“No need. A car was sent to the chief. I’m the one who’s driving it usually. I’ll use the chief’s car to drive to Ping Cheng.” The soldier didn’t tell his biological mother that this car was different. If he drove the chief’s car to Ping Cheng, he could save a lot of trouble and pick up those people whom he should pick up earlier.
The landlady sighed. “Okay. Go ahead.” She wanted to send her son to the station so that she could spend some more time with him. It was rare for her son to return to his hometown, and he didn’t need to continue receiving long-term training in the army. The problem was that after her son returned to Qingshui Town, she wouldn’t have a chance to see her son if she didn’t come over to the Zhai family’s compound.
However, it was also good that her son was closer to her. She could take the initiative to come over to see him.
“Sister, go in. If you’re careful, you can’t go wrong. I shan’t enter.” After her son left, the landlady got Qiao Nan to enter the Zhai family compound. However, she didn’t do so. Obviously, she remembered that Zhai Sheng was a person who loved the quiet and needed quiet rest.
Qiao Nan tried hard to lower the shoulders that she had lifted. “Okay, I’ll enter now. Aside from what I’m supposed to do, I won’t do anything else and cause trouble to you.”
“Sister, don’t mind me.” The landlady loosened her eyebrows. “It’s simply because this big shot is too unique. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be so nervous. Actually, I don’t really understand. He’s such a formidable big shot. Even if he needs to recuperate in the capital, there would be a team of specialists taking care of him. Why did he have to return to Qingshui Town?” That gave her son a lot of work.
“It’s because he’s here at Qingshui Town that you have a chance to see your son.” Qiao Nan couldn’t help but speak up for Zhai Sheng. It was true that Zhai Sheng’s life and health was no longer just his own concern but the country’s. As such, if something happened to Zhai Sheng, there was a need to mobilize everyone.
Zhai Sheng had already minimized the big battle by coming over to Qingshui Town to recuperate. No matter when or under what circumstances, the men of the Zhai family weren’t arrogant to consider everybody and everything beneath them.
“That’s true.” The landlady let go of her unhappiness quickly. Without this incident, she wouldn’t have seen her son so many times this year. Furthermore, after receiving the task of taking care of the chief, her son had always been happy and excited. Her son was nervous because he was worried that he couldn’t take good care of the chief. He didn’t find any problems with the chief. “Our conversation has caused some delay again. Sister, hurry in now. Oh right, there are some ingredients in the refrigerator. Perhaps you could make something for the chief to eat?”
“All the ingredients are in the refrigerator. Aren’t there any fresh ingredients that were bought today?” Qiao Nan pressed her lips into a thin line. Unless fresh fruits and vegetables from the market couldn’t be bought due to seasonal reasons, she generally didn’t like cooking with ingredients in the refrigerator.
“There are,” the landlady said hurriedly. “The ingredients for the chief are delivered fresh every day. It’s just that the chief has a poor appetite and doesn’t eat much. The prepared ingredients weren’t used, so they could only be stored in the refrigerator. My son told me that the fresh ingredients today are all on the table.”
“Okay, I’ll take a look and prepare accordingly.” She had worried too much. Zhai Sheng was so important to the country and people. Even if he came over to Qingshui Town to recuperate and no matter how simple the trip was, the country wouldn’t ill-treat someone like Zhai Sheng.
Wait a minute. That was pretty strange. Zhai Sheng returned to the Zhai family’s compound in Qingshui Town to recuperate. Then, what about her parents-in-law—no, Zhai Sheng’s parents? Why didn’t they accompany Zhai Sheng and take care of him?
Zhai Sheng was forty-five years old this year. His parents must be old, but they should still be around, right?
Upon thinking of Zhai Sheng’s family situation, Qiao Nan couldn’t help but slow down her steps. Actually, it was not only strange that Zhai Yaohui and Miao Jing weren’t by Zhai Sheng’s side. Zhai Sheng’s wife wasn’t around either. Was that appropriate? Could it be that Zhai Sheng’s wife let him return to the Zhai family’s ancestral house to recuperate alone so that she could take care of the children?
“Did Xiao Xu get you here?” Qiao Nan suppressed the questions she had. Before she could understand them, she met Zhai Sheng on the way. Zhai Sheng wasn’t standing but was seated in a wheelchair instead. He looked at Qiao Nan plainly. Even though Zhai Sheng was seated, Qiao Nan felt that she was looking up at Zhai Sheng.
Qiao Nan blushed. Her voice trembled a little and she stuttered. “Y-Yes.” The landlady’s husband seemed to be surnamed Xu. As such, the Xiao Xu Zhai Sheng spoke of should be the landlady’s son.
Zhai Sheng heard Xiao Xu mention this before. He saw Qiao Nan standing there quietly without asking any questions and felt comfortable looking at her, unlike the rest. As such, Zhai Sheng nodded. “Okay. I’ll trouble you these few days. Also, can you prepare some food for me?”
After returning to Qingshui Town, Zhai Sheng wasn’t sure if it was because of his mood or body, but he didn’t consume as much food. Zhai Sheng knew that Xiao Xu was fretting every day. However, he couldn’t help it that he didn’t have any appetite. At this moment, he felt hungry. Zhai Sheng wouldn’t ill-treat himself. Thus, he came out to get someone to cook for him.
“Oh, okay.” Qiao Nan nodded. She stepped forward and stood behind Zhai Sheng’s wheelchair. She grabbed the handles and pushed Zhai Sheng, who wanted to return to the house, into the courtyard outside. “I’m not sure if you have any preference for food or if you feel like eating anything in particular today? The weather is pretty good today. Don’t coop yourself in the house. You can go out to the courtyard and bask in the sun. Do you have chess in your study room? I’ll bring it out. You can play chess with yourself.”
Zhai Sheng didn’t actually do this. In her dream, Old Master Zhai liked to play chess with himself. Zhai Sheng had learned from Old Master Zhai his ability to play chess. Instead of doing nothing and sitting quietly in the courtyard to bask in the sun, he could play chess with himself to kill time.
Zhai Sheng was stunned. All along, he was the only one giving orders and asking others to obey them. In his impression, he couldn’t remember how long it was, but nobody dared to go against his words and even make arrangements for him.
After listening to Qiao Nan’s words, Zhai Sheng realized that he didn’t feel irritated at Qiao Nan’s arrangement. As such, he silently agreed to it. “From your accent, you don’t seem to be a local from Qingshui Town.”
“Yes, I’m from Ping Cheng. I grew up in Ping Cheng and only came to live in Qingshui Town this year.” Qiao Nan stopped after pushing him to a position that she felt was most comfortable.
