Chapter 25
After seeing Shen Mingzheng off, Gu Xi slowly walked back.
As soon as she entered, Feng Min came over with a bowl of dark, medicinal soup, smiling at her, "Xixi, the medicine is ready, the temperature is just right, come and drink it."
Gu Xi: "..."
Gu Xi silently took it, took a deep breath, and then drank it all in one gulp.
Feng Min handed her the peeled hard candy, glancing at her expression as she said, "Mingzheng will be back in a month, it's not that long, actually."
Gu Xi was taken aback, realizing that she was trying to comfort herself, thinking that she had spent so much time away from home because she couldn't bear to part with Shen Mingzheng.
Actually, her relationship with Shen Mingzheng hadn't reached that point yet.
I felt a little embarrassed, and although I wanted to explain, I didn't know how, so in the end I could only acquiesce.
Feng Min continued, "You can stay here this month so we can prepare for the wedding together. Tell me what you like and I'll buy it for you."
As she said this, she finally felt like she was about to become a mother-in-law.
She had always treated Gu Xi as her daughter, and this was her first time being a mother-in-law. However, it didn't feel bad. There was no difference between a daughter and a daughter-in-law; they were both family.
Even if Gu Xi marries into the family, she will be treated like a daughter.
Gu Xi thought for a moment and did not refuse: "Then I will go home tomorrow to get some luggage. I will trouble you for this month."
"What are you disturbing?" Feng Min reached out and touched her face, saying with pity, "Mingzheng told me before that he wanted me to keep you here. Anyway, you're getting married soon, and Mingzheng isn't here. Staying here won't cause people to gossip. It'll be a good opportunity for you to recover properly."
It seems her son also understands that Gu Xi has no way to properly recuperate in the Gu family, and it can even force her to get sick and feel depressed.
Her great-aunt said that Gu Xi has been worrying too much lately, and that she should try to relax and not think too much.
Young women should be full of energy. What could possibly worry them besides marriage? It's obvious that they're only worried about by their families.
From the moment Gu Xi returned to the Gu family, they either looked down on her for bringing shame to them or didn't treat her like family at all, completely ignoring her. Even the most cheerful person would become depressed and miserable after staying in such a place for a long time.
The greatest harm to children in this world often comes from the indifference of their loved ones.
Feng Min was unaware that the term "emotional abuse" existed in later generations. If she had known, she would have understood that the five-year-long emotional abuse inflicted on Gu Xi by the Gu family was enough to drive a person insane.
The Gu family is a bunch of awful people; they shouldn't have let her go back in the first place.
Feng Min felt very regretful.
When she first took Gu Xi to the military hospital, her great-aunt examined Gu Xi and told her that the child was very thoughtful and that suppressing her feelings was bad for her health, especially recently. She wondered what the Gu family had done to make things worse.
Feng Min recalled that her son had come to knock on the door last night and talked to her about Gu Xi.
Shen Mingzheng said that Gu Xi might have encountered some bad things, and advised her to be careful and try to cheer her up.
Although she phrased it tactfully, the mother understood perfectly well what her son meant; he was already interested in this person even before they were married.
**
The next day, after breakfast, Gu Xi prepared to go back to her family home.
To her surprise, as she was leaving, Shen Mingrong jumped out, hands on her hips, and said, "Sister Xi, are you going back to the Gu family home to get your luggage? I can help you, I can carry it too!"
As he spoke, he clenched his fist, making a gesture to show that he was a man and had great strength.
Gu Xi was both amused and exasperated. "No need. I don't have much stuff. I can go back by myself."
"How can that be?" Shen Mingrong looked at her with a suspicious look. "What if you do what you did last time, saying you were coming but not showing up? I have to keep an eye on you, make sure you get there and brought back."
Gu Xi: "..."
Gu Xi recalled the time when she was first reborn. She was unsure if she could survive the ordeal, so she decided to go back to the Gu family and wait.
At that time, she was filled with confusion, always suspecting that it was because she had been a ghost for too long and was too lonely, fantasizing about being resurrected, and feeling lost about everything.
But now, not only has she survived a near-death experience, but she is also going to marry Shen Mingzheng in a month. It's as if she has become a person with a future, someone who can look forward to the future.
My restless heart seemed to become more at ease.
Perhaps it was because Shen Mingzheng was too determined that few people could resist his unwavering resolve.
Gu Xi finally agreed. After all, it was just going back to get some luggage, and it wouldn't be a problem to bring a child.
Shen Mingrong chuckled and pulled her out the door, skipping and hopping all the way. Anyone who didn't know the situation would think they were going on a trip.
It was a weekday, and there weren't many people in the family compound. The two of them didn't encounter anyone along the way.
Upon arriving at the Gu family home, Gu Xi opened the door and went inside.
Shen Mingrong had visited the Gu family several times with her parents and was quite familiar with the place, so she walked in comfortably.
Seeing his lively demeanor, Gu Xi asked, "Are you thirsty? Do you want some water?"
"No, I don't want any." Shen Mingrong's eyes darted around. "It's so hot, let's go get some popsicles later! Sister Xi, I'll treat you to popsicles, I have money."
Gu Xi asked with a smile, "Where did you get the money?"
"Mom gave this to me before I left home this morning, saying I should take you out to play. I have ten yuan in savings now," he said proudly.
In this day and age, ten yuan in savings is indeed a lot for a child.
As the two were chatting and laughing, they saw Gu Yuanxiang returning from outside carrying groceries.
Jiang Huijun and Gu Yuanzheng both went to work today, while Gu Yuanhui stayed at the hospital. She came back to cook and then delivered the food to the hospital at noon.
Upon seeing the two, she paused for a moment, then greeted them, "Oh, it's Xixi and Mingrong. Is Mingrong here to play today?"
Shen Mingrong was still a very polite child. She greeted everyone obediently and said, "I came to help Sister Xi with her luggage. Sister Xi is going to stay at my house. My mother said she needs to help her take care of her health."
"Huh?" Gu Yuanxiang was surprised. "You're not planning to come back?" Is it because you're getting married next month and you're moving in this month? Is it that urgent?
Gu Xi didn't say anything, patted the child's head, and went upstairs to pack her luggage.
Shen Mingrong did not follow them upstairs, but stayed in the living room to talk to Gu Yuanxiang.
He blinked and asked, "Sister Yuanxiang, do you know that Sister Xi's health isn't good? I heard that she used to go hungry and was malnourished. Recently, she's been worrying too much. If this continues, it will shorten her lifespan."
He overheard his parents talking last night and felt that Xi Jie had really suffered a lot of injustice. No wonder his brother let Xi Jie stay at home. Everyone in the family likes her and will definitely not let her worry too much.
Gu Yuanxiang looked somewhat forced.
Yesterday, Shen Mingzheng personally came to take Gu Xi to the hospital, which was like a slap in the face to the Gu family, as if to say that their concern for her was less than that of an outsider.
Jiang Huijun felt both embarrassed and guilty.
The children used to be quiet and unassuming, and incredibly easy to take care of. She couldn't see their thoughtfulness towards her; instead, she resented them and felt they had embarrassed her.
Once the children started making a fuss and it was discovered that they had done something wrong, they seemed to no longer care about their compensation.
I originally wanted to wait for Gu Xi to come back in the evening to ask about her health, but she didn't come home. I guess she's staying at the Shen family's place.
The Gu family had become accustomed to this. The Shen family was her future in-laws, and Feng Min doted on her so much that she wished she could stay there indefinitely, as if they were afraid they would mistreat her.
Gu Yuanxiang said with a guilty look, "It's because we didn't care enough about Xixi."
But in his heart he was thinking that Gu Xi had been going crazy at home lately, hitting people whenever she was angry, and smashing things in the room whenever she was unhappy. He really couldn't see where she was worried too much.
Could it be that this child is exaggerating on purpose?
Shen Mingrong continued, "The doctor who treated Sister Xi was a military doctor at the military hospital. Her medical skills are amazing. She's been taking care of Sister Xi's health all these years. Otherwise, given Sister Xi's lifelong habit of being hungry, her health would probably be ruined, and she would have a shortened lifespan. The old military doctor said that Sister Xi's body is weaker than the average person's. If we don't want her to have a shortened lifespan, we have to take good care of her. We can't let her eat poorly, we can't let her not rest well, and we can't let her be sad..."
One "no" after another came crashing down on her, leaving Gu Yuanxiang completely bewildered.
This kid is really good at talking.
What drove her to the brink of collapse was that she couldn't get a word in edgewise; the whole thing was just the child chattering on and on. How could he be so talkative? He was talking about Gu Xi, but his words were subtly accusing her family of not treating Gu Xi well, accusing Gu Xi of suffering for her in the countryside for fifteen years, while she took Gu Xi's sacrifices for granted…
Gu Yuanxiang finally fled in panic, making an excuse to hide in the kitchen.
This kid is terrifying; he speaks so eloquently, just like his mother.
Shen Mingrong clicked his tongue, thinking that she was really easy to talk to. If it were his mother, she could listen to his nagging without changing her expression.
With such limited fighting ability, I really don't know how she can stay in the Gu family and be their daughter with a clear conscience? If it were him, he would have been ashamed and treated Gu Xi like an ancestor long ago.
The child skipped over to Gu Xi and saw her tidying up the books on the table. He said, "Sister Xi, let me help you!"
Gu Xi looked at him and asked, "Are you done talking?"
"What did I say?" Shen Mingrong asked innocently.
Gu Xi smiled and pinched his little nose. "I could hear your voice from far away. You're so talkative."
Shen Mingrong chuckled and scratched his head.
Gu Xi didn't have much stuff; she mainly came back to pack up her books.
She treasured these books, not to mention that they would come in handy a few years later when the college entrance examination was reinstated.
After Gu Xi finished packing her luggage, Shen Mingrong asked, "Sister Xi, is that all you have?"
"yes."
Shen Mingrong looked around the room and immediately pouted, "Sister Xi, you have less stuff in this room than we do in the room at home."
This is clearly the home of Xi Jie's biological parents, and she has lived here for much longer, but here, her room has fewer things than the room in their house.
Sure enough, the Gu family just took advantage of Xi Jie's easygoing nature.
It was the right thing to let Sister Xi move into their house sooner; she shouldn't come back in the future.
Gu Xi gave the child a small package containing a few pieces of clothing, while she carried the bamboo box containing books.
As the two were leaving, they encountered Gu Yuanxiang.
"Xixi," Gu Yuanxiang couldn't help but ask, "Are you really going to live with the Shen family? When are you coming back?"
Gu Xi glanced at her and suddenly smiled: "Dad will be discharged from the hospital in a few days, right? I probably won't have time to pick him up then. But I suppose he doesn't want to see me either. Since I'm not home, let him take good care of himself and not get upset again."
Gu Yuanxiang felt that her words were sarcastic and that if their father heard them, he would probably be furious.
She pretended not to hear and continued, "Mom said you're getting married next month? Is that true?"
"Yes." Gu Xi's voice became a little lighter.
Even after the two left, Gu Yuanxiang remained standing in the living room, staring blankly in the direction of the door.
She hadn't expected that Gu Xi would be leaving this home so soon.
When Gu Xi returned, she was filled with fear, apprehension, and resentment. Why wasn't she a child of the Gu family? She resented Gu Xi for coming back to take her place and wished she could drive her away.
Unexpectedly, after waiting for five years, Gu Xi was getting married.
After a woman gets married, this place becomes her parents' home; when she returns, she is treated as a guest.
At that time, the house will return to its former tranquility, and Mom and Dad won't be angry anymore, right?
**
Gu Xi and Shen Mingrong first sent the luggage back to the Shen family, and then went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy popsicles.
When it's hot, eating popsicles is the most refreshing thing.
The two sat under the shade of a tree, chatting and eating popsicles, enjoying themselves immensely.
When some children who knew Shen Mingrong came to play with him, Gu Xi generously treated them to popsicles. Before long, she had a group of children who sweetly called her "Sister Xi".
"Sister Xi, we're going to pick fruit in the mountains tomorrow, do you want to come with us?"
Are there mountains nearby?
"Yes, we go by bus to the suburbs. It only takes half an hour. It's quite close. We go there often."
"OK!"
"..."
Gu Xi made an appointment with a group of teenagers, and then happily went home with Shen Mingrong.
She didn't stop smiling almost all day.
When Feng Min returned, she saw the cheerful look on Gu Xi's face and nodded to her youngest son with satisfaction.
Sure enough, letting this chatterbox stick to Gu Xi and taking her out to play more often makes her happier.
When people are happy, their bodies become healthier.
**
In early August, Shen Mingzheng finally returned to his unit.
After several more busy days, he finally found some time to go and get his marriage application submitted.
When Shen Mingzheng's partner, Political Commissar Xu, saw the marriage application he produced, his eyes widened in surprise.
He exclaimed, "Old Shen, you're finally getting married? Your little fiancée has graduated?"
Shen Mingzheng was parachuted into this unit at the end of last year. At first, no one respected him. However, during a joint land and air field training exercise, Shen Mingzheng achieved such outstanding results that even Commander Chang was proud of him. Finally, everyone respected him, and those troublemakers became obedient in front of him.
Later, he won several military training exercises and drills, and those who disagreed with him were thoroughly defeated by him. Finally, no one dared to underestimate him, knowing that he was practically a living devil.
Moreover, he is very young. It's always hard to accept that someone is such a young officer at the regimental level.
However, precisely because he was young and promising, many people had their eyes on him after learning that he was not yet married. The wives in the family compound wanted to introduce him to their younger sisters, nieces, and other daughters. The leading performer in the art troupe also had some interest and wanted to ask Commander Chang's wife to help make the match.
Little did he know that the man already had a fiancée.
I heard it was decided by the elders five years ago.
The reason why they haven't gotten married yet is that Shen Mingzheng's fiancée is still studying, and he wants to wait until she finishes her studies before getting married.
When this gets out, I wonder how many people will be disappointed.
Many women who have feelings for Shen Mingzheng are indignant and want to know what his fiancée looks like. They also question how people can let their parents arrange marriages in this day and age. They argue that this is wrong.
Unfortunately, no matter what they thought, it had no effect on Shen Mingzheng.
Shen Mingzheng was already somewhat aware of Political Commissar Xu's gossipy nature, and said, "It's already decided, we're getting married this month, and I need to take half a month off to go back."
"So fast?" Political Commissar Xu exclaimed in surprise.
Shen Mingzheng didn't speak. Actually, it wasn't going to be quick. This mission was quite tricky, and they had spent more time outside. He estimated that it would be mid-August before they returned to Beijing.
After finishing writing the marriage report, Shen Mingzheng thought of something and asked, "By the way, is Commander Gu Yuanyang from the Second Brigade here?"
"Commander Gu? He's not here. I heard he recently led a group into the mountains for training." Political Commissar Xu asked, "What do you want with him?"
Shen Mingzheng said, "I need to tell him about my marriage."
"Why?" Political Commissar Xu was a little confused. He didn't usually see him having any relationship with Regiment Commander Gu from the Second Brigade. Why did he need to specifically tell him about his wedding?
Shen Mingzheng said, "Commander Gu is my fiancée's brother, so I should at least tell him."
Commissar Xu was truly astonished. He never expected that the two, who were usually unrelated, would have such a relationship!
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