A Beauty in the 80s Goes on a Blind Date with Her Child, Captivating the Military Compound - Chapter 44

As night fell, Xu Hongying went out for a stroll.

A figure had been waiting at the intersection for some time. Upon seeing the old lady, the person walked over slowly.

“Auntie Hongying! What a coincidence, you’re out for a walk too?”

Yang Qiuxia’s face blossomed into a wide smile. She hurried forward a few steps, her voice as sweet as honey.

Xu Hongying rubbed her aching chest. If she didn’t get some fresh air, she was going to be driven to an early grave by her own son’s stubbornness.

“Oh, it’s you, Qiuxia.” Xu Hongying squeezed out a dry smile that looked more painful than crying.

“What’s the matter? Why the long face?”

“It’s that Shen Sisi! She’s infuriating!” As she spoke, Xu Hongying grabbed Yang Qiuxia’s hand. “Speaking of which, I really have to thank you. If you hadn’t asked your relatives to send word to me, I’d still be in the dark.”

Yang Qiuxia tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled. “I didn’t realize Commander Gu hadn’t told you. Such a major life decision, and he just took matters into his own hands. He even found himself a—well! I don’t even want to say it.”

The old lady felt as though she had found a kindred spirit. She sighed and gritted her teeth simultaneously. “Chengfeng… that boy has been at odds with us since he was a child. Now that his wings have grown, he dares to decide his own marriage and even marries a ‘broken shoe’ like her.”

“I heard she even laid hands on you?”

Yang Qiuxia suppressed her “grievance” and sighed. “Forget it, let’s not mention it.”

“You! You’re just too soft-hearted, that’s why she bullies you,” Xu Hongying declared. “Just you wait. I’ll find an opportunity to deal with her properly and make her apologize to you.”

“Oh, please don’t, Auntie! You don’t know—the other day she forced me to write a letter of apology. She can report me at any time. I wouldn’t dare provoke her…”

“What? She forced you to write an apology? Preposterous!” Xu Hongying’s voice rose several octaves. Her impression of this daughter-in-law had hit rock bottom. “Doesn’t your husband, Old Chen, do anything about it?”

At the mention of this, Yang Qiuxia wiped away a tear. “You know my Old Chen; he’s a rough man. He never looks out for me.”

Xu Hongying felt a pang of sympathy. She could relate all too well. Her own husband, Old Gu, had been married to her for decades but devoted his entire soul to the military camp, ignoring the family and never taking her side when trouble arose. It was a bitterness she couldn’t express.

Looking at Yang Qiuxia was like looking at a younger version of herself. “Don’t worry. If Commander Chen won’t protect you, I will. I’ll stand up for you and make Shen Sisi give you an explanation.”

Back at the house, Shen Sisi was peeling a tangerine for Niuniu. Suddenly, there were three knocks at the door.

“Sister Sisi, are you home?”

Recognizing Li Wenhui’s voice, Shen Sisi quickly got up to open the door. Li Wenhui was holding a basket containing three or four links of smoked dried sausage.

“Sister Wenhui, please come in!”

Stepping inside, Li Wenhui handed the basket over. “I made these sausages myself. They’re for you.”

Shen Sisi felt the weight in her hands—this had to be several pounds of meat. Li Wenhui was a village girl without any “grand” talents, but she loved tinkering with handicrafts and cooking at home.

Shen Sisi looked at the sausages; they were perfectly balanced between lean and fat, gleaming with a savory oil that made her mouth water. She was already calculating what gift to send in return.

“Thank you, you’re far too kind…” Sisi ushered her in, set the basket by the sewing machine, and poured a cup of hot tea. She then brought out a tray of peanuts, melon seeds, and candies. “Warm yourself by the fire and have some snacks.”

Li Wenhui didn’t stand on ceremony and began cracking melon seeds. “Where are Commander Gu and the old lady?”

“Chengfeng went to process some documents, and the old lady went out for a walk.”

Li Wenhui let out a sigh of relief and looked Sisi up and down with concern. “Are you… okay today?”

“What could be wrong with me?” Shen Sisi asked with a chuckle.

“That’s good then. This old lady is famous throughout the military region for being sharp-tongued and difficult… I was afraid she’d make life hard for you.”

Shen Sisi rarely heard Gu Chengfeng talk about his family. She only knew he had a strained relationship with them since childhood and was a troublemaker in his youth. Eventually, his parents had no choice but to send him to his aunt’s house in Lin County. Even there, he was famous for fighting.

The school teachers had once signed a petition to expel him, but Sisi’s father had seen a “spark” in the boy, insisting he wasn’t bad at heart and could be saved. She didn’t know how her father had convinced him, but Gu Chengfeng truly changed, eventually joining the army.

Sisi couldn’t understand how Gu Chengfeng, an only son, could be so unloved by his parents. As it turned out, there was a reason.

“The old lady lives in Kyoto year-round. How does everyone here know so much about her?” Sisi asked, puzzled.

“Everyone knows except you!” Li Wenhui said excitedly, her eyes dancing. “This is a long story. It goes back many years…”

When Xu Hongying was young, she once fell into a river while washing clothes and was saved by Gu Chengfeng’s father, Gu Changhe. She fell in love with the handsome young soldier at first sight and essentially forced him to marry her as repayment for the “favor” of saving her life.

At the time, Gu Changhe already had a sweetheart and was planning a wedding. But Xu Hongying resorted to “the three tactics”—crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide—until he had no choice but to marry her. After the wedding, he rarely came home. Neglected, Xu Hongying would storm the military camp, forcing him to come home for at least one week a month. That was how the three Gu children came to be.

“Because her own life was unhappy, she took her anger out on the children and the neighbors. It’s famous throughout the military region.”

As she gossiped, Li Wenhui kept a sharp eye on the door, terrified that Xu Hongying might return and catch her speaking behind her back.

Shen Sisi knew she shouldn’t judge her elders, but she couldn’t help but sigh. So, Gu Chengfeng had grown up in such a cold, loveless home. No wonder he had been so rebellious—he was just seeking attention. As for Xu Hongying, she was both hateful and pitiable. It explained why her personality was so eccentric and why she took an immediate dislike to Sisi.

“In short, be careful. She’s a real grinder,” Li Wenhui said sympathetically. What a stroke of bad luck to end up with such a mother-in-law.

“I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. Don’t worry!” Sisi replied.

As they sat by the stove whispering, Li Wenhui estimated the old lady would be back soon and rose to leave. “Remember to taste those sausages, they’re delicious!”

“Thank you, Sister Wenhui.”

As Sisi saw her friend out, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure waving goodbye to the old lady at the intersection.

Yang Qiuxia? Why was she with Xu Hongying? She was certainly up to no good.

Shen Sisi quietly returned to the stove, staying on high alert. With Gu Chengfeng out of the house, she expected Xu Hongying to seize the chance to bully her. But strangely, when the old lady entered, she merely glared at Sisi and walked straight into her room.

It was too quiet. Something was definitely wrong. Sisi wondered exactly what kind of scheme the old lady was brewing.