Back To The 80s

Chapter 289: Chapter 299: Homework (An additional section for 620 monthly tickets)_1

Upon hearing this, Chen Dajun realized what Lu Aiguo meant. He was suggesting that he mortgage the family courtyard house. Chen Dajun felt uneasy and said, "It’s an ancestral property. If I sell it, my father would leap out of his coffin in anger."

Lu Aiguo spread his hands helplessly, "Then I can’t do anything either. I don’t have the money to help."

Lu Ruixue was growing anxious. She asked Lu Aiguo, "How much can we get for mortgaging that courtyard house in East City?"

"Ten thousand? At most twenty thousand." Lu Aiguo looked like he was already quoting very high.

Gu Xiaobei, listening on the side, was astounded. The courtyard house in East City, in thirty years, would be worth tens of millions, even hundreds of millions.

Chen Dajun was hesitating but finally gritted his teeth and said, "Third brother, can you squeeze out twenty thousand for the courtyard house? Then I could give you back your principal. It should be sufficient then."

Lu Aiguo hesitated, "Dajun, your math seems a bit off. But considering we are relatives, I’ll help you out. You give me the property deed and the money later on, and I’ll give you the television voucher. You can redeem the television with it."

Chen Dajun looked as though he had been granted a great favor, "Alright, thank you, third brother." His father’s old, dilapidated house in East City was unoccupied anyway. Selling it for twenty thousand seemed reasonable.

Gu Xiaobei was in awe of Lu Aiguo. She felt that even if she lived twice, she still wouldn’t have his mind for business.

After Chen Dajun and Lu Ruixue left, Lu Zhanguo finally spoke, "Aiguo, how can you take Chen Dajun’s ancestral home?"

Lu Aiguo didn’t seem to care, "It’s being wasted in their hands anyway."

That night, lying in bed, Gu Xiaobei couldn’t help but chat with Lu Zhanguo about the day’s events. "The third brother really has a knack for business. You’ll see, he’s sure to strike it rich in the future."

Lu Zhanguo, however, was preoccupied with something else entirely. Since Gu Xiaobei had given birth, they hadn’t been intimate. Now, as he watched her breastfeed Xiaopang, his eyes nearly sparked with desire.

Finally, when both children fell asleep, Lu Zhanguo quickly moved them aside and drew Gu Xiaobei into his arms.

Gu Xiaobei couldn’t help but laugh at his anxious demeanor. She poked his chest, asking, "Are you up to it?"

As Lu Zhanguo continued to tease Gu Xiaobei, he replied, "We won’t know if we don’t try, right?"

Gu Xiaobei wrapped her arms around his neck, offering him a passionate kiss. As their clothes fell away and Lu Zhanguo entered her, both of them sighed in satisfaction, as though they were two travelers in the desert who had suddenly found an oasis and a sip of fresh spring water.

Just as Lu Zhanguo was lost in their lovemaking, he turned his head to find both children wide awake. He immediately stopped and quickly pulled the quilt over them.

Gu Xiaobei blushed at the abrupt end to their intimacy. Looking over at her husband, she too turned to look at the children.

Seeing Gu Xiaobei’s gaze on him, Xiaopang grinned, his pink gums exposed.

Gu Xiaobei was mortified. Angrily, she shoved Lu Zhanguo, "Why didn’t you turn off the lights? Get off."

Lu Zhanguo was abruptly left with his desire unfulfilled. He rolled onto his side, exasperated. This was the first time he’d found the kids to be such a nuisance.

Gu Xiaobei quickly sat up, dressed, and checked on the children. Xiaopang had wet his diaper, and Mo Wang had been kicked awake by Xiaopang.

After changing Xiaopang’s diaper and soothing both children back to sleep, Gu Xiaobei turned to see Lu Zhanguo looking sullenly at the ceiling. She couldn’t help but laugh as she nestled against him.

"Once they’ve been weaned, we’ll let them sleep on their own." Lu Zhanguo suggested like a child, a hint of desperation in his voice. If things continued this way, they were sure to get sick from the stress.

Gu Xiaobei nodded in agreement, laughing. But after all the commotion with the kids, they had lost the mood for intimacy. They quietly held one another for a while before moving the kids back and going to sleep.

......

At the end of December, Lu Zhanguo went to the hospital for a check-up. His health indicators were all within normal range and he was told that he could return to the force after the New Year.

Gu Xiaobei noticed that Wen Xiuqing had started spending longer amounts of time in the living room recently. She would sometimes sit there, staring at Mo Wang, but she never once held him.

Gu Xiaobei felt that Wen Xiuqing had heavy burdens weighing on her heart, ones she kept hidden and didn’t share with anyone. Even towards her own children, her affection, if any, was always held back. Her love was there, but she did not know how to express it.

"Mom, why don’t you hold Mo Wang for a bit?" Gu Xiaobei suggested, after having changed Mo Wang’s diaper.

Wen Xiuqing was startled by the suggestion, quickly waving her hand and saying, "No need. I’m fine just watching from here." She sounded nervous, as though afraid that Gu Xiaobei was going to suddenly hand Mo Wang to her.

Gu Xiaobei was perplexed. If she was scared to hold a child because of the death of Lu Zhanguo’s older brother, then why didn’t she refuse to hold Lu Aiguo and Lu Ruixue when they were born?

With nothing better to do, Gu Xiaobei got curious about how Lu Zhanguo’s brother died and how it could scare Wen Xiuqing to such an extent.

But, of course, she couldn’t ask Wen Xiuqing about this. Gu Xiaobei planned instead to ask Fang Jing if she knew anything.

But before Gu Xiaobei had a chance to ask Fang Jing, two unfamiliar women visited their home.

Upon seeing the visitors, Wen Xiuqing’s expression grew cold.

Gu Xiaobei cradled Mo Wang in her arms and curiously watched the visitors. The older woman seemed to be older than Wen Xiuqing and looked very honest and simple. The younger woman was about the same age as Lu Zhanguo, tall and resembling the older woman, likely her daughter.

Lu Zhanguo, holding Xiaopang, nonchalantly called out, "Aunt has come over."

It was only then that Gu Xiaobei understood that this woman must be Wen Xiuqing’s sister.

"Xiuqing, Yanmei and I came to see you, and you give us such a face. Are you looking down on your poor country relatives?" Shi Xiuying asked Wen Xiuqing indignantly.

Shi Xiuying and Wen Xiuqing were cousins. Shi Xiuying lived in the mountains outside the Great Wall. Her face was weather-beaten, dark and ruddy, and her voice was rough because of the constant exposure to the mountain winds.

Gu Xiaobei could tell that these visitors had an ulterior motive, and it seemed that Wen Xiuqing held some resentment towards Shi Xiuying.

Seeing that Wen Xiuqing remained silent, Shi Xiuying didn’t mind. She cheerfully said to Gu Xiaobei, "So this is Zhanguo’s wife and the twins. They look wonderful." As she spoke, she reached out to touch Mo Wang’s cheek.

Wen Xiuqing suddenly spoke coldly, "Don’t touch the child with your cold hands."

Shi Xiuying immediately drew back her hand obediently, and plonked herself on the long couch next to Gu Xiaobei.

Wen Xiuqing spoke again: "Xiaobei, could you take the children upstairs? It’s time for them to sleep."

Gu Xiaobei quickly complied, carrying Mo Wang, she smiled at Shi Xiuying and went upstairs with Lu Zhanguo.

Once Gu Xiaobei and Lu Zhanguo had gone upstairs, Wen Xiuqing, her face expressionless, asked, "Alright, what are you here for this time?"

After settling her daughter Zhang Yanmei down, Shi Xiuying finally began, "It’s almost New Year’s. We just came over to see you. Relatives should keep in touch; otherwise, we’ll grow apart."

"We might as well be apart, so we don’t need to keep in touch, Aunt. I bet you’re here to borrow money again, aren’t you?" Lu Aiguo, coming in from outside and hearing Shi Xiuying’s words, entered the room without bothering to present a polite face.