Chapter 42
The fight among the women's wives was eventually resolved with the mediation of the women's director.
The military family members who instigated the fight received a verbal warning, and will face further punishment if they repeat the offense.
Gu Xi didn't pay much attention to these things. After getting out of the car, Shen Mingzheng took out his key and opened the door. They then began to carry their luggage inside.
Upon entering, there is a courtyard. The courtyard is surrounded by walls on three sides, which are not low and can block the view from the outside.
There are two lush pomegranate trees against the wall. It is the season for pomegranates to ripen, and many pomegranates are hanging on the trees, some green and some red, but they are not very big.
Apart from two pomegranate trees, there was nothing else in the yard. It was clear that the yard had been specially maintained. Although weeds grew there, they were not very lush.
Entering from the courtyard gate, there is a stone-paved path. It is obvious that the previous owner specially paved this path, so you don't have to worry about getting your feet covered in mud when it rains.
Inside were single-story houses with blue bricks and black tiles. In the middle was the main hall for receiving guests. There were two bedrooms on the left and two more on the right. One was a kitchen and the other was a bedroom. Near the kitchen, there was also a hand pump well.
A toilet and a bathroom were also built against the wall in the yard.
Shen Mingzheng, Xiao Fang, and Gu Xi carried their luggage inside, and the brigade's political commissar also helped carry some.
Because there were so many people, they quickly moved all their luggage inside.
After putting down their luggage, the political commissar of the brigade looked around the courtyard and said, "This courtyard is nice. There are two pomegranate trees planted here. They look like they've been there for quite a few years."
These pomegranates must have been planted by the previous owner.
The previous owner moved to the apartment building, leaving the place vacant for quite some time until it was allocated to Shen Mingzheng. When it was first assigned to Shen Mingzheng, the house looked quite dilapidated, with many broken tiles. Shen Mingzheng paid someone to come and repair it.
Everyone in the army knew about this, and they often teased Shen Mingzheng, saying that he valued his wife so much that he was busy repairing the dilapidated bungalow until it was spotless before she even arrived.
The brigade's political commissar also joked about it, wondering what kind of female comrade could keep this living devil in check.
He finally understood when he saw the person.
As expected, even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman. No wonder Shen Mingzheng is so interested. This woman looks so gentle and refined. How could a man bear to let his wife suffer?
Xiao Fang and the brigade political commissar did not linger and quickly said goodbye and left.
Knowing they had just moved in and the house wasn't ready yet, and that they didn't have much to offer, they wouldn't stay and cause them any trouble.
After seeing the two off, Shen Mingzheng closed the door.
Gu Xi was looking at the house when she asked, "Big brother, which room should we stay in?" There are three rooms in total.
"The first room on the left," Shen Mingzheng said. "The mat is in the cabinet. It has already been dried. Just take it out and lay it down."
Gu Xi walked over and found that the first room on the left was the largest, while the second room was relatively small.
However, the small room has good natural light and can be used as a study.
She entered the first room, which contained a bed, cabinets, shelves, tables and chairs, and was fully furnished. The bed was newly made, while the rest of the furniture was probably second-hand, but it was well-preserved and had no damage.
The walls have all been repainted white, and they look clean and pristine, like new.
Shen Mingzheng went to the hand pump to fetch water, found an old piece of clothing that he no longer wore, tore it open to use as a rag, and began cleaning.
Although he cleaned the house before returning to Beijing, half a month later, a lot of dust had accumulated in the house, so he had to clean it again and wipe the dust off the furniture.
Gu Xi offered to help with the cleaning, but he refused, saying, "Go and pack your luggage."
Seeing that he worked quite efficiently, Gu Xi didn't try to take over from him and started packing her luggage.
She had a lot of luggage, but her new home was lacking in everything. After she took everything out and arranged it, she realized that she didn't have that much stuff, and had even bought too little.
Just as the two were busy, there was a knock on the door.
Gu Xi was putting clothes from her duffel bag into the closet when she heard a noise and went outside. She saw Shen Mingzheng leading a tall, strong man in military uniform into the room.
The man was about thirty years old, a little shorter than Shen Mingzheng, with slightly tanned skin and handsome features, giving her a sense of familiarity.
When the man saw Gu Xi appear on the porch, he paused for a moment, then gave her a hearty smile and said, "Little sister, nice to meet you. I am your older brother, Gu Yuanyang."
Gu Yuanyang?
Gu Xi finally remembered why he seemed familiar: his features were somewhat similar to Gu Yuanzheng's.
However, Gu Yuanzheng wasn't as tanned as him, nor was he as tall and strong. If Gu Yuanzheng was a typical city man, then Gu Yuanyang was a rugged, sun-baked man, a standard soldier.
Gu Xi hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly called out "Big Brother".
When she called him "Big Brother", she couldn't help but look at Shen Mingzheng and realized that there were two "Big Brothers" now. Wasn't this a bit confusing?
Upon hearing the word "elder brother," Gu Yuanyang happily exclaimed "Yes!"
He scratched his head, seemingly unsure how to face this unfamiliar younger sister, and said somewhat awkwardly, "Did you have a smooth journey? I heard you weren't feeling well, is something wrong? Your sister-in-law is a military doctor, she works at a hospital, if you feel unwell, you can look for her..."
Gu Xi glanced at Shen Mingzheng again and said slowly, "It went very smoothly. I'm fine, thank you for your concern."
Then I didn't know what to say.
She hadn't expected this man to come so quickly; she thought she would have to wait until they finished their repairs before visiting.
Gu Yuanyang probably noticed her discomfort, so he coughed lightly and continued, "Your sister-in-law and I expect you to arrive at the army base in the next couple of days. We've already bought groceries, so why don't you come over to our place for dinner tonight? It'll be a welcome dinner for you."
He kept an eye out and asked someone to notify him if Commander Shen returned.
Having heard about this beforehand, I immediately took leave to come over, and I happened to have nothing else to do in the afternoon.
Upon hearing this, Gu Xi looked at Shen Mingzheng again.
This time, Shen Mingzheng finally spoke up, "Alright, then I'll take my leave."
"Don't say it's bothering me," Gu Yuanyang said straightforwardly. "My sister is here, and as her older brother, I have to take good care of her! Sister, if you need anything in the future, just tell your older brother, and your older brother and sister-in-law will help you."
These words, though unusually warm, also came from his true intentions.
Gu Xi looked up at him, her gaze serious, as if trying to confirm whether he was telling the truth or not. She still spoke slowly, "Oh, then, thank you, brother."
Perhaps sensing her discomfort, Gu Yuanyang didn't continue talking to her, but instead asked, "How's the tidying up going? Do you need any help?"
"No need," Shen Mingzheng said. "There's not much stuff, we can handle it ourselves. You go back first, and we'll come over to your place once we're done."
Gu Yuanyang didn't insist. "Alright, I'll go back first and wait for you guys to come over for dinner."
After Gu Yuanyang left, Gu Xi turned around and went back to her room, where she stood in a daze for a while.
Shen Mingzheng walked in, gently embraced her, and called out, "Xixi."
Gu Xi snapped out of her daze, turned to look at him, her expression calm, and asked, "Big brother, what's wrong?"
Upon hearing the word "Big Brother," Shen Mingzheng paused, recalling the earlier scene where she had called Gu Yuanyang "Big Brother," and felt inexplicably displeased.
Although Gu Yuanyang was indeed her older brother, she had gotten used to hearing him call her "elder brother" these past few days, and it felt like it was unique to him. She never expected that another "elder brother" would suddenly appear in the middle of it all.
Although he was displeased, he didn't show it on his face. He touched her porcelain-white face with his finger and said, "Not used to it?"
It's clear she doesn't know how to get along with Gu Yuanyang.
Gu Xi nodded first, then explained, "After I returned to the Gu family, I never saw him. He's been in the army..." She lowered her head and said softly, "I'm used to the Gu family ignoring me and not treating me like family. It's better if we treat each other like strangers. It's really hard to get used to him acting like this all of a sudden. I thought he would be like Gu Yuanzheng and the others..."
If Gu Yuanyang, like Gu Yuanzheng and Gu Yuanhui, felt ashamed of her and didn't treat her as a sister, she wouldn't feel anything at all.
He made a special trip over there, speaking very warmly, clearly recognizing her as his younger sister.
She could tell that this was Gu Yuanyang's true feeling. It wasn't for any other reason, but simply because she was his sister. They were related by blood and shared the same mother, which was his reason for caring for and looking after her.
Shen Mingzheng's expression darkened slightly, and he suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace.
Although he knew the Gu family treated her badly, this was the first time he had heard her say it aloud. It reminded him of the day he saw her in the park, of the confusion, vulnerability, and breakdown on her face...
How desperate must she have been to be on the verge of collapse during that period?
“Gu Xi.” His voice was a little hoarse. “You’re great. Don’t doubt yourself! Everyone will like you: Dad, Mom, Mingrong… and me.”
Don't be sad or upset over people who aren't worth it.
Their disregard and disgust for her indicate a problem with their thinking!
She is clearly a kind, pure, soft-hearted, and considerate girl with many wonderful qualities.
It's perfectly normal to like her.
Those who don't like her are at a loss; they're just blind.
Gu Xi was taken aback for a moment, realizing that he was comforting her. She wanted to laugh a little and said, "Big brother, I know. Mom and Dad and Mingrong are very good to me, and you are very good to me too. I like you all very much. Meeting you is the happiest thing for me."
Throughout her two lifetimes, the Shen family was the one she cared about most.
Their selfless dedication and care finally allowed her to let go of the hurt inflicted by the Gu family.
She no longer feels upset about how the Gu family treated her; in fact, she could say she has come to terms with it.
She felt no emotional response towards the Gu family members; she treated them like complete strangers.
Shen Mingzheng lowered his head and kissed her forehead, his heart filled with tenderness, care, and the unspoken love a man has for a woman.
He cupped her face in his hands, watching her smile, and sighed inwardly once again.
Although the marriage has not been long, she does seem happier. Taking her away from Beijing is the best choice, away from where the Gu family lives. They may not see each other much in the future, and the bad memories of the past will be replaced by more new ones.
The two hugged for a while before continuing their work.
Shen Mingzheng took out a mat from the cabinet and said while making the bed, "Gu Yuanyang is straightforward, rough but meticulous, and a very principled person. Since he has recognized you as his sister, he is sincere towards you. If you don't mind, you can treat him as family in the future."
After all, he is her own brother. If he treats her sincerely, she will feel safer having a family member here.
She hopes that Gu Yuanyang, her biological older brother, can make up for the lack of family ties she once missed.
Gu Xi nodded and smiled at him, "That's what I think too. If he... then we'll treat him like family."
This guy seems alright, I wonder what his wife is like.
If both of them have good personalities, they can try to get to know each other in the future.
Both of them were efficient workers, and they finished cleaning up in less than an hour. All that was left was washing and cleaning.
Shen Mingzheng went to the kitchen to start a fire, put a clean pot on it, poured in more than half a pot of water, and boiled the water to drink.
Then he threw the dirty clothes he had changed out of at the guesthouse the day before into the laundry tub, took it to the open space in front of the well in the yard, and pumped water to wash the clothes.
Gu Xi sat in front of the kitchen, watching the fire boil water while eating snacks.
I didn't eat anything in the car earlier, so I'm actually quite hungry now.
She ate herself and also fed Shen Mingzheng, thinking he must be hungry too, and chatted with him about family matters.
Shen Mingzheng said, "We can use coal stoves or firewood in this bungalow. I'll have someone deliver some coal tomorrow."
The kitchen has a traditional rural earthen stove that burns firewood, as well as a new sheet metal coal stove.
There were also several bundles of firewood piled up in the corner, which were also bought with money; you can just buy them from the military logistics department.
Gu Xi felt that she could use anything, whether it was a coal stove or a traditional rural earthen stove.
She found that the kitchen was quite well-equipped, with several pots: a rice cooker, a frying pan, a kettle, and a large pot specifically for boiling bath water.
There were also some bowls and chopsticks in the cabinet, as well as enamel mugs for drinking water and brewing tea.
Besides the pots and pans they bought in the city today, they had also prepared some other things, which he probably had bought beforehand.
Now all that's left is the ingredients.
"Tomorrow we'll go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some rice and flour to store... Oh, and I heard they also sell vegetables, but we have to go early, otherwise there won't be many left..."
As Shen Mingzheng washed the clothes, he spoke, clearly having done his homework.
Listening to this, Gu Xi suddenly asked, "Big brother, is your leave over?"
Shen Mingzheng nodded, "I'll rest for another day tomorrow, and I'll start work the day after tomorrow."
The sound of running water filled the air as Shen Mingzheng wrung out the washed clothes and hung them to dry in the yard.
Two clotheslines were strung up in the yard. The afternoon sun was just right, and the clothes should be dry by evening.
The water was boiled, and Gu Xi extinguished the fire in the stove. Just as she was about to lift the pot, a large hand grabbed her.
"I'll do it," Shen Mingzheng said. "Be careful, it'll be hot."
He took the pot out, poured the water into the kettle, and placed it on the dining table in the main room to cool. Then he went to wash other things.
Gu Xi realized she didn't seem to have much to do, so she followed him around and found that he didn't ask her to do much work.
From the beginning of their marriage, she noticed that he didn't seem to want her to do any housework and had a very obvious protective instinct towards her, which made her feel somewhat helpless.
Although Feng Min had previously defended and protected Gu's family, Feng Min and he were different, and their protective instincts were also different.
When it was almost time, Shen Mingzheng said, "Let's go to my older brother's place."
Gu Xi said "Oh," and went to the main room to retrieve some of the candies, snacks, and fruits they had bought in the city that day. She put them in a bag as a gift for their visit.
Even if it's your own elder brother, you can't just show up empty-handed.
She asked, "By the way, I heard that my older brother and sister-in-law have a daughter named Gu Wei... Should I give her a red envelope as a gift?"
This was something she overheard Jiang Huijun saying.
Although Gu Maowen and his wife disliked Gu Yuanyang for being disobedient and joining the army, he still wrote back to inform them of major events such as getting married and having children.
She remembered that their child should be five years old by now.
Shen Mingzheng said, "You decide what to do."
He didn't interfere with her decision. It's nice that the elders gave the child a red envelope when they met for the first time; it's a blessing.
Gu Xi went back to her room and found a leftover red envelope from her wedding, which she had casually slipped into her luggage while packing.
She slipped three yuan into the red envelope.
Then the two went out and walked towards the house where Gu Yuanyang and the others lived.
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