Back To The 80s-Chapter 16: Home Visit_1

Dinner at Gu Xiaobei’s was reheated steamed buns from the previous day and a dish of fried cabbage with vinegar. Xiaobei also cooked some millet porridge. Lu Zhanguo loved spicy food, so Xiaobei prepared some shredded pickled vegetables and added green onion and chili powder, then doused it with hot oil.

Just as the dishes were served, a knock was heard at the door. Lu Zhanguo got up to open it, while Gu Xiaobei sat down and started to serve porridge for the two of them.

As the door opened, Chi Xiaoyue’s voice rang out, "Brother Zhanguo, my cousin came by, saying he was Xiaobei’s classmate. He just arrived and doesn’t know anyone, so we came to visit."

Gu Xiaobei silently thought that this was a real effort to sabotage their marital relationship.

Lu Zhanguo stepped aside to let Chi Xiaoyue and Wang Chuanjiang into the house. His brows furrowed slightly, clearly displeased. Chi Xiaoyue entered with an innocent and harmless demeanor, smiling as she entered. Wang Chuanjiang, however, seemed intimidated by Lu Zhanguo’s imposing manner, solemnly regal, and his piercing gaze seemed to see right through people.

Gu Xiaobei sat in front of the dinner table, not even lifting his eyelids as he leisurely picked at the pickled vegetables.

Chi Xiaoyue, undeterred, moved a stool for herself and Wang Chuanjiang and sat down. Lu Zhanguo sat opposite Gu Xiaobei without a word, focusing on his meal.

Chi Xiaoyue felt a bit awkward and hesitantly started, "Sister-in-law, Chuanjiang said you two got along well at school. Why do you ignore him now? Is there any misunderstanding?" She finished, casting a meaningful glance at Lu Zhanguo.

Gu Xiaobei really didn’t understand how this woman could be so shameless. Actually, the people of this era were relatively simple, and even the crafty ones were child’s play to Gu Xiaobei, who had dealt with much cunning in the 21st century.

"Doctor Chi, don’t speak nonsense, such remarks can be easily misunderstood," Gu Xiaobei warned, then winked at Lu Zhanguo.

Wang Chuanjiang sat by, negotiating his position in front of Lu Zhanguo. Chi Xiaoyue went on, "If you’re bored at home, sister-in-law, you can teach at the village school. Chuanjiang has started teaching there, and with only two teachers for seventy to eighty students, your higher education would really help those students."

Gu Xiaobei scoffed; thankfully, they had discussed this issue before dinner, otherwise, based on how Chi Xiaoyue spoke of the school’s hardships, not going would seem selfish. Gu Xiaobei simply smiled and watched Lu Zhanguo.

Lu Zhanguo caught on and said gravely, "Your sister-in-law is pregnant now, and the child is quite a handful. Let’s talk about it after the baby is born." Satisfied, Gu Xiaobei picked up her bowl to drink some porridge.

Chi Xiaoyue was left utterly embarrassed and looked visibly upset. After some idle chatter, she left with Wang Chuanjiang.

"What’s Chi Xiaoyue trying to do?" Gu Xiaobei asked, biting her chopstick as she questioned Lu Zhanguo.

"Don’t bother with them," Lu Zhanguo, who also had reservations about Chi Xiaoyue bringing Wang Chuanjiang today, responded. He couldn’t believe Chi Xiaoyue didn’t know about Gu Xiaobei’s past affection for Wang Chuanjiang. Thinking of that, he looked at Gu Xiaobei and said, "Your taste in the past was really poor."

Gu Xiaobei felt almost whimsical; Lu Zhanguo was actually making sardonic jokes. In good spirits, he nodded vigorously, "Yes, I was young and foolish back then."

Chi Xiaoyue, frustrated to the core, paced ahead quickly. Wang Chuanjiang was also puzzled. Considering Gu Xiaobei’s passion for him just a few months ago, such indifference now seemed improbable.

Indeed, Wang Chuaniang and Gu Xiaobei were childhood friends, growing up together and being in the same class at school. From the moment Gu Xiaobei began to fancy the opposite sex, she’d always orbited around Wang Chuanjiang. She was petulant and unreasonable to others, except in his presence, where she was meekly subservient.

However, Wang Chuanjiang never liked Gu Xiaobei’s type. Having grown up in a single-parent family without a mother, he was more drawn to gentle, mature women—somewhat of an Oedipus complex.

But he hadn’t rejected Gu Xiaobei’s affections either, as her devotion flattered his vanity significantly. Yet now, after not seeing her for just a couple of months, Gu Xiaobei’s outright disdain, barely acknowledging him, left him quite discontented but helpless.

Now, with Chi Xiaoyue forcing him to stay in this impoverished, isolated place, his irritation grew further.

Seeing that he hadn’t followed, Chi Xiaoyue’s face, pure as a white flower, tensed up, "I brought you here to help me. Look at you—scared to say a word. What a disgrace."

"You shouldn’t speak too far; don’t think I can’t tell you’ve got your eyes on Lu Zhanguo," Wang Chuanjiang retorted, adjusting his glasses in anger.

"What nonsense are you talking? If you can’t sort out your feelings, don’t blame me for being blunt," Chi Xiaoyue snapped back, gritting her teeth.

Short of breath, Wang Chuanjiang dropped the conversation, knowing he was at Chi Xiaoyue’s mercy with her having leverage over him.

After washing up, Gu Xiaobei lay in bed thinking she should cut some cloth to make a little quilt for the baby.

Lu Zhanguo climbed into bed, pulling Gu Xiaobei into his arms, "I have to take the troops for mountain training in a few days; it might take a month before I return. Your pregnancy is advancing, and your belly is growing. Maybe you should go back to Capital City."

But Gu Xiaobei didn’t want to leave. Although her in-laws were nice, she felt uncomfortable around them. "It takes three days by train to get there, what if I miss you?" 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Seeing Gu Xiaobei acting coquettishly, Lu Zhanguo also felt reluctant to part, "How about you stay at the military district with your brother for a while? I’ll come to get you when I’m back."

Gu Xiaobei had no real affection for her so-called brother she gained after transmigrating. "I’ll just wait at home for you. I’m married now; I can’t just stay at my brother’s place for long. Don’t worry, if anything comes up, I can always turn to Fengmei," she said, her small hand playfully igniting fires on Lu Zhanguo’s body.

Lu Zhanguo flipped over and took charge, initiating what once started couldn’t be stopped. He kissed Gu Xiaobei’s lips, ears, and neck while his hand wandered under her clothes, grasping the soft fullness. Gu Xiaobei moaned softly, managing to gasp, "Be careful with the baby."

As their clothes fell away, accompanied by Gu Xiaobei’s subdued moans, the room was filled with the breath of spring until late into the night.

They say women give themselves out of love, and men love out of desire. Lu Zhanguo felt he could drown in Gu Xiaobei, unable to resist touching her soft, delicate body every time he did.