Chapter 23.2

In G Province.

Zhao Wuzhu had been going to the post office for several days, checking to see if Gu Qinghan had sent her any money. However, apart from the twenty yuan he had sent at the beginning of the month, there was nothing else.

Gu Qingsong was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot. When he saw Zhao Wuzhu coming out from the counter, he hurriedly asked, “How was it? Did Big Brother send any money?”

Zhao Wuzhu was also frustrated. For her, it wasn’t just a matter of money any more; ever since Gu Qinghan took Wen Nuan to North City, he had become like a kite with a broken string, completely out of control.

Irritated, she poked Gu Qingsong on the head and scolded, “What’s with the show? Can’t you measure your own worth? How could you dare to agree to Lin Meizhi to host a banquet at her house?”

“Since you’re hosting a banquet, it’s not exactly a tough time. Who doesn’t put out a few tables when someone is getting married? But this ungrateful son, he actually promised Lin Meizhi that there would be pork, fish, tofu, and eggs…”

Wasn’t this just asking for trouble?

She couldn’t even tell if she would be able to eat all those things in a month, yet he was saying they would have those dishes at the banquet!

It made her furious.

Gu Qingsong immediately shrank his head back, pouting, “I thought Big Brother had sent you money before. How was I supposed to know you gave the money to Grandpa? You knew I was getting married and still sent the money away!”

As soon as Zhao Wuzhu heard this, her anger flared up even more. She pointed at Gu Qingsong and shouted, “Isn’t Grandpa going to need money for medicine? You ungrateful son, how dare you talk back to me?”

Gu Qingsong was also anxious. He had long been unhappy with how often Zhao Wuzhu helped her family. He scoffed, “I told you, Mom, Grandpa’s medicine doesn’t cost that much; he gave it to Uncle! I’m not dealing with this. Why don’t you call Big Brother again? Maybe he didn’t get the telegram?”

Zhao Wuzhu sighed and gritted her teeth, “I must have owed your ancestors something in my past life! Call, call, go ahead and get in line.”

—o—o—o—

It took three days for Zhao Wuzhu to finally get through to Gu Qinghan’s office.

“Mom? Why are you calling?” Gu Qinghan was looking at reports and had expected that someone at home would call sooner or later.

Zhao Wuzhu sighed, “I finally got through! Eldest, I’m asking you, did you get the telegram mom sent you? Why haven’t you sent money yet? Qingsong’s banquet is in ten days, and the Lin family is saying they want Qingsong to put out a few tables with pork and fish…”

In this era, telephone communication wasn’t very reliable; calls often got disconnected, and sometimes it was difficult to hear what the other person was saying.

However, Gu Qinghan roughly guessed the rest of Zhao Wuzhu’s words.

His eyes remained fixed on the paper in his hands as he slightly raised an eyebrow and said, “Mom, I can’t help much with Qingsong’s wedding. I need to use money here too. However, for Qingsong’s wedding, I prepared some gifts for him and his wife.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Wuzhu immediately exploded, raising her voice to ask, “You need money? What money do you need in the army? Everything is provided to you! Whether it’s food, housing, and daily needs! What else could you possibly need money for?”

“I just arrived in the North and bought a lot of things for the family. My daughter doesn’t have enough clothes. I also borrowed money and tickets from Zheng Wei, who was my comrade in the provincial army before. I truly don’t have any money left now.”

As soon as Gu Qinghan finished speaking, the phone line disconnected.

Zhao Wuzhu gasped, wanting to redial, only to find she had to reconnect.

Thinking about how it had taken her two days to make this call, she promptly hung up the receiver.

Seeing Zhao Wuzhu hang up the phone, Gu Qingsong hurried over, asking, “Mom, did you get through? What did Big Brother say?”

Zhao Wuzhu shouted angrily, “Your big brother said he has no money!”

“He said he borrowed some money from Zheng Wei from the provincial army. No way, I don’t believe the eldest has no money! Qingsong, find time to ask your big brother’s former comrades in the army to see if he really has to borrow money from someone!”

“Or is it that lazy good-for-nothing who’s not letting him send money back home?!”

—o—o—o—

In North City.

In the family compound, Wen Nuan received a package. When she opened it, she was surprised to find it contained some cooking essentials: oil, salt, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and various other condiments. She recognized the brand; it was from Gu Qingsong’s factory.

Sure enough, there was also a letter inside, but it was addressed to Gu Qinghan.

She didn’t feel right about opening it casually.

When Gu Qinghan returned from the regiment and saw the sauces sent by Gu Qingsong, he furrowed his brow and opened the letter.

It was nothing more than a message stating that he was waiting for the money they would give for his wedding.

He mentioned that the previous gift money had been resolved, but now Gu Qingsong was saying he had promised Lin Meizhi that he would host several tables at her family’s home and entertain her relatives, so he was asking Gu Qinghan to lend him 30 yuan and some meat tickets.

“Mom just called me earlier, so there’s no need to worry about them,” Gu Qinghan said as he folded the letter and placed it back into the envelope.

“What did she say?” Wen Nuan asked curiously.

Seeing her interest, Gu Qinghan recounted Zhao Wuzhu’s words, “She said they want to host the banquet at the bride’s family and that they need pork and fish. I suspect Gu Qingsong made some rash promises to his wife.”

Wen Nuan frowned, recalling how urgent things had been when they got married! They could only buy a few candies to give to the guests.

It seemed that Gu Qingsong really cared for Lin Meizhi, but there was no need for him to put on a show he couldn’t afford.

In the end, he still had to come to Gu Qinghan for help, asking for money and tickets after making those promises.

‘What a ridiculous request to rely on others’ generosity!’

Wen Nuan felt a surge of anger.

She thought that over the years, Gu Qinghan had helped support the family, but it had really been quite unfair to him. Not only did he not receive a single word of thanks from their mother, but it also seemed like his brother had grown accustomed to relying on him. If he didn’t help out just once, it felt as if he weren’t part of the family anymore.

She said with a tone of anger: “People should only take on responsibilities they can handle. Your brother keeps putting on a show he can’t afford, and in the end, he still has to ask you for money!

If the roles were reversed, and you went to him to borrow money, he would probably curse you out! Besides, he has a salary of his own. If he really wants to marry someone, he should take out a month’s worth of pay to host a banquet; that’s not unreasonable.

He’s certainly capable of it, yet he keeps reaching out to you for cash. This has truly spoiled him! You can’t give in this time; you shouldn’t give him a single penny!”

In fact, Gu Qinghan had already sent back plenty of money to support the family. Given how Zhao Wuzhu managed their Family, they would only see meat once a month, so logically, they should have saved a fair amount.

So why did they still expect Gu Qinghan to keep sending money home?

Wen Nuan didn’t consider herself a stingy person. Whenever Gu Qinghan needed to send money for Family expenses to Zhao Wuzhu, she always promptly transferred it over these past two months.

But now, Gu Qingsong wanted Gu Qinghan to fund his wedding banquet as well!

It was utterly shameless!

Gu Qinghan looked at Wen Nuan, whose cheeks were slightly flushed with anger, and suddenly realized that she was feeling for him. He smiled and said, “I can handle this matter myself. I won’t be giving Qingsong any more money. We’re all starting our own families now; we should look after ourselves from now on. Keep these sauces safe; consider them a housewarming gift from him for our move to North City.”

Wen Nuan understood that Gu Qinghan was serious this time; when he said he wouldn’t get involved, he truly wouldn’t.

She felt relieved that she didn’t have to worry about it anymore and put all the sauces Gu Qingsong sent into the kitchen.

The timing of the sauces was perfect. She had been thinking that when the New Year came, they wouldn’t have any condiments, and the pork they shared would go to waste without seasoning.

It had been snowing a lot recently, and the supply stores in North City didn’t have a wide variety of sauces available. To buy that many condiments, she would have to travel to Beijing.

Recalling the unpleasant experience of sitting on a military truck for six or seven hours, Wen Nuan felt nostalgic about the hotpot they used to enjoy, but she didn’t dare think about it now. Especially since it had been snowing quite frequently.

—o—o—o—

The next day, Gu Qinghan woke her up early and lowered his voice, saying, “I have a mission to attend. You need to take care of yourself and Lele at home.”

Wen Nuan’s sleepiness vanished in an instant. This was the first time Gu Qinghan had been assigned a mission since they arrived in North City two months ago, and her heart tightened with worry; she suddenly felt wide awake.

Since it was still early and the room was a bit dim, she looked at Gu Qinghan’s blurry face and asked, “How many days will you be gone?”

“I don’t know yet,” Gu Qinghan replied as he reached out to tidy up Wen Nuan’s messy bangs with his fingers. He added, “If anything comes up, go find Li Daxiang at the 76th Regiment. Don’t try to handle it all by yourself.”

Although Gu Qinghan had made all the necessary arrangements, he still felt uneasy leaving Wen Nuan and the child alone at home.

Wen Nuan shifted her position and wrapped her arms around Gu Qinghan, who was standing beside the bed. His waist was strong and firm, with no excess flesh, and holding him gave her a profound sense of security.

“Gu Qinghan, you must return safely, okay?”

After coming to North City, Wen Nuan learned that many young women were reluctant to marry pilots, even if their allowances were high. The work of a pilot was fraught with danger; once an accident occurred, it was almost always a matter of life and death.

Gu Qinghan’s missions were confidential, and she didn’t dare ask too many questions. She simply repeated, “Lele and I will be waiting at home for your return.”

Gu Qinghan swallowed hard, leaning down to plant a kiss on her smooth forehead. “Wife, wait for me to come back.”

Wen Nuan nodded. “I will take good care of myself and Lele. You don’t need to worry; just focus on your mission.”

Gu Qinghan had excellent vision and had already adjusted to the dim light in the room. He gazed at Wen Nuan’s beautiful eyes, her delicate nose, and her long black hair that flowed like a waterfall.

He did something he had wanted to do for a long time. He extended his index finger and gently lifted a strand of her hair, letting it slide through his fingertip.

Gu Qinghan patiently explained again, “I bought two candles and placed them on the bedside table. There’s also a flashlight in the living room, and I’ve already replaced the batteries with new ones, so you don’t have to worry about running out of power.”

“The wild ginseng is almost dried. You can put it away tonight, and remember to cut some for the medicine when you’re boiling it.”

“I’ve folded Lele’s diapers and put them in the wooden box. I also washed her coat last night and hung it on the rack. You don’t need to change her coat for the next few days; I’ll wash it after I come back and change her.”

Wen Nuan really felt as if she was being cared for like a child, unable to help but smile, “I already know. When you come back, bring me something delicious and a toy for Lele!”

Gu Qinghan nodded, bent down, and kissed Wen Nuan on the lips, “Okay.”

‘I will definitely bring something delicious for my wife and a toy for Lele.’

—o—o—o—

Not long after Gu Qinghan left, the wake-up call sounded, and Wen Nuan could no longer sleep. She simply got up, washed up, and then prepared to make some breakfast. However, when she came out to the living room, she saw two bowls of porridge warming by the stove.

Shortly after Wen Nuan finished breakfast, Lele woke up. She prepared a meal for the child and fed her some porridge; it was almost noon by then.

During the winter months, there weren’t many people to be seen outside the family compound.

Although Wen Nuan was gradually getting used to life in the family compound in Beicheng, she still found it a bit uncomfortable without Gu Qinghan around.

—o—o—o—

In the afternoon, Wen Nuan carried the child over to her neighbor, Sister Guihua’s house, to follow her in knitting a sweater. However, knitting proved a bit challenging, so Wen Nuan, under Sister Guihua’s guidance, started by learning to knit a scarf.

But Wen Nuan didn’t have much yarn; there was just enough to make one. As soon as Gu Qinghan left, her mind was filled with thoughts of him. Noticing that the yarn was gray, she decided to knit a scarf for him first.

On the second day of Gu Qinghan’s mission, Sister-in-law Juxiang also came over with her two children.

“Xiao Nuan, since Vice Captain Gu isn’t home, I came specifically to keep you company,” Deng Juxiang said, bundled up tightly, with only her eyes visible. As she entered, fine snowflakes clung to her shoulders and hat, and she held the hands of her two daughters, who were also wrapped up warmly.

Wen Nuan was surprised that Sister-in-law Juxiang knew Gu Qinghan was on a mission and had come over to accompany her. She felt a bit touched.

“Sister-in-law Juxiang, Xiao Dong, Xiao Mei, come in quickly! It’s really cold outside, isn’t it?” Luckily, Wen Nuan usually kept some ginger tea or loquat fruit tea on hand, so she could offer them something warm.

Seeing that the two children had already taken their tea, Deng Juxiang reminded them, “You need to thank Aunt Nuan.”

Xiao Dong and Xiao Mei held their teacups, feeling their palms gradually warming up. Looking at Wen Nuan, who seemed as beautiful as a fairy, they politely said, “Thank you, Aunt Nuan.”

Wen Nuan smiled, “You’re so well-behaved.”

Then she walked over to the dresser in the living room, took out some peach crisps, and placed them in front of Xiao Dong and Xiao Mei. “Here, have some peach crisps.”

Just as Wen Nuan finished speaking, Lele, who was sitting in her little stroller and playing by herself, looked over.

Upon seeing Wen Nuan take out the peach crisps, she exclaimed “Ya! Ya!” twice, her little arms waving in the air as if to say she wanted some too.

Xiao Dong and Xiao Mei couldn’t resist walking over to the adorable Lele. “Aunt, can we play with Lele?”

Wen Nuan was more than happy about it. Despite Lele being so young, she loved playing with older brothers and sisters.

However, the older kids didn’t usually like playing with the younger ones, especially since Lele couldn’t walk or talk yet.

With the snow falling, there were even fewer people around, and the little one hadn’t played with older kids for days.

Now that two older girls had come, Lele’s eyes lit up, and she looked at them with a beaming smile, her round face glowing with joy like a chubby little ball.

Anyone who saw her would want to pinch her cheeks—curious about the soft, plump feel of her skin.

While the children played together, Wen Nuan chatted with Deng Juxiang. Hearing Juxiang’s voice, Sister Guihua also walked over.

As soon as Sister Guihua entered, she immediately started gossiping, “Have you heard?”

“The pork from Liu Meili’s house has gone missing! They said it was left in the yard to freeze, but when they woke up the next day, it was gone.”

Sister Guihua then whispered to Wen Nuan, “Xiao Nuan, is your wild ginseng okay? Make sure no one has their eyes on it!”

Wen Nuan had put it away last night, and she hadn’t told anyone about finding the wild ginseng, so she thought it should be safe.

However, after Sister Guihua and the others left, Wen Nuan still went to check her box.

Fortunately, it was still there.