Chapter 87 : Just a piece of cake?

They arrived at the guesthouse.

Han Zhenyu noticed that little An An was constantly whining and looked very uncomfortable.

Chenchen was also lying weakly on the bed, retching from time to time.

Gu Fangxun was panicking, and sweat broke out on his forehead.

He hurried downstairs to ask the hostel receptionist for two pots of boiling water and then filled a basin with cold water. “Comrade Gu, please wash them first, and then give them some hot water. This will make them feel more comfortable. I’ll go buy some food for you.”

“Han Zhenyu, you really helped me a lot today, thank you.” Gu Fangxun quickly took out money and tickets from his bag to give him.

Before he could take the money, Han Zhenyu smiled and waved his hand. He took out the three steamed buns from the lunch box and put them on the table, then opened the door and went out.

He only had one lunch box, so he borrowed two more from his comrades in the guesthouse and went directly to the state-owned restaurant across the street.

It was dinner time, and the restaurant was crowded.

Han Zhenyu secretly gave two cents to a lady inside and asked her to help boil a few eggs.

He also ordered a box of millet porridge, bought two boxes of vegetables, and ten steamed buns.

Then, he turned to the supply and marketing cooperative next door and bought two cans of oranges and a bag of hawthorn slices.

The two children were carsick and definitely had no appetite, so he thought it would be good for them to eat some canned fruit to stimulate their appetite first.

Han Zhenyu hurried back to the guesthouse carrying two net bags.

When Gu Fangxun saw what he had bought, he felt a lump in his throat for some reason.

He had brought the two children out of Beijing. They had been on the road for five days, and both Chenchen and Anan had lost a lot of weight.

He had been afraid of encountering kidnappers, so he hadn’t slept much in the past few days and was physically exhausted.

He was also worried about his parents and his sister’s family back in Beijing. He was nearly at his limit.

He said gratefully, “Han Zhenyu, I don’t know what to say.”

Han Zhenyu looked at him and joked, “Comrade Gu, if you continue to be so polite, I won’t know what to say.”

The two looked at each other and couldn’t help but laugh.

After a moment, Han Zhenyu became serious and said, “Comrade Gu, saving your sister and brother-in-law was really nothing for me. Even if I hadn’t helped, they would have managed to get by on their own. But you taught me how to drive that afternoon and arranged for me to work as a driver at the machinery factory. I’ll never forget this kindness. So you really don’t have to be so polite with me.”

Hearing him speak so honestly, Gu Fangxun admired his character even more.

Han Zhenyu had known their identities last year, but he never showed any intention of taking advantage of them, and he kept insisting that saving their family had been a small thing.

Gu Fangxun remembered that when his sister and brother-in-law left, they had given Han Zhenyu their home address and phone number, asking him to contact them if he needed anything.

But more than a year had passed, and they hadn’t received any message from him, as if they had never known each other.

Gu Fangxun said, “Although it may have been a small effort for you, you will always be our family’s benefactor for saving my sister and brother-in-law.”

Han Zhenyu smiled and shook his head. He didn’t continue to be polite and instead put the food on the table.

Seeing that Gu Fangxun had already tidied up the two children but hadn’t had time to change his own clothes, Han Zhenyu smiled and said, “Comrade Gu, when I came up just now, I asked the lady downstairs, and she said there’s hot water now. If you trust me, you can go wash up first, and I’ll keep an eye on the children here.”

“Don’t worry,” Han Zhenyu added. “I don’t mind them being noisy, just let me watch them for a while.”

Gu Fangxun took some clothes from his bag and said to his nephew, “Chenchen, uncle is going to take a shower. Can you and An an play with Uncle Han for a while?”

Jiang Lichen nodded obediently, “Uncle, go ahead. I heard what you said just now. I know Uncle Han is a good man. He saved my parents’ lives.”

Gu Fangxun smiled and patted his head, “Chenchen is so good.”

Han Zhenyu waited for him to go out, then opened the lunch box, peeled the eggs, put them in the millet porridge, and crushed them with a spoon.

When little An An saw the food, she started drooling and shouted excitedly, “Eat… eat… An An wants to eat.”

Han Zhenyu first gave Jiang Lichen a spoon and said, “Chenchen, can you eat by yourself? I’ll feed your sister.”

Jiang Lichen shook his head and said weakly, “Uncle Han, I don’t want to eat. You and sister can eat it.”

Han Zhenyu first fed An An a mouthful of rice, then opened a can of oranges and placed it in front of Jiang Lichen. The sweet and sour fruity aroma wafted out.

“Eat some canned food to whet your appetite first, and then you can eat later.”

Jiang Lichen looked at the bright yellow can of oranges, swallowed his saliva, and felt a little appetite.

He took the spoon and said, “Thank you, Uncle Han.”

“Eat quickly.” Han Zhenyu touched his head with a smile and continued to feed An An.

The little girl had a very good appetite. In a short while, she ate half a box of millet porridge, one and a half eggs, and finally drank some canned orange juice.

When Gu Fangxun came back from taking a shower, the little girl was eating a piece of hawthorn slice in small bites.

Jiang Lichen had eaten some canned food, and his appetite had improved. Now he was eating a steamed bun and some vegetables.

When he saw Gu Fangxun come in, he remembered that his uncle and Uncle Han hadn’t eaten yet.

He immediately put down his buns and chopsticks, and said self-reproachfully, “I’m sorry, Uncle Han, I forgot to wait for you to eat together.”

Han Zhenyu immediately smiled and said, “It’s okay, eat it.” He then said to Gu Fangxun, “I told him to eat.”

Gu Fangxun wouldn’t blame him. Ever since his sister and brother-in-law were captured, this child had become so sensible that it made people feel distressed.

He stuffed his change of clothes into his bag and sat down on the kang with a smile.

Han Zhenyu noticed the watch on his hand and asked, “What time is it now?”

“One thirty-five,” Gu Fangxun said.

Han Zhenyu nodded and handed him a pair of chopsticks. “Let’s eat. I’ve already fed An An. She ate a lot of millet porridge and more than an egg.”

Jiang Lichen added, “My sister even drank canned juice. She ate a lot today.”

Gu Fangxun pinched An An’s face and said, “Little girl, why do you have such a good appetite today?”

An An still wasn’t speaking clearly. She was holding a piece of hawthorn, chewing it, and laughing with drooling eyes.

After all the trouble, Han Zhenyu and Gu Fangxun were hungry, so they took the steamed buns and started eating.

“Comrade Gu, I have to go to the factory to unload the goods at 2:30. You can take a rest in the afternoon. I will come to pick you up after I finish unloading the goods.”

Gu Fangxun smiled and nodded, “Okay, we’ll wait for you here.”

After dinner, Han Zhenyu said before leaving, “If I haven’t arrived by four o’clock, don’t worry. Something must have delayed me at the factory. Even if I’m late, I will come to pick you up, and we’ll leave together.”

“Okay, I got it.” Gu Fangxun walked him to the door and closed it after he went downstairs.