nodded slightly as he stepped into the room, taking two steps to stand in front of Xu An.

He spoke in a deep voice, “We leave tomorrow.”

His low and husky voice reached Xu An’s ears, and her heart sank heavily, as if it had fallen to the ground. She lowered her eyes and responded softly.“Why the rush?”

Zhou Yu averted his gaze, pulled out a chair, and sat down casually, his tone neither heavy nor light.

“We’ve already delayed for a while, and waiting for the documents took several more days. We can’t delay any longer.”

Understanding that he was right, Xu An lowered her eyes and sat silently beside him. She opened her mouth, still concerned, and asked, “With such a rush, have the people on the other side made arrangements to meet you?”

Zhou Yu glanced at her downcast eyes and could only see her long, curled eyelashes. He replied in a low voice, “Zhong Yue has made arrangements.”

After a moment, he added, “No need to worry.”

Upon hearing this, Xu An raised her gaze to look at him and gently nodded.

“Most people there speak foreign languages, with a few local dialects. If you go over with just your accent, you’ll definitely be looked down upon, so make sure to find a good translator.”

Xu An let out a soft sigh and, at that moment, thought Zhou Yu’s cocky demeanor was somewhat endearing. At least…He didn’t look like someone who would be easily bullied.

“All the arrangements have been made.”

Zhou Yu answered one by one. Xu An tilted her head, glancing at the items she had prepared for him in the corner, and said softly, “Make sure to look out for each other with Yaowu on the way. I’ve prepared quite a bit for you, so don’t think you can eat everything by yourself.”

Zhou Yu followed Xu An’s gaze and focused on the sizeable package. His dark eyes dimmed slightly as he replied quietly.

Xu An had already given him most of the necessary instructions, and when she found herself with nothing more to say, she stood up and walked deeper into the house.

Zhou Yu stared at her back, his gaze drifting, unable to settle.

Xu An silently finished her shower and lay down on the bed. Soon after, Zhou Yu came in.

Xu An turned to look at the tall, sturdy figure and said softly, “In the last few days, I’ve prepared all this for you, and not a single person in the main house hasn’t noticed. Yet they don’t know when you’re leaving. If they really wanted to get along, they would have at least come to ask. But in these few days, I haven’t seen a single soul.”

The corner of Xu An’s mouth curled in sarcasm, “With such a mindset, how could you ever feel embarrassed letting Zhou Hongguang take the fall for you?”

Zhou Yu didn’t care what they thought or did, but seeing the displeasure on Xu An’s face, he slightly curved his lips, walked over to the bed, and lay down beside her, saying in a low voice, “No need to worry about them.”

He frowned slightly, “While I’m away, there’s no need to confront them.”

After saying that, he felt it was insufficient and added seriously, “If you’re uncomfortable staying here, you can go stay at a guest house or at the shop.”

Xu An couldn’t help but smile. “If you have money to burn, why would you go to a guest house when you have a home?”

“By your logic, I might as well just go with you to Xiangjiang, which would save me from having to see this whole family.”

After she spoke, the man beside her fell silent, seemingly considering the feasibility of her suggestion.

Xu An’s eyes brightened as she spoke softly, “This family always wants to save face. Don’t forget, Zhou Hongguang making you take the blame hasn’t reached the neighbors yet. They wouldn’t dare make things difficult for me.”

Zhou Yu’s cold expression softened a bit before he replied quietly.

“Going to Xiangjiang means you’ll have to do a lot more than worrying at home. Just take care of yourself and don’t get distracted.”

The soft and gentle tone of Xu An’s words filled Zhou Yu’s ears, and instead of feeling annoying, it made him feel strangely immersed.

As her voice faded to a whisper and then disappeared entirely, only the sound of even breathing remained.

Zhou Yu lay on the bed, swallowed hard, and suddenly turned to face Xu An, who lay beside him.

In the darkness, her pale face appeared blurry and indistinct. Zhou Yu watched her for a while, and amidst the thunderous beating of his heart, he reached out with a long arm and pulled the sleeping woman into his embrace, enveloping her in warmth. Their bodies pressed closely together, and the sweet scent wafted into Zhou Yu’s nostrils.

His heart raced violently as he pressed his forehead against hers, unable to resist rubbing against her. His rough palm repeatedly caressed her slender waist.

Only when she let out a soft murmur did he gradually relax his grip, his eyes darkening, holding her tightly without letting go, and eventually fell asleep.

At first, Xu An felt a bit unaccustomed, but gradually sensing the warmth emanating from him, she nestled into Zhou Yu’s embrace and slept soundly.

Early the next morning, the rustling sounds beside her, having been intentionally kept low, woke Xu An. Her eyelids trembled slightly, and as she struggled to open her eyes, the broad and sturdy figure of Zhou Yu entered her blurry vision. Remembering something, she suddenly widened her eyes, her voice still a bit dazed but filled with surprise.

“Zhou Yu!”

“What time is it now?”

Hearing Xu An’s voice, Zhou Yu finished putting on his clothes before turning to gaze at the clearly still-drowsy woman on the bed, responding in a low voice.

“It’s still early; don’t get up.” “I’m leaving soon.”

There was no way Xu An could stay in bed. As soon as she heard Zhou Yu say this, she immediately threw off the covers, rolled off the bed, and hurriedly said as she got up, “I’ll make you breakfast. Eat before you go.”

Zhou Yu watched the woman flurry about, forgetting all semblance of composure. A hint of amusement flashed through his eyes, but he still didn’t want her to be busy and said lightly, “You just need to buy a couple of buns when you go out.”

“Didn’t I make a lot of things for you? If you get hungry, Yaowu and I will eat.”

Xu An frowned, shaking her head.

“No way! How can you leave home without having breakfast? It doesn’t feel like home! I’ll just make a little something; it’s better than not making anything at all. You won’t know when you’ll be back after you go to Xiangjiang.”

As she spoke, Xu An rushed outside, and her soft words drifted into Zhou Yu’s ears. The old scar in his heart began to heal, rapidly sprouting new flesh. The sting was mixed with a sweetness and sourness he had never experienced before in his memories.

No matter how early or late he was at that home, he never thought he could have this again.

Zhou Yu took a deep breath and followed her out of the house.

Xu An had already started cooking at the door, worried that Zhou Yu wouldn’t have enough time. She simply made him a bowl of noodles. As he walked out, she called out, “Did you tell Yaowu? Where are you all meeting?”

Zhou Yu was pulled back from his thoughts by Xu An’s serious yet gentle demeanor. He replied in a low voice, “We’re meeting at the entrance of the alley and then heading to the bus station together.”

Xu An served him the noodles and fried an egg, then decided on her own, “I’ll take you to the bus station.”

Zhou Yu was packing his things when he heard her say this and immediately frowned. “No need, it’s a hassle.”

He was a grown man; there was no need for someone to send him off. What was more, wouldn’t that mean she’d have to come back alone from the bus station?

Xu An ignored him and efficiently made a bowl of shredded meat noodles, added a fried egg and some bok choy, and handed it to Zhou Yu.

Zhou Yu pulled out a chair to sit down. Seeing that Xu An hadn’t responded, he knew what she was thinking and scowled.

“You don’t need to send me off.”

He softened his tone, “It’ll be crowded at the bus station. I’ll have Yaowu with me. Why would you want to trouble yourself to send us off? You can come back by yourself.”

“You’re not allowed to go.”

Xu An wrinkled his nose, lightly huffing as if conceding, “Then I’ll take you to the alley entrance to meet Yaowu, and I’ll come back.”

Zhou Yu finally agreed.

Xu An looked at him and raised his hand slightly, “Hurry up and eat.”

Zhou Yu lowered his head, eating his homemade meal in big bites.

In the end, when there was not even soup left, Zhou Yu put down his chopsticks, having finished a simple bowl of noodles completely.

Xu An asked repeatedly, “Have you collected your documents? Don’t leave anything behind.”

Zhou Yu replied and picked up the package from the corner to carry on his back.

Xu An urged again, “Let’s go.”

After saying that, the couple walked out of the yard together. Upon exiting, Xu An glanced over at the main house, noticing the tightly closed door; it wasn’t yet time for that family to wake up.

It went without saying that they had been bustling around for so long, yet that family was as oblivious as could be.

Xu An took one last look before leaving side by side with Zhou Yu.

The couple arrived at the alley entrance and soon saw Wen Yaowu standing at the road, waving cheerfully at them as they approached.

He was accompanied by Su Xiaoyang and Su Xiaotong, who were also waiting. Xu An quickened his pace, walking over with Zhou Yu.

Compared to Zhou Yu, who had a large bag on his back, Wen Yaowu was much lighter in load.

Seeing Zhou Yu approach, he reached out to take the bag from him, but Zhou Yu declined.

Xu An stepped forward, gently patting Su Xiaotong and Su Xiaoyang on their heads, asking softly, “Why did you two come?”

Su Xiaoyang answered loudly, “I came with my sister to see off Brother Zhou Yu and Brother Yaowu.”

Xu An quietly remarked, “How did you little siblings know your Brother Zhou Yu was leaving today?”

She hadn’t been to the shop in the past couple of days.

Su Xiaoyang shyly scratched his head, “I asked Brother Yaowu.”

At such a young age, he had such keen awareness; Xu An felt comforted and patted his head.

Since they needed to catch the bus, it wasn’t easy to chat for long. After a few words of farewell, they planned to send them off to catch their ride.

Wen Yaowu touched his own head and looked at Xu An, “Sister-in-law, I’m going to Xiangjiang with Brother Yu, and I don’t know when I’ll be back, so can I trouble you…”

Xu An replied warmly, “Don’t worry; I’ll visit Grandma from time to time, so there’s no need to be concerned.”

Wen Yaowu breathed a sigh of relief, “Okay, thank you, Sister-in-law.”

“Brother Yaowu, I will also go see Grandma, so don’t worry.”

The young boy beside him spoke firmly, and Wen Yaowu affectionately patted his head, while Xu An looked on with satisfaction.

Zhou Yu stared at Xu An’s delicate face, suddenly reaching out to grab her wrist, pulling her to the side. Xu An followed his lead, stopping a short distance away.

Zhou Yu looked at her intently and spoke in a low voice.

“Xu An.”

Xu An raised her eyes to meet his, her gaze clear and slightly puzzled.

Zhou Yu’s throat felt tight, his voice hoarse and deep, “This time, the money I earn will be several times more than before.”

Xu An blinked, staring at him in confusion. Zhou Yu appeared somewhat impatient.

“I’ll bring it back for you,” he said, his voice hoarse yet magnetic.

Xu An lightly replied with an “oh,” her eyes curving into a smile as she softly said, “Okay.”

“When you return, I’ll make you something delicious; whatever you want, I’ll cook it for you.”

Hearing her cheerful voice, Zhou Yu’s furrowed brows relaxed slightly, and his indifferent expression returned as he responded quietly.

After glancing at Wen Yaowu and the others, he lifted his foot to walk over.

In the next moment, a warm, fragrant figure suddenly collided with Zhou Yu, crashing into his arms.

At that moment, it felt as if his heart had stopped beating. The man’s tall frame went rigid, his hands hanging at his sides, uncertain of how to react.

Xu An hugged him for just a moment before stepping back, looking up at Zhou Yu with a smile, “Zhou Yu, have a safe journey.”

Zhou Yu’s mind felt hazy, as he looked down at the beautiful face of the woman in front of him. The usually reckless and rogue-like man found himself momentarily speechless.

After Xu An finished speaking, she turned and walked over to Wen Yaowu and the others.

It was only after being called that Zhou Yu looked up, his gaze settling on a few people not far away. He paused, fidgeting with his tingling fingertips, then took a step forward.

There didn’t seem to be anything unusual on his face as they escorted them to the road, helping to hail a taxi for the two.

Xu An stood beside the car with the Su siblings, waving at them inside, watching the strong outline of the man in the vehicle. She gently pressed her lips together, feeling a bit unsettled.

As Zhou Yu sat in the car, his gaze remained fixed on Xu An, and the vehicle slowly pulled away. It wasn’t until he could no longer see her slender figure that Zhou Yu finally turned his head.

Wen Yaowu looked back at Zhou Yu, feeling a bit envious.

“Brother Yu, you and Sister-in-law have such a good relationship.”

He had rarely seen a wife so close to her husband while they were out. His sister-in-law was quite impressive.

The fragrance that Zhou Yu had held onto had long dissipated, but that soft, cloud-like touch was firmly locked in his memory, embedded deep in his heart.

Hearing Wen Yaowu’s words, the corners of Zhou Yu’s lips slightly curled up, and he did not deny it.

As he watched the taxi carrying Zhou Yu gradually move farther away, shrinking into a small black dot before completely vanishing, Xu An finally let out a gentle sigh.

It would be unrealistic to say she wasn’t nervous at all, but just now, upon seeing him, she thought about how long it might be before she saw him again.

Moreover… going to Xiangjiang was different from being in the mainland. Correspondence was convenient in the mainland, and it was possible to make calls occasionally.

Once he went to Xiangjiang, making calls would be a luxury, and correspondence would be inconvenient. The thought that she might not see Zhou Yu for a long time made her unable to resist wanting to hug him.

And besides… even if it was just to see off a friend, a hug wasn’t a big deal.

With that thought, Xu An felt a bit lighter. After standing for a moment, she turned to look at the two siblings beside her and chuckled lightly, “Waking up so early must be tiring.”

“I’ll take you to eat breakfast, Xiaoyang, you can take Xiaotong home afterward and get some rest.”

Su Xiaoyang immediately shook his head, “Sister An, I’m not tired.”

He still needed to help out at the shop!

Xu An gently pushed the two siblings toward the breakfast shop, knowing the young boy’s intentions. She softly said, “It’s okay; I’ll give you half a day off today. How about you come back to help in the afternoon?”

Su Xiaoyang didn’t want to take time off, but Xu An insisted he couldn’t refuse. She took the two siblings to have breakfast and reminded Su Xiaoyang to take Su Xiaotong home afterward.

Then, she leisurely made her way back to the Zhou family courtyard.

Upon returning to the Zhou family courtyard, Xu An saw that Pan Hehua was already up and busy with something in the yard.

As soon as Xu An entered the door, she bumped into her and didn’t bother with any pretense, heading straight to the east room.

Once inside, she closed the door behind her, yawned, and went directly to the inner room for some rest.

Pan Hehua stared at the tightly closed door of the east room and quietly clicked her tongue, thinking how uncultured Xu An was.

In the evening, the entire Zhou family returned home. Pan Hehua had cooked dinner, which consisted of brown rice and vegetables, with no trace of oil or meat in sight.

The family ate in silence, the atmosphere heavy with few words exchanged.

Zhou Hongguang looked at his family, letting out a deep sigh.

Zhou Youlu impatiently knocked on the table with his chopsticks, “Hongguang!”

“Can’t you eat what’s in front of you? Why the sigh?”

Zhou Hongguang replied calmly, “Dad, I didn’t mean it like that.”

He glanced at his equally unappetizing wife, frowning as he continued, “We just returned from the factory, and we heard from people in the alley that the second brother left early this morning.”

“We found out the news last among the family.”

His tone carried an endless sadness.

As soon as he spoke, the already tense atmosphere worsened.

Zhou Dandan pouted, “It’s not like Second Brother told us he was leaving; he just snuck away. I still have school with Third Brother; who has the time to care about him?”

Zhou Shuwen remained silent, but Zhou Dandan’s words conveyed his sentiments as well.

Feng Yirou couldn’t help but speak up, “In the past

Everyone in the family had an unspoken understanding, but it was Feng Yirou who brought it up so lightly.

The family’s hands paused in the midst of their meal.

Zhou Hongguang understood the reason his wife said that, and after letting out a sigh, he felt Feng Yirou discreetly poke him multiple times in the arm before looking at Pan Hehua.

“Mom, after we finish eating, I need to talk to you about something.”

Zhou Youlu frowned, somewhat displeased with his eldest son’s attitude. “We’re family; why do you need to talk behind everyone’s back? Just say it now.”

His father was the most obstinate, and Feng Yirou disliked him the most. Hearing him say that, she said nothing, only secretly stepped on Zhou Hongguang’s foot under the table.

Zhou Hongguang picked up some vegetables for his dad and whispered, “It’s nothing serious, Dad. You don’t need to worry.”

Zhou Youlu kept a cold face and didn’t say anything else.

Once dinner was over, Pan Hehua cleared the dishes while the others returned to their respective rooms. Feng Yirou unusually took the bowl from Pan Hehua’s hands.

Pan Hehua went to the west room with Zhou Hongguang, closed the door, and looked at her eldest son, frowning. “Hongguang, what’s wrong?”

After contemplating for a moment, Zhou Hongguang decided to share what he had previously discussed with Feng Yirou.

“Mom, since Second Brother isn’t around right now, you should take the opportunity to talk to Second Sister-in-law later, and be polite about it. See if you can get a sense of what she thinks.”

Pan Hehua’s eyes widened in shock. “Eldest, are you serious! Is Fang Shu really pregnant? Could it really be that Second Brother’s wife helped her?”

Zhou Hongguang replied solemnly, “Mom, you saw how Boss Zhong and his wife brought so many valuable things to the east room before.”

Hearing her eldest son say that, Pan Hehua recalled those large packages that had made her envious and nodded.

“Indeed, I was thinking how close Second Brother’s wife must be with Boss Zhong’s wife to be so generous.”

What seemed like mere envy at the time now felt suspicious; if nothing was going on, it would be strange.

The more Pan Hehua thought about it, the more she felt it was likely true, and it weighed on her mind. Sitting in her chair, she looked at Zhou Hongguang and lowered her voice significantly, afraid that Xu An in the east room might hear.

“Could it be that the Second Brother’s family is really that capable?”

Zhou Hongguang watched his mother’s naive expression, a flicker of impatience flashing in his eyes. If it weren’t for her saying those things about Second Brother’s wife earlier, there wouldn’t be such a mess now; Second Brother had turned the family upside down.

A small person rising in status looked down on everyone.

Zhou Hongguang’s unyielding thoughts flashed by, but he still spoke gently.

“Boss Zhong hasn’t had children in five years; now that my sister-in-law arrives, his wife gets pregnant. Plus, there was the matter of the gifts before.”

“And Mom…”

Zhou Hongguang reluctantly laid out the embarrassing situation he had faced previously, his expression not looking great.

“If it weren’t for my sister-in-law helping Boss Zhong’s wife, that last collaboration, no matter what, Boss Zhong would have chosen me and not Second Brother.”

“Even if I offered him a higher profit, given our family situation, and considering that Feng Yirou and I have been childless for three years, Boss Zhong would have likely felt some sympathy and chosen to work with me.”

“But for Boss Zhong to give up benefits and show bias towards someone in the same family situation, it must be that my sister-in-law did something that made Boss Zhong choose Second Brother.”

No matter how stable and mature Zhou Hongguang was, his voice trembled slightly with emotion by the end.

Pan Hehua knew her eldest son must have been furious about the previous matter. After pondering for a while, she nodded in agreement with her eldest’s words.

“If Second Brother’s wife really helped…”

Pan Hehua’s aged face showed difficulty. “Eldest, why did you come to me about this?”

Zhou Hongguang’s eyes carried a hint of sorrow. “Mom, Feng Yirou and I have been childless for three years now. People in the alley have never stopped gossiping. In the past, they didn’t dare to bring it up in front of us, but recently, those who gossip have become increasingly bold, especially since Boss Zhong’s wife is pregnant. Feng Yirou and I are now in the spotlight.”

“It’s fine for me as a man, but Feng Yirou can’t handle these rumors.”

“Mom, you surely can’t just watch while our neighbors talk about our family, can you?”

“Of course not.” Pan Hehua slammed the table.

“Whoever dares to gossip, I’ll go to their house and make a scene. Let’s see who’s more formidable.”

Zhou Hongguang said in a low voice, “So… Mom, I’m bringing this up because I want you to find out how my sister-in-law feels.”

“If my sister-in-law can help Feng Yirou, then after this, we’ll still be a family. In the future, if Feng Yirou and I have to compromise a bit, it’ll be fine as long as Second Brother and his wife are okay.”

Pan Hehua hesitated a bit. “Eldest, can this really work? Second Brother and his wife are quite stubborn; they’ve had a falling out long ago, so it might be hard to say.”

Zhou Hongguang sighed. “This is my fault for letting Second Brother take the blame back then. Although it was a family decision in the end, considering we had to support a whole family, there was no other choice. But it was still wrong to let Second Brother take the fall for me.”

“We shouldn’t have become distant from Second Brother.”

Although Pan Hehua sometimes had such thoughts, she naturally wouldn’t admit it now that her eldest was saying this.

“Three years ago, that was the best outcome. If you had gone to prison, our Zhou family probably wouldn’t have survived these three years. Let alone your younger siblings still being in school, Hongguang, this can’t be blamed on you.”

Pan Hehua sighed, helplessly saying, “If anyone’s to blame, it’s the situation at that time; you suffered for nothing.”

Since her eldest had said this, Pan Hehua couldn’t refuse.

“Alright, I’ll talk to Second Brother’s wife in the next couple of days.”

Zhou Hongguang’s expression lightened, and he let out a sigh of relief.

At that moment, Feng Yirou, having cleaned the dishes, came in from outside and was surprised to see Pan Hehua wearing a rare friendly expression.

Pan Hehua waved her hand at her. “Eldest has told me everything.”

“For you, for my grandchild, I’m willing to risk my old face. If Second Brother’s wife really has a way, I won’t mind losing my face to help you plead with her.”

Feng Yirou repeatedly thanked her.

“Mom, thank you.”

That “Mom” was probably the most sincere thing she had said in the past three years.

Pan Hehua patted her hand. “Alright, don’t think so much about it; take a good rest with Hongguang.”

After Pan Hehua finished speaking, she pushed the door and left.

Stepping outside and glancing at the lit window of the east room, Pan Hehua still headed toward the main house; she had to think about how to approach the topic.

Xu An had already finished her dinner. After washing her dishes, she took her pajamas to shower. After her shower, she came back and dried her hair. Just as she was about to head back to her room, she caught a glimpse of the picture frame on the table, only to find that it was now empty; the photo inside was gone.

Xu An was slightly taken aback, walking in front of the picture frame and picking up the empty frame.

They had developed three small photos: one sent back to Nancheng, one placed in the bedroom, and one kept in the outer room, but now it was gone.

Xu An sat down in a chair, delicately running her fingers along the frame, her expression softening.

She didn’t need to think to know that it must have been taken by Zhou Yu; he had sneakily removed their photos, which was truly unacceptable.

Thief Zhou Yu.

Xu An stared at the frame for a long time before placing it back in its original position, gently wiping her face before wandering back to the bedroom, flopping onto the bed.

Xu An stared blankly at the dimly lit room, gazing for a while, her mind a mess, her thoughts jumbled. After a long time, she finally felt it was late and slowly closed her eyes, wondering where Zhou Yu was now.

They still had to make a trip to Pengcheng before heading to Xiangjiang. Xu An hazily thought, if only Zhou Yu could stay; even if they opened the shop together and it went well, there would be no need for such hectic running around. Xu An drifted off to sleep while thinking about this.

Zhou Yu, under Xu An’s constant reminders, booked two sleeper tickets to Pengcheng with Wen Yaowu.

By this time, it had grown dark. He lay on the bed, propping his head up with his hands, staring at the bottom of the upper bunk. His gaze shifted slightly,

 and he pulled out a photo from his inner pocket.

It was the very same photo that had mysteriously disappeared from their outer room.

Zhou Yu’s gaze lifted, fixing on the cheerful woman in the photo, where Xu An was smiling brightly, linking her arm through his, tilting her head against his shoulder.

The woman was charming and intimate, while he looked stiff and unnatural.

Zhou Brother Yuntly caressed the woman’s face in the photo, his gaze distant.

Wen Yaowu came out of the bathroom, sat on the bed opposite Zhou Yu, and leaned in to see the photo in Zhou Yu’s hand. He grinned upon seeing the close, affectionate pose between Zhou Yu and Xu An.

“Brother Yu, how come your sister-in-law is so wonderful?”

Thinking about how Zhou Yu had treated him with those delicious treats throughout the day made Wen Yaowu feel grateful.

Zhou Yu noticed Wen Yaowu’s gaze and his expression darkened; he suddenly covered the photo against his chest, blocking Wen Yaowu’s view.

Wen Yaowu chuckled and returned to his own spot, lying down.

“Your sister-in-law can do anything, knows everything, and is so pretty.”

He tilted his head, looking at Zhou Yu’s clothes and the things he had gained by association.

“Brother Yu, this trip to Xiangjiang has been full of your grace; your sister-in-law even prepared something thoughtful for me.”

His grandmother had the heart to prepare for him, but her age had made it difficult for her.

At this thought, Wen Yaowu’s voice suddenly lowered. “Brother Yu, I think I miss my grandmother.”

“You definitely miss your sister-in-law too, right?”

Zhou Yu bent his hand that was resting on the photo, applying some force.

He didn’t answer, only lifted the photo again, the woman’s lively and bright face glaring in front of him.

Charming, accusatory, dissatisfied, willful… Zhou Yu’s expression froze, still holding that unchanging photo. He let out a breath, putting the photo back in his inner pocket, his rough palm resting over the outer pocket, closing his eyes.

His thin lips moved slightly.

Wen Yaowu, who was lying beside him asleep, heard nothing.

Xu An got up early in the morning, seeing Pan Hehua standing in the yard, not planning to pay her any mind as she headed straight for the exit.

Then she noticed Pan Hehua blocking her path and frowned.

Could it be that Zhou Yu had only been gone for one day, and the Zhou family was already impatient to come and settle scores with her?

The Zhou family members came out one after another, seeing Pan Hehua blocking Xu An, momentarily hesitating to take a step forward.

Xu An took a deep breath, mimicking Zhou Yu’s demeanor, crossing her arms and staring at Pan Hehua.

“Mom, is there something you need?”

Pan Hehua nodded, glancing at the eldest son’s family coming out from behind, and softened her tone.

“An An, Mom has something she wants to discuss with you. Come with me.”

This tone gave Xu An goosebumps, and she couldn’t help but shiver in front of Pan Hehua.

Pan Hehua’s face darkened but she could only endure.

Xu An looked at Pan Hehua’s odd demeanor, her flesh feeling numb; this was even more uncomfortable than when Pan Hehua had tried to persuade her to marry Zhou Yu.

Clearly, the people in the courtyard felt similarly; the Zhou family members were all curiously watching their own mother as if she were something strange.

Pan Hehua waved her hand. “If you need to go to school, then go; if you need to go to work, then go. Don’t be late.”

As she spoke, the Zhou family members finally left the yard, suppressing their curiosity.

Xu An crossed her arms, looking at Pan Hehua. “Mom, I have things to attend to at the shop.”

Pan Hehua softened her expression and replied warmly, “It’s fine, An An, you’re the boss. I won’t take up too much of your time.”

“Well then, if you have something to say, just hurry up.”

Xu An was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with Pan Hehua’s awkward demeanor, feeling as though a witch were disguising herself as an old woman to deceive her.

Seeing that the family members had all left, Pan Hehua lowered her voice.

“An An, it’s like this…”

“I heard that your relationship with Boss Zhong’s wife is very good.”

Xu An felt a bit wary and replied coolly, “Mom, there’s no need for suspense; just tell me what you really want. I’m busy at the shop and don’t have time to beat around the bush.”

Pan Hehua smiled and said, “I heard that Boss Zhong’s wife is pregnant.”

As she spoke, she observed Xu An’s expression. “Although Hongguang didn’t collaborate with Boss Zhong, they had talked about it before. Even if the cooperation didn’t work out, the relationship still exists. If Boss Zhong’s wife is really pregnant, I think we should buy some gifts to go visit.”

Xu An frowned. The fact that Shushu was pregnant wasn’t a secret; it was understandable that Pan Hehua knew about it from others outside. However, even if they wanted to send gifts to Zhong Yue, it would be fine for their family to go by themselves. Why were they now coming to her for her opinion?

Xu An said coolly, “Mom, I’m not sure about the details. If you have any relationship with Boss Zhong, you can just ask him directly.”

Zhong Yue was currently at home with Shushu, not allowing any other random people to disturb Fang Shu’s rest. Was Pan Hehua trying to send favors through her to Zhong Yue?

She couldn’t possibly agree to that.

Pan Hehua suppressed all her anger, and her smile was forced.

“An An, you have a good relationship with Boss Zhong’s wife.”

Xu An frowned. Pan Hehua was talking nonsense, and she didn’t want to continue this conversation. She waved her hand, signaling she was leaving.

“Mom, if there’s nothing else, I have to head to the shop.”

“Ah!”

Pan Hehua called out loudly, “I’ll go with you to send you off.”

As she spoke, she hurried after Xu An, following her out of the courtyard.

Xu An found her persistent behavior amusing and stopped, crossing her arms while staring at Pan Hehua. Instead of continuing to stroll leisurely, she pointed to the ground with a cold tone.

“Mom, Zhou Yu left early yesterday morning for a long trip. He doesn’t know when he’ll be back.”

She coldly glanced at the Zhou family courtyard, finally locking her gaze on Pan Hehua.

“He’s gone over two thousand kilometers away, in unfamiliar territory, and you, nor your family, even came out to see him off. I’m just stepping out for a moment, and you’re standing at the door looking high and low, hoping to catch a glimpse of me.”

“You’re not sending him off; you’re sending me off?”

“Don’t you find that funny?”

Pan Hehua was left speechless, unable to move as the second daughter-in-law’s words struck her. She could only watch Xu An leave, gritting her teeth and spitting at Xu An’s retreating figure.

Now she was being lectured by her daughter-in-law. How could she stand for that? Pan Hehua angrily turned back, her brows furrowing with worry.

She needed to think this over; the second daughter-in-law was just as stubborn as the second son. She really needed to figure out how to approach the situation.

For the next two days, Pan Hehua didn’t bring up any matters with Xu An, nor did she pester her about Fang Shu.  Xu An didn’t take it to heart; she was glad that Pan Hehua wasn’t being so insincere and nagging her.

In her shop, after taking a break in the back room, Xu An saw Su Xiaoyang rush in, looking excited.

“sister An An, there’s a postal worker at the shop.”

Xu An immediately stood up and headed outside, thinking it was probably a package sent back from Nancheng.

When she reached the door, she indeed saw the postal worker, but he wasn’t holding her package. Xu An walked over, puzzled.

The postal worker smiled upon seeing her. “Comrade Xu An?”

Xu An nodded, “Hello.”

“It’s like this, the post office has your phone call.”

Phone call?

Xu An was taken aback, her heart racing as she realized something, and she quietly asked, “May I ask who the call is from?”

“Oh, it’s from Pengcheng. You need to go to the post office now to make the call; someone is waiting for you.”

As soon as the postal worker finished speaking, Xu An greeted Su Xiaoyang and quickly walked out.

Su Xiaoyang was also very happy. “sister An An, it must be Brother Zhou Yu calling you.”

Xu An walked out, casually replying to him. She hailed a taxi and went straight into the post office lobby.

Standing in a private phone booth, she successfully connected to Pengcheng with the help of the staff.

The phone seemed to ring for a long time before someone finally picked it up, and her excited mood cooled down at that moment.

On the other end, there was silence.

Xu An held the receiver tightly, swallowing hard as she felt the breath on the other end. She opened her mouth, her voice soft.

“Zhou Yu…”

It seemed like the other side was waiting for her to speak, and as soon as she said something, the man replied.

“Hmm.”

Hearing Zhou Yu’s voice made it feel real, and Xu An couldn’t help but smile.

“Did you arrive in Pengcheng?”

“I did.”

“When are you heading to Xiangjiang?”

“Tonight.”

“Are you tired?”

“Not tired.”

He answered her questions directly, without any small talk.

Xu An couldn’t help but laugh, saying softly, “If you don’t have anything to say, why call me? It’s a waste of money.”

Phone calls were already expensive, especially from the capital to Pengcheng. If he went to Xiangjiang, it would definitely be even more costly. Why waste her money if he had nothing to say?

After Xu An finished speaking, there was a long silence on the other end, before she finally heard the man’s casual voice filled with laughter.

“Xu An.”

“I’m giving you all the money I made this time, so I can’t spare this little phone bill.”

Xu An raised her eyebrows, “It’s my own money; why can’t I care about it? What sense does that make?”

“And also, Zhou Yu, you little thief, when did you take the family photo?”

“If I’m a thief, so are you.”

Xu An glared, “What does that have to do with me?”

A low and hoarse voice came from the receiver.

“If I’m the one who has those bills, you secretly put them in my bag.”

Hearing him say that and thinking about the money she had placed, Xu An bit her teeth and murmured quietly.

“I… was just afraid you would starve to death over in Xiangjiang, and then all the money I earn would go down the drain.”

After Xu An finished speaking, she faintly heard a short laugh from the receiver.

She couldn’t help but laugh lightly as well.

“You’ll be switching to Xiangjiang tonight; find some time to call… I’ll cover the bill. Is there any trouble over at the Zhou family?”

Xu An pressed her lips together, hearing the seriousness in the man’s tone, and softened her voice.

“No.”

She thought for a moment and told Zhou Yu about Pan Hehua pestering her to contact Zhong Yue, lightly humming as she said.

“She didn’t even look at you before going to Xiangjiang. Now that I’m at the door, she has to pretend to send me off; I’ll just take it as a joke.”

Though Xu An’s words were brief, Zhou Yu furrowed his brows, realizing that his mother had ulterior motives.

He said in a deep voice, “Just ignore it. No matter what they say over there, play dumb. Just act like you don’t know anything.”

Xu An nodded, “I understand.”

Then she leaned closer to the receiver, her lips slightly parted as she softly whispered,

“Xiangjiang won’t be easy for you; please be careful.”

“Hmm.”

“No matter how much money you make, come back early.”

“…Got it.”