Back To The 80s-Chapter 134: Eccentric_1

Gu Xiaobei sneered, "You’re seriously foul-mouthed."

"You...." Unable to come up with any retort, the woman pointed at Gu Xiaobei. Disrupted, the middle-aged man on the lower berth yelled, "What’s with all the noise, you won’t sleep and you won’t let others sleep either!"

The young man pulled her away and they both clambered back onto their bunk.

Only then did Gu Xiaobei lie back down, planning to buy a return ticket as soon as he got off. Starting to feel unaccustomed to even stepping out, he admittedly had become quite lazy.

The trains’ clacking and rolling continued throughout the night; Gu Xiaobei slumbered fitfully until dawn.

As soon as morning came, Gu Xiaobei got up and washed his face. Finding the woman from the upper bunk sitting on his bed, he made no comment; he was nearly at his station, and it was daylight after all. He walked over and sat by the window.

Looking disgruntled, the young woman fetched her toiletries and went to freshen up. When she returned, the train was about to pull into the station.

Gu Xiaobei looked at her and nearly laughed. She’d spent all that time applying makeup – her face was as dusty as pottery fresh out the kiln, her eyebrows were slim, long and almost at the centre of her temples, her lips vividly looking like she had ingested blood, and she even applied blush on her cheeks. Hideous.

But she thought she was ravishing, her hair loose, grinning at herself through a hand mirror.

As the train trundled into the station, Gu Xiaobei chose to linger, waiting until nearly everyone else was off the train before he grabbed his bags and disembarked.

The station was crowded with people waiting for arrivals. Jiang Jiahua was among them, holding up a sign with Gu Xiaobei’s name on it.

He had received a call from Gu Xiaobei a few days back, stating he would arrive at the provincial capital Monday morning. He was curious about what sort of woman Gu Xiaobei was, so he decided to pick her up at the station.

Having never met Gu Xiaobei, he could only hope that he was noticeable by holding the placard with her name aloft.

"Brother?!" Before Gu Xiaobei could get to him, his sister, Jiang Jiayan, made up like a dyed harlot came running over, "Brother, you came to pick me up. I knew you are always best to me."

Lowering the sign, Jiang Jiahua gawked at his sister. "I thought you were going to X City? How did you end up on this train?"

Without any pause, Jiang Jiayan replied, "I went to see Tiezhu."

Jiang Jiahua couldn’t help but squint at Song Tiezhu, who was standing behind Jiang Jiayan and offering an apologetic smile.

No sooner had Gu Xiaobei stepped out of the station than a man in green military uniform approached him. "Pardon me, are you Gu Xiaobei?"

Gu Xiaobei looked at the man who was about same age as Zhanguo and had the same serious bearing. She nodded, hesitantly confirming, "Yes, that’s me."

"Ma’am, my name is Liu Hongbing. Captain Lu sent me to pick you up," Liu Hongbing explained, seeing the confusion in Gu Xiaobei’s face.

"I’d like to call Zhanguo first." Gu Xiaobei watched Liu Hongbing, not ready to trust a stranger. Besides, she had seen a number of reports about fraudsters masquerading as military officers.

"Sure, I’ll take you to the station’s police post where you can make a call," Liu Hongbing said, seeing Gu Xiaobei’s wary eyes examining him. The only way she would trust him seemed to be after a call with Zhanguo.

Gu Xiaobei nodded. Although Liu Hongbing offered to help with her bags, she refused. Despite his authentic appearance, she thought it wise to remain cautious in a foreign place.

As they passed Jiang Jiayan, she suddenly spat in their direction.

"What are you doing?" Gu Xiaobei’s face darkened immediately. She had no patience for such insults.

"Are you blind? Didn’t you see me spit?" Jiang Jiayan was obnoxiously arrogant, believing she had the upper hand.

"Today, even primary students learn good manners, something you seem to lack. What’s the difference between you and a dog urinating in public?" Gu Xiaobei scoffed.

"Did you just call me a dog?" Jiang Jiayan was angry and ready to start a brawl. Luckily, Jiang Jiahua stepped in, rebuking her, "Don’t you have any shame? Let’s go home."

"She called me a dog, yet you do nothing." Jiang Jiayan grumbled.

Tired of their banter, Gu Xiaobei grabbed her bags and told Liu Hongbing, "Let’s move."

Once she was gone, Jiang Jiahua realized he was supposed to pick someone up and glanced toward the few people left at the exit. Apparently, Gu Xiaobei had already left. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Liu Hongbing led Gu Xiaobei to the station police post; he borrowed a phone and called Zhanguo.

After one ring, Zhanguo picked up.

"I’ve arrived. I’ve just got off the train." Gu Xiaobei cheerfully informed him.

"Did you meet Liu Hongbing?"

"Yes, I met him."

"Let him take you to the Bayi Guesthouse in the military district. Whenever you plan to return, tell him so that he can book your ticket." Zhanguo still felt distressed remembering the sight of a tearful and frail Xiaobei on the train. Despite his reluctance to ask for favors, he’d ended up calling Liu Hongbing.

"Okay, got it." Owing to the borrowed phone, she decided to keep the conversation brief and hung up after exchanging a few words.

Gu Xiaobei smiled at Liu Hongbing, "I apologize for my suspicions. I appreciate your assistance during my stay."

"It’s no trouble at all. Captain Lu never asks favors," Liu Hongbing relaxed a little as Gu Xiaobei finally dropped her guard.

Gu Xiaobei was in high spirits. She had never expected Zhanguo to pay attention to her in such a caring and thoughtful manner.

Dressed in his military outfit, Liu Hongbing drove Gu Xiaobei to the Bayi Guesthouse in the military district. The guesthouse was not nearby the military district but beside the provincial government building.

After checking into her room, Gu Xiaobei politely declined Liu Hongbing’s offer for lunch. She preferred to freshen up, visit the publishing house in the afternoon, and finish her tasks sooner. This way, she’d be able to return home earlier.

After Liu Hongbing left, Gu Xiaobei decided to take a bath and to grab a bite.

While the provincial capital was more bustling than T-city, it lacked towering skyscrapers, and the streets were not crammed with cars.

Gu Xiaobei found a local noodle shop near the guesthouse and ordered a bowl of noodles. Seeing the Red Flag Department Store across the road, she thought about finishing her work early and going shopping. After all, she didn’t know when she would complete the sweater that she was knitting for Zhanguo. If there was a suitable one, she could simply buy a readymade one.

After finishing her meal, she returned to the guesthouse, changed her clothes, gathered her pre-prepared documents and headed to the publishing house.

She had already inquired about its location; it was not far from the guesthouse - on turning to the second junction on the left and walking about 500 meters, it would be on the right.

Seeing the large stone at the entrance inscribed with G Province People’s Publishing House, Gu Xiaobei squinted and grinned. This was where her dream would begin!

Filled with lush trees, the spacious compound of the publishing house barely concealed a few red-colored, two-story buildings, making it look more tranquil and elegant. Indeed, it was a pleasant workspace.