“By the way, has communication between Huansha Island and the outside world been restored?” On the way back, Gu Jianing suddenly remembered this and asked Sheng Zexi, who was driving.
“Yes, it’s been fixed. The repairs were completed just this morning.”
“Then when we get back, help me call my parents. I don’t know if they’ve tried calling these past few days. If they did and couldn’t get through, they must be really worried.” Given how well Gu Jianing knew her parents, she was sure they had called. After all, they knew her due date was around this time. They would definitely have called to check in.
“Alright, I’ll remember to do that,” Sheng Zexi agreed.
Soon, the car arrived at the military base and stopped in front of their home in the family quarters.
“A car is here! Is it Mom and Dad coming back with Tuantuan?”
At the doorstep, Xingxing and Yueyue, along with Amber, were waiting eagerly. Ever since they learned their father would be bringing their mother home from the hospital today, they had been waiting there early.
Truth be told, they had been doing just fine at the Zhao family’s place. Aunt Zhao and Brother Goudan had been very kind to Xingxing and Yueyue. But no matter how nice someone else’s home was, it could never compare to their own. Home was best when Mom and Dad were there.
Soon, they spotted Sheng Zexi behind the wheel.
“Xingxing, Yueyue, be careful—watch out for the car,” Sheng Zexi reminded the two little ones from inside the car before slowly coming to a stop.
The car door opened, and Xingxing and Yueyue caught sight of Gu Jianing inside.
“Mom!”
Gu Jianing responded, only to be scooped up again by Sheng Zexi and carried into the house. Sister Zhao followed, holding Tuantuan, while Xingxing, Yueyue, and Amber hurried in after them.
Once Gu Jianing was settled inside, Xingxing and Yueyue snuggled up to her, full of affection. Gu Jianing asked them how they had been during this time. When she learned they had been well taken care of at the Zhao family’s home, she felt deeply grateful to Sister Zhao.
“Sister-in-law, thank you. You and Goudan looked after Xingxing and Yueyue, and today you helped with Tuantuan too. I really appreciate it.”
Huijuan quickly waved her off. “Dr. Gu, it’s nothing. Neighbors should help each other out. Besides, after you forgave me for being fooled last time—almost putting Xingxing and Yueyue in danger—I’m just glad to make up for it.”
Speaking of that incident still sent chills down Huijuan’s spine. Her husband, Zhao Weiguo, had scolded her harshly after finding out, which served as a wake-up call never to trust others so easily again.
After Huijuan left, Sheng Zexi went to the communications office to call Huaihua Village.
Back in Huaihua Village, Yao Chunhua, Old Man Gu, and the rest of the Gu family had been anxious and worried after several failed attempts to get through over the past few days. Though they knew the communication breakdown was due to the typhoon, they couldn’t help fearing their daughter’s family might have been affected by the storm.
“I wonder how Ning Ning and the others are doing?” Yao Chunhua murmured as she sewed clothes.
“Yeah,” Old Man Gu sighed, puffing on his cigarette, his brows furrowed in concern.
These past few days, their worry had robbed them of appetite and sleep. Yao Chunhua had even had a nightmare where her daughter and her family were swept into the sea by the wind.
No one knew how drenched in cold sweat she had been when she woke up.
Just as the two were murmuring their worries, the village broadcast suddenly crackled to life.
“Yao Chunhua, Gu Chunsheng… your son-in-law is on the phone. Come to the village committee office immediately.”
Yao Chunhua and Old Man Gu sprang to their feet.
“Son-in-law? Is it Zexi?” Old Man Gu asked.
Yao Chunhua shot him a glare before rushing out. “We only have one daughter—who else could it be but Zexi?”
“The communication must have been restored.”
They had planned to try calling again later, but to their surprise, their son-in-law had beaten them to it.
The elderly couple hurried to the village committee office and picked up the phone.
“Mom, Dad…”
The moment Yao Chunhua heard the familiar voice of her son-in-law on the other end, her eyes welled up.
“Xiao Xi, we heard there was a typhoon where you are—is it true?”
“And why was the communication cut off? We couldn’t reach you for days!”
“…”
As soon as the call connected, Yao Chunhua couldn’t stop talking.
Old Man Gu was the first to snap out of it. “Hey, you’re rambling so much—how is he supposed to answer?”
Only then did Yao Chunhua realize and quickly stopped, though she still managed one last question.
“Xiao Xi, how are Ning Ning and the kids?”
On the other end of the line, Sheng Zexi wasn’t bothered by his mother-in-law’s barrage of questions.
Instead, he understood—it was the worry of a mother.
For someone like him, who had lost his own mother early, it was something he deeply admired.
“Mom, Dad, don’t worry. Ning Ning and the kids are all fine.”
“There was indeed a typhoon, and the communication lines were down. They were only fixed this morning.”
“Ning Ning was worried about you, so as soon as the connection was restored, she asked me to call and reassure you.”
“Ah, good, good. That’s what you should do.”
“But wait—why didn’t Ning Ning call herself? She wouldn’t… she wouldn’t…” Yao Chunhua suddenly sensed something was off.
If her daughter missed them and was worried about them, she should have called personally to reassure them.
Why had she sent her husband instead?
Yao Chunhua’s mind immediately jumped to the worst.
“Mom, don’t worry. It’s because Ning Ning has given birth—she’s at home resting now.”
“Ning Ning gave birth? Oh! Right, right, she was due around this time. Look at me, I was so worried I forgot!”
“How is Ning Ning? Did the delivery go smoothly? Is she alright now?”
Most people would have immediately asked about the baby—whether it was a boy or a girl.
But for Yao Chunhua, her daughter came first.
Her daughter’s health and safety mattered more than anything else.
Old Man Gu, listening to his wife’s questions, nodded in agreement.
Yes, he too wanted to know how their daughter was doing.
“Ning Ning had a smooth delivery. She gave birth to a boy, six pounds…”
Sheng Zexi patiently answered each of their questions.
He then mentioned that Grandma Sang had injured her leg and couldn’t come to help Ning Ning during her postpartum recovery.
“What? Grandma Sang got hurt? Oh heavens, why didn’t you tell us sooner? We had no idea!”
“How is she doing now?”
“And if Grandma Sang is injured, who’s going to take care of Ning Ning during her confinement?”
“Oh no, I should have gone. I should have been there!”
“Mom, don’t worry. I’ve taken leave—I’ll be looking after Ning Ning myself. Rest assured, I’ll take good care of her.”
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