Back To The 80s-Chapter 211: Clue (Additional Two for the Hes Jade Disc)_1
Lu Zhanguo and Wang Daniu sat cross-legged on the kang, Gu Xiaobei sat next to Lu Zhanguo on the edge of the kang. Zhuang Shuxian sat on the other side, cradling Jiujiu in her arms.
The village head also ran over shortly after. He was sweaty in the middle of winter, presumably because Chen Qiang had probably spoken to him.
"Mayor Jin, I’m the head of this village, Chen Dazhu. Knowing you were coming, I brought a chicken to make a stew later." The village head wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked quite nervous or it could have just been from the heat.
Wang Daniu, sitting in the middle of the kang, was startled to the point of almost falling over. He was flustered, realising he was sitting next to a mayor.
"Just sit, big brother. I’m not a mayor today. I’m just Jiujiu’s grandfather. Let’s just chat idly." Jin Xueping patted Wang Daniu’s shoulder to reassure him.
Gu Xiaobei stood up and gestured for the village head to take the seat. He then sat on one side of the kang, the one opposite of Lu Zhanguo.
When Gu Xiaobei stood up, he glanced at Lu Zhanguo, the man looked strange with his stern expression. It made his mind race.
Jin Xueping, realizing that both Wang Daniu and the village head knew something about the past, asked, "What, then, has become of Jiujiu’s mother, Xuerong?"
"I’m really not sure, from the footprints left in the snow, it seems she jumped off the cliff. However, when we went to cut grass at the bottom of the cliff in the spring, we didn’t see a body." The village chief quickly replied.
Zhuang Shuxian seemed delighted: "So does that mean Xuerong might still be alive?"
The village head shook his head, "I’m not quite sure. But some people say they saw a woman who resembled Xuerong at a coal mine in Longxi."
Zhuang Shuxian didn’t care if it was true or not, she exclaimed emotionally, "As long as she’s alive, that’s good enough."
When lunch was prepared by Aunt Wang, it was already past noon. Because the chicken brought by the village head needed to be freshly slaughtered and plucked. The village chickens were used for laying eggs, and they were already one or two years old, their meat hard and tough.
The lunch consisted of potato shreds and chicken potato stew. Potato shreds involve cutting the potatoes into finger-thick strips, coating them with flour, and steaming them. After steaming, they are stir-fried in oil with dried chilli, spring onions, and salt until golden brown.
Zhuang Shuxian gave Jiujiu a chicken drumstick but didn’t eat anything herself, just watching Jiujiu eat.
Gu Xiaobei thought the potato shreds were delicious and had a full plate of them. She didn’t eat the chicken because she knew it wasn’t easy to have meat dishes at home, and decided to save it for Aunt Wang’s family to eat in the evening.
After Gu Xiaobei finished eating, Lu Zhanguo moved the uneaten half of his food over to her.
Gu Xiaobei didn’t protest and ate it. Her stomach felt like a bottomless pit, and she was still hungry. So she stuffed in the remaining half plate of rice.
After they finished eating and chatted for a while, they left. Outside the gate, they saw Chen Gang waiting with a donkey cart. He had been standing there in the bitter cold for quite some time.
Gu Xiaobei felt a pang of regret. She had forgotten that Chen Gang was also a sensitive child. She walked over to him smiling, "Chen Gang, it’s good timing. We’re so tired that we can’t walk back."
Chen Gang stared at the ground, not saying a word, feelings of inferiority surging in his heart.
"Sixth Brother, are you sending us back? If you are, are you coming to Aunty’s house with me to study tomorrow?" Jiujiu stepped forward and asked Chen Gang with a hopeful face.
"You’re going, right? You dare not go. You promised that you’ll earn money and spend it on Auntie in the future. If you don’t go, it means you’re planning to break your promise." Gu Xiaobei beats him to respond.
"Auntie, I didn’t break my promise." Chen Gang, after much hesitation, finally managed a response.
Gu Xiaobei sighed. These things needed time. She had to give the two children time to figure things out.
On their way back, Lu Zhanguo took off his military coat and wrapped Zhuang Shuxian and Jiujiu in it. He sat with Gu Xiaobei at the back of the cart, holding her hands in his, his facial expression remaining stern throughout.
Gu Xiaobei was puzzled. This man had been acting strange the whole day. He had taken good care of her, giving her good food and treating her well, yet his face remained stern.
When they arrived at the entrance of the army base, Jin Xueping and Zhuang Shuxian decided to stop by the guest house and rest for a bit. Zhuang Shuxian held onto Jiujiu and asked if she would like to go.
Jiujiu looked at Gu Xiaobei and then at Zhuang Shuxian, and nodded. At the age of nine, she was more mature than other children her age. She had just heard about her biological mother’s situation today, as well as what Zhuang Shuxian told her about her parents. Her mind was filled with mixed feelings.
Gu Xiaobei sighed. The child would probably need some time to adjust and digest this information.
At home, Lu Zhanguo silently changed the coal stove.
Gu Xiaobei walked over and poked his back with her finger: "Tell me, what’s with you today?"
Lu Zhanguo ignored her. After changing the coal in the stove, he turned to look at Gu Xiaobei, his gaze intense. "You tell me, what’s the secret you’ve been keeping from me?"
"Keeping secret from you? Nothing at all. I’ve always been a good girl, and I don’t do bad things." Gu Xiaobei was confused.
"Then tell me, what is this about you having a baby?" Lu Zhanguo pointed to Gu Xiaobei’s stomach and asked.
"Having a baby?" Gu Xiaobei was puzzled. Then she remembered the casual remarks she made about Li Xianglan’s words must have been overheard by this man.
Gu Xiaobei chuckled, "That was just an offhand comment. I suspect that I may be pregnant because my period is a week late." Gu Xiaobei said uncertainly.
Lu Zhanguo’s face darkened further. He picked up Gu Xiaobei as if she were as light as a chicken and sat her on the bed. "You already have suspicions, yet you still went and got into a fight?"
Gu Xiaobei looked at Lu Zhanguo, who was sitting next to her and looking grim, chuckled and swayed his arm. She cooed, "Isn’t it because it’s not yet confirmed? Plus, our son can’t be so delicate. Right?"
Lu Zhanguo was helpless to resist Gu Xiaobei. He said in resignation, "Take care next time, don’t be so reckless."
"I’ll be more careful, I’ll protect our little one." Gu Xiaobei raised her hand to pledge.
"I thought it wasn’t confirmed?" Lu Zhanguo was skeptical.
"Well, it’s not confirmed, but I have a hunch. I’m sure this time, I’m carrying a chubby son." Gu Xiaobei was very cheerful, her eyes squinting with joy.
A sense of joy and expectation appeared on Lu Zhanguo’s face. The feeling of becoming a father this time was different from the last time. This time, he felt an overwhelming sense of happiness and elation. Whereas before, the emotion was more akin to responsibility.
He watched Gu Xiaobei who was delightfully elated, and couldn’t resist adding, "Alright, make sure we have a son."
"Huh, do you favor boys over girls? You really favor boys over girls!" Gu Xiaobei glared at him with dissatisfaction.
"Wasn’t it you who kept talking about having a chubby son?" He retorted.
"Yes, I can favor boys over girls, but you, on the other hand, cannot." Gu Xiaobei stated assertively, and then joyfully threw herself into Lu Zhanguo’s arms.
Lu Zhanguo was both amused and helpless. He wrapped his arms around Gu Xiaobei and said, "Okay, now go to bed for a bit. We’ll eat at the guest house tonight, no need for you to cook."
"Good, but carry me into the room." Gu Xiaobei acted spoiled.
At dinner time, Lu Zhanguo and Gu Xiaobei were on their way to the guest house. Before leaving the house, Lu Zhanguo wrapped a long light-blue scarf around Gu Xiaobei’s neck, two times in fact, making it so that only her two big eyes were visible. Only then did he feel satisfied enough to leave the house.
Gu Xiaobei pouted. He was obviously doing this because she had a child in her stomach. That had to be it.
Looking at Gu Xiaobei’s pitiful expression, Lu Zhanguo gave a resigned sigh. What an ungrateful little thing he thought to himself.
