"That's true, times have changed." Old Wang nodded, then changed the subject.
How old is your daughter this year?
"She's twenty-eight," Liu's mother replied.
"Are you dating anyone?" Old Wang's eyes widened slightly.
"Not yet, Xiao Zhi." Liu's mother looked at Liu Zhi.
Liu Zhi curled her fingers, unsure whether to answer or not.
If the answer is yes, Meng's mother will definitely press for an answer; if the answer is no, Meng's appearance will be vividly recalled in Liu Zhi's mind.
We're all adults; we can understand a few subtle words, let alone someone as direct as Lao Wang.
Liu Zhi thought for a moment and said, "She is also in the capital."
Liu's mother looked at Liu Zhi, her eyes filled with surprise and delight.
"Why didn't you mention it to your mother?" Liu's mother wanted to leave Liu's father and Lao Wang behind and ask Liu Zhi about the situation.
"It hasn't been long, and things haven't stabilized yet," Liu Zhi replied.
Old Wang's eyelids drooped, and he chuckled dryly, "Kids who can work in the capital are all doing quite well."
Liu Zhi hummed in agreement.
Mr. Liu was even more excited than his mother. He couldn't hold back and asked directly, "What does he do?"
"Also a doctor."
Are you a local?
"native."
Mr. Liu was unsure whether to be happy or worried.
Marrying someone from the capital means you can settle down there, but Yancheng is far from the capital, making travel inconvenient and meetings difficult.
Mr. Liu was reluctant to part with his daughter. If she really had to get married, he would prefer her to marry a local from Yancheng.
After chatting for a while, Liu Zhi really didn't want to answer anymore, so she took a spoon and fed her father.
Neither Liu's parents spoke, only Old Wang sighed about the hardships faced by this generation of young people.
It was exactly noon when they finished their meal, and Liu's mother took Liu Zhi to a beef noodle restaurant near the hospital.
Liu's mother was used to paying after the meal, and Liu Zhi had already paid beforehand.
"Are you really dating?" Liu's mother asked hesitantly. "How come you didn't let anyone know?"
Liu Zhi stirred the noodles a couple of times, pondered for a moment, and said, "It's fake, a lie to Lao Wang."
Liu's mother was disappointed. "Her son is really well-off, and having multiple ways to contact him isn't a big deal."
"Mom," Liu Zhi put down her chopsticks, "I prefer to let things take their natural course when it comes to relationships."
“How long will it take to let things take their course? If you’re still not married by thirty, your chances will be slim,” said Liu’s mother. “Look at your peers, their kids are already in kindergarten.”
Liu Zhi added some chili sauce to the noodles without saying a word.
"Translation is a bit busy, but the pay is high," said Liu's mother. "There's no harm in looking into it first."
"I know." Liu Zhi sipped her noodle soup.
Liu Zhi got up at around 5 a.m. this morning, and she was indeed a bit hungry by this time.
"Think about the future more," Liu's mother said. "If you get old and sick, and your children are still in school, who will take care of you?"
"I try my best not to get sick."
"I won't use the bloodline inheritance thing to pressure you. If marriage is unnecessary, then where did you come from?"
“Things are different now than before,” Liu Zhi said calmly. “Can you imagine how much it costs to raise a child these days?”
"I raised two children, and we made it through, didn't we?" Liu's mother was so busy talking that she hadn't even opened the chopsticks yet.
“I’ll say it again, things are different now than before.” Liu Zhi put down her chopsticks. “Let’s not talk about that far ahead. My younger brother and I have already been raised differently.”
Liu's mother paused, and after a long while, asked, "What's the difference?"
Liu Zhi didn't answer the question, but only said, "Let's eat noodles, they're getting soggy."
Liu's mother hesitated for a moment, then changed the subject.
"Should we rest after dinner and then go to Grandma and Grandpa's?"
"I'll go directly there." Liu Zhi picked up her chopsticks again.
"They like those old-fashioned soft breads; the supermarket downstairs sells them, remember to get them some," Liu's mother reminded them. "Buy whatever else you think is appropriate, but don't waste money."
Liu Zhi hummed in agreement.
After finishing her meal, Liu Zhi found the old-fashioned soft bread as her mother had instructed. In addition to that, she also bought milk and fruit.
There was a lot of stuff. It was fine on the bus, but when Liu Zhi arrived at the stop and walked along the country road carrying all of it, she felt a deep sense of despair.
After carrying loads for a while and taking breaks, Liu Zhi finally arrived at her maternal grandparents' house at 2 p.m.
There seemed to be no one at home; the gate to the yard was tightly shut, and only the little yellow dog barked wildly.
"Grandma!" Liu Zhi called out, "Grandpa!"
No one answered.
Liu Zhi leaned against the door to rest, and after catching her breath, she called her grandmother.
The phone rang inside the room, and Liu Zhi breathed a sigh of relief.
"Hello...who are you looking for?" a trembling male voice rang out.
"Grandpa, it's me, Xiaozhi." Liu Zhi put down the milk in her hand. "I'm home. Can you open the door for me?"
Grandpa is hard of hearing, so Liu Zhi raised her voice and repeated herself before he responded.
"Xiao Zhi, Xiao Zhi is back?"
"I'm at the door, could you please open it for me?"
"Your maternal grandmother... she went out for exercise."
Grandpa's answer was completely irrelevant.
"Grandpa, I'm at the door, can you open it for me?" Liu Zhi repeated, raising her voice slightly.
Grandpa still didn't realize what was happening.
"Where are you..." Grandpa said, "I'll come pick you up."
"I'm at the door."
Liu Zhi held her phone to her side and rubbed her reddened palms.
"Are you at Linkou?" Grandpa squatted down for a while and asked, "Where is Linkou?"
Liu Zhi was utterly desperate. She leaned against the wall, her composure crumbling.
"Where's Grandma?" Liu Zhi picked up her phone and held it to her ear. "Is Grandma home?"
"Grandma isn't home." Grandpa finally understood.
"Where did Grandma go?" Liu Zhi pursed her lips.
Grandpa fell silent again, so Liu Zhi had to repeat herself once more.
Grandpa still didn't understand.
She put down her phone and called out towards the yard, "Grandpa, open the door for me!"
The sound was loud enough that Grandpa went out to investigate.
The moment the door wasn't opened, Liu Zhi was even more excited than when Director Shen praised her.
"Is it... Xiaozhi?" Grandpa hesitated.
"Grandpa, it's me, Liu Zhi," Liu Zhi said, enunciating each word clearly. "I'm back."
"Finally back, finally back!" After carefully recognizing him, Grandpa smiled so much that his wrinkles gathered together.
Liu Zhi carried the things inside and searched around, but couldn't find her grandmother.
"Where's Grandma?" Liu Zhi entered the main room and put down her things.
"What did you say?" Grandpa asked, leaning closer.
"Where did Grandma go?" Liu Zhi asked, her tone softening, but her voice was loud.
"Grandma went to exercise," Grandpa said.
"Someone called and asked me to pick her up at the next intersection," Grandpa said. "Did you call?"
"It's me." Liu Zhi nodded.
Grandpa laughed, "It's been so long since I've been home... I can hardly recognize Xiaozhi's voice anymore."
The old man said it unintentionally, but Liu Zhi felt a pang of sadness upon hearing it.
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Author's Note:
Updates will be at 11:00 AM. Thank you for your understanding!
Goodnight, everyone!
Chapter 40 Grandpa
"When did you get back?" Grandpa went to get some water, but Liu Zhi stopped him.
"This afternoon," Liu Zhi pulled him back to his seat, "you rest, I'm going to find Grandma."
"She'll be back around 3 o'clock," Grandpa waved his hand and said, "No need to go out and look for her."
"Where does she usually go?" Liu Zhi felt she couldn't reason with her grandfather.