Chapter 74 Married with Children
Zhou Mingxuan seemed to enjoy the feeling of being "watched". The smile on his face deepened, and he moved the hand holding the ticket forward again, his posture calm and confident, as if he was sure that Gu Qiuyue would not refuse.
Gu Qiuyue looked at the two tickets, then raised her eyes to look at Zhou Mingxuan's determined expression, and a strong sense of disgust and absurdity surged in her heart.
She had declined several times before, but he didn't take it seriously at all, and even wanted to use this semi-public method to create "public opinion"? It seems that she has to completely tear this layer of window paper apart.
She took a deep breath and straightened her already straight back. Her clear eyes swept over Zhou Mingxuan and the few students who had stopped to watch the excitement. Her voice was not loud, but unusually clear and calm, like a silver dollar dropping on a bluestone slab, each word resonating:
"Mr. Zhou Mingxuan, thank you for your kindness, but I must solemnly state two points."
She paused slightly, and everyone's eyes were focused on her, and even the air seemed to freeze.
"First, I have never had, and will never have, any thoughts about you that go beyond ordinary friendship with classmates."
The smile on Zhou Mingxuan's face froze instantly.
"Secondly," Gu Qiuyue's voice became firmer and more powerful, reaching everyone's ears clearly. "I'm already married and the mother of two children. My husband is a glorious soldier who is currently studying at a military academy. We have a harmonious family and a happy life. Please respect yourself and don't disturb me in any way in the future."
The moment the words fell, time seemed to stand still.
The blood color on Zhou Mingxuan's face faded away completely in an instant, and the fingers holding the movie ticket trembled slightly. Shock, embarrassment, shame and anger, all kinds of emotions rolled in his eyes, and finally turned into a dead stiffness. He was like a petrified statue, standing still.
The students who were watching the excitement were stunned, their mouths wide open enough to fit an egg. Gu Qiuyue? Married? With two children? A military wife?! This amount of information was like thunder from a clear sky, leaving them dizzy.
Gu Qiuyue no longer looked at Zhou Mingxuan's brilliant face, nor did she pay attention to the dead silence around her and the buzzing discussions that followed. Her eyes were as calm as water. Holding her books, she walked straight past the stiff Zhou Mingxuan and walked steadily towards the library door, leaving only a resolute and open back.
Liu Mei happened to be coming out of the library and was about to go to the washroom. She witnessed the second half from afar. The enamel washbasin in her hand fell to the ground with a clang, and water spilled all over the floor. She was completely unaware of it, her eyes wide open, and her mouth opened and closed silently, as if she had seen a ghost.
Originally, when Gu Qiuyue said in the dormitory that she already had a child, she didn't quite believe it. It was because Gu Qiuyue didn't look like a woman who had given birth to two children at all. She just thought it was an excuse for her to shirk responsibility. She didn't expect her to say the same thing in public.
Her roommate said, "It turns out that Gu Qiuyue is really married and has a child."
"Maybe she was just talking nonsense." Liu Mei retorted subconsciously.
"No way!" the roommate said, "With so many people listening, how could she maintain her reputation by telling such a lie? Besides, being pursued by Zhou Mingxuan isn't a shameful thing. I heard he's a local, his family all have decent jobs, and his parents are cadres in the factory."
"Maybe she is playing some tricks in front of Zhou Mingxuan!" Liu Mei still didn't believe it.
But no matter what she thought, Gu Qiuyue didn't know that at this moment she was leaning against the trunk of an old locust tree in a secluded place, and slowly exhaled a long breath. She didn't want to disclose her private affairs in this way and become a topic of conversation for others after dinner, but Zhou Mingxuan's relentless pressure left her with no choice.
Her fingertips touched the bullet shell in her pocket again, and the cool metallic feel brought her a sense of comfort. She closed her eyes and imagined Xie Shiyu sweating profusely on the military academy playground. Her restless heart gradually calmed down. For him, for the child, and for the path she had chosen, what was this little turmoil?
After adjusting her mood, Gu Qiuyue returned to the dormitory.
When she pushed open the door, the dormitory was eerily quiet. Liu Mei and her roommates stopped what they were doing and looked at her in unison, their expressions complex and indescribable: surprise, curiosity, and a subtle hint of... awe. The previous minor friction seemed insignificant in the face of the explosive identity of "married military wife with children."
Gu Qiuyue walked to her desk with a normal expression and put down the book, as if the incident had never happened. She didn't need to explain, the facts were the best explanation.
Liu Mei opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she only asked dryly, "Um...Qiuyue, you...you are really a military wife? And you have two children?"
"Yeah." Gu Qiuyue responded lightly, without looking back, and began to organize the documents on the table. "The child is still young and is at his grandfather's house. My parents-in-law help take care of him. I hope everyone understands and respects my family life." Her attitude was frank and calm, without the slightest bit of shyness or inferiority.
Liu Mei said "Oh" awkwardly, exchanged glances with the other roommates, and said nothing more. The dormitory fell into a strange silence, with only the rustling sound of Gu Qiuyue turning pages.
At this moment, the loud shout of the aunt in the message room came from downstairs, penetrating the afternoon silence and coming up clearly:
"Gu Qiuyue from 308—phone number!"
Phone call?! Who would call her? Is there some family emergency?
Gu Qiuyue's fingers that were turning the pages of the book suddenly stopped, and her heart seemed to be gripped by an invisible hand!
She stood up suddenly, and the legs of the stool made a harsh sound on the floor. Without thinking too much, she rushed out of the dormitory door in two steps and ran down the stairs with a thud.
In the reception room, the old-fashioned black telephone receiver was tilted to one side. Gu Qiuyue grabbed the receiver, her breath still a little unsteady: "Hello? It's Gu Qiuyue!"
A crackling electrical noise came from the receiver, followed by an extremely suppressed, nasal, and noticeably trembling female voice, which sounded intermittent, as if she had exhausted all her strength to squeeze out a few words:
"Is... is it Gu Qiuyue...? I... I am... Lin Xiu... I... I saw the notice... I... I really don't know what to do... Can you... can you help me? I... I'm scared..." Her voice was choked and almost incoherent, full of despair and helplessness.
Suddenly, there was a sharp busy tone from the other end of the phone, and then the line was completely disconnected, leaving only the "beep...beep...beep..." busy tone echoing hollowly in the empty switchboard room.
Gu Qiuyue held the receiver that had suddenly stopped ringing, her fingertips were cold. The last suppressed sob and busy tone in the receiver were like an icy needle that pierced her heart.
Lin Xiu! It really is her! What has happened to her? What is she afraid of? What deeper darkness lies behind this abruptly ended phone call?
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