Back To The 80s-Chapter 580 - 572: Alive_1

Liu Jiajia was still babbling on the side, "If you play with me, I’ll get my mom to make stewed meat for you to eat."

Xiaopang was silent this time, as if he heard nothing at all.

Gu Xiaobei and Tian Yuanyuan watched and laughed.

.....

Knowing that Lu Zhanguo’s family was going to the small courtyard for New Year’s Day, Tian Yuanyuan did not keep them any longer. Before leaving, Liu Jiajia cried and clung to the doorway, refusing to leave. She insisted that Xiaopang should go play with her.

Xiaopang pouted behind Gu Xiaobei, continuously muttering, "Crybaby, crybaby!"

Gu Xiaobei found it both funny and annoying. In this yard, Xiaopang disliked two children the most, Liu Jiajia and Erhu.

Liu Hongbing joked, "Well, I think these two are destined sweethearts, maybe we will become parents-in-law in the future."

Lu Zhanguo pushed Liu Hongbing away, telling him to leave quickly and stop talking nonsense.

After Liu Hongbing’s family left, Gu Xiaobei squatted down and asked Xiaopang, "Why do you dislike Jiajia so much? Jiajia always shares her food with you. Why don’t you like her?"

Xiaopang lifted his chin proudly and said, "I don’t want to play with a crybaby."

Gu Xiaobei laughed and patted Xiaopang’s head, "If you’re not mean to Jiajia, she won’t cry, right?"

Xiaopang pouted and remained silent. She simply did not like Jiajia.

By the time the four of them got ready to leave the house, Wen Xiuqing had already prepared everything in the small courtyard. Seeing Gu Xiaobei and her family entering, she asked, "I thought you asked your elder brother to call you. Why did you come so late?"

"Some visitors at home delayed us a little." Gu Xiaobei replied and took off her padded clothes. Lu Zhanguo took her coat and put it in the west room. She rolled up her sleeves and started helping with the cooking.

Wen Xiuqing had specifically made a separate small pot meal for the children: chicken dumplings, steam fish without bones, cabbage rolls with small meat, and she had used a clay pot to make bone soup.

"Can they eat so much?" Gu Xiaobei asked, eyeing the delicate snacks.

"Making a few more dishes ensures there is something they will like. Besides, Mo Wang needs to eat more to regain his weight." Wen Xiuqing was most worried about her eldest grandson, Mo Wang.

As Gu Xiaobei mixed the cold dishes, and Wen Xiuqing stewed the meals, she said, "I called Aiguo yesterday. He might not come back for the New Year’s, but it seems that Fang Jing is bringing Yueyue."

Gu Xiaobei was pleasantly surprised, "Really? That’s great! But why isn’t Aiguo coming back? How nice it would be for the family to celebrate New Year’s together?"

"I suspect that the two may have made a deal in which Fang Jing agreed to bring Yueyue on the condition that she wouldn’t see Aiguo." Wen Xiuqing sighed.

Gu Xiaobei agreed, but was also relieved that Fang Jing was willing to come. With time, the couple might even reconcile.

"When Fang Jing comes, you and your sister-in-law should persuade her. What could be better than a husband and wife? It’s also good for Yueyue." Wen Xiuqing instructed.

Gu Xiaobei nodded, "Sure, when Fang Jing comes, we will definitely talk to her. Nothing is better than having a family together."

After dinner, Mo Wang watched TV with his grandfather. They watched war dramas about the resistance against Japan. Mo Wang watched attentively. Whenever the plot got intense, his eyes would widen, and his small fists would clench.

When Gu Xiaobei called Mo Wang and Xiaopang to go home, Mo Wang hesitated, glancing at the TV before reluctantly climbing down from the Kang bed.

Xiaopang, quite observant, said to Gu Xiaobei, "Mom, my brother and I can stay here at grandma’s. You and dad go home."

Mo Wang, who was squatting on the floor putting on his shoes, heard Xiaopang’s words. He stood up with a light in his eyes and asked, "Mom, can I stay?"

"Of course, of course, why not." Wen Xiuqing happily pulled Mo Wang up onto the Kang bed. Xiaopang also happily climbed onto the Kang and sat next to her brother to watch TV.

Wen Xiuqing looked at Gu Xiaobei and said, "Why don’t you two also stay? I can heat the Kang bed in the other room for you."

"No need, we soaked our clothes in a bin before we left the house this morning." Gu Xiaobei laughed, looked at the two kids, shrugged each once, and left with Lu Zhanguo for home.

Gu Xiaobei leaned on Lu Zhanguo’s arm, letting him take all her weight as she walked lazy without making an effort.

"How long will your leave last?"

"I don’t know, maybe after New Year."

Gu Xiaobei happily said, "We can have New Year’s Eve dinner together this year, right? We’ve never had New Year’s Eve dinner together."

Lu Zhanguo couldn’t resist teasing her, "What about the first year in the army?"

"That doesn’t count, Xiaopang and Mo Wang were still in my stomach then." Gu Xiaobei retorted, suddenly stopped walking, stretched out her hands and said childishly, "Carry me!"

Lu Zhanguo glanced at the deserted street, squatted halfway and agreed, "Okay."

Gu Xiaobei climbed onto his back with a giggling laugh, hugged Lu Zhanguo’s neck and asked, "Mmm, when I’m old, will you still be able to carry me?"

"Yes!"

......

Shortly after New Year’s Day, Lu Zhanguo was suddenly recalled to the army and was directly dispatched from the army.

Lu Zhanguo could only ask Liu Hongbing to pass on a verbal message to Gu Xiaobei and their children.

Because something happened on Wang Wenbing’s side, He Zhuangzhi and Min Zhonghua decided that in order not to alert Wang Wenbing and the others, they secretly transferred Lu Zhanguo early and declared externally that he was on a top-secret mission. With regards to secret tasks, no one had the right to inquire.

Upon hearing this news, Wang Wenbing panicked for a while, wondering how it could be such a coincidence. He inquired about the border forces of Yunnan Province, asking if there was a person named Lu Zhanguo. Once the answer was no, he finally felt somewhat reassured.

What Lu Zhanguo was dispatched to was the Miaojiang Border, which was several hundred kilometers away from Yunnan Province. Wu Guanghan also accompanied him.

In the north, heavy snow was falling, while the south was warm like spring. Nevertheless, the air always gave a feeling of dampness, even the quilts felt damp.

After Lu Zhanguo and Wu Guanghan checked in and reported to their new department, they prepared to go to the county to buy some insect repellent powder and spread it in their rooms.

They slowly walked towards the county along the stone road.

Looking at the green plants on both sides of the street, Wu Guanghan said happily, "Seeing green in winter is really comforting."

Lu Zhanguo looked at the blue-tiled walls on both sides of the street, which were topped by clusters of unknown blooming flowers. He thought to himself that he must bring Gu Xiaobei and the children to see this. He was sure that she would like it.

"There’s a drugstore up ahead. They should sell the medicinal powder." Wu Guanghan pointed to a pharmacy in the distance.

Lu Zhanguo followed his gaze to the small traditional Chinese medicine shop, with a long scroll hanging at the door displaying a big "Miao" character. Such shops had already disappeared in big cities.

When Lu Zhanguo’s gaze landed on the person lying in front of the door, he froze. His face, which usually remained expressionless even when facing extreme adversity, suddenly changed.

A young man was half-reclining on a wooden lounge chair at the entrance, his hair hanging down over his shoulders. His eyes were closed in tranquility as he basked in the warm sunlight.