Chapter 156
Since they still wanted to explore the campus, Gu Xi and her friends quickly said goodbye to the Chen siblings.
Chen Yunsheng and his sister stood there, watching them leave until they disappeared into the tree-lined path ahead.
Wu Meiwen, who was standing next to them, could sense the unusual silence between the brother and sister and felt somewhat uneasy, but she didn't say anything and silently stayed with them.
After a long pause, Chen Ruian said, "Yun Sheng, let's go. Let's go to the dean's office."
Chen Yunsheng withdrew her gaze, responded, and took her sister-in-law Wu Meiwen's hand, following her brother towards the dean's office, saying, "Big brother, Gu Xi still looks the same, that's great."
Seeing Gu Xi reminded her of her carefree teenage years.
At that time, nothing bad had happened in her family. Her parents were both cadres, and her older brother worked in a machinery factory. As a girl, she was pampered by her whole family. Her biggest worry was how to make friends with Gu Xi. She naively thought that she could become good friends with Gu Xi.
Years later, Chen Yunsheng realized how naive and presumptuous his thoughts had been.
Gu Xi could never become friends with her, not only because Gu Yuanxiang was between them, but also because Gu Xi had such a difficult time when she returned to the Gu family, yet she didn't reach out to her because of Gu Yuanxiang.
People must experience hardship and setbacks to grow and understand the suffering of others.
However, when I met Gu Xi here, I found that she hadn't changed much from five years ago. The only changes were that she had become more mature and her demeanor had become more peaceful. It was clear that she had been doing very well all these years...
This made Chen Yunsheng very happy, as if she had not wasted her girlhood years. Seeing that the person she had once wanted to be friends with was doing well, she was genuinely happy for her.
Chen Ruian turned to look at his sister and the others. When he saw his wife's somewhat uneasy face, he smiled slightly to comfort her and said, "Gu Xi really hasn't changed much. It seems she's been doing very well all these years."
Seeing Gu Xi again after so many years stirred a few emotions within me.
It wasn't the kind of romantic attraction between a man and a woman, but rather a sense of relief and unspoken apology upon seeing a girl I once had feelings for doing well.
For him, Gu Xi was more like a beautiful dream from his youth.
After her initial excitement, Chen Yunsheng remembered something and turned to Wu Meiwen, saying, "Sister-in-law, Gu Xi is Gu Yuanzheng's sister."
"Huh?" Wu Meiwen was taken aback. "Then she's also Gu Yuanxiang's sister?"
At this point, she bit her lip, looked at Chen Ruian, and recalled the time when Gu Yuanzheng and his sister went to the countryside.
At that time, she and Chen Ruian had just gotten married when suddenly a beautiful female educated youth came to their brigade, saying she was looking for Chen Ruian. The female educated youth was full of joy, and her eyes were full of her husband's image...
At that time, she knew that this female educated youth named Gu Yuanxiang liked her newlywed husband, and that he was so beautiful and wonderful, a girl from the city, who was incomparable to her, a country girl.
She felt inferior in front of Gu Yuanxiang.
What's more, those things happened afterward...
Chen Yunsheng said, "Actually, Gu Yuanxiang and Gu Xi are not related by blood. Their situation is a bit complicated..."
She briefly recounted the story of how the two families switched babies years ago, leaving Wu Meiwen speechless and incredulous.
That stunningly beautiful girl just now actually grew up in a village?
It's really hard to believe. Putting aside her pretty face, her clothes, mannerisms, and behavior are completely unlike those of a country girl, not to mention that she got into a university in Beijing...
Having been in Beijing for some time, she has come to know the prestige of universities in Beijing; those who can get into these schools are all very capable people.
“Because Gu Xi is really amazing,” Chen Yunsheng said. “When she first came to the Gu family, everyone said it was a pity. She was clearly a daughter of the Gu family, but she was sent to the countryside. In comparison, Gu Yuanxiang is much more outstanding and has been raised very well by the Gu family…”
Gu Yuanxiang had been raised by the Gu family for fifteen years. Compared with Gu Xi, who had just returned from the countryside, the contrast was too stark. In the eyes of the world, Gu Yuanxiang was definitely outstanding.
But time will prove that even if an outstanding person has had an unpleasant childhood, they can still make others see their brilliance through their own efforts.
Gu Xi is indeed very outstanding to be able to complete the curriculum from elementary to high school in five years.
Wu Meiwen listened silently, recalling the appearance of Gu Xi she had just seen, and said sincerely, "She is really beautiful, and her child is also very pretty."
As for Gu Xi's husband, he looked too fierce, and his eyes were frighteningly sharp; she didn't dare to look at him for long.
Gu Ximing was clearly born into a cadre family, but because she was switched at birth, she spent fifteen years of hardship in the countryside...
It's really pitiful to think about; she shouldn't have to suffer like this.
Recalling Gu Xi's bright and generous demeanor just now, and comparing it with Gu Yuanxiang, Wu Meiwen felt that Gu Xi made her feel more favorably toward her.
Chen Yunsheng said happily, "Yes, yes, she is really beautiful. She wasn't like this when she came back from the countryside. Back then, everyone said Gu Yuanxiang was beautiful. She was just an ugly duckling, not like the daughter of the Gu family..." At this point, she noticed that her sister-in-law suddenly fell silent, so she quickly said, "Sister-in-law, what happened to Gu Yuanxiang back then has nothing to do with you. Don't feel guilty."
Wu Meiwen lowered her head and said softly, "If I hadn't refused to give her directions back then, she wouldn't have wandered off and encountered danger..."
If Gu Yuanxiang hadn't encountered those ill-intentioned hooligans, Gu Yuanzheng wouldn't have gotten his face injured while saving her.
This incident made her feel very guilty.
Chen Yunsheng exclaimed, "This has nothing to do with you! Who knew Gu Yuanxiang and the others would go to the countryside back then, and even go there..."
If nothing had happened at home, after her initial surprise at learning that Gu Yuanxiang liked her brother, she wouldn't have thought much of it. She might even have asked her brother if he liked Gu Yuanxiang and if he could consider it.
But a family tragedy struck, forcing them to move to the countryside. To protect her, the older brother married Wu Meiwen, the daughter of the village head, and received protection from the locals. In the past few years in the countryside, the siblings haven't fared too badly; at least they've been able to keep out some malice and scheming, allowing them to live peacefully through these years.
When the siblings met Gu Yuanxiang and Gu Yuanzheng, who had gone to the countryside, they were both surprised, not expecting that something had happened to the Gu family as well.
But the Gu family is different from the Chen family. The Gu family has an older brother who is serving in the army and is said to be a regimental commander. Gu Yuanyang can help arrange for them to go to the countryside to work in some better places.
When Chen Yunsheng learned that Gu Yuanxiang liked Chen Ruian, which was why she chose the place where they were sent to work in the countryside, she didn't know what to say. To make matters worse, her brother had just gotten married when they went to work in the countryside...
Looking back on the situation now, Chen Yunsheng feels a bit neurotic and has a headache.
Although it's all in the past, after those events, they could no longer have normal contact with Gu Yuanzheng and his sister, and they couldn't even be friends anymore.
Chen Ruian sighed and said to his wife, "Yun Sheng is right, this is not your fault." Before Wu Meiwen could say anything more, he continued, "We're here. Let's go in. Uncle Jiu is still waiting for us."
They have a cousin who is a professor at a university in Beijing, and they came to see him today.
**
Gu Xi quickly put the Chen siblings out of her mind.
After learning that Chen Ruian was married, she understood why Gu Yuanxiang was not married yet, but that was none of her business.
After touring the school, it was already noon.
They found a restaurant nearby and ate authentic Beijing cuisine. The food was delicious, and even Chen Zhuzhu took a small spoon and tried her best to scoop up rice soaked in meat gravy and stuff it into her mouth, getting rice grains all over her face.
Everyone couldn't help but laugh. After the meal, they even took him to the kitchen, washed a handkerchief, and wiped his cat-like face clean.
After dinner, they went to their rented house nearby.
The house was rented a few days ago. It was arranged by a soldier from Chongchenshan who came to help with the rental. It was a two-story detached house with its own entrance.
The house isn't big, but it's very close to the school; it only takes five minutes to get there by bicycle, which is very satisfying.
Shen Mingzheng took out the key to open the door, and the group went inside to look at the house.
The yard is planted with many flowers and plants, and there is a peach tree against the wall, creating a serene atmosphere. The homeowner takes good care of it. Near the kitchen, there is a large water tank with water lilies, and there are even two red and black fish in it.
After inspecting the house upstairs and downstairs, including the main house, side rooms, kitchen, and bathroom, Gu Xi was quite satisfied with it.
“School starts in two days. Let’s move our luggage over and buy some daily necessities in these two days. We can move in the day after tomorrow night,” Gu Xi said happily, then turned to her and said, “Big brother, after we look at the house, let’s go check out the kindergarten.”
"Kindergarten?" Shen Zhuzhu held her father's hand, watching her mother run around energetically. "Is that Zhuzhu's school?"
Gu Xi said with a smile, "Yes, when Mom goes to school, Zhuzhu will go to school too."
"What about Dad?" Chen Zhuzhu looked up at her father.
Shen Mingzheng looked down at the child and said, "Daddy has to go to work."
"Isn't Daddy going to live with us?" Shen Zhuzhu frowned, looking a little disappointed. She had thought that when Daddy came back, they would live together from now on.
Shen Mingzheng knew the child was reluctant to part with him, so he picked him up, and his heart instantly melted.
Shen Zhuzhu also reached out and hugged her father, reluctant to see him leave in the future.
Next, they went to see a nearby kindergarten.
The kindergarten is quite far from the rented house; it takes half an hour to walk there. However, it's much more convenient if you have a bicycle, as it only takes ten minutes to get there.
Perhaps because it's near a university, the kindergarten has a nice environment, but there aren't many students.
After taking Chen Zhuzhu on a tour of the kindergarten, meeting the teachers, and asking for his opinion, and seeing that he was willing to attend the kindergarten there, we went to register him.
-
It was already evening when we got back to the family compound.
When Feng Min got home from get off work and saw them return, she happily asked, "Did the registration go smoothly today? How's the rented place? Is it suitable? Did Zhuzhu register for kindergarten?"
Gu Xi answered one by one, "The registration went smoothly. Zhu Zhu also registered for kindergarten, just like me, and will start school in a couple of days. The house is nice, fully furnished. We just need to pack our luggage and move there. We plan to move our things over tomorrow and see if there's anything we're missing, and buy it while we're at it."
Feng Min said, "Okay, I'll go with Xiao Wang tomorrow and help you move your things."
She was worried about her child being independent and wanted to go and check on him herself.
After they move in, Aunt Wang will also come to help take care of the children and cook for them. They'll feel at ease with Aunt Wang around. As for the house, they can just hire another nanny; it's not a difficult task.
After running around all day, Shen Mingrong had some ideas in mind. He said to his mother, "Mom, how about I transfer to a high school near Peking University? That way I can stay at Sister Xi's place tonight. What do you think?"
“It’s not good!” Feng Min rejected her youngest son without hesitation. “You’re doing well here, why do you want to transfer schools? You’re already in your first year of high school, and you’ll be a second-year student in September. Even if you transfer, you won’t be able to study here for long. You can stay here.”
Shen Mingrong was still unwilling to give up. "Sister Xi moved over there, and with the old and young in the family, they are easily targeted by bad people. Why don't I go and keep them company? With a grown man like me there, thieves and bad people won't dare to come to the door."
Chen Zhuzhu, who was playing with building blocks, looked up and said, "Uncle, Zhuzhu is a man too!"
"Sweetie, you're a little boy now, not a man." Shen Mingrong patted the child's head, telling him not to interrupt.
Feng Min was almost amused by him, but she still refused him.
My youngest son attends a high school in the military region, where the educational methods are different from those in other high schools. Plus, he plans to apply to a military academy in the future, so I can't let him do whatever he wants.
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