Chapter 1748: Dream
No wonder she had once heard her grandma let slip that Er Bao had been cheeky and full of mischief since a young age.
Even though she no longer had many impressions of their childhoods, seeing Zhai Xin behaving in this manner, Zhai Yu could totally imagine how Zhai Xin had no moral values as a child. At that time, Zhai Xin would have had even less restraint than now.
With such an elder brother who behaved like a younger brother, Zhai Yu silently mourned for three seconds.
Was the doctor really sure that Zhai Xin had been born earlier than her? Was Zhai Xin really her second brother? Could it be that the doctor and nurses had gotten it wrong?
Zhai Xin had no idea about these doubts in Zhai Yu’s mind, much less Qiao Nan. In front of her lively family, Qiao Nan smiled widely and thought of bringing her dad over since everyone was at home. Everyone had grown older and since everything had already passed, she did not want to think about the past anymore. All she wished for was to live an even more blissful and fulfilling life at the present moment.
Living and smiling were the most genuine things.
When Zhai Sheng returned to his room with Qiao Nan, he asked Qiao Nan while hugging her, “What’s with you today? You’re smiling so happily as though Zhai Yi and Zhai Xin brought their wives home.” Nan Nan was usually quite cheery, but today’s smile was different.
“It’s nothing much. I just feel that it’ll be time for me to retire in a few years’ time. Now that I have sons and a daughter, it probably won’t be long before I have grandchildren. Most importantly, I have you by my side. I was just thinking about how I’ve been fortunate and blessed in this life,” Qiao Nan said blissfully.
Zhai Sheng looked at Qiao Nan seriously. “Do you really feel that marrying me and having a family like this is something that brings you joy?” Zhai Sheng’s hearing was very good. He had happened to pass by the children’s room and had heard part of Zhai Yi’s conversation with Zhai Yu.
There was no reason for Zhai Sheng to be upset over his children feeling sorry for their mom.
He knew that Qiao Nan had taken on a lot of responsibilities for his sake because his passion for the military meant that he was unable to make sacrifices for his family like other men did. Almost all women who married soldiers lived their lives like this.
At times, Zhai Sheng felt that he had put Qiao Nan in a tight spot by marrying her. But what surprised Zhai Sheng was that Qiao Nan had always thought that their marriage was blissful and complete and that there was nothing lacking. Compared to the other military spouses who always liked to complain about their lives, it seemed like his Nan Nan was truly the most suitable one.
“I’m happy. Extremely.” Qiao Nan nuzzled in Zhai Sheng’s embrace like she had done when she was younger. “But I’m afraid I’ve spent a few lifetimes’ worth of luck on meeting you. Brother Zhai, I know that you think you’ve spent too little time at home and with me. But it’s all right. I don’t mind. I know that you’re always with me in your heart and you’ve never left me. To me, you’re the best and most perfect husband on earth.”
Her current life was already so blissful that she felt as though she was floating amongst the clouds. It was all so surreal. If it got any more blissful, she might just faint from happiness.
“You’re so easily satisfied.” Zhai Sheng laughed. After having been together for so many years, Zhai Sheng could tell when Qiao Nan was speaking the heartfelt truth and when she was just trying to comfort him. Hearing Qiao Nan’s saccharine tone, Zhai Sheng’s heart felt especially warm and touched. “Contentment is happiness. To be honest, I’m the one with good fortune for having married you.”
Thinking about the number of people who had gotten into arguments with their spouses because of such issues, Zhai Sheng felt that Qiao Nan’s sensibility and support had been the reason why he had been able to become a chief earlier than his dad had.
If Qiao Nan had not taken care of his family by taking up the responsibility of caring for the elders and children at home, there was no way he could have turned all his attention to the military to become the youngest chief since the establishment of the state. It’s just like what he had said in the military at that time. While it was true that his blood and sweat had gone into achieving what he had, there was also Nan Nan’s sacrifices and support.
Zhai Sheng felt that he had only come so far because he had Qiao Nan as his wife.
“It’s good that you’re grateful for what you have. Anyway, it’s not early anymore. Hurry and go to bed. I’ll have to trouble you to fetch my dad over tomorrow and send him back home once Zhai Yi’s and Zhai Xin’s vacations are over.” Now that they were older, Qiao Nan herself might have put down the past, but that did not mean that others could do the same.
Perhaps Zhai Yaohui’s one and only heart-to-heart talk with Qiao Dongliang after Qiao Zijin’s death had really hit a certain nerve. From then on, Qiao Dongliang had never put forward any more excessive demands on Qiao Nan. If the three children were not at home, Qiao Dongliang hardly ever went to disturb his daughter, Qiao Nan.
Qiao Nan did not mind it, but Qiao Dongliang did. He was worried that his frequent visits and presence would only evoke those unpleasant memories of his daughter’s past.
At his age, there was nothing left that he could not let go. All he had left was his daughter, Nan Nan. As long as Nan Nan was living a good life, nothing else mattered to him. Besides, Nan Nan was not even trying to be filial to him.
In this way, apart from being earnest in meeting his grandchildren, Qiao Dongliang tried his best not to disturb Qiao Nan’s peaceful life.
“All right.” He always listened to whatever his wife had to say. “It’s still a little early to go to bed now. Let’s exercise a little before going to bed.” Hugging his fragrant and charming wife in his embrace, Zhai Sheng smiled. If a man could really fall asleep like that, he was no man at all.
As Zhai Sheng exerted his strength on her, Qiao Nan’s face was entirely flushed. Her children were about to become parents themselves. She could not understand why Zhai Sheng was still so keen and passionate about this. Decades were truly nothing more than a day to him. As long as Zhai Sheng was at home and she was not on her period or feeling any discomfort, there was not a single night that she had been able to escape from her fate.
After the couple’s harmonious ‘exercise’, Qiao Nan always fell into a particularly deep sleep. It was also because Zhai Sheng was by her side that she could sleep peacefully. Because her mind was at rest, it was only natural for her to fall into a deep sleep.
Being accustomed to having good days like these, Qiao Nan indulged herself in sleep. After all, Zhai Sheng would definitely wake her up the next morning. Even if Zhai Sheng did not, her daughter, San Bao, would. The mother and daughter had to go to work together since they were colleagues.
What made Qiao Nan confused was the feeling that she had grown older. She had a feeling that she could sleep until the end of time.
But the problem was that even though she felt that she had slept for a long time as though she had slept for several days, she could not wake up even if she wanted to. Worst of all, perhaps it was because they felt sorry for her that not a single person in her family came to wake her up. Instead, they thought that she hardly had any time to relax and thus decided to let her sleep in.
Qiao Nan did not know whether to laugh or cry because of this.