Little Trumpet
Zhu Hui sent over a good amount of canned ham, and Zhan Aiping, knowing her family wouldn’t finish it all, sent some to Gu Ze’an and his wife, as well as Gu Sheng’s other brothers. She also sent some to her own family… after all, the end of the year was approaching.
She called Gu Xiangyi over to share in the ham. “It’s from Zhu Hui. She found a new boyfriend, a younger doctor who’s also quite handsome. Here’s a picture—take a look, he’s young, right? His dad’s the deputy director of a canning factory, so she sent over quite a few cans.”
Gu Xiangyi, munching on the ham, was full of envy. “I want to marry the canning factory director’s son too!”
“Even better if it’s from a peach canning factory. Imagine all the peach cans I could eat,” she joked.
Zhan Aiping laughed. “You could expand your vision a bit. How about a candy factory? Or a milk powder factory…”
“Too much candy, and I’d lose all my teeth!” Gu Xiangyi quipped back.
“Well, enjoy the ham, and be my little mouthpiece,” Zhan Aiping teased.
Gu Xiangyi looked puzzled. “Your what?”
“Your mouthpiece, going around talking—don’t you nurses have your own little ‘organization’?” In every hospital, the biggest source of gossip was undoubtedly the young nurses.
“Fine, fine. I’ll play the role of ‘little mouthpiece’ since I’m eating your food,” Gu Xiangyi relented with a grin.
“Sis-in-law, why don’t you just share the gossip yourself?” Gu Xiangyi teased. “Besides, it’s the married ones who love to gab the most! They talk about their mothers-in-law, their husbands… it’s a riot. Some complain, others boast—it’s a whole range of stories. I hear all kinds!”
“Hospitals really are the perfect places to see life’s drama,” Zhan Aiping chuckled. “Nothing like hearing from someone ‘unrelated’ like you.”
Gu Xiangyi sighed. “It’s hard to find a match. I’ve been here almost two years, and I still haven’t found anyone.”
Another year had passed, and she remembered boasting last year that she’d bring someone home for her parents to meet. But here she was, still single.
Zhan Aiping offered, “Maybe you should go back home and let your parents set you up with someone.”
In the seventies, society was more closed-off, especially in smaller places where it was hard to meet new people. On the bright side, there were often quite a few good-looking folks around in small towns.
“No way! Going back home alone would be embarrassing. I’m not going back without a match.” Gu Xiangyi shook her head, determined. Besides, she was happy at the military hospital and wasn’t keen on leaving.
Zhan eyed her knowingly, “I bet you already have someone in mind, don’t you?”
Gu Xiangyi froze, caught off guard. “How did you know?”
Zhan smirked, “All this hemming and hawing—you’ve got something going on, that’s for sure.”
Gu Xiangyi clapped her hands, “You’re sharp as always, sis-in-law. No wonder they call you the matchmaker.”
Zhan raised an eyebrow. Never thought I’d be matchmaking for my own sister-in-law one day.
“So, who’s caught your eye?” she asked.
Gu Xiangyi mumbled evasively, “Sis, I’d rather not say yet.”
“…?”
“If I tell you, then my brother will find out, and once he knows, my parents will know. No, no—” Gu Xiangyi shook her head. She didn’t want her parents meddling in her love life, telling her what to do. She’d rather not marry at all than deal with that.
“I wanted to be far away so I could find someone on my own terms.”
Zhan chuckled, “Alright, then. Keep at it, and eventually, we’ll find out.”
Gu Xiangyi sighed, “But when you do, you’ll probably think I have terrible taste.”
Zhan laughed, “So you know your own taste is questionable? At least you’re self-aware.”
Gu Xiangyi replied, “…He’s just a little odd, but he’s cute too.”
Zhan raised an eyebrow. “Is it that new doctor who started not long ago?”
Gu Xiangyi hesitated, “Um, something like that…”
Zhan grinned, “You’re keeping secrets well.”
“Guess who I like, sis-in-law,” Gu Xiangyi teased.
“So, what does he look like?” Zhan asked with a sly smile.
Gu Xiangyi said, “He’s definitely not as good-looking as my brother.”
Just as she finished her sentence, Gu Sheng returned from taking the kids out for a walk. He’d been busy managing the two little ones, and as he walked in, he overheard his wife and sister whispering.
He raised an eyebrow. “What are you two talking about?”
Zhan Aiping chimed in, “Your sister’s new crush isn’t as handsome as you.”
Gu Xiangyi quickly added, “But his build is better than my brother’s!”
Zhan Aiping was shocked. “How is that even possible?!”
She thought Gu Sheng had a perfect physique: a slim waist, long legs, a strong frame, and perfect proportions. Whether in uniform or casual clothes, he looked like a model.
Gu Sheng: “?”
Gu Xiangyi said, “I like them a bit leaner. My brother’s too built—way too much muscle. Looks intimidating.”
Zhan Aiping couldn’t help but comment, “Well, you definitely have questionable taste… and no appreciation for aesthetics.”
“Muscles are fantastic,” she added. “Life’s more exciting, and there’s more to explore.”
Gu Xiangyi: “?”
Gu Sheng: “…”
“You don’t have to keep praising my brother; it’s not like I’ll steal him from you.”
Gu Sheng smirked. “Even if you tried, you couldn’t.”
Gu Xiangyi scoffed. “Talk about ego.”
Little Guobaorou, sitting on his dad’s shoulders, declared, “Auntie, I’m the best, most handsome man in the world.”
“Try to steal me!”
Zhan Aiping’s mouth twitched. “?”
Gu Xiangyi laughed, “Sis-in-law, your son is the spitting image of you two when you were kids—just as confident and as cheeky.”
“Exaggerating.”
Returning to the military hospital, Gu Xiangyi shared the canned ham with her nurse friends. “Have a taste—my sis-in-law gave it to me.”
“Remember Zhu Hui?”
“Yeah, she sent it.”
“Why?”
“Because of her new boyfriend…”
Thanks to Gu Xiangyi’s enthusiastic ‘broadcasting,’ soon everyone at the military hospital knew Zhu Hui was engaged to a new man, a younger doctor who had never been married.
People started talking, “Zhu Hui divorced Captain Luo and found herself a younger guy—a doctor, no less.”
“But is this doctor’s background as good as Captain Luo’s?”
“Would you rather marry someone who’s been divorced three times or someone single?”
One nurse chuckled, “Not everyone’s like Zhang Lirong, willing to pick up the scraps.”
While Zhang Lirong was proud of marrying Captain Luo, some secretly mocked her. Despite Luo’s history, he had been generous in his courtship, gifting Zhang Lirong many things she had shown off to her co-workers, sparking envy.
“Zhang Lirong seems pretty proud of her marriage.”
“Everyone finds their own path, and Zhu Hui found a good match too.”
…
When Zhang Lirong heard that Zhu Hui’s new fiancé was younger and had never been married, her mood soured.
“Zhu Hui can’t be worth anything—a hen that can’t lay eggs.”
“The man must be blind to marry her.”
Anger roiled in Zhang Lirong as she spread rumours about Zhu Hui’s supposed infertility. She believed Zhu Hui couldn’t have children, as she’d had none in her years with Captain Luo, while his ex-wife had given him two kids.
Her anger simmered until she felt lightheaded and needed help to the doctor’s office—only to discover she was pregnant.
Zhang Lirong’s eyes lit up. So Zhu Hui really couldn’t have kids after all. She would get her comeuppance soon enough. Meanwhile, Zhang Lirong knew she would be the one with the precious baby, making everyone envious.
Now that she was carrying the Luo family’s child, she’d make sure Captain Luo treated her like royalty.
“Get ready to treat me like your queen, Luo!”
When Captain Luo learned that his wife, Zhang Lirong, was pregnant, his face displayed a mix of emotions—flushing red, turning pale, then green, all within moments. His feelings were just as complicated.
He knew his own health well. The doctor had told him that, while he’d been taking care of himself, fathering a child wasn’t guaranteed—it was a matter of fate. It could happen soon, or it might take a year or two.
Captain Luo truly hadn’t expected Zhang Lirong to become pregnant so quickly.
But Zhang Lirong is a madwoman! he thought. She was prone to violent outbursts—she’d hit him, bite him, and cause scenes at home. Now, with her being pregnant, Captain Luo didn’t dare to resist her at all. She was carrying what he considered a golden egg—possibly his only child.
The doctor had mentioned that his fertility was low… this pregnancy might be his only chance at fatherhood.
Captain Luo sighed deeply. He scratched his head, wondering how he could’ve been so blind to end up with a woman like her.
“A wise man chooses a virtuous wife. The ancestors didn’t lie,” he muttered to himself. He regretted his impulsive decision to marry Zhang Lirong; the regret gnawed at him.
But what troubled Captain Luo even more was a dark suspicion that crept into his mind—
Was the child in Zhang Lirong’s belly really his?
His infertility made him doubt; how could she be pregnant so soon?
Having already once experienced betrayal in his previous marriage, Captain Luo felt uneasy. That had been painful enough, but at least he’d known the child had his bloodline. However, if Zhang Lirong were unfaithful as well, he couldn’t even be sure whose child he’d be raising.
Captain Luo clenched his jaw and resolved to keep a close eye on the men around Zhang Lirong.
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