Chapter 371

Gu Chan didn't mention it again; mentioning it once had already fulfilled the sisterly bond.

She gave an apologetic smile to Lin Zhao and the others.

It had affected everyone's mood.

Gu Chan was a daughter of the Gu family and a sister of the same father and mother as Gu Xing'er. It was very necessary for her to ask this; not mentioning it at all would inevitably make her parents feel she was heartless.

She cared about her parents' thoughts.

Lin Zhao understood Gu Chan's mood, didn't think too much about it, and returned an appeasing smile.

The three daughters-in-law of the Gu family didn't pick up the conversation, nor did they comment, treating Gu Xing'er as a stranger.

"Zhaozhao, what kind of tea is this? It's quite fragrant." Gu Chan changed the subject, sniffing the fragrance wafting from the enamel mug and squinting her eyes.

Lin Zhao raised her eyes and replied with a smile: "Black tea. I have more there; if eldest sister likes it, I'll bring you some when you go back."

Gu Chan smiled embarrassedly. "Then I won't be polite."

"Why be polite? We haven't even finished eating the meat you sent over before the New Year." Lin Zhao said.

She didn't spend money to buy meat this year; what was sent was enough to eat!

She guessed that Gu Chan and Wei Xiang Dong were doing something big. She didn't pursue the question on the surface, but she "gave" the couple a "turn misfortune into good fortune" talisman. In a moment of danger, it would save their lives.

It was just to repay the life-saving grace of her sister-in-law for so many years.

Gu Chan was afraid Zhaozhao would pursue the source of the pork, so she changed the subject a second time. "Ah Hang, when are you going back to the army?"

Gu Chenghuai was slightly stunned. Glancing at Xiang Yubao and Heng Bao looking over, he remembered what his wife and children had said—to let the Gu family children know the news of their departure in a few days so they could have a good New Year—so he sent the children away.

"We adults have some serious business to discuss. Bang Bang, you take your younger brothers and sisters out to play."

He was the leader of the new generation of the Gu family, and there wasn't a single boy in the Gu family who didn't admire their third uncle. When Gu Chenghuai spoke, no one didn't listen.

"Okay!" Bang Bang responded.

He packed some candy and tricked his younger brothers and sisters out of the house.

After the children left—

Gu Chenghuai answered his eldest sister's question. "I'll leave after the New Year. I'll take Zhaozhao and the children with me."

This statement surprised and shocked everyone present.

"Third daughter-in-law is going to follow the army with the children?" Gu Mu blurted out.

Gu Chenghuai held Lin Zhao's hand and answered on her behalf. "Yes, Xiang Yubao and the others are growing fast, and I don't want to miss their growth."

He didn't mention at all that he wanted to stick to his wife, wanted to see his lover's face when he woke up every day, and wanted a light to be lit for him when he came home from work every day.

After hearing Gu Chenghuai's words, Gu Mu suppressed her reluctance to part with her grandchildren and said approvingly: "That's right. It's not a solution for you and your wife to live apart. You should take your wife and children to follow the army. A family should always be together."

Her third son was tall and handsome, and capable. If he were schemed against by those shameless people, it would be her precious grandchildren who would suffer.

"Tell me before you leave, and I'll prepare some food for you to take on the road."

Gu Chenghuai didn't refuse. "Thank you for your hard work, Mom."

"You child, I'm your mother. Why say such distant words? Anything a mother does for her son is as it should be." Gu Mu felt a bit melancholy in her heart, feeling dull.

Her third son wasn't often at home, and her third daughter-in-law and Xiang Yubao and the others were also leaving. After they left, she and her husband didn't know how many more times they would be able to see them?

Lin Zhao said: "This is the root for Gu Chenghuai and me, and we will come back. If Mom and Dad miss us, I'll book tickets for you, and eldest brother and sister-in-law will send you to the train. I'll pick you up at the train station at the destination. It won't be difficult to see each other."

As long as there is a heart, mountains and rivers can be crossed to meet again.

Gu Mu managed to smile. "That's true. Third daughter-in-law, write more letters when you get there."

"That's for sure. I'll write one every half month. Mom, don't find me annoying." Lin Zhao smiled teasingly.

"I won't find you annoying, I won't." Gu Mu responded, looking at Gu Qingzhou. "Qingzhou, go and take a look every once in a while."

Gu Qingzhou naturally agreed.

Zhao Liuniang spoke up. "What about third sister-in-law's job?"

Lin Zhao raised her eyes, smiling, making it impossible for people to see her true thoughts, and asked instead of answering: "Second sister-in-law, do you have any ideas?"

This was Zhaozhao's job; Gu Chenghuai didn't manage it and left it to her to handle.

Zhao Liuniang shook her head. "No, no, no. There's a pile of things at home, I can't leave."

Do you want a job that guarantees income regardless of drought or flood? There is no one who doesn't want one.

It's just... there were three children at home who needed care, and her husband's career was in the starting stage. Hearing from her father-in-law, the commune planned to continue expanding the planting area, so the future for Gu Yuanshan and Gu Yucheng, who learned to grow mushrooms from Gu Father, was also bright. With so many brigades growing mushrooms, how could one technician be enough? They had learned the most, so wasn't it normal for them to get on the train?

This salary wasn't low, and it was a craft, so Zhao Liuniang supported Gu Yucheng very much.

Her husband was busy with serious business, and someone had to manage the home, so she had to stay.

Most importantly, Zhao Liuniang had substituted at the supply and marketing cooperative and felt that going to work was like being in prison; it wasn't as comfortable as growing mushrooms.

"I thought second sister-in-law wanted it." Lin Zhao spoke very directly.

Zhao Liuniang said: "That's an iron rice bowl; who wouldn't want it? But there's a pile of things at home, and I can't leave."

Her original family was not good, so she regarded her own small family as more important than anything else. This was the result of her careful consideration.

Moreover, buying a job would cost at least four or five hundred, and she couldn't bear to spend the money.

"What about eldest sister-in-law?" Lin Zhao asked Huang Xiulan again.

It didn't matter to her who she sold the job to.

Anyway, good jobs were not hard to sell.

Huang Xiulan hesitated for a while. "Can I discuss it with your eldest brother and give you an answer in a few days?"

"Okay, try to tell me as soon as possible." If you don't want it, I'll ask others.

Lin Zhao hadn't considered her maiden sister-in-law for the time being; Chen Yu had given birth to twin sons not long ago and it wasn't convenient for her to go to work, but she could ask.

Huang Xiulan understood the implication of her third sister-in-law and gave her a definite answer. "I'll give you an answer early tomorrow morning."

We'll discuss it tonight.

"Okay." Lin Zhao was taking her husband and children back to her maiden home tomorrow morning, so getting a definite answer wouldn't affect her asking her eldest sister-in-law.

Huang Xiulan and Gu Yuanshan discussed it for a night. The couple sat cross-legged on the bed and calculated an account, and the conclusion they reached was that growing mushrooms was more cost-effective.

Although third sister-in-law didn't say how much the job cost, according to their estimate, it would be at least five hundred, and that was still a friendly price. With so much money, it would take at least two years to earn back the capital. If they went to work, it would inevitably delay the work of growing mushrooms and affect the earning of work points. Calculating it back and forth, it was better to focus on growing mushrooms.

Anyway, through Lin Zhao's relationship, they could always get imperfect items, and they weren't short of those coupons.

"So we don't want it?" Gu Yuanshan confirmed again. "Once a move is made, there is no regret; if you refuse, there is no room for repentance. We all know that jobs are hard to come by, especially good jobs at the supply and marketing cooperative, which are even harder to come by."

"If we refuse this time, it will be difficult to get another job if we want one later."

Huang Xiulan was already a bit conflicted, and hearing these words made her even more conflicted.

She glared at her husband. "So, after all that, do we want it or not?!"

Gu Yuanshan said helplessly: "It's very simple, it depends on whether you are willing to owe a debt..."

Before he finished speaking, Huang Xiulan interrupted him. "Who is willing to owe a debt! Of course I don't want to owe a debt!"

The eldest branch had finally saved a huge sum of over one hundred.

Who wanted to go from being slightly wealthy to being destitute?

"That's it then." Gu Yuanshan lay down. "Sleep."

"Give me some quilt." Huang Xiulan pulled the quilt and lay down with him.

With a click, Gu Yuanshan pulled the light cord.

In the darkness, Huang Xiulan's eyes were wide open, and she had no sleepiness.

She was still conflicted.

Men all had big hearts. Before long, snoring sounds started, and all of Huang Xiulan's complex emotions were chiseled to pieces by the sounds of "Hu~ Pu~~".

She was extremely irritable and kicked her husband in anger. It didn't wake him up; Gu Yuanshan turned over, and the next second he started snoring again.

Huang Xiulan couldn't sleep and felt very annoyed. She took two wads of cotton out from under the pillow, stuffed them into her ears, and it was a long time before she fell asleep.

The next day.

Lin Zhao received Huang Xiulan's reply.

It was within her expectations.

"Okay. Growing mushrooms is also a good way out. Focusing on planting is no worse than going to work." Lin Zhao said.

"I heard that the county hospital collects medicinal herbs. Eldest sister-in-law can learn to grow medicinal herbs; if you grow them well, you can also make money."

Huang Xiulan was very attentive to making money, and her eyes lit up. "Really? What do they collect?"

She frowned again. "I don't know medicinal herbs, and I don't know how to grow them."

"No one is born knowing how to grow things. Dad didn't know how to grow mushrooms at first, didn't he still learn slowly?" Lin Zhao's eyes were encouraging. "If eldest sister-in-law wants to learn, I'll give you books..."

Before she finished speaking.

Huang Xiulan said busily: "I want it, I want it, I want the books, I want to learn."

She had tasted the sweetness of growing mushrooms and was very interested in planting things to make money.

The countryside was not short of land, and she wanted to try growing some.

Lin Zhao turned back to the room, found a few books from the bookshelf, took them out, and handed them to Huang Xiulan.

"Learn slowly. Medicinal herbs are needed everywhere; as long as you grow them, you won't have to worry about selling them."

Huang Xiulan hugged the books, her face full of joy. "Thank you, third sister-in-law."

If her father-in-law could do it at his age, she could too!

Huang Xiulan was full of motivation.

Knowing that her third sister-in-law was going back to her maiden home, and she was also going back to her maiden home today, Huang Xiulan didn't stay any longer and left happily hugging the books.

That bit of reluctance about refusing the job had dissipated quite a bit.

Gu Chenghuai watched his wife planning for the Gu family, and a piece of his heart collapsed. He hugged Lin Zhao from behind, bowing slightly, resting his chin on her shoulder, sniffing the fragrance of his wife's hair, his voice deep. "Zhaozhao, thank you."

"Hmm?" Lin Zhao was puzzled. "Thank me for what?"

Gu Chenghuai met her eyes, which were full of confusion, and kissed the tip of her nose regardless. "Nothing, I just feel... it's really good to have you."

Lin Zhao hummed.

Gu Chenghuai was a generous and thoughtful son-in-law, bringing many New Year's gifts; there were so many things that the bicycle couldn't carry anyone.

"There's no room to sit, so we have to walk. Qian Bao, Seeing Yaobao, you two walk first. If you can't walk, tell me, and I'll carry you two." Lin Zhao put the wool hat on the twins and exhorted her son and daughter.

She wasn't worried about Seeing Yaobao; if she was tired, she would definitely say so. Qian Bao was strong and felt sorry for her, his mother, always fearing she would be tired, so he would rather walk himself than have her carry him.

"Especially you, Qian Bao, if you're tired, you must say so." Lin Zhao touched her younger son's hand; it was warm, so he shouldn't be cold.

"You're still young, you can't get tired. If you get tired, you won't grow tall, do you know?"

Qian Bao was dressed thickly, his cotton jacket had embroidery, and he wore a wool hat, revealing only his exquisite little face with baby fat, looking like a New Year painting doll; whoever saw him liked him.

"Hmm." He nodded seriously.

"Good treasure." Lin Zhao praised him and led her children out.

Xiang Yubao stood on tiptoe to lock the courtyard gate.

The family met people in the village and had a round of greetings, and it took a while before they left the village.

That's how human relationships are.

They talked and laughed on the road, not in a hurry to rush, drinking water when thirsty, resting when hungry, and arrived at the Dongfeng Brigade in a leisurely manner.

Da Dan and the others had been waiting at the entrance of the village for a long time.

Seeing their aunt's family coming, they ran over wildly.

"Aunt, Uncle."

The two Dans busily took Qian Bao and Seeing Yaobao from Lin Zhao.

Lin Xibao rushed into her aunt's arms, her voice light. "Aunt, you came so late, we've been waiting for you for a long time! Aunt, I missed you!"

"I missed you too." Lin Zhao picked up Lin Xibao, bounced her up, and laughed: "You're heavier. In a few years, I won't be able to carry you."

Lin Xibao hung on her aunt, the smile on her face brighter than the sun. "It's okay, I'll carry Aunt then. Aunt smells good, I like holding Aunt."

Lin Zhao loved beauty. During the New Year, she wore a red sweater inside, a double-breasted wool coat outside, black straight-leg pants, small leather shoes with heels on her feet, and a scarf of the same color as the coat wrapped around her neck. Standing there, she was more stylish than the girls in the city.

She had braids that looked lazy and elegant, and her lips were painted with lipstick close to her natural lip color, looking so charming that people's hearts trembled wildly.

"Aunt is really pretty." Lin Xibao snuggled with Lin Zhao, holding her face, with an expression of being fascinated by her beauty.

Lin Zhao knocked on Lin Xibao's forehead and shook her head helplessly. "You look so lustful. You care about looks so much, what will you do if you get cheated in the future? It's really worrying."

Lin Xibao raised her chin. "I'm as smart as Aunt, who can cheat me."

Fearing she would tire her aunt, she struggled to get down, but her hand was still holding Lin Zhao's hand, looking at Lin Zhao's fingers and secretly measuring them.

Aunt's hands are so long, and they are very soft and smooth; holding them is really comfortable.

"Aunt, Dad brought someone back." Lin Zheng suddenly spoke.

Lin Zhao: "?"

Lin Xuan added: "It's a female comrade."

"... What's the situation?" Lin Zhao was a bit confused.

"Is it Comrade Chu?"

Lin Xuan and Lin Zheng sisters shook their heads. That expression was truly complex, and it seemed there was no intention of disgust.

"Aunt will know when you see her."

Lin Zhao was full of curiosity.

Greeting the people in the village, she returned home.

Da Dan and Er Dan ran fast holding Qian Bao and Seeing Yaobao, arriving home first.

When Lin Zhao and the others arrived, Lin Shisheng was holding Seeing Yaobao playing a flying game.

A few steps away stood this girl who was as pretty as a peach blossom spirit.

Dark hair, white skin, a pair of peach blossom eyes, and a small frame, making her posture look graceful. She looked at Lin Shisheng attentively, her face full of affection, looking at him with great reliance.

Lin Zhao: "!!"

"Second brother." She called out with her mouth, but her eyes kept sweeping toward that girl.

Didn't Lin Shisheng say he wasn't interested in women and only wanted to focus on his career? What is this situation?!!

"Zhaozhao is back." Lin Shisheng laughed, noticing his sister's gaze, a hint of helplessness flashing in the depths of his eyes.

Before Lin Zhao could say anything, that strange girl sent her a cup of sugar water, indicating with her actions that she should drink the water.

Then she diligently moved a stool for her to let her sit.

The girl curved her eyes, her eyes moist, and her cheeks stained with crimson, making people's hearts soften.