Back To The 80s-Chapter 133: Gift (Request for Monthly Ticket)_1
Gu Xiaobei sighed silently: Qin Li’s heart must have perked up now that Jin Cheng is not getting married.
And indeed, Qin Li seemed extremely overjoyed. She felt that as long as Jin Cheng didn’t marry, there was hope for her. She remained unafraid of potential calamities.
The two then wandered into a department store, where Gu Xiaobei picked up her finished sweater. She greatly admired the vibrant red and loosely knitted high-collar sweater, with three twists adorning the front, leaving the rest in plain knitting. It was simple yet elegant.
With amazement, Qin Li remarked, "It’s so red. It’s the kind of red only brides wear."
Gu Xiaobei gave her a sidelong glance. "Who said that only brides can wear red?" She initially thought to buy a pair of black pants to match the long sweater, but all the pants on sale were ill-shaped and unsuitable. Paired with the loose red sweater they didn’t look good.
Eventually, an attractive, straight-cut black wool skirt caught her eye. Gu Xiaobei felt that it looked better than any pair of pants, so she bought it. Later, she would have Lu Zhanguo take it home; it would be perfect for colder weather.
After a little more shopping, the two walked out of the department store, where Lu Zhanguo was already waiting.
Realizing the couple probably wanted some alone time before Gu Xiaobei’s train journey that night, Qin Li took her leave with a grin.
Once Qin Li was out of sight, Gu Xiaobei smirked as she got into the car. "How long have you been waiting? Why didn’t you come in to find us?" She asked. The department store was not large; it was easy to see the entire first floor with just one glance.
"I wasn’t in a hurry, there was no need," Lu Zhanguo replied as he started the car, ready to drive away.
"Where are we going now?" Gu Xiaobei curiously asked.
"We’ll take a tour around the Renzong Temple, have dinner, and then head to the train station," Lu Zhanguo replied. He had been meaning to take Gu Xiaobei around T city, but had not found the time until now.
Renzong Temple, a historical palace of the legendary Fuxi, one of the legendary Three Sovereigns, was a mere twenty-minute drive from the downtown area.
The Renzong Temple was built right next to the road, with multiple courtyards layered within each other. The temple was grand and quiet. The couple took their time perusing each courtyard and palace.
The temple, at that time not yet turned into a tourist attraction, didn’t charge any entrance fees. Many of the damaged clay sculptures were yet to be restored, and signs of deterioration were apparent throughout.
After completing the tour, the sun had almost set, and Gu Xiaobei, not knowing the time, regretted not buying a wristwatch. It would be inconvenient once they arrived at the provincial capital.
Once in the car, Lu Zhanguo handed over a black, square leather box. Xiaobei received it, puzzled, but upon opening it, she found a wristwatch inside! The watch had a 17-diamond gold dial and a gold metal strap.
"How did you know what was on my mind?" Xiaobei put the watch on her knee, rushed over to Lu Zhanguo and gave him a kiss.
Lu Zhanguo quickly pulled Xiaobei back, with a stern look on his face, "Watch out, we are out in public."
Xiaobei settled into her seat after she’d had her fill of kissing and picked up the watch to give it a closer look, "What brand is this watch? The ones I saw in the department store weren’t this good."
"This is a watch I had Shen Heng bring from Capital City. It’s a Swiss Nivada," Zhanguo answered truthfully.
"How much did it cost? No, where did you get the money?" Xiaobei asked, looking at Zhanguo suspiciously.
"I had Shen Heng front the money. I’ll repay him with my this time’s bonus."
"Ah, this watch is so expensive? Department stores have watches for eighty bucks, and I thought those were already an indulgence. Why are you so extravagant?" Xiaobei said, looking anxious again after the brief moment of joy.
"It’s convenient to have a watch to keep track of time when you go out. It’s necessary to spend money on that. And remember, this is a mechanical watch. You need to wind it up every night before bed," Zhanguo reminded her.
"Oh, did you adjust the watch band? It fits perfectly," Xiaobei said, putting on the watch and flashing it in front of Zhanguo, "It looks great, doesn’t it?"
"Yes, it looks great," Zhanguo agreed, thinking how the gold-colored watch looked marvelous on Xiaobei’s fair, delicate wrist. He then started the car to head to dinner.
After dinner, they arrived at the train station. It was then that Xiaobei realized the chaos of boarding a train – the derelict waiting room was crammed with people, all carrying big and small bags, some even carrying bedding and luggage on their shoulders.
Thanks to Shen Heng’s arrangements for a sleeper berth, Lu Zhanguo was able to guide Xiaobei through the bustling crowd, one hand carrying Xiaobei’s bag, the other one holding hers. He displayed his military pass for access to the special lane, and they both got on the train much earlier than others.
Just as Xiaobei got comfortable in her berth, she saw a throng of people pour in. Those unable to board the train began throwing their bags through the windows and clambered in through them.
It took everything Lu Zhanguo had to get off the train and stand on the platform. He instructed Xiaobei through the window: "Be careful when you sleep and keep an eye on your bag."
"Call once you arrive."
"Stay in a decent guesthouse. Don’t be stingy."
"Call in advance when you’re coming back."
"Be cautious when you’re alone. Try not to act impulsively if something happens."
Observing Lu Zhanguo, who typically was man of few words, giving non-stop instructions, Xiaobei suddenly felt a surge of emotion and decided she didn’t want to leave anymore.
Even as the train pulled away, with Zhanguo’s silhouette on the platform growing smaller and smaller, Xiaobei’s reluctance grew. The feeling of separation and waiting was unbearable.
Xiaobei was in a low mood and prepared to settle down in her sleeper berth. Thankfully, Shen Heng had managed to secure a lower bunk.
A middle-aged man was in the berth across from her. He fell asleep as soon as he got on the train, reeking of alcohol, most likely intoxicated.
Just as Xiaobei laid down, she heard a young woman from the upper berth complaining, "It’s too shaky up here, I want to sleep on the bottom berth."
"We’re only here for one night, bear with it and we’ll be there," a man from the berth above hers retorted.
"No, you should swap berths for me. You really are worthless, how come other people can get lower berths and you can’t?" The young woman grumbled incessantly.
"Where am I supposed to get you a lower berth this late?" The man retorted, clearly irritated.
"I don’t care. Do you still want my brother to help you out with your job or not?"
"Can you wait a bit? Let me ask around for you." The man submitted immediately, climbed down from his bunk, eyed the middle-aged man and Xiaobei, before turning to Xiaobei and asking, "Miss, my friend gets motion sickness. I was wondering if you could swap berths with her?"
Gu Xiaobei held nothing but contempt for men like him. She coldly looked at the middle-aged, somewhat chubby man standing in front of her and flatly said, "No."
"I can pay the price difference," the man pleaded.
"I said no!" Xiaobei felt repulsed talking to him while lying down, so she sat up quickly and stared out the window.
"All it takes is one night. Be a Lei Feng and help out a bit," the man continued, not willing to back down.
Xiaobei realized that the man wasn’t getting her message, and she couldn’t be bothered to engage with him any further. She remained silent, staring out into the blackness of the night.
The young woman from above must’ve heard their conversation, as she climbed down and admonished Xiaobei, "You really lack manners, don’t you? We’re talking to you so respectfully, and this is how you act? We offered to cover the price difference – it’s not as if we’re ripping you off. Do you need to be so unpleasant?"
Xiaobei turned to look at the woman; she was not bad-looking, but oblivious to common decency. If it wasn’t for Zhanguo’s several instructions to keep her calm in the face of confrontation, she would have silenced the woman by now with some sharp words.
"What are you glaring at? Are you unread? Can’t you respond to what I’m saying to you?" The woman babbled on, refusing to back down.
"Do you never brush your teeth?" Xiaobei suddenly asked, her tone placid.
"What did you say?" The woman was taken aback.
