Chapter 147 Explains

When Wang Rui turned around and saw that it was the two sisters, her face changed instantly. She stammered and sent the soldier away, then pulled the two of them to hide under the shade of a tree nearby: "Sister Guo, can we talk about this after I get off work? There are too many people here."

“The more people, the better.” Guo Xueying shook off his hand, her voice unconsciously rising.

"I want everyone to judge this: you're talking about marriage and engagement with someone else, while you're secretly seeing my sister Xueying. What are you really up to?"

Wang Rui's face flushed red, and his eyes darted around: "I didn't say anything like that. Xuefu misunderstood. I just felt that she had just arrived at the compound, so I took extra care of her. I didn't expect her to misunderstand."

"A misunderstanding?" Guo Xuefu couldn't help but ask, her voice trembling with tears. "You gave me malted milk powder last time, saying it was specially bought for me. Is that also a misunderstanding?"

Wang Rui was speechless when asked the question, and he struggled to utter a complete sentence for a long time while clutching his hair.

Just then, Chen Yuliang, who had finished training, passed by and saw the commotion. Upon closer inspection, he saw his wife, sister-in-law, and Wang Rui. He quickly went over and asked, "What's going on? What are you arguing about at the camp gate?"

When Guo Xueying saw her husband arrive, she felt as if she had found her pillar of support and told him everything about Wang Rui's two-timing affair.

Chen Yuliang's face instantly darkened as he looked at Wang Rui: "Wang Rui, is what my wife said true? If you truly love Xue Fu, you should first make things clear with your fiancée and break off the engagement before we talk."

If you have no feelings for Xuefu, you shouldn't give her the wrong impression and make things difficult for her in the compound. What you're doing is not only unfair to Guo Xuefu, but also a waste of her time. Is this what a man should do?

Wang Rui was so flustered by Chen Yuliang's question that he couldn't even lift his head. He stammered, "I was just confused for a moment and didn't think that much. I didn't have any other feelings for Xue Fu. I just thought she was young and wanted to take care of her more."

“This isn’t how you show favoritism.” Chen Yuliang frowned, his tone serious. “You two are not related, so why should I show you favoritism? If you don’t explain this clearly today, I’m going to see the leaders.”

Guo Xueying held Guo Xuefu's hand with a firm look in her eyes, while Chen Yuliang stood to the side, exuding a powerful aura.

Wang Rui knew that he couldn't avoid this today.

He took a deep breath, finally raised his head, looked at Guo Xuefu, and said in a voice so low it was like a mosquito's hum: "I apologize to Comrade Guo Xuefu and will never associate with her again."

-

As the morning sun climbed over the courtyard wall, Lu Mingyue heard light footsteps coming from outside the gate.

When the door opened, Guo Xueying was standing at the door with Guo Xuefu in her hand, carrying a bamboo basket with two neatly folded pieces of floral fabric inside.

"Mingyue, we've come to thank you." Guo Xueying's eyes were still a little red, but she smiled sincerely.

“Wang Rui apologized to me yesterday and said he would keep his distance from Xue Fu in the future and would never be confused again.”

Guo Xuefu stood behind her sister, clutching a glass marble in her hand, and whispered in agreement, "Sister-in-law Mingyue, thank you. If it weren't for you, I would still be doing something silly."

Lu Mingyue quickly ushered them into the house, waving her hand with a smile: "No need to thank me, we're all neighbors in the family compound, I can't just watch you sisters suffer."

Guo Xueying took her sister's hand, her eyes full of tenderness. "What happened before frightened her a lot. I'll make her a new dress to cheer her up."

For our family, you not only helped Xuefu out of her foolishness, but also saved our reputation as sisters. We will remember this kindness in our hearts.

I don't have anything special to thank you with, but this fabric is nice. I also brought you some; it'll make a skirt. Don't mind it.

Lu Mingyue brought over some water: "Have some water. Now that Wang Rui has brought it up, don't think about it anymore. Living a good life is the most important thing. Xuefu is still young. From now on, she can play well with her sisters in the compound and not take it to heart."

Guo Xueying nodded in agreement. As Lu Mingyue watched Guo Xuefu drinking water with her head down, a thought suddenly came to her mind.

After Yao Yao and Guo Xuefu went to play hopscotch, she pulled Guo Xueying to sit on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) and asked softly, "I've been wanting to ask you this, does Xuefu not want to stay on the island?"

Guo Xueying paused for a moment, then sighed: "That's right. When she first came here, she told me that the island was windy and the smell of fish and shrimp was strong, and it wasn't as comfortable as her hometown. Now that she's embroiled in this mess with Wang Rui, she feels even more ashamed to face the people in the compound. She's told me secretly several times that she wants to go home."

Lu Mingyue nodded, picked up a piece of floral fabric from the side of the kang (a heated brick bed) and stroked it: "In my opinion, it would be better to let her go back to her hometown."

Seeing that Guo Xueying was about to speak, she continued, "Let me finish. Xuefu is young and naive. This incident has been a big blow to her. If she stays on the island, people will inevitably gossip behind her back, which will affect her future marriage prospects."

Going back to my hometown, near my parents, where they know me well, and finding a reliable young man to settle down with is better than suffering here.

Guo Xueying's eyes brightened, then quickly dimmed again: "I did think about letting her go back, but my parents are getting old and there's no one to take care of them. If Xuefu goes back, I won't be able to leave her behind. Besides, I'm with the military on an island, and the two sisters are so far apart. I'm afraid she'll be lonely."

"What's there to be lonely about? I have my parents around and neighbors to look after me. It's better than being here."

Lu Mingyue smiled and patted her hand. "If you miss her, save up some money and take leave to go back to your hometown. You can also get Xuefu to write to you and tell you about things at home. Rather than letting her stay here unhappy, it's really for her good to go back to her hometown and marry into a good family."

Lu Mingyue still remembers the look in Guo Xuefu's eyes when she saw her at the school gate. Guo Xuefu didn't seem like someone who was content with the status quo. Rather than staying here and causing even more trouble, she would rather go back to her hometown and live a peaceful life.

Guo Xueying remained silent for a while before finally nodding: "You're right. I always thought about keeping her by my side, but I didn't consider whether she was happy or not. It's definitely more reliable for her to stay with her parents than here."

After returning from Lu Mingyue's house, Guo Xueying pulled Guo Xuefu aside and sat down under the kerosene lamp that very night to discuss the matter.

"Xuefu, I want to send you back to your hometown so you can find a stable young man to live with your parents. Would you like that?" Guo Xueying's voice was very soft, afraid that her younger sister would feel uncomfortable.

Guo Xuefu was folding the floral fabric that Lu Mingyue had given her. She paused for a moment when she heard this, then looked up, her eyes glistening with tears.

"Sister, I'm willing. I always felt like people were looking at me strangely on the island, and I couldn't bear to stay there anymore. Going back to my hometown is much better, and I can take care of our parents."

As she spoke, tears fell, not from sadness, but from relief. The days on the island had weighed heavily on her heart, but now she could finally let it go.

Guo Xueying repeatedly urged, "Go home and live a good life with your parents. Don't overthink things. I'll write to you often."