Chapter 104
The next day, Gu Xi got up very early, which was unusual for her.
Shen Mingzheng had already gone to work, and Xu Huaisheng had gone to school. Xu Yuansheng was cleaning and was quite surprised to see her get up so early.
"Big sister, why are you up so early today? Is something the matter?"
Gu Xi yawned, filled a basin halfway with hot water to wash up, and mumbled, "It's nothing, I just need to deliver lunch to the hospital and prepare early."
"Delivering food?" Xu Yuansheng asked. "Is it the patient you and your brother-in-law visited at the hospital yesterday? How is he?"
Because she didn't know the person, she didn't ask many questions yesterday. But now it seems that the patient's identity is very special. At least her older sister and brother-in-law take it very seriously, so she has started to take it seriously as well.
Gu Xi said, "I heard he was injured during the mission, quite seriously. We need to give him some restorative treatment."
Injured during the mission?
Xu Yuansheng suddenly realized that he must be a soldier.
Gu Xi took out the breakfast that was warming in the pot, sat down by the fire to eat, and continued, "He is your brother-in-law's comrade-in-arms. His family used to have a good relationship with the Shen family. He has no relatives or friends here, and he is injured and hospitalized. Your brother-in-law should take good care of him."
Xu Yuansheng immediately understood and said, "Then I'll go with you at noon."
Since he is my brother-in-law's comrade-in-arms and a long-time friend of the Shen family, we should treat him with respect so that he knows that his family cares about him.
Xu Yuansheng was very good at interpersonal relationships. Back in the countryside, she knew how to build good relationships with the educated youth so that they could help her when needed.
After finishing breakfast, Gu Xi went to the chicken coop and grabbed a chicken from inside.
I bought this chicken before the Lunar New Year. I bought several at the time, and we've been eating them since then. We've almost finished them all, and only this one is left.
However, today, this lone seedling has followed in the footsteps of its predecessors, becoming a pot of delicious chicken soup.
Holding the clucking chicken, Gu Xi glanced at the rabbit hutch next to her, where several fluffy rabbits were huddled together.
There were black rabbits, white rabbits, and black and white rabbits, all fluffy and looking delicious.
Gu Xi was very satisfied and let them grow bigger so she could kill and eat them when they were fully grown.
After Gu Xi prepared the chicken, she put it in a pot and slowly stewed it over charcoal.
Then she sat down at the small table by the fire pit and casually wrote down some funny stories that happened in the family compound, including funny stories between sisters, funny stories about the children in the compound, and funny stories about some couples in the compound...
These amusing anecdotes are full of life and bring a smile to your face; they could be compiled into a book someday.
Once the chicken soup was almost ready, the two sisters prepared to cook.
They need to eat lunch early today and then go to the hospital to deliver meals to the patients.
After the meal, the two sisters packed the patient's meal and chicken soup into an aluminum lunchbox, put it in a basket, and then set off.
It wasn't lunchtime yet, and Shen Mingzheng hadn't returned, so Gu Xi put the lunch she had saved for him in a pot to keep it warm.
Gu Xi, carrying a basket, asked Xu Yuansheng, "Are you going to give me a ride there?"
"Of course, just give me directions." Xu Yuansheng adjusted the car seat and said, "It's so windy outside, let me give you a ride. Don't underestimate me, I'm not as strong as you, but I can still carry someone."
Her physical strength is much better than her older sister's. She may not be as strong, but she can make up for it with her physical strength.
After adjusting the seat, Xu Yuansheng rode his bicycle, carrying Gu Xi, away from the family compound and headed towards the military hospital.
Gu Xi sat sideways in the back seat of the car, holding a basket containing a food container in her hands. She held it very firmly to prevent the chicken soup in the aluminum lunchbox from spilling.
After arriving at the hospital and parking the car, Gu Xi led Xu Yuansheng to the ward.
There was no one else in the ward. Xiang Changchuan was sleeping with an IV drip in his hand, and the surroundings were very quiet.
The two sisters treaded softly as they entered.
However, Xiang Changchuan was very alert. When the two sisters came in, he opened his eyes instantly. His eyes were clear and there was no sign that he had been sleeping. People thought he was just resting with his eyes closed.
When those peach blossom eyes looked over sharply, it made one's heart tremble, and one couldn't help but overlook his excessively handsome face.
Standing behind her sister, Xu Yuansheng felt a pang of fear when she met those sharp eyes and instinctively avoided their gaze.
After she had just dodged them, she realized that they were there to deliver food, not to do anything bad, so what was there to be afraid of?
Thinking this, Xu Yuansheng looked over again and finally saw the patient on the bed clearly. His eyes widened slightly, and he had only one thought in his mind: So men can be this good-looking!
When Xiang Changchuan saw the two people enter, his sharp gaze softened, and he put on a friendly smile, saying, "Sister-in-law, you're here." He then looked at the young woman behind Gu Xi, "And this is..."
"She is my younger sister from my hometown, Xu Yuansheng," Gu Xi introduced.
Gu Xi placed the basket she had brought on the table next to the hospital bed, took out the lunchbox inside, and said, "Are you hungry? Eat something first."
Xiang Changchuan struggled to sit up, his face paling, perhaps aggravating his chest injury; it was a heartbreaking sight.
The two sisters rushed over to lend a hand, placing a pillow behind him so he could lean against it.
Then they brought a small table that could be placed on the bed, put the food on the table, and let him eat by himself.
Xiang Changchuan politely thanked them and looked at the food on the table. In addition to the golden chicken soup, there was also a light and easily digestible meal, which was obviously made especially for the patient.
"Thank you, sister-in-law, you've worked so hard," he said gratefully.
Gu Xi said, "It's nothing. We live nearby, so it's convenient. Besides, Mingzheng is very worried about your health and hopes you get better soon."
The two sisters sat in the hospital room, patiently waiting for Xiang Changchuan to finish eating.
Xiang Changchuan was good at creating a lively atmosphere, and he would chat with them from time to time, so the two sisters didn't feel awkward or bored.
After he finished eating, the two sisters packed up his things and told him to rest well, and they would bring him dinner again in the evening.
Xiang Changchuan said, "Sister-in-law, it's cold, so you don't need to come over tonight."
“It’s alright, Mingzheng can deliver it.” Gu Xi smiled at him, but insisted.
Xiang Changchuan had no choice but to shut his mouth.
After leaving the hospital, Xu Yuansheng rode his bicycle again, with Gu Xi sitting behind him holding a basket.
The two sisters weren't riding very fast as they chatted.
"Big sister, your brother-in-law's comrade is really handsome. It's rare to see a man so good-looking," Xu Yuansheng exclaimed, realizing that her previous impression of men was too one-sided, assuming they were all rough and unkempt.
Xiang Changchuan's face could easily make women feel inferior.
Of course, Xu Yuansheng had been frequently bothered by Gu Xi's beautiful face lately, so she wouldn't lose her composure just because she saw a handsome man. When it came to good-looking people, she still thought her sister was the most beautiful; she could look at her sister's face every day without getting tired of it, and she felt she could look at it for a lifetime.
Gu Xi smiled and agreed, "Indeed, but I prefer your brother-in-law's appearance."
Her aesthetic is that of Shen Mingzheng, a handsome man with a strong masculine presence. He looks imposing and unapproachable in his military uniform, and very sexy when he takes it off. He is also outstanding in height, nearly 1.9 meters tall. Although it is sometimes tiring to look up when talking to him, he will cooperate by looking down. So he still has his merits.
Xu Yuansheng couldn't help but laugh, "Big sister, we all know that your brother-in-law is probably not a bad person to you."
Well, I guess this is a case of beauty being in the eye of the beholder.
However, her brother-in-law is indeed very handsome and capable among men, and he is a perfect match for her sister. If her sister were to marry an ordinary man, she would not feel at ease.
The two sisters chatted all the way back. Although the weather was cold, it didn't dampen their spirits. On the contrary, they found the time very pleasant.
When they got home, they saw Shen Mingzheng sitting in the main room, seemingly waiting for them.
"Big brother, have you eaten?" Gu Xi walked over with a basket in her arms.
"I've already eaten." Shen Mingzheng reached out and took the basket, shook her hand, and found it was very cold. He told her to go to the kitchen to warm herself by the fire, and to take the lunchboxes inside to wash. He then inquired about Xiang Changchuan's condition.
"He looks much better, so don't worry. We're making sure he eats well."
In the evening, when Shen Mingzheng returned home from get off work, Gu Xi and the others had already prepared Xiang Changchuan's hospital meal and asked him to deliver it to Xiang Changchuan.
By the time he finished delivering the food and returned home, it was already dark, and everyone was waiting for him to come back for dinner.
In the days that followed, Gu Xi and Xu Yuansheng would deliver lunch to Xiang Changchuan, while Shen Mingzheng would deliver dinner. If Shen Mingzheng was unable to return from the regimental headquarters, the two sisters would take turns delivering the food.
Until Xiang Changchuan was finally discharged from the hospital.
After finishing delivering meals to patients, Gu Xi's life returned to normal.
At this point, the publisher had already sent over the money for the second story, which was exactly sixty yuan.
Gu Xi smiled and told her family the good news, and said that she was going to start writing a new story and would be going into seclusion for a while. Everyone cooperated and said they would not disturb her.
As the weather gradually warms up, people begin to take off their heavy cotton-padded clothes and put on lighter clothing.
Xu Yuansheng has been getting a lot of business lately. Besides orders from the performing arts troupe, many people in the family compound have also come to her to make spring clothes for their children. Some of the children have grown taller, and last year's clothes are too short for them, so they have to leave them for their younger siblings and have a tailor make new ones.
Xu Yuansheng became very busy, working day and night. Gu Xi wrote her articles while taking over the cooking duties, allowing her to focus on her work and earn money.
When the weather is nice, Gu Xi and Qiao Hui go to the town market to buy things and buy a few chickens and ducks from nearby villagers to raise as reserve food.
She even bought two hens specifically for laying eggs.
April arrived in the blink of an eye, and Gu Xi sent out her third story. Xiang Changchuan also came to report to the army.
When Xiang Changchuan came, he applied for a house in the family compound.
Upon hearing this, Gu Xi was somewhat surprised. "Isn't he not married yet? How can he apply for a house?" Single officers should live in officers' quarters.
Xiang Changchuan is now a battalion-level officer.
Shen Mingzheng said, "He brought two children with him. Those two children will live here from now on." He paused slightly before continuing, "These are his older brother's children. The boy is ten years old, and the girl is seven."
Gu Xi suddenly realized that Xiang Changchuan's brother and sister-in-law had both passed away.
After his elder brother and sister-in-law passed away, the two children were sent to Xiang Changchuan's sister-in-law's family home for care.
The only one of the Xiang family members who survived was Xiang Changchuan. These two children would be Xiang Changchuan's responsibility from now on. Now that he has been transferred here, his life has basically stabilized, so he brought the two children with him.
Although the children were sent to his sister-in-law's family home, they are still of the Xiang family bloodline, and it's not right to trouble others. As their uncle, Xiang Changchuan has a responsibility to take care of them.
That day, upon learning that Xiang Changchuan had brought his two children to the army base, Shen Mingzheng took an afternoon off to go with Gu Xi and Xu Yuansheng to see if they needed any help.
The house that Xiang Changchuan applied for was also in this bungalow area, a relatively remote and isolated area.
When they arrived, they found the house to be very dilapidated, clearly abandoned for a long time, and they estimated that it would need to be repaired.
The gate to the courtyard was open, and upon entering, one could see Xiang Changchuan leading two children in cleaning.
Gu Xi looked around the yard. The weeds were growing very tall and there wasn't a single tree; it was a desolate place. She looked at the roof tiles, many of which were broken and needed to be replaced, otherwise the roof would leak when it rained. A lot of the yellow mud plaster on the walls had peeled off, revealing the mud bricks underneath. She could also see cobwebs on the eaves.
In short, it looks really dilapidated.
Xiang Changchuan rolled up his sleeves. His clothes were very dirty, and the two children also looked filthy, as if they had rolled out of a mud pile. Their luggage was placed in the main room.
Seeing them approach, he smiled and said, "Mingzheng, sister-in-law, Comrade Xu, what brings you here?" Then he called the two children over and told them to greet the people.
"This is the older brother, Xiang Zhao, and the younger sister, Xiang Yun."
The two children looked very thin, clearly indicating that they hadn't had a good time in recent years. They also seemed quiet and lacked the liveliness that children their age should have.
However, their facial features are very characteristic of the Xiang family; they are very good-looking, and when they stand next to Xiang Changchuan, it is immediately obvious that they are a family, related by blood.
If it weren't for Xiang Changchuan's age, people would believe he was his child.
The two children greeted people somewhat reservedly.
Xiang Changchuan reached out and touched their heads, the dust from his hands brushing against their hair. He casually let go, chuckled, and said, "They're rather shy."
When Gu Xi and Xu Yuansheng saw this scene, they suddenly felt that this person seemed a bit too carefree.
After exchanging greetings, Shen Mingzheng didn't waste any words and immediately rolled up his sleeves to help with the work.
Gu Xi and Xu Yuansheng looked around and found that the house was lacking in everything, not even cleaning tools. So they went home and brought some cleaning tools to help clean the house.
With more people working, the house can be cleaned faster.
Seeing that it was almost time, Gu Xi glanced at the sky outside and said to Xiang Changchuan and the others, "Changchuan, Xiao Zhao, Xiao Yun, why don't you come to our house for dinner today! Big brother, Yuansheng and I will go back and cook first, and you can come over together after we're done."
Shen Mingzheng responded to her.
After Gu Xi and Xu Yuansheng left, Xiang Changchuan picked up a shovel and, while clearing the mud piled up in the corridor, asked, "Mingzheng, why does your sister-in-law call you 'big brother'?"
That's quite a unique name.
Shen Mingzheng didn't want to talk to him.
He continued, "I remember Aunt Feng saying back then that she wanted to adopt a daughter. Could it be her? Sister-in-law becomes wife, you really know how to play games."
Shen Mingzheng: "..." Suddenly felt like hitting someone.
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