Back To The 80s-Chapter 129 - 128 cards: Preparation_1

Gu Xiaobei looked at Qin Li and laughed, "Nice, so you’re not going to work then?"

"I took a leave. My boss doesn’t care anymore." Qin Li said carelessly, after all, she didn’t like her job anyway.

Gu Xiaobei chided her mildly, this was a job many would envy in the 21st century. "Alright, do you want to go home and grab a change of clothes?"

"Just need to call my mom at the guard room, I won’t go home. If I do, she definitely won’t let me go out. I’ll just wear your clothes." Qin Li said without a second thought.

Lu Zhanguo said to Gu Xiaobei and Qin Li, who were still chatting enthusiastically, "Get in the car and make the phone call first, we have to pick up Cheng Qijia later and head back together."

When Gu Xiaobei heard that Cheng Qijia was also going back with them, he pulled Qin Li into the back seat of the car. They first went to the guards’ room in the government residential complex to make a call, then they went to the military area to pick up Cheng Qijia.

When Cheng Qijia opened the car door and saw Qin Li, who was sitting in the back seat wearing a green police uniform, his heart fluttered. He hid his delight, nodded in greeting to the two of them, and got into the passenger seat.

"You don’t have anything to do tomorrow, right?" Lu Zhanguo looked at Cheng Qijia sitting somewhat rigidly beside him, somewhat perplexed.

"Nothing at all."

"Get ready tomorrow, we’ll go for a barbecue by the Hulu River." Lu Zhanguo named a place.

"Okay, I’ll bring the tools." Knowing that Qin Li would definitely be going, Cheng Qijia felt happy inside.

Lu Zhanguo nodded and added, "After breakfast tomorrow, we will go. Get everything ready tonight."

"But we haven’t bought anything, haven’t even bought meat." Gu Xiaobei thought they should at least buy some seasonings.

"No need, just trust me. Just remember to pack some salt and chili powder tonight." Lu Zhanguo said.

Gu Xiaobei curiously asked Qin Li again, "Have you ever been barbecueing outdoors?"

"Yes." Qin Li replied.

"What did you bring?" Gu Xiaobei was still worried, fearing that they might be missing some essentials, which could ruin the fun of barbecuing.

"Not much, just meat, salt, and chili powder." Qin Li thought for a moment and seemed to feel that there was nothing else to bring.

Gu Xiaobei sighed, alright, this is not the 21st century where one had to bring all kinds of seasonings, barbecue tools, charcoal, stools, sun umbrellas, etc.

When they got home, it was already late in the evening. When they reached the entrance of the residential area, Lu Zhanguo let Cheng Qijia drive the car back to the barracks. He, Gu Xiaobei, and Qin Li went home together.

Because Gu Xiaobei asked Jiujiu to tell Chen Gang to come for the barbecue tomorrow, when the three of them got home, they found that Chen Gang and Jiujiu had already prepared the meal and were doing homework at the table.

Qin Li said with envy, "It’s so nice to have such well-behaved and thoughtful kids. So lucky."

"Yes, they are really thoughtful." Gu Xiaobei very much agreed with Qin Li’s words.

Chen Gang had steamed rice mixed with millet for dinner. As for the dish, it was eggplant stewed with potatoes. The rice was a little sticky because too much water was added and the dish was a bit salty because too much salt was put in. But to Gu Xiaobei, it all tasted delicious.

During mealtime, Lu Zhanguo said, "Shen Heng and Yuan Tan will also go tomorrow."

"Huh?" Gu Xiaobei was puzzled, how did Yuan Tan come into the picture? But since Yuan Tan was included, there must be some reason.

"Don’t wear skirts tomorrow, it’s inconvenient. Bring a couple of thick clothes and also for Jiujiu. It’s cooler in the mountains." Gu Xiaobei secretly stuck out her tongue, the morning’s skirt incident was still not over.

Thinking a little, Lu Zhanguo instructed again, "Later, pack the salt and chili powder, fill all the enamel pots we have at home."

"Oh. Let’s also bring the basin, do we need to bring a mat? Where are we going to sit?" Gu Xiaobei proactively thought about what to bring.

"No need, I’ll prepare everything." Lu Zhanguo, seeing Gu Xiaobei so excited she was almost ready to bring the whole set of kitchen tools, couldn’t help but chuckle a little.

Once Lu Zhanguo left, Qin Li curiously asked, "Who is Yuan Tan?"

"A beautiful woman who has a crush on Lu Zhanguo." Gu Xiaobei said sourly.

"You’re jealous, huh, so sour." Qin Li teased.

"Occasionally being jealous is good for mental health. What do you know?" Gu Xiaobei readily admitted being jealous. She trusted Lu Zhanguo’s character, but she still felt a tiny bit jealous towards his pretty admirers.

The next morning, right after breakfast, Cheng Qijia came over. He was carrying a big backpack on his back, with a military shovel (an iron shovel that’s about a meter long) attached to the side, and was slinging a military water bottle.

Gu Xiaobei quickly packed up her things and went to call Li Fengmei. As Zhang Lijun was on duty, only Li Fengmei could bring the two kids.

Five adults and four children, the lively group left the residential complex. Xiangmin listened to the noise from inside her house and curiously asked Guo Huaqiang, "Why didn’t they invite you?"

Guo Huaqiang glanced at Xiangmin, "Why, you don’t know?"

"What have I done? I really don’t know." Xiangmin immediately turned her face.

"I’ve asked you to get along with Gu Xiaobei all along, look how you cause trouble every day." Guo Huaqiang was getting angry thinking about it.

Xiangmin muttered, "I and this Gu Xiaobei, just naturally can’t get along. Instead, what about you, weren’t you brothers with Lu Zhanguo? How come your brother doesn’t like you now?"

Guo Huaqiang’s face stiffened, he threw his chopsticks on the table, stood up, and stormed out of the room.

As for Gu Xiaobei and the rest, once they left the residential complex they found Shen Heng had also come in his jeep. Lu Zhanguo let Cheng Qijia and Li Fengmei take Dadong and ride in Shen Heng’s car. Gu Xiaobei, Qin Li, Xiaodong, Jiujiu, and Chen Gang rode in the car Lu Zhanguo was driving. It worked out just fine.

T City has been known as the "small Jiangnan north of the mountains," but the scenery changes every ten miles. Heading towards Chenjiaping behind the troops, the further you go, the more desolate it becomes, with dry and arid lands and sparse vegetation on the mountains.

While going about a hundred kilometers north of the troop area to Daqing Mountain, it’s lush and green with wealth of fir and cedar trees. Between the two mountains, a river winds down from the mountain, forming a gourd shape in the mountains’ belly, hence the name Hulu River.

On both sides of the river are flat slopes with lush green grass like a natural green carpet, extending from the riverside deep into the mountains.

When they reached the Hulu River, Gu Xiaobei was still worrying – what were they going to barbecue with nothing on hand? Were they going to hunt in the mountains first?

It was not until Lu Zhanguo and Shen Heng bought a sheep from the passing shepherd who was herding a group of sheep that Gu Xiaobei realized she was worrying unnecessarily.

"How did you know there were sheep for sale here?" Gu Xiaobei asked curiously while looking at the sheep tied up by its four legs with a rope, questioning Lu Zhanguo.

"This time of year, the shepherds from the mountain will pass through here on their way home for the winter. The sheep have been grazing on fresh grass for half a year and their meat is at its fattest and most delicious. But if the shepherds take them home, they will have to feed on dry grass for a whole winter, which not only wastes the grass, but the sheep will also easily lose weight, so at this time, the shepherds are eager to get rid of some of the sheep," Lu Zhanguo explained patiently.

Gu Xiaobei was amazed - who would have thought there was so much knowledge to be had even in eating a sheep.