"Okay, I’ll give you the phone number..." Li Aiyuan was about to turn her head and ask Zhou Mikang for the number when he handed her a slip of paper, and she quickly read it aloud.

After hanging up, she looked at Zhou Mikang and Zhou Hanliang with an even more uneasy expression—feeling both low in awareness and embarrassed. If it weren’t for not being able to stop worrying about her son, she wouldn’t have stayed there any longer.

Zhou Mikang invited her to sit down and said, "Eldest maternal aunt, we understand your feelings completely, including my mom, who feels the same way as you do. It’s just that after all these years, she’s adapted, so she doesn’t try to persuade me anymore.

When I first joined the military, my mom worried quite a bit and got angry too. So, seeing you like this today makes me feel especially close."

"Division Commander Xiao Zhou..." Li Aiyuan laughed awkwardly, "My level of understanding can’t compare to my sister-in-law, and Qiliang’s situation can’t compare to what you did back then..."

"Eldest maternal aunt..." Zhou Mikang interrupted her, "You’re still treating me like an outsider. Weren’t you calling me Xiaomi before, just like my parents? Now you’re calling me Division Commander Xiao Zhou all the time; it sounds too formal.

As for my mom and you, you’re both mothers, and your thoughts are the same. There’s nothing that can’t be compared. I also grew up from Qiliang’s age, so don’t underestimate him; he might not develop any worse than I did in the future."

"Xiao Zhou... Xiaomi, you really know how to comfort people..." Li Aiyuan shook her head with a smile, "I do think my son is quite impressive, but to say he will develop no worse than you in the future—I just won’t believe it.

I’m not being polite, nor am I looking down on my son. You’re not much older than he is, but you’ve already become a Division Commander. Even if he tries his utmost now, he can’t catch up with you.

Also, the fact that you reached this stage at your age, enduring so much hardship and suffering, I can guess without anyone telling me. Even if Qiliang participates in this mission, it won’t even compare a little bit to what you did back then. I’m aware of that."

Li Aiyuan’s hidden message was, don’t try to fool me...

Zhou Hanliang was trying so hard not to laugh that he almost caused internal injuries, thinking, Division Commander, even if you want to comfort someone, you shouldn’t use yourself as an example. At least, if you used me as an example, it would be better, right? At your age and with your development, can you find a second person like you in all of China?

Zhou Mikang also realized that his persuasion seemed a bit excessive, so he coughed to cover it up: "Eldest maternal aunt, you understand what I mean; anyway, Qiliang is promising."

"Yes, yes, yes..." Li Aiyuan’s expression relaxed, as she had always held a sense of awe for this nephew-in-law. To achieve this at such a young age, is that something ordinary people can compare to?

Also because of this, even if her sister-in-law’s family praised the Zhou family to the skies, and even if she witnessed how well the Zhou family treated her sister-in-law’s family, she still had doubts, fearing that the Zhao family’s circumstances might affect Chuxia’s position in the Zhou family.

But just at that moment, she suddenly felt that her and her husband’s worries were completely unnecessary.

Recently, the Zhou family had been insisting that they stay at the Zhou’s house, saying they could stay as long as they wanted, and it was definitely not just pleasantries. Instead, her and her husband’s behavior seemed too petty.

If it happens again, she definitely won’t be so pretentious!

While she was pondering, the phone rang, and she quickly got up and ran over to answer it, "I’ll come over tomorrow, and I’ll go to buy tickets soon. I just called Zhao Qihui and asked her to pack things up, and also notified the second brother and his wife, bought them tickets too, and told them to come with me. You should tidy up a room at home for them to stay in."

Li Aiyuan, who was initially quite happy, suddenly felt her face fall when she heard the second brother and his wife were coming over. Although Lin Xiaohua is different from before, who knows if it’s real or an act?

She personally wouldn’t mind, but her daughter-in-law is pregnant, and if Lin Xiaohua starts causing trouble, what to do?

The refusal was about to escape her lips, but she swallowed it back down. Even after all these years of marriage, there are still things to be mindful about. After all, that is her husband’s brother and sister-in-law. If she prevents them from coming, her husband would probably be unhappy.

Moreover, if her husband found out that she made the call at her nephew-in-law’s place, with him and Commissar Zhou guarding nearby, he would be even more upset...

After hanging up the phone, Li Aiyuan seemed a bit deflated.

"Did eldest uncle still not agree?" Zhou Mikang asked her with a confused look.

"He agreed." Li Aiyuan forced a smile, "It’s the second brother and his wife coming over. I... I’m not unwilling for them to come, I’m just concerned about Xiaoqiong’s mood."

Zhou Mikang immediately understood. He had dealings with the second uncle and his wife; he knew clearly what kind of people they were before. As for whether they’ve truly changed or not, who knows?

"I’ll go over tomorrow." After thinking about it, Zhou Mikang said, "With Chuxia not here, I have to involve myself in family matters for her; Eldest maternal aunt, you won’t mind me meddling, will you?"

"No, no, of course not..." Li Aiyuan looked at him with delight, "Xiaomi, really... thank you so much!" 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

In the evening, when Zhou Mikang called Chuxia to say goodnight, he told her about Zhao Yushan and Zhao Qihui coming to A city and bringing Zhao Yushui and his wife along.

"Why bring them over?" Unsurprisingly, Chuxia’s first reaction was the same as Eldest maternal aunt’s; for the arrival of the second uncle’s family, she was absolutely rejecting... (to be continued. If you like this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly votes; your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com for reading.)