Chapter 60 - 21: "Zhaozhao, Be Reasonable

Chapter 60: Chapter 21: "Zhaozhao, Be Reasonable

A smile crept onto her lips, but she said, "Then you’re not allowed to secretly give Gu Xing’er money. Otherwise... otherwise, I’ll take the four kids and go back to my parents’!"

Gu Chenghuai said, "You’ve always handled the finances at home. I don’t keep any money on me, so what would I even give her? Besides, I listen to my wife."

He sounded so earnest that Lin Zhao’s mood improved.

"Is what you said about the job true?"

"Isn’t it supposed to be hard to find a job these days? How did you find one? What am I supposed to do?" Thinking about the job made Lin Zhao nervous, and the questions came tumbling out of her.

Gu Chenghuai, not minding the cost of the phone call in the slightest, patiently and meticulously explained the situation to her.

"I’ve already wired the money. Just go directly to the county government building and find Yang Junzhi. He’s a comrade of mine from the army, and he’ll guide you through the whole thing. It’s alright, it’s just a formality. You’re a high school graduate, so a salesclerk job should be a piece of cake for you, right? You’ll do great."

’My wife is good-looking and a high school graduate. A mere salesclerk position? She’ll have it in the bag!’

"Okay." Hearing how Gu Chenghuai had arranged everything so thoroughly, Lin Zhao felt the salesclerk job was practically a done deal, and the tension in her face eased.

"Thank you, Father."

Gu Chenghuai let out a low chuckle. "No need to be a stranger, Mother."

Lin Zhao saw her two sons tugging on her arm, standing on tiptoe to hear their father’s voice. She said to the person on the other end of the line, "Da Zai and Er Zai are here. Say a few words to them."

"Okay."

Lin Zhao handed the phone to Da Zai. The boy’s expression tightened, and he held it with both hands, his whole body stiff with tension.

"Don’t be so nervous. You won’t break it. I was holding it for a while and it’s fine," Lin Zhao whispered.

Her voice reached Gu Chenghuai’s ears, and the young officer raised an eyebrow.

Da Zai held the phone and moved his lips, but before he could speak, a voice came from the receiver.

"Da Zai."

The electric current altered the sound of the voice. An adult could vaguely recognize its familiarity, but to a small child, the voice on the other end was utterly strange.

Da Zai was nervous and shocked. He stammered, "There’s... there’s a voice?"

"That’s your dad," Lin Zhao said, amused.

"Dad?" Da Zai called out hesitantly, testing the word.

Gu Chenghuai could almost see his son’s face: eyebrows and nose like his own, eyes like his mother’s. A quiet, well-behaved child, with a shy and adorable smile.

"It’s Dad," Gu Chenghuai replied, then asked, "How is everything at home?"

"It’s great." When it came to family, Da Zai had plenty to say. "Mom took me and Er Zai to Grandma’s house. Second Uncle caught a wild rabbit, and Grandma made spicy rabbit meat for us. It was so delicious."

Gu Chenghuai responded promptly, "When Dad gets back, I’ll take you guys rabbit hunting."

"Dad knows how to hunt rabbits?" Da Zai asked, his eyes wide.

In a little kid’s mind, being able to hunt rabbits was super cool.

Sharpshooter Gu Chenghuai: "..." ’You’re underestimating your old man!’

"I do," he said. "Next time I’m back, I’ll teach you how to use a slingshot."

Da Zai’s eyes lit up, but then his gaze dimmed when he remembered that he and his brother didn’t have slingshots. "We don’t have a slingshot."

"Dad will make you one."

Within a few sentences, the father and son had grown closer. Da Zai gradually relaxed, his eyes sparkling with a happy light. "Thanks, Dad."

"Dad, Mom said we’re going to build a brick house. Did you get the bricks and tiles?"

Gu Chenghuai’s voice was gentle. "I got them."

Da Zai looked up at Lin Zhao, his face alight with excitement. "Mom, Dad said he got the bricks and tiles!"

"I heard," Lin Zhao said, her gaze warm.

Just then, Er Zai stared eagerly at Da Zai, his voice pleading, "Big brother, is it my turn now?"

Da Zai looked reluctant, but he didn’t hog the phone. He said a quick word to his dad and handed the phone to Er Zai.

After handing it over, he copied what Er Zai had done earlier, pricking up his ears to listen to his dad’s voice from the receiver.

"Dad!" Er Zai shouted.

As soon as Gu Chenghuai heard that lively voice, Er Zai’s little face, full of mischievousness, seemed to appear before his eyes.

"Yes," he responded.

"Dad, when are you coming back?" Despite the phone line, Er Zai showed no hint of unfamiliarity and chatted freely with his dad. As he spoke, his bright eyes studied the phone in his hand. ’How magical.’

"If you don’t come back soon, me and Big Brother will forget what you look like!"

Gu Chenghuai’s expression didn’t change. "It’s alright. Dad remembers you."

Er Zai giggled and said in a low voice, "I remember you too, Dad. Mom made me and Big Brother look at your photo last night."

Gu Chenghuai guessed his wife had shown the two boys the photo on their marriage certificate.

"When Dad gets back, our whole family will go take some pictures."

Er Zai said happily, "Okay!"

"Mom made new clothes for me and Big Brother. We’ll wear our new clothes for the pictures!"

"And I’ll wear my little army cap!" he added excitedly.