Chapter 109
Gu Xi sent out the completed story along with several illustrations.
This is the fourth story she has sent to the publisher, and she has established a good working relationship with them. When she wrote to the publisher last time, she mentioned that she could draw illustrations, and the publisher asked her to try drawing a few first. If they are suitable, they will discuss the illustration fee at that time.
After mailing the letter, Gu Xi went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy things.
When she arrived at the supply and marketing cooperative, she found that they had watermelons for sale. It was already watermelon season, and she really wanted to eat one. Although it was a bit expensive, she still bought one.
The watermelon was packed in a net bag, making it very convenient to carry.
While buying watermelons, she encountered many military dependents who were also shopping at the supply and marketing cooperative, and they all greeted her.
Having been in the military for so long, Gu Xi has a good reputation and is well-liked in the family compound. Most of the children in the compound like her very much, mainly because she can make a lot of little things and her handicrafts are really good. She is also generous in giving the children candy and snacks, which makes it easy for the children to like her.
In addition, she is now a writer in everyone's eyes, able to earn money by writing articles. This halo makes her even more awe-inspiring, and there are really not many people who dare to provoke her.
Even Wan Cuihua now avoids her.
"Gu Xi, where did you come from?" a woman asked.
Gu Xi smiled and said, "I just went to mail a letter to the publishing house."
"Oh, you've written a new story again?"
"What story is it this time? Can we listen?"
The crowd didn't rush to leave, but surrounded Gu Xi, asking her what her new story was, their faces full of curiosity.
Gu Xi said, "Sisters, the letter was just sent out, so I can't talk about it yet. I'll show it to you when the publisher sends the book." The thought of publicly revealing the story she had written was too shameful for her; she couldn't do it.
Let's wait until the publisher sends the book before showing it to them.
"Oh, okay then."
“If the book is sent, please let us know. I’ll have my daughter read it to me. She’s in the second year of junior high and knows a lot of words. Last month, she was the one who read the story you wrote to our family.”
“My children know a lot of characters, and they read them to us.”
"..."
Gu Xi chatted with everyone for a while until they finished shopping and went home to their family compound together.
Upon arriving at the family compound, everyone said goodbye and went home.
Gu Xi turned around and saw Zhao Yanfang walking with her, and asked, "Sister-in-law Zhao, would you like to come to my house for a while? I'll treat you to some watermelon."
Zhao Yanfang's home isn't in this area, but she deliberately came this way, so Gu Xi knew she had something to say to her.
"Okay," Zhao Yanfang said with a smile, "then I'll take my leave."
Gu Xi took Zhao Yanfang home, put their things in the main room, poured her a glass of water, and then poured herself a glass of water to drink.
Xu Yuansheng, who was making clothes inside, heard the commotion outside and went out to see what was going on. She found that her older sister had returned from mailing a letter and had brought a guest back with her.
"Big sister, you're back." She greeted Zhao Yanfang, "Sister-in-law Zhao."
Zhao Yanfang smiled at her, said "Excuse me," and then said to Gu Xi, "Gu Xi, has something happened to your family? I heard that your father called Commander Gu yesterday and was very angry on the phone, scolding him for not helping someone in his family who was in trouble..."
Gu Xi was taken aback.
Xu Yuansheng originally wanted to go back to his room to work, but upon hearing this, he was in no hurry to go back.
Zhao Yanfang continued, "My husband, Lao Chen, happened to be in the communications room at the time. He was close by and heard the cursing on the other end of the phone. He didn't know what Commander Gu had done, but Lao Chen said the person on the phone was cursing quite fiercely." She asked doubtfully, "Didn't Commander Gu just come back from a mission?"
It's quite pitiful that someone gets scolded right after returning from a mission, knowing nothing about what happened.
Unfortunately, Dr. Ji is very busy with work, and people in the family compound rarely see her. Otherwise, Zhao Yanfang would have asked Dr. Ji about her with concern.
The family compound is like a big family. People who get along well will ask each other what's going on whenever something happens.
Gu Xi quickly realized that it was already May when she looked at the sunlight streaming into the courtyard.
By the way, at this time in my previous life, it seems that Gu Yuanhui had already been sent to a farm for labor reform.
Since joining the army and being far from Beijing, she hadn't thought about the Gu family for a long time, nor did she need to. She wanted to live her own life well.
Gu Xi calmly said, "I don't know either. I haven't heard any news. My brother didn't tell me."
"Oh, I see." Zhao Yanfang didn't think much of it. "It's good that you're alright. If anything happens to your family, we can't really help, but you can talk to us about it. It'll make you feel better."
She only came over to ask about it because she saw Gu Xi today and remembered what Old Chen had told her last night.
Gu Xi thanked Sister Zhao for her concern and cut some watermelon for her to take home for her children before she left.
After seeing Zhao Yanfang off, I turned around and saw Xu Yuansheng with a solemn expression.
"What are you doing?" she asked with a smile. "Is the dress finished?"
Xu Yuansheng glanced at her and hesitated before saying, "Big sister, what Sister Zhao just said..."
"Don't worry about it." Gu Xi handed her a slice of watermelon, took one for herself, and ate it calmly. "If you want to know, I'll ask my brother later."
Xu Yuansheng took a bite of watermelon and mumbled, "I don't want to know. If you don't want to ask, then don't ask."
After finishing the watermelon, Xu Yuansheng washed his hands and returned to his room.
When she sat down at the sewing machine, she couldn't help but frown; she wasn't in a good mood.
It wasn't that she was worried about something happening to the Gu family, but rather that her eldest sister's attitude just now made her realize more clearly that her eldest sister hadn't been doing well since returning to the Gu family. Otherwise, someone as soft-hearted as her eldest sister wouldn't have acted so coldly.
Those Gu family members are truly disgusting...
-
On this day, Gu Xi's expression remained unchanged, and she didn't take Zhao Yanfang's words to heart at all.
In the evening, Xu Huaisheng went home from school, and Shen Mingzheng also unusually left work on time.
Gu Xi cut watermelon for them and invited them to come and eat.
Upon seeing that there was a watermelon at home, Xu Huaisheng cheered and happily began to eat it.
This child is easy to raise. He eats everything with gusto and is at the age when he is growing the most. He has the best appetite in the family besides Shen Mingzheng.
Shen Mingzheng also ate a piece, and then gave her one.
Gu Xi shook her head, "I've already eaten. I can't eat too much, or I'll get diarrhea."
Perhaps because she's been living a better life lately, her stomach isn't feeling so well, and she's been very careful about what she eats.
"Is it that serious?" Shen Mingzheng put down the watermelon in his hand. "Is it a stomach problem? Should we ask your great-aunt to prescribe a remedy to help?"
Gu Xi overreacted, immediately jumping up, "Absolutely not! I don't want to drink Chinese medicine anymore!"
In recent years, she has drunk a lot of Chinese medicine to regulate her body, and she is tired of drinking it.
Fortunately, after arriving here, she had to take medicine much less often. After finishing the Chinese medicine that her great-aunt had prescribed for her, Feng Min would send her some medicine every month to help her regulate her body, so she didn't have to take it as frequently as before.
Perhaps it's because joining the army felt like starting life anew. She's living comfortably, eating well, sleeping well, and exercising daily, and her health has really improved a lot.
If you can get nutrition through food, you should definitely not use medicine.
Seeing her strong protests, Shen Mingzheng had no choice but to give up.
But this matter was on my mind.
After dinner, Gu Xi took Shen Mingzheng out for a walk.
Since the weather warmed up, whenever Shen Mingzheng was home, she would take him out for a walk after dinner. After the Xu sisters went for a walk with them once, they refused to go with them anymore.
They preferred the two sisters to walk hand in hand down a different path rather than walk with them.
Once outside, Gu Xi said to Shen Mingzheng, "Big brother, let's go to your brother and sister-in-law's house."
Shen Mingzheng turned his head to look at her, "Do you need to see them?"
"There is something I need to take care of."
There were people on the road, so it wasn't convenient to ask, and Shen Mingzheng didn't ask any more questions.
When they arrived at Gu Yuanyang's house, they found that only Gu Yuanyang and his daughter Gu Tuantuan were home. Ji Ya was working the night shift today.
Gu Yuanyang was teaching his daughter to do her homework when he saw them coming over, and he was quite surprised.
Gu Tuantuan happily rushed to Gu Xi, hugged her waist and said, "Auntie, Grandma sent me some delicious food, I want to give it to you."
As she spoke, she took Gu Xi's hand and led her to the cabinet where they kept their belongings. She nimbly climbed onto a stool and pulled out a box of cheese slices.
Gu Tuantuan smiled and stuffed the box of cheese slices into her hand, saying, "Auntie, I'll only eat the good food with you." Then she added, "And Auntie Yuansheng and Auntie Huaisheng can eat some too."
Gu Xi was touched by her, hugged the child in her arms and rubbed her, and refused her cheese slices, telling her to keep them for herself.
“No, this is for Auntie, Auntie should eat it too.” Gu Tuantuan insisted.
In the end, Gu Xi only took some, leaving the rest for the little girl to eat.
Gu Tuantuan pouted, feeling that she hadn't given her aunt enough. Gu Xi smiled and said, "Tuantuan is a good girl. You can give some to your friends, and keep the rest for yourself."
"Okay, fine then." Gu Tuantuan sighed like a little adult. "Actually, I don't really want to give them any. I only want to share with my aunt. After all, my aunt and I are the best of friends~~"
Gu Yuanyang found it amusing and said, "This was sent by Tuantuan's maternal grandmother today. She's been saying she wanted to give it to you ever since she got back. Even if you don't come, we'll come looking for you later."
Gu Xi sat down and, with the enthusiastic help of little Gu Tuantuan, took a bite of a slice of cheese.
After Gu Tuantuan resumed her homework, Gu Xi asked, "Big brother, I heard they called you from Beijing. What happened?"
Gu Yuanyang was stunned. "How did you know?"
“My sister-in-law in the family compound told me,” Gu Xi said calmly. “When you made the call, there were people in the communications room who heard you being scolded.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Mingzheng looked at Gu Yuanyang and understood somewhat.
Gu Yuanyang smiled wryly. He hadn't wanted to tell her, but she hadn't expected to hear about it from someone else.
It's not surprising, though, since there were other people in the communications room at the time, and quite a few people overheard it. Although they were too embarrassed to ask about his family, they were still curious.
"Something happened to Yuanhui."
Gu Yuanyang told them about Gu Yuanhui's situation. He saw Shen Mingzheng frown and look displeased, while Gu Xi didn't react.
She was very calm, as if the person who had the accident was a complete stranger—no, not even a stranger. If it were a stranger, she would at least care about their situation.
Gu Xi thought to herself that in her previous life she had only heard that Gu Yuanhui had injured someone and was sent to a farm for labor reform, but she never expected that someone would actually die.
Moreover, not long after Gu Yuanhui was sent to the farm, trouble was about to befall the Gu family as well.
I guess we'll hear news from over there soon.
After Gu Xi found out what happened, she didn't say anything and left quickly.
Gu Tuantuan didn't notice what the adults were saying at all. When Gu Xi left, she waved her little hand and said, "Goodbye, Auntie. I'll come to play with you tomorrow."
Gu Xi smiled and said, "Okay, come here, I'll make you some millet cake."
"Okay, I love Auntie the most."
The innocent smiles of the children brought a smile to Gu Xi's lips, a smile that lingered for a long time.
Shen Mingzheng's gaze swept across her face, his eyes dimming slightly.
In the evening, the couple washed up and went to bed.
The two of them went back to their room quite early tonight, and with the weather being warm now, it was inevitable that they would feel a little tempted.
As the commotion inside the room gradually subsided, Shen Mingzheng embraced her, gently stroking her head that was resting on his chest, his fingers brushing away the damp hair at her temples.
He lowered his head and kissed her forehead, his voice hoarse as he said, "Xixi, it must have been hard for you to come here with me."
"It's not hard at all." She yawned, feeling drowsy. "I eat well and sleep well every day, how can it be hard?" Then, thinking of something, she added, "If only you didn't give me so many training plans, I don't think I could finish them all."
Anyway, she's unlikely to finish it; she'll do it when she's in the mood, and slack off when she's not.
Shen Mingzheng chuckled softly, "It's okay, you can take it slowly. If you persist every day, you'll eventually complete all the training."
Gu Xi immediately turned around, not wanting to face him.
It might be because she was quite strong, which was unusual, but in the eyes of soldiers, she was a promising talent. He always wanted to train her, and those who didn't know the situation might think she was going to the battlefield in the future.
The man reached out and pulled her back into his arms, gently rubbing his chin against her soft skin, and said, "Xixi, if there's anything you need, you can tell me."
"I'm fine," Gu Xi said calmly. "You don't think I'm upset because I heard about Gu Yuanhui, do you?"
Shen Mingzheng: "..."
He didn't think she would be upset about Gu Yuanhui's matter, but he was afraid that mentioning the Gu family would affect her mood.
Human thoughts are complex. Some wounds are hard to let go of, and only time can heal them.
He felt sorry for the suffering she had endured, and was also angry at the Gu family for not appreciating her. He even had the thought that it would have been better if she had stayed with the Shen family instead of the Gu family.
Perhaps darkness corrupts the heart, or perhaps this man truly cared for her and awkwardly tried to comfort her, so Gu Xi felt the urge to confide in him.
She talked about how the Gu family treated her after she returned home, how Gu Yuanhui used to beat and scare her, how he didn't treat her like a sister, how Gu Yuanzheng ignored her and used emotional abuse on her, and how Gu Maowen and his wife despised her and made them lose face...
After Gu Xi finished speaking, she suddenly felt quite relieved. Those things weren't so hard to talk about. On the contrary, having someone to confide in made her feel like she had let go of the past.
Perhaps it's because her life is so good now, with a man who loves her and will spend his life with her, that she can finally face the past with equanimity on this night.
After she fell asleep, Shen Mingzheng, who rarely suffers from insomnia, was able to sleep.
The next day, when Shen Mingzheng encountered Gu Yuanyang on the training field, he directly challenged him to a sparring match, and the two fought under the guise of exchanging skills.
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