Back To The 80s-Chapter 153: Key point_1

Lu Zhanguo looked coldly at the woman before him, Yuan Ye, Yuan Tan’s sister. The day before, Shen Heng had told him over the phone that Yuan Ye and their mother Qin Ximei had come to T City and wanted to see him.

It was an unusual time, and yet Yuan Ye had returned to the country. The two men cast doubt on Yuan Ye’s reasons for coming to T City at this time.

Yuan Ye and Yuan Tan looked similar, but Yuan Ye lacked the wild beauty of Yuan Tan. Instead, she possessed a subtly quiet beauty. Her figure remained slender and delicate, showing no signs of having borne two children.

Yuan Ye was discreetly assessing Lu Zhanguo. The rigorous passage of time and the baptism of life and death had deepened the man’s rugged good looks. His strong aura served as a reminder of a cheetah standing alone in the wilderness.

Seeing Lu Zhanguo’s lowered gaze and silence, she knew she could not outdo him in a contest of silence. With a gentle smile, she broke the silence, "I didn’t see you much during our childhood, but I always heard Yuan Tan talking about you at home. This trip to T City also gives me a chance to meet Brother Zhanguo, the man she always mentioned. " As she spoke, she unconsciously stirred her coffee with a small spoon.

There was not a ripple in Lu Zhanguo’s gaze, but he took note of Yuan Ye’s every move.

Yuan Ye paused for a moment, then continued, "My mother was supposed to come with me today, but she’s not feeling well after the long journey and the change of environment. Once she’s adjusted, we’ll invite you to join us for dinner. During the conversation, she did not mention anything about Gu Xiaobei, as if she wasn’t aware of Lu Zhanguo’s marriage.

"We’re about to start a military exercise, and I’m afraid we won’t have any free time until November," Lu Zhanguo responded indifferently.

At that moment, Lu Zhanguo saw Gu Xiaobei and Qin Li enter. Although he was a bit surprised, he merely glanced at Gu Xiaobei with a calm look.

Observing his clever wife, who smartly seated herself and Qin Li at the opposite location, Lu Zhanguo applauded in his heart without showing any signs of it on his face.

One of the reasons why Lu Zhanguo chose to meet Yuan Ye alone today, was to hear what she had to say. But also he knew that when a person lies, the fewer people there are around, the more mistakes they will make. At the moment, he hoped Gu Xiaobei would stay away. Seeing Gu Xiaobei peeking curiously, he couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of her curiosity.

Yuan Ye, noticing Lu Zhanguo’s frugality with words, was not irritated. With a modest smile on her face, she asked, "Zhanguo, did you have any misunderstanding with Yuan Tan? She told me that you are not paying much attention to her recently. "

Lu Zhanguo raised his eyebrows: "Yuan Ye, I’m married now."

The smile on Yuan Ye’s face froze momentarily, she had not expected Lu Zhanguo to be so straightforward. But quickly, she laughed again and said, "So even after getting married, one can’t have friends? That’s very backward."

"Why did you suddenly come back to the country? How long are you planning to stay?" Lu Zhanguo, not wanting to continue the pointless conversation, asked directly.

"I got divorced. This time I am back and I am not planning to return," Yuan Ye’s smile abruptly vanished and she reported rather dejectedly.

Lu Zhanguo didn’t miss the quick flash of resolution on Yuan Ye’s face. He watched her playfully without saying a word.

"Living alone abroad was too hard. Ansel was addicted to alcohol. When he got drunk, he would hit me and the children. I couldn’t take it anymore, so I asked the embassy for help in getting a divorce and returning to the country. I left the children behind," Yuan Ye’s voice dropped lower, and her eyes filled with tears.

Lu Zhanguo watched Yuan Ye silently. He did not hear any reluctance in her words. A mother, no matter what kind of difficulties she faces, whatever choice she makes, she would always think of her children first. But in Yuan Ye’s words and expressions, he didn’t see any sorrow for her children. It was a contradiction.

"So, I came to T City this time, in part, to take a break, so as not to stay in the compound and be laughed at by the neighbors," Yuan Ye continued. In those days, divorce was a serious matter in any family, regardless of the reasons, it would lead to people looking down on you.

"I also thought about setting up a small business in T City. I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you to take care of me and Yuan Tan in the future," said Yuan Ye, somewhat uneasily.

Lu Zhanguo lowered his eyes, concealing the light in them, making it impossible for anyone to guess his thoughts. After a moment, he said softly, "T City is far behind the mainland in terms of development, and transportation is very inconvenient. I’m afraid setting up a business here would not be easy."

"I’ve thought about those things. I’d like to assess the situation before deciding. After all, Tantan and you are still here, right?" said Yuan Ye, her voice especially gentle.

Lu Zhanguo, however, remained unmoved. He had already formed a plan in his mind. He glanced in the direction where Gu Xiaobei was dining and said, "My military camp is some distance from the city and I’m often busy with training. I’m afraid I won’t be of much help."

Yuan Ye had heard from Yuan Tan that Lu Zhanguo was stubborn and heartless. It seemed her sister was right.

While Gu Xiaobei and Qin Li were enjoying their meal, they were also critiquing the food: This one is hard to stomach, that one is even worse.

Qin Li poked at the fish with her chopsticks and said, "What a waste of a good fish."

Gu Xiaobei agreed, "It’s far worse than what I cook."

Qin Li laughed, "Sister Xiaobei, I think I’ve learned to be thick-skinned from you. Who else would praise their own cooking?"

Gu Xiaobei shot her a look but wasn’t angry. With a matter-of-fact tone, she stated, "I’m not thick-skinned, I’m just telling the truth."

"Look, your Gun God husband is coming over," Qin Li whispered, pointing behind Gu Xiaobei. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Gu Xiaobei quickly turned around, looking for her husband. She saw Lu Zhanguo gazing warmly at her, with a tall figure following behind him. She couldn’t see the other person’s face as it was blocked by Lu Zhanguo.

Seeing Lu Zhanguo walking towards her, Gu Xiaobei quickly got up, feigning surprise, "Zhanguo? Why are you here? Didn’t you say you were going to eat with Shen Heng?" Her face conveying complete delight.

Qin Li held back her laughter. How theatrical! She got up and stood to one side, without a word.

Hearing the sound, Yuan Ye saw Lu Zhanguo stop, she quickly took two steps to stand next to him, looking at Gu Xiaobei. Presumably this was Lu Zhanguo’s wife. She was petite, but curvy. Her small face was long and fair, not particularly pretty, but her large eyes were extraordinarily charming and clear. She gave off a clean, comfortable vibe.

While Yuan Ye inspected Gu Xiaobei, Gu Xiaobei was subtly analyzing Yuan Ye. She must have been at least 1.7 meters tall. Her hair was neatly arranged behind her head, and she wore a dark-green long-sleeved dress that reached her ankles. Over it she wore a beige cardigan. Her features were quite beautiful, and what stood out the most was her quietly gentle demeanor. Gu Xiaobei thought to herself, this is what most men consider an ideal woman. Yet aloud she said, "Zhanguo, who is she? Didn’t you say you were having dinner with Shen Heng? Why did you lie to me?"

Lu Zhanguo, finding himself both amused and bemused by Gu Xiaobei’s theatrical reaction, gently said, "This is Yuan Tan’s sister, Yuan Ye."