After going through many hardships, the four of them returned to the county. They went back to their dormitory to wash up first, otherwise they would be too embarrassed to face anyone, they smelled too bad!
Chu Jianguo looked at the four of them and thought, "Not bad. It's clear they've grown since the trip."
"Okay, you've worked hard. You've brought back quite a few orders this time, enough to keep you busy for a while. There are many things to plan for later, and you'll all have a chance to shine then. I'll give you two days off to rest, and then we'll discuss things in detail. Xiao Jiang, you should also take two days off. I've already spoken to your supervisor, so you can go and tell him yourself."
Chu Jianguo looked at Xiao Jiang. Wen Ye had written back earlier, saying that Xiao Jiang was very cooperative and didn't boss him around just because he was older; he was a sensible person. Chu Jianguo didn't hesitate to give him some pointers, since they might have to work together again in the future.
"Thank you, Director Chu. If you need me to run errands in the future, just let me know."
After saying goodbye to the group, he returned to his office. He had to report to his boss, which was an ironclad rule in the workplace.
Leaving aside the fact that the Revolutionary Committee was busy and thriving, there was also a lot of discussion in a certain compound in Beijing because of Yu Jun's marriage.
In a large compound in Kyoto, the family housing was divided into several grades. Bai's father, a brigade commander, was allocated a large three-bedroom apartment, over 100 square meters, with a kitchen and a bathroom.
Nowadays, most tenement buildings have shared kitchens and toilets, and the space is very small. This kind of layout is rare; it's only allocated to people of a certain rank. A little higher up, you get a two-story building, the legendary "general's building," like the one where Grandpa Wang Wenye lived.
Very few people could live in the General's Mansion; those were people who had fought their way through the flames of war.
Bai's father had also been to the battlefield. He didn't have much of a background; he built his large three-bedroom house step by step on his own.
"Sister-in-law, Xiaoyu's matter is settled, are you not going to consider it anymore? The man's background isn't very good either, Yunnan Province, that's the border!"
Aunt Bai didn't take a liking to Yu Xiaoge; he was just a deputy battalion commander, and there were plenty of regimental commanders in Kyoto.
Home is so far away, there's no support, nothing can be done for him, what future can he have? Xiaoyu is good-looking, has a good personality, seems quiet and gentle, and has a stable job; she could find someone with even better prospects!
"We can't just look at the conditions; we also have to consider the child himself. Although Yu Jun is a deputy battalion commander, he's still young and has room for advancement. Since the family lives far away, the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is much less strained, which makes things easier for Xiaoyu."
Bai's mother works for the Women's Federation and has encountered too many conflicts between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, sisters-in-law, and difficult situations for daughters-in-law. She's always mediating these kinds of problems for others, and Bai's mother doesn't want her daughter to go through the same thing.
There were also families in their compound with better conditions, but one problem was that the children themselves were incompetent, lazy, and didn't do anything productive. Another was that the women in their families were meddlesome, arrogant, and overly boastful. In this situation, being boastful is definitely not a good thing.
Well, Mr. and Mrs. Bai are quite clear-headed and have a long-term perspective. They both come from working-class backgrounds and haven't forgotten their roots; their values are still very sound. They truly deserve to be called comrades who have received years of education from the Party.
When Bai Xiaoyu returned home from get off work, she also heard the surrounding discussions. People, whether they knew her or not, could say a few words.
Xiaoyu, are you sure about your boyfriend?
Aunt Wang, who lived in the front yard of the Bai family, asked with a gossipy look on her face, with a hint of schadenfreude in her voice.
Logically speaking, for a family member of a regimental commander to provoke the daughter of a brigade commander, are you out of your mind?
Commander Wang's aunt didn't care about any of that. Firstly, Commander Wang and Bai's father weren't in the same division, so they weren't direct superiors. Secondly, Commander Wang's wife had wanted to introduce her son to Bai Xiaoyu, but he hadn't agreed. So, she was making snide remarks, clearly enjoying the situation, and her comments were full of sour grapes.
"Yes, it's settled. The relationship report has been approved. We'll get engaged in a few days. I'll treat my aunt to candy!"
Bai Xiaoyu may appear delicate, but she is anything but; she is very opinionated and won't easily compromise for the sake of saving face.
Having been met with a blunt rebuke, Wang Tuanjia, feeling foolish, reluctantly shut up.
Those who had been watching the spectacle felt too embarrassed to make fun of the young girl anymore, and instead gathered around and started gossiping.
Bai Xiaoyu pushed open the door and entered the room, and the discussions outside grew louder, becoming quite lively.
Regiment Commander Wang had been in the army for a long time, even a year or two older than Bai's father, but he had never been promoted and had lost all ambition, just wanting to coast through retirement. Meanwhile, Commander Wang's wife wasn't well-liked, lacked social skills, and couldn't tell right from wrong.
"I thought she'd find someone special, a battalion commander from a small town, and a deputy one at that. And she still looks down on my Qiangzi? She must be blind!"
After saying that, he pursed his lips and rolled his eyes.
"You can't say that. He's a deputy battalion commander in the Air Force, which is a very prestigious position."
Aunt Li from the Bai family's backyard remarked frankly, thinking to herself, "He's still better than your good-for-nothing son. No one in the compound would want your son; he's over twenty, still no respectable person, and hasn't even gotten a permanent position yet!"
"The Air Force offers good benefits, but the Bai family's status is undeniable. Not to mention Brigade Commander Bai, even the eldest son of the Bai family holds a high position, and there's Guilan, the director of the Women's Federation."
An older woman who was close to Bai's mother spoke frankly: Bai Xiaoyu was a good catch. She was good-looking, had a good personality, and a stable job; she was very sought after. It was unexpected that she was snatched away by someone from out of town; many families in the compound felt sorry for her.
"I don't know what Xiaoyu was thinking. There are so many outstanding young people in the compound, but she chose someone from out of town. I heard she has several siblings. Will she have to support her poor relatives in the countryside in the future?"
An aunt with slanted eyes seemed to feel deeply moved; perhaps she was a relative who often helped her husband's family.
Not everyone living in the compound came from a wealthy family; many came from rural areas and had numerous relatives. The money, tickets, and gifts they sent back home each year amounted to almost a third of the men's salaries. This was especially true for families with elderly members; they couldn't afford to send too little.
Bai Xiaoyu didn't hear the gossip outside. When she got home, she saw her aunt there and knew she was in for another lecture.
"Auntie is here?"
Bai Xiaoyu took the initiative to greet him, so as to avoid him from talking about this and that later.
"Xiaoyu is back. I heard your marriage has been settled, so I came to ask. Once you've made up your mind, you've made up your mind and you don't regret it."
The aunt was also afraid that her niece would follow in her footsteps and make a mess of her life.
Back then, her brother introduced her to a woman with good prospects, but she disagreed and insisted on marrying the one she loved. After marriage, she realized that the mundane realities of life, like dating, were far from perfect. The trivialities of daily life eroded the initial affection, leaving only mutual resentment and helplessness.
"Don't worry, Auntie. I've thought it through. It's Yu Jun. He doesn't mind doing housework, he can cook, he doesn't discriminate against girls, and he respects his wife. Men like that are hard to find, and I don't want to miss out."
Bai Xiaoyu grew up in a compound, and she knew very well what those aunties and grandmas were like. And those self-proclaimed "young masters" of the compound—how many of them knew how to care for others?
Bai Xiaoyu is very clear-headed; she knows what she wants and won't be swayed.
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