Chapter 4
When Gu Xi woke up the next day, she felt much better.
She didn't rush to get up, but lay quietly with her face buried in the pillow, where she could smell the sunlight.
The sun-dried quilt was warm and soft, which she cherished; the feeling of being alive was wonderful.
Aunt Wang is a relative of the Shen family. Although they live quite far apart, she is still family.
These days, most well-off families in the city like to ask relatives to come over to help with housework and take care of the elderly. Aunt Wang is one such example. She is a diligent person. When the weather is nice, she will move the mattresses and bedding out of the house to air them out. Although Gu Xi only stays at the Shen family's house for a few days a month, she still comes in every day to clean and air out the quilts and clothes from time to time.
After lying down for a while, Gu Xi sat up.
The curtains weren't drawn completely, allowing some light to see in, making the room half dark and half bright, and you could clearly see what was going on inside.
Compared to the room she stayed in at the Gu family home, this room was not only larger but also had more belongings. From the details, it was clear that this was a girl's room, and it had been carefully decorated.
The Gu family had a large number of members. When Gu Xi returned to the Gu family, all the rooms were already occupied. It wouldn't be right to give her any room, so they cleaned out the small study in the corner on the second floor for her to live in.
The Shen family, being of high status, lived in a two-story house with a courtyard.
They do not live with their elders. The family is small, consisting of only Shen Zhongshan and his wife Feng Min, brothers Shen Mingzheng and Shen Mingrong, and Aunt Wang who does the housework.
Shen Mingzheng is in the army and doesn't come back even once a year. The last time he came back was two years ago.
The Shen family has few members but many rooms. Since Gu Xi is a girl, they gave her the sunny room, even though she doesn't come here often.
When Feng Min initially planned to adopt Gu Xi, she treated her as her daughter, and this room was specially prepared for her at that time.
Gu Xi didn't stay in bed; she changed her clothes and went downstairs.
It was getting late, and the couple, Chen Shenshan and his wife, had already left. Only Aunt Wang was at home.
Medicine was being brewed in the kitchen, and the room was filled with a strong, unpleasant smell of Chinese medicine. This was the same smell that Gu Xi always had to smell whenever she came over.
"Good morning, Auntie," Gu Xi greeted.
Aunt Wang first touched her forehead and said happily, "That's great, she didn't have a fever today, so she should be better."
He then asked her to sit down at the table and brought her breakfast.
Knowing that Gu Xi hadn't had a good appetite these past few days, Aunt Wang made her some meat porridge. The porridge was cooked until it had a layer of rice oil, mixed with fresh minced pork. The minced pork and rice grains were mixed together, thick and fragrant. Even just a sprinkle of salt made it incredibly delicious.
"The logistics department sent over a chicken today. I'll make you chicken soup; you need to take good care of yourself."
She looked at Gu Xi's pale face with pity, thinking that she had lost a bit more weight than the last time she saw her, and her chin was even more pointed. She was pretty, but young women should be a little plump to be healthy.
Gu Xi smiled at her, her smile serene and well-behaved: "Thank you, Auntie."
Aunt Wang affectionately patted her head. As an elder, she liked this kind of well-behaved, quiet, and considerate girl. She was fair-skinned and pretty, and one could soften her heart just by looking at her.
Of course, the main reason is that the child is indeed a good one. After spending several years together, they gradually came to regard her as their own child. Moreover, she was going to marry into the Shen family in the future, so wasn't she just like their own child?
While Gu Xi was drinking porridge, Aunt Wang sat next to her. She wasn't idle either; she was mending a piece of clothing.
Gu Xi recognized these as Shen Mingrong's clothes. Boys are active and run around all day, which wears out clothes the most. Good clothes would wear out and tear after only a short time and would need to be mended from time to time.
"Auntie, where's Mingrong?" Gu Xi asked.
"He's with the old man. He went there as soon as the holiday started, saying he wanted to spend a few days with the old man and the old lady." Aunt Wang said with a smile. "Mingrong is a good boy, and he has a sweet tongue. The old lady likes his company, so he's going to stay there for a few more days."
The couple, Shen Zhongshan and his wife, had two sons. When their eldest son, Shen Mingzheng, was born, Feng Min injured her body and thought she could not have any more children. However, when her eldest son was already grown up, she suddenly became pregnant again and gave birth to Shen Mingrong.
Shen Mingrong is ten years old this year, just a teenager. He is usually very lively and active, with inexhaustible energy. Whenever he has a holiday, he plays wildly with a group of boys in the compound and is never home.
Since both Mr. and Mrs. Shen were busy and had no time to discipline him, they left him with the old man so that he could be disciplined by the old man and keep the old man and Mrs. Shen company.
After finishing her porridge and taking her medicine, Gu Xi was urged by Aunt Wang to go back to her room to rest.
Aunt Wang told her, "Your aunt wants you to rest here for the next few days and not go back yet. Once you're better, she'll go back to your hometown with you."
Both of them understood what this meant: they were definitely going to the Gu family to support her.
Gu Xi paused for a moment, then agreed.
She wasn't in a hurry to go back.
Gu Xi didn't go anywhere that day. She ate and took her medicine on time, and then went back to her room to rest.
My body was still very weak, and I soon drifted off to sleep in a daze. In my dream, I felt as if I were still a ghost, rejected by the whole world, separated by an invisible boundary, outside of dimensions, silently watching the passage of time, the changing times, the earth-shaking changes in the world, and the rise of the country...
Suddenly, she saw her own corpse.
Upon learning of her death, Feng Min fainted on the spot. When she woke up, she was heartbroken and cried uncontrollably. Although she was right beside her, no one could see her or comfort her grieving aunt...
The knocking startled her awake. Gu Xi sat up abruptly, breathing rapidly and covered in sweat.
Feng Min pushed open the door and came in. Seeing her frightened appearance, she was startled. She quickly patted her chest, called her name, and muttered, "Touch her fur, don't be scared..."
Gu Xi's tense body gradually relaxed.
Seeing the worry on her face, I barely suppressed the suffocating fear in my heart and whispered, "Aunt Feng, I'm fine."
"Really?" Feng Min looked her over, sensing that something had changed about the child; she seemed...
After Gu Xi repeatedly assured her, Feng Min stopped pressing the issue and said, "Xiao Wang said you slept all day, get up and eat something before you go back to sleep."
Gu Xi responded.
-
The two went downstairs and saw that Shen Chenshan was already sitting at the dining table waiting for them.
After the two sat down, Aunt Wang brought out the dishes she had prepared, including chicken soup for Gu Xi. It had been simmered in a clay pot over a low flame for most of the day until the bones were tender and the meat was soft, and the chicken soup was golden and very delicious.
Feng Min told her to drink more to replenish her body.
After dinner, Feng Min pulled Gu Xi to sit down on the sofa in the living room and chatted with her.
Heavy Mountain sat to one side, reading a newspaper.
Aunt Wang brought over the medicine and said, "There are still a few doses left. Xixi will stay a few more days this time and finish these medicines."
Gu Xi doesn't really like drinking Chinese medicine; I believe that most people with a normal sense of taste wouldn't like it. But this was prescribed by an old doctor at the military hospital, specially arranged by Feng Min, to help her regulate her body. Every time Gu Xi comes here, Feng Min will brew several doses of Chinese medicine for her.
Not wanting to disappoint her elders, Gu Xi held her breath and finished the whole thing in one gulp.
Feng Min took a piece of candy and stuffed it into her mouth. Seeing her cheeks bulge out from the candy, revealing a rare childlike side, Feng Min couldn't help but find it amusing.
Shen Chenshan glanced at them and saw the two sitting together talking intimately, like mother and daughter. He secretly shook his head.
He knew his wife had always wanted a daughter, but unfortunately, she had injured her body when her eldest son was born and thought she couldn't have any more children. Who knew she would get pregnant again and give birth to a boy.
However, his wife is getting old, and even if she wanted to have children, he wouldn't dare let her.
Feng Min pulled Gu Xi aside to talk, asking her how her summer vacation was, and then scolded her for not coming to see them during the holiday.
"I was planning to come see you in a few days," Gu Xi said, a little embarrassed.
She didn't want to keep bothering them. Even though she was engaged to the Shen family, it wasn't right for her to keep running to her future in-laws' house. Every time she came to the Shen family, her parents looked unhappy, and Gu Yuanhui would say sarcastically that she was shameless and that she was already running to her future in-laws' house before she was even married, implying that she was looking for a man.
She was also afraid of having a bad influence and causing trouble for the Shen family, so she tried not to come if possible.
Feng Min knew perfectly well that the Gu family must have said something, but she didn't bother with it. Instead, she asked, "You need to take better care of yourself in the future. Health is the foundation of everything. Don't get sick. Even if you are sick, don't go out unnecessarily. Just rest at home."
Thinking about how she came over with a fever yesterday, I can't help but feel angry.
Even though she was burning up like that, not a single member of the Gu family stopped her from leaving. It's unclear whether they deliberately ignored her or were simply indifferent.
Gu Xi obediently agreed, and whispered, "I just miss Aunt Feng..."
Feng Min was pleased to hear this, but she was more worried about her health. She instructed, "Stay here for the next few days and let Xiao Wang help you recover. We'll send you back in a few days."
Gu Xi paused for a moment, then hesitated before glancing at Chen Shenshan, who was sitting there reading a newspaper. She quickly said, "No need, no need, I can go back by myself..."
Both Mr. and Mrs. Shen Chenshan are very busy people with their own jobs, and she can't always bother them.
"It's nothing," Feng Min said with a smile. "We haven't visited in a long time, and we happen to have some things we'd like to talk to your parents about."
Gu Xi looked at her and knew that there was something wrong with the sentence "I want to talk to your parents about some things." Seeing that Shen Chengshan didn't speak, she knew that he tacitly agreed.
After chatting for a while, Feng Min suddenly asked, "Xixi, you've graduated from high school. What are your plans for the future? Do you want to go to university? We have a spot available for worker-peasant-soldier recommendations for university admission; we can recommend you..."
Gu Yuanxiang is currently studying at the Workers-Peasants-Soldiers University.
At the time, the Gu family happened to have one spot available, and since Gu Xi was still in high school, it was given to Gu Yuanxiang.
Feng Min doted on Gu Xi. If Gu Xi wanted to continue her studies, she would let her. Then she would be a college student, and no one would dare to laugh at her for being a country bumpkin. If Gu Xi didn't want to, that was fine too. She would arrange a job for her and let her move out of the Gu family home, so she wouldn't suffer any more grievances there.
Of course, if she chooses neither of these options, she can still get married, after all, her two children are not young anymore...
Gu Xi shook her head: "Aunt Feng, I don't want to continue studying for the time being."
Although she became a ghost, it also allowed her to see the future of the country and know that the college entrance examination would be reinstated. From a futuristic perspective, the value of being recommended to university by workers, peasants, and soldiers was too low; it was difficult to learn anything there. It would be better to wait until the college entrance examination was reinstated before taking the exam.
It's 1972 now. We just need to wait another five years. She'll be twenty-five then, which isn't too late to go to university.
Feng Min respected her idea, "Then find a job first, I'll keep an eye out for you."
Gu Xi wanted to say something, but seeing the smile on her face, she swallowed her words.
That night, when they were going to bed, Feng Min and Shen Chongshan discussed having their eldest son, Shen Mingzheng, come back for a visit.
Heavy Mountain asked, "What are you doing?"
"Of course, it's about discussing his marriage with Xixi." Feng Min scolded playfully, "Xixi has already graduated. Even if she finds a job, if she stays in Beijing and has to constantly face the Gu family, it's better to let them get married so that Xixi can completely break away from the Gu family. Then she will be my daughter-in-law, and we'll see if the Gu family still dares to bully her!"
These days, the prevailing view is that once a daughter is married, she is no longer considered part of the family, and her family shouldn't interfere in her affairs.
Even when a daughter returns to her parents' home, she is treated with the respect due to a guest.
Seeing Feng Min's protective demeanor, Shen Zhongshan understood perfectly what she meant.
However, the eldest son is indeed getting on in years, and Gu Xi is also twenty years old, the age to get married.
“That works too.” Chen Shenshan pondered. “I’ll call my son’s unit tomorrow and tell him.”
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