Chapter 289: “new Brain, New Tricks”
Meng Jiusi also learned about the telegram. He frowned, “Don’t tell Zhaozhao. Zhaozhao has already done a great deed by helping them catch the person; she has no obligation to interrogate them for them.”
Human traffickers with black hearts and livers—who knows what schemes they might have?
His younger sister was such a delicate little girl. Helping to catch the person was already very good of her, so why were they being so greedy? The person making such an unreasonable demand definitely had bad intentions!
He couldn’t agree.
Gu Chenghuai nodded and hummed in acknowledgment, “I wasn’t planning to tell her.”
He had no intention of letting off the person who hurt his wife.
This matter could be put aside for now; it wasn’t urgent. The important thing was to let Zhaozhao have a good time in the military region over the next month or so.
Meng Jiusi handed the breakfast he bought to his brother-in-law, “I’ve bought breakfast. Take it back. About what you just mentioned… I’ll keep an eye on it. You don’t need to worry about it for now.”
His fourth brother-in-law was reliable, so Gu Chenghuai felt at ease, “Alright, thanks for the trouble, Fourth Brother. When Zhaozhao brings Yu Baoheng Bao back to the hometown, I’ll make a trip myself.”
Meng Jiusi nodded in satisfaction.
He waved to his brother-in-law.
“I’m off.”
Gu Chenghuai watched him go, carrying the bulging cloth bag, and walked in the opposite direction.
After walking a few minutes, not yet reaching the Ning Family, he spotted the hand-holding twins and Mao Dan’er from afar.
His two good sons were yawning, walking very slowly, with tufts of hair sticking up on their heads, looking groggy.
“Ahem…” Gu Chenghuai cleared his throat to remind the two kids who were hanging their heads.
The little brothers tilted their heads to look over. Spotting Daddy, their eyes lit up slightly, and they ran toward him staring wide-eyed.
“Daddy!”
“Daddy!!!”
Gu Chenghuai pressed down the sticking-up hair at Heng Bao’s crown, narrowing his deep black eyes, “Didn’t sleep well last night?”
The smile on Yu Bao’s little face faded a bit, his eyes flickering as he fiddled with his fingers, not daring to look at his dad.
“…Slept late for a little bit!” Heng Bao pressed his thumb and pinky together, grinning cheekily, trying to get away with it cutely.
Gu Chenghuai said flatly, “Go tell your mommy when we get back.”
Heng Bao grabbed his clothing hem, twisting his body, “Daddy~~~”
Trying to awaken fatherly love.
Gu Chenghuai pretended not to notice and kept walking forward.
His steps weren’t too big, just right for the little ones to keep up.
“Daddy, love me one more time!” Heng Bao chased after him, saying it in a mushy way.
His dad’s mouth twitched.
He looked down at him.
This was really too much.
Luckily he was good-looking, or he’d definitely be labeled as greasy.
“Shut up.”
Heng Bao pinched his little mouth, tugged at his dad’s clothing hem, and obediently followed at Gu Chenghuai’s side.
Passing the building where the Lu Family lived, they unluckily ran into Lu Baozhen coming downstairs to throw out trash.
“Yu Bao?”
“Heng Bao?!!”
Lu Baozhen rubbed her eyes. The twins were still there—no mistake, they had come to accompany the army!
Mao Dan’er frowned imperceptibly, pretending not to see her, and said to Yu Baoheng Bao, “Let’s go, don’t keep Aunt Lin waiting.”
Yu Bao looked away, “Let’s go!”
Gu Chenghuai never interfered in the little squabbles between the children, letting them handle it themselves.
Afraid the breakfast would get cold, he didn’t stop walking.
The twins paused for those twenty-odd seconds, falling dozens of meters behind their dad. The brothers snapped out of it, grabbed Mao Dan’er, and trotted to catch up.
Seeing this, Lu Baozhen froze in place, her expression a bit hurt. After hesitating a few seconds, she chased after them.
Mao Dan’er noticed her figure, his face tightening even more, “Lu Baozhen is following behind us.”
Yu Bao turned his head and indeed saw her.
Seeing them stop, Lu Baozhen also stopped. Her sallow, skinny little face looked timid. She smiled ingratiatingly at them, not coming closer but also not leaving.
“Why are you following us?” The long-tongued Heng Bao asked sternly.
Lu Baozhen shuffled over slowly, “I… I want to play with you guys.”
“We don’t want to play with you!” Heng Bao rejected her without mercy.
Lu Baozhen had a hard time in the military region. Her grandma was an extreme one, fighting with people every day; her stepmother didn’t care about her. Her clothes went unwashed for two months, her sleeves black and shiny, with two strings of snot always hanging under her nose. When they dripped, she’d wipe them with her sleeve—disgustingly dirty.
Not to mention the twins; even Mao Dan’er found it utterly repulsive.
Lu Baozhen said aggrievedly, “We’re from the same brigade, why won’t you take me?”
“…” Yu Bao found her words so unreasonable, “We didn’t play together in the brigade, why would you think… we’d play with you here in the military region?”
Heng Bao crossed his arms, “You cry a lot and bite people; we don’t want to play with you.”
An embarrassed look appeared on Lu Baozhen’s face. Blushing, she explained, “I don’t cry anymore, and I don’t bite anymore. Can you play with me?”
She looked at Yu Bao and the others expectantly.
If she could play with Brother Mao Dan’er, her stepmother wouldn’t hit her, and Daddy would praise her.
Don’t underestimate Lu Baozhen’s age; she had plenty of little schemes. She knew getting in good with Mao Dan’er could bring back her good old days.
Lu Baozhen was young and didn’t know how to hide her emotions yet, transparent as a blank sheet of paper in front of Mao Dan’er.
The young boy pressed his lips together silently.
But in his heart, his impression of Lu Baozhen plummeted to rock bottom.
He was quite afraid Yu Baoheng Bao would agree. Friendship was equal; he couldn’t tell his friends not to listen to Lu Baozhen’s nonsense and stay far away from her. He frowned in worry.
“No!” Heng Bao refused outright, “Best to be like in the brigade—each plays their own. You take your muddy path, we’ll take our pebble path!”
Mao Dan’er’s tense little face relaxed.
He also breathed a sigh of relief.
After the straightforward rejection, Heng Bao glanced and saw his dad had run out of sight. He nearly jumped up.
“Daddy’s not waiting for us again!”
With that, he grabbed his brother and Mao Dan’er, speeding after him.
Afraid of being caught by Lu Baozhen, they ran at their fastest speed ever.
Lu Baozhen was stunned but didn’t give up, hurrying after them in a panic.
She didn’t get enough to eat at the Lu Family, so her limbs lacked strength and naturally couldn’t catch up to the three sturdy little calves.
“Hahahaha…” Mao Dan’er rarely looked so disheveled. Stopping at the Gu Family gate, hands on his knees, he couldn’t help laughing out loud.
The twins giggled too.
“Mao Dan’er, are you afraid of Lu Baozhen?” Yu Bao used his dad’s method to adjust his breathing, turning his head to his good friend and asking.
“Not afraid.” Mao Dan’er said. How could he be afraid of a little girl?
“I’m afraid of trouble.”
Thinking of how Lu Baozhen used to cling to him tightly, always following behind, many in the staff dormitory teased that at his young age he’d found himself a child bride… Mao Dan’er’s face darkened.
He knew what a child bride was. As the son of a war hero, standing tall and proud, he didn’t want a child bride—those were bad things that should be smashed!
“Lu Baozhen is very clingy. Scolding her doesn’t work. If she keeps following you guys, run away fast, or you’ll hear nasty words.” Based on Mao Dan’er’s understanding of Lu Baozhen, she wouldn’t give up easily, so he’d given Yu Baoheng Bao a heads-up before.
“What nasty words?” Yu Bao opened his big black eyes wide.
Mao Dan’er couldn’t say.
So he fell silent.
Heng Bao was persistent, twisting his body, “What nasty words? I wanna know. Tell me.”
His curiosity was strong; not knowing made him itch all over.
Mao Dan’er sighed, mumbling vaguely, “What else? Saying child bride…”
Child bride? The twins knew about it; people in Fengshou Brigade had teased them and Lu Baozhen too.
The brothers frowned.
Feeling a sense of shared misery.
“Adults are so annoying! They love teasing little friends!!” Yu Bao said solemnly, grumbling in dissatisfaction.
Mao Dan’er nodded in agreement, “Right, my grandma says some adults have no sense of boundaries, always meddling in others’ business—super annoying!”
“Exactly! Super annoying!” Heng Bao put hands on hips, “Whoever dares say that about me, I’ll… report to the police!”
Yu Bao nodded, “Right, report to the police!”
Mommy had used that trick to scare the villagers before; they could too.
Two six-year-old little friends were at the reckless age, fearless of heaven and earth, with no fear of the police either. They said it and meant it!
Mao Dan’er encouraged them, “That’s a good method!”
Adults all fear the police; those words could control them.
Lin Zhao heard every word of the three little boys’ conversation.
Her eyebrows curved downward, eyes brimming with amusement.
Her newly acquired brain after just a few years was so sharp!
“Ahem…” Lin Zhao coughed lightly, interrupting Yu Bao and the others.
“Mommy!” Yu Bao rushed over, wanting to hug his mommy—he hadn’t seen her all night!
Before hugging, Gu Chenghuai grabbed his collar and set him aside.
“How old are you? Don’t pounce on my wife.”
Yu Bao glanced at his dad, his expression complex beyond words.
The little one was used to his dad’s double standards and didn’t argue, looking away and standing obediently in front of Lin Zhao, looking concerned.
“Mommy, did you change the dressing on your arm?”
Lin Zhao’s heart warmed, “Yes, I did. Did you and your brother sleep well last night?”
“Good, good.” Heng Bao chimed in, “Mao Dan’er’s room is so big and bright, the bed is huge too. Lying on it, you can see stars—very comfortable!”
The gazes of the family courtyard residents glanced toward the Gu Family members.
Lin Zhao beckoned the children, going into the yard to talk.
Mao Dan’er didn’t go in, just said something to his Aunt Lin, then went back home.
He had mainly come to escort Yu Baoheng Bao home. Since the twins had just arrived, he was afraid they wouldn’t know the way.
The aunt at the Ning Family had made breakfast, and the Ning Family wanted to keep Yu Baoheng Bao to eat together, but they refused without washing their faces or brushing teeth, insisting on going home. Mao Dan’er volunteered to bring the twins back.
…
Fengshou Brigade.
Gu Mu calculated the time in her mind, “Third son’s wife has been gone for days now; she should have reached the military region. Why no news? Nothing happened, right?”
“Third son’s wife is clever and sharp. There are train police on the train—what could happen? You’re just worrying blindly!” Gu Fu scolded.
Though he said his old wife was overreacting, he was worried too, especially these past two nights, tossing and turning on the bed like a flatbread.
“Hah.”
Gu Mu rolled her eyes at him, letting out a cold scoff.
“I’m worrying blindly? As if you aren’t! If you aren’t, then stop tossing like a flatbread at night!!”
The dead old man never said anything pleasant.
Gu Fu was speechless, annoyed as he turned his back, puffing on his cigarette with clicks, white smoke rising and blurring his weathered face.
“Puff puff puff—if you’re gonna smoke, go to the threshing ground. Don’t smoke at home; if you smoke up my grandson and granddaughter, you’ll regret it!” Gu Mu glared fiercely.
Gu Fu choked on the smoke, turning to look at his wife, finding her utterly unreasonable!
He wasn’t even smoking inside the room—now he couldn’t even smoke in the yard!?
Too much.
The old man stormed out for a stroll, not daring to annoy her further.
Who knew what she’d complain about next?
Gu Chan carried a jin of meat back to her maternal home, pushing her bicycle into the yard, and saw her biological mother with furrowed brows, “Mom, what’s wrong? Who upset you?”
Seeing her filial and sensible eldest daughter, Gu Mu’s expression softened.
“Who else? Your dad, that old man… his words are getting more and more unpleasant!” She complained.
Gu Chan leaned her bicycle against the wall, handing the meat to her old mother, “Dad’s always been like that; you knew it already. Why get worked up?”
Gu Mu was momentarily speechless.
Couldn’t argue with these rational types.
She changed the subject, “Third son’s wife has been gone so long with no news. Don’t know if they reached Chenghuai… or if Yu Baoheng Bao are adjusting…”
“Zhaozhao and Yu Baoheng Bao have arrived at the military region. Chenghuai sent a telegram.” Seeing her mom so anxious, Gu Chan quickly said, “I saw the telegram when I was mailing a letter to Zhaozhao and brought it back on the way.”
The dragon-phoenix twins were still young; she couldn’t rest easy and had been visiting her maternal home frequently lately.
Lin Zhao had left the bicycle for her, making trips back convenient.
“Chenghuai sent a telegram? Where is it?!!” Gu Mu turned to ask.
Gu Chan was washing her hands, gesturing, “In my pocket, Mom. Get it yourself.”
Gu Mu reached in decisively, pulling out a piece of paper and quickly reading it.
As mentioned before, she’d learned some characters from Gu Fu—not many, but she recognized the common ones.
She read the “already arrived” two characters over and over several times, a smile appearing on Gu Mu’s face.
“As long as they arrived safely, good. I was just afraid something might happen to your younger brother’s wife and Yu Baoheng Bao on the road.”
Finally, she could sleep soundly!
Gu Chan sat down, rubbing her legs, and said, “Zhaozhao is smart and cautious; nothing will happen. Mom, you’re just overly concerned.”
Noticing Qian Bao and Yao Bao weren’t there, she asked, “Where are Qian Bao and Yao Bao?”
Gu Mu answered, “Qian Bao went digging wild vegetables with Tie Dan and them. Yao Bao is sleeping inside.”
Without needing more, Gu Chan guessed the situation, “Yao Bao wanted Mommy again last night?”
“Yes, cried nonstop.” Heartache flashed in Gu Mu’s eyes, “She’s so little; missing her mom is normal.”
What wasn’t normal was how long she kept missing her.
A child that young should forget quickly, but not her granddaughter… her memory was exceptionally good, clamoring for her mom every day.
“I’ll go look.” Gu Chan headed to her parents’ room.
Yao Bao had just woken, sitting up slowly, her chubby little hands rubbing her eyes, calling “Mommy” in a milky voice, her little mouth pursing as if about to cry.
“Yao Bao’s awake.” Gu Chan said softly, her voice especially gentle.
Seeing Yao Bao’s slightly swollen eyes, as an aunt, her heart ached terribly.
“Do your eyes hurt? Auntie will take you to wash your face, then boil an egg to roll over them.”
Gu Chan dressed her little niece properly, combed her hair, used the hairpin the little girl loved most, and praised her niece over and over.
“What family’s little girl is this? So pretty.”
Yao Bao hugged her aunt’s neck, head resting on Gu Chan’s shoulder, no longer crying.
Gu Chan didn’t dare mention Zhaozhao, afraid the niece would think of her and cry again. Holding Yao Bao out of the room, she smiled and asked, “Hungry? Auntie will mix some milk powder for you.”
Yao Bao said crisply, “Want to wash face first.”
Gu Mu chimed in exaggeratedly, “Good good good, wash our Yao Bao’s face. Our Yao Bao loves being clean the most!”
The little dumpling’s heart bubbled with delight from the praise.
