Chapter 302: “brother Complex Is Hopeless”
Got gossip?!
Lin Zhao’s eyes lit up slightly. She approached the washbasin, soaked a towel, handed it to Gu Chenghuai, and said with a beaming, eager smile, “Wipe your sweat, take your time.”
Gu Chenghuai took the towel and wiped the sweat from his face and neck. He stepped back half a step. He’d just finished training and hadn’t had time to shower yet. The sweat smell on him was hard to dispel. If it got to Zhaozhao, she’d complain he stank again!
“Come on, tell me.” Lin Zhao urged.
Gu Chenghuai mulled it over for a while but still didn’t know how to say it.
Lin Zhao: “Is it that difficult?”
“Not really…” Gu Chenghuai frowned slightly, his expression indescribably complex and conflicted.
It involved a comrade-in-arms, so he really didn’t know how to bring it up. Besides, his wife hated stupidity the most. She’d definitely be pissed once she heard it.
Seeing Gu Chenghuai like this only made Lin Zhao more curious. Her eyes sparkled as she watched him, waiting for him to choose his words.
“…Didn’t I mention a comrade before, the one we saw at the leader’s house this afternoon? She’s Comrade Bai. She used to be a military wife too…”
Lin Zhao caught the key point. “Used to be?”
“Yeah, used to be.” Gu Chenghuai sighed softly. “Comrade Bai’s husband sacrificed himself.”
Lin Zhao had thought it was divorce, but it turned out to be sacrifice. Her heart suddenly grew heavy, and she gripped her man’s hand.
Her man was a soldier too, doing dangerous work that licked blood from a knife. Every time she heard such bad news, Lin Zhao felt her chest tighten. She didn’t dare think further.
Gu Chenghuai gently stroked Lin Zhao’s head to comfort her and said warmly, “I’m fine. Don’t worry. I promised you I’d be careful on missions. My wife is so good, and the kids are so sensible. I could never bear to leave you all.”
Lin Zhao forced a smile. “Yeah, yeah. You said it. You have to keep it firmly in your heart.”
“I remember.” Gu Chenghuai’s voice was gentle.
Then he steered the topic back.
“Wanna keep listening? Looks like you’ve lost interest…”
Lin Zhao: “…Listening.”
Gu Chenghuai chuckled softly.
He still liked his wife full of energy like this.
“No!” Lin Zhao spotted the issue. “You said Sister-in-law Bai’s husband heroically sacrificed himself. How is she still in the military region? If I remember right, in her situation, she should go back to her hometown, right?!”
Gu Chenghuai said, “She should, but… her family situation is special.”
Lin Zhao pulled him to sit down and handed him her cup. She asked, “What kind of special?”
Gu Chenghuai took two sips of tea and said, “Sister-in-law Bai gave birth to two girls. Her husband’s family doesn’t like her. Her maternal family is sexist too. If she took the kids back home, they’d have no way to live. She knew that, so when she heard her man had sacrificed, she jumped into the river right away. Luckily, she was rescued in time… It caused a big fuss. The troops’ leaders handled it discreetly and let her stay…”
“Then what? What’s that got to do with Zhang Saozi’s man?” Lin Zhao pressed.
“A lot.” A flash of cold mockery crossed Gu Chenghuai’s eyes.
He wasn’t the gossipy type, but with Sun Yeli around him knowing every bit of news, he was forced to hear plenty of insider scoops.
“Sister-in-law Bai lost her man, so the troops took good care of her. The sisters-in-law did too…” Gu Chenghuai started hesitating again, finding it hard to say.
Facing Zhaozhao’s bright eyes, he couldn’t bear to disappoint her, so he continued.
“Zhang Saozi is straightforward. Seeing Sister-in-law Bai struggling with two kids, she helped whenever she could. But who knew this help would breed resentment.”
The Zhang Saozi he meant was Zhang Ping.
Lin Zhao’s eyes brightened even more, her gaze urging him on.
The man’s low voice continued: “Later, Sister-in-law Bai kept showing up for all sorts of reasons—changing a light bulb, the water jar running out, roof leaking, table broken, kid sick… No matter what, as long as she asked, my comrade-in-arms would go help.”
“Zhang Saozi is capable. Her man did this occasionally at home, and she didn’t mind. But that time, she was pregnant. Her man still dropped everything when called and left. Finally, because he wasn’t home, she nearly lost both her life and the baby. The child she barely gave birth to ended up sickly. Because of this, she came to hate Sister-in-law Bai.”
“Zhang Saozi brought pumpkin to our house probably because we embarrassed Sister-in-law Bai today, and she’s happy about it.”
Morals get tossed aside until they become habit!
As he spoke, Gu Chenghuai didn’t even feel embarrassed anymore.
Lin Zhao’s fair, tender face scrunched up. She felt so disgusted she nearly retched.
“Isn’t this just a real-life Farmer and the Snake story? I really…”
She couldn’t find the right word for how fucked up she felt inside. Anyway, her stomach felt extremely unwell.
Having to hear such an outrageous story—it was like she’d drawn the short straw!
Bad luck.
She took a few deep breaths but couldn’t help asking, “Didn’t Zhang Saozi make a fuss?”
That straightforward sister-in-law didn’t seem like a pushover.
“She did, but…” Gu Chenghuai glanced at his wife, knowing Zhaozhao would feel bad again. “Her man sided with Sister-in-law Bai. Making a fuss didn’t help.”
In fact, not just Zhang Ping’s man—others sided with Bai Taohua too.
Whoever’s weaker is right.
Bai Taohua knew how to play the victim, crying pitifully with pear blossoms in rain. Beside her, her two daughters cried along. She kept apologizing and even knelt. It really looked like Zhang Ping was unforgiving and bullying her.
“Does that man have shit for brains?” Lin Zhao said incredulously. She’d really seen the diversity of human species.
“Not protecting his own wife but protecting another woman—such a crooked guy. Why stay here? He should go back to farming. Idiot!”
“And those onlookers—don’t know pain unless the knife cuts their own flesh, huh? Really good at saying cool words. Too bad I wasn’t there, or I’d rip their mouths apart. How so annoying!”
All women—they should know each other’s hardships best. How could they gang up on one person?
Gu Chenghuai gently patted Lin Zhao’s back, soothing her in a gentle tone. “Don’t be mad. It’s got nothing to do with us. Besides, Zhang Saozi doesn’t care anymore.”
“No greater grief than a dead heart, right?” Lin Zhao’s mouth was like it was smeared with crane’s top red when angry. “I think Zhang Saozi’s too lazy to even mention her man. Probably treats him like he’s already hung on the wall.”
The words were harsh, but true.
That’s exactly what Zhang Ping did—treated her man like a tool for raising kids and ignored him at home.
Gu Chenghuai witnessed his wife’s razor-sharp little mouth again but didn’t find her cursing unpleasant.
He didn’t think much of that comrade he wasn’t close to.
A guy whose brain couldn’t sort things out.
It’s fine to help a comrade’s widow, but you can’t neglect your own little family, right?
Your wife married you, handles the housework, laundry, cooking, birthing kids, raising them… So much hardship. Not only don’t you help her, you team up with outsiders to stab her in the heart. Is that something a person does?!
Even he, just hearing the story, felt disheartened for that wife. No need to mention the person involved.
“And that Sister-in-law Bai too—she’s just a green tea white lotus, disgusting to death!” Lin Zhao’s tone was soft, but her words grew colder one by one, like knives hidden in cotton.
Gu Chenghuai was puzzled. “What’s a green tea white lotus mean?”
Lin Zhao glanced at him. “…”
She’d slipped up.
“Nothing.”
Gu Chenghuai could tell Zhaozhao was really pissed and didn’t dare ask more.
Lin Zhao suddenly stared hard at her man, her expression serious, her words domineering. “Stay far away from that Bai woman from now on! Don’t give her any chance to talk to you. Got it?”
Commander Gu loved his wife’s domineering side too much. His brows were full of smiles, and his steady, powerful voice rang out. “Got it.”
“I hear it loud and clear. I’ll definitely stay far away from her, not give her any chance to talk.” He added again, his eyes full of indulgence and doting.
Her kids’ dad was handsome, with a chiseled face and a pair of very black, deep eyes. Expressionless, he looked cold; when he smiled with curved lips, it was like winter snow melting—very alluring.
Lin Zhao felt her face heat up under his gaze and unconsciously looked away.
After a few breaths, as if mending it, she added, “I’m not demanding anything of you. It’s just for our family’s happiness and stability.”
Gu Chenghuai smiled, his tone softening unconsciously. “I know.”
He affirmed his wife’s words. “You’re absolutely right. I agree. For our family, we can’t be too cautious.”
Hearing Gu Chenghuai speak, Lin Zhao’s heart suddenly didn’t feel so stuffy.
She scooted over, hugged Gu Chenghuai’s waist, and said seriously and earnestly, “You can never, ever, ever… put anyone else above me!”
Her slender, pretty fingers lightly poked the man’s solid chest. “In your heart, I have to be the most important.”
She had a glass heart and emotional germophobia—very particular, couldn’t tolerate sand in her eyes. If one day Gu Chenghuai ranked her second, she’d leave without hesitation.
People who aren’t short on love never lack the courage to start over.
Gu Chenghuai’s eyes softened. His chin lightly rubbed Lin Zhao’s hair top, his tone certain. “Of course.”
In his heart, his wife was the most, most, most important—even more than their four kids. The children would grow up, spread wings, and fly far. Zhaozhao was the one he should cherish most.
The twins came back from playing, hand in hand, pushing the door open. Seeing their hugging parents, they quickly shut the door.
The two little brothers covered their eyes with their hands, leaving a big gap, peeking nonstop. Their faces’ smiles could fly to the sky.
Parents affectionate, kids living in a happy, wonderful family atmosphere—optimistic and cheerful personalities, with courage to face any unknown storms.
Yu Baoheng Bao were just like that.
“So mushy.” Heng Bao grinned. Saying so, his smile was brighter than the sun.
“Little brat butts in too much!” Gu Chenghuai eyed his son. “My wife—I can hug her however I want.”
Hearing that, Lin Zhao pursed her lips in a smile.
Gu Chenghuai used to have the most rigid temperament, but his wife had influenced him into what he was now.
Proper outside, relaxed at home.
Heng Bao rushed over and hugged Lin Zhao’s waist. “Me too, me too! This is my mom—I can hug her too!”
Lin Zhao felt his body was damp with sweat. She was disgusted and collapsed, saying, “Gu Zhiheng! You got sweat all over me!”
Gu Chenghuai quickly said, “Don’t worry. I’ll go boil hot water. You can shower right after.”
With that, he turned and went into the kitchen.
He was a big man—didn’t need hot water to shower. His wife was a female comrade; hot water was better for her.
Even in boiling water, Gu Chenghuai did better than other men.
Many men weren’t aware of this and even complained it wasted firewood.
Ridiculous? In fact, there were even more ridiculous things.
Heng Bao heard the disgust in Lin Zhao’s words and quickly pulled back his arms. He chuckled. “Mom, I’ll wash your skirt later.”
“No need.” Lin Zhao figured he wouldn’t wash it clean. “Your dad will wash it for me.”
Before the last word faded, she haughtily turned and left. Back in the room, she opened the wardrobe, got clean clothes, and went to the yard to wait for the water to boil.
Yu Bao also fetched clean clothes for himself and his brother, lining up to shower.
“What did you play just now?” Lin Zhao asked casually.
Heng Bao said loudly, “We played beating the devils! Gonna keep playing tomorrow.”
Lin Zhao: “…”
Not tired of it.
They’d been playing this game for days!
“Have fun.” She said.
In the military region, the most comfortable thing was not worrying about the kids. No matter how late they played, they wouldn’t get lost.
These two weren’t pushovers either—sharp tongues, protected by Mao Dan’er and Jing Mo. They could strut around the military region no problem.
Their biological father was the military region’s famous cold-faced god. Their biological uncle was a highly skilled doctor. Even the military region leader’s son treated them like little brothers. Who’d dare mess with them without eyes?
“Hehe, this place is so fun.” Heng Bao’s little face was flushed, his eyes bright too.
Yu Bao nodded reservedly.
Fun different from the brigade.
Lin Zhao looked at the two boys and could almost imagine them wailing when they left the military region to go home.
Her face wore an appropriately warm smile as she reminded them, “Don’t forget homework. I bet Li Bao’s already done.”
Li Bao wasn’t the smartest, but he was obedient and diligent. He was the most proactive with homework.
Yu Bao said, “We remember. I write homework every day.”
For kids’ matters, Lin Zhao let them handle it themselves. She didn’t interfere much. Luckily, the eldest was self-disciplined, with plans for study and play.
Mainly the second son.
“What about Heng Bao?” She looked at Heng Bao.
Heng Bao showed an innocent smile, quite honest. “I only did a bit. I’ll catch up later.”
“Hope so…” Lin Zhao said.
She gave the second boy a heads-up. “If you don’t finish your summer homework, and your teacher calls me to school, just say I’m not home—let your grandparents go.”
Heng Bao’s eyes widened, imagining a scene. His grandma nagged by the teacher all afternoon, wilted like a frostbitten eggplant, head hanging low.
His face turned serious. “I’ll finish it. Won’t let the teacher call parents.”
Yu Bao said, “Ask me if you don’t know how.”
Heng Bao nodded his little head. “Yeah, yeah.”
The kids, busy having fun and forgetting home, suddenly remembered their good brother in Fengshou Brigade. “We’re not home—how does Li Bao handle math problems he can’t do? He’s so dumb. Really worrying.”
Lin Zhao flicked his little head with her finger. “How do you talk? Li Bao’s not dumb. He’s wise in a foolish way. You’re brothers—can’t say that about him. How’d you feel if he called you dumb?”
Yu Bao said, “Heng Bao would definitely ignore him.”
His brother was petty and held grudges.
Heng Bao didn’t deny it, grinning. “If it was my brother saying it… I wouldn’t feel anything.”
Lin Zhao: “…”
Brother-obsessed, no saving him.
Yu Bao patted his brother’s head. “You’re not dumb. Heng Bao’s the smartest.”
Heng Bao was so pleased by his brother his mouth nearly split to the back of his head.
Lin Zhao watched in awe.
The eldest boy’s EQ was really high.
The brothers looked alike, but their personalities were diverging more… Perfectly complementary, no worry about going astray.
