Back To The 80s-Chapter 295 - 305: Thoughts (Asking for monthly tickets)_1
Bai Xiaolan pouted, "It’s all because you won’t stop nagging, otherwise, how could I have run so far away?"
Zhou Siping laughingly scolded, "Now it’s our fault, huh? Go ahead, just bring us back a son-in-law by year’s end, okay?"
Bai Xiaolan winked cunningly, "Don’t worry, I promise to accomplish the mission."
Zhou Siping turned to Gu Xiaobei, "Xiaolan insisted on going to the Northwest. Since you guys are over there, we thought you might be able to help us look after her. A young girl traveling far away, as parents, we’re quite concerned."
Fang Jing curiously asked, "Xiaolan, what kind of work will you be doing there?"
Bai Xiaolan knocked her lips, "My mom pulled some strings and got me a job at a cultural center."
"We’re just looking out for you. Without a stable job, what, are you planning to live on Northwest wind?" Zhou Siping sighed helplessly. There were three sons in the family, but it was their only precious daughter who was always at odds with them.
Gu Xiaobei politely smiled, "Xiaolan, feel free to visit our place often."
Bai Xiaolan hesitated a bit before finally saying, "Sister-in-law, I’ll definitely be dropping by often. Don’t find me annoying, okay?"
Before lunch, Lu Zhanguo and Lu Aiguo returned together.
After exchanging greetings with Zhou Siping, Lu Zhanguo took off his coat and sat next to Gu Xiaobei. The moment Xiaopang in Zhou Siping’s arms saw that his dad was back, he reached out his little arms and started to babble to be held by his dad.
Zhou Siping laughed, "This little girl prefers her dad. Sweetie, just wait a moment. Your dad just got in and he’s cold. Let’s wait a bit before he holds you."
Gu Xiaobei quietly observed Bai Xiaolan. Seeing that Bai Xiaolan was just watching Xiaopang with interest and not even glancing at Lu Zhanguo, she felt slightly relieved. She did not want to deal with these trifling matters all day long.
Xiaopang, of course, couldn’t understand what Zhou Siping was saying and kept crying out to Lu Zhanguo, waving his little arms even more energetically.
Lu Zhanguo, waited until his hands were warm, then picked up Xiaopang, who finally smiled contentedly.
Zhou Siping joked, "There’s a real difference between being married and having kids. Xiuqing, you’re really lucky."
After hearing this, Wen Xiuqing laughed a bit more and nodded, "Your family is not bad either. Your three sons are all very promising."
Zhou Siping nodded and said, "Indeed, just this one isn’t dating anyone yet. She’s sitting right here."
Upon hearing this, Bai Xiaolan, somewhat helplessly, said, "Mom, I just haven’t gotten married yet. It’s not such a terrible crime. Can you stop bringing my single status into every matter?"
Lu Aiguo cut in with a cheeky grin, "I think Aunt Bai is right, you should get married. I heard you got into a fight with someone at Houhai last week."
Bai Xiaolan gave Lu Aiguo a sharp glance and laughed, "Who told you that? I was at home all last week, you can ask my mom if you don’t believe me."
Zhou Siping thought for a while, then nodded, "Indeed, Xiaolan was unusually obedient last week. She stayed at home all the time."
Lu Aiguo raised an eyebrow, slyly saying, "Oh, I must have heard incorrectly then. I guess it was the week before last."
Vexed by this, Zhou Siping turned to ask Bai Xiaolan, "Did you really get into a fight, which is why you stayed home all last week? I was wondering why you suddenly became so docile."
Scrambling to reassure Zhou Siping, Bai Xiaolan said, "No, no, Mom, I’m old enough. How could I still be getting into fights? Don’t listen to Lu’s wild accusations. He never tells the truth."
"I’ll take care of you when we get home," Zhou Siping huffed.
Bai Xiaolan covertly threw another glance at Lu Aiguo, as if to say "you’re in for it later."
Once Zhou Siping and Bai Xiaolan left after eating lunch, Fang Jing jabbed at Lu Aiguo, "Why is your mouth so sharp? You’re all grown up but still tattling."
Lu Aiguo grimaced, "That’s what she gets for always hitting me when we were little. This is my revenge."
Fang Jing was speechless, "Aren’t you being childish? Besides, how could you have been so weak back then, losing to a young girl?"
Lu Aiguo grunted, "It wasn’t that I was weak - she was just too tough. Even now, I doubt I could beat her. The girl is misplaced in this incarnation."
Gu Xiaobei became even more curious about Bai Xiaolan. A person who seemed carefree externally yet internally strong and clear about love and hate. She was even more intrigued as to why Bai Xiaolan went all the way to G Province.
Thinking about what Wen Xiuqing had told her, Gu Xiaobei turned to Fang Jing, "When do you have a day off? Come with me for a trip."
Fang Jing quickly figured it out and calculated, "The day after tomorrow. I’m on the night shift tomorrow, and the following day, I’ll be off work."
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On the day of Fang Jing’s rest, Gu Xiaobei fed the two kids until they were full. Since they could now drink some rice porridge and have some egg custard, it wouldn’t matter if she and Fang Jing got home later in the day.
Gu Xiaobei asked Lu Zhanguo somewhat uncertainly, "Will you be able to take care of the two of them at home?"
Lu Zhanguo held one child in each arm, and nodded in a classic ’daddy’ pose, "Go ahead, you can do some shopping after finishing your work. No need to return in hurry."
Gu Xiaobei still felt uneasy as she left with Fang Jing. Fortunately, they were going to a nearby hospital. It was only about a half an hour walk away. This was the first time Gu Xiaobei had left the house since she returned home over a month ago. The chilly outside air tasted so sweet to her. She took two deep breaths and said, "I’ve completely forgotten what fresh air feels like."
Fang Jing laughed and said, "That’s just how a woman’s life goes. Before having kids we revolve around our husband, after having kids we revolve around them."
Gu Xiaobei suddenly realized that this was truly the case - and she’d only been out of the house for a few minutes but already missed her kids.
The two of them went to the health clinic in their district, took a number, and then stood in line waiting.
Family planning was strict and there were many women who wanted to install IUDs. Gu Xiaobei looked at the line wishing she had come earlier. It was unclear when they were going to be seen.
Fang Jing pulled her to sit on the wooden chairs at the very back, where they waited for the nurse to call their number.
"Help!" Not five minutes after they sat down, there was a scream from outside in the yard.
Fang Jing saw a crowd gathering and pulled Gu Xiaobei along to see what was happening. Gu Xiaobei was helpless. In these times, entertainment was scarce, so whether a family was quarreling or fighting, it could always draw a crowd of spectators.
Gu Xiaobei followed Fang Jing out of the clinic’s main entrance to see that the courtyard was surrounded by a ring of people, with a fight taking place in the center.
They squeezed through to have a look and were stunned to see Bai Xiaolan and Yuan Qing in the middle of the fight.
The one crying for help was Yuan Qing who was lying on the ground, her face black and blue, sobbing unceasingly, while Bai Xiaolan kept kicking her, yelling, "You shameless little thing, how dare you play the third wheel, you lost your face!"
When the surrounding people heard that the one being beaten was a homewrecker, their sympathy immediately turned into rage, with some of them even applauding the fight.
Gu Xiaobei found it strange. She remembered Yuan Qing only had a boyfriend, so how did she become a homewrecker?
Bai Xiaolan, unsatisfied by simply kicking her, picked Yuan Qing up by force and shouted, "Get up, stand up and let me fight you."
Yuan Qing whimpered, "I’m....I’m not the mistress...my stomach hurts, sob..."
