Chapter 67
Recently, many parents have come to Gu Xi to make kites.
The kids at home are really making a ruckus, and the parents don't have the skills to make kites. Either they can't make them, or their kids think they're too ugly and don't want such ugly kites.
Parents who doted on their children had no choice but to ask Gu Xi to make kites, since neither the supply and marketing cooperative nor the town had any available. They felt bad making her work for free, so they would give her some grain or money privately.
Gu Xi readily agreed.
She happened to have a lot of materials left over from making kites last time, so she could make them for them. Although she didn't earn much, it was a way to satisfy her interest while also earning some money or food. She even personally selected the kite designs for them, making them purely handmade and custom-made. Decades later, such handmade crafts would be very expensive.
With the folding stools as a foundation, Gu Xi's business is going quite smoothly.
However, some people were greedy for cheap deals and wanted Gu Xi to make them for them for free. They implied that making a kite didn't take much effort, since everyone lived in the same compound and would see each other all the time. They told her not to be too picky and brought her some vegetables that she had grown herself.
Gu Xi listened calmly to the woman's words, and after she finished speaking, she said in a calm tone, "Sister Wan, I can't make your child's kite for the time being. There are just too many people who come to me to make kites. As the saying goes, first come, first served, right?"
Everyone else has already given her food or money, so she should definitely be given priority. This sister-in-law named Wan Cuihua only brought some vegetables she grew at home, and she was told to go first. What kind of logic is that?
Wan Cuihua asked, "When can you do it?"
Gu Xi: "It's not certain yet. Maybe we'll have to wait until next year, or the year after?"
"So long?" Wan Cuihua looked at her suspiciously. Why was it taking so long? Was she really not lying to her? "How many kites are you making? Are there so many people asking you to make them?"
So many people in the family compound are asking her to do things?
Gu Xi calmly replied, "Yes, I'm very busy."
Wan Cuihua's expression changed repeatedly. She didn't quite believe her words and thought that she just didn't want to cook for her child. Could it be that she was disgusted that she only brought a bunch of vegetables?
However, she didn't live next door to Commander Shen, so she didn't know how many people came to her to make kites, and she had no evidence to expose her.
If she insists that she has a lot to do, can we force her to do it?
But if Gu Xi is unwilling to do it for her own child first, there's really nothing that can be done.
Wan Cuihua was still unwilling to give up and tried to appeal to her emotions: "Commander Shen's wife, can't you make one for my child first? My son has been making a huge fuss these past few days, demanding a kite and saying he wants to fly one this weekend. He's been refusing to eat or go to school..."
Gu Xi didn't move her eyebrows or eyes, but picked up a pen and started coloring a kite.
After Wan Cuihua finished her rambling, she said, "Sister-in-law Wan, your child refuses to eat or go to school because of a kite. You must not have beaten him enough. If you beat him a few more times, he won't make a fuss. I have experience with this." Just like when she used to beat Gu Yuanhui, she hadn't beaten him enough, which is why he was so annoying.
Wan Cuihua: "..."
Wan Cuihua stared at her in disbelief, never expecting that such a gentle and delicate-looking young wife could utter such violent words.
Who would be willing to hit their child?
Her son is so young, how could she possibly hit him?
Ye Fenghua came over for a visit and overheard Gu Xi's words, bursting into laughter.
When Wan Cuihua glared at her, she didn't care and raised her voice, saying, "Sister Wan, what are you doing? If you want Gu Xi to make a kite for your child first, then give her more grain. What's the point of bringing a bunch of vegetables?"
The two houses are next to each other, separated only by a courtyard wall; you can hear each other if you speak loudly.
Earlier at home, she had heard Wan Cuihua's loud voice. She actually wanted Gu Xi to make a kite for her child just by bringing a bunch of green vegetables, and even demanded that it be made for her family first. Why should she? Because of her loud voice, or because of her thick skin?
She couldn't stand it anymore and was afraid that Gu Xi would be taken advantage of, so she came over to help argue.
“Gu Xi is right. The reason why children are unruly and disobedient is because parents don’t discipline them enough,” Ye Fenghua teased. “If you can’t bring yourself to do it, then have your Deputy Regiment Commander Sun do it. I’m sure he’s a reasonable person and knows how to educate his children.”
Wan Cuihua was furious and snapped, "Ye Fenghua, what are you saying? I'm talking to Commander Shen's wife, what are you interrupting for? I didn't ask you to make a kite." Then she added angrily, "Commander Shen's wife, don't be so stingy. We're all from the same compound. Exchanging grain for a kite, don't you feel guilty? To be honest, this kite isn't even worth the price of a bunch of vegetables..."
Before she could finish speaking, Ye Fenghua angrily threw the bunch of greens she had brought at her.
"Get out of here! Who wants your vegetables? These old, wilted vegetables are so common, everyone wants them, but even the chickens would refuse them! Who are you trying to insult?"
She put her hands on her hips and scolded him rudely: "Gu Xi's kites are beautiful. Not to mention the time and effort it took, they were painted with paint. Do you know how expensive that paint is? You can't expect her to pay for them all for free, can you? Even in the countryside, you have to treat people to meals when you hire them to help with the work... If you can't afford it, then don't come here. Nobody's begging you for it, so why are you saying such sarcastic things?"
Ye Fenghua launched into a tirade of curses, then pushed Wan Cuihua out the door and slammed the door shut, leaving her outside.
After doing all that, she spat at the door, ignoring Wan Cuihua's fury at being locked out.
"Ye Fenghua, you..."
Wan Cuihua was frantically banging on the door outside, making a loud banging noise, while also shouting and cursing wildly.
Ye Fenghua, who wasn't afraid of trouble, immediately raised her voice and threatened, "If you knock on the door again, I'll take a rolling pin and smash your door, you believe me?"
Wan Cuihua was stunned, and the curse stuck in her throat.
As Wan Cuihua's cursing faded into the distance, the noise outside finally subsided.
Ye Fenghua snorted and turned to Gu Xi, saying, "That's how you deal with shameless people like this. Don't be polite, just take action. It's more effective than any other method." Then she added, "Wan Cuihua is greedy for small gains. If she gets on your good side, things will get really bad!"
In Ye Fenghua's eyes, Gu Xi was a young and tender-looking wife, and a cultured person who spoke softly. She was just afraid that Gu Xi would not know how to refuse other people's excessive demands and would be bullied.
Therefore, it's inevitable to step in and offer some assistance at times like these.
Gu Xi smiled and nodded, saying, "Sister-in-law Ye, thank you so much for what you did earlier."
Even though Sister-in-law Ye didn't come, she could have refused Wan Cuihua's unreasonable request, but Sister-in-law Ye meant well, and she appreciated the favor.
Ye Fenghua said, "It's okay. Wan Cuihua and I don't get along very well either. We've even had a few arguments before."
Gu Xi looked surprised, took out some peanuts and melon seeds from the cupboard and offered them to her, while continuing to paint the kite, saying, "Really? Sister Ye, who has such a good temper, would actually argue with someone?"
Although Ye Fenghua hadn't received much formal education, she was well-mannered and had a good philosophy of life. Gu Xi found it comfortable to be around her and was also glad that her neighbors were all easy to get along with.
"It's nothing." Ye Fenghua waved her hand. "There are all kinds of people in the family compound. Everyone lives here and sees each other all the time. Sometimes we will quarrel over small things. As long as it doesn't go too far, the higher-ups don't care."
Then she talked about Wan Cuihua, saying that many people in the family compound had argued with her, and some had even fought with her.
There's nothing we can do about it. Wan Cuihua's personality is really hard to describe. She's gossipy, greedy, and loves to pry into other people's privacy. Whenever someone has something good, she'll try to take it. Those with strong tempers are fine, but some young wives like Gu Xi can't say anything when she takes advantage of them. They can only swallow their anger and reduce their contact with her.
"If she comes to the door again next time, just close the door and don't let her in," Ye Fenghua said. "It'll save you from letting a mouse in, because then she won't have enough of anything in your house to take."
Gu Xi nodded: "Indeed, she just took a lot of my candy and stuffed it into her pocket."
When Wan Cuihua came in earlier, her eyes scanned the house, and when she saw the candy in the fruit plate on the table, she reached out and grabbed it and put it in her pocket.
Although Gu Xi saw it, she didn't say anything because it was the other party's first visit and considering the circumstances of this era.
But if Wan Cuihua continued to take advantage, she might just pick her up and throw her out without any hesitation. However, before she could make a move, Ye Fenghua came over to defend her.
Upon hearing this, Ye Fenghua slapped her thigh and said angrily, "She actually took your candy? That's too much! I should have taken the things out of her pockets before letting her leave."
Sugar is something most people are reluctant to buy. When visiting someone's home, even if they offer you sugar, you will usually refuse and rarely accept it.
"It's alright," Gu Xi said gently. "I just won't let her in next time."
Ye Fenghua nodded and instructed her, "If she tries to take advantage of you again next time, I'll help you get rid of her. We're not afraid of offending her. Everyone in the family compound knows what kind of person she is. Offending her is nothing to worry about. Everyone will stand by your side."
As they were talking, Qiao Hui, who was holding her daughter, came over.
Qiao Hui has finally finished her postpartum confinement and can now take her daughter out to visit other people's homes. The thing she does most often now is to bring her child to Gu Xi's place for a visit.
When Gu Xi saw the mother and daughter coming over, she put down what she was doing and helped her hold the child.
She held the child with great skill, and the child was exceptionally docile in her arms, even grinning at her.
Ye Fenghua was amazed and said, "Gu Xi, your way of holding a child is really standard. Have you held one before?" If she didn't know that Gu Xi and Commander Shen had just gotten married not long ago, she would have thought that Gu Xi had raised a child before.
Gu Xi smiled and said, "I used to help take care of the younger children in my family."
She raised her adoptive parents' younger sisters from birth to adulthood, taking care of their every need, from changing their diapers to feeding them, and later, she even cared for their adoptive parents' son…
Forget it, let's not talk about that kid.
Qiao Hui also sighed, "Gu Xi, you really know how to handle kids. My daughter seems well-behaved, but she can be quite fussy sometimes. If she's not comfortable being held, she'll cry her heart out. She's cried to her dad several times, leaving him scrambling to handle her."
But if Gu Xi holds the child, the child will not only not cry, but will also laugh with her.
Gu Xi said, "It's good to cry loudly; it shows you're healthy and energetic."
Ye Fenghua chimed in, "That makes perfect sense."
This baby was born prematurely, but after two months of careful care, he looks much bigger now, his voice has become louder, and he looks exceptionally energetic.
Qiao Hui smiled, but that wasn't the case.
Gu Xi held the child for a while, then handed the child back to Qiao Hui and continued with her work, chatting with them as she went.
Ye Fenghua sat beside the child, playing with him.
Qiao Hui recounted what had happened earlier. She had been sleeping with her child next door when she was woken up by the commotion. She listened intently for a while to figure out what was going on.
“If everyone asks you to do things for free, wouldn’t that make you work for nothing, wasting your time and money? How can that be?” She stood on the side of reason. “In the future, stay away from people like that and don’t open the door for them.”
After seeing the chicken coops, rabbit hutches, exquisite folding stools, and kites made by Gu Xi, one can tell how good Gu Xi's work is. The children all cried and begged for one, and their parents had no choice but to come to her to make one.
In this special era, private buying and selling was not allowed, so this couldn't be done openly with money. Instead, some grain could be given, or the transaction could be conducted privately. As long as it wasn't done openly and there was no evidence, it didn't matter.
Compared to the outside world, things are relatively normal in the military, and there are fewer reports of such incidents.
Since joining the army, Qiao Hui has rarely interacted with people in the family compound. Besides not wanting to be criticized for her appearance, she also dislikes associating with unfamiliar people. She prefers to stay at home reading books and writing articles, so she has never really met someone like Wan Cuihua who loves to take advantage of others.
If it were her, she wouldn't know how to refuse someone like Wan Cuihua either; at most, she could only refuse to open the door when Wan Cuihua came to visit.
Gu Xi didn't take it seriously. "I know. If she comes again next time, I just won't open the door for her."
She dislikes taking advantage of others, and likewise dislikes being taken advantage of. She also dislikes the saying "suffering a loss is a blessing."
It's one thing if she gives willingly, but she's unhappy if someone takes advantage of her.
**
After several days, Gu Xi finally finished making all the kites.
The children who received the kites were very happy. On Sunday, colorful kites of all kinds fluttered on the hillside by the river, creating a lively scene.
As for Wan Cuihua, she went around the family compound saying that Gu Xi was stingy and refused to make a kite for her son. People just listened and let it go, and no one really agreed with her.
Everyone knows what kind of person Wan Cuihua is, so no one will believe her.
This matter had no effect on Gu Xi whatsoever.
The weather is getting colder and colder, and it's even raining.
An autumn rain fell, and perhaps because of the wind, Gu Xi unfortunately fell ill. She sneezed a few times and started having a runny nose, so she went to the clinic to get some medicine.
Two days later, the runny nose stopped, but the cough started again, a cough so severe it was heart-wrenching that it terrified anyone who heard it.
Since she fell ill, Shen Mingzheng has been on high alert. He was very worried when he heard her coughing incessantly in her sleep at night.
That noon, after lunch, Shen Mingzheng wrapped her in a coat, and even though it wasn't cold yet, he also wrapped her in a towel, making sure she was well covered up. He then rode his bicycle to take her to the military hospital for a checkup.
Although the health station has doctors, their medical skills are not as good as those of the military hospital, so we'll take this opportunity to give her a check-up as well.
Just as I arrived at the hospital, I ran into Ji Ya, who was returning from the cafeteria.
When Ji Ya saw them, she asked with concern, "Is Xi Xi's cold still not better? How is she now?"
Because Gu Xi has been sick recently, she is afraid of infecting others, so she stays at home and doesn't let Gu Tuantuan visit.
“She’s been coughing really badly since yesterday,” Shen Mingzheng said, frowning. “I want her to get checked out.”
Ji Ya was also very concerned about this matter, and personally led Gu Xi to get a check-up and helped her make arrangements.
With Ji Ya's help, a lot of trouble was saved, and all the tests were completed quickly. It was found that there was a lung infection and some inflammation, requiring several days of intravenous drips.
Shen Mingzheng finally breathed a sigh of relief; as long as the treatment was effective, that was good enough.
Because Shen Mingzheng had to go to work, he had to leave first, leaving Gu Xi to receive an IV drip at the hospital.
After Gu Xi finished her IV drip, there was still some time before Ji Ya got off work. Ji Ya told her to wait in the break room and that she would take her home by bicycle after get off work.
Gu Xi coughed as she said, "Sister-in-law, no need, I can walk back by myself, it's not far."
Ji Ya patted her head. "Be good, listen to me. If Commander Shen knew you walked back by yourself, he would be angry."
Gu Xi: "..." They're treating her like a child.
Gu Xi could only read a book in the break room while waiting for her sister-in-law to get off work.
When doctors or nurses came in and saw her sitting there, they looked at her curiously. When they learned that she was Dr. Ji's sister-in-law and had come to see a doctor today, they greeted her warmly and offered her some candy and snacks.
After they left the lounge, they couldn't help but start discussing it.
"It turns out that Commander Shen's wife is actually Dr. Ji's sister-in-law, who is Commander Gu's sister. Dr. Ji kept it a secret so well that she never revealed it."
"Yes, Commander Gu's sister is really beautiful. Even I, a woman, can't help but feel sorry for her when I see her."
"Me too. When I saw her cough, I finally understood what Lin Daiyu was like in the book."
"No wonder Commander Shen is so concerned..."
"She came here today for an IV drip. Judging from her complexion, she doesn't seem to be feeling well."
"Actually, it's nothing serious. It's just some inflammation in my lungs. A few days of injections will do the trick."
"..."
Upon learning that Gu Xi was the wife of the once very popular Regiment Commander Shen, the nurses became very interested in her. During their breaks, they would deliberately peek into the lounge and enthusiastically offer her something to eat.
Gu Xi was a little confused, but she responded with a smile to the kindness of others.
Being watched by so many people put Gu Xi under a lot of pressure. Fortunately, Shen Mingzheng came to pick her up before Ji Ya got off work.
She quickly left with Shen Mingzheng.
Those who had been discussing earlier looked at Commander Shen with somewhat strange expressions, but when they saw him carefully protecting Gu Xi as she left, they couldn't help but sigh with envy.
"Commander Shen really protects his wife; he even came to pick her up personally."
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