Chapter 37
In the evening, the crowds leaving get off work converged into a river, flowing in all directions.
The family compound also became lively, with every household starting to cook dinner and greeting people returning from get off work.
As Gu Xi and Shen Mingzheng entered the family compound, the people they encountered along the way greeted them with smiles. In particular, when they saw that Shen Mingzheng was carrying some gifts, they felt that the Shen family was really kind and generous, always bringing large and small packages whenever they came, showing great courtesy.
The Gu family's marriage is truly enviable.
"Oh, it's Gu Xi and Xiao Shen. What brings you back today?" someone asked.
Gu Xi said politely, "We're leaving Beijing the day after tomorrow to come back and see our family and say goodbye."
"I see. That's how it is. That's how it is."
Everyone knew that Gu Xi's boyfriend was a regimental commander, and that she would definitely go to his military post after getting married, so no one was surprised and they continued chatting with her.
When will you be coming back?
"We don't know yet." Gu Xi smiled and said gently, "As you know, soldiers prioritize protecting the country and the people, and follow the organization's arrangements. It's not easy to get leave from the military, but if we can get leave, we will come back to visit our parents."
"That's absolutely right!"
"Good child, your parents are blessed to have a daughter like you."
"..."
Along the way, Gu Xi dealt with greetings from all sorts of people, sometimes chatting with them for a few minutes. When they arrived at the Gu family compound, everyone knew that they were about to leave Beijing and had come back to visit the Gu family before leaving, and they all felt that she was thoughtful.
Although Gu Maowen and his wife treated her badly, she was a filial daughter, and everyone who heard about it praised her.
Gu Xi doesn't like dealing with people, but she'll still go through the motions in these kinds of social interactions.
Anyway, it's just a matter of a few words, and you can win a good reputation.
Gu Maowen was still recuperating at home. Gu Yuanzheng and Jiang Huijun had just finished get off work and returned home. They were both a little surprised to see them coming.
"Mingzheng is here, come in and sit down." Gu Maowen warmly greeted his son-in-law, who came from the Shen family, and he was very satisfied with him.
Jiang Huijun happily said, "Xixi, come in and sit down."
Gu Yuanxiang served tea and water to the guests, and glanced at Gu Xi. She noticed that after only a few days of marriage, Gu Xi's complexion had improved significantly. Although her face was still not rosy enough, it was at least not the pale and slightly bluish kind of fragile. Her brows were no longer gloomy and indifferent, but rather had a touch of lightness.
Although this lightheartedness quickly vanished upon entering the Gu family home, her difference became apparent.
Jiang Huijun and Gu Yuanzheng could also sense this, and they both felt a little bitter.
Sure enough, she had never been happy at home before.
Gu Maowen greeted his new son-in-law, Shen Mingzheng, with a smile. When he learned that they had already bought train tickets and would be leaving early the day after tomorrow, he made a few remarks but said nothing more.
He did want to make a good impression on his son-in-law and give his daughter some advice, telling her to be more docile and serve her in-laws well in the future. However, he was afraid that she would argue back and make him lose face in front of his son-in-law, so he held back in the end.
Fortunately, he held back and didn't say anything, otherwise Gu Xi really wouldn't have cared whether Shen Mingzheng was there or not, and would have just kicked him back.
Jiang Huijun chatted with him for a while, then went into the kitchen with Gu Yuanxiang to cook.
Today my daughter and son-in-law are visiting, so I should at least cook a meal to entertain them; it's basic etiquette.
Gu Xi sat for a while, but she really didn't want to listen to Gu Maowen's official-sounding words. She wanted to shut him up.
She looked at Shen Mingzheng and saw him sitting there upright in a standard military posture, motionless, calm and focused, as if he were listening very attentively to Gu Maowen's words, occasionally adding a word of agreement, which made Gu Maowen even more interested in talking.
Gu Xi turned her head away, thankful that he had the patience; if it were her, she would have directly confronted him and made Gu Maowen lose face.
As if sensing her impatience, Shen Mingzheng glanced at her and handed her a glass of water from the table.
He did this very naturally, which surprised both Gu Maowen and Gu Yuanzheng.
At this moment, Gu Xi picked up the water and drank it, then got up and made an excuse to leave.
Gu Xi went to the bathroom to wash her face, too lazy to go back and listen to Gu Maowen, and went straight upstairs.
As soon as she went upstairs, she saw Gu Yuanhui coming out of the room. She seemed to be startled and immediately shrank back.
Upon learning that Gu Xi and Shen Mingzheng were coming, he hid in his room to avoid another conflict with Gu Xi. Getting beaten up was a minor matter; he didn't have the courage to face his brother-in-law, Shen Mingzheng.
For some reason, he was quite afraid of Shen Mingzheng. Perhaps it was because Shen Mingzheng was now Gu Xi's husband, and he wondered if Shen Mingzheng would hit him if he knew that he had bullied Gu Xi in the past.
Gu Xi scoffed, not caring at all. She opened the old room and looked around, finding that nothing had changed. She figured they couldn't possibly have turned her room back into a study right after she got married.
Gu Xi looked around the room for a while, then started tidying up.
Although she tidied up the room before the wedding and took all the things she needed to bring to the Shen family, she still left some miscellaneous items behind.
After thinking about it, she decided to take these odds and ends with her, so that she wouldn't leave them here and wonder what they would do with them. The thought of it made her feel uneasy.
While Gu Xi was tidying up, she heard a knock at the door. Turning around, she saw that it was Shen Mingzheng.
"Big brother, what brings you here?" She looked behind him. "Weren't you supposed to be talking to them?"
Shen Mingzheng walked in, closed the door behind him, and said, "What do you need to pack? I'll help you."
Seeing that she was tying up some old newspapers and the like, he reached out and quickly tied them up for her, securing them with a rope.
He works efficiently and has the demeanor of a soldier.
Seeing this, Gu Xi sat down with her hands in her sleeves and watched him help pack. Suddenly, she asked, "Did my dad just ask you about my older brother in the army?"
Shen Mingzheng hummed in agreement, able to distinguish that the "elder brother" she was referring to was Gu Yuanyang.
He frankly stated, "I'm not familiar with him, and I don't know much about his affairs."
"Then what do you know?" Gu Xi asked again.
Shen Mingzheng dragged over a cardboard box, put some odds and ends inside, and said, "I was transferred there last year, and I happen to be stationed in the same place as your older brother. He's the commander of the 3rd Regiment of the 2nd Brigade, and I'm in the 1st Brigade..."
Gu Xi looked at him in surprise; she knew nothing about this.
Not only her, but I guess the Gu family doesn't know either.
Although Gu Maowen and his wife knew about the unit where Gu Yuanyang was stationed, they didn't care much about him because they disliked his willful behavior back then and rarely mentioned him at home. As a result, they were actually unaware of Gu Yuanyang's situation.
Although this older brother would often send things back, Gu Maowen and his wife didn't consider them anything special, and they didn't care much about them.
As for the military unit Shen Mingzheng was in, he had never mentioned it, and the Gu family knew even less.
Naturally, they had no idea that Shen Mingzheng and Gu Yuanyang were actually stationed at the same location.
Gu Xi seemed thoughtful. "So, once we get there, we might have dealings with the big boss there?"
Shen Mingzheng looked up at her and said seriously, "If you don't like it, you don't have to pay attention to it."
"Isn't this inappropriate?" Gu Xi frowned. "Although I've never met this older brother, we were born to the same mother. In the eyes of the world, we are siblings. There's no such thing as a grudge between siblings. We should at least visit each other."
Shen Mingzheng nodded, "As long as it looks presentable."
Gu Xi was genuinely surprised to hear him say that.
Although I had long noticed that he seemed quite open-minded and not bound by worldly etiquette, was he really this open-minded? In those days, people valued filial piety, interpersonal relationships, and sincerity in their interactions with others. Unlike in later generations, when interpersonal relationships became cold and indifferent, even if you severed ties with your relatives, no one would criticize you. Everyone lived their own lives, and nobody cared what you did.
Gu Xi glanced at him again and again, and said softly, "It's not that bad. If that older brother over there is a good person, we can get along amicably."
Shen Mingzheng gave a brief laugh. "Whatever makes you happy."
He married her because he didn't want her to suffer any injustice, not even from her own family.
Gu Xi suddenly became happy. Seeing the man squatting there organizing things, she impulsively pounced on his back and lay there on the ground.
His back was broad, and although he was shaken a little by her lunge, he quickly regained his balance.
He caught her steadily.
After doing all this, Gu Xi realized that her behavior was somewhat childish and inappropriate.
But she hesitated for only a moment before reaching out to wrap her arms around his neck, resting her face against his neck, and whispering, "Big brother, you're so kind."
Shen Mingzheng lowered his eyes, a silent smile playing on his lips, and let her continue lying there.
Gu Xi lay behind him for a while, then stood up.
She was still a little embarrassed.
From the time she was old enough to understand, as the eldest daughter in her adoptive parents' home, she had to do a lot of work. She had no childhood. When she recalled her childhood, it was all about endless work, which extinguished her childlike innocence early on. She was unable to do childlike things like other children.
Just like if she could relive her life and go back to her childhood, she would never want to.
Because it was just too painful.
It is often said that a happy childhood can heal a lifetime, while an unhappy childhood takes a lifetime to heal.
She spent decades trying, but still couldn't cure it.
**
The two stayed in the room for a while, tidying up their things, and then went out.
After dinner, the two prepared to leave.
"Xi Xi!" Jiang Huijun hesitated for a moment, then called out to Gu Xi, "Mom wants to say a few words to you."
Gu Xi followed her to the study indifferently and stood there watching her.
Jiang Huijun looked at her beautiful and delicate features, but there was no smile in her eyes. She looked at her calmly, which made her expression seem cold and aloof. This was the kind of look they had become accustomed to seeing over the past two months.
She couldn't remember what Gu Xi was like before—the quiet, introverted, shy, and ingratiating Gu Xi—it was as if she had long since disappeared from her memory.
All her memories seemed to have been replaced by those two months; all she felt towards them were sharp sarcasm, indifferent indifference, and impatience.
Despite all the complexities, Jiang Huijun's final words were a simple and pale: "Xixi, how have you been these past few days?"
“It’s all good,” Gu Xi said. “As you know, my in-laws have always treated me like their own daughter and are very good to me. Mingrong is a sensible and good child and never makes things difficult for me. My older brother… Mingzheng is also very good to me.”
"Oh, I see? That's good."
Jiang Huijun forced a smile, her fingers rubbing her pocket, before she pulled out a wad of cash and handed it over.
"This is for you. After you go to the army, live a good life." Jiang Huijun instructed, "Write to us when you have time, or come back to visit."
Gu Xi just looked at her, did not take the money she offered, and said, "No need, keep the money yourself, I don't need it."
She wasn't lying; getting married really did make her incredibly rich in this day and age.
Not to mention that Shen Mingzheng gave her his salary card, the dowry of two thousand yuan from the Shen family was also given to her, as were the wedding gifts from various families. Those families that the Shen family invited to the wedding were all well-off, and the amount of their gifts was also considerable, all of which she received.
Of course, the most important thing is that she doesn't want to take her money.
She had given up all hope for her biological parents after her death in her previous life and treated them as strangers.
Jiang Huijun handed the money to her, saying, "Xixi, please accept it. Consider it a token of my appreciation."
Over the years, she has failed to fulfill her responsibilities as a mother and has not treated this child well. This is her daughter whom she carried for ten months and gave birth to. How can she despise her for being rustic and for bringing shame to them by bringing her back just because she was switched at birth and raised in the countryside for fifteen years?
However, some mistakes, once made, cannot be undone; one can only try to make amends.
"Really, no need." Gu Xi's expression turned impatient. "You don't need to give me anything. You don't owe me anything. Just consider those five years as when I was staying here temporarily, doing your laundry and cooking for you to cover my food and lodging expenses."
Jiang Huijun froze, an expression of disbelief on her face.
You don't owe me anything.
It sounds like he doesn't resent or hate them, but he's completely cutting ties with them and will have nothing to do with each other from now on.
Gu Xi ignored the hurt look on her face and turned to walk away.
Upon entering the living room, she walked towards Shen Mingzheng, who was waiting there, and said, "Big brother, let's go."
Shen Mingzheng observed her expression, then looked past her to Jiang Huijun, who was walking out somewhat unsteadily. Seeing her face, which was filled with unconcealed sadness, he said nothing, politely said goodbye to the Gu family, and left with her, carrying the tidied-up items he had just gathered.
It was already dark when I left the Gu family.
The two walked under the streetlights, and could hear the laughter of children chasing and playing nearby, the conversation of adults sitting under trees fanning themselves, and the tired greetings of people returning home late... It was an ordinary scene.
Under the cover of night, Shen Mingzheng held her hand with one hand.
"Big brother, is it heavy?" Gu Xi asked. "Why don't you give it to me? I can hold it."
Shen Mingzheng said, "It's not heavy, you don't need to carry it."
The two walked in silence until a member of the security team passed by, at which point he finally let go of her hand.
Gu Xi lowered his eyes. His palms were damp and sticky, as if the warmth from his hands still lingered on them. His body temperature was higher than average, and he seemed to be burning hot.
That night, Gu Xi lay in bed, unable to fall asleep.
She turned over, startling the man beside her.
"Can't sleep?" he asked softly, his voice low and magnetic in the quiet night, quite pleasant to hear.
Gu Xi resisted the urge to move away. His breath brushed against her neck, inexplicably reminding her of the feeling when he kissed her, making her tremble all over.
Just a few days ago, they were still observing proper etiquette, but now they're standing so close together.
"I...I'll fall asleep soon." She stammered a little. "Big brother, you go to sleep first, I won't disturb you."
In the darkness, Shen Mingzheng opened his eyes, his gaze devoid of any sleepiness.
How could he possibly fall asleep when she was wriggling in his arms?
Recalling her expression when she left the Gu family, she seemed so indifferent, as if she didn't care about anything, but just by looking into her eyes, you could feel the sadness in her heart.
Even though the Gu family treated her badly and subjected her to emotional abuse, at first, she longed for the care of her relatives and hoped to live a good life with them.
But in the end, they both had a falling out.
He gently patted her back, then lowered his head and kissed her.
Upon noticing his actions, Gu Xi froze for a moment, thinking that he wanted it. She clearly wanted to refuse him, but in the end, she hesitated and yielded to him, afraid that he would feel uncomfortable.
She's clearly a girl who doesn't know how to refuse people; she's soft-hearted and kind.
Shen Mingzheng sighed inwardly, hugged the exhausted person, and felt a little troubled thinking about how sad she would be when he left the day after tomorrow.
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