Chapter 191: “full Of Romantic Sentiments”
Lu Mu patted her thigh and cried sadly, “It’s gone, suddenly gone, all the money at home is gone.”
Lu Yizhou frowned tightly, “What do you mean? What about the allowance I sent back?”
He didn’t understand the meaning in his biological mother’s words.
What did she mean by gone?
“It’s just gone.” Lu Mu’s eyes were anxious, and she became irritable too, “The money hidden in the jar suddenly disappeared, not a single cent left.”
“Son, not only is the money gone, Baozhen’s good fortune is gone too.” When saying this, she at least knew to lower her voice, since it had a superstitious connotation.
Lu Baozhen’s eyes trembled a few times, nervously looking at Lu Yizhou, afraid her dad wouldn’t like her either.
“Dad…” she called timidly.
Lu Yizhou looked down at his daughter, her yellow and thin face appearing in his eyes, his pupils contracting sharply, his face full of shock.
“?”
Where was his fair and round-faced daughter?!
“Baozhen has gotten thin, the flesh on her face is all gone.” Lu Yizhou looked at Su Yuxian, his expression displeased, “Is this how you take care of Baozhen?”
Su Yuxian was full of anger and couldn’t hold back, “Even a clever woman can’t cook without rice. The home lacks grain, what am I supposed to do? I can’t go steal or rob.”
Hearing only excuses from her mouth, Lu Yizhou became even more dissatisfied with this daughter-in-law, “Couldn’t you borrow some first? It’s not like we can’t pay it back.”
She couldn’t even handle a small matter, only thinking about enjoying herself, useless thing.
“How much can you borrow? It will run out eventually. The home still owes money to the brigade, waiting for you to pay it back when you return.” Su Yuxian retorted; she felt aggrieved too.
Lu Yizhou: “…”
Lu Mu was dissatisfied with her daughter-in-law embarrassing her son, “Su Yuxian, listen properly when a man is speaking, don’t interrupt, it shows no upbringing.”
“When Dad is speaking, didn’t Mom interrupt too? Why don’t you hold yourself to the same standard?” Su Yuxian didn’t indulge her mother-in-law’s habit of suppressing her anytime and anywhere.
“I say one sentence, you say ten. Which family’s daughter-in-law is like you.” Lu Mu’s face looked bad.
Su Yuxian: “…” She wasn’t mute.
Glancing at Lu Yizhou’s darkened face and seeing her own expression increasingly displeased, she couldn’t hold back, “Mom badmouthed me right in front of me. If I don’t respond, what if my husband misunderstands? I act upright as a wife, I’m not pretending.”
“You’re not pretending?” Lu Mu was infuriated by her words. She knew this woman was hypocritical. To accompany him in the army, she pretended to be so obedient. Now that she had just arrived, she dared to confront her mother-in-law. She was simply outrageous. She raised her hand and swung a slap toward Su Yuxian.
“Pa!”
Su Yuxian hadn’t expected Lu Mu to hit her right in front of Lu Yizhou. Only after feeling the pain on her face did she react belatedly.
“You…”
She was about to shrill and make a fuss.
Lu Yizhou’s face darkened, “Enough.”
Feeling the subtle gazes from comrades around, he wished he could dig a pit and bury himself.
No sense of proportion.
Making a scene anytime and anywhere.
Both face and reputation completely lost!
After equally despising everyone, he picked up Lu Baozhen and walked ahead with his head down.
Lu Mu and Su Yuxian, new arrivals, didn’t dare make more noise and hurriedly followed.
Lu Baozhen was so hungry her limbs were weak. Being held by her biological father, with her head resting on Lu Yizhou’s shoulder, the dizzy feeling improved slightly.
“Dad, I’m hungry.”
Lu Yizhou paused slightly and asked, “You haven’t eaten?”
“No.” Lu Baozhen’s voice was thin and small, “I haven’t eaten my fill for a long time.”
It was true. The Lu Family didn’t have much grain. At home, she starved one meal and ate the next. On the train too, she often drank water to fill her stomach. Mom said kids couldn’t eat too much, the stepmother was reluctant to give her food, and she was so hungry every day.
Displeasure gathered between Lu Yizhou’s brows.
He couldn’t resent his biological mother who raised him. He could only resent Su Yuxian in his heart. He married her to look after the home and take care of Baozhen, but this woman was completely useless.
“Dad will take you to the place to stay first. Mealtime is almost here. I’ll take you to the canteen later.” Lu Yizhou patiently soothed.
This was his only child. Even if not a son, he cared deeply.
Lu Baozhen hadn’t been held and coaxed gently for so long that her eyes instantly reddened. Burying herself in Lu Yizhou’s bosom, she sobbed, her thin little body trembling lightly, looking extremely pitiful.
Lu Yizhou felt a pang in his heart, resenting his biological mother and daughter-in-law even more. How could he let the child go hungry? How much could Baozhen eat?
Thinking of what his mom said, that all the money at home was gone, he lowered his eyelids slightly, “Baozhen, did thieves break into our home?”
Lu Baozhen shook her head.
“Then how did the money at home disappear.” Irritation flashed in Lu Yizhou’s eyes.
The allowance he sent back wasn’t much, but accumulated over years, it was considerable!
All hard-earned money.
Definitely heartbreaking if all gone.
Lu Yizhou couldn’t imagine it was Lu Baozhen’s luck backlash that caused the family to lose money. He vaguely knew his daughter’s luck was extraordinarily good, but hadn’t delved into it. Some people just have better luck; it wasn’t strange. Therefore, he didn’t connect the lost money at home to Lu Baozhen.
Having lost her good fortune and suffered Lu Old Lady’s cold treatment, Lu Baozhen suddenly became sensible, no longer spoiled and naive like before. Her temperament became quiet and silent, and she grew shrewd.
Hearing her biological father’s words, she blinked, not mentioning the black carp disappearing.
“Dad, Baozhen wants to stay with Dad, doesn’t want to go back. No food to eat if going back.” The child’s soft, timid voice sounded.
Lu Yizhou fell silent.
He couldn’t guarantee.
Not hearing Dad agree, Lu Baozhen lowered her eyes and pursed her peeling little lips.
Gu Chenghuai returned to the dormitory, put down his luggage, then went out to send a telegram home.
When he came back, he saw Sun Yeli sitting next to his luggage, eyes burning hot, as if to burn a hole through the luggage.
Gu Chenghuai: “…”
Familiar footsteps sounded.
Sun Yeli came back to his senses and grinned, showing a mouthful of white teeth, “Chenghuai, you’re back. Comfortable staying at home, right?”
As he spoke, his eyes sized up his comrade.
“Hey, you seem a bit fatter, and fairer too…”
Gu Chenghuai stretched his body, then sat down and smiled faintly, “No method, my wife dotes on me, making meat dishes every few days at home.”
Sun Yeli: Damn, he hated show-offs the most, but why was his heart so sour?
Ignoring the smile on Gu Chenghuai’s face, his gaze swept over the bulging luggage on the table. He leaned closer, “Brought quite a few good things, huh? Share some with me, and I’ll treat you to braised pork next month.”
By month’s end, his meat tickets were empty. Two meals a day in the canteen, he craved meat badly.
Gu Chenghuai did bring good stuff, “Brought a few bottles of meat sauce, giving you one bottle.”
As soon as he said it, Sun Yeli excitedly threw his arm around Gu Chenghuai’s shoulder, laughing loudly, “The meat sauce from last time? I’ve been thinking about it for so long, thanks.”
Gu Chenghuai brushed off his arm and got up to sort the luggage.
Sun Yeli didn’t mind being disliked and happily poured water for his good comrade.
After pouring, he saw one, two, three, four… six bottles of meat sauce on the table and swallowed his saliva, “Buddy, how about sparing me another bottle? I’ll trade with stuff. Good things from the Friendship Store, I can get them.”
The Friendship Store even had people guarding the entrance. Ordinary folks couldn’t get in at all, and stuff inside was bought with foreign exchange certificates, very hard to obtain.
“No.” Gu Chenghuai refused directly, “I’m keeping one bottle, the rest all have owners.”
Sun Yeli thought of the second battalion commander and others, and understood.
“Alright.” He said somewhat disappointedly.
Looked like he had to ration it!
Gu Chenghuai reminded, “Weather’s hot, can’t store too long. Best to finish in three to five days.”
Seeing the pained expression on Sun Yeli’s face, he said helplessly, “My wife said she’ll send more when the weather cools.”
Hearing this, Sun Yeli’s eyes lit up, “Have sister-in-law send more.”
“I can spend money to buy or trade for stuff, whatever works!” He just wanted to eat meat more times.
Gu Chenghuai raised his cold eyes, “You think meat is that easy to buy? My home has three sons and one daughter, four mouths. I’m even worried my wife and kids won’t have enough.”
If not for the wild boar hunted, with the family getting several jin, he wouldn’t have planned to bring any. Home didn’t lack money; no need to skimp on his wife and kids’ mouths for that crooked fruit. Of course, if Zhaozhao wanted to trade for something, that was another story.
In this short time, less than ten minutes, he mentioned “my wife” several times. Sun Yeli’s gaze turned strange.
He didn’t often hear him talk about his wife before. Ever since that call from his hometown wife, the man changed, from outside to inside.
A perfectly iron-blooded man, suddenly full of thoughts of family affection.
After one visit relatives trip, he seemed even more lovesick.
Imagining a stout-waisted, dark-skinned countryside woman standing beside Gu Chenghuai, with four pitch-black kids with long runny noses nearby, Sun Yeli suddenly shivered and shook his head to dispel the image.
Not polite, impolite to think that way.
Feeling apologetic in his heart toward the unseen Lin Zhao, Sun Yeli stopped letting his imagination run wild.
Gu Chenghuai glanced at his expression, sometimes grave, sometimes annoyed, like in inner turmoil, helplessness flashing in his eyes.
…Who knew what he was imagining again.
Sun Yeli gathered his thoughts and said, “I heard the family of that comrade from your hometown came to accompany the army. You know about it?”
“…Yeah, same train as us.” As he spoke, Gu Chenghuai’s brows furrowed imperceptibly. Lu Mu was one of those rare troublemakers. This journey, he felt he’d had enough and didn’t want to think more.
Sun Yeli noticed his odd expression and was curious, “What happened? Rough journey?”
“No.” Gu Chenghuai didn’t want to mention more; he wasn’t one to gossip.
Sun Yeli didn’t ask further, just said, “When is your younger brother’s wife coming to accompany the army?”
“No rush.” Gu Chenghuai said.
He wanted his wife and kids to live steady days, not bring them any storms.
Sun Yeli thought of something, understanding flashing in his eyes, “The current situation indeed can’t be rushed.”
They could be sent to the battlefield anytime. Whether families came to accompany the army or not didn’t matter much; better to stay steady in the hometown, where there were people to help.
Gu Chenghuai said no more.
…
Lu Mu and others were arranged at the guesthouse, with complete bedding inside, clean toilet, hot water supplied, and a bathhouse nearby. For a little money, they could bathe—very convenient, not to mention the supply and marketing cooperative, school, canteen… all convenient.
Having enjoyed the convenience, who would want to go back to the brigade? Lu Mu, not diligent to begin with, didn’t want to go back.
She even asked someone to write a letter and send it back home, bragging in the letter about how great life accompanying the army was.
And so.
When hearing Lu Yizhou say he planned to buy tickets for them and send them back, Lu Mu’s face changed abruptly.
“I won’t—” she said.
Not good to say she was greedy for comfort, Lu Mu’s every word considered for her son, “If I go back to the brigade, three to five years without seeing you. Mom misses you. If Mom stays, I can wash your clothes, cook for you. You don’t need to manage home; you can focus on training, focus on tasks…”
As she spoke, she watched Lu Yizhou’s face. Seeing his expression indifferent, she continued, “Everyone in the whole brigade knows you picked up Mom to enjoy blessings. If I go back after just a few days, what will the villagers think of you? They’ll spread all sorts of nonsense.”
“Yizhou, if you really don’t want Mom to stay, don’t rush to send Mom away. At least stay two or three months, okay?”
She put on a very humble posture.
What she said made reason too.
Lu Yizhou’s heart sank heavily. He closed his eyes and could only compromise, “…Alright.”
He cared a lot about face and didn’t want to lose it.
Lu Mu smiled, “Still my son is filial. The Gu Family won’t enjoy Gu Old Three’s fortune in this lifetime. I’m the fortunate one.”
Su Yuxian also breathed a sigh of relief. Being an officer’s wife, she definitely didn’t want to slink back. Going back meant going to the fields to earn work points. She married into the Lu Family for comfortable days, not like this. Who wanted to be a stepmother?
Thinking of these comfortable days, her face, nurtured a bit more delicately, was full of smiles.
Next, she needed to find an opportunity to consummate. Without consummating, what kind of husband and wife? Only after consummating could she bear a son. Only with a son was it stable.
Su Yuxian pondered, ambition flashing in her eyes.
For staying, Lu Baozhen was the happiest. Staying here, no need to dig wild vegetables, no need to feed chickens, and could eat her fill. So good.
…
Li Song’s legs and feet recovered normally, his attitude toward Yuan Xiang unchanged. The Yuan Family Residence breathed a sigh of relief—
Their own Xiangxiang had broken one engagement. If she split with this match again, it would be even harder to marry later.
Fortunately, Li Family Members were upright.
Because of this, the whole family was extremely grateful to Lin Zhao.
Yuan Family were ordinary people, with little thoughts but no malice, definitely hoping their own child would do well.
When Li Song formally visited, this city son-in-law was almost nailed down.
He had none of the city folks’ arrogance, treating them equally, politely, with full propriety. The Yuan Family’s satisfaction surged like waves, one after another.
The head of the Yuan Family Residence prepared a gift of gratitude, asking Aunt Song to deliver it to her granddaughter’s cousin.
Aunt Song naturally wouldn’t refuse and gladly accepted it all, also bringing her own carefully pickled pickled vegetables, and called Yuan Xiang to come to Fengshou Brigade.
On the road.
Aunt Song looked at her daughter, her face beaming with smiles, “I knew my daughter has good fortune ahead. What is the Huang family? My daughter is good-looking, good temperament too, can find a better in-law family.”
“Zhaozhao is indeed worthy of being a high school student, really good at judging people. Get along well with her in the future. She has no sisters. If you treat her sincerely, she’ll treat you sincerely too.”
She didn’t want her daughter to take advantage of Zhaozhao, just felt Zhaozhao was open-minded and clever, with no petty thoughts, easy to get along with.
Unlike the girls on the Yuan Family side, shallow-eyed. Seeing Xiangxiang had a city match, they became restless, saying sour words overtly and covertly.
Yuan Xiang listened to her biological mother’s teachings and nodded receptively, “I know.”
She smiled, “I like Zhaozhao.”
“Who wouldn’t like a girl like Zhaozhao.” Aunt Song said.
So what if she avoids work; she has ability.
The mother and daughter arrived at the Gu Family. Lin Zhao had been off work for a while.
Seeing Aunt Song and Yuan Xiang, she politely greeted them without rising, calling Yun Jin to pour water.
“You’re here!” A clear youthful voice came from the children’s room. He walked out, greeted Aunt Song and Yuan Xiang, and familiarly went into the kitchen.
“Yun Jin is here too.” Aunt Song sat down.
“Come to stay a few days.” Lin Zhao knew her aunt liked diligent people and didn’t dare mention Yun Jin helping with the kids, fearing nagging.
She calmly changed the subject, “Sister Xiangxiang, are you getting engaged?”
