Chapter 20 Discussion
Nan Zhiyi bit her lower lip.
So this is how others see her? Lazy, gluttonous, and wasteful? ...
After arriving home, Xiao Chen put his things in the kitchen.
Nan Zhiyi told him to drink some water and rest, and he quickly saluted and ran away.
Not long after, the logistics department arrived.
Two soldiers deftly carried things into the yard: bundles of chopped firewood and baskets of neatly stacked coal briquettes.
This caused quite a stir!
The commotion of moving coal briquettes had already attracted the attention of several nearby households. When they saw the obviously "large" cardboard boxes and wooden crates being carried into Gu Xiao's courtyard, the family compound instantly erupted in excitement.
Military spouses who were sunbathing in front of their homes, taking care of their children, or had just returned from the service center all gathered around.
"My God! What's that? A washing machine?"
"And a TV! That huge box must be a TV!"
"Bought by Commander Gu's family? They've only been married a few days!"
"Wow, that's quite a generous gesture..."
"Didn't you just say you went to buy rice and flour to cook for yourself? And now you've brought back a TV and a refrigerator? This..."
The murmurs grew louder and more jarring than the voices of the two women who had spoken earlier.
Nan Zhiyi stood at the doorway, watching the workers adjust the antenna and listening to the unabashed discussions around her:
"Hey, see that? She's not bad looking..."
"No wonder, she's like a pampered young lady, so delicate. I heard that Commander Gu washes her clothes!"
"Absolutely! They have to serve the food to us right in front of us, like we're serving an ancestor..."
"Tsk tsk, buying a TV and a washing machine, really... they know how to enjoy life too much, they don't know anything about hard work and frugality!"
"Exactly! How much is the allowance for men in our family? How dare they spend it like this? This kind of behavior..."
Nan Zhiyi was a little scared, not because of the gossip itself, but because she had caused trouble for Gu Xiao!
She made him the center of gossip, people saying he was extravagant and that he married a rich girl?
Will she affect his future?
Just then, Sister Wang's loud and sharp voice drowned out the buzzing chatter:
"Hey you guys! You're all pretty quick-witted! Standing at someone's door and gossiping like that, aren't you afraid of biting off more than you can chew?"
She was clearly drawn there by the noise.
She walked a few steps to Nan Zhiyi's side, shielding her behind her, then put her hands on her hips and began to speak to the group of military wives who were talking the most enthusiastically:
"How much is Commander Gu's allowance? He earned it through his own abilities! He can buy whatever he wants for his wife. What right do you have to be so sour about it?"
"Frugal and simple? If the men in your family earned as much as Commander Gu's allowance, I bet you'd be shopping happier than anyone else!"
Her voice was loud and clear, and her imposing manner immediately put the scene in awe.
The military spouses who were named looked embarrassed and muttered, "We didn't say anything..."
"Didn't say anything?" Sister Wang's eyes widened. "What 'young lady'? What 'lazy and gluttonous, serving ancestors'? You're the ones who said that, aren't you? The girl just came to the family compound. What's wrong with Commander Gu taking care of his wife a little more?"
Besides, my daughter came with me to the market by the river today, bought a coal stove with her own money, and painstakingly carried it back, ready to cook for herself. Is that what you call lazy and good-for-nothing? I think you're just meddling in other people's business!
She spoke rapidly and logically, her words carrying a protective and affectionate tone.
She pointed to the TV and washing machine being carried inside: "Commander Gu bought these things because he was worried his wife would get bored at home alone! That's called thoughtfulness! If you men had that kind of thoughtfulness, you should be secretly happy! What are you gossiping about here?"
Wang's words left the other military wives speechless.
The onlookers quieted down considerably, and their gazes toward Nan Zhiyi became more complex, less purely contemptuous.
Nan Zhiyi stood behind Sister Wang, her nose stinging with tears.
Sister Wang turned around and patted her hand: "Sister, don't mind them! Some people just can't stand to see others doing well! Go inside and see your new stuff!"
The workers quickly settled the items, signed the form, and left.
The crowd of onlookers gradually dispersed under Sister Wang's watchful gaze.
The courtyard gate was closed, shutting out the lingering discussions and prying eyes from outside.
Aunt Wang circled the television twice, clicking her tongue in amazement: "Oh my, this is a television? It's like a small cabinet. Can this thing even see people?"
Nan Zhiyi: "You can see people, but there won't be any programs until after 6 pm. Sister-in-law, invite Xiaoling and her siblings over to watch TV tonight."
"No, no!" Sister Wang quickly waved her hand. "These are precious things, we can't let the children break them by touching them carelessly."
"It won't break. I bought it just to look at it."
As Sister Wang walked into the yard, she noticed the firewood and coal briquettes piled up in the corner.
"Hey, girl, we can't just leave this firewood and coal briquettes piled up in the open like this. We need to build a shed quickly, or it'll all be ruined by the next rain or snow!" she reminded her.
"Thank you for reminding me, sister-in-law. I almost forgot." Nan Zhiyi noted it down.
“And another thing,” said Sister Wang, pointing to the gleaming but bare coal stove by the pond in her yard, “this stove, just cleaning it isn’t enough, you need to start a fire. I’ll help you light it!”
She's a straightforward person; once she decides to do something, she does it.
Sister Wang went back to her own home and soon returned carrying an old enamel basin containing two burning coal briquettes.
She carried the stove into the kitchen, and the fire quickly blazed up.
"Here, take these fire tongs. You can't do without them to pick up coal briquettes and remove ashes from the furnace."
Nan Zhiyi said gratefully, "Thank you so much, sister-in-law! You've helped me a lot!"
"What's the big deal!" Sister Wang waved her hand, then, seeing the piece of white pork fat Nan Zhiyi had bought, she guessed that Nan Zhiyi definitely wouldn't know how to render lard, so she chuckled, "You bought pork fat to render lard? Great! This stuff smells good! I'll render it for you."
Upon hearing this, Nan Zhiyi felt as if she had been granted a pardon: "That's great! Sister-in-law, I... I really don't know how to do this."
She was a little embarrassed.
"Easy! Just watch!"
Wang's wife washed the lard clean in the kitchen sink, rolled up her sleeves, and cut it into small pieces before throwing them into the iron pot on the earthen stove.
Nan Zhiyi sat on a small stool, diligently tending the fire.
The rich aroma of meat filled the entire kitchen.
She whispered, "Sister-in-law Wang, I really don't know what I would do without you..."
Sister-in-law Wang glanced back at her and said gently, "Silly girl, who didn't go through this? You'll learn slowly."
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