Back To The 80s-Chapter 18: Affection_1

In a blink of an eye, Lu Zhanguo had been gone for half a month. Li Juan had come over a few times and had indeed made some cotton clothes for the baby. But she never brought up anything else.

Xiaobei was quite happy, she had someone to chat with, and it helped her pass the time.

After breakfast, Xiaobei had just finished her chores when her brother approached her. She didn’t have any particular feelings towards this brother; he was just a stranger to her.

Gu Xiaodong lightly tapped Xiaobei’s head, who was standing dazed in front of him, "Why so sluggish? Your big brother came to see you, aren’t you happy?"

Xiaobei smirked in her heart. This brother lived close to the military unit, it was only a two-hour drive from him to her. It’s been over three months since she followed the military and this was the first time her brother came to see her.

"Brother, what brings you here today, you surprised me," Xiaobei said with a fake smile.

"I’ve come to take you to live in the military area for a few days."

"I’m not going; I’m pregnant, and I get carsick." Xiaobei thought her brother might look gentle, but he had calculating glint in his eyes.

"What? You’re pregnant?" Xiaodong exclaimed, a trace of unwillingness present in his eyes.

"I’ve been married for over three months. What’s so surprising about being pregnant?" Xiaobei didn’t like how Xiaodong was overreacting.

"No, it’s just... I’ve always seen you as a little girl. Now you’re going to be a mother, I’m finding it hard to accept," Xiaodong responded sadly.

Xiaobei scoffed inwardly; when they forced her to marry Lu Zhanguo back then, they didn’t consider her a little girl.

"Pack your stuff. Mom is here too, and she wants to see you," Xiaodong said.

Xiaobei knew that since the original host’s mother was here, she had to go and meet her. "Okay, but when Zhanguo comes back, you have to take me back home."

"Women are indeed outwardly emotional creatures," Xiaodong teased.

Xiaobei pouted and didn’t say a word, heading back into her room to pack a few clothes.

The military residential area was in T City. Xiaodong had come in the army jeep, and once they hit the highway, things became much smoother. They arrived at the military residential area in less than two hours.

The residential area was composed of five-story buildings with two households on each floor. Being here, Xiaobei could sense the vibe of the city. Considering where she and Lu Zhanguo lived, it’s indeed very tough.

Xiaodong lived on the fourth floor in a two-bedroom flat. The living room had old-fashioned sofas, and surprisingly, there was a refrigerator and a 14-inch TV. The moment Xiaobei entered the living room, a middle-aged woman sitting on the sofa rose to greet her, grasping Xiaobei’s hands and saying tearfully, "My dear girl, why didn’t you write to us after joining the army? Do you know how worried your father and I have been?"

Xiaobei felt her nose sting with tears. She had lost her parents when she was young, and thus, she hadn’t experienced the love of a mother. The warmth of the original host’s mother brought warmth to her heart.

"Mom, sit down. Xiaobei is here, and she’s fine," Xiaodong interrupted from the sideline.

"You’re right, I’m forgetting my manners. Xiaobei, come sit with me and tell me about your life recently," Chen Qiumei said, wiping her tears and leading Xiaobei to the sofa.

"Tell me, has Lu Zhanguo been good to you? I was against this marriage from the start. I don’t know what your father was thinking to insist on you marrying that grim-faced man!" Chen Qiumei clearly didn’t think highly of Lu Zhanguo.

Xiaobei chuckled at Chen Qiumei’s description of Lu Zhanguo as a "grim-faced god". Indeed, he was usually stone-faced, looking like a grim statue. "Mom, Zhanguo treats me well. Besides, I’m pregnant now, so you shouldn’t be blaming dad."

Chen Qiumei was taken aback. She looked at Xiaodong, who was sitting on a single sofa, and asked, "She’s pregnant?" Xiaodong simply nodded without showing any expression. Xiaobei was confused by their reactions; she couldn’t understand why they were so shocked by her pregnancy.

Chen Qiumei regained her composure and said while touching Xiaobei’s belly, "In an instant, my girl is about to become a mother. How many months are you? Have you felt anything?"

"Three months, and I haven’t felt anything, so I guess the baby is going to be obedient."

"That’s good. Have you prepared anything for the child yet?" Chen Qiumei looked at her daughter, who still looked like a child herself, and felt a bit sad.

"We have prepared some things already. There’s still some time before the birth, so we’ll take our time," Xiaobei said nonchalantly.

While they were talking, a young woman with curly hair entered the room. She was Xiaodong’s wife, Liu Mei.

Liu Mei was particularly thin, with a somewhat sallow complexion, narrow eyes, and high cheekbones. Xiaobei didn’t find her particularly attractive, a feeling shared by the original host who didn’t think Liu Mei was good enough for Xiaodong. Although Liu Mei had a good family background, her father was a deputy commander in the provincial military region, which greatly aided Xiaodong’s career.

Liu Mei glanced at Xiaobei and said casually, "Xiaobei has come." She didn’t like Xiaobei. When Liu Mei got married, Xiaobei often gossiped about her to their mother-in-law. Furthermore, during a heated argument, Xiaobei even said: "With those skinny buttocks and legs, you’re definitely not capable of bearing children."

Her curse seemed to come true. Despite three or four years of marriage, Liu Mei hadn’t managed to get pregnant. After greeting Xiaobei, she went directly to her bedroom and didn’t come out. As for Xiaobei, she rummaged through her memories about her past with Liu Mei. Realizing how naively she had behaved, Xiaobei couldn’t help but curse the original host internally. It was no wonder that Liu Mei was ignoring her now. Even if Liu Mei drove her out, it wouldn’t be unreasonable.

Chen Qiumei disapproved of her daughter-in-law’s attitude and snorted coldly, "She’s always acting like a princess." This time, Xiaobei wisely remained silent.

"Mom, what are you talking about? Xiaobei, you must be hungry. What do you want for lunch? I can get it for you," Xiaodong interrupted impatiently.

"What’s there to buy? I’ve prepared everything. Xiaobei, take a seat. I’ll make you your favorite sour cabbage dumplings," Chen Qiumei said, standing up and heading to the kitchen.

"Xiaobei, do you know where Lu Zhanguo and his troop have gone for training?" Xiaodong asked casually.

"I have no idea," Xiaobei replied truthfully.

"Tomorrow, I’ll have your sister-in-law accompany you to the city to buy a few clothes," Xiaodong said, glancing at Xiaobei’s attire.

Xiaobei also thought it was time for her to buy a few clothes she liked. After all, when Zhanguo left, he had given her a bankbook containing over two thousand yuan.

During dinner, Xiaodong told Liu Mei that he planned to take Xiaobei shopping in the city the next day. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Liu Mei raised her eyebrows but surprisingly agreed. Liu Mei was very fond of Xiaodong, who was gentle, cultured, and talented. She knew that if she didn’t agree, Xiaodong would ignore her for several days. When it came to Xiaodong, she was always submissive.