Chapter 50 Happy New Year

Old Li was so angry that he was shaking all over after listening to his mother's confession. This honest man yelled at his mother for the first time: "Mom! You are confused. Juanzi is my wife. The doctor said that her pregnancy is not good. Even if she forces the baby to be born, there is no guarantee that the baby will be healthy. It may also affect Juanzi's body. How can you...how can you use such despicable means to destroy her!" He was heartbroken, but stood beside his wife without hesitation and held Sun Juan's cold hand tightly.

"If the pregnancy isn't going well, it's because she's useless. Why don't other people have so many problems with their pregnancies? Dani gave birth without any problems. Doctors just like to scare people. Don't be fooled..." Aunt Li said with her neck stiff. "Besides, the baby is still in my belly. How can we know what it will be like after it's born? Son, don't be fooled."

"But that's no reason for you to throw mud at Sun Juan," Sister Li said angrily. "And you mentioned Xiao Zhang, she must be married too. You asked her to have your son have a child. Are you trying to make him make a mistake?"

Zhang's daughter-in-law from the car company was also there. After hearing this, she waved her hands and said, "I don't have that idea. I have a man. Why would I think about having a child for another man? It's Aunt Li who keeps asking me to say bad things about her daughter-in-law all day long. It's really none of my business." After that, she ran away.

The source of the rumor was exposed in public, and the military family organization carried out clarification. Sun Juan was cleared of the grievances and cried like a baby while hugging Gu Qiuyue. She felt wronged, but was also grateful for surviving the disaster. However, the deep rift between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law could no longer be bridged.

On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, the army auditorium was decorated with lights and a New Year's party was held.

The Gu family was also invited to participate as visiting relatives. Gu Qiuhan, wearing a gray sweater knitted by his mother, sat quietly among his family to watch the show.

The performance of the art troupe was wonderful. The finale was the song and dance of several young actresses. One of the lead dancers was beautiful, with a slim figure and passionate dancing. Her bright eyes seemed to have hooks, and they were cast frequently and accurately at Gu Qiuhan in the audience. Her eyes were bold and passionate, with undisguised interest and a hint of determination.

When the show was over, the crowd was bustling. Lin Weiwei was like a colorful butterfly, flying through the crowd with a clear purpose, and stood directly in front of Gu Qiuhan.

"Comrade Gu Qiuhan?" Her voice was sweet and exaggerated with a stage accent. "I just heard someone backstage say that you also came to see our performance. I'm Lin Weiwei, and Aunt Wang is my neighbor. The last time you came to see Comrade Gu, she kept praising you in front of me, saying that you are an outstanding talent in the Northwest Military Region." As she spoke, she naturally reached out to hold Gu Qiuhan's arm, and her body deliberately moved closer, bringing a strong scent of perfume.

Gu Qiuhan frowned slightly, calmly took a half step back, kept his distance, and said in a cold and distant tone: "Comrade Lin, hello, we are not familiar with each other, please respect yourself." His eyes were clear and indifferent, and he turned around and walked quickly back to his family who were waiting for him, leaving Lin Weiwei standing there, the smile on her face froze, and a trace of annoyance and unwillingness flashed in her eyes.

On New Year's Eve, the Xie family courtyard was brightly lit.

The table was filled with a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner. The rich aroma of braised pork, the crispy aroma of fried hairtail, and the steam rising from the pot of dumplings intertwined to create the warmest New Year atmosphere. Laughter and joy continued as Wang Xiulan and Xu Qin competed to serve food to Gu Qiuyue. Xie Shiyu, for once, relaxed, a smile on his face.

Gu's father, Xie Shiyu and Gu Qiuhan were chatting together. Gu Qiuyue felt the occasional fetal movement in her belly and looked at the smiling faces of her loved ones around her. The pressure brought by the college entrance examination seemed to be temporarily dispelled by this warm atmosphere.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, just as the sky was getting light, the military compound was much busier than usual. In a place where it doesn't snow in winter, it actually started snowing in the second half of the night.

Early in the morning, the new spring couplets on the lintels of every household were reflected against the light snow, dazzling red. Children, wearing bulky new cotton-padded jackets with their pockets stuffed with melon seeds and peanuts, were chasing and laughing in the yard early in the morning. The crisp sound of firecrackers rang out one after another, and the air was filled with the faint smell of sulfur and the aroma of food.

"Yueyue, are you up yet?" Xie Shiyu's voice came through the door, carrying the clearness of a morning wakeup call. "After breakfast, let's go to the big fair in town. I heard it's especially lively this year, with dragon lantern performers and stilt walkers all coming."

Gu Qiuyue responded, and just as she finished washing up, Gu Qiuhan's tall figure appeared at the door, clutching a bulging army green satchel. "Let's go once you're done packing. Mom steamed some jujube flower cakes for us to use on the journey," he said succinctly, his eyes sweeping over his sister's rosy cheeks before nodding imperceptibly.

Gu's father Xu Qin and Wang Xiulan were also dressed neatly, with the unique joy of the New Year on their faces. The family went out chatting and laughing, merged into the noisy crowd at the gate of the compound, and walked towards the town market a few miles away.

The New Year Market really lived up to its reputation. From a long distance away from the town entrance, the bustling voices of people and the heat mixed with the smell of various foods and firecrackers hit you in the face, and the narrow main street was packed with people.

On both sides were endless stalls, adorned with red lanterns, couplets, and New Year pictures. An old man blowing candy figurines puffed out his cheeks as golden syrup swiftly transformed into vivid birds and beasts in his hands. A straw target selling candied haws was adorned with shimmering hawthorns. The aroma of fried cakes and twisted dough twists filled one's nostrils with overwhelming force. There were also cloth vendors shouting at the top of their lungs, and artisans mending pots and bowls with the clanking of a clatter.

This is a rare day when trading can be done freely without interference from above.

"Wow! This guy!" Father Gu exclaimed, carefully protecting Wang Xiulan and Xu Qin beside him, fearing that they would be separated by the crowd.

Xie Shiyu naturally stretched out his arms, half-circling Gu Qiuyue between himself and Gu Qiuhan, forming a protective barrier.

Gu Qiuhan walked on the outermost side, scanning the front and surroundings with sharp eyes, like a sword ready to be unsheathed at any time, silent and reliable.

In the center of the market, there is a pond that was temporarily cleared and frozen solid, becoming a natural ice rink. This is the busiest time of the day.

On the ice, the children sat on simple sleds, poking the ice with two sharpened iron pins. The sleds then slid a long way, leaving behind a string of exciting spikes. There were also brave boys wearing homemade ice skates, learning to skate crookedly on the ice, which attracted bursts of good-natured laughter and exclamations.

At the edge of the ice rink, near a few clumps of withered yellow reeds, a figure wearing a bright rose-red tweed coat was particularly eye-catching. Lin Weiwei, wearing a pair of brand new ice skates, slid and spun lightly on the ice, like a leaping flame. Her movements were graceful and beautiful, and it was obvious that she had good skills, which attracted a lot of attention from the people around her.

The carefully drawn eyes were like searchlights, passing through the crowd of people and locking onto the Xie family members who had just appeared at the market entrance, especially Gu Qiuhan, who was walking on the outermost side with a figure as straight as a pine tree.