Chapter 117
Today is a day off, and Gu Tuantuan came to Gu Xi's place early in the morning.
The little girl looked worried and said that she didn't want to stay at home, so as not to face an elder who loved to cry. She really didn't know what to do, because no matter how she tried to comfort her, it was no use; she would just keep crying. And since she didn't have to go to school today, she had no choice but to go out.
Ji Ya and Gu Yuanyang both had jobs, and they didn't rest at home on their days off.
Shen Mingzheng did the same; he left before dawn, supposedly to attend a meeting at the division headquarters.
There are only three sisters in the family, Gu Xi, and another sister, Gu Tuantuan.
Gu Xi made Gu Tuantuan a cup of malted milk powder. Seeing her sigh like a little adult, she patted her head and smiled, "She probably won't stay here for too long. Tuantuan, just bear with it a little longer."
“That’s right!” Gu Tuantuan immediately perked up and told them, “Last night I heard Dad say that he’s already had someone buy a train ticket for Aunt Yuanxiang, she’ll be leaving soon!”
She was genuinely happy. Gu Yuanxiang had been crying frequently at home these days; the atmosphere at home was too oppressive, and the child didn't really like it.
"real?"
The Xu sisters, Xu Huaisheng and Xu Yuansheng, looked over. Xu Huaisheng looked happy, while Xu Yuansheng's expression softened slightly.
Although Gu Yuanxiang hadn't gone out much and had stayed indoors since Xu Yuansheng's words broke her defenses last time, the two sisters still felt uneasy as long as she was still with the army.
Xu Huaisheng simply didn't know how to face this "sister" who was related to him by blood but was a stranger, and felt that it would be better for them not to meet and to live their own lives peacefully.
Xu Yuansheng, on the other hand, found Gu Yuanxiang annoying, thinking she was restless and would gossip in front of the people in the family compound one day, causing trouble for her sister.
She deliberately said that in front of Gu Yuanxiang last time to hurt her and make her too ashamed to go around talking nonsense.
The results seem quite good.
Gu Tuantuan was like a little megaphone, constantly rambling on about family matters. In her heart, Gu Xi wasn't an outsider, so it didn't matter if she told her these things.
"...Aunt Yuanxiang originally didn't want to leave; she wanted to stay here."
"What?" Xu Huaisheng was startled.
Xu Yuansheng's eyebrows twitched, and he instantly realized that he had been too polite that day, which had actually made her want to stay in the army.
Only Gu Xi looked on with curiosity. Gu Yuanxiang actually wanted to stay in the army? Did something like that happen in her past life? Then why did she end up going to the countryside?
"Daddy said that if she wants to stay, he'll find her a boyfriend here, but she doesn't want one." Gu Tuantuan propped her chubby face up with her little hands. "She kept crying, saying she didn't want a boyfriend, she cried so hard..."
At the time, her mother wouldn't let her go out and made her look at picture books in her room. She vaguely heard some of it, but not all of it.
Xu Yuansheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't want Gu Yuanxiang to find a partner in the army and then stay there. It would be disgusting to run into each other all the time.
It's better to leave.
Gu Xi was not surprised. Gu Yuanxiang's preferences had always been clear: she liked refined, clean-cut, cultured young men and intellectuals, not tough guys.
Soldiers are not her type, and even if she doesn't want to be sent to the countryside, she won't easily marry a soldier.
Oh right, in her past life, she vaguely heard Chen Yunsheng and Gu Yuanxiang mention that Gu Yuanxiang had a man she liked, but she wasn't interested in that and never bothered to investigate.
Gu Tuantuan didn't have much information to reveal, but it reassured Xu Yuansheng and her sister.
As long as we confirm that Gu Yuanxiang will leave, that's fine.
Shen Mingzheng did not return for lunch; he must have eaten at the regimental headquarters.
In the afternoon, Xu Yuansheng was going to deliver clothes to the art troupe, while Xu Huaisheng took Gu Tuantuan to Political Commissar Xu's house to visit Xu Xiaoyin. A group of girls had made plans to go to Xu Xiaoyin's house today.
Gu Xi was left alone at home.
The house was quiet, and Gu Xi was writing a story in the study.
I've written about a third of the story now, but I've been having writer's block lately and just can't seem to get going, so I'm writing it in fits and starts.
She wasn't in a hurry. She would write when she had inspiration, and draw illustrations or other things when she didn't. Anyway, the publisher didn't urge her. She was very laid-back about this job.
As I was writing, Shen Mingzheng returned.
"Big brother, why are you back?" Gu Xi peeked out from the study, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him with great surprise. She had thought he wouldn't be back until evening, or that he would be too busy to come back at all.
"I came back as soon as everything was alright."
Shen Mingzheng brought back a watermelon, cut it in half, and took it to the study.
Seeing him come in, Gu Xi quickly covered the story she had just written with her book and said, "I haven't finished writing yet, you're not allowed to peek."
Shen Mingzheng handed her a slice of watermelon and said deliberately, "Why? I can give you some advice."
"I don't need you to bring it up! If you want feedback, I can ask Qiao Hui!" Gu Xi took a bite of the watermelon, muttering, "This is just a first draft, it's very rough, there's no point in reading it..."
She was reluctant to let people see a story that was neither finished nor polished, and whose plot was too rough.
A smile appeared in Shen Mingzheng's eyes as he watched her chubby cheeks as she ate the watermelon, looking incredibly cute.
The early summer sun was bright, and the daylight was very strong. Her face was bathed in the light from the window. Her skin was porcelain white and delicate, but unlike last year, it was not as pale and weak. She looked more rosy and had a warm glow.
Although she still looks very thin, she has gained some weight.
Her health is indeed improving.
After nearly a year of careful nurturing, the results are very obvious.
Shen Mingzheng recalled that during her last period, her symptoms hadn't been as severe, probably because her body was recovering and moderate exercise had improved blood circulation. Her great-aunt had mentioned that regular exercise could alleviate the negative effects of menstruation.
"Big brother, what are you looking at?" Gu Xi looked up at him in confusion and found that he was actually lost in thought, which was quite unusual.
Shen Mingzheng took the watermelon rind she had finished eating without changing his expression and put it on the empty plate. He then handed her another slice and said, "I'm wondering when your next period will come."
Although the reaction wasn't too severe, her periods were still irregular, only coming every two or three months.
Gu Xi's face instantly turned bright red.
Although they have been married for almost a year and have done everything they should and shouldn't have done, she still can't openly discuss these kinds of things with him in broad daylight.
If it were nighttime, in dimmer light, she might be able to be more shameless.
"Why did you suddenly bring this up..." she said awkwardly.
Shen Mingzheng remained calm, not finding anything difficult to say: "You weren't in as much pain during your last period, so it seems the exercise was having some effect. You didn't slack off while I was away, did you?"
Gu Xi: "...No, Yuan Sheng and Huai Sheng can testify!"
Seeing that he was just staring at her, probably not believing her, she exclaimed and urged, "Hurry up and eat your watermelon, then leave. I'm busy, don't bother me!"
"Looks like you've been slacking off again," Shen Mingzheng said knowingly. "I happen to have nothing to do these days, so I'll keep an eye on you."
Gu Xi: "..."
Gu Xi put the watermelon rind she had finished eating into an empty plate, then viciously stretched out her watermelon juice-covered hand and smeared it on his face.
Little did she know that the man would grab her hand, tilt his head, and bite her fingertip, eating the watermelon juice on it as well.
Gu Xi blushed again, but luckily there was a knock on the door. She quickly pulled her hand back and ran to open it.
When she opened the door and saw the person outside, Gu Xi was speechless.
She asked, "Is something the matter?"
Standing at the door was Gu Yuanxiang.
She looked haggard, with dark circles under her eyes, as if she hadn't had much rest.
Gu Xi recalled what Gu Tuantuan had said and understood something. It seemed that Gu Yuanxiang already knew about her going to the countryside, but she didn't want to go, so she wanted to stay in the army. With Gu Yuanyang here, she wouldn't be mistreated, and it was much more stable than going to the countryside.
Unfortunately, Gu Yuanyang gave her only two choices: either find a partner or go to the countryside.
He did this for Gu Yuanxiang's own good. After all, Gu Yuanxiang's personality was clearly not strong enough to handle things; she was too fragile. Since she didn't want to go to the countryside, it would be better to find a man to take care of her and ensure she had enough to eat and wear than to go to the countryside.
"Xi Xi." Seeing Gu Xi, Gu Yuanxiang forced a smile. "I'm leaving tomorrow, I..."
Gu Xi's gaze passed over her and saw that Grandma Yu, who lived across the street from Chief of Staff Gao, was peeking in their direction. Speechless, she said to her, "Come in."
Although I don't know why she came here, she obviously has something to say. If she were to say it here, who knows how many people would come out to watch the spectacle.
Gu Yuanxiang entered the room with a heavy heart, unaware that an old woman was craning her neck to look behind her.
After entering, she silently followed Gu Xi into the main room.
This was her second time here. No matter how many times she looked at it, she felt that the bungalow was quite dilapidated and she would never get used to living there. Just like these past two weeks, when she stayed at Gu Yuanyang's place, she felt uncomfortable with everything.
"Is there something you need?" Gu Xi asked directly. "If you've come to say goodbye, I understand."
Although she felt there was no real affection between them, she didn't need to pretend like this.
Gu Yuanxiang was taken aback, and subconsciously looked around before asking, "Is Yuansheng not home?"
“No, she went to the performing arts troupe to deliver clothes.” Gu Xi said, a smile appearing on her face. “Yuansheng is a tailor, and her sewing skills are excellent. The performing arts troupe signed a contract with her, and she is responsible for making performance costumes for the female members of the troupe…”
She was generous with her praise of her two younger sisters, especially in front of Gu Yuanxiang.
Gu Yuanxiang disliked Xu Dagui and his wife for being mercenary and ignorant, which she didn't mind, but she couldn't stand disliking Xu Yuansheng and her sister, even though the two younger sisters were so nice.
Xu Yuansheng is so capable, and Xu Huaisheng is a well-behaved and considerate younger sister; they are good in every way.
Gu Yuanxiang watched as she proudly praised her two younger sisters, her expression somewhat dazed. She couldn't help but say, "Do you really think they're that good? You have no blood relation to them. After you returned to the Gu family, you had no connection with the Xu family anymore. They are not your responsibility."
She didn't need to bring the Xu Yuansheng sisters to the army to make a living.
"So what?" Gu Xi retorted. "I am related to the Gu family by blood, but you know how they have treated me. They are not even as good as my two sisters who are not related by blood."
Hearing this, Gu Yuanxiang felt a little ashamed.
Of course she knew, and there was even a result of her previous deliberate actions, fearing that after Gu Xi returned, she, the fake daughter who had no blood relation to the Gu family, would be kicked out, and also wanting to prove that she would always be a member of the Gu family, not the Xu family.
Gu Yuanxiang couldn't continue, so she changed the subject and said, "I'm going back to Beijing tomorrow. This time, my second brother and I will both be going to the countryside. We don't have jobs, and we can't go back to school, so we can only go to the countryside..."
As she spoke, a look of fear appeared on her face, showing how terrified she was of being sent to the countryside.
She took a deep breath and whispered, "Do you know, something happened to the Chen family in March?"
The Chen family?
After a moment's thought, Gu Xi remembered Chen Yunsheng, after all, she was really special and was the protagonist of the story.
Of course, she doesn't believe the world is a book; she prefers to believe that Chen Yunsheng's story was written into a book, and that she just happened to see it.
The Chen family did indeed encounter trouble this year.
She wasn't particularly surprised; she didn't know why she suddenly brought up the Chen family.
“Yun Sheng and her brother have both been sent to the countryside.” Gu Yuanxiang bit her lip, then asked Gu Xi, “Yun Sheng’s older brother is named Chen Ruian, do you remember him?”
Gu Xi looked at her, puzzled, wondering why she brought up Chen Ruian, and said, "I remember."
Her memory is good. Although she lived a muddled life before, how could she not remember people?
Gu Yuanxiang stared at her and said, "Do you know? In the past, Brother Ruian would always wait for you on your way home from school. Many times he would deliberately take that road, even though his way to work is not that way."
Shen Mingzheng also heard these words from the study.
The study was not far from the main room, and when Gu Yuanxiang did not deliberately lower her voice, he could hear them talking clearly from here.
Shen Mingzheng's expression was cryptic. His excellent memory reminded him that after their marriage, when he and Gu Xi were delivering wedding candy to the family compound near the Gu family, a man surnamed Chen did indeed look at Gu Xi with a strange expression.
Hearing her say that, Gu Xi blinked and suddenly realized, "So it wasn't my imagination back then, he really was waiting for me there."
Gu Yuanxiang's words confirmed her guess from back then.
Seeing her reaction, Gu Yuanxiang finally couldn't hold back the jealousy and resentment that she had been suppressing.
She already knew this, but she knew that Gu Xi was engaged to the Shen family and that a relationship with Chen Ruian was impossible.
But Gu Xi always got what she wanted so easily, whether it was her status as the daughter of the Gu family or Chen Ruian's affections...
At this moment, Gu Xi said, "Is he going to ambush me too, and try to hurt me?"
At this point, she frowned. Could it be that Chen Ruian, despite his kind appearance, was actually not a good person?
Gu Yuanxiang: "???" What nonsense are you talking about?
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