The next day, bright and early, Qin Jian bounded downstairs, cheerfully. During breakfast, he mentioned the situation to Zhang Yun.
Taking into account that An Hao had classes and couldn’t come back at noon, it would be inconvenient to take her medicine at school.
So, Zhang Yun let it go.
Qin Jian went off to his training, and An Hao headed to her classes.
Qin Fen and Song Yueqin slept until late noon before they got up, ate something, and arrived at the Qin Family’s place right on time.
As soon as they entered, the guards stopped them.
Qin Fen told the sentry he was Qin Jian’s brother, coming to visit relatives for the New Year, and accurately described the location of the Commander’s home.
Qin Jian’s position as a staff officer was no secret within the military compound; everyone knew, so they let them in.
As it was getting dark, Zhang Yun was about to start cooking when she heard a knock at the door, so she went to open it.
To her surprise, standing at the doorway were members of the Qin Family.
Zhang Yun’s feelings towards the Qin Family members were complicated to say the least.
For a moment, she stood frozen at the door, not inviting them in.
"Auntie! Qin Fen and I came to visit. It’s not often we come to the city, and it wouldn’t sit right with us not stopping by," Yueqin spoke up when An Hao was not there, her eloquence coming to the fore.
They had clearly come to cause trouble, yet they made it sound so sweet!
Zhang Yun saw Qin Fen’s face, looking like a broken jar of sauce, and understood somewhat, suspecting trouble had come to their doorstep.
She didn’t want to let them in, but since it was the end of the workday and people were passing by, it wasn’t feasible to send them away outright.
Moreover, she didn’t want to upset her son.
Barely concealing her displeasure, Zhang Yun managed a tight-lipped smile as she ushered them into the house.
It was Song Yueqin’s first visit to the Commander’s home in the military district, and she felt like Liu Laolao entering the Grand View Garden.
The duplex housed a living room with a TV and radio, a telephone on the desk, a fruit platter on the coffee table filled with bright red apples.
"Auntie’s home is truly wonderful!" Song Yueqin envied, An Hao’s life was just like the old days’ young mistresses.
Zhang Yun offered a cold smile but said nothing.
Song Yueqin could tell that she wasn’t welcomed at all.
But still, she shamelessly lingered, refusing to leave, and Zhang Yun felt too awkward to chase them away, so they acted oblivious.
All they had to do was play dumb until Qin Jian returned.
Song Yueqin kept making awkward conversation: "Our brother and sister-in-law got married, and we’ve never visited here before, it’s our first time. Can we take a look around their room?"
"That’s not appropriate," Zhang Yun refused immediately, "That’s their private space as a couple. You can’t just go there, and even I have to knock and get permission before I go upstairs."
"Ah? Why is my sister-in-law so unreasonable? Auntie, you shouldn’t indulge such behavior. In our home, we can freely enter our parents’ room," Song Yueqin thought to drive a wedge.
"This isn’t the old home. I respect their privacy," Zhang Yun stated coolly.
She was already fed up with these two, and it was dinnertime, yet they showed no sign of leaving—it was quite clear what they were hinting at.
Zhang Yun didn’t want to invite them for dinner, but simply waiting them out wasn’t a solution either—they might not eat, but her family still had to.
Caught in a quandary, An Hao returned home, opening the door.
Upon seeing the two of them, her face immediately darkened: "What are you doing here?"
Yueqin feigned a sensible demeanor: "We came to see uncle and auntie, and our brother and sister-in-law."
With a slight sneer, An Hao asked, "Oh? Is that so? Where’s what you’ve brought to see us with?"