Back To The 80s-Chapter 82 - 81: Rumors_1

Gu Xiaobei said with a laugh to Li Fengmei, "It’s all right, as long as my Lu believes me." But in her mind, she was wondering how she could expose the initiator of the gossip and give them a good scolding in front of the whole courtyard.

Li Fengmei, seeing Gu Xiaobei didn’t look upset, let out a sigh of relief and said, "Well, don’t take it to heart. After dinner, come look for me in my house." She then walked out the door.

Gu Xiaobei nodded her head, picked up the washbasin and went to the washroom to brush her teeth.

In front of a row of faucets in the washroom, a few army wives were washing clothes, chatting animatedly. When Gu Xiaobei walked in, they stopped talking, but the looks they gave her were contemptuous.

Gu Xiaobei didn’t say anything, went to the opposite row of faucets, filled a basin with water, started brushing her teeth, and glanced at the army wives on the opposite side while brushing.

The army wives on the opposite side weren’t bad-natured, they just believed the rumors and looked down on Gu Xiaobei. Being stared at by Gu Xiaobei, they felt somewhat embarrassed, busy with their heads down, washing clothes.

Gu Xiaobei squinted at these people she didn’t know, and thought to herself, it seems most people in the courtyard believe those rumors. Wondering who started them?

After breakfast, she went out to dry the quilts, and the same few army wives she didn’t know gave her invasive glances, full of disdain. Guess nobody felt the need to verify the rumors and just believed them unconditionally.

Once she had hung up the quilts, she went home, got a big bucket, and went to look for Li Fengmei to pick chillies.

Li Fengmei gave Gu Xiaobei a straw hat to wear in the sun. As soon as they exited the gate of the residential quarters, they bumped into Li Juan and Chi Xiaoyue.

On seeing the two of them together, Gu Xiaobei could sense trouble. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she went on alert.

Upon seeing Gu Xiaobei, Chi Xiaoyue, acting as though she didn’t see her, warmly greeted Li Fengmei saying, "Sister-in-law, long time no see. Fenghua hasn’t been around recently."

Li Fengmei courteously pulled her hand away. She wasn’t used to having such close conversations: "Fenghua has been at home, discussing a marriage prospect. We’ll have the wedding after harvesting the crops."

Chi Xiaoyue, with a blessed expression said, "Really? That’s great! What does her fiance do? I was wondering if our Fenghua has taken a fancy to someone from our troop."

Gu Xiaobei couldn’t help laughing: "Does Chi Xiaoyue have a brain? Is she trying to provoke me or Li Fengmei?"

As expected, Li Fengmei’s expression turned serious: "You can’t talk nonsense like this. Our Fenghua only comes to help me with the kids."

Li Juan, standing to the side, intervenes and talking to Gu Xiaobei said, "Sister-in-law, you’re back. Where are you going?" 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Gu Xiaobei replied with a forced smile: "Picking some vegetables for pickling."

"Aren’t you working in the city? Why are you back here?" Li Juan asked curiously.

"My husband said that having joined the army, it wasn’t right for us to be separated." Gu Xiaobei replied with a smile.

Chi Xiaoyue, with her bitter tone, commented: "Brother Zhanguo really cherishes you."

Gu Xiaobei was more amused. She pretended to be somewhat embarrassed as she responded: "After men marry, they are like babies who haven’t weaned. At night... oh my, what would a young girl like you understand? You will know when you get married." Furious, right? Furious until you spit blood. Gu Xiaobei was laughing inwardly.

Chi Xiaoyue’s face turned red and pale in turns. She was embarrassed to react. Li Fengmei was amused. Seeing Chi Xiaoyue like this made her feel good. She deserved it for spreading rumors about her sister earlier.

Seeing this, Li Juan quickly made some small talk, then led Chi Xiaoyue away.

Watching Chi Xiaoyue’s retreating back, Li Fengmei said, "I used to think this Dr. Chi was a good person, speaking softly and nicely to everyone. But now I find her words quite annoying."

Gu Xiaobei laughed and said, "That’s what they say about knowing a person’s face, not their heart."

On another side, Li Juan asked Chi Xiaoyue while pulling her along, "Did you irritate Gu Xiaobei? I thought she was doing it on purpose earlier."

Chi Xiaoyue, feigning innocence while her eyes reddened, said, "I don’t know how I offended her. I just said one thing, and look at the obscene words she used in front of me, an unmarried girl."

Li Juan comforted her, "Alright, looking at her behavior, she really is like you said, indecent in conduct. Normal people wouldn’t dare to speak like that."

Chi Xiaoyue nodded and reminded Li Juan, "What I told you, don’t spread it around. Brother Zhanguo has it hard enough. If he learns that everyone knows about his household troubles, where would he keep his face?"

Li Juan nodded and said, "Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. It’s Captain Lu’s misfortune to not have married you."

Chi Xiaoyue, with her head lowered, remained quiet. She knew about Li Juan’s propensity for spreading gossip. She just wanted to spite Gu Xiaobei.

Gu Xiaobei went out under the blazing sun and picked a bucket of hot peppers. Her back was so burned by the sun, she felt pain every time she moved. It truly made her appreciate the phrase "every grain is the fruit of hard labor". Then Li Fengmei said they should also pick some cowpeas and sun-dry them.

Gu Xiaobei looked at the cowpea racks, which were higher than her and stretched for more than ten meters. She felt overwhelmed, but she clenched her teeth and went between the two rows of cowpea racks. The cowpea leaves were a bit hairy and prickled her arms.’

Gu Xiaobei, who in her previous life had never done farm work, swore as she was picking the cowpeas that she would never waste food again, not even a single grain.

Picking cowpeas was suffocatingly hot. Gu Xiaobei, wearing a straw hat, could feel sweat rolling down her cheeks. The rough cowpea leaves pricked her arms, making them ache. Secretly, she admired Li Fengmei’s foresight in wearing long sleeves.

While Gu Xiaobei was in the cowpea rack, fervently picking cowpeas, she suddenly heard Lu Zhanguo calling her name. She quickly responded and came out.

With a rush, Lu Zhanguo also came into the cowpea rack. Seeing Gu Xiaobei wearing a straw hat, and her little face red from heat, he felt distressed.

Gu Xiaobei asked surprisingly, "Why are you here?"

"I brought some meat for you, saw you weren’t at home and came to the vegetable field to look for you."

Gu Xiaobei handed the armful of cowpeas she was holding to Lu Zhanguo and as they walked out, she asked, "Where did you get meat from?"

"The auto repair team helped me get it this morning." Lu Zhanguo, carrying the cowpeas, walked out, and saw a big bucket of picked red chillies.

"Why are you picking so many?" Lu Zhanguo didn’t understand.

"For drying and pickling. Otherwise, there will be nothing to eat in the winter." Gu Xiaobei said while using her straw hat as a fan.

Lu Zhanguo looked with distress at Gu Xiaobei’s sunburnt face and said, "You can stop after dinner. When the sun is less harsh, I will come with you."

Li Fengmei, hearing voices, came over from her own field and said, "It’s good that Captain Lu came. I was just worrying about Xiaobei not being able to carry all these vegetables."

Li Fengmei picked a whole basket of eggplants intending to sun-dry them. Lu Zhanguo didn’t say anything, carried the bucket of chillies in one hand and a basket of eggplant in the other and walked in front.

Gu Xiaobei was holding a bundle of cowpeas while Li Fengmei still had a pocket of tomatoes. Li Fengmei said somewhat embarrassingly, "I’m really sorry."