Chapter 85 - 74: Arrangements

Zhou Jiao knew her mom couldn’t stay put in the village, "Alright, all those tickets are in the drawer by the bed, the foreign exchange coupons are at the back, take them all. If the money isn’t enough, I have some here. It’s just inconvenient to go to the provincial city. Even if you go with grandpa tomorrow, it’ll still take you 5 hours to come back alone, carrying stuff. Are you sure you want to leave, I think it’s not worth the trouble. Maybe wait for dad to come back. Look, with all the stuff you’ve brought, there’s really nothing essential to buy." Lin Lishan thought to herself, "Forget it, I’ll go ask your grandpa if I can keep the car for a few days, he can drive one away. Xiao Wu can just take me to the train station and return the car when he comes back." Zhou Jiao gave a thumbs up, laughing heartily as she said, "Oh wow, mom, you’re impressive. Don’t bother asking, there’s no space for six of them in the car, but it’d be fine if it were like Xi Zi and them." Xi Zi heard and looked at the mother and daughter but didn’t pay attention to his siblings, "Little auntie, you forgot about uncle’s car. If he’s not out driving, it’s usually parked at home." Lin Lishan laughed heartily, "Even Xi Zi remembered, I can drive a truck too, how many tons? We can load your mother-in-law too, she’ll fit nicely." If Xi Zi hadn’t mentioned it, Zhou Jiao really wouldn’t have thought of it, "Alright, there really are trucks at the textile factory, we need to find Xiao Wu for that. Xi Zi, help your aunt find your uncle, keep it quiet, just have him come over." Xi Zi nodded and ran out. The smell from the kitchen was mouthwatering, and he dashed into the living room, seeing everyone chatting, and tugged on Zhang Guoqing’s sleeve. Zhang Guoqing looked at him puzzled, watching his finger point opposite, he got up and followed him out, "What’s up? Do you want something? Tell me, uncle will get it for you." Xi Zi rolled his eyes, "I’ve grown up, not a childish baby who keeps asking you for things. Little aunt wants me to get you. Go and you’ll know, grandma’s there too." He thought to himself, uncle can be silly, he hasn’t asked adults for things for several years now. Zhang Guoqing looked at the proud boy, gave his hair a good ruffle, and happily held his little hand back to the west wing bedroom. Seeing the mother and daughter don’t look like they have urgent matters, and the kids were around his son, "Mom, Jiao Jiao, what’s the matter?" Zhou Jiao smiled and gestured for him to come closer, "Not much, really. It’s just that mom wants to go to the Friendship Mall in the provincial city, and it’s inconvenient to take the bus herself? Mom can drive, but once you all are gone, there’s no car left, so I thought to ask if you could borrow uncle’s car from Xi Zi." Zhang Guoqing chuckled and said to Zhou Jiao, "Oh my, silly wife, you don’t need to borrow a car, mom will have a car, no need to borrow, you don’t even have to think of a way. Think about it." Zhou Jiao looked at him puzzled, then at her mom, wondering where the car would come from when there are only two cars, once they’re taken, there’s nothing left. "Don’t overthink, it strains the brain. Tomorrow, mom will come with us, spend a night at the military district, and take the car the next day, no worry about not having a car in the district, one car left for grandpa is enough. Being a serving military officer, mom can just drive saying it’s for a task, and no one will object." "You silly girl, didn’t I say no need to tell grandpa? See, solved, haha, my Xiao Wu is clever." "It’s a blind spot for her, once the car’s driven back for mom, anytime it’s not needed, I can just drive it back and return it. You and mom wait a bit longer before resting, the lamb soup outside needs more boiling, it’s okay for you to drink, I’ll add little salt and put some noodles so you can eat and sleep. The whole place smells like lamb now." Lin Lishan was interested too, "Alright, we’ll just chat, once she eats, let her sleep. Lamb soup is good for warding off cold. If lamb soup is made with angelica for Jiao Jiao, it’d be even better." Zhang Guoqing turned to find some red dates, "Mom, there’s no angelica, how about adding red dates? Red dates replenish blood. Jiao Jiao, where are our red dates? I remember they’re in that box, oh, now I remember, together with the brown sugar in the outer room’s cabinet." "Xiao Wu, just add red dates. Not too many, your big bowl can take 5 or 6. If others like red dates too, put in more. For what Jiao Jiao eats, don’t add noodles, just boil two eggs, peel and put them in the lamb soup for her to eat, noodles aren’t good for sleep, put more lamb. We need to buy a stove tomorrow anyhow." Zhang Guoqing nodded approvingly, raising his thumb towards her, "Alright, mom, you’re the expert. Jiao Jiao should eat less but have more meals, keeping it warm with a small stove. This kind of small stove isn’t easy to find, big ones in the county can’t do, too much smoke, bad for the child’s trachea. Mom, can you check at the Friendship Mall for an alcohol stove? If not, at least a small coal stove to set in the outer room. I’ll look in the provincial city too." "Okay, and if you find one too, buy it, no harm in having extra for sweet and savory stuffs." Lin Lishan decided generously. "Mom, I’ll listen to you. Tomorrow, take all the foreign exchange coupons and tickets, Jiao Jiao has money, buy what seems good, we have a car anyhow. Also, if you see raincoats, buy one for me, Jiao Jiao’s torn raincoat can be thrown away. Jiao Jiao, see if there’s anything else you need mom to bring. Winter is here and you’re afraid of cold, think about what you might need like hand warmers or the like." "No need for her to think, she said to keep a low profile, even given a year, she wouldn’t think of it. Xiao Wu, don’t worry, your mom’s shopping is first-class, whatever I buy, whom wouldn’t like." "Alright, mom just checks what’s suitable for her and gets it, especially since winter here is particularly cold. Her small frame can just get well-nourished during confinement, plump and fair." Zhou Jiao chuckled at how lively the conversation got, if it kept on, there might not be enough room to load the car, "Alright, I’ll listen to you both, mom, drive carefully tomorrow, stay if it’s dark. Tomorrow night, have my mother-in-law come over for care, brother, watch out for mom too, make sure she doesn’t drive back in the dark." Zhang Guoqing added the red dates as he talked, "Rest assured, if it gets past 5 in the afternoon, I wouldn’t let the car move even if I had to hold drag it. Let me put the red dates out." As he left, he patted the heads of a few little ones who were listening keenly and walked out. Xi Zi’s eyes darted around, telling Lin Lishan and daughter, "Grandmother, little aunt, let’s go find uncle, Ping’an is due for milk, his mouth is moving." Xi Zi secretly planned to take the siblings and chase after the uncle, being with him meant goodies, if he agreed, they could tour the provincial city tomorrow. Zhou Jiao saw that it had been quite a while since the last feeding, "Mom, it’s been over three hours, should I feed him? He usually cries in four hours." Lin Lishan checked her watch, time indeed flew, already after nine, "I’ll get a warm towel to wipe before feeding, I also need to check on your grandpa, it’s his usual rest time." Zhou Jiao took the warm towel to wipe, holding Little Ping’an, "Mom, no need to come back after seeing grandpa, check if the bedding in his room is warm and who’s looking after him at night, get him settled, I can’t go out, have lamb soup and rest early, it’s late now, I’ll put him to bed after feeding." Lin Lishan patted Zhou Jiao’s head, "Alright, then mom won’t come back, you can rest assured about grandpa, mom will take care of him. Sleep early."