Back To The 80s-Chapter 556 - 548: Thoughts_1

Gu Xiaobei comforted Mo Wang with a smile, "You were gripping the chocolate too tightly, your palms got too hot, that’s why it melted. Although the chocolate may have changed shape, it still tastes sweet." She picked up Mo Wang’s hand, licked his palm, and said in satisfaction, "Hmm, it’s really sweet and delicious. Mama still has to thank Mo Wang!"

Mo Wang held back his tears, looked at his palm, and gave it a lick too. Yes, it was sweet!

Xiaopang, with a ring of chocolate smeared around her mouth, ran over to Mo Wang, who was holding a piece of chocolate. She blinked and said, "Brother, don’t cry. Uncle still has chocolate." She turned to Lu Aiguo and pleaded, "Uncle, give more chocolate. Brother is crying."

Wen Xiuqing laughed and commented, "There’s an old saying: ’From small to large, at three years old you can tell’. Mo Wang is indeed very straightforward. Look at Xiaopang, she knew long ago that Aiguo still had chocolate. She ate all of hers early so she can ask for more."

Gu Xiaobei wiped Xiaopang’s mouth with a handkerchief while playfully asking, "Did Xiaopang save any chocolate for Mama?"

"Yes, it’s with Uncle." Xiaopang replied earnestly.

That remark had everyone laughing again.

Lu Aiguo, smiling, carried Tiantian into the room to fetch more chocolate for the kids.

...

Lu Zhanguo didn’t notice the unkind smirk on Liu Hongbing’s face until he looked closely in the barracks’ mirror. He realized there was a little circle of teeth marks on his chin. His face darkened upon understanding why Gu Xiaobei had been laughing all morning, and why his soldiers’ expressions resembled those of people suppressing their pain.

By the time Lu Zhanguo returned to his office, his face was calm. Coldly, he glanced at Liu Hongbing, "You’re on duty tonight!"

Liu Hongbing’s smile froze, "Get your private vengeance out of official! I was just curious."

Lu Zhanguo didn’t reply. A blunder, indeed. Little did he know about shaving in front of a mirror and spotting this early. He might have saved the razor stubble, enough to hide the mark.

...

The Lu Family’s Mid-Autumn Festival was very festive this year. Elder Jin and Bai Mingzhu also celebrated it here.

The Cheng Qijia did not come to see Bai Mingzhu for the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Bai Mingzhu tearfully watched the Lu family busily preparing food. She couldn’t help sitting there with red eyes.

Bai Xiaolan nudged Zhou Siping to go and talk to her. It’s a festival, let’s not cry at the Lu’s house.

Zhou Siping sighed. She wasn’t sure what to say to Bai Mingzhu, who refused to listen to reason. Fortunately, Bai Mingzhu already bought her return ticket. Otherwise, Zhou would be driven mad by her.

Thankfully, Bai Mingzhu ate dinner normally.

When Lu Zhanguo arrived home, he was surprised to find Lu Aiguo there. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Lu Aiguo was sharing a passionate conversation with Ji Xiangdong over a drink. As soon as Lu Zhanguo arrived, he insisted on Lu Zhanguo joining them.

Seeing Lu Zhanguo’s face, Wen Xiuqing asked worriedly, "Zhangguo, what happened to your face?"

Looking at Lu Zhanguo’s face, Gu Xiaobei almost burst into laughter. Lu Zhanguo had actually put a small piece of gauze on his chin and taped it with surgical tape.

"It’s nothing, I just knocked it accidentally." Lu Zhanguo gave an evasive answer. Thankfully he had asked for some medical supplies from the medical team before coming back. Otherwise, he would have had to deal with the embarrassment in front of his family.

Wen Xiuqing still looked worried and told Lu Aiguo, "Your older brother is injured. Stop making him drink."

Gu Xiaobei did her best not to laugh, while her face twisted to avoid looking at Lu Zhanguo who occasionally glanced at her with a ’you’ll see’ gaze.

Lu Zhanguo saw that Lu Aiguo had already started talking nonsense from all the drinking and decided to ignore him. He sat down to chat with Elder Jin.

Elder Jin sighed, "The time we spent as soldiers was much more lively. Although the food wasn’t good, the company was great. Now we’re old. It’s hard to see old comrades."

Looking at Elder Jin’s white hair and facial wrinkles, Ji Xiangdong felt anxious. Why hadn’t he received any response from the people he was searching for?

However, Elder Jin was still excitedly discussing border issues and political trends with Lu Zhanguo.

Often, Elder Jin was very passionate and impulsive. He had his own views on the current situation and felt that authorities were much too kind in their ways.

As these discussions were inappropriate for Lu Zhanguo, he merely listened attentively.

Lu Songyuan also thought the dinner table wasn’t a suitable place for political discussions. He changed the subject, "Aiguo, you mentioned that you’ve started a factory. What does it make?"

Lu Aiguo, tipsy from the drinks, heard his name being mentioned and replied with a belch, "Toys."

Having heard that, Gu Xiaobei couldn’t help admiring Lu Aiguo’s foresight.

Lu Aiguo’s face turned the color of a pig’s liver from the alcohol. Slurring his words, he said, "While I was in the south, I was thinking, what can I do? What should I do from now? What can make my daughter, Lele, happy? Then, while I was shopping in a foreign trade store, I saw all kinds of fluffy toys that I had never seen before. So, I thought, I would open a toy factory that makes all kinds of dolls to make my daughter happy. As long as my daughter is happy, I’m happy!"

After Lu Aiguo’s speech, everyone went silent, with mixed feelings in their hearts.

Wen Xiuqing was the first one who couldn’t hold back her tears, as she discreetly used her sleeve to wipe them away.

Even Lu Songyuan seemed troubled, his eyes turning red.

Lu Aiguo slapped the table, belched, and asked loudly, "Why are you all silent? I know you’re feeling sad for me, but I’m not sad. My Lele still writes to me. She said ’Dad, take good care of yourself’. Look, my Lele has grown up and become sensible, shouldn’t I be happy?" Saying this, he couldn’t hold back his own tears, and he started sobbing on the table...

The family reunion dinner ended in an atmosphere of sadness.

On the way back, Gu Xiaobei couldn’t help but sigh to Lu Zhanguo, "What’s the point of living in one’s life?"

Lu Zhanguo, holding Xiaopang, stayed quiet. If he were to explain, it’d be about living a good life. But if he said that out loud, Gu Xiaobei would definitely roll her eyes.

When they arrived at the family courtyard, many people were still chatting and appreciating the moon outside.

Xu Yanhong and Zhao Hongmei were also there.

Zeng Changzhi was chatting with several comrades by the grove with Erhu. Seeing Lu Zhanguo, he invited, "Old Lu, come over and chat for a while. It’s the holiday after all!"

Lu Zhanguo, carrying Xiaopang, casually walked over. These guys seemed to have also made fun of him earlier.

Xu Yanhong knew that Mo Wang did not like her, so she didn’t rush to greet him. Instead, she greeted Gu Xiaobei with a smile.

Zhao Hongmei said proudly, "Our sister-in-law also found a job, she’ll be able to start work in a few days."

Gu Xiaobei replied with a smile, "That’s great, it must’ve been difficult waiting at home."

"Honghe said that once Yanhong starts working, they’ll move out."

Mo Wang clung to Gu Xiaobei’s leg and furtively watched Xu Yanhong. The spy seemed different now. She didn’t look like a spy this way. However, Mama said that even though the chocolate changed its shape, it was still chocolate. So even if a spy changed, were they still a spy?