Back To The 80s-Chapter 66 - 65: The Reason_1

Lu Zhanguo was sitting across from Gu Xiaodong, about two meters away, but thanks to his keen perception from his days as a scout, he picked up on a female voice on the other end of the phone.

Gu Xiaodong steadied his emotions, glanced at Lu Zhanguo, who was quietly sipping his tea, his expression unreadable. Gu Xiaodong was now more convinced than ever that Liao Qing was a hot potato and he needed to deal with the situation promptly.

Gu Weimin said from the side, "Xiaodong, if you have work matters to attend to, please go ahead."

Gu Xiaodong composed himself then said, "There’s no urgency." He then asked Lu Zhanguo, "I heard that Xiaobei was kidnapped a few days ago, what’s all that about? I’ve been meaning to go visit her but I’ve been too busy to find the time."

"The culprit was the accomplice of a drug dealer. He intended to take hostages to pressure the police into releasing the mentioned dealer." Lu Zhanguo found it surprising that such a big incident had occurred but no one from the family had even visited Xiaobei.

Gu Weimin expressed surprise, "There was such an incident? Why wasn’t I informed? Xiaobei didn’t sustain any injuries, right?"

"No, she was just a little frightened." Lu Zhanguo responded.

"In my opinion, you should move back to Capital City. I’m really worried about the public safety around here." Gu Weimin suggested.

Gu Xiaodong also nodded in agreement, "Capital City does have better prospects. Have you ever considered moving back?"

Lu Zhanguo took a sip of his drink. "I haven’t, and moreover, we have a new training plan now, probably to assemble a new team." His eyes shifted as he said this, then he looked downward.

"Oh, so you’re the main person in charge this time?" Gu Xiaodong asked with some interest.

"The specific personnel allocation hasn’t been finalized yet, so it’s unclear who would be in charge." Lu Zhanguo answered calmly.

"As the champion of the all-skills military competition in our military district, there’s no one else more qualified than you." Gu Xiaodong had some respect for Lu Zhanguo’s military capabilities. Year after year, he was the champion in both the all-skills and the single-combat competitions. His marksmanship was unmatched; with a standard Type 81 rifle, effective up to four hundred meters, he managed to snipe the kidnapper from over twelve hundred meters away. His mental resilience was also astounding.

Lu Zhanguo nodded and ambiguously stated, "There’s no doubt this time is a good opportunity for anyone."

In the kitchen, Chen Qiumei had already prepared several dishes, which Xiaobei was carrying out to the Eight Immortal Table.

Once everyone was seated, Gu Weimin proposed they have a few drinks. Chen Qiumei grumbled but went to fetch the alcohol.

Gu Weimin seemed in high spirits, encouraging both Lu Zhanguo and Gu Xiaodong to drink.

Xiaobei sitting beside Lu Zhanguo, looking at Liu Mei who was opposite them, she seemed indifferent as she quietly served herself food. Xiaobei felt that she had never seen Liu Mei express extreme joy or sorrow.

The dinner passed harmoniously, thanks to Gu Weimin’s animated conversation.

After dinner, Xiaobei and Lu Zhanguo chatted awhile, and then claiming it was getting late, they took their leave.

Once Lu Zhanguo and his wife had left, Gu Weimin’s face darkened. Frowning, he asked, "Xiaodong, do you have an issue with Lu Zhanguo?"

"What issues could I have? Everything’s fine." Gu Xiaodong replied nonchalantly.

Gu Weimin glanced at Liu Mei, then said, "Come to the bedroom, I have something to tell you."

The two of them entered the bedroom and Gu Weimin closed the door behind them, saying, "You can’t be careless. You must maintain a good relationship with Lu Zhanguo. If I hadn’t saved Lieutenant General Lu in the past, they would never have agreed to let Lu Zhanguo marry Xiaobei. Everything I did was for your sake."

Gu Xiaodong, of course, understood his father’s motives. Yet, Lu Zhanguo’s character traits—he was stubborn and inflexible, like iron—caused him to frown and say, "Lu Zhanguo’s personality is detestable, and he is inflexible. I don’t have any expectations from him."

"Foolish! You think I’m paving the way for your career? I’m scared that when you get in trouble, there’ll be no one to bail you out." Gu Weimin retorted angrily.

Although Gu Xiaodong seemed unconcerned, he was a little taken aback. "What trouble could I possibly get into? My work is going smoothly, and I might even get a promotion this year."

Gu Weimin scoffed, "Even if I don’t know exactly what you’ve been up to, considering your family’s expenses, your salary should be able to cover everything. However, just a mere family dinner, and your mother can easily get a bottle of Maotai. Those are eight yuan a bottle. Where did you get all these luxuries from? Both you and I know the real answer. Also, you should be more careful in the future. If things really get out of hand, only Lu Zhanguo’s father will be able to help you."

Gu Xiaodong would have never imagined that his own father would be able to figure out so much just from a meal. As for Lu Zhanguo, his intuition was so acute, how could he possibly not notice anything?

Gu Weimin waved his hand dismissively, saying, "Having served as a guardsman and secretary my entire life, I can easily figure out these things. Remember to always leave room for maneuver – it will be beneficial for future relations."

However, Gu Xiaodong had other thoughts. He chimed in agreement while Gu Weimin, after observing his behavior, shook his head in resignation. "The amount of salt I’ve eaten in my lifetime is more than the amount of rice you’ve eaten. Do you think I would harm you?"

Gu Xiaodong lit a cigarette and fell into deep contemplation, realising that certain things had unwittingly veered off course.

In the living room, Chen Qiumei was sifting through the things Xiaobei had brought back, all the while grumbling, "This little debt collector, picking up worthless junk - indeed, giving birth to a girl is a loss."

Liu Mei sat silently on the couch, watching her mother-in-law angrily ransack through the items without uttering a word. Everything related to her marital family only served to chill her heart further.

Looking out the window at the hazy night, Liu Mei’s heart was barren. She was torn about the path she had chosen - was it right or wrong?

Gu Xiaobei, walking alongside Lu Zhanguo, was grinning like a mischievous fox. "What are you smiling at?" Lu Zhanguo asked, puzzled.

"Do you think my mom will scold me when she sees what I bought?" Xiaobei said, laughing.

Lu Zhanguo frowned, "Don’t do this again. After all, she’s your mother."

Xiaobei pouted and kept quiet. Under the dim streetlight, they looked at the towering tree shadowing the road. Suddenly, she softly asked, "Lu Zhanguo, do you believe in ghosts?" 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"What nonsense are you talking about? There’s no such thing as ghosts; it’s all superstitious sentimentality." Lu Zhanguo replied, his brow furrowed.

Suddenly, Xiaobei stopped in her tracks, looking up at Lu Zhanguo, and whispered very softly, "Lu Zhanguo, if there ever comes a day when I’m not myself, promise me you’ll remember to wait for me."

Xiaobei didn’t know how long her soul could remain in this body. She feared that one day she would wake up, or another accident would happen, and her spirit would transport to somewhere unknown again?

She didn’t care about the familial relations here, but she couldn’t bear to leave Lu Zhanguo. She yearned for the warmth that emanated from him.

Lu Zhanguo furrowed his brows, watching Xiaobei in the dim streetlight, her usually bright, beautiful face took on a mysterious, slightly troubled hue. Even though she was standing right in front of him, he somehow felt as if he couldn’t reach her.

He suddenly felt a pang of fear. When Xiaobei had been kidnapped, he was worried and anxious. But now, he was genuinely frightened. His heart constricted as he gently patted Xiaobei on the head, "Silly girl, what are you going on about? If you’re not by my side, where can you be?"

Xiaobei didn’t know why she would suddenly harbor such thoughts. Shaking her head, she grabbed Lu Zhanguo’s hand. "Let’s go home."