Chapter 341 The courtyard is fortified, and the happy family reunion dinner begins!
"Mother! Go! Go quickly!" Her voice trembled. "He really dared to fire!"
The family of four, who had been so arrogant just moments before, now looked like stray dogs. They scrambled out of the yard, almost forgetting to grab their bundles lying on the ground.
Amidst the disdainful gazes and pointing fingers of their neighbors, they scrambled onto the Jiefang truck used for hauling goods.
The engine roared, and black smoke billowed up.
The truck drove away, kicking up a cloud of dust.
The courtyard was finally quiet.
Zhang Huilan stood there, tears streaming down her face. She wiped her face haphazardly with her apron: "For decades... I can finally swallow this bitter pill."
Su Yue walked over and gently patted her mother-in-law's back: "Mom, it's good that you cried. Wash your face after you're done crying, we still have to eat New Year's Eve dinner."
“Yes, let’s eat.” Zhang Huilan smiled through her tears. “I made braised pork.”
Gu Beichen put away his gun and looked at Su Yue.
Su Yue raised an eyebrow: "What? You think I went too far?"
"Too light." Gu Beichen bent down and picked up Gu Ping'an. The little guy was still clenching his fists and glaring at the door, looking indignant. Gu Beichen rubbed his son's head. "They should walk back."
...
Town Guesthouse.
The room was cramped and dark, with mold growing in the corners. Four people were crammed into two single beds, and the air was filled with a musty smell.
Old Mrs. Gu and Mrs. Wang sat cross-legged on the bed, pounding the bed board and cursing, "You heartless bastards! May you be struck by lightning!"
Gu Zhenghai was applying safflower oil to his wrist, hissing in pain: "Mother, stop scolding. Did you see that house? That furniture? And what Su Yue was wearing... I saw that bottle of face cream on her table, it smells so good."
“Pearl Cream.” Gu Aimin, who was squatting in the corner smoking a pipe, suddenly spoke up. “I asked around on the way here. Su Yue opened a factory. That little bottle of face cream sells for ten yuan. People have to queue up at the supply and marketing cooperative to get it.”
Ten yuan?!
Old Mrs. Gu stopped cursing. A hungry wolf-like green light gleamed in her triangular eyes.
"Ten yuan for a bottle of rotten mud? That's robbery!"
“That’s gold.” Gu Zhenghai exhaled a smoke ring. “I heard they transport it out by truck. The profits… are terrifying.”
Gu Baozu rolled around on the bed, yelling that he was hungry. Old Mrs. Gu slapped him to shut up, then moved closer to Gu Zhenghai and lowered her voice.
"Ten yuan a bottle... If only we could get our hands on that formula..."
The room fell silent.
Greed, like mold, grows wildly in the dark air.
"We can't just go back like this." Old Mrs. Gu gritted her teeth, her old face contorted like dry tree bark. "That's the Gu family's money. That's my money. Zheng Hai, you think of something. Even if we have to default, we have to stay here and get a piece of flesh from them!"
“The formula…” Gu Zhenghai squinted, looking through the dusty window toward the military region. “I see it. The factory is in the backyard. There’s not a very high wall.”
...
Night has fallen. The sea breeze howls.
The Gu family courtyard was brightly lit.
The braised pork was served, glistening with oil and reddish-brown, and its aroma was irresistible.
Zhang Huilan was in a great mood and kept piling meat into Su Yue's bowl: "Eat, eat more. This meal was very enjoyable."
Su Yue took a bite of lean meat, swallowed it, and then said, "Mom, keep the gate locked these next few days. Don't take the children out alone."
"Do you think they can come back?" Gu Zhengfeng frowned.
"A leopard can't change its spots." Su Yue took a handkerchief and wiped Gu Ningjing's mouth. The little girl gripped the spoon tightly, her big eyes looking around warily; clearly, what happened that afternoon had frightened her.
Starting in the afternoon, the two children became unusually clingy. Ping An, in particular, seemed to want to be glued to Gu Beichen.
“The wall is too low,” Gu Beichen suddenly said. “Tomorrow I’ll get some broken glass and use cement to reinforce the top of the wall.”
“Glass can’t stop a thick skin.” Su Yue peeled a shrimp. “I’ll have Wenxuan get two retired wolfhounds from the police dog base. They’ll be delivered tomorrow.”
“Good dog.” Zhang Huilan nodded vigorously. “It will bite these heartless bastards to death.”
“Also,” Su Yue put down her chopsticks, her expression turning serious, “we need to add more staff at the lab. That batch of raw materials being cultured is at a critical stage. If someone were to smear salt into it…”
Gu Beichen put down his bowl: "I've already made the arrangements. The guard platoon will work in three shifts."
"That's good."
Su Yue looked out into the darkness. The wind rustled the banana leaves, casting shadows that resembled menacing ghosts.
Those kinds of people never give up. Poverty drives people mad, greed takes their lives.
But this is her territory.
She'd chop off anyone who dared to extend their claws.
"Let's eat." Su Yue smiled and raised her orange soda. "Cheers, it's New Year's!"
The glasses clinked together, making a crisp sound.
Under the table, Gu Beichen's large hand covered hers. His palm was rough, calloused, yet burning hot.
He didn't say anything, he just pinched it gently.
Su Yue turned her head to the side.
Gu Beichen was looking at her. The icy demeanor he had displayed when facing his relatives had completely melted away, and his eyes were heavy with a deep affection that was heart-wrenching.
He peeled the last shrimp and put it on her plate.
Then he leaned closer and said in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"Tonight, the child will sleep with Mom."
Su Yue's face flushed, and she kicked him under the table.
What's going on in this blockhead's head?
A cannon shot rang out in the distance.
Bang!
The New Year is here.
......
The first day of the Lunar New Year in 1971.
The sea breeze, carrying the smell of firecrackers, filled the Hainan Island military compound with a lively atmosphere.
Red paper with black characters was pasted on the gate of the Gu family courtyard. The characters were vigorous and powerful, written by Gu Zhengfeng early in the morning.
The lanterns hung under the grape trellis, swaying in the wind and making the trellis creak.
Today is not only the Spring Festival, but also the first birthday celebration for the Gu family's twins.
A thick red velvet carpet was laid in the courtyard. It was a rare item that Huo Wenxuan had brought from Southeast Asia. It was soft and comfortable to walk on and didn't hurt your knees.
"Move slowly, don't bump it," Su Yue directed from under the eaves. She was wearing a dark red cashmere coat, which made her look even fairer, and she was holding Gu Ningjing, who was still yawning, in her arms.
Gu Beichen was leading his orderly to move an octagonal table against the wall to make room in the middle. He rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, revealing his muscular forearms, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead.
"The commander is here!"
A shout came from the doorway.
Two military green jeeps were parked outside the yard.
Commander Zheng of the Qiongzhou Military Region strode in, accompanied by several guards.
Following behind were Huo Shouxin, the representative of the Huo family, and Academician Qian, who had come specially from the research institute.
This pomp and circumstance made Zhu Cuihua next door shrink behind the door, not daring to breathe.
"Old Gu, congratulations!" Commander Zheng laughed as soon as he entered the door. "These two kids are the treasures of our military region. I have to hold them today, no matter what."
Gu Beichen stepped forward to salute, but before he could lower his hand, Commander Zheng pressed down on his shoulder.
"Let's not talk about official business today, just family matters." Commander Zheng took a red cloth bag from his guard. "This is a gift for the two kids."
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