Chapter 12
After returning to the Gu family that year, Gu Xi did not lose contact with her two younger sisters from the Xu family.
Over the years, she would occasionally send money and gifts to Xujiatun Commune, asking the production team leader of the Xu family's production team to deliver them to her two younger sisters separately.
The brigade leader's wife and Feng Min were distant cousins. She was a reliable person and, out of respect for Feng Min, was willing to help her with this favor.
Her two younger sisters would also send her things from time to time, and the three sisters kept in touch.
When the post office worker handed the package to Gu Xi, he asked, "This is very heavy, can you carry it back?"
Gu Xi thanked the other person, picked up the package, and said to him, "I can do it."
The post office staff couldn't help but give her a thumbs up when they saw her carrying the package so easily.
Looking at her relaxed appearance, it was as if the package had no weight at all, which was completely inconsistent with her slender and beautiful appearance, creating a strong sense of contrast.
Even someone who doesn't know the situation would worry that she might fall if they saw this.
Gu Xi was carrying a large package, which was so big that it partially obstructed her view. She almost bumped into someone as soon as she stepped out of the post office.
The other person quickly reached out to support her package, saying, "Be careful, don't drop it."
"Thank you, I'm fine," Gu Xi said politely, then peeked at the person who was helping her with her package and paused in surprise.
"Oh, it's you."
The newcomer was a young man in his early twenties, with a handsome face, wearing a white shirt and military green trousers, giving him a calm and reliable impression.
Gu Xi naturally recognized him; this man was Chen Yunsheng's elder brother, Chen Ruian.
Seeing that the package she was carrying was really big, and he could feel its weight when he reached out to support it, Chen Ruian couldn't help but ask, "Gu Xi, why didn't you ask Yuanzheng to help you take it back? Do you want me to help you take it home?"
He and Gu Yuanzheng are the same age, both children from the same family compound, and can be said to have grown up together.
The younger sister, Chen Yunsheng, is on good terms with Gu Yuanxiang. The two siblings would visit the Gu family from time to time. They were also quite familiar with Gu Xi, and would greet each other when they met on the street.
Gu Xi said, "Thank you, Brother Chen, but no need, I can carry it."
"Really?" Chen Ruian looked at her suspiciously, feeling a little guilty that he, a grown man, was not helping a thin woman carry such a big package back.
Just as I was hesitating, I suddenly heard my sister's voice.
"Brother, what are you doing here?"
Chen Ruian turned his head and saw two girls not far away, his younger sister Chen Yunsheng and Gu Yuanxiang.
He greeted you with a smile, "Oh, it's you guys! Where are you going?"
Chen Yunsheng pulled Gu Yuanxiang over and said, "Isn't it Mom's birthday in a few days? I asked Yuanxiang to come with me to the department store today to pick out a birthday present for Mom." Then she asked, "Brother, what are you doing here? And with Gu Xi..."
Seeing the two of them standing very close, she blinked in confusion.
Gu Yuanxiang stared at Chen Ruian's hand on the package, her heart tightening. She quickly asked, "Xixi, what's in this package? Do you need my help?"
As she spoke, she walked over and reached out to help.
Seeing her approach, Chen Ruian quickly let go of her hand and stepped aside to avoid accidentally bumping into her.
He replied, "I came to the post office to take care of some business, and I happened to see Gu Xi carrying a package, so I wanted to help her carry it back."
Upon hearing this, Chen Yunsheng responded with an "oh".
She looked at the package, which was indeed quite large, and immediately said, "Okay, you can help Gu Xi take it back. This thing looks heavy. You men are strong, so it's only right that you help out."
Chen Ruian smiled and nodded, then said to Gu Xi, "Gu Xi, give it to me, I'll help you carry it back."
"No need," Gu Xi said, ignoring Gu Yuanxiang who was leaning closer. "Brother Chen, aren't you busy? I can move it myself."
Chen Ruian said, "No rush, I can help you move it back first and then come over."
Chen Yunsheng chimed in, "Yes, yes, Gu Xi, give it to my brother. He's strong." Then she looked at Gu Xi's face and noticed that she looked pale and not very well. "You don't look well. Are you feeling unwell? Be careful. It's hot here, and it's easy to get heatstroke."
Although she and Gu Yuanxiang got along well, she wasn't the kind of person who couldn't distinguish right from wrong.
She actually felt quite sorry for Gu Xi. She was a perfectly good city girl who had been switched at birth and grew up in the countryside. After returning to the Gu family, she didn't seem to be doing very well.
But every family has its own problems. Her mother said that the Gu family members were a bit clueless and told her to mind her own business and just treat them like normal people.
Moreover, Gu Xi is really beautiful, slender and delicate, making people instinctively want to take care of her.
Especially since her face was pale at that moment, and her indescribable sickly appearance was strangely attractive.
Chen Yunsheng couldn't help but glance at it again and again, secretly admiring it in her heart.
Gu Xi is so beautiful! It seems the Gu family doesn't like her very much. If she were their sister, they would be overjoyed to have such a beautiful sister.
Unfortunately, Gu Xi was too introverted and quiet, and didn't like talking or playing with people. She was also too shy to approach others, so she couldn't become friends with her.
Gu Xi gave a soft "hmm," but still didn't hand the package over, saying, "Thank you, I can carry it myself, it's not heavy."
After saying that, she didn't linger and left, avoiding Gu Yuanxiang who was standing there.
Chen Yunsheng sighed again, but since the other party had clearly refused, she felt too embarrassed to approach them again.
She complained, "Brother, you really are... How could you just stand by and watch that woman carry such heavy things without helping her? We should serve the people!"
Chen Ruian touched his nose, shrugged, and said, "Then I'll go after them?"
"Forget it, forget it." Chen Yunsheng immediately changed her mind. "Judging from Gu Xi's appearance, she doesn't need your help, so don't bother her."
She felt a pang of regret; perhaps pretty girls are more independent and don't need help.
Gu Yuanxiang listened to the siblings' words, her eyes dimmed slightly, and she couldn't help but say, "You don't need to worry. Actually, Gu Xi is quite strong. She used to do farm work in the countryside. I heard that she usually has to carry water, chop firewood and so on. She is very strong. Moving a package is no problem for her."
Upon hearing this, the Chen siblings turned to look at her.
Chen Yunsheng was surprised, "Really? Gu Xi did so much before? She's quite capable."
They must have suffered a lot.
Although she had never done farm work, she had heard her parents talk about what farm work in the countryside was like and how hard it was. Even strong and healthy men sometimes got exhausted, especially during the double harvest season, when it was practically a life-or-death struggle. After a busy period, people were completely worn out.
It's unimaginable how hard it must have been for a girl as thin as Gu Xi to work like this since she was a child.
Recalling Gu Xi's appearance when she returned to the Gu family, she was dark and thin, looking like she had hardly any flesh on her bones. Although she was the same age as Gu Yuanxiang, she was more than half a head shorter than Gu Yuanxiang, which shows that her life in the countryside was not easy.
Chen Ruian's expression shifted slightly. He glanced at Gu Yuanxiang but said nothing.
He said to his sister, "I'm leaving now. It's hot, so you should go home as soon as you have nothing to do, or you'll get heatstroke. I'll come home for dinner when I'm done with my work, so remember to save some for me."
Chen Yunsheng responded, said goodbye to her brother, and took Gu Yuanxiang home.
As Gu Yuanxiang watched him walk into the post office, she felt a little disappointed and annoyed, wondering if she shouldn't have said those words.
Will he think she said that on purpose?
But Gu Xi is really strong. These past two days, I've seen her beat people, making Gu Yuanhui scream and unable to fight back.
-
At noon, Chen Ruian returned home and had lunch with his sister.
Chen Yunsheng suddenly asked, "Brother, what do you think of Gu Xi?"
Chen Ruian was taken aback. "What do you mean, how?"
“It’s her personality that makes her seem to be doing quite badly in the Gu family.” Chen Yunsheng bit her chopsticks. “Yesterday I went to the Gu family to find Yuanxiang and happened to run into her coming back. She seemed very cold… Every time I go to the Gu family, everyone else is all smiles and happy, but she always sits alone in a corner or hides in her room. I don’t even have a chance to say a word to her.”
Chen Ruian finally understood what she meant, and couldn't help but laugh and say, "If you really like her, then be brave and be her friend. Don't be timid."
He knew perfectly well that his sister was superficial; she would take a second look at anyone who was good-looking, regardless of gender, and would want to befriend them.
Gu Xi is indeed very beautiful; she's the kind of stunningly beautiful girl who touches the soul and leaves people speechless with amazement.
When she first returned to the Gu family, she was pale, thin, and unsophisticated. People in the family compound used her as a topic of conversation and made fun of her. The teenage boys would also chime in with jokes when they talked about the Gu family switching babies, thinking that she was too ugly to be a member of the Gu family, and they were somewhat disgusted and dismissive of her.
Who would have thought that a few years later, she would grow up and become a beautiful young woman, so beautiful that she would almost dazzle people.
Chen Ruian overheard several boys who had initially disliked Gu Xi's looks discussing her privately, their expressions revealing budding romantic feelings. He deliberately waited for Gu Xi on her way home from school.
Unfortunately, she was already engaged, and her fiancé was from a military compound.
If it weren't for the fact that Gu Xi was engaged to him, those boys might have actually gone over to stop her from talking.
"Isn't this a bit inappropriate?" Chen Yunsheng said. "If I become friends with Gu Xi, Yuan Xiang might feel uncomfortable..."
The two had played together since childhood and had developed a sisterly bond. Gu Yuanxiang had said several times with a touch of sadness that she hoped Gu Yuanxiang wouldn't mind that she wasn't a daughter of the Gu family and would still consider her a good sister.
Chen Yunsheng, full of loyalty, patted his chest and guaranteed it.
Chen Ruian shook his head helplessly, "What's the big deal? If Gu Yuanxiang truly considers you a friend, she won't care about these things."
"real?"
Chen Ruian nodded calmly, knowing that his younger sister was too naive and simple-minded. When the incident of the Gu family switching babies was exposed, all the children in the family compound distanced themselves from Gu Yuanxiang, but she was still foolishly patting her chest and saying that Gu Yuanxiang would always be her friend, and her attitude towards Gu Yuanxiang did not change at all.
Chen Yunsheng quickly cheered up: "Okay, I'll go find Gu Xi to play another day."
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