Back To The 80s-Chapter 597 - 589: Colonel_1

Bai Xiaolan never skipped a chance to tease Gu Xiaobei, playfully asked Xiaopang: "When did daddy call mommy a fox spirit?"

Gu Xiaobei hurriedly covered Xiaopang’s mouth, when did this little devil overhear that?

Xiaopang unhappily freed herself from Gu Xiaobei’s grasp, and with a pout she left to find her dad, maybe watching skinning the sheep will be more fun.

Li Fengmei and Bai Xiaolan looked at the blushing Gu Xiaobei and burst into laughter.

"Just as I stepped into the yard, I heard your roaring laughter. What are you chatting about? So lively?" Ge Chunling walked into the kitchen with a smile.

Gu Xiaobei gave Bai Xiaolan a glare and diverted the conversation: "Why hasn’t Xiaobao come?"

"He came. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw Xiaopang and Mo Wang and ran off to play with them." Ge Chunling said, pulling up a stool to sit down and help pick the vegetables.

By the time Jiujiu, Ou Ruoshui, and Chen Gang arrived, a bonfire had already been lit in the yard, ready for roasting the whole sheep.

Li Duo who grew up in X Province was naturally good at roasting meat. Now, he was roasting some cut-up pieces of meat with Dadong and Xiaodong, serving it to eager children squatting by their side.

On seeing Li Duo, Jiujiu ran over excitedly: "Uncle, I’ll help you with the roasting."

As soon as Dadong and Xiaodong saw Jiujiu coming, they both couldn’t help but shift to the side a bit. They were not very talkative when they met each other now because at school, chatting with girls would be gossiped about by classmates.

Seeing it was Jiujiu, Li Duo gently handed the skewered meat to her: "Be careful, don’t burn yourself."

Xiaodong sulked at the side, why hadn’t uncle warned him about the burn when he and his brother were grilling?

Dadong, sixteen and in puberty, understood a bit about feelings. He thought Jiujiu was prettier than the girls in their class, but when he saw her coming, he lowered his head and said nothing.

Jiujiu thought that Dadong and Xiaodong were just like the boys in her class, very immature. They’d run far away when they saw a girl and acted cool by not talking to girls.

"Uncle, is this cooked yet?"

"Turn it over and roast the other side."

Jiujiu excitedly flipped the meat on the skewer and asked Xiaopang squatting at the back: "Xiaopang, do you eat chilli?"

Xiaopang nodded: "Just a little, only a little."

"Just a little, only a little," Xiaobao and Doudou also repeated behind Xiaopang.

Mo Wang was standing at a distance, watching Li Duo, who was one of his idols.

Fearing she might spice up their portion, Jiujiu sprinkled just a little chili, just enough for the flavor. After the meat was roasted, she puffed her cheeks and blew on the skewers to cool them down before handing them to Xiaopang and the others.

Watching Jiujiu’s movements, Li Duo’s lips curled up slightly, she was indeed just a kid.

Ou Ruoshui stood under the grapevine, looking at Jiujiu’s excited face, her heart sinking deeper and deeper. She definitely wouldn’t agree to Jiujiu marrying a special forces soldier. The pain she went through couldn’t be repeated on Jiujiu. Luckily, Jiujiu was still young, there’s still time.

Lunch was a merry event. The men drank heartily, the women chatted happily, the children ran around by the table. Chen Gang and Dadong watched over the little children, ensuring they didn’t fall or bump into anything.

Jiujiu quietly sat between Gu Xiaobei and Ou Ruoshui.

Gu Xiaobei made small talk with Jiujiu: "Jiujiu, you have final exams soon, right?"

"Mm, grandma said if I ranked first in this exam, she will buy me a bicycle." Jiujiu said longingly.

Ou Ruoshui interjected: "Jiujiu is considering not going to high school, but to take the entrance exam for a vocational school directly, so she can start working earlier."

Gu Xiaobei knew that getting into a vocational school was even harder than going to high school in those times because after graduating from a vocational school, one is guaranteed a job, and the jobs were usually pretty good.

"Jiujiu, why don’t you want to go to high school?" Gu Xiaobei asked curiously.

Jiujiu lowered her head, softly replied: "Grandma’s legs hurt terribly every time the weather turns, and she can’t even get out of bed. I need to hurry up and learn medicine or I’m afraid it will be too late."

Gu Xiaobei and Ou Ruoshui did not expect Jiujiu to say this, and they both felt upset.

Li Duo sat across from Jiujiu, hearing Jiujiu’s words, he trembled a little inside, giving Jiujiu a thoughtful look.

The meal lasted until three or four in the afternoon.

Gu Xiaobei didn’t leave with her two kids and a slightly tipsy Lu Zhanguo until after helping Wen Xiuqing clean up. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Lu Zhanguo was lounging on the sofa, half-squinting at the two kids sitting on the coffee table flipping through picture books.

Gu Xiaobei went into the kitchen and poured a cup of honey water for Lu Zhanguo.

As she handed it to Lu Zhanguo, Lu Zhanguo reached out to take the cup, clasping her hand in the process.

Remembering what Xiaopang had said in front of Bai Xiaolan today, Gu Xiaobei glared at Lu Zhanguo and pulled back her hand.

Just as Lu Zhanguo was about to drink the honey water, Xiaopang bolted over: "Dad, what are you drinking?"

Lu Zhanguo smiled and handed the honey water to Xiaopang before telling Gu Xiaobei: "We’re going to be changing our shoulder badges at the National Day."

Gu Xiaobei didn’t understand: "What do you mean by shoulder badge?"

"From the National Day onwards, the army will bring back the colonel shoulder badges, the ones with stars." Lu Zhanguo explained, gesturing towards his shoulders.

"Are you going to be promoted?" Gu Xiaobei asked suddenly, her eyes lighting up.

Lu Zhanguo nodded with a smile, he liked watching Gu Xiaobei’s excited expression.

"I am directly promoted to the military rank of deputy division chief." Lu Zhanguo revealed, this time’s promotion was special thanks to Min Zhonghua and He Zhuangzhi.

Gu Xiaobei excitedly asked, "So you’re going to be a general soon?"

Lu Zhanguo patted her head: "It’s not that easy, I may not wear the golden star even by the time I retire." He mused about the rank that although seemingly within reach, might not be achievable in his lifetime.

Gu Xiaobei was still very happy: "Let’s celebrate tonight. Keep making dumplings?"

Lu Zhanguo shook his head and stared deeply into Gu Xiaobei’s eyes, using sign language to say two words.

Gu Xiaobei glanced at Xiaopang and Mo Wang, gave Lu Zhanguo a fierce glare, this man, got a little drunk and turned into a wolf, a perverted one.

After giving him a glare, she went to the kitchen to continue making dumplings. The meat from this morning was still buried in the salt jar.

...

While Lu Zhanguo still had one day off, Gu Xiaobei went shopping with Bai Xiaolan. They had originally arranged this, but it got delayed by Li Duo’s recognition ceremony.

Upon leaving the house, Bai Xiaolan exclaimed her liberation: "My God, I’ve forgotten what the outside world looks like. What’s in fashion now?"

"A lot of clothing stores opened behind the department store. Let’s go check them out." Suggested Gu Xiaobei.

Bai Xiaolan agreed: "Let’s go to the privately owned ones where the prices are negotiable."

There were rows of ready-made clothing stores behind the department store. It was the season when winter attire is on sale and summer clothes are being released.

Bai Xiaolan happily shopped for her two sons!

Gu Xiaobei had to remind her: "You need to control yourself a little. Aren’t you buying these for yourself? If you buy so many winter clothes, be careful they might not fit when the season comes."

"You need to understand the feelings of a woman who hasn’t shopped in a long time." Bai Xiaolan replied with a laugh.