Chapter 103
After breakfast, Gu Xi went back to her room to change her clothes.
After she changed her clothes, she saw that Shen Mingzheng had put some canned fruit, malted milk powder, candy and biscuits in a bag.
These are perfect as gifts; they give the impression of someone about to make a visit.
Gu Xi became increasingly curious about who they were going to see.
They went out by bicycle. Shen Mingzheng adjusted the height of the bicycle seat and then carried her away from the family compound.
After leaving the residential compound, Gu Xi sat on the back of the bicycle, enjoying the scenery along the way.
It didn't snow or hail today, but the sky was overcast, which didn't look like good weather. The wind was also very strong, blowing in my face and quickly making my face feel cold.
She huddled behind him, using his body to shield herself from the wind, and pulled her scarf up with one hand to partially cover her face.
However, Gu Xi soon found the road along the way to be somewhat familiar.
She nudged the man's back and asked, "Brother, this seems to be the way to the military hospital, right?" Having been to the hospital several times, she recognized the route.
Shen Mingzheng hummed in agreement.
"Is the person we're going to see today in the hospital?" Gu Xi asked. "Is he sick? Is it serious?"
Shen Mingzheng said, "It's not an illness, it's an injury that put him in the hospital. I heard it's quite serious."
Although I couldn't see his face, I could tell from his voice that he must be frowning and looking serious.
Gu Xi said "oh" and stopped asking. Anyway, she would see the person when they got to the hospital.
Upon arriving at the military hospital, Shen Mingzheng parked his bicycle and, carrying gifts for visiting the patient, led Gu Xi towards the inpatient department.
They arrived at a single room on the third floor of the inpatient department.
The ward door was open, and inside, doctors and nurses were giving patients routine checkups and talking in hushed tones. The two of them didn't go in but stood at the doorway waiting.
There were many people inside, blocking the view of the hospital bed, so Gu Xi couldn't see the patient on the bed.
It wasn't until the doctors and nurses finished their examination and left that I finally got a clear look at the patient.
He had a pale, handsome face with delicate features and a pair of captivating, almond-shaped eyes. Even though he looked sickly at the moment, his exquisite and beautiful face was still undeniable. Not to mention the subtle, noble air about him that was quite unique.
Gu Xi has always had a good memory, and with the man on the hospital bed's strikingly handsome face, she recognized him instantly.
Xiang Changchuan.
The day before she and Shen Mingzheng left Beijing last year, he came to the Shen family to see Shen Mingzheng. Shen Mingzheng even went out with him and didn't return until the middle of the night. Her parents-in-law obviously knew this man.
I never expected to see him here again.
Shen Mingzheng led Gu Xi inside, placed the gifts he had brought as a visitor on the table beside the bed, and asked, "Changchuan, how are you feeling?"
Xiang Changchuan lay there, looking very weak, but his spirits were still relatively good.
He laughed and said, "Not bad! What brings you here? And you even brought your wife along. What if you scared her?"
Gu Xi greeted him and asked, "Is Comrade Xiang alright?"
She glanced at the medicine hanging next to her, but couldn't tell what it was or what Xiang Changchuan's condition was.
"Just call me Changchuan, sister-in-law." Xiang Changchuan's voice was hoarse. "Don't worry, sister-in-law, it's nothing." He deliberately spoke lightly so as not to frighten anyone.
Shen Mingzheng pulled Gu Xi to sit down and said, "I haven't been at the base for the past few days. I only got back last night, so I didn't know you were here."
His tone was somewhat somber, and his gaze toward Xiang Changchuan carried a rare hint of disapproval, his eyes sharp and piercing.
Gu Xi could sense that he was in a bad mood, clearly annoyed by Xiang Changchuan's injury and hospitalization.
Xiang Changchuan smiled indifferently, "This is my choice." As if he didn't want to continue the topic, he changed the subject, "The transfer order has been issued. I will be coming here next month. I will have to trouble you to take care of me again."
Shen Mingzheng responded indifferently, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger, "Take care of your health first."
"It won't take long to recover. Having survived such a calamity, good fortune is sure to follow." Xiang Changchuan still had that same smiling face, completely unconcerned about the severity of his injuries.
The two exchanged a few brief words before falling silent.
It's like we've run out of things to talk about, or there are some things that don't need to be said too clearly.
This made Gu Xi, who was somewhat socially anxious when facing strangers, anxious for them, and she recalled a wise saying on the internet: "I'm afraid the air will suddenly fall silent."
Gu Xi was afraid of this silence, so she mustered her courage and asked, "Is Comrade Xiang alone in the hospital? Has anyone come to keep him company and take care of him?"
With such severe injuries, isn't anyone coming to the hospital to take care of you?
Does he know anyone here?
Xiang Changchuan smiled at her, still looking relaxed: "Yes, there are doctors and nurses from the hospital."
This doesn't count as being a caregiver, does it?
Gu Xi thought for a moment, then asked, "What about dinner?"
"A nurse helped bring the food over."
"The food in the hospital... isn't it nutritious enough?" Gu Xi said tactfully. "You're injured and hospitalized now, so if you want to recover quickly, you need to eat more nutritious food... If you don't mind, I can cook at home and bring it to you..."
"No need, no need!" Xiang Changchuan hurriedly said, "Sister-in-law, there's no need to go to so much trouble. The hospital has specially prepared meals for patients, which is more than enough. There's no need to go to so much trouble."
Gu Xidao said straightforwardly, "It's okay, I'm going to eat anyway, I'll make some for you while I'm at it."
Xiang Changchuan: "..." How was he supposed to respond to this?
Xiang Changchuan didn't know how to respond, so he turned to look at Shen Mingzheng.
Shen Mingzheng said, "Okay, Xixi, you and your second sister make more, and I'll have someone deliver it over later."
Gu Xi nodded in agreement, and the couple made their decision.
Then Shen Mingzheng got up and went to find the doctor to inquire about Xiang Changchuan's condition.
Gu Xi stayed in the ward and continued her awkward conversation with Xiang Changchuan.
Fortunately, Xiang Changchuan was good at reading people's expressions. Without Gu Xi having to awkwardly find topics to talk about, he took the initiative to start a conversation with her about things related to Shen Mingzheng.
"Actually, Mingzheng and I have known each other since we were little. I'm two years younger than Mingzheng, but I entered military school earlier. We were in the same dormitory and became comrades-in-arms... But Mingzheng has always been very capable. He's not only good at studying, but also good at fighting. When I was younger, he would help me fight back when I was bullied by older people in the compound. Quite a few people were made to cry by him back then..."
Gu Xi became interested and stared at him with bright eyes, listening to Shen Mingzheng's great achievements from childhood to adulthood.
Few people talk to her about this. Although Shen Mingrong likes to talk about his older brother, the two brothers are too far apart in age, and he doesn't know anything about his brother's childhood. Although Shen Mingqi can talk about some things, he is afraid of being beaten by Shen Mingzheng, so he doesn't dare to say much.
I never expected that Xiang Changchuan also came from a military compound and grew up with Shen Mingzheng.
No wonder Shen Mingzheng brought her to see him when he was injured and hospitalized, and even seemed a little angry about it, as if he didn't approve of some of the things he did.
When Shen Mingzheng returned, he heard Xiang Changchuan telling Gu Xi about some embarrassing things that happened to him when he was young, which made him lose his composure.
He coughed lightly, signaling to the two people in the room that he had returned.
Xiang Changchuan immediately shut his mouth and said calmly, "I was just talking to my sister-in-law about your past."
Shen Mingzheng ignored him and said, "The doctor said you were seriously injured this time and need to take good care of yourself. Stay in the hospital and rest well these days. Don't do anything reckless."
Xiang Changchuan smiled and agreed, appearing very easy to talk to.
Because Xiang Changchuan needed to rest, the two did not stay in the ward for long and left quickly.
As they walked out of the inpatient ward, Gu Xi asked, "How badly is he injured? What did the doctor say?"
"The doctor said the bullet almost hit his heart; he's incredibly lucky to have survived." Shen Mingzheng's brows furrowed tightly again. "But it's also a blessing in disguise; he'll be transferred here next month..."
Gu Xi turned her head to look at him, but he didn't say anything more.
"Should we go find your sister-in-law and ask her to keep an eye on him?" Gu Xi asked again. "He still needs to be observed in the hospital for a while, right?"
Shen Mingzheng shook his head, "No need to trouble Dr. Ji. His condition is special, and the higher-ups will send someone to take care of him."
Is the situation special?
Gu Xi suddenly realized that Xiang Changchuan's matter should not be discussed outside.
Shen Mingzheng went to the bike shed to get his car and took her home.
When I got home, Xu Yuansheng was already back. She was sitting in front of the fire in the kitchen, warming herself by the fire, holding a sketchbook and doodling on it, looking very serious.
Seeing them return, she asked, "Big sister, brother-in-law, where did you go?"
Gu Xi first fetched some hot water to wash her hands, then sat down next to her by the fire and said, "We just visited a patient at the military hospital."
"Visiting someone in the hospital? Who is it? Do I know them? Is it serious?" Xu Yuansheng asked with concern.
"Hmm...you don't know him. He's seriously injured and is still in the hospital."
Hearing that they were strangers, Xu Yuansheng didn't ask any more questions. Instead, she asked them what they wanted to eat for lunch, as she was going to make lunch.
"Just grab something to eat," Gu Xi said. "Aren't we going to make wild vegetable buns today? Let's make them this afternoon. It's rare for my older brother to be home, so let him knead the dough; he's strong."
Xu Yuansheng glanced at her speechlessly. If we're talking about who's the strongest, isn't she the strongest in the family?
Shen Mingzheng said, "I'll cook. What would you like to eat?"
Xu Yuansheng glanced at him and said, "Brother-in-law, how about we have some noodles?"
"Make a few more eggs, I want poached eggs." Gu Xi also ordered. "There's still some of the braised pork and wild vegetables from yesterday, we can use them as a topping."
While Shen Mingzheng was making lunch, Gu Xi took a look at Xu Yuansheng's sketchbook and discovered that she had designed several spring outfits. They were clearly designed for the female members of the performing arts troupe, with a strong artistic flair, and were very suitable for young women.
Gu Xi thought for a moment, picked up a pen, and made a few corrections.
Xu Yuansheng watched intently, and when she finished revising, his eyes shone brightly as he muttered, "Why didn't I think of that? It looks even better this way, and the final result is much better..."
Gu Xi glanced at her, picked up the manuscript paper piled on the small table next to her, and casually sketched on it with a pen, saying, "Yuansheng, I'll also design a few outfits. When you make them, we sisters can wear them together."
She had watched many fashion shows online before and had some understanding of clothing design, but she wasn't interested in making clothes. She only started paying attention to them because Xu Yuansheng liked them.
Upon hearing this, Xu Yuansheng couldn't help but recall what Zhang, the brigade commander, had said when he returned from paying New Year's visits on the third day of the Lunar New Year, and he immediately felt hopeful.
She was very curious to see what kind of clothes her older sister would design.
When my sisters wear them, they'll be considered matching outfits.
The two sisters enthusiastically designed clothing styles on the manuscript paper and discussed them together. Even when Shen Mingzheng prepared lunch and called them to eat, Xu Yuansheng was still reluctant to leave.
She was unusually talkative, saying, "Big sister, I never knew you had a talent for designing clothes. These outfits you designed are all so beautiful. Actually, you can also make clothes. I think what you make is definitely no worse than those old tailors..."
"No, I'm just talking theory! Besides, I don't like doing this. You can do it." Gu Xi quickly stopped her. "You know I've never been interested in needlework since I was little. You used to sew clothes for me. Without you, I don't know what I would have sewn."
"Nonsense, Sister Mingming, your sewing is quite nice too, it's just that the stitches are a bit thick and not very even. Sometimes you even sew up the crotch..."
Gu Xi: "..." Isn't this a sarcastic remark?
After lunch, Gu Xi went back to her room for a nap.
Shen Mingzheng went back to his room to keep her company.
Gu Xi woke up late today and wasn't sleepy. The two lay in bed, and she leaned on him and asked, "Xiang Changchuan used to be from the compound too? I didn't know that."
Shen Mingzheng hummed in agreement and said softly, "A few years ago, the Xiang family had a misfortune. The patriarch of the Xiang family passed away, and Uncle Xiang and Aunt Xiang were secretly sent to the southwest. Changchuan's eldest brother and sister-in-law didn't even last a year before they also passed away. Now, only Xiang Changchuan is left in the Xiang family..."
Gu Xi was startled.
No wonder when I first met Xiang Changchuan, his clothes were old and didn't match his temperament at all, and there was a faint smell of blood on him.
It seems he hasn't been doing very well these past few years.
"...Grandpa and Old Master Xiang were old comrades-in-arms. When the Xiang family was in trouble back then, Grandpa secretly helped, but there wasn't much he could do. Changchuan was the only one the Xiang family could protect. In recent years, his situation hasn't been good... This time he made a great contribution, but it was too risky. I didn't expect him to be transferred here. This result is not bad."
Shen Mingzheng's tone was somewhat heavy.
Xiang Changchuan's actions this time were too risky; a slight misstep could cost him his life.
Gu Xi listened quietly. Although he didn't say much and only touched on the subject lightly, Gu Xi could still sense the thrilling nature of the story.
She sighed and said, "There's still one chicken in the coop. Let's kill it tomorrow morning. I'll bring him some chicken soup at noon to help him recover." Before he could say anything, she added, "I need to recover anyway, so I might as well give him some too, so he can get better sooner."
Shen Mingzheng paused for a moment, then couldn't help but chuckle. "You don't need to deliver it; I'll have someone deliver it to you."
"No way!" Gu Xi said, "He calls me sister-in-law at least. As his sister-in-law, I should definitely send him some gifts for a day or two so that he knows that you, as his brother, care about him and that he should take good care of his health in the future."
Otherwise, if Grandpa Shen knew he had an accident, he would probably be upset too. He's so old, so we shouldn't make him worry.
Shen Mingzheng pulled her into his arms.
“I’m telling you this not to burden you,” he said gently. “Just treat him as my comrade-in-arms. Few people know Changchuan’s true identity. His parents were secretly sent away back then, and not many people know about them. When he is transferred here, there won’t be many leaders in the military who have the authority to access his file.”
It can be said that Xiang Changchuan's transfer here was more of a form of protection for him.
As long as we can hold on, until the Xiang family is exonerated...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
