Chapter 182 Everyday Matters
Downstairs in the bedroom, the older brother and sister-in-law sat side by side in bed, talking quietly, while the two children were already asleep on the folding sofa.
Gu Weiguo remarked, "Old Wu is truly dedicated and driven. During the Tangshan disaster relief efforts, he led a team to dig through the rubble by hand for three days... No wonder he was promoted so quickly..."
Li Xiuqin turned to the side and whispered, "I heard from Zhang Xiufen that Dad pulled some strings to help."
"Can you get a first-class merit award by using connections? Can you get promoted to the capital? Don't listen to her nonsense." Gu Weiguo shook his head, "When I was his age, I was still eating sand on the border."
Li Xiuqin wholeheartedly agreed, "I also think it's unlikely; Dad isn't that kind of person."
After a moment of silence, Gu Weiguo said in a low voice, "Those connections that Dad has... will be handed over to Fifth Brother sooner or later."
Li Xiuqin gently comforted him, "It's good to hand it over to Lao Wu. He's stubborn but capable. Who knows, we might need his help someday."
She paused, then added, "But the second and fourth brothers... one is too frivolous, and the other is too dull."
"The second brother was corrupted by those people in the Agricultural Machinery Bureau, and he's always thinking about underhanded tricks. The fourth brother..." he sighed, "He's too concerned about gains and losses, and he hasn't moved from the General Logistics Department for ten years."
The couple tacitly avoided mentioning their third sister.
Everyone knew what Zhao Zhigang was thinking, but no one dared to interfere with their brother-in-law's future.
In the study next door, the third sister, Gu Min, tucked the blankets into the twins' bed.
The cot was narrow, and the two children huddled together to sleep.
She gazed at the snow-covered landscape outside the window, recalling her husband Zhao Zhigang's words: "An elder in the family is ill, and I have to go back to visit him. I won't be able to accompany you to your parents' home... Please give my New Year's greetings to Dad on my behalf."
Others may not know how Zhao Zhigang became a division commander, but she knows best.
If it weren't for his father's old subordinate, given his impetuous nature...
Gu Min gently tucked the blankets into her daughters' beds, her heart filled with bitterness.
She's 41, and her husband still keeps hinting that he wants a son.
The child I miscarried last year still causes me a dull ache in my lower abdomen when I think about it.
In the bedroom at the end of the corridor, Commander Gu stroked the title page of the photo album.
I only have a vague impression of his first wife. It was an arranged marriage, and I could only see her once during my family visit leave.
She bore him four children, but he never said a kind word to her before he died, and even his grave is in their hometown.
His second wife was a medic who saved him on the battlefield.
When he was shot and fell into a coma, it was she who stayed up for several days to wake him up.
Later, she gave up her chance to study in the Soviet Union for him and followed the army in battles across the country. After giving birth to Gu Xiao, their lives got better and better.
But ultimately, he didn't enjoy his happiness for many years before passing away...
In his heart, she was his wife.
Commander Gu's thin fingers gently traced the glass of the photo frame. In the photo, Su Wanru was wearing a Lenin suit and smiling at him with her eyes crinkled.
At that time, she had just given birth to Gu Xiao, and her cheeks still had the roundness of postpartum.
He was very old, but she was still so young and beautiful.
"Wanru... Our Xiao'er is so promising, and our grandson is so well-behaved. We have an heir... If you were still here, you would definitely be happy, wouldn't you?"
The photo doesn't answer; it just smiles gently.
He recalled her holding his hand as she lay dying, whispering, "Xiao'er is our first child. He's a sensitive one, so please be understanding and take good care of him... Yan'er is mischievous, try to make him happy..."
For the past 25 years, he has poured all the guilt he owed his deceased wife into his two sons.
To pave the way for Gu Xiao and clean up the mess for Gu Yan.
Looking at Xiaoman's features now, which are so similar to Gu Xiao's when he was a child, I feel both happy and sad.
As he approached, Commander Gu awkwardly reached out and took his grandson, saying, "Don't bounce him around, let me hold him."
Everyone at the table was astonished.
"Wow!" Gu Yan exclaimed exaggeratedly, "Did the sun rise in the west? My dad's going to have a grandson?"
Commander Gu lowered his head and coaxed Xiaoman, "Our Xiaoman is much more obedient than some of those scoundrels."
Gu Yan, unfazed, replied, "Fine, fine, I'm a complete scoundrel in Dad's eyes."
Commander Gu glared at him. "Stop talking nonsense and sit down to eat."
The dinner table fell silent.
When Wu Ma tried to take Xiaoman away to feed him, Commander Gu waved her off and refused. He personally scooped up half a spoonful of millet porridge, blew on it to cool it down, and fed it to the little guy.
Zhang Xiufen hadn't slept well all night, her eyes were still swollen, and she said sourly, "The fifth brother's child is just precious, the whole family dotes on him. And the fifth brother and his wife too, they just sleep in as soon as they get home..."
Gu Jianjun tugged at her sleeve under the table, "Shut up, stop spouting nonsense!"
Gu Yan grabbed a fried dough stick and retorted, "What's with the sour grapes, Second Sister-in-law? If you're unhappy, you have to keep it to yourself. My eldest nephew is a golden nugget; if you're jealous, why not have another one who's adorable?"
"Gu Yan! How dare you speak to your sister-in-law like that!"
After reprimanding them, Commander Gu softened his tone, "We don't have a rule against sleeping in late in our family. Have I ever said a word to you guys when you slept in before? Fifth Brother is so busy in Beijing, he's on vacation and comes home, what's wrong with sleeping a little longer?"
These words completely ignited Zhang Xiufen's anger.
Before she married Gu Jianjun, she thought he was the son of a commander and would live a life of luxury. Who would have thought that Gu Jianjun, despite his tall and strong appearance, was incompetent at work, lacked ability, and had poor character?
He was even less favored in the Gu family, and naturally, his second wife was not liked by Commander Gu either.
She endured it all for twenty years.
Zhang Xiufen retorted defiantly, "Gu Xiao is busy? Wasn't it all thanks to your connections, Dad, that he got a job in Beijing! What's with the act of being so busy! My eldest brother has been stationed on the border for twenty years and has developed a host of health problems, why didn't you ever say a word of complaint? Our Jianjun acts like a pushover at the Agricultural Machinery Bureau every day, have you ever cared?"
She pointed to her frayed collar, "Look at Lao Wu's family, all dressed in gold and silver, while we're so poor..."
"Smack!"
Gu Jianjun slapped her hard across the face.
The room fell silent instantly.
The eldest brother and sister-in-law quickly got up and pulled Gu Jianjun away, while the third sister and fourth sister-in-law tried to persuade Zhang Xiufen, whether sincerely or not.
With quick reflexes, Wu Ma shooed the children from the other table upstairs, then picked up Xiaoman and hid in the kitchen.
Gu Yan leisurely peeled the eggs, a smile of amusement on his face. "Second sister-in-law, how about I give you a digital watch too? The latest model from Guangzhou, three for ten yuan."
Zhang Xiufen became even angrier, "Gu Yan, you look down on us just because we're poor? Who wants your..."
Enraged by having his secret exposed, Gu Jianjun broke free from his elder brother's arm and grabbed Zhang Xiufen, saying, "Come back to the house with me!"
Zhang Xiufen roared, "Gu Jianjun, you dare hit me? I'm so unlucky to have married you! You don't dare ask Dad for a transfer yourself, but you're a bully at home!"
"Enough!" Commander Gu slammed his hand on the table, making the bowls and chopsticks rattle. "Gu Jianjun! Control your wife!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com