Chapter 235 Warning After Getting Drunk
As night fell on the first day of the Lunar New Year, the crisp air after the snow gently descended. The courtyard houses around Houhai were even more lively and festive than during the day.
Grandpa Lu Zhenbang, along with his two daughters Lu Yuzhi and Lu Yulan, his sons-in-law Liu Haitang and Song Xiang, and his two teenage cousins Liu Jianjun and Song Xiaomei, came over in a lively and cheerful manner.
Knowing that Gu Baobao had been extremely busy lately and had just experienced some family turmoil, they specially chose to come over in the evening so as not to interfere with Gu Baobao's work during the day, and also to catch the tail end of the family reunion dinner so that the two families could have a proper get-together.
Inside the main room, two square tables were pushed together, covered with clean tablecloths. Wu Guixiang and Li Fenfang used all their skills...
Chicken, duck, fish, meat, various stir-fried dishes, dumplings, and rice cakes were laid out in abundance, steaming hot and fragrant.
Lu Zhanming specially brought out two bottles of his treasured Moutai, which were rare items these days, and ordinary people could hardly even see them.
"Today is Chinese New Year, and this is the first time both families have all gathered together like this. Let's have a drink and have some fun!"
Grandpa Lu raised his glass with a smile, his voice booming.
The elders smiled and agreed, and poured wine for everyone.
Even Wu Guixiang and Li Fenfang, who don't usually drink much, were persuaded in this joyous and festive atmosphere to take a small sip of baijiu (Chinese liquor), their faces flushed. They gasped for breath from the spiciness, but their faces beamed with smiles.
Gu Baobao was also infected by the atmosphere. Seeing that the elders were happy, she poured herself a small glass of clear wine.
She thought, "It's just a little bit, it should be fine."
Lu Zhanming was busy serving food to the two old men when he turned around and saw her pick up her glass. He was about to say something when Gu Baobao winked at him and took a small sip.
Then……
And that was the end of it.
Not long after drinking a glass of wine, Gu Baobao felt her cheeks start to burn, her ears were ringing, and she could see things as if they were through frosted glass.
She instinctively cupped her burning cheeks in her hands, her eyes became watery, her gaze was somewhat unfocused, but a bewildered smile still lingered on her lips.
"daughter in law?"
Lu Zhanming noticed her unusual behavior, put down his chopsticks, leaned closer, and called to her in a low voice.
Gu Baobao was a beat slow to react. She looked up at him, her eyes hazy, trying to focus, her voice soft and drawn out:
"I'm not...not drunk~"
She shook her head, pointed at Lu Zhanming, and spoke with a childlike seriousness.
"You...you're the one who's drunk!"
The others at the table also looked over, and after a moment of surprise, they all revealed kind smiles that they couldn't help but smile.
Gu Baobao's face was flushed, her eyes were glazed, and she was holding her face in her hands. She was sitting up straight, but she looked just like a little kitten who had secretly drunk alcohol and was dizzy but refused to admit it.
Old Master Lu laughed heartily:
"This little girl, does she inherit her alcohol tolerance from her father or her mother? Her face turns red after just one glass?"
Gu Jianqiang scratched his head sheepishly:
"Follow me, follow me, I can't hold my liquor."
Li Fenfang felt both sorry for her and wanted to laugh, so she quickly greeted them:
"Baby, are you feeling dizzy? Stop drinking and have some soup instead."
Looking at his wife's adorable and confused appearance, Lu Zhanming felt incredibly soft-hearted and amused.
He reached out and gently touched her burning cheek:
"Are you really drunk?"
Gu Baobao flinched slightly when his cool fingers touched her, but then snuggled closer to his hand, muttering something under her breath:
"No……"
This completely dependent yet unaware appearance turned the slight smile in Lu Zhanming's heart into a deeper pity.
Without asking any more questions, he stood up, bent down, put his arms under Gu Baobao's legs and back, and with a little effort, lifted her up steadily in his arms.
"Ouch!"
Gu Baobao gasped softly, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder, her eyes half-closed, seemingly even more drowsy.
The elders at the table all laughed. Wu Guixiang waved her hand:
"You brat, hurry up and take your wife back to the house to rest! She's been working non-stop these past two days, with surgeries and worries. Even someone made of iron would get tired! Go, go!"
Li Fenfang also said:
"Yes, let the baby get a good night's sleep. We're here for you!"
Lu Yuzhi joked with a smile:
"Zhan Ming has finally learned to cherish his wife."
Lu Zhanming, holding his light-footed wife, nodded to the elders:
"Grandpa, Mom and Dad, Aunt and Uncle, please enjoy your meal. I'll take the baby to rest first."
Grandpa Lu waved his hand:
"Go ahead, go ahead! Take good care of them. We're just discussing your wedding banquet back in Qinghetun, so you don't need to worry about it!"
Lu Zhanming paused, turned around while holding Gu Baobao, and said solemnly to everyone at the table:
"Grandpa, Dad, Mom, Bao Bao mentioned the banquet to me before. She said that right now... things are a bit tense, and our two families, as well as Bao Bao herself, are attracting some attention."
Her idea was to keep a low profile as much as possible. Going back to her hometown of Qinghetun, she would simply invite the villagers and relatives for a meal to celebrate, and that would be enough to fulfill the proper etiquette.
"We don't need to go through all that trouble here. We already got our marriage certificate a long time ago, so we're legally married."
He spoke earnestly and pointed out his concerns.
There was a moment of silence on the table.
Before Old Master Lu could speak, his eldest son-in-law, Liu Haitang, who was sitting next to him and was also Lu Zhanming's uncle, spoke first. His tone was steady and somewhat solemn:
"Zhanming and Baobao are right. Dad, to be honest, in our economic and trade sector, and also in Song Xiang's military system..."
Recently... the wind has indeed shifted somewhat; the spirit of the documents being conveyed is becoming increasingly stringent. It's always good to be cautious.
My uncle-in-law, Song Xiang, the soldier with the general's star on his shoulder, also nodded slightly, his voice low:
"Yes, Dad. Some signs...are not quite right. It's the safest course of action to keep a low profile and avoid confrontation."
The smile on Old Master Lu's face slowly faded, his white eyebrows furrowed, and he nodded slowly.
He has weathered many storms and his sensitivity to current affairs is no less than that of young people.
The grandchildren, granddaughters-in-law, and sons-in-law all said so, so it seems the situation really needs to be taken seriously.
Just then, Gu Baobao, who was being held in Lu Zhanming's arms and seemed to be asleep, suddenly stirred, nuzzling her little head against his neck and letting out a muffled, slightly drunken murmur. The sound wasn't loud, but because of the silence at the table, it was clearly heard by everyone:
"Hmm... what's to come... ransacking houses... being sent to farms... being locked up in cowsheds... teachers... intellectuals... everyone has to be careful..."
"Clang!"
Gu Dahe lost his grip on his pipe and it fell onto the table.
Wu Guixiang and Li Fenfang gasped, their faces turning pale instantly.
Lu Yuzhi and Lu Yulan covered their mouths, their eyes widening.
Liu Haitang and Song Xiang suddenly looked up at Gu Baobao, their eyes filled with shock and sharpness.
Old Master Lu's hand tightened suddenly around the wine glass, his knuckles turning slightly white. His usual calm smile vanished without a trace, replaced by a deep, all-knowing sternness.
At the dinner table, you could hear a pin drop.
The only sounds were the occasional soft crackling from the charcoal brazier and the sudden, heavy breathing of the crowd.
Lu Zhanming's heart sank suddenly.
He knew why the baby would say those things in this state.
She came from the future. Although she once said that the specific details might differ, she knew the major historical trends.
These words were probably not drunken ramblings, but rather a warning buried deep in her heart, one she had never dared to easily utter about certain difficult years to come!
People speak the truth when they're drunk.
This truth is too heavy!
Old Master Lu was the first to regain his senses. He took a deep breath, his gaze sharp as lightning, and quickly swept over everyone at the table whose expressions had drastically changed. His voice was extremely low, yet carried an undeniable authority and decisiveness:
"You brat, what are you standing there for? Take your wife back to your room to rest right now! Take good care of her!"
He paused, then added with a heavy gaze:
"No one is allowed to utter a single word of what we said today once we leave this room! Do you understand?!"
"yes!"
"clear!"
Everyone responded instinctively, their voices somewhat strained.
Lu Zhanming didn't dare to delay. He immediately picked up Gu Baobao, who was starting to drowsily rub against his neck again, and strode towards the main house.
As soon as they left, Li Fenfang immediately got up, her movements unusually fast for her age. She quickly closed the door leading from the main room to the courtyard and bolted it shut. She also checked and secured all the window latches.
Wu Guixiang also realized what was happening and lowered the curtains leading to the kitchen and other rooms.
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