Chapter 7: Cover yourself in the quilt, don't be so stingy, come on

Jiang Zhen had honed his five senses in the last days and had quick observation skills. It took him just a few seconds to judge from Qi Junshan's aura, body shape, the look in his eyes, and the details of his downturned and cracked mouth that he was one of the bandits who hired someone to murder "Jiang Zhen".

If they can kill her once, they can kill her a second time. The first time was to stop her from looking for her relatives. She had cut off ties with "Jiang Zhen's" ex-husband, so theoretically there was no reason for her to continue hiring killers.

However, "Jiang Zhen" gouged out one of Qi Junshan's eyes, and the blame was put on Jiang Zhen. Qi Junshan was a ruthless bandit who would even take corpses to vent his anger, so he would definitely take revenge.

After they passed each other, Jiang Zhen said, "I am sure that Qi Junshan is the bandit who was blinded by me. He will not give up revenge. I will protect myself and our four children. Can I kill him first?"

He killed a bandit and said it calmly, which was really unlike an ordinary person. Gu Liancheng had good composure, steady steps and straight body, and Qi Junshan didn't notice any flaws.

"Let's discuss this at home. He is a bandit, so we need to have a plan. New China has its own laws. I'll buy you some criminal law books later."

"Okay." Jiang Zhen understood immediately.

She felt that Gu Liancheng and the department he worked for had some suspicions about her identity and might have already investigated it, but with her current situation and freedom, everything was fine, and being fine was a good thing.

…

After a few seconds of observation, Qi Junshan still couldn't make up his mind about a few things. First of all, Jiang Zhen had blinded one of his eyes. He should have been afraid of a man wearing an eyepatch, but it was normal for him not to be afraid of such a cruel and ruthless woman.

He covered his face that day, so even if Jiang Zhen didn't recognize him, this hidden danger could not be left. Besides, he would not return the money for hiring the murderer, so Jiang Zhen must die.

In the severe pain at that time, he swung the sickle and it seemed to cut Jiang Zhen's neck. How come she was not hurt at all? Didn’t it get cut?

But after he swung the sickle, the woman rolled down the slope. There was no blood or anything like that. The ground was shaking and she couldn't even stand steadily, so she didn't see it.

Jiang Zhen married and lived next door to his family. If she took her time, she would always find an opportunity.

"Qi Junshan, my sister is willing to marry you." An Qihui couldn't smile at all. She went downstairs and asked the Qi family to come up and pick up the bride.

Qi Junshan was happy. Wouldn't An Xiuqing think that by marrying him she could hook up with his younger brother? Did she really think he was Wu Dalang?

He cupped his hands and said, "Don't worry, elder sister. After marriage, I will take good care of your sister and make sure she doesn't regret marrying me."

…

An Qihui felt that she was a joke. Before her sister left, she asked one last question: "Do you really not regret it?"

"No regrets." An Xiuqing had just thought about it carefully. She couldn't marry Dr. Qi now, but she could in the future. In his previous life, Dr. Qi married his eldest brother's widowed sister-in-law. In this life, she became his sister-in-law, and Dr. Qi would marry her.

Qi Junshan will die, she just needs to wait. As long as she refuses to sleep with him, can Qi Junshan still force her? She doesn't believe it.

…

The bridegrooms from the Qi family and the neighboring Gu family have not returned yet, but Qi Junhai is still begging his mother, saying that his elder brother is not good in that aspect, and he has accompanied him to other places to look for a bride, but it is all in vain. In this situation, it is unethical for him to marry an unmarried girl.

"Mom, no, given my brother's situation...if we do this, won't we be harming the girl?"

Ji Fengmei slapped her youngest son and said, "How can you say that about your brother? If it wasn't for sister An Qihui plotting against us first, nothing would have happened today. Our family didn't force us. Your eldest brother and I gave her a choice. If she doesn't agree, she can cancel the engagement. But if she still marries me, then we can't blame her."

…

When Jiang Zhen arrived at Gu's house, he was treated warmly by Gu's relatives. A banquet was set up at home. In the winter of 1949, everything was in ruins and there was really not much good food. However, Gu's family tried their best to get half a pig, and stewed pork with cabbage and potatoes. Each table had two charcoal-burner pots with half meat and half vegetarian dishes. The food was hot and the atmosphere was very lively.

No matter how hard this world is, the food is much better than in the end times. Jiang Zhen remembered that the raw sweet potato that Gu Liancheng handed to her was extremely sweet and delicious. She knew that meat was even more delicious. She had only eaten some cabbage with oil residue in the cafeteria in the past few days, but she thought it was a delicacy.

Now it was actually half a pig stewed, Jiang Zhen couldn't help but ask Gu Liancheng: "Can't I sit down and eat?"

Gu Liancheng tried not to laugh: "I'll save this for you. Eat it after we finish toasting."

After the toast, it was almost time for the banquet to end, but everyone stayed and sat around chatting about the Qi and An families.

The Qi and An families discussed for a whole morning, and after Qi Junshan took An Xiuqing back, the Qi family's wedding banquet had just begun.

Jiang Zhen heard Gu Liancheng's elder sister and elder brother-in-law scolding: "Although I predicted it, fortunately I didn't bother to remind them. Look, she knew she was being deceived but still wanted to marry him. If you had gone there that day, you would have been scolded and the Qi family would have hated you."

"Yes, yes, you still understand." The eldest brother-in-law couldn't argue and just gave in.

…

Gu Liancheng was keeping watch at the door, and guessed that Jiang Zhen had almost finished eating. He came in to see that she had indeed finished eating, and said with a smile, "It's almost time, let's go out and see her off."

Thanks to Gu Liancheng's coordination, she was able to quietly eat the same food from the banquet. It was so delicious. No wonder the guests at the banquet were so happy. Wouldn't they be happy to be able to eat meat that they couldn't usually eat?

She drank the remaining soup and pursed her lips: "An Xiuqing chose to marry, partly because Tuqi's family has meat to eat, right?"

Gu Liancheng: ... "Maybe, but more importantly, I want to see Dr. Qi sooner or later. That's what everyone says."

The Qi family probably thought so too. After An Xiuqing got married, her husband was suspicious of her, her mother-in-law disliked her, and her brother-in-law avoided her. She had a hard time.

Only a few people like Gu Liancheng knew another reason. An Xiuqing took advantage of the time he knew to go back and took the risk, but he didn't know that he had fallen into a bandit's den.

…

After the toasts, the remaining cabbage and potatoes were distributed among the relatives. The relatives who were good at helping in the kitchen were also given some of the rare cooking oil and lard. The Gu family had managed this marriage very well.

As for the rumor outside that Gu Liancheng and Jiang Zhen agreed to be a couple, seeing Jiang Zhen holding Gu Liancheng's arm and holding Gu Pan's hand, and Gu Pan's little hand holding Jiang Tang, the two boys standing next to Gu Liancheng, it doesn't look like they are a couple at all.

So everyone secretly discussed: "I guess they were afraid that the An family would make a fuss at the beginning, so they deliberately said they were partnering up to make the An family feel more balanced."

"Yes, that must be the case. The Gu family is kind, unlike the Qi family, who do inhuman things."

When elder sister Gu Liancheng heard this, she was touched. Yes, this must be something her brother and Xiao Jiang had discussed beforehand. Young people have strong passions and both of them are beautiful. What kind of agreement is this? Who knows, they might have a baby next year.

But the Qi family is really annoying. Gu Jiaoxia and her husband are in a dilemma: "It's a pity that this old house is the only place for them to live after they get married. There is no place to move. Doesn't he have the right to share in your family compound?"

For someone like Gu Liancheng whose family already has a house locally, it is impossible for him to get a share now. If he gets one less house, more comrades-in-arms can be reunited with their families sooner.

Besides, An Xiuqing and the Qi family also need personal observation. Gu Liancheng living here is an unexpectedly good arrangement.

"Didn't Xiao Jiang say that whoever is not doing well will feel sad? Look at her and Liancheng, they seem to have a better relationship than us, so don't worry about it."

Gu Jiaoxia took a look and saw that Jiang Zhen's hand was still hanging on her brother's arm. There were not many young couples who were so close right after marriage. It seemed that they were in love with each other. That was good, really good.

…

In order to let her brother and Jiang Zhen finish their business as soon as possible, Gu Jiaoxia discussed with the four children: "Gu Pan, Gu Hui, Tangtang, and Jiang Zhao, can you come back with me and stay at my house for two days?"

Jiang Tang and Jiang Zhao were reluctant, but were too embarrassed to say it out loud. Gu Pan spoke on behalf of the four-member team: "Aunt, it wasn't easy for us to form this small family. We all want to stay, and you can't destroy it."

Gu Jiaoxia couldn't help but laugh and scold: "You are the most naughty, so be honest and don't make your aunt angry."

Xiao Jianzhou watched the sun set. He still had to go back to listen to Xiao Qingfeng's report, so he said to his wife, "Let's go. Don't disturb their rest."

Isn't it still early in the day? Gu Jiaoxia wanted to have dinner with Jiang Zhen before leaving. She was reluctant to leave: "Xiao Jiang, you don't have a mother's home to go back to, so just go to my house."

"Okay, thank you, big sister."

"Don't be polite, we are all family."

Gu Jiaoxia saw that the Qi family was also sending the An family to the door. An Qihui's eyes were red from crying. It was such bad luck that their family made such a fuss on such a happy day. Fortunately, Jiang Zhen was broad-minded. Anyway, Jiang Zhen would not be the one who suffered from the life as neighbors after marriage.

An Qihui's eyes were full of anger as she looked over, and she was still taking her anger out on him. Gu Jiaoxia glared back at him with disdain, and told Jiang Zhen, "Let's go. Close the door and don't listen to the gossip of irrelevant people."

…

Jiang Zhen and Gu Liancheng got married, and the two families merged into one. How the six people would live had already been divided up. Gu Pan and Tangtang lived in the wing room, Jiang Zhao and Gu Hui lived in the east room, and Jiang Zhen and Gu Liancheng's new house was arranged in the west room.

Gu Pan held Jiang Tang's hand and proposed a new arrangement: "Uncle, Tang Tang and I want to sleep with Auntie, you can sleep by yourself."

Gu Liancheng was willing to do it. It was an agreement they had made during the blind date. He was worried about the inconvenience of living in the same room, and Jiang Zhen used the excuse of having a child. It was natural for him to let the child sleep separately.

He and Jiang Zhen suggested tactfully: "It's cold, why don't you take Tangtang and Gu Pan to sleep in the side room, it's warm there."

Jiang Zhen refused without a second thought: "How can that be possible? My elder sister brought several hot water bottles, two for each bed. Give our hot water bottles to Tangtang and Panpan. Their new cotton quilts plus four hot water bottles won't keep them cold."

Gu Liancheng: ... "Then tell the children."

"Okay." Jiang Zhen turned around and said to Gu Pan, "I'm sorry to disappoint you. Your uncle said he also wants to sleep with his wife, so he can't give me to you. You have to sleep with Tangtang."

Gu Pan snorted angrily: "Uncle, you are already so old, and you still need someone to sleep with you. Shame on you. I won't be with you any more."

Gu Liancheng: ...Okay, tomorrow this word will reach his sister’s ears, and she will definitely be so happy that she will eat an extra bowl of rice.

…

Jiang Zhen and Gu Liancheng were young and strong, so they didn't need hot water bottles. However, Gu Liancheng's body temperature was higher than Jiang Zhen's, especially his stomach, which was particularly warm. Unfortunately, as soon as Jiang Zhen stretched out his feet, Gu Liancheng stuffed them back into the quilt.

"I've washed my feet." Jiang Zhen asked, "Are you a germaphobe? You should bring it up when you're supposed to go on a blind date. It's too late now."

Gu Liancheng: ...He was speechless for several times today.

"No, I just thought about our partnership agreement. The toast and farewell were in public, and I cooperated. Now you are doing this behind the scenes again. Your overly intimate behavior makes me nervous."

Jiang Zhen said: "Oh, I'm just testing you to see if you are as serious as you say you are."

"What are the results of the test?"

"Hypocritical." Jiang Zhen laughed: "We are comrades in the same front. If you don't cover my feet, you can come up and cover the quilt. Don't be so stingy, come quickly."

…

Before Gu Liancheng could take off his coat, he heard something strange coming from next door. If it was screaming, the sound was too miserable, but it was really An Xiuqing's voice.

The second half of the voice was cut off abruptly, probably because someone was covering his mouth.

Jiang Zhen shuddered, put on his clothes and tried to get out of bed, but Gu Liancheng hurriedly stopped him: "Where are you going?"

"I'll go see what's going on?"

Gu Liancheng said hurriedly: "No matter how evil Qi Junshan is, he wouldn't dare to do anything to An Xiuqing. The law won't let him off. He won't be that stupid."

Jiang Zhen: "Qi Junshan will definitely deal with me. To understand my opponent, I have to go and see."

Seeing that he couldn't persuade her anymore, Gu Liancheng asked, "Aren't you afraid of being discovered?"

Jiang Zhen was quite confident: "I brought Jiang Tang and Jiang Zhao to Fancheng by myself over a thousand miles. I am not an ordinary person either."

"Jiang Zhen" is no longer an ordinary person. Jiang Zhen, who came from the end of the world, would not be discovered if he went out to eavesdrop.