Back To The 80s-Chapter 346 - 356: Favorable Impression_1

As soon as Bai Xiaolan entered the bedroom, Gu Xiaobei closed the door and urgently asked her, "How’s my elder brother?"

Bai Xiaolan looked at Gu Xiaobei’s gossip face and sighed, "The older Jin brother I mentioned to you is the eldest Jin brother. What do you think?"

"What?" Gu Xiaobei was so shocked that he could stuff an egg in his mouth. How could he only know something as important as this now? The gossip in him was bursting out:" Then what, did you say it?"

Bai Xiaolan, feeling annoyed, sat on the brick bed, "No, I don’t know if I have a particular fondness for older Jin brother. Plus, with my embarrassing past, everyone knows. How awkward would that be?"

In an earnest tone, Gu Xiaobei asked, "When you see my older brother, does your heart beat faster? Do you miss him when he’s not around?"

Bai Xiaolan nodded, "Yes, I do. But if I married older Jin brother, wouldn’t I have to go to Shule River? I don’t want to live there for a long time. I think I can’t bear the hardship there. So, I need to think it through. What if we regret it later, and end up hurting two people?"

Gu Xiaobei marvelled, who said love would make people lose their minds? Just look at the lady in front of him, analyzing so accurately. Love eventually gets worn down in the daily grind of living: "What if my elder brother marries someone else, would you be upset?"

"I would be upset, that’s why I’ve been thinking a lot these past few days. Particularly about whether Lu’s mother would accept me." Bai Xiaolan pondered scratching her head.

Gu Xiaobei suddenly felt that he had underestimated her. He had previously thought Bai Xiaolan was an easy-going, rough-around-the-edges girl, but she was emotionally very intelligent: "My mom loves you; how could you say she doesn’t?"

"Which family would like a daughter-in-law who always causes a fuss? My mom really liked my sister-in-law once, but suddenly stopped liking her when she found out that she’s my second brother’s girlfriend," said a dejected Bai Xiaolan. Even her mom says that about her at home.

Patting her shoulder, Gu Xiaobei said, "These things don’t matter. As long as my elder brother treats you well, all problems can be solved."

Bai Xiaolan sighed, "That’s the biggest issue. Older Jin brother even saw me getting in a fight once. Don’t men prefer gentle, diminutive women with fine soft voices and long hair? Look at me. I don’t fit any of those molds." Bai Xiaolan, looking frustrated, touched her short hair.

Gu Xiaobei comforted, "Well, we can try, can’t we?"

The two were chattering when Wen Xiuqing came and called them to dinner.

Since Lu Songyuan arrived, they had been eating in front of a folding table in the living room.

During the meal, Gu Xiaobei studied Ji Xiangdong carefully. His expression never changing, Xiangdong showed no signs of anything odd. Gu Xiaobei put down his chopsticks and said to Bai Xiaolan, "Xiaolan, I know an editor-in-chief of a publishing house. He is unmarried and in his late twenties, and he’s got a good situation going for him. Do you want to check it out?" He then sneakily tugged at her clothes.

Bai Xiaolan was stunned. Had she not just confessed her feelings for Ji Xiangdong in the bedroom? Then Editor-in-Chief Gu came out of nowhere. Only after Xiaobei pulled her clothes did she regain her senses and murmured a wooden, "Sure."

Ji Xiangdong glimpsed at their little antics, his lips curled up subtly, and he continued to eat in silence.

Gu Xiaobei was dumbstruck by Ji Xiangdong’s lack of reaction. Did she misread the situation?

After dinner, Lu Zhanguo came home covered in mud. Xiaopang saw his father coming home and shouted excitedly, "Daddy...Daddy..."

Lu Zhanguo quickly headed to the bathroom to wash up and change clothes.

Bai Xiaolan said in surprise, "I haven’t been here for a couple of days and Xiaopang already learned to call for ’Dad’?"

"Yes, he only knows to say ’Dad’. He can’t say ’Mom’. How ungrateful is that? Shouldn’t he learn to say ’Mom’ first?" Gu Xiaobei sounded somewhat jealous.

Bai Xiaolan reached out her hands and said, "Come here, let me hold Xiaopang."

Ji Xiangdong watched as Bai Xiaolan took Xiaopang into her arms. His eyes sparkled as he lowered his gaze; having a family and a child seemed like a good idea.

After freshening up and changing, Lu Zhanguo came out and took Xiaopang. Wen Xiuqing asked with worry, "You came home all covered with mud. Have you had dinner yet? I’ll make some noodles for you."

"Alright." Lu Zhanguo sat next to Ji Xiangdong with Xiaopang in his arms.

Ji Xiangdong looked at Lu Zhanguo and asked, "Are you planning to stay at the front lines indefinitely?"

Lu Zhanguo nodded, "Most likely won’t change in the next few years."

"Take care of yourself," Ji Xiangdong instructed.

Lu Songyuan couldn’t help but ask Ji Xiangdong, "Are you planning to stay at Shule River forever? Can’t you try to be transferred to the inland?"

Ji Xiangdong hesitated a bit. His eyes gently glanced over Bai Xiaolan as he said, "I plan to do so, but I’ll wait for the right time. There’s also a lack of talents in the west, so it’s not easy to relocate people."

Lu Songyuan nodded, "Regardless of the harsh conditions there, the place has a lot of room for development in the future. After all, it’s rich in resources."

Ji Xiangdong totally agreed. Even though some places in Shule River still have no electricity and people are still using kerosene lamps, once national support policies are in place, the place will surely develop rapidly.

Wen Xiuqing brought out the noodles and said after hearing their conversation, "No matter how good it is, it cannot be better than our inland. I have heard that the winters there are extremely cold and the summers are extremely hot. So it’s best if you can be transferred back. However, it seems like you enjoy being there. After all, you’ve been there for so long and have developed an attachment to it." After finishing her words, she quickly added, afraid that Ji Xiangdong would overthink, "No matter how much you like it."

Ji Xiangdong heaved a sigh in his heart. Every time Wen Xiuqing mentions some things, especially the past, she is very cautious, fearing that he would get angry. This kind of carefulness with the fear of losing him at any time makes him feel very uncomfortable.

They sat around until after nine when both Ji Xiangdong and Bai Xiaolan left together.

As they descended the stairs, Ji Xiangdong moved ahead silently. Bai Xiaolan, trailing behind him, couldn’t help but ask, "Elder brother Jin, are you really going to be transferred to the inland?"

Ji Xiangdong stopped, looked at Bai Xiaolan with deep eyes and asked with a smile, "Do you think I should come back?"

Bai Xiaolan nodded, "Yes, I think so. This way, mother Lu can see you every day. You don’t know how much she has suffered over the years. Even the family members had complaints about her. But look, mother Lu has become happier since you came back. It’s nice."

Ji Xiangdong didn’t say anything else, just smiled and walked on.

Bai Xiaolan was a little confused. Did she say something wrong? No, that can’t be right. If she said something wrong, elder Jin brother should be angry, not smiling.

When they were almost at the Cultural Center dormitory, Ji Xiangdong suddenly asked, "Are you in a hurry to get married?"

Bai Xiaolan hesitated, "No, I’m not," she replied, clueless.

Ji Xiangdong nodded, smiling, "That’s good. You’re here. Now you should go, rest."

Bai Xiaolan couldn’t put things together. She said "oh" to Ji Xiangdong, and prepared to go back to her dorm to think things over.

Ji Xiangdong looked on as Bai Xiaolan entered the building, then turned around with a smile at the corner of his mouth. He thought to himself that his visit to the city proved to be quite productive.