Chapter 49
Gu Xi busied herself greeting these women.
She invited them inside and brought out sweets and snacks to serve them. She also found cups to pour them water, but because there weren't enough cups, she ended up using bowls instead, which made her feel quite embarrassed.
"We don't have enough cups at home, sisters-in-law, please don't mind."
Her sisters-in-law were stunned by her extravagant gesture and hurriedly pulled her over.
"Don't rush, don't rush. We just came to see you and bring you some vegetables we grew ourselves. We're not here to freeload. Please take them back..."
"Yes, yes, come and sit down too, let's talk."
Just looking at the candies and pastries piled high, these simple and warm-hearted women felt a pang of heartache.
These are all expensive items that cost money and require tickets to purchase; how could I possibly accept their food?
Those who were willing to help in yesterday's situation are not the kind of people who are greedy for small gains. They wouldn't just stare longingly at someone's food and drink just because they see it. They wouldn't be so easily distracted.
Gu Xi was pulled to sit down by her sisters-in-law. Feeling a little awkward, she pushed the plate of candy towards them and said awkwardly, "Would you sisters-in-law like a piece of candy?"
Her sisters-in-law noticed her discomfort and, considering she was still a newlywed, realized their sudden arrival was indeed quite bothersome. To help her relax, they each took a piece of candy, holding it in their hands, but instead of eating it, they smiled and talked to her.
The first thing everyone asked about was her health, saying, "Your face was so pale yesterday, are you not feeling well?"
Although such a situation would indeed make one feel extremely tired, it wouldn't be to the point of exhaustion, turning one's face so pale that it took a long time to recover.
I guess she's not in good health; looking at her thin figure, it's quite likely.
Gu Xi was a little embarrassed. "Thank you for your concern, sisters-in-law. I didn't take good care of my health when I was a child because of some things, so I'm a bit weak. I'll be fine after a while."
She spoke frankly, saying there was nothing to hide.
"So that's how it is."
The women realized that he was indeed not in good health and needed to rest, which made them feel quite sorry for him.
If it were an ordinary person, being unwell and unable to work would definitely cause great anxiety and be a burden on a family. But Gu Xi married Commander Shen, who seemed capable. She also had a brother who was a commander, and her sister-in-law was a military doctor in a hospital. The family was not in bad shape, so she wasn't a burden. Even if she didn't work, she could lie in bed all day.
Moreover, despite her poor health, she never hesitated to help when someone was in trouble, taking them to the health station.
That alone is enough to earn your utmost respect.
She is a warm-hearted and kind lesbian. Who wouldn't like someone with such qualities? It's comfortable to be around her.
After inquiring about Gu Xi's health, her sisters-in-law told her that if Gu Xi had any trouble in the future, she could come to them.
Knowing she was new to the area and unfamiliar with the military base, I told her a lot about the family compound, where to buy things, when the town market was open, and what she could buy there if she needed anything…
They covered a lot of aspects, and also shared many tips for living here.
Gu Xi listened attentively. These were all life experiences, things that couldn't be learned from books, but rather the most precious wealth accumulated by people.
They were willing to talk to her because they were sincere towards her.
She said gratefully, "Thank you, sisters-in-law. Hearing you say this has cleared up many of my doubts."
"It's nothing, everyone understands after living here for a while."
The sisters-in-law laughed heartily and generously, clearly pleased with themselves.
They heard that Gu Xi was a city girl, and judging from her appearance, she was probably spoiled at home and not very healthy. If she had a bad temper, it would be normal for her to look down on them for being from the countryside or for being long-winded.
But she didn't look down on them at all. No matter what they said, she listened attentively. She was well-behaved and sensible, making them feel like they were raising a daughter.
Such a woman is so endearing; when you talk to her, your tone naturally softens.
The women sat for a while, and when they saw that it was almost time, they got up and left.
Gu Xi quickly stopped them, grabbed a handful of candy for each of them, and stuffed it into their hands. When they declined, she said, "These are wedding candies from my wedding with Commander Shen. I'm sharing them with you so you can have some of the joy. Please don't find them offensive!"
Hearing her say that, everyone felt awkward refusing, so they happily accepted it and took it home to sweeten the children's mouths.
“Alright, we’ll accept it without hesitation.” A woman surnamed Zhao said readily. She glanced at the vegetable garden in the yard and asked, “Gu Xi, do you need any more vegetable seeds? I have some leek seeds. If you don’t mind, I can bring them over.”
Upon hearing this, the other women asked, "Do you want scallions, garlic, and ginger?"
"I also have some cabbage and radish seeds over there."
"..."
Gu Xi blinked and said, "I like stir-fried eggs with chives, so thank you, Sister Zhao."
Then she thanked the other sisters-in-law, saying that she was also short of other vegetable seeds, but not too many, since the yard wasn't big and she didn't need to plant too many.
Gu Xi breathed a sigh of relief after finally seeing off the group of enthusiastic sisters-in-law.
Fortunately, people these days are warm and outgoing, and they will take the initiative to find topics to talk about, otherwise I really wouldn't know what to say to them.
When Shen Mingzheng returned in the evening, Gu Xi told him about her sisters-in-law coming to see her that afternoon.
She sat to the side, propping her chin up as she watched him cook noodles, and said somewhat shyly, "I didn't know how to talk to them at first, I didn't know what to say. But they were very enthusiastic, they didn't mind that I wasn't good at talking, they kept pulling me aside to talk, and they told me a lot about things in the army..."
Shen Mingzheng scooped out the cooked noodles and specially placed two poached eggs in a smaller bowl.
He listened to her with a smile, seeing her relaxed expression. It seemed that although her sisters-in-law's visit that afternoon had made her a little nervous, the outcome was good, and he was grateful to them.
Military spouses vary in their education and quality; not all of them are good. But those who took the initiative to visit today are all good-natured.
Two bowls of noodles were served. Gu Xi noticed that there wasn't much noodle in her bowl, but there were two poached eggs, which took up a lot of space.
She placed a fried egg in his bowl and said, "Brother, you must be tired from work. Eat more to nourish your body. One is enough for me."
Shen Mingzheng refused, saying, "I have some in my bowl too."
Seeing that there was indeed a poached egg in his bowl, Gu Xi didn't insist anymore. She ate two poached eggs and some noodles, and was already very full. She then pushed the rest to him to eat.
After dinner, it was still a bit early, and the sky was tinged with a faint twilight, with the distant green mountains appearing as if shrouded in a veil of dusk.
After washing the dishes, Shen Mingzheng went to collect the quilts and clothes that were drying in the yard and asked, "Want to go for a walk?"
Take a walk after meals to avoid indigestion and discomfort.
Gu Xi asked, "Are you coming too?" Upon receiving his reply, she gladly agreed.
The two went out and strolled around the family compound.
At this time, everyone was eating, and there weren't many people outside. Gu Xi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, afraid of running into too many people and then having to greet them one by one without recognizing them, which would be quite awkward.
She hopes everyone will ignore her.
Little did she know that when she passed by the house across from Chief of Staff Gao's, the old lady across the street was calling her grandson home for dinner. When she saw Gu Xi, she greeted her warmly.
The old woman said, "Commander Shen's wife, I misunderstood you yesterday, I'm sorry."
Gu Xi said, "It's alright, Mother-in-law is just being concerned." Then she added, "Mother-in-law, just call me Gu Xi."
The old woman's son's surname was Yu, and he was a deputy regimental commander in the Third Brigade. Everyone called her Grandma Yu.
Grandma Yu is usually quite talkative, but she's not a bad person at heart. She just dotes on her grandson and is sexist.
Deputy Regiment Commander Yu and his wife had three children: two sons and a daughter. The eldest son was twelve years old, the second son was ten years old, and both were attending the military primary school. The youngest daughter was eight years old.
Grandma Yu looked at the young couple standing together and asked, "Where are you going?"
Gu Xi was embarrassed to say that they were taking a walk after dinner, so she said, "Let's go to my brother's place."
I'm grateful to have an older brother here; I can use him as an excuse.
Grandma Yu didn't ask any more questions. Watching the couple's departing figures, she muttered, "I'm not seeing things. These young people are clearly just bored and out for a walk..."
Everyone has been young, and everyone understands.
Only newlywed couples without children can be so leisurely. Once they have children, they'll be too busy to have this kind of free time.
After walking a distance away, when there was no one around, Shen Mingzheng asked, "What did she just say? What did she misunderstand about you yesterday?"
Gu Xi glanced at him; his face, shrouded in twilight, appeared even more handsome and charming.
This man's bone structure is too outstanding, and he has an overly handsome face. His masculine charm is almost overflowing. As long as the atmosphere is a little hazy, he is incredibly sexy.
"Well... yesterday I went to Chief of Staff Gao's house and knocked on the door, but there was no sound from inside, so I just kicked the door open..." She coughed lightly at the end, "I didn't mean to. I'll tell Chief of Staff Gao and his wife when they get back."
Ultimately, kicking down the door is indeed not a good thing.
Shen Mingzheng was only surprised for a moment, then he laughed.
He pressed his fist to his lips, his voice serious, "It's alright, I'm sure Chief of Staff Gao and the others won't mind. After all, the situation was urgent at the time, and we couldn't worry about too much."
The two walked together, leaving the residential compound and wandering around the neighborhood. Shen Mingzheng showed her the surroundings.
"The army canteen is over there. If I go on a mission and you don't want to cook, you can eat at the canteen." Shen Mingzheng pointed to the canteen not far away and told her about the canteen's meal times, some precautions, and what dishes were good to eat there.
Passing the canteen and continuing forward, Shen Mingzheng pointed ahead and said, "Go this way, there's the military auditorium and a square there. They show movies in the square during holidays or weekends..."
"Over there, just a short walk away, is the military kindergarten. The military base has a kindergarten, primary school, and junior high school. Besides the children of military personnel, children from nearby villages also study here..."
The military base was built against the mountain, connecting to a large area around it, covering a vast area, much like a small village.
There are many people living here. If Gu Xi were to walk around, it would probably take her several hours to see everything.
As darkness fell and the streetlights came on, the two finally returned home.
On their way, they encountered Gu Yuanyang and his family of three, who were also out for a walk after dinner.
The couple has only one child. Whenever they are not busy with work, they like to take their child out for a walk and chat. The couple has always had a good relationship and their lives are simple yet fulfilling.
"Sister, brother-in-law!" Gu Yuanyang greeted them warmly with a bright smile.
Ji Ya and Gu Tuantuan also greeted them.
Gu Xi patted Gu Tuantuan's head, took out a piece of candy from her pocket and handed it to her, receiving a sweet smile from the little girl.
Ji Ya patted her daughter's head and said, "You can only eat one piece of candy a day. You've already eaten one today, so you have to save it for tomorrow, otherwise you'll get cavities, understand?"
The little girl was very disappointed and pitifully put the candy into her pocket.
The little girl was heartbroken because she was given an extra piece of candy but couldn't eat it.
Since they had met, the two families decided to travel together.
Shen Mingzheng and Gu Yuanyang walked ahead, while Ji Ya, holding her daughter's hand, walked behind talking with Gu Xi.
Ji Ya told Chief of Staff Gao about his wife: "I went to see her during the day. She's doing very well, and the baby is fine too. She should be able to come back tomorrow."
She works at the military hospital. During the day, she remembered that Chief of Staff Gao's wife was sent to the health station by Gu Xi. During her break, she would take some time to visit her, ask her a few questions, and learn that she was doing well, which relieved her somewhat.
If something were to happen to Chief of Staff Gao's wife, Gu Xi would probably be upset, or even frightened.
Gu Xi smiled and said, "That's good, thank you, sister-in-law."
She knew that her sister-in-law had specifically told her this because she was afraid her sister-in-law would feel burdened.
My sister-in-law not only looks steady and easy-going, but she is also very thoughtful. Her care for her is genuine, even though it's because she is Gu Yuanyang's sister and her sister-in-law. That's how relationships are built.
Once inside the residential compound, the two families, located in different directions, parted ways at the intersection.
Little Gu Tuantuan held her mother's hand and waved to Gu Xi and her husband with a silly grin, "Goodnight, Auntie and Uncle."
"Good night!" Gu Xi smiled and waved to her.
Back home, Gu Xi said to Shen Mingzheng, "Tuantuan is so cute. She looks like my sister-in-law and has a very cheerful personality."
You can tell at a glance that he is a child who is pampered by his parents.
Soft, endearing, and polite, she is a lovely and good child, just like Shen Mingrong.
Shen Mingzheng hummed in agreement, glanced back at her, and thought to himself, "She seems to really like children. Whether it's Shen Mingrong or Gu Tuantuan, it seems like there's no one she doesn't like..."
After taking a shower, Gu Xi didn't rush to sleep. Instead, she sat in the study and practiced calligraphy using calligraphy practice books.
A mosquito coil was lit at my feet, and its scent drove away the mosquitoes in the room.
This is a single-story house, and there are indeed many mosquitoes in single-story houses. When the weather is hot, you have to light mosquito coils, otherwise the buzzing makes it really hard to fall asleep.
When Shen Mingzheng returned from his shower, he didn't see her in the room, so he went to the study and found her practicing calligraphy.
She sat upright, holding a pen, writing stroke by stroke, her expression serious and earnest.
After standing behind her for a while, Shen Mingzheng pointed to one of the characters and said, "This stroke can be longer."
Gu Xi paused, turned to look at him, and found him leaning over as if to pull her into his arms.
She felt a little embarrassed and wanted to cover up the words on the calligraphy sticker so that he wouldn't see her ugly handwriting; her handwriting was indeed not as good as his.
Shen Mingzheng pulled up a chair and sat down next to her, correcting her pen-holding posture and explaining some calligraphy practice techniques and precautions to her.
Gu Xi listened attentively and corrected some of her bad habits in holding the pen.
After spending some time correcting her handwriting, she found that it did become much smoother. Although the changes in her handwriting were not immediately apparent, it did give her some confidence.
When it was almost time, Shen Mingzheng pulled her back to her room to sleep.
After the lights were turned off, rustling sounds filled the darkness. Gu Xi was held tightly in his arms, their breaths mingling hotly. She heard him ask, "You really like children?"
Her mind was foggy, and it took her a long time to react before she managed to utter a soft sound from her throat.
Raising children is very hard work...
He spoke hoarsely, stroking her sweaty face.
From conception to childbirth, and then to raising and nurturing a child into adulthood, countless hours and efforts are required.
Gu Xi was a little confused. She knew that raising children was hard work, but she couldn't just give up on raising children because it was hard, could she?
Shen Mingzheng kissed her cheek, his voice soft, "Xixi, you're still young, let's not have children yet, let's wait until you're fully recovered..."
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