Back To The 80s-Chapter 81 - 80: Going Home_1

Guo Huaqiang came over right after lunch the next day. Since Gu Xiaobei had already paid three months of rent, she planned to ask the landlord to break her lease next month.

Lu Zhanguo suggested that Gu Xiaobei wait in the car while he and Guo Huaqiang completed the move in two trips.

Lu Zhanguo sat in the passenger seat while Gu Xiaobei sat in the back, with pots and pans next to her. She was scared that the rough roads would break them if they were put in the trunk.

Guo Huaqiang tossed a cigarette to Lu Zhanguo, who played with it in his hand without lighting it, glancing at Gu Xiaobei behind him.

"You’re finally back. If you didn’t return soon, I would have been exhausted," Guo Huaqiang complained.

"Did anything happen?"

"Nothing too serious, just that Qin Mei got injured. She hurt her knee and probably can’t work in the military anymore once it’s healed. She’s considering a career change," Guo Huaqiang said regretfully.

Lu Zhanguo asked with a puzzled expression, "Was there a mission? How did she get injured?"

When it came to Qin Mei’s injury, Guo Huaqiang felt somewhat gloomy: "The female soldiers from Shanghai didn’t like the military uniform, saying it was too baggy and unflattering. They secretly went to the tailor in town and had all their clothes slimmed down. They regretted it later. During training, while running on the balance beam, the crotch area of their pants was too tight due to the modifications, causing one of them to trip and fall. Qin Mei saw it and rushed over to help, but the falling soldier landed on her leg."

Gu Xiaobei was stunned by this farce. Qin Mei was really an innocent victim.

Lu Zhanguo didn’t say a word and his face darkened. Guo Huaqiang sighed and continued, "Qin Mei is at the town hospital. You guys should visit her when you’re free. She is not in a great mood."

Lu Zhanguo hummed in agreement and said nothing further. By the time they arrived at the officers’ family quarters, it was already past four in the afternoon.

Guo Huaqiang helped with unloading the stuff. Before he left, he said, "You guys should settle down. Don’t cook tonight. Come to my place for dinner."

Lu Zhanguo agreed without hesitation, and Gu Xiaobei didn’t mind. It was just a meal after all.

They replaced the bedding on the bed with the stuff they brought back today. They planned to air the old bedding downstairs tomorrow. Then, they rearranged other stuff. Gu Xiaobei put the original books and a stack of manuscript paper sent by the publisher on the table, and said, "These will be my livelihood from now on."

Lu Zhanguo liked seeing Gu Xiaobei’s energetic attitude every day. He lovingly told her, "Don’t keep yourself cooped up at home translating all the time. Get out and walk around the compound more often." He wanted her to make more friends.

"Alright." Gu Xiaobei also felt that she should interact more with the spouses in the compound, so as not to let Lu Zhanguo’s work be affected by any discord amongst the families.

After they finished unpacking, and Gu Xiaobei had just washed her face, Guo Huaqiang already came to invite them for dinner. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Even though Xiangmin had a dislike for Gu Xiaobei, she still cooked four dishes and steamed rice out of respect for Lu Zhanguo.

Guo Huaqiang made them sit down and looked at the tomato scrambled eggs, stir-fried chili, stir-fried baby bok choy, and cold cucumber salad on the table. He said embarrassingly: "The market was already closed today when I had time to buy pork, so please bear with the vegetarian dishes."

"Don’t be so formal. The food is already very good," Lu Zhanguo was not picky at all. Plus, being able to eat white rice for every meal was a luxury these days.

Gu Xiaobei didn’t mind Xiangmin’s coldness towards her, and kept her head down to eat without saying a word. After bustling around for the whole afternoon, she felt hungry.

At bedtime, Lu Zhanguo told Gu Xiaobei: "Xiangmin is actually a nice person. She’s just a bit arrogant because her family is well off."

Gu Xiaobei kept her head down and didn’t say anything. She couldn’t forget how Xiangmin, Li Juan, and Chi Xiaoyue had gossiped about her behind her back at the door. She was not so forgiving as to be able to forget these enmities with a laugh.

Seeing Gu Xiaobei keeping her head down and remaining silent, Lu Zhanguo sat down, put his arm around her shoulder and said, "I hope you can make a few friends in this compound, so when I’m not home, you can take care of each other."

Gu Xiaobei looked up, blinked her shiny eyes and said, "I’ll remember what you said and make an effort to get along with them." In her heart, she thought that as long as others didn’t mess with her, she wouldn’t mess with them. But if they did, she would definitely bite back.

Lu Zhanguo didn’t know about the twists and turns in Gu Xiaobei’s mind. He just felt relieved seeing her so obedient.

Gu Xiaobei didn’t have to go to work anymore and felt more secure after returning home. She slept soundly until someone knocked on the door.

Still in a daze and rubbing her eyes, Gu Xiaobei noticed that Lu Zhanguo was gone. She pulled on her clothes, combed her hair quickly and went to open the door.

Li Fengmei was at the door holding a lunchbox, smiling as she said, "When Captain Lu left this morning, I was making food and he asked me to send a portion for you too. I figured it’s late now, so I brought it over."

Gu Xiaobei was a bit embarrassed. How lazy must she have been for her own man to have to ask others for food. Scratching her head and smiling, she said, "That’s very kind of you.."

Li Fengmei generously said: "It’s nothing. You both just got back yesterday and I bet there’s not much food at home. After eating, if you’re not busy, come with me to the vegetable field. Everyone is drying vegetables and making pickles."

Gu Xiaobei took the lunchbox and nodded, "Okay." Indeed, they needed to start preparing for the winter vegetables. The winters in the Northwest are long, so they needed to prepare in advance.

Li Fengmei continued, "You’ll need a big bucket. I planted a lot of chili peppers in your plot. Pick plenty. Partially use it for drying and the rest for chili sauce."

"Okay, but I don’t know how to make chili sauce," Gu Xiaobei said. In the 21st century, they had fresh veggies all year round and even pickles were readily available at supermarkets. She didn’t know how to make chili sauce.

"That’s okay. I’ll teach you. It’s just right that our family will start making it in these two days. Let’s do it together," Li Fengmei said enthusiastically.

Gu Xiaobei held a basin and prepared to go to the water room to wash her face and brush her teeth. Li Fengmei didn’t leave and appeared to have something else to say.

Gu Xiaobei was puzzled, and while holding the basin, asked, "Fengmei, is there something else?"

Li Fengmei said with difficulty, "Sister-in-law, I’m not trying to spread gossip, but just in case you hear something, don’t take it to heart."

Gu Xiaobei’s heart sank. It sounded like someone had been spreading rumours about her. Keeping a straight face, she asked, "What have they been saying about me this time?"

Li Fengmei found it hard to voice the harsh words. But with Gu Xiaobei’s encouragement, she finally said, "They say that you weren’t a virgin when you got married and the child you are carrying isn’t known whose it is." Li Fengmei also thought the rumor was too vicious. In that era, even holding hands before marriage was considered bad behavior, let alone losing one’s virginity before marriage.

Inside, Gu Xiaobei sneered. Such blatant slander required retaliation. She complosed herself, ready to take action.