The fragrant aroma drifted in, making Mr. Cheng unable to sit still any longer. He hurriedly asked Zhou Xiaozheng and the others to help set the table, saying to discuss matters over the meal. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Just as Zhang Guoqing returned late, he happened to see this scene and quickly greeted everyone before stepping in to help. His wife’s culinary skills weren’t just talk, especially now when meat was scarce. He had declined an invitation to dine with his buddies earlier, fully expecting a good meal at home tonight.

Everyone laughed and chatted as they finished dinner, leaving a few men to continue drinking.

Zhou Jiao noticed Ping’an sitting on Zhang Guoqing’s lap, unwilling to leave and demanding to eat. She smiled and accompanied him. At nearly seven months old, the child was more alert than others his age. Now, the words "eat" and "walk" were particularly clear—a typical little rascal.

Old Mrs. Cheng saw this and pulled Zhou Jiao aside into the courtyard to quietly ask, "Has the child always been with you? Does anyone know that he started talking at six months old?"

Zhou Jiao, sensing her concern, quickly explained, "Auntie, don’t worry. He just learned these two words in the past couple of days. He only knows these two words. He can’t walk yet, which is quite normal."

Old Mrs. Cheng looked at her skeptically, then seeing her serious nod, she smiled and said, "Even this makes him different from ordinary children. Our Ping’an is certainly extraordinary; you must protect him well and ensure no one notices. The child is so well-nourished that it’s hard to tell he’s only six months old. If someone asks about his birth date, don’t mention it. Be vague."

Zhou Jiao nodded knowingly, yet inwardly felt conflicted. She wasn’t worried about the child’s early intelligence but rather feared he inherited Zhang Guoqing’s strength. That would be impossible to hide!

Her mother-in-law mentioned that Zhang Guoqing didn’t show obvious strength until after a year old, but she noticed Ping’an already had considerable strength, playing with a bag of wooden toys effortlessly. Especially his strong feeding demands, which she dared not disclose to others.

A great tree invites the wind, and only those who remain low-key can live freely. With her grandfather as a precedent, some matters are unavoidable. Ping’an’s nickname embodies her hopes and desires for her child’s future.

At the dinner table, Zhou Xiaozheng listened to the conversation, occasionally responding, noticing Ping’an sitting on Zhang Guoqing’s lap, his big eyes never stopping their scrutiny of everyone. As people spoke, he followed along with "ah-ah" responses. True to Jiao Jiao’s words, he was indeed a little chatterbox.

Seeing Ping’an reaching for the bowls and chopsticks, Zhou Xiaozheng gently patted the child’s hand. This tiny child actually called out for food, surprising him for a moment as he looked around at everyone’s reactions. Noticing they were deeply engaged in conversation, nobody paid attention to this little interlude.

He looked again: Zhang Guoqing put a finger to his lips, motioning silence to the child, and was astonished to find he really stopped talking. Witnessing this scene, he drifted off, lost in thought—wondering if his Jiao Jiao was also so precocious at that age, babbling and understanding expressions? He missed the years watching his child’s growth.

He reached out and took the child, gently **ing his little head. Facing the child’s innocent smile and obedient demeanor, he couldn’t help but laugh—just like his own Jiao Jiao, not a bit shy.

Zhou Xiaozheng’s thoughts didn’t show, but Zhang Guoqing, knowing his nature, couldn’t help but silently comment: his father-in-law must be seeing the child as his dear treasure again. Anything exceptional about Ping’an, his father-in-law would automatically attribute to Zhou Jiao—similar to how his own parents attributed anything to him. It’s the universal heart of parents.

After dinner, escorting the Cheng family out, Zhou Xiaozheng stayed with his wife and son-in-law, accompanying Zhao Chuan Guang and his wife, taking Zhou Jiao into the study with the child.

In the study, Zhou Xiaozheng surveyed his daughter with satisfaction, nodding approvingly.

"Dad, I really haven’t lost weight. Besides missing you, I’ve been living quite comfortably, so much that it’s becoming boring. Dad, what do you think about me finding a job?" Zhou Jiao asked coquettishly, tugging at his arm.

Zhou Xiaozheng shook his head with a smile, pointing at Ping’an in his arms, "You’d feel comfortable leaving the child? Ping’an is so smart even at this age. You need to invest more energy in him. I missed the years of your growth; I don’t want you to have the same regrets as I do. If you work, you won’t have time for the child—at least wait until he can clearly express his thoughts."

Zhou Jiao nodded in agreement. She always hesitated due to concerns about the child.

"Why didn’t you find someone else after that auntie left? Can you manage alone?" Zhou Xiaozheng asked worriedly, weighing Ping’an in his arms and looking at his daughter.

"There are too many secrets at home, having an outsider would be a hassle. Besides, there’s not much work at home, so hiring wouldn’t be helpful. Thick clothes, and bedding I send out for washing; meals are prepared by Xiao Wu before work; sometimes we even eat at the canteen. On regular occasions, Xiao Wu’s older sister comes over to help tidy up. Rest assured! Hiring or not, I’m not overwhelmed."

Seeing her speak so lightly, Zhou Xiaozheng shook his head with a smile. How could it not be tiring? Caring for such a little one still left Jiao Jiao quite exhausted. Unfortunately, the distance was too great for Aunt Chen to intervene, and trusting any outsider wasn’t an option.

"Bring more things to your eldest sister-in-law next time. Your in-laws didn’t cause you any trouble, right? Didn’t you mention what happened with Eldest Zhang and the Huang family in your letter? You were still too lenient." When Zhou Xiaozheng recalled the resolution mentioned in the letter, he was dissatisfied. His son-in-law was still too naive—thunderous wrath alone could deter ghosts and spirits.

"Hehe," Zhou Jiao giggled foolishly, "They didn’t know it was Xiao Wu and his second brother who engineered it. The old man from the Huang family personally came to apologize and seek help from my father-in-law. Nobody in the family paid him any mind, especially my mother-in-law, who was furious when she learned Eldest Huang dared to use her youngest son’s name, refused to acknowledge the eldest daughter-in-law.

Later, Xiao Wu’s older brother asked Xiao Wu not to meddle in the Huang family’s affairs. While he owes the Huang family a favor, it doesn’t mean his brother needs to suffer. Zhang the Second mentioned that his brother had fallen out with his older sister-in-law. The two brothers couldn’t stand to see him suffer, so they sent Eldest Huang away, as a personal favor, to a distant place."

Hearing this, Zhou Xiaozheng scoffed, "They sure know how to play it smart, that Old Zhang’s family. This rotten idea must be Zhang the Second’s doing. Sending him away so in the future his brother would feel unencumbered by the Huang family, living in the county without disturbance, right? And Xiao Wu, that silly kid..."

"Dad, let it be. I know what I’m doing. We don’t interact much with them now. Everyone’s separated their households, each family for itself. Except for supporting the elders, they’re not our... "

Zhou Jiao hadn’t finished her sentence when they heard—"Ah... ah... walk... walk..." Ping’an pointed outside, shouting.

This prompted laughter from the father and daughter duo, Zhou Xiaozheng and Zhou Jiao.

"You can’t go; be good, and I’ll give you something to eat," Zhou Xiaozheng said to him. Seeing the child staring intently at his hand, he immediately understood the boy wanted to eat.

"Our Ping’an is truly clever. You, nurture the child well. Don’t interfere with Old Zhang’s family’s affairs anymore; now that those two brothers have jobs, there’s no problem raising a family by themselves. Just focus on living your own life." Zhou Xiaozheng admonished his daughter again, unwilling to let go.

Zhou Jiao nodded in agreement as she followed him out of the study. She initially wanted to inquire about the Lin family, but the little rascal had disrupted everything.