The Truth
Zhan Aiping and her husband prepared a table full of dishes and invited Gu Xiangyi to join them for dinner. Gu Xiangyi was already hungry, and the whole house was filled with the irresistible aroma of food, a scene that Gu’s family had never experienced before. Gu Xiangyi felt as if she were in a state-owned restaurant.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t a state-owned restaurant; it was her younger brother Gu Sheng’s home. She had five older brothers, four of whom were unmarried. She only had one brother and sister-in-law. This was the first time she experienced such a different feeling of home.
As the sky darkened, Zhan Aiping turned on the lights. The light in the room wasn’t bright, but it illuminated the table full of delicious food, making everyone’s mouth water.
In the middle was a chicken soup stewed with cordyceps flowers, with rich and deep broth and a layer of yellow fat floating on top. The chicken pieces were dyed orange by the cordyceps flowers. Next to it, the braised pork was rich and fragrant, with the meat soaked in sauce, vibrant in colour, and a mixture of fat and lean. Upon careful inspection, one could even feel the aroma of star anise. Another dish, the sour cabbage fish, was beautifully milky white, with the sourness of the broth opening up the appetite. Despite not seeing the fish, the floating bits of sour cabbage adorned the milky white fish soup…
What caught Gu Xiangyi’s eye the most was the stir-fried fern with preserved meat, with plenty of dried chili added, smelling fragrant and enticing. Even the sauce turned red, just by looking at it, you could tell it would be incredibly appetizing.
The most fragrant dish was the preserved meat rice cooked by her sister-in-law. Gu Xiangyi had never known rice could be so fragrant before. The enticing aroma of the rice wafted into her nose, making it unbearable. It felt as if there were several gluttonous bugs crawling into her stomach through her nostrils, causing a commotion.
Gu Sheng placed the chopsticks and bowls on the table. “Try your sister-in-law’s cooking.”
Gu Xiangyi glanced at her own brother’s face, then didn’t hesitate, reaching out with her chopsticks to pick up some fern. It was exquisite; the slightly dried fern had no excess moisture, and it was slightly smooth to chew. It was infused with the salty fragrance and spiciness of the chili and preserved meat. Just this plate of stir-fried fern was enough to accompany the meal.
Gu Xiangyi’s chopsticks hurriedly went to taste other dishes— the sour cabbage fish was delicious, the braised pork was delicious, the potato stewed with ribs was also delicious… but the preserved meat rice in the bowl was so fresh that she wanted to bite her tongue off.
Gu Xiangyi didn’t say a word; her chopsticks were like a tiger, devouring everything. This was the skill practiced by the Gu family. When they went to state-owned restaurants as a family, they fought over dishes.
As for Gu Xiangyi, with five gluttonous brothers, there was no sibling love at all. To snatch food from under the noses of her gluttonous brothers, her eyes and techniques were also honed!
Gu Xiangyi was also skilled at snatching dishes at the Gu family’s table.
So the dishes on the table disappeared quickly, so quickly that Gu Sheng couldn’t bear it anymore. He scooped a few chopsticks of food into Zhan Aiping’s bowl and said, “Hey, Gu Xiangyi, don’t you have any awareness as a guest? Leave some for your sister-in-law.”
At this moment, Zhan Aiping was leisurely sipping the chicken soup stewed with cordyceps flowers. The soup was delicious, and the cordyceps flowers inside were especially sweet and crispy, while the chicken was exceptionally tender and sweet.
The free-range chicken meat was not tough at all; the meat and bones were almost separated. You didn’t even need to bite; it felt like with just a gentle sip, the loose chicken meat would come off, melting sweetly on the lips and tongue.
Zhan Aiping was drinking the soup without hurry, serving herself a spoonful of carrot, pea, corn, and ham cubes. She deliberately exchanged a pound of ham with Meng Xiaoyun.
Among the two gluttonous siblings, she was now falling behind. She was used to chewing slowly and swallowing, and when eating with Gu Sheng, he always let her have her way. She didn’t have the awareness to snatch dishes.
Gu Xiangyi was stunned. “I, I’m… a guest?”
Now she was already considered a guest at her brother and sister-in-law’s house.
“Brother, this is what you used to say, eating is like a battle, whoever wins the fight gets to claim the spoils!” Gu’s youngest sister argued confidently.
Zhan Aiping chuckled, “Let her eat, look at this child, she’s been hungry for days.”
Gu Xiangyi: “…” Thinking about it, she was really pitiful. She enjoyed her mother’s cooking and even found the train box meals delicious. If it weren’t for maintaining her ladylike demeanour, she would’ve wanted to buy a couple of box meals.
– But sorry! –
Even grown men only buy one box meal.
Gu Sheng then scooped a piece of braised pork into his wife’s bowl. “Alright, let her eat. After all, she rarely gets the chance to taste my wife’s cooking.”
Gu Xiangyi: “…” This guy really needs a beating!
“Sister Ping is my real sister-in-law!”
Gu Sheng retorted, “If it weren’t for me, would she become your sister-in-law?”
Zhan Aiping interjected, scooping some food onto his plate, “Eat your food, stop arguing.”
Gu Sheng laughed and admitted, “I listen to my wife.”
Gu Xiangyi: “…”
Who was the one who had vowed to tidy up Sister Ping so obediently in the beginning?
And who was this person now?
After finishing the meal, Gu Sheng cleaned up the dishes, Zhan Aiping wiped the table, and Gu Sheng went to wash the dishes. Gu Xiangyi, with nothing else to do, finally had a bit of awareness as a guest.
Gu Xiangyi glanced at her own sister-in-law and then at her own brother, feeling a surge of discomfort in her heart. She didn’t need to ask more; the intimacy and understanding between the two, expressed in their gestures and expressions, completely excluded her, as if they were saying she was unnecessary.
She was so envious!
Gu Xiangyi thought to herself: I want to become my brother. I also want to marry a beautiful woman who can cook and heal!
– They were childhood sweethearts! Assigned by the state!
Gu Xiangyi dragged a small stool over to Gu Sheng and watched him wash the dishes. Gu Sheng raised an eyebrow, “What’s wrong? Are you envious? Then come and wash the dishes.”
Gu Xiangyi: “Brother, do you wash dishes at home every day? How do you manage to maintain such a stoic demeanour as a drill instructor but still do such domestic tasks so diligently? And it seems like you wash them quite thoroughly.”
Gu Sheng replied indifferently, “Your sister-in-law cooks, I wash dishes, it’s a fair distribution of tasks.”
“I heard many male soldiers at home act like masters. Don’t you have that ambition?”
Gu Sheng turned his head and said to his wife, “Darling, come and catch her. There is a traitor here who maliciously incites revolution–“
“Brother!” Gu Xiangyi called out to him, “Why are you behaving just like Dad?”
A commanding presence outside, but utterly submissive in front of his wife.
“If the upper beam is crooked, the lower beams will be crooked too. Like father, like son,” Gu Sheng said expressionlessly. “Do you know how crooked I’ve become now?”
“It’s all thanks to your father setting such a good example,” Gu Xiangyi retorted.
Gu Xiangyi: “… Isn’t my dad your dad too?”
Zhan Aiping had already tidied up the stove and came over to wash her hands. Hearing their conversation, she said, “What are you two siblings scheming against me?”
Gu Xiangyi complained, “Sister-in-law, I’m really jealous of him now. He’s taken advantage and still acts innocent. If he says one more word, I won’t be able to resist squirting him with a water gun. Sister-in-law, do you remember when we were kids, you used to help me squirt him with a water gun?”
Zhan Aiping: “…”
Gu Sheng remarked, “Now your sister-in-law is on my side.”
Gu Xiangyi threatened, “My dad told me, as soon as I arrive at my brother and sister-in-law’s house, I must remember to call him immediately. Now, both of you, tell me, do you want me to tell lies or the truth?”
“Comrade Zhan Aiping, don’t speak. Comrade Gu Sheng, I’ll remind you first. I’m already jealous. If my dad finds out, he’ll be even more envious of you. I’m only daring enough to squirt you with a water gun. My dad would probably strangle you!”
“You’re good at hiding your talents, enjoying the good life behind our backs as a member of the Gu family! You’re a traitor to the Gu family! You betrayed us and started living a good life first!”
Thinking about her four single brothers, Gu Xiangyi couldn’t help but shed tears of bitterness. Fifth brother was living a happy and sweet life with his wife, while they were still four single men.
This guy was particularly good at playing it low-key, pretending in front of their biological father, making them think he was living a life of “battling the flames of war.”
Gu Sheng commanded, “Stop daydreaming and bring out the stuff.”
Zhan Aiping: “…” She really deserved a good beating.
Gu Xiangyi, feeling utterly defeated, took out a thick envelope and handed it to Zhan Aiping. “I won’t give it to you; I’ll give it to my sister-in-law. You’re living the high life, and we still have to give you money. Congratulations on your marriage. My heart aches so much now.” Gu Xiangyi felt she shouldn’t have made this trip. Someone had played the big bad wolf, making them think he was suffering, and they couldn’t help but feel “sympathetic” towards him.
“My parents gave a lot of cloth coupons, not for you to make clothes, but for Sister Ping to make clothes!”
Gu Sheng, in a very good mood now, smiled at Zhan Aiping. “Wife, you see, this is what it means to make a fortune in silence.”
Gu Xiangyi: “…”
Gu Sheng mocked her, “Little sister, you probably won’t be able to land a husband like me in the future. If you like that Dr. Wu so much and came all this way for him, then you’re in for a tough time.”
“In the future, if he doesn’t hand over his salary, you’ll cook, wash dishes, and sweep the floor… You’ll do all the household chores.”
Gu Sheng sighed, “Your brother and sister-in-law will definitely give you more in the future. It’s too miserable, my little sister.”
Zhan Aiping kicked him lightly, “You should say a less words.”
Gu Xiangyi complained, “My brother is so deserving of a beating. Sister-in-law, you must have been blind to marry him.”
“My wife good judgment, better than yours. We genuinely like each other, from childhood to adulthood.” Gu Sheng grinned mischievously, “As long as I’m at home, I won’t let her do anything. I’ll help her wash dishes, I’ll help her do the laundry.”
“She has me completely under control. If my wife tells me to go east, I wouldn’t dare go west, and if my wife tells me to go west, I wouldn’t dare go east…”
Gu Xiangyi: “I’m not listening, I’m not listening, I’m not listening…”
Gu Sheng: “Will you be able to marry a husband like me in the future?”
Gu Xiangyi: “…”
Zhan Aiping: “…”
Gu Xiangyi liked that Dr. Wu. Zhan Aiping had previously thought that when it came to matters of the heart, outsiders couldn’t intervene. The more they advised, the more counterproductive it became. Now it seemed not entirely true, because someone’s venomous tongue indeed had a strong effect.
After a while, Gu Sheng really washed clothes for Zhan Aiping in front of Gu Xiangyi. He even deliberately waited for Gu Xiangyi so they could do the laundry together. Gu Xiangyi had travelled a lot in the past few days and had accumulated quite a few clothes to change into. She didn’t want to inconvenience others, so she insisted on washing them herself.
Her annoying brother was still leisurely washing clothes in front of her.
Gu Sheng: “Jealous? I’m helping your sister-in-law wash clothes.”
Gu Xiangyi chuckled twice, “Let me tell you two, I’m not jealous, I’m not sour.”
“My brother’s tactics won’t work on me.”
Zhan Aiping found it amusing and brought a basin of warm water to join the fray. She wrung out a towel and personally wiped Gu Sheng’s face.
Gu Sheng gave Gu Xiangyi a meaningful look.
Gu Xiangyi said, “Sister-in-law, your gentle approach won’t work either…”
“If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work.” Zhan Aiping bent down to give Gu Sheng’s shoulder a squeeze. “Are you tired? I see your recent training tasks have been quite heavy…”
“Not too bad.”
Zhan Aiping whispered softly in his ear, “Go back to the room, I’ll give you a massage.”
Gu Sheng turned his head and said to Gu Xiangyi, “Turn away, don’t look.”
Gu Xiangyi: ‘…’
Gu Sheng kissed his wife on the cheek, and the couple whispered to each other.
While washing, Gu Xiangyi thought to herself, ‘Indeed, they’re my real brother and sister-in-law, they’re the same.’
At night, Gu Xiangyi was settled in the study to spend the night, while Gu Sheng and his wife slept in their bedroom. Gu Xiangyi sat on the bamboo bed, surveying the scene in the study. The room wasn’t large; besides the bamboo bed, there was a table, a bookshelf, and even a sewing machine. Goodness, they really have a sewing machine at home. Could the clothes her brother wears really be made by his wife?
Gu Xiangyi couldn’t resist sitting in front of the sewing machine, looking left and right.
She saw scraps of cloth and neatly arranged patterns. Gu Xiangyi couldn’t help but pick up the patterns and look through them. They were traced with her brother’s handwriting, drawn stroke by stroke.
He drew a skirt for his sister-in-law.
Gu Xiangyi: ‘…’
She couldn’t express her feelings. Gu Xiangyi put them down and turned to look at the bookshelf beside her. It was filled with medical books belonging to her sister-in-law, Zhan Aiping. There were really a lot of medical books on the shelf. Gu Xiangyi casually took one down and flipped through it.
There was a piece of paper tucked into the medical book. Gu Xiangyi opened it absentmindedly, only to find a sketch—Zhan Aiping in a white coat. The sketch was incredibly detailed, yet seemed effortlessly done, capturing the person in the drawing vividly.
Gu Xiangyi wondered, Could she draw?
——The love in the drawing couldn’t be hidden.
Gu Xiangyi’s fingers paused, recalling earlier. She thought the love in their eyes couldn’t be hidden either.
Gu Xiangyi thought her brother and sister-in-law were really amazing; they’ve been flirting right under their noses for so many years.
“…”
Gu Xiangyi’s eyes darted around. She tiptoed to the corner of the wall, like a spider, trying to eavesdrop on the noise next door.
After listening for a while, she heard—arguing between a man and a woman.
They sure could argue. Gu Xiangyi listened intently to their argument, but the voices were already faint, requiring intense focus to catch a few fragments of their words.
What were they arguing about?
They really knew how to argue.
After a while, Gu Xiangyi didn’t want to listen anymore. She closed her eyes and fell asleep, and the noise from the next door disappeared.
The next morning, when Gu Xiangyi woke up, her brother Gu Sheng was already gone, but his wife Zhan Aiping was still there, making her a bowl of hot and sour rice noodles—white noodles, red chopped peppers, green spring onions, the tangy aroma, topped with white sesame seeds. Gu Xiangyi also had boiled eggs and finished the soup.
Zhan Aiping ate a lot too. These days she seemed to enjoy eating hot and sour dishes.
“Sister-in-law, aren’t you going to work today?”
“Um, I’m not going to work today. I swapped shifts with someone,” Zhan Aiping replied. That’s the advantage of working at a township hospital. Working about seventeen or eighteen days a month, it’s like working one day and resting one day. Although night shifts can be tiring, we don’t perform surgeries during those shifts. If there aren’t any patients at night, we can sleep through until morning. It’s worth doing night shifts, not just standing guard.
In township hospitals, there isn’t even a ward or inpatient department, so there’s no need to check on patients at night.
Gu Xiangyi asked, “Sister-in-law, why are you willing to work at a township hospital?”
“Wherever you work, it’s all about treating people,” Zhan Aiping replied. “A doctor’s duty is to save lives and heal the wounded, regardless of their status, even if it’s an animal. When I treat animals, I also feel very happy because I genuinely feel I’m alleviating their pain, which gives me a sense of achievement in my career.”
“When I was young, I wanted to become the best doctor in the country. I held myself to high standards in everything, but such strictness burdened me too much and made me feel constrained.”
Now, Zhan Aiping’s mood is no longer as ambitious as it used to be. When patients come for treatment, she treats them to the best of her ability.
Zhan Aiping also has her current plans. After treating villagers for some time, she feels that it’s more important to promote basic health knowledge, prevent infectious diseases, and guard against malaria, rather than just treating complex and difficult diseases. Additionally, she wants to educate the girls in the village about reproductive health. These are all meaningful endeavours.
“Are you reporting to the military hospital today?”
“Yes,” Gu Xiangyi replied excitedly. She was going to work in a new and unfamiliar place.
“Sister-in-law, I’ll call my dad later. Do you want to eavesdrop?”
Zhan Aiping smiled, “You go ahead, I won’t eavesdrop.”
Gu Xiangyi could only sigh with regret.
“I’m going out.”
Gu Xiangyi walked outside and immediately saw a middle-aged woman. Judging from her demeanour, Gu Xiangyi accurately guessed that she was probably the head of the women’s association.
Because she exuded a strong aura of a women’s association head.
Li Yuxia caught He Lingling, “You and your husband had another argument yesterday?”
“Little Gu next door has been living here for so many days, and I haven’t seen them blush even once. You two argue every day. Aren’t you embarrassed?”
He Lingling replied, “Fighting is love.”
Gu Xiangyi: “?”
“Between husband and wife, fighting at the head of the bed and making up at the foot,” He Lingling continued, “Me and Xie Shu have already made up.”
Li Yuxia sighed, “I’m too tired to talk about you two. The couple next door are such a good example. Learn from them more.”
Thinking about the couple next door, who got along so well, Li Yuxia couldn’t help but feel a bit envious. She thought to herself that childhood friends growing up together were indeed lucky. The two were so familiar with each other, and now they had become a couple, not even having arguments.
He Lingling hesitated, “I—”
She was about to say something when she caught sight of Gu Xiangyi. Li Yuxia also noticed Gu Xiangyi and asked, “Who are you? I haven’t seen you before.”
Gu Xiangyi replied, “I’m here visiting. Gu Sheng is my older brother, and Zhan Aiping is my sister-in-law. That’s their household.”
“Hey, sister-in-law, were you arguing yesterday? Your voice sounded familiar to me.”
“Do you two argue every day?”
Li Yuxia: “…” This girl sure speaks boldly.
He Lingling’s face reddened, “…”
“Do you feel closer the more you argue? My brother and sister-in-law used to fight a lot when they were kids. Fighting is love, right?”
Li Yuxia: “…” What nonsense.
He Lingling changed the subject, “Ah, this Miss Gu, you’re Zhan Aiping’s sister-in-law. Did you grow up together from childhood?”
Seeing this straightforward and troublesome girl, He Lingling knew she had to tread carefully.
Upon hearing the term “sister-in-law,” Li Yuxia’s eyes lit up. A troublesome sister-in-law indeed. There must be some issues between sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law. Are the Gu family next door going to start arguing?
She was experienced in mediating conflicts between in-laws!
“Yes, I grew up together with my brother and sister-in-law.”
Li Yuxia quickly asked, “How’s your relationship with your sister-in-law?”
“I get along very well with my sister-in-law!”
Li Yuxia widened her eyes, “!”
He Lingling also widened her eyes, “?!”
“My sister-in-law is so beautiful. How lucky my brother is to have married her. She can sew clothes and cook. She’s even a college graduate. You know, my sister-in-law was really smart when she was young…” Gu Xiangyi chattered on excitedly. Whenever she talked about her sister-in-law, she couldn’t help but praise her.
“My brother, who used to be so difficult, actually helps my sister-in-law with laundry, washes dishes, and even paints portraits for her…” Gu Xiangyi continued in one breath, feeling much relieved.
Gu Xiangyi’s words left Li Yuxia and He Lingling exchanging glances.
Li Yuxia forcibly held back the urge to chuckle. She signalled He Lingling with her eyes, “Listen to this, listen to this. The Gu family next door is really a model couple. You and Xie should really learn from them.”
He Lingling: “…” This girl really doesn’t play by the rules.
“Well said. Although my brother is a bit of a mess in other aspects, he is indeed a good husband.”
“Yes, yes, you’re right, young lady. A harmonious family brings prosperity in all matters.”
Gu Xiangyi bid farewell to the two and went to call her father, Gu Ze’an.
When the call connected, Gu Xiangyi shouted directly, “Dad, I’ve been staying at my brother and sister-in-law’s place for a day now.”
Gu Ze’an on the other end of the line asked curiously, “How is it?”
“Do you want to hear the truth or a lie?” Gu Xiangyi felt even her own father probably wouldn’t believe the truth.
Gu Ze’an: “…”
“Tell me both the truth and the lie.”
“The lie is—my brother has Zhan Aiping completely under control. The truth is—Zhan Aiping has my brother completely under control. My little brother is a perfect disciple of yours now, Dad. He’s afraid of his wife, he’s henpecked. If his wife tells him to go east, he won’t dare go west. If she tells him to go west, he won’t dare go east.”
Gu Ze’an sighed, “Are you trying to drive me crazy?”
Not a single truthful word came out of her mouth. It was getting more absurd as she spoke.
“Is your fifth brother really like that?”
“Did your brother and sister-in-law teach you to be so mischievous?”
“You still don’t know, Dad. My brother is almost a perfect husband in their household.”
Of course, Gu Xiangyi was exaggerating a bit. From what she had seen in the past few days, her brother could indeed be considered a good husband compared to the couple next door.
“You might as well tell me the sun rises in the west. If your little brother can become a perfect husband, I’ll chant ‘Amitabha’.”
“Between husband and wife, they fight at the head of the bed and make up at the foot. Don’t you understand that?”
Gu Ze’an: “Tell me the truth.”
“Dad, don’t worry. I think you’ll be a granddad soon.”
“My brother says, ‘If the upper beam is crooked, the lower beams will be crooked too’. Now he’s crooked just like you.”
Gu Ze’an: “…”
He didn’t want this pair of children anymore!
After hanging up the phone, Gu Ze’an paced back and forth in the room alone. When Qin Ying came back from buying groceries, she saw him alternating between a worried expression and a cheerful demeanour, almost like a yin and yang person.
Qin Ying put down the groceries and casually asked, “You haven’t received Xiangyi’s call yet?”
“I’ve finished talking to her on the phone.”
“Really?” Qin Ying widened her eyes. “Why didn’t you wait for me? What did you and your daughter talk about?”
“How’s Fifth son and Ping Ping doing? Did she meet her brother and sister-in-law?”
“She met them. She stayed at their place for a day.” Gu Ze’an kept a straight face and said casually, “Do you want to hear the truth or a lie?”
“The truth, of course. If there’s a truth to hear, why bother with lies? Tell me the truth.”
“The truth is, Zhan Aiping has Fifth son completely under control. He’s almost a model husband in their household now.”
Qin Ying: “…”
She waved her hand dismissively, “Never mind, don’t bother making up stories to fool me.”
“As for that Zhang political commissar, whose wife is the head nurse, I called over there…” Gu Ze’an paused, then continued, “His wife confirmed it’s true.”
“And she also said, it’s no wonder they were childhood sweethearts and grew up together, their relationship is really good.”
Qin Ying: “…”
Gu Ze’an continued, “Director Li also mentioned that our fifth son really dotes on his wife, helps her with washing dishes, does her laundry, and even painted her portrait…”
“Really, really?” Qin Ying asked, surprised.
Gu Ze’an replied, “How would I know if it’s true or not.”
“Who knows, maybe we’ll really become grandparents soon.”
Qin Ying’s eyes brightened, “Then I’ll go see them when the time comes.”
Gu Ze’an couldn’t believe it, “And what about me?”
“Commander Gu, you focus on your work. I’ll go see our son and daughter-in-law. It’s been so long since I’ve seen Ping Ping…”
Gu Ze’an said coldly, “If you really go, you might even get to meet your good son-in-law.”
Qin Ying replied, “You mean Dr. Wu? He’s indeed a good person.”
Qin Ying didn’t like the idea of her daughter marrying him, but since her daughter liked him, there wasn’t much she could do about it.
Meanwhile, Gu Xiangyi packed her things and reported to the military hospital. She was truly looking forward to seeing that person—Dr. Wu, the talented male surgeon who looked very refined in his white coat. They had attended the same school, with him being a few years older. Among all the people she had met, he always stood out to her.
Excitedly, she checked in. Director Xu even took the time to meet her, “Your father called me before you came, asking me to take good care of you. You’ll be working under Nurse Zhang from now on.”
“Sure, thank you, Director.”
As Director Xu observed her hesitation, he wondered why she didn’t mention her sister-in-law, Zhan Aiping, who had performed exceptionally well in the hospital’s surgeries. Patients were recovering remarkably well under her care, and Director Xu had re-examined the three patients she had operated on several times, feeling a bit regretful.
If only he had kept Zhan Aiping at the hospital.
Accompanied by Nurse Zhang, Gu Xiangyi began familiarizing herself with the hospital’s environment. Despite her prominent background, she started off like any other junior nurse, and Nurse Zhang didn’t treat her any differently.
“Nurse Zhang, do you know Dr. Wu Jun?” Gu Xiangyi asked.
“I do. Dr. Wu is currently in surgery.”
Gu Xiangyi eagerly took the clothes and was assigned a dormitory. The management in the military hospital and the army was different; they could work regular hours. Just after reporting, she didn’t need to start formally yet. After Nurse Zhang briefed her on the basics, the rest of the time was Gu Xiangyi’s free time.
People came and went in the hospital, no one paid attention to her.
Gu Xiangyi sat on a waiting chair in the hospital, waiting for a surgery to finish. She saw someone familiar: he was dressed in surgical attire, wearing a mask, glasses perched on his nose, tall and slim, looking very refined.
Wu Jun obviously noticed her too; his brow furrowed.
“Dr. Wu, let’s have lunch together in the hospital at noon.” Gu Xiangyi was very happy to see someone familiar. She couldn’t quite understand Wu Jun’s thoughts; she just felt happy when she saw him, as if she were meeting an old senior, proud and honoured.
“In the future, I’ll be a nurse here, and we’ll be colleagues.”
Wu Jun’s expression wasn’t very good, but he still agreed.
At noon, the two had lunch together in the hospital cafeteria. Wu Jun spoke harshly, “The hospital isn’t a place for you to mess around. Even if you’re the commander’s daughter, you have no right to disrupt things.”
Gu Xiangyi replied, “…How am I disrupting anything?”
“I’ve made it clear to you before—I don’t like you. Your persistent pursuit just makes me feel annoyed and disgusted.” Wu Jun’s feelings towards Gu Xiangyi were complex; she was straightforward and naive, effortlessly possessing things others couldn’t.
She had loving parents and five older brothers who doted on her since she was the youngest in the family.
Wu Jun was different; his father had passed away early, and his mother had done everything to raise him and his sister. Seeing Gu Xiangyi’s innocence made him feel uncomfortable.
What he found even more distasteful were the words of those around him:
“Gu Xiangyi’s father is…”
“You’re climbing up to become a phoenix.”
“The commander’s son-in-law, with an unlimited future ahead, no wonder he’s so valued…”
Wu Jun had his own pride; he despised the pity for the commander’s daughter. Everything he had achieved was through his own hard work.
Gu Xiangyi’s pursuit and the gossip around them made him feel angry and humiliated; he didn’t want to be known as the commander’s son-in-law.
Now, Gu Xiangyi had actually followed him to Yunnan Province.
Wu Jun was utterly disgusted by her; the possibility of hearing gossip in the hospital like “the commander’s daughter has taken a liking to you” or “that’s why the director chose you” made him dread.
Gu Xiangyi widened her eyes, “I disgust you?”
She hadn’t expected to hear such hurtful words; her face flushed, and she was very angry. Without thinking, she retorted, “Who do you think you are? If I’m persistently pursuing you, why don’t you take a good look in the mirror before judging me?”
Wu Jun was stunned. In the past, Gu Xiangyi had always been gentle and shy around him, like a timid little rabbit, blushing and shy, speaking softly and never saying anything crude.
And now, she had said such things?
Gu Xiangyi herself was also stunned.
The girl who grew up in the compound really wasn’t that gentle. Although Gu Xiangyi wished she could become a gentle and refined young lady, she couldn’t shake off the words of her elder brother Gu Sheng from yesterday that lingered in her mind:
“Little sister, you probably won’t be able to land a husband like me in the future. If you like that Dr. Wu so much and came all this way for him, then you’re in for a tough time.”
“In the future, if he doesn’t hand over his salary, you’ll cook, wash dishes, and sweep the floor… You’ll do all the household chores.”
“Your brother and sister-in-law will definitely give you more in the future. It’s too miserable, my little sister.”
“My wife good judgment, better than yours. We genuinely like each other, from childhood to adulthood.” Gu Sheng grinned mischievously, “As long as I’m at home, I won’t let her do anything. I’ll help her wash dishes, I’ll help her do the laundry.”
“She has me completely under control. If my wife tells me to go east, I wouldn’t dare go west, and if my wife tells me to go west, I wouldn’t dare go east…”
“Will you be able to marry a husband like me in the future?”
Gu Xiangyi thought to herself, “I’m furious!”
Wu Jun bluntly told her to her face that she was being persistent and annoying, and even her elder brother Gu Sheng openly mocked her. Gu Xiangyi was truly enraged this time.
—”Am I really that despicable?”
Her younger brother, who was so annoying, was incredibly good at pampering his wife. Her own father also doted on his wife. Why did she have to be so despicable? Her outward refinement couldn’t even get her a meal.
Under Wu Jun’s puzzled gaze, Gu Xiangyi stormed off.
Back at the family compound, Gu Xiangyi saw Zhan Aiping pulling weeds in the vegetable garden. When she saw her own sister-in-law, Gu Xiangyi suddenly felt wronged.
She hesitantly recounted the recent events to Zhan Aiping, “Sister-in-law…”
Gu Xiangyi didn’t have many female friends her age. With her privileged background and five older brothers who doted on her as the only daughter in the family, her parents also favoured her a bit more. Many people envied her but didn’t want to be friends with her.
She often felt that she was not likable. Gu Xiangyi felt that she couldn’t do anything right, so she would just aim for a good match. Even though they were from the same family, she was the only one born after the founding of the country, and her family’s conditions had improved over time. She hadn’t experienced any hardships.
So if Wu Jun didn’t like her, she felt it was understandable. Wu Jun was as outstanding as her brothers.
And the wives her brothers chose were also very capable.
Zhan Aiping hugged her and asked, “So what are you thinking now? Do you regret it?”
“Actually, sister-in-law, I came here not just because of him,” Gu Xiangyi pondered for a moment before continuing, “I also want to be an outstanding and independent person, not always sheltered under my parents’ wings.”
Her parents were very good to her, but the desire to leave their care always lingered. She didn’t want people to always take care of her because of her parents and brothers.
Even though she was grown up, they treated her like a child, whether sincerely or not, everyone pampered her.
They were too lenient with her, as if they could forgive any mistake she made.
Someone like Wu Jun, who was proud and looked down on her, made her feel he was more genuine. He saw her as Gu Xiangyi, not someone’s daughter or sister… She didn’t deserve those privileges.
Zhan Aiping said, “You will become an outstanding person and meet an outstanding person too.”
“Parting for three days makes one look at each other with new eyes. As long as you are willing to change, you will become the person you want to be.”
Gu Xiangyi said confidently, “Exactly, I want to surprise my parents like you did one day.”
Zhan Aiping replied, “…” “Younger sister, first determine your own goals.”
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