Chapter 77: “jealousy”
The young doctor looked at him in surprise, as if looking at some kind of freak.
“You’re still so young…”
Why think of something like that.
Gu Chenghuai interrupted him, “I’m the father of four children already.”
“…” Asked too much!
The young doctor even wanted to slap himself, but noticing the soldier comrade’s gaze, he put his hand down.
He cleared his throat and answered Gu Chenghuai’s question.
“For a male comrade to get a vasectomy, it’s a small surgery that cuts the vas deferens, so there will be no more fertility. The surgery is simple, recovery is quick, and it doesn’t affect… um, other functions.”
“Our hospital doesn’t have this technology, can’t do it, suggest going to a big city to do it.” The doctor sincerely made the suggestion.
Gu Chenghuai listened carefully, thinking this was more reliable than that IUD thing, his expression still calm, but a flicker of thought flashed in his eyes.
“Thanks.”
After thanking him, he left the room and went straight to the pharmacy.
…
At noon, it was still Yun Jin who came to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to deliver the meal.
When he arrived, his walking posture was a bit awkward, not as casual and free-spirited as yesterday, with a stiffness to it.
“Got beaten?” Lin Zhao’s eyes scanned her young cousin’s buttocks, her expression curious.
Yun Jin put the lunchbox on the counter, feeling his sister’s gaze like something tangible, wanting to reach back and cover his butt, but he held back.
The youth called out resentfully: “Sis!”
Lin Zhao withdrew her gaze and sat down to eat, “Nothing wrong?”
“There is.” Yun Jin grimaced, complaining to his sister, “Sis, Dad really hits hard.”
His butt was swollen from the spanking, wuwu!
“You asked for it again, didn’t you?” Lin Zhao’s gaze held a knowing clarity that saw through everything, “How did you piss off Uncle?!”
Yun Jin touched the tip of his nose, his eyes shifting, “Nothing, just yesterday, I snatched the errand of delivering meal to you.”
“Ah? Uncle was originally delivering meal to me?! Isn’t he super busy?” If she didn’t know Uncle Song was swamped, Lin Zhao would have gone to their door after work.
“Yeah, he is busy.” Yun Jin felt even more guilty and didn’t dare lie to his sister, saying: “…Yesterday at noon, he finally squeezed out some time.”
And he snatched it!
Lin Zhao gave him a look of utter exasperation, “This… you deserved it!”
“Sis, you’re heartless!” Yun Jin lowered his voice and wailed, calling out.
“Sis, I came to deliver meal to you, how can you say that about me? With four kids, am I no longer your favorite young cousin?! You don’t even want me anymore, am I still your brother!”
The chuunibyou youth sometimes turned into a chatterbox, very normal.
“…”
Lin Zhao silently turned her back, not looking at him.
If he wasn’t so good-looking, this appearance could be described as eye-searing.
Yun Jin quieted down, and as his sister, she felt a bit sorry for him. Lin Zhao’s hand reached into her shoulder bag, took out two pieces of candy, and stretched her arm back.
“Chocolate?” Yun Jin’s eyes suddenly lit up like two little fire sticks, shining brightly, “Sis, where’d you get chocolate? Dad said only the Friendship Store has it, and it’s hard to buy.”
He had only tasted it once, sharing with his brother, and he really liked it.
“Talk too much.” Lin Zhao pretended to be impatient.
Yun Jin wisely shut up.
“Your brother-in-law came back yesterday. On Sunday when I go to your house, I’ll bring him along. Go back and tell Uncle and Aunt.” Lin Zhao swallowed the food in her mouth and turned to instruct her young cousin.
These years she hadn’t gone to the Song Family much. Uncle Song hadn’t seen Gu Chenghuai many times and had a so-so impression of him. Going on the weekend, she had to at least rack up some impression points.
“What?” Yun Jin shot to his feet, eyes wide, as if it was unbelievable, “He came back?!”
Lin Zhao narrowed her eyes, her expression threatening, “He?”
“Brother-in-law, brother-in-law is fine, right.” Yun Jin instantly became as meek as a quail, couldn’t help but grumble aggrievedly: “Sis, you favor men over your brother!”
Lin Zhao shrugged, not denying it, “Yeah, I do favor men over my brother. Gu Chenghuai gives me money to spend, buys me skirts, hats, small leather shoes. Why wouldn’t I favor him.”
Words fell.
She stood up, slightly spread her arms, spun in place, showing off: “Look at this skirt of mine. Your brother-in-law specially brought it for me from Haicheng. Pretty, right?”
Yun Jin couldn’t say it wasn’t pretty, because his sister really looked good in it, so good no flaws could be picked, even prettier than movie actresses.
“…Pretty.”
He was a bit unconvinced, “Sis, you’re pretty anyway. Even wearing a sack you’d look good.”
Sister-con Song Xiaojin didn’t look favorably on Gu Chenghuai.
When his sister got married, he was only ten, cried for two days, eyes swollen like light bulbs, hating the person who took his sister to death in his heart.
Thinking of it now still made him huff and puff.
And!
In the youth’s heart, these years his sister growing distant from their family was because of marriage, so he was quite annoyed and angry at the Gu Family.
“I wouldn’t wear a sack. There’s a perfectly good new skirt I won’t wear, to go wear a sack? I’m not dumb.” Lin Zhao sat back down, eating her meal leisurely.
She wasn’t going to suffer!
Life was short; she wanted to live brilliantly, live like a blooming flower.
Yun Jin’s shoulders drooped, “I didn’t mean you have to wear a sack, I meant…”
Fine, he didn’t even know what he meant, just habitually at odds with his brother-in-law.
Cough, of course, only muttering behind his back.
The not-yet-graduated youth, in front of a real man, was like a star next to a galaxy, not daring to act up.
“I know what you mean. You just can’t bear to part with me. But I’m a girl; sooner or later I’ll marry out. Marrying into the Gu Family is good—no grievances, still the eldest at home, very comfortable.” Lin Zhao comforted her younger brother, telling him not to dwell on it anymore.
Yun Jin’s face turned serious, saying righteously: “Sis, you’re the eldest in our family; after marrying out, you must still be the eldest, must not suffer grievances. Otherwise, why marry! To have him away four seasons a year, to have him looking fierce?”
He highly approved of his sister’s supreme status in both the Lin and Song families.
Marrying couldn’t be worse than not marrying; otherwise, why marry!
Bored?!
“Your brother-in-law is great! You’ve barely seen him a few times and you’re badmouthing, or rather, badmouthing a serving soldier—is that polite?” Lin Zhao shook her head, raised her hand to flick his forehead.
The flick missed.
Not even a sound.
She calmly withdrew her hand, concluding: “You’re too reckless!”
Yun Jin exaggeratedly hissed twice, neck stiff, still unconvinced, muttering, “Is it that I don’t want to see him more? Gotta have the opportunity too.”
“…” You’re nitpicking like finding a bone in an egg.
After Lin Zhao finished eating, Yun Jin nimbly packed up the lunchbox, wrapped it around his wrist, and was about to leave.
“Song Xiaojin.”
Before Lin Zhao could speak, Yun Jin waved his hand, “Got it, got it. I’ll tell Dad when I go back, guarantee to prepare well, won’t make brother-in-law uncomfortable.”
He bit down hard on the words ‘brother-in-law’.
“Thanks, Song Xiaojin, you’re the most reliable!” Lin Zhao casually praised, stuffing him with a can of canned meat, “For you to have a treat.”
The clever youth was instantly coaxed into a silly roe deer, mouth grinning wide, hugged the can and went home.
Li Fen sighed, “You and your cousin really have a good relationship.”
It was her first time seeing her niece so close with her uncle’s family.
“My uncle only has two sons, treats me like his own daughter. Since young, he’s been especially good to me; every ten days or half a month I’d come to the city to stay.” Lin Zhao’s expression softened, her voice gentle.
“Very few uncles like that.” Li Fen’s expression was complex.
Times were tough; even their own families lacked food and clothing— which uncle didn’t guard against nieces and nephews? Some were worse, wishing to peel a layer of skin off. Like Lin Zhao’s uncle’s family…
Rare.
One in a million.
At least she hadn’t seen any.
“Does your uncle have other nieces?” Killing time anyway, Li Fen chatted with Lin Zhao.
Wang Ju also shifted her stool, ears perked up high.
“Yeah, several.” Lin Zhao said.
Her mom had sisters, so she had aunts.
Li Fen curiously followed up: “How does your uncle treat them?”
“Pretty good too.” Didn’t invite them to stay in the city, but gave them food when meeting… that ordinary kind of good.
Among all the nieces, uncle liked her the most.
She had even asked the reason; uncle said, like is like, no reason for it.
Favoritism, no reason.
But Lin Zhao figured it must be because she was cute and lovable as a child, people-pleaser type, and uncle just had two rowdy boys, so treated her like his biological daughter.
Lin Zhao didn’t say much of this, lest others without full picture wildly speculate about uncle’s character in their minds.
“Zhaozhao, I’ve never seen a girl with better fortune than you!” Li Fen bluntly expressed her envy.
She was straightforward, said what she thought.
Lin Zhao smiled brightly.
She felt her fortune was good too.
“Sister Fen’s not bad either—healthy kids, capable husband, earns money herself, spine straight. And Wang Ju too, such a good family background, vocational school grad, good job…” Lin Zhao felt no one should belittle themselves.
Sounded casual, but carried sincerity.
A few words coaxed the two into beaming smiles.
“Yeah, no one’s bad.” Li Fen laughed till she leaned, lightly bumping Lin Zhao’s shoulder.
…
The Supply and Marketing Cooperative was only busy in the morning; after lunch, things quieted down a lot, just waiting to get off work.
Ten minutes before getting off work, Lin Zhao, as usual, quietly slipped to the toilet.
Squatting in the stall, her mind stirred, summoning the lucky draw wheel.
Glanced at the points.
435 points, fairly ample.
Drew a 10-point one first.
The wheel slowly stopped, showing a few words—
Fun Gift Pack.
【Tin Frog×2】
【Tin Car×1】
【Chinese Chess×1 set】
【Black Jump Rope×1】
【Marbles×10】
【Feathered Shuttlecock×2】
【Wooden Spinning Top×2】
【Bamboo Dragonfly×10】
Lin Zhao was very satisfied with today’s draw.
Gu Chenghuai somewhat neglected San Zai when it came to gifts.
She wanted to make it up to her younger son with something. Originally planned to buy, but seeing the Supply and Marketing Cooperative’s limited selection, decided to draw instead.
Luck was good.
Lin Zhao washed her hands, returned to the counter as the pleasant off-work bell rang.
“Sister Fen, A Ju, see you tomorrow.” Greeted Li Fen and Wang Ju, left with light steps.
Liu Chunhong nearly tore the rag in her hand into strips, brows slightly furrowed, mouth corners downturned, face full of displeasure.
“Been working almost half a month, doesn’t even know to greet old employees, no rules!”
Li Fen heard this, laughed, shot back: “Hilarious, if you have opinions, say them to her face. What’s the point muttering behind? Besides, your nostrils are turned to the sky; do you have rules?”
“Comrade Lin is paid by the country, didn’t eat yours or drink yours—what attitude is yours, what attitude is hers, no problem.”
After the stinging words, locked the counter door, pulled Wang Ju away.
Liu Chunhong felt a breath stuck in her chest, head buzzing, face darkened with anger!
“Pissed me off! What did I say! I’m an old employee—can’t even speak without getting shot down. Who brought this bad atmosphere? I said we can’t recruit just anyone. Look at what a mess the Supply and Marketing Cooperative is…” She kept venting.
Someone on good terms with her said something fair, “Comrade Lin is quite capable.”
As she spoke, Liu Chunhong glared at her with traitor-seeing eyes.
“You glare, I’ll still say it—she’s good, Comrade Wang is okay too, shy but listens, constantly improving.”
“They’ve adapted, doing good work. Lighten up; keep nitpicking and you’ll be the one suffering.”
Words fell.
For the first time, left without waiting for Liu Chunhong.
Liu Chunhong’s mouth corners pulled into a cold sneer, eyes burning with anger, face full of unwillingness, as if ready to erupt at any moment.
“Mom, I don’t want to go to the countryside. Countryside is dirty and smelly, nothing there, heard there are stinky hooligans. I don’t want to go to the countryside, help me…”
“I’ve never worked fields; make me farm and I’ll die!”
“Mom, if I go to the countryside, we’ll never see each other again in this lifetime. Can you bear it?”
Her daughter’s anguished crying voice echoed in her ears.
Liu Chunhong’s expression hardened, pulled out the letter written with her left hand last night from her bag.
She didn’t want to, but… Lin Zhao blocked her daughter’s path. Couldn’t blame her.
A pheasant should stay in the mountains forever!
…
Lin Zhao had just stepped out of the Supply and Marketing Cooperative door when she suddenly sneezed.
“Why sneezing again? Feeling unwell?” Gu Chenghuai used his hand back to touch his wife’s forehead, felt normal temperature, then relaxed his expression.
“No problem, definitely someone badmouthing me behind my back.” Lin Zhao said indifferently.
The man’s sharp cold black eyes swept toward the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, a glint flashing in them, tone mild like chatting.
“Someone giving you trouble?”
“No issue, I can handle it.” Lin Zhao’s eyes calm as water, corners of mouth with a faint smile.
Liu Chunhong thought herself so clever, unaware those shady little moves couldn’t escape her eyes.
If no trouble started, fine.
If dared to come at her, the one crying would be her.
Gu Chenghuai raised his hand, smoothed down a few unruly hairs on his wife’s head, eyes gentle and focused on her, tone serious and unquestionable: “I haven’t let you suffer grievances; others have even less qualification. If you encounter unsolvable difficulties, tell me for sure. I’ll handle it.”
His words were full of domineering; Lin Zhao blinked, hesitated two seconds, muttered softly: “You’re a soldier; even walking is in ‘one-two-one’ rhythm. Gotta follow rules and law!”
Words fell.
Gu Chenghuai’s expression instantly turned odd, mouth corners twitching slightly.
So, Zhaozhao thought he would do what?
He shook his head helplessly, corners of mouth hooking into an indulgent smile, “Don’t worry, I know the rules, but protecting you is also my rule.”
Lin Zhao’s heart felt like soaked in honey, sweet beyond melting.
About to hop on the bike, she noticed the straw mat on the rear seat had become a cushion.
“This cushion is…?”
“I had Mom help make it.” Gu Chenghuai’s expression flat, not feeling this was anything to take credit for.
This morning Zhaozhao hopped off seeming uncomfortable; since he saw, he couldn’t pretend ignorance.
“Get on, see if it’s better than the straw mat.”
Lin Zhao grabbed the man’s waist, hopped on the bicycle; the feel under her butt was softer.
“Softer than the straw mat.” She said.
“Good then.” Gu Chenghuai strode his long legs, pedaled forward.
Lin Zhao realized this wasn’t the way home, poked his lower back, puzzled: “Not going home?”
“You’re dressed so pretty today; not taking a photo to commemorate would be a pity.” Gu Chenghuai smiled.
His striking brows and eyes met the brilliant sun, bearing heroic.
Lin Zhao stunned a bit, lips curving up, bright smile blooming, “We have a camera at home. I bought it.”
Gu Chenghuai’s movements paused slightly, soon resumed normal.
Didn’t think buying a camera was a big deal, but…
“Who’d you buy it from?”
Things like cameras were only sold in a few big cities; he was sure they didn’t have them here.
So where from?
Or rather.
Who helped buy it?
A certain male educated youth from the Educated Youth Point flashed in his mind; Gu Chenghuai’s eyes hid incomprehensible emotions.
Grip on the handlebars tightened continuously, forcibly suppressing the bubbling sourness from his heart, slowly grinding his teeth.
Was he dead, huh!?
Calmed two seconds, spoke again without showing any anger, tone steady as usual.
“Why not ask me?
