Chapter 157

While Gu Xixi was explaining in detail, Lin Aunt listened attentively and kept nodding.

When Gu Xixi finished, Lin Aunt's expression became solemn, and she bowed to Gu Xixi.

"If the boss can consider the Dependents Village so thoughtfully, how could I not comply?"

Gu Xixi waved and called He Jinglan over.

He Jinglan blankly lifted her head, "Ah?"

Her schedule today was exactly as Gu Xixi said, with endless writing to do.

When He Jinglan came up, she brought an ink pouch and brush, responsible for writing on each tree.

Using the claimant's name as a distinction.

Once everyone becomes familiar with their own trees, it won't matter if the characters fade.

He Jinglan came running with her brush, "Xixi, what's wrong? I haven't finished writing yet!"

Gu Xixi and Lin Aunt exchanged smiling looks and announced the good news.

"Woman, female, team, captain?" He Jinglan said with a smile, pausing between each word, as if savoring it,

"Isn't that equivalent to sending out the leader of a small squad as a general in the army?"

"Great! Our Dependents Village now has a captain! I must hurry and tell everyone the good news!"

In a moment, the good news spread throughout the orchard, and all the women congratulated Lin Aunt.

They also expressed their determination to follow Lin Aunt from now on, working hard together!

"If men can be generals, we women can choose a captain—how good is that!"

"From now on I will be Sister Lin's soldier!"

"If Lin Aunt is the captain, then Boss Gu and Miss He wouldn't they be the left and right strategists?"

Gu Xixi watched the scene before her with a smile, her heart also surging with excitement.

Yesterday, in fact, Gu Xixi had also proposed to Huo Jiang the concept of establishing a large rear base.

Have the women of the Dependents Village participate in production, using this as a starting point to unite all military dependents into a single rope.

First, when soldiers go into battle, they can fight with peace of mind relying on such a solid rear base.

Second, when the fighting reaches a stalemate, this rear base could perhaps serve as a shield providing support from behind.

For example, this time preparing the epilepsy grass, it relied entirely on the women's strength.

At that time, Huo Jiang said, "Originally, we only needed them to stay in their place and fulfill the duty of companionship."

"But now, you have convinced me on their behalf."

On the way back to the village, besides two women holding babies and the youngest daughter-in-law, who could hardly smile,

the other women chatted and laughed as usual, completely free of the heaviness they felt upon first seeing the Beili military camp.

These are the veteran military dependents; they have all seen their husbands off to the battlefield, and they know best that at this time, a worried frown is utterly useless.

Better to tidy up the home cheerfully and wait for their safe return.

After another two days, on the morning of the third day, the oat fields were divided as scheduled.

One mu per person, but not divided according to their husbands' military ranks; instead, it was calculated by household, using the family's matriarch as the unit.

This meant that each military dependent in the village gained an additional personal asset: one mu of land and the oats.

Everyone was impatient and wanted to leave the village to see the fields.

They first expressed their joyful thanks to Gu Xixi and He Jinglan repeatedly.

At the same time, they inevitably felt gratitude and reverence toward the general who accomplished this great deed.

Seeing the village path now empty of people, He Jinglan jabbed Gu Xixi with her elbow, "I've never felt so at ease in my heart before—how about you?"

Gu Xixi's mouth curled up, "Not bad."

Now the oats are still in the seedling stage; they were recently fertilized, so for the time being no further action is needed.

In the afternoon, Gu Xixi taught Lin Aunt how to weed, then decided to return to Huachi Du Cun early the next morning.

After dinner, Gu Xixi and He Jinglan packed their belongings together.

He Jinglan, while packing her bundle, sighed, "Xixi, don't you have anything else to do? Is it really over just like this?"

Gu Xixi had little to bring, and she had already finished packing.

She straightened her waist and looked at He Jinglan, "It's not over; I'll be back in half a month."

Although the newly grafted pomegranate trees won't bloom this year, the fresh leaf buds and branches still need timely pruning.

He Jinglan felt even more disheartened upon hearing this, "Yeah, you can come whenever you want."

"But after I leave, I'm afraid I'll..."

Gu Xixi gave an awkward laugh and comforted her, "Your brother hasn't even decided yet whether he wants you to marry, has he?"

He Jinglan hastily tied her bundle into a knot, angrily saying, "Exactly, my brother hasn't said anything yet, and that wooden Meng fellow is avoiding me, completely out of sight!"

"Men are indeed all like that; I shouldn't have trusted him in the first place!"

Gu Xixi thought back to yesterday's scene at the military camp and mused, "Maybe he's not coming because he's busy?"

"He holds an important position under the general; once he gets busy, he naturally has no choice."

He Jinglan didn't take it in, still fuming, "If he comes to see me off tomorrow and I respond to him, I'll be a little dog!"

Gu Xixi weakly waved her hand, "Oh dear, don't speak so absolutely."

"Otherwise you'll regret it!"

He Jinglan couldn't bear to part from her sister, so at night she still wanted to share a bed with Gu Xixi.

Little chatterbox seemed to have endless talk, while the chatty Gu Xixi kept yawning, her eyelids fighting to stay open.

"Child, go to sleep; we still have to rush on the road tomorrow morning."

He Jinglan's eyes stared wide like copper bells, utterly sleepless, "Oh, what sleep? You're not an old woman."

Looking at Gu Xixi again, her eyes had already closed uncontrollably.

He Jinglan quickly thought of another topic, "Hey, did you see Mu Nan Zhao when you went to the military camp this time?"

"Is he also hiding?"

"Hmm…" Gu Xixi answered in a daze, "Who cares?"

He Jinglan was about to complain about all men at once when she suddenly heard a booming sound.

The sound wasn't loud, like the thunder that just started far away before a summer thunderstorm.

Gu Xixi suddenly opened her eyes, "Did you hear any sound?"

No sooner had she finished speaking than another boom was heard.

Like thunder, but not quite.

The two exchanged a glance, both sat up, and became fully alert.

At that moment, they heard the noise outside the small courtyard gradually rising.

"Has the battle started?"

"Really fighting? How come it's so sudden this time?"

Gu Xixi and He Jinglan hastily put on their clothes and ran outside.

Just as they stepped out the door, they met Aunt Lin and others.

Everyone looked up together towards the Xi Bei border direction.

Occasionally, a burning fireball could be seen flying out in an arc toward that direction.

He Jinglan asked, "What is this? Why is there still firelight? Is it a meteor?"

Aunt Lin said, "It's not a meteor,"

"This is our Northwest Army's falling stone machine with fire oil!"

Another woman said, "I heard my husband say that when the falling stone machine is used, either our vanguard gains the upper hand, we take advantage to strike while the iron is hot, inflicting massive damage on the enemy camp, and coordinate with a fierce assault."

"Or else…"

She suddenly cut herself off, "Forget it, let's not talk about that unlucky thing."

Gu Xixi secretly thought that the so‑called unlucky moment should be when our side is pressed step by step by the enemy and crushed; only then can we use the falling stone machine in a mêlée to defend ourselves, hoping to delay the enemy's attack.

That night, all the women in the village stood on the small path, none returning to sleep.