Chapter 83.1

Ning Xiu froze for a moment, pursed her lips, and lowered her head again, only to tighten her hands on her lap even more.

Tian Mai couldn’t sit still anymore and suddenly stood up, saying to Jiang Nian, “Watch over Xiu’er for me. I need to go out for a bit, and I’ll be back soon.”

After speaking, she ran out so quickly that Jiang Nian didn’t even have time to react.

Jiang Nian: …

As soon as Tian Mai left, Ning Xiu started to get nervous, her breathing becoming rapid. Jiang Nian reached out and held Ning Xiu’s trembling hand, saying, “No need to be afraid here with Aunt Jiang.”

Ning Qian also chimed in, “Sister, I’m here too.”

Jiang Nian glanced at Ning Qian. Ever since Old Lady Wu left, Ning Qian’s condition had improved significantly over the past few days. This child’s resilience was strong, and she recovered quickly. Once again, the face of the eight-year-old revealed a childlike innocence.

Jiang Nian smiled and said, “Yes, Qian’er is here too.”

Ning Qian also smiled at Jiang Nian and said, “Aunt Jiang, you have a beautiful smile.”

It was almost an hour before Tian Mai returned. When she entered, she carried a bunch of things in her hands: a bag of apples, a can of malted milk, and a basket of eggs, all full to the brim. She placed everything on the ground in one go. Jiang Nian was taken aback and couldn’t help but laugh, “Sister Tian, what are you doing?”

Tian Mai wiped the sweat from her forehead and said, “You helped Xiu’er find a teacher, and I can’t let you do it for nothing. You must accept these things, or I won’t come next time.”

Seeing her insistence, Jiang Nian had no choice but to say, “Alright, I’ll accept them.”

In fact, even without these things, she would still go find Ge Mei to help Ning Xiu expand her skills in this area.

Jiang Nian washed a few apples and gave one to each of them. Tian Mai sat down and chatted for a while. She mentioned her mother-in-law’s situation: Deputy Commander Ning had sent his mother back to her hometown, and the old lady spread rumors in the village, saying that the Deputy Commander Ning and his family were unfilial and trying to drive her to death, not wanting her as a mother anymore.

She claimed that Tian Mai and her two daughters bullied her, wishing she were dead. This matter escalated to the brigade, and the brigade leader had to come to understand the truth. Deputy Commander Ning, who usually avoided confrontation, finally lost his temper and revealed the family matters in front of the brigade leader and the villagers. The villagers couldn’t help but sigh, thinking that the old lady was really something, even driving her granddaughter to death.

After being pointed at and criticized by the villagers, Old Lady Wu finally quieted down and didn’t dare to leave the house.

Deputy Commander Ning left fifty yuan and a few pounds of food stamps for the old lady and promised to come back to see her once a year.

Jiang Nian thought this was for the best. Without mixing with the older generation, the two children could grow up healthily and peacefully. Deputy Commander Ning had also contacted the school in the military district and planned to send the two children there in a couple of days. Given Ning Xiu’s severe condition, Ning Qian would have to take on more responsibility.

Tian Mai stayed for a while before leaving. Jiang Nian had made some pastries for lunch and packed some for Tian Mai to take back. She also packed three more portions to deliver to He Yue’s house and brought two plates of pastries to deliver to Yue Qiao and Guan Lu’s families.

Guan Lu was at home when Jiang Nian arrived. She smiled and said, “Come in and have a seat.”

Jiang Nian nodded, “Alright.”

The layout of the house in the family apartment was the same, but when Jiang Nian entered Guan Lu’s house, she noticed various books on the shelves, an old-fashioned glass bottle with a few flowers picked from outside on the table, and a touch of elegance in the curtains and decorations.

Jiang Nian felt that Guan Lu’s family conditions should be very good, and her parents must have had a high status before they were sent down to the countryside.

Guan Lu made a cup of malted milk for Jiang Nian and sat across from her, holding a cup with both hands. A book was placed beside her, already halfway read. Jiang Nian took a sip of the malted milk and glanced at the content of the book, which was allowed in this era.

After all, with Luo Chengyi’s status, how could they allow books forbidden by the times to appear at home?

Seeing Jiang Nian looking at the book, Guan Lu pursed her lips and found a topic to discuss, “Do you want to learn? If you do, I can teach you.”

Jiang Nian: ???

She froze for a moment, looking at Guan Lu, not reacting for a while.

Guan Lu felt a bit embarrassed, “I see you often go to the literacy classes with Sister Lan and the others, thinking you want to learn some characters. I’m at home every day, and since we live close to each other, I can teach you.”

Jiang Nian wanted to refuse, but in the eyes of others, she was uneducated and illiterate. Seeing that Guan Lu sincerely wanted to teach her and get closer to her but didn’t know how, Jiang Nian’s heart softened. She smiled and said, “Alright.”

Guan Lu’s restrained smile suddenly relaxed, becoming much more comfortable.

Jiang Nian had another purpose for getting close to Guan Lu. She took a sip of the malted milk, glanced at Guan Lu, and hesitated before asking, “Do your parents know Professor Ling?”

Guan Lu looked up at Jiang Nian when she heard the question and nodded slightly. “The woman we saw outside the barracks today is Professor Ling’s daughter. Her parents are old acquaintances of my parents.”

She paused for a moment and then asked softly, “How do you know Professor Ling?”

Jiang Nian didn’t hide the truth and replied, “Professor Ling lives in the cowshed next to our educated youth point. I’ve seen him a few times.”

She didn’t mention that she had specifically gone to see Professor Ling or taken care of him. Some things were better left unsaid in certain circumstances.

Guan Lu’s expression grew sorrowful, her fingers rubbing the edge of her cup. “So Uncle Ling ended up at your place.”

Jiang Nian pursed her lips and asked, “Do you know where Professor Ling’s wife is?”

Guan Lu sighed and said, “That year, the Red Guards came to search the house, turning everything upside down. Aunt Han had a weak heart and passed away during the chaos. Uncle Ling was taken away, and Ling Mengxiang was taken away by someone else. I don’t know where she was taken. It was half a year later when I saw her again. She was with a man in a military uniform, moving her belongings and leaving.”

Guan Lu seemed to want to say more but hesitated, as if worried about something, and stopped herself.

Jiang Nian could guess that the man in the military uniform with Ling Mengxiang was likely Gu Shizhou.

She changed the subject and asked indirectly, “How was Aunt Han’s cooking? I talked with Professor Ling a few times and was quite curious about her.”

Guan Lu smiled. “Aunt Han studied abroad and wasn’t very good at Chinese cuisine. Most of the meals at home were cooked by the cook.”

Jiang Nian: …

Now she was sure she had exposed herself in front of Lu Yu. 

Back then, she had confidently told Lu Yu that she learned cooking from following Aunt Han’s instructions as told by Professor Ling. But now, it turned out Aunt Han couldn’t cook at all. Remembering what Lu Yu said today, Jiang Nian felt her scalp tingle.

What should she do now? 

How should she face Lu Yu?

Not to mention what Lu Yu was thinking, she was almost too embarrassed to see Lu Yu.

Seeing Jiang Nian’s pale face, Guan Lu asked with concern, “What’s wrong?”

Jiang Nian shook her head slightly. “Nothing, I just feel that you all have had a hard time.”

Guan Lu smiled bitterly. Today, facing Jiang Nian, she felt she had found a confidante. Although she lived in the same compound as Yue Qiao and Ling Mengxiang, the compound was very large, and there was a wall separating them. A wall separated people from two different worlds.

After the incident, she didn’t dare get too close to Yue Qiao, afraid of bringing trouble to her.

Guan Lu continued, “Before the Red Guards came to search our house, my parents seemed to have received a warning and asked the cook to take me and hide. The cook had worked at our house for over ten years and had watched me grow up. She took me to the countryside for a few years. Her family and Chengyi’s family were from the same village. During one New Year, Chengyi came back and saw me through someone else’s introduction. That’s how we got married.”

She looked guilty. “I almost failed the political review because of my family background. If it hadn’t been for Chengyi’s insistence on marrying me, we wouldn’t have made it.”

Jiang Nian didn’t expect that Deputy Commander Luo and Guan Lu had met this way. Guan Lu continued, “Because Chengyi married me, his original chance for promotion was delayed. I feel I owe him a lot. If he hadn’t married me, he might have been a commander by now.”

To Guan Lu, Luo Chengyi was her salvation.

Although he was nine years older than her, ever since she married Luo Chengyi, this man had never mistreated her. He gave her control over the family’s money and never complained about her expenses. Therefore, regarding Luo Xiaoyue, she endured repeatedly to avoid making things difficult for Chengyi. But there were limits—at least she didn’t want to be disturbed by Luo Xiaoyue at night.

She knew Luo Xiaoyue often contacted her biological mother and disliked, even resented, her. But she didn’t care.

She married Luo Chengyi, who didn’t mind her background and sacrificed his career for her. She couldn’t afford to be unreasonable and make things difficult for his child.

Jiang Nian now understood why Guan Lu married Luo Chengyi.

She said, “Deputy Commander Luo is indeed a man of integrity and loyalty.”

Guan Lu smiled. “Everyone in the family apartments knows about these things. They don’t want to get too close to me. Only Sister He from our floor talks to me.”

She then looked at Jiang Nian and said, “And you, who is willing to be my friend.”

Jiang Nian didn’t say much, only: “You did nothing wrong and shouldn’t have to endure this.”