Chapter 18: No Room for Regrets

We received a report from Gu Jianjun.

The police didn't dare to delay and quickly arranged for someone to come and investigate the scene.

Zhao Qingming and other police officers originally thought that Gu Jianjun's claim of emptying the place meant that he had only taken away some valuables.

Seeing the huge house with only the floorboards left, I could hardly believe my eyes.

They really emptied it out!

If they weren't worried about making mistakes, they would have really wondered if Gu Jianjun and his team had encountered a ghost.

So many things just vanished into thin air.

Who but those with supernatural powers could do this?

After searching for a long time, I couldn't find a single clue.

Zhao Qingming and the others could only tell Gu Jianjun to wait for news, while they went back to check if there were any similar cases recently.

Gu Jianjun and his two companions watched the police leave, then looked at the empty house.

He collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted.

"Old Gu, what are we going to do? We have nothing left, what will become of us..."

Zhu Cuihua's eyes were red and swollen from crying.

In the past, she would have divorced Gu Jianjun without hesitation.

But now... her secret stash of money and the gold bars she hid in the bed board have been stolen.

Even her old flame, Cao Huai-ren, was arrested, and it's said he'll most likely be executed.

At her age, divorced and penniless, where can she go?

As long as they don't divorce Gu Jianjun, with Old Master Gu around, their lives won't be too difficult no matter what.

"Let's go back to Grandpa's first!"

Gu Jianjun waved his hand weakly, but couldn't help feeling relieved.

The eldest brother has severed ties with the family. The old man now only has one son, and once he dies, all the family assets will belong to him.

Moreover, as long as the old man is still in office, he won't have to worry about not having opportunities to continue making money.

The three of them stood up, preparing to leave.

Then I saw several people wearing work badges walk in.

"Excuse me, is this Comrade Gu Yanni's home?"

“Yes, my daughter is Gu Yanni. Is there something you need?” Zhu Cuihua asked, pointing to Gu Yanni.

"Here's the thing, we're here to inform Comrade Gu Yanni that the educated youth going to the Northwest will be taking the train the day after tomorrow, so we need to make preparations as soon as possible."

A staff member handed me the ticket.

"What educated youth going to the Northwest? What does that have to do with my daughter?" Zhu Cuihua was taken aback.

Gu Jianjun and Gu Yanni also looked bewildered.

The staff member seemed used to this kind of scene. A knowing glint flashed in his eyes, but he still smiled in a formulaic manner: "Didn't Comrade Gu Yanni volunteer to go to the Northwest to support national construction? She can't desert her post and become a deserter!"

"What do you mean, voluntarily volunteered to go to the Northwest? Are you mistaken? I didn't, don't talk nonsense!" Gu Yanni's face changed drastically. She wasn't out of her mind. Why would she give up her comfortable life in the capital and go to a desolate place like the Northwest to become an educated youth who toiled in the fields?

"Comrade Gu Yanni, when you signed up, you were full of enthusiasm and said that you wanted to go to the most difficult places to dedicate your youth and blood to the country's construction. Why are you denying it now?"

Among the staff who happened to arrive was the same staff member who had registered Su Xiangwan that day.

He was deeply moved by Su Xiangwan's impassioned speech at the time.

Therefore, I have a particularly deep memory of "Gu Yanni".

Hearing Gu Yanni say this now, I suddenly felt that all my previous gratitude had been wasted.

"No, I don't want to go to the countryside! It's so hard there, you have to do farm work. Only a fool would go. I'm not crazy!"

Gu Yanni shook her head repeatedly. She usually relied on the power of the Gu family and would not even do the easiest job. She spent her days shopping and enjoying herself. How could she possibly go to the countryside?

After hearing what she said, the staff of the educated youth office looked at Gu Jianjun and the other two with a serious expression: "Comrade, please correct your attitude. Going to the countryside to build a better future is a call from the country. Are you questioning the country's policy by saying this?"

“You volunteered to go to the countryside, and the list has already been submitted. You can’t back out now.”

...

The farce at Gu Jianjun's house lasted all day.

Even if Gu Yanni was unwilling to go to the countryside, she resorted to all sorts of tactics, including tantrums and threatening suicide.

But the list had already been submitted, and Gu Jianjun and Zhu Cuihua had no choice but to accept it.

The three family members could only run to Grandpa Gu, crying and begging, but they still couldn't get the list removed.

In the end, she had no choice but to back down and beg Old Master Gu to provide her with some money and supplies to take to the Northwest.

So, Su Xiangwan and her family set off for Liaoning Province, while waiting for their train at the train station.

Then they heard a familiar cry: "Mom, you have to bring me back soon! Dad, you have to beg Grandpa again to find a way to bring me back. Otherwise, I'll really die if I stay in the Northwest."

Gu Yanni cried her eyes out, repeatedly giving instructions to Zhu Cuihua, whose eyes were also red and swollen from crying.

"Don't worry, Yanni. We'll definitely plead with the old man these next few days to find a way to get you into the army as an arts troupe member, so you can come back," Zhu Cuihua said, explaining the solution she had finally come up with.

Seeing the mother and daughter discussing as if no one else was around, completely ignoring the stares of the other educated youths sent to the countryside, Gu Jianjun said impatiently, "Stop crying. You might just get off the train in the Northwest and receive a notice to join the army, and the next thing you know it, you'll be here. Stop talking and get on the train!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Yanni reluctantly boarded the train to Northwest China.

"I originally thought that even if Gu Yanni was going to the countryside, it would take some time. I didn't expect the educated youth office to act so quickly. It seems that the Northwest really needs people. Tsk tsk, I can't even imagine what a wonderful and colorful life awaits Gu Yanni when she goes to the Northwest!"

Sitting in the corner, Su Xiangwan watched a good show for free, and suddenly felt that being in this noisy train station wasn't so bad after all.

"Is your stomach still upset? Have some water first."

Gu Yanxiao looked at her amused expression, feeling both helpless and amused.

There was such a good show to watch that I even forgot how bad I felt.

Hearing him say that, Su Xiangwan glared at him irritably: "I had already forgotten, but you had to remind me."

"It's my fault." Gu Yanxiao quickly and sincerely admitted his mistake, and handed her a glass of water that had been cooled to a comfortable temperature. "Have a sip of water first, our train will be here soon."

The whole family bought sleeper tickets, since the journey to Liaoning Province was too far. They were fine, but Su Xiangwan was pregnant and couldn't afford to get too tired.

Su Xiangwan took a sip of water from his hand, glanced at Gu's parents and Gu Yanfei sitting opposite her, leaned towards him, and whispered, "Aren't you curious why Gu Yanfei went to the countryside?"