Chapter 283: The Awkward Zhang Ping'an

More than twenty minutes later, Zhang Ping'an arrived at the entrance of the alley not far from the compound. From afar, he saw three people—two adults and one child—standing there. Their features were somewhat similar to Zhong Yan's; they must be the Zhong Family.

"That, it seems your family is waiting for you up ahead."

"Ah?" Zhong Mingzhu leaned out from the back seat to look, and sure enough, she saw who appeared to be her eldest brother, second brother, and her eldest nephew in the distance.

"That, I'll get off here. Can we see each other again tomorrow?"

"Alright, we should have a good talk. I'll come to the Hospital to find you tomorrow." At this moment, it was not appropriate for Zhang Ping'an to meet the Zhong Family.

"Mm, okay." Zhong Mingzhu tightened her grip on Zhang Ping'an's waist, then let go reluctantly and ran quickly toward the Zhong Family.

Zhang Ping'an was thirty or forty meters away from them at this time; he nodded slightly to signal them and then left.

"Eh? Eh? That little uncle-in-law, don't leave yet, mmm-mmm-mmm!"

The Zhong Family's eldest and second brothers didn't speak either; seeing their sister finally smiling after this month, they felt their hearts ease slightly.

"Eldest brother, second brother." Zhong Mingzhu smiled somewhat bashfully.

"Mm, let's go home first. Mom and Dad are still waiting."

"Mmm-mmm-mmm, phew, Dad, are you trying to suffocate me?" Zhong Zhenbei made a gesture to hit him, and Zhong Zhengguo ran directly behind Zhong Mingzhu.

"Aunt, was that just Aunt, er, Zhang Ping'an?"

"You're the one who knows too much."

"Then is he my..."

"Shut up, hurry up and go back to sleep."

"Hmph, fine, I'm going." Zhong Zhengguo looked at his father's slightly twitching brow and very decisively chose to run away.

"..."

The two elders of the Zhong Family were sitting in the main room at this time. Seeing their youngest daughter skipping back, the two exchanged a glance, both having their own guesses in their hearts.

"Mom and Dad, I'm starving to death."

"Mom and Dad, just now Little Sister was brought back by a man."

"Is it Zhang Ping'an?"

"The distance was a bit far, I didn't see clearly."

"Mingzhu?"

"Wu, mm, it's him." Zhong Mingzhu's cheeks were slightly red, and she spoke indistinctly while eating.

"Mm, Eldest, you all go to sleep."

"Alright, Dad."

Both brothers were busy people with a thousand things to do; it was already rare for them to find the time to wait for their little sister at the alley entrance.

The two Zhong elders waited quietly for Zhong Mingzhu to finish her meal before asking her about today's situation.

"It's just..." Zhong Mingzhu blushed and stammered as she recounted what had happened that evening.

The two elders sighed in unison; their silly daughter was purely throwing herself at him.

Ever since their eldest daughter had spoken to them, Zhang Ping'an's file had been placed on their table.

To be honest, they had a very good impression of Zhang Ping'an personally, but he already had a wife and child—even though she had run away—and he was also a bit older.

Inside the room.

"Old man, are we not going to do anything about it?"

"How can we manage it? Look at your daughter, she's lost a whole circle of weight this month. Now that he just sent her back once, look at how happy it made her."

"Sigh, were we too strict with her in the past?"

"Perhaps. I'm not feeling very well; I need to go to the Hospital tomorrow to have Yan'er take a look."

"Alright, I'll accompany you for the check-up." The two elders understood each other without a word.

The next morning, Zhong Mingzhu went to work happily. Ding Qiunan noticed Zhong Mingzhu's exuberant mood immediately and couldn't help but ask curiously:

"Mingzhu, did you find money?"

"No."

"Then why is your face full of joy today? Could it be? It can't be, you and Zhang Shu...?"

"No, no." Zhong Mingzhu said no, but her eyes were smiling into crescents.

"My god... Mingzhu, you are too amazing."

Zhang Ping'an had been absolutely firm in his refusal that day; she hadn't expected him to be taken down in just over a month.

At nine o'clock, Zhong Yan looked at the two Zhong elders with a look of astonishment.

"Mom and Dad, why are you here?"

"We came to see Zhang Ping'an. Yesterday..." Old Master Zhong recounted what Zhong Mingzhu had said yesterday.

"What? Isn't Little Sister just wishing for this on her own?"

"That's why we were worried and came over to see."

"This silly girl, what kind of spell has she fallen under? It's also my fault for being careless back then."

At ten o'clock, Zhang Ping'an appeared at the Military Division Hospital and found the office where Zhong Mingzhu worked.

"Knock, knock, knock."

"You're here."

Zhong Mingzhu was both excited and shy at this moment, especially when she thought of her bold actions yesterday, and her face turned red involuntarily.

"Hehe, Zhang Shu, you two talk, I'm going out to get some air." Ding Qiunan looked teasing, which made Zhang Ping'an feel embarrassed as well.

"Cough, no need, I can't delay your treatment. Let's go outside to talk."

Zhang Ping'an was somewhat of a famous person, especially in this Military Division Hospital. Most people had seen him, and they would smile and greet him when they saw him; Zhang Ping'an responded to each one with a smile.

The two of them walked one after the other, found a place with few people, and sat opposite each other.

"May I call you Mingzhu?"

"Mm, okay." At this moment, the blush on Zhong Mingzhu's face had not yet faded, and her head was lowered, completely unlike her bravery from yesterday.

"Mingzhu, actually you might not understand my situation very well. I have a wife and children. Although they aren't by my side right now, it's hard to say if they might come back in the future."

"I also don't know why you reacted so strongly when we've only met twice. Perhaps someone said something that made you misunderstand, or maybe I've caused you trouble."

"And there's the issue of our backgrounds. I come from the countryside, while you grew up in the city. You don't have much of a concept of rural life, and you might not be good at enduring hardship."

"Yesterday, I could feel your intentions, but I cannot lie to you. I don't even know you, let alone talk about... liking you. So, Mingzhu, I am very sorry."

"You are very beautiful and very young. You have your own life path to walk; you shouldn't be tied to an old man like me."

"Zhang Ping'an, I know you don't understand me, but I can tell you anything you want to know. We can also take it slow."

"I understand you, I understand your family, I understand everything about you. I don't care about any of the things you mentioned, and Wang Xiaoling isn't here right now, is she?"

Zhang Ping'an thought he had spoken heavily enough, but he didn't expect this girl to be a total romantic fool; she was simply impervious to reason. Does she really want to conquer me that much?

"Let's just try getting along for now. If it really doesn't work out, then so be it. I won't pester you, and I don't believe you don't have even a little bit of affection for me."

Initially, she was curious, then unwilling to give up. The moment she hugged Zhang Ping'an yesterday, she confirmed her own heart, and afterward, she even self-indoctrinated; almost everything had nothing to do with Zhang Ping'an.

The three people eavesdropping from afar were all stunned by Zhong Mingzhu's words. Is this still their proud younger sister (daughter)? Why does it feel like their roles have been swapped?

In their residential compound, there were quite a few people pursuing their daughter, whether they were childhood sweethearts or ambitious young men, all of whom were rejected by Zhong Mingzhu without mercy.

Zhang Ping'an was also left speechless. To say he had no affection for her would be a lie; who wouldn't like a beautiful woman? But this Zhong Mingzhu was terrifyingly bold, a kind of boldness that shouldn't exist in this era.

"I..."

Zhang Ping'an was stared at by a delicate young lady, and he had an illusion that perhaps this girl had already completed her self-indoctrination, and whatever he said now, she probably wouldn't listen to.