"Lu Wanwan!"
A roar erupted in the family compound late at night, shattering the silence.
Lu Lin's hands were trembling as he gripped his clothes. He stood angrily at the door of the west room, glaring at his sister who was carrying a pillow and moving towards Gu Mingyue's room.
Lu Wanwan was startled, but didn't dare put the pillow down. She stiffened her neck and retorted, "Brother, why are you yelling? What's wrong with me sleeping with my sister-in-law?"
"You're such a grown woman, and you're still clinging to your sister-in-law!" Lu Lin's voice still carried a hint of unquenched anger. "Go back to your room and sleep."
Lu Wanwan pouted, hugged her pillow and hid behind Gu Mingyue, whispering to her, "Sister-in-law, look at him. He's so old, but he's still like a child. He gets jealous when I sleep with you. I've never seen a brother like this before."
Lu Lin overheard these words, and his face instantly turned red, his anger flaring even more.
He wasn't jealous; he was worried about Wanwan's frightened experience on the road and wanted her to sleep alone so she could have a good night's rest. But this girl just didn't understand and even accused him of being petty.
"Your sister-in-law and I are husband and wife. Is it appropriate for you to always interfere in the middle?"
Lu Lin took a step forward and reached out to snatch her pillow. "Go back to your room right now, or I'll call home and have Mom come and discipline you!"
Lu Wanwan shrank into Gu Mingyue's arms in fright, but still couldn't help but retort, "You're so petty! You weren't this angry when I slept with Mom at home, but now that you have a wife, you don't even want your sister anymore!"
Gu Mingyue quickly grabbed Lu Lin's arm and patted Wanwan's back to smooth things over.
"Alright, alright, stop arguing. Wanwan just arrived, she might be afraid of the dark at night. Let me sleep with her tonight, and she can sleep on her own once she's settled in, okay?"
Lu Lin glared at his sister, saw her sticking out her tongue and making a face, snorted angrily, but still let go.
"Just this once! Starting tomorrow, you have to sleep in the west room!"
After saying that, he turned around and stomped back into the house, slamming the door shut behind him.
Lu Wanwan leaned close to Gu Mingyue's ear and whispered with a laugh, "Sister-in-law, look, I hit the nail on the head, and he's getting angry because he's embarrassed."
Gu Mingyue shook her head helplessly and pulled her into the house: "You shouldn't always upset your brother. He's just worried about you."
The room was lit by a warm yellow light. Wanwan hugged her pillow and snuggled up to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), secretly pleased with herself.
Actually, she didn't really want to sleep with her sister-in-law; she just wanted to tease her brother. Seeing how anxious he was, he seemed much more lively than when he was at home.
As soon as the door closed, Wanwan couldn't wait to pull the blue cloth bundle to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) and unfold it layer by layer like a treasure.
"Sister-in-law, look! This is full of good things for you and your brother!"
She first took out several packets of pastries carefully wrapped in oil paper, her eyes shining: "These are insoles that Grandma Wu made for me."
As she spoke, she pulled out two neatly folded cloth shirts. "These were made by Miaoyu herself. She said it's windy on the island, so she made you a thicker one and sent a thinner one for me too."
Gu Mingyue reached out and touched the fine stitches on the cloth shirt, feeling a warmth rising in her heart.
Lu Wanwan flipped through the pages again and suddenly pulled out several neatly folded rolls of fabric, with bright colors and a soft, thick feel.
"Here's the main attraction! These are all new fabrics produced in the garment factory. Director Qin said he knew I was coming to the island, so he collected them long ago and asked me to make sure he brought them to you."
She leaned closer to Gu Mingyue and grinned mischievously, "I knew it! I was wondering why she kept asking me when I was leaving. Turns out she had it all planned out. She just wanted to use me as a way to deliver the fabric to you!"
Gu Mingyue picked up a roll of fabric printed with daisies, held it up against herself, and said with delight, "She always thinks of me like this."
Lu Wanwan nodded, then took out a small box from the bottom of the bundle: "There are some sesame seeds in here that Grandma Wu gave me. They are homegrown, big and plump. You can soak them in water and drink them."
The bed was soon filled with all sorts of items, the cotton scent of the fabrics mingling together, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Gu Mingyue looked at these warm things, and then glanced at Wanwan, whose eyes were crinkled with laughter.
Suddenly, I realized that this island, thousands of miles away, has long since become my second home because of these concerns.
The two of them carefully put away the contents of the bundle, and neatly arranged the folded clothes in the corner of the cabinet.
Gu Mingyue glanced at the wall clock and patted Wanwan's arm: "It's getting late, lie down and go to sleep. You must be exhausted after traveling so far."
Lu Wanwan rubbed her eyes, feeling really sleepy. Her eyelids were heavy, and she couldn't help but yawn as soon as she touched the freshly laid-out bedding.
Gu Mingyue tucked the blanket around her, then suddenly remembered something and added, "By the way, the camp will sound the reveille tomorrow morning. It's quite loud, so don't be startled. Be prepared."
"Okay, sister-in-law," Lu Wanwan mumbled, tilting her head back on the pillow and closing her eyes.
The journey from Beijing to the island was filled with the discomfort of the hard seats on the train, which made my back ache, and the waves on the boat made me dizzy. I never felt at ease.
Now, lying on the warm kang (heated brick bed), smelling the faint scent of soapberry in the bedding, and with my sister-in-law beside me, the tension in my heart finally eased.
Gu Mingyue watched as her breathing quickly became steady, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.
She gently turned off the light, and listening to the soft, even breathing beside her, Gu Mingyue slowly closed her eyes as well.
The girl finally arrived safely. From now on, she can rest well in this little courtyard for a while.
The reveille in the camp broke the silence of the early morning precisely on time, sharp and loud.
Lu Wanwan opened her eyes groggily, her mind still foggy. Just as she was about to turn over and go back to sleep, the sound of the horn seemed to chase after her ears, preventing her from fully sinking into a dream.
She snuggled against the warm pillow, finally regaining some consciousness, but her eyelids felt as heavy as lead.
As the bugle call faded into the distance, he turned over and curled up in the blankets, falling asleep again in no time.
He slept very soundly, not even hearing the chickens crowing in the yard.
When she woke up again, the sun was already high in the sky, shining through the window onto the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).
Lu Wanwan stretched and reached out to touch the side, but found nothing.
She was alone on the kang (a heated brick bed); Gu Mingyue was not there.
She quickly sat up, rubbing her eyes, and called out to the outside, "Sister-in-law? Sister-in-law, where are you?"
After calling out twice without a response, Lu Wanwan put on her clothes and got off the kang (a heated brick bed). As soon as she reached the courtyard gate, she smelled a familiar sweet fragrance.
Following the aroma toward the kitchen, I saw Gu Mingyue standing by the stove, busy with something. Her apron was covered in flour, and she was holding a large iron ladle, stirring something in the pot.
"Sister-in-law! Why didn't you wake me up?"
Lu Wanwan ran over and went to the stove to take a look. She saw that sesame paste was cooking in the pot and steaming.
Gu Mingyue turned around and smiled: "You were sleeping so soundly, I didn't have the heart to wake you. Quickly wash your face, the sesame paste is freshly made, it was given to you by Grandma Wu who brought you here, drink it while it's hot."
Okay~
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