"Come on, you guys go have some fun, let this great chef show off his skills." Xia Lin said as she tied on her apron.
"You all go and have fun, I'll help in the kitchen." Gu Si urged the others who were helping to leave.
"Auntie, are you sure you don't need our help?" Chu Jiaojiao was reluctant to leave.
"Alright, let's go out and chat with my uncle. Let the two of them stay in the kitchen while we wait to eat something delicious." Seeing that Chu Jiaojiao didn't want to go out, and receiving a look from her father, Xia Yiyang directly led Chu Jiaojiao to the living room.
He didn't want to get a beating from his father after dinner. This kitchen was his and his wife's territory, and he wouldn't be the kind of person who disliked others. Jiaojiao didn't know this, so he took Jiaojiao out.
In the living room, Chu Xingyue was chatting with Gu Yanting and Fang Qiong. Fang Qiong really liked Chu Xingyue more and more as they talked. Chu Xingyue behaved differently in front of female elders than in front of male elders. Women are naturally gentle. No matter how strong or tough a woman is, there is a small soft spot deep in her heart. Chu Xingyue was very patient with this.
Aside from her brothers, Chu Xingyue treated other men in roughly the same way, always remaining calm and collected.
Actually, Chu Xingyue didn't feel much when she first learned that Gu Yanci had gone missing.
However, I still hope that he can turn the tide.
"Really? An'an is that amazing?"
Fang Qiong looked excitedly at Chu Jiaojiao who was speaking, then turned to look at Chu Xingyue.
“Aunt Gu, you don’t know my sister. I’ve been practicing martial arts longer than my sister, but ever since she started, I haven’t been able to beat her in all these years.”
"I held back during the school's combat class; I didn't dare to fight freely for fear of hurting someone," Chu Jiaojiao said regretfully.
"You don't know, I had a blast this morning. Although I still didn't beat my sister, I had a really great time. It was so much fun." Fang Qiong's still-satisfied expression made her laugh.
"It's a good thing for a girl to know a little martial arts. She won't cause trouble, but she's not afraid of trouble either. However, when there are many people around, she should still preserve her strength. As long as she's alive, she can always make a comeback." Fang Qiong patted Chu Jiaojiao's hand that she was holding.
"That's what my sister told me too. Even though we're strong, we can't fight against everyone. We can't show off without good reason."
“Your sister says this a lot, especially about people like you who will be joining the military in the future. Although people in the country have faith in soldiers, they also bear too many expectations. If they don’t meet those expectations, they may be resented.”
Gu Yanting understood what Fang Qiong meant. If it weren't for that incident, she wouldn't have chosen to retire from the army. She was heartbroken.
Chu Xingyue, who was standing silently to the side, noticed that Gu Yanting's gaze towards Fang Qiong was somewhat flickering, and knew that there must be a story behind Fang Qiong's words.
Gu Yanting noticed Chu Xingyue when she looked over.
"Aren't you curious why your Aunt Gu would say such a thing?"
Chu Jiaojiao looked at Gu Yanting with a puzzled expression, while Chu Xingyue nodded slightly, and Fang Qiong also stopped talking.
"Your Aunt Gu was a field medic on the front lines. She saved countless lives, if not thousands. When she retreated to the rear, most of the people she saved were grateful. But there were always a few who didn't appreciate it. Plus, some people instigated them, saying that your Aunt Gu saved everyone else but not their relatives, and that such people didn't deserve to be doctors."
Some more extreme comments went so far as to ask why it wasn't the rescued people who died, but their own relatives. Some even resorted to violence. They claimed that Aunt Gu was pregnant at the time and didn't know it, and that she miscarried when she was pushed. They argued that in those days, on the battlefield, how could everyone be taken care of? Many were killed due to delayed treatment, but this was due to the limited medical resources and personnel at the time. How much could that have to do with Aunt Gu? The higher-ups, pressured by public opinion and because Aunt Gu was recovering from her postpartum period, simply ordered her to stay home and rest.”
"Later, things calmed down thanks to the intervention of the old man in the family. Your aunt was heartbroken and almost couldn't get over it. In the end, she simply retired from the army and followed him, and she's been like that ever since." Gu Yanting knew the efforts his wife had made back then so that others wouldn't look down on her and so that she could be worthy of him.
But in the end, he had to give up his hard-earned career because of this. Sometimes I feel annoyed that he wasn't there at the time.
"Alright, I'm fine. Isn't it good to take care of you all? I'm quite satisfied with my life now." After all these years, Fang Qiong is quite content with her current life. She's not some kind of strong woman; when she was young, she at least fought for a goal, and she has no regrets. Who has a smooth life? Aren't we all born to overcome obstacles?
"Aunt Gu, you're amazing! I definitely couldn't stand it. If it were me, I would definitely beat those people to a pulp." Chu Jiaojiao angrily raised her fist and waved it.
"Haha, back when I was younger I used to think back on it a lot, angry at myself for not rushing up and punching her. Now so many years have passed, and I'm more at peace with myself. It's important to make peace with yourself. If you keep dwelling on it, you're just making yourself miserable." Gu Yanting saw his wife's relieved expression and knew that she had let go of the past because she brought it up herself.
"If you encounter similar situations in the future, don't act impulsively. Justice will prevail, so don't get stuck in a rut," Fang Qiong advised the two girls in front of her.
She didn't want such outstanding children to experience the same unpleasant things she had gone through back then.
"Auntie, don't worry, these two are not to be trifled with, and we brothers are here to protect them too, so don't worry." Xia Yiyang patted his chest confidently.
"Don't let yourself be wronged. If you are wronged, tell your Uncle Gu and let him stand up for you."
Fang Qiong turned her gaze to Gu Yanting.
"Yes, yes, but please don't let yourselves be wronged. If anything happens, tell Uncle Gu, and he will stand up for you."
Gu Yanting was quite looking forward to standing up for the children.
The family is full of naughty, mischievous boys who caused him a lot of trouble when they were young. Their house often turned into a marketplace, with the women from the neighborhood coming to complain. He wanted to experience what it felt like to stand up for himself.
"Ha ha."
Chu Xingyue's lips curled up, while Chu Jiaojiao laughed happily.
The two sisters have never lacked love since they were little, and now Gu Yanting and Fang Qiong's words are very heartwarming.
"Big brother, sister-in-law, kids, dinner's ready!"
Gu Si, carrying a large bowl of food, shouted to the group of people chatting in the living room!
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