“Chu… Brother Chu?” The voice came…
It took half an hour to walk from the Chu family’s place to the glass factory’s Family Compound.
But the bus only took a few minutes.
When Gu Fangbai got off the bus with her umbrella, she noticed the sky had already cleared.
She closed her umbrella and carefully avoided puddles of varying depths on the ground, taking some time before finally reaching the Family Compound.
Many people were gathered at the entrance of the compound. Gu Fangbai didn’t join the crowd, but she still caught the reason from their enthusiastic discussions.
The authorities had agreed to completely repair the sewer system, and two carts of new pipes had already been delivered to the entrance.
No wonder everyone was so excited.
Without surprise, it was probably her article that had made the difference.
Only a few days? That was quite efficient.
Although her approach had been somewhat unconventional, the outcome was good, so Gu Fangbai naturally felt pleased.
“You’re back? Did you see the pipes downstairs?” It was almost four in the afternoon. Xu Huailan was scooping rice into a gourd ladle, preparing to wash it and cook congee. When she saw her niece return, she immediately started sharing the good news.
“Yes, I saw them. When will they start work?” Gu Fangbai first propped her umbrella in the corridor to dry, then entered the room.
“Probably in the next couple of days. The weather forecast says it won’t rain for the next two days… What about you? Where did you go with your high school classmate? I thought you wouldn’t be back for dinner.” After this series of questions, Xu Huailan remembered something else, her expression turning slightly disgusted. “Luckily you went out. Two matchmakers came today. So annoying!”
Gu Fangbai automatically ignored the matchmaking topic and only emphasized: “Her name is Chu Xiangxue.”
Xu Huailan tightened the rice bag and crouched to stuff it into the cabinet. “Alright, alright, Xiangxue. I remember. So where did you go?”
“Xiangxue couldn’t get time off, so I went alone to the train station to pick up Chu Yu.” Worried that her family might be concerned and want to accompany her to the station, Gu Fangbai had decided to act first and explain later.
“Pfft… cough…” Xu Huailan, who had just taken a sip of water, choked and coughed. “Wha… are you serious? Little Chu is back? Why didn’t you tell your uncle and me you were going to pick him up?”
Gu Fangbai handed her a towel while patting her back. “It’s true. I didn’t tell you because I was afraid you’d get too excited.”
“You… you’re a young woman, you should at least be a bit more reserved.” Xu Huailan couldn’t help poking her niece’s forehead, so exasperated she didn’t know what else to say.
Gu Fangbai didn’t particularly care about such things, but to maintain her persona, she still showed a slightly shy smile. “It wasn’t supposed to be just me, but Xiangxue couldn’t get away at the last minute.”
Since it had already happened, there was no use saying more. Xu Huailan only muttered, “I feel like your personality has changed quite a bit,” before taking the gourd ladle to the corridor to wash the rice.
The speaker might have been careless, but the listener took note.
Gu Fangbai’s heart skipped a beat. While trying to recall where her imitation might have been lacking, she headed toward the bedroom, planning to lay low for a while.
She thought she’d been quite convincing. Over the past few days, she’d gotten used to smiling frequently.
As for her inner self, although she used to be somewhat aloof with outsiders, when she was with her grandmother, she considered herself a soft, gentle girl.
So, as long as she treated her uncle and aunt with the same attitude she used with her grandmother, it shouldn’t be too different… right?
Xu Huailan had no idea that her casual remark had sent her guilty niece’s mind spinning through countless thoughts. Seeing her about to return to the bedroom, she immediately called out: “Where are you going? First wipe those dirty shoes clean. Also, you haven’t told me about Little Chu yet. Old Gu said he sounded quite steady on the phone – is he decent in person? Is he as handsome as in the photos? How tall is he? Let me tell you, being too short won’t do… Oh, and did he say when he’d visit our home?”
Faced with this barrage of questions, Gu Fangbai couldn’t avoid them anymore. She obediently pulled over a stool and sat beside her aunt, wiping her shoes while seriously answering each question as it came.
=
Meanwhile.
Chu Yu had dinner with several local comrades who had been discharged from the army.
By the time he returned home, it was already past 7 PM.
After more than a year apart, his sister looked somewhat thinner but her spirit remained good.
She was much braver than he had expected. He raised his hand, about to pat the young girl’s shoulder comfortingly and offer some words of encouragement after their long separation, when she excitedly spoke first:
“Brother, you’re back? Did you meet with Fang Bai? Isn’t she especially beautiful!”
She was indeed beautiful, far beyond what he had anticipated. Chu Yu was a man with normal aesthetic sensibilities, but being asked so directly made him somewhat uncomfortable: “Comrade Gu is quite outstanding.”
Chu Xiangxue wasn’t satisfied with her brother’s evasive answer, but didn’t press further, instead changing the subject: “How many days off do you have this time?”
“Besides travel time, I can stay home for 16 days.”
“Over half a month? That’s great! Brother, you should seize the opportunity to pursue her. Although Fang Bai is interested, you’re the man – you still need to take initiative when necessary.” Chu Xiangxue lectured her brother knowledgeably.
Chu Yu sighed helplessly: “Don’t worry so much.”
Chu Xiangxue showed no mercy to her elder brother: “If I hadn’t worried, would you have met such a wonderful comrade as Fang Bai?”
Chu Yu had to acknowledge this point gratefully, so he immediately changed his attitude: “You’re right.”
Chu Xiangxue grew even more pleased: “This is actually my first time matchmaking. Not to boast, but your sister seems quite talented at it.”
“Yes, you’re very capable.” After this perfunctory response, Chu Yu quickly asked about what had been on his mind: “There’s no sign of cooking at home – did you go out to eat with Fang Zhifan tonight?”
“No, Brother Zhifan said it’s better to keep a low profile in my current situation. We never eat out… Since you left a note saying you wouldn’t be back for dinner, I couldn’t be bothered cooking just for myself. I just made some instant fried noodles for dinner.” Chu Xiangxue dismissed this casually and immediately steered the conversation back: “Did you bring a gift when you met Fang Bai today?”
Hearing the first part of his sister’s response, Chu Yu instinctively frowned. Before he could inquire further about their interaction patterns, her subsequent question caught him off guard. He explained: “There wasn’t enough time to buy a gift.”
Chu Xiangxue looked at her brother in disbelief: “So you didn’t buy anything for Fang Bai? Went empty-handed?”
Chu Yu responded somewhat uncertainly: “I bought a bottle of essential balm.”
What kind of gift was essential balm? Chu Xiangxue was utterly disdainful: “Brother, men shouldn’t be so stingy when courting.”
“I said, there wasn’t enough time. I’ll make it up next time.” Who’s being petty? Taking this undeserved blame, Chu Yu pinched the bridge of his nose. After refuting resentfully, he changed the subject again: “Does Fang Zhifan often give you gifts?”
“Zhifan? Occasionally.” Though confused why her brother mentioned her fiancé again, Chu Xiangxue answered honestly, adding: “My situation is different from Fang Bai’s. In my current position, it’s not appropriate to accept gifts. What if someone with ill intentions sees?”
Chu Yu pressed further: “What kind of gifts does he occasionally give?”
Xiangxue wasn’t completely obtuse: “Sometimes Zhifan cooks for me. Is there something wrong with him?”
Instead of answering, Chu Yu continued questioning: “At our home?”
Xiangxue shook her head: “We’re not married yet. He never comes inside our house.”
It sounded respectful, but upon closer consideration, one would realize Fang Zhifan had left himself plenty of room to maneuver.
The gifts were all consumable, and he never set foot in the Chu residence.
Though he appeared attentive with daily pickups and drop-offs, these could easily be excused with reasons like repaying kindness.
So what was his game? They’d been engaged over a year, yet there was no tangible connection to the Chu family…
“Brother, is there something wrong with Zhifan?” Xiangxue pressed anxiously.
Knowing his sister’s straightforward nature might alert their quarry, he decided not to share until concrete evidence emerged: “No, your brother has never been in a relationship. I just want to learn from you two.”
Xiangxue sounded doubtful: “Really?”
“What else could it be?” Chu Yu rubbed his temples again, shooing the pesky girl away: “Is there any tea at home? Make your brother a cup.”
Xiangxue’s attention was successfully diverted. While searching for a mug, she grumbled: “You reek of alcohol. How much did you drink? Let me tell you, we female comrades don’t like men who drink. Fang Bai definitely doesn’t either.”
“Noted.” Chu Yu didn’t particularly enjoy drinking, but when meeting old comrades-in-arms and asking them to gather information, complete abstinence seemed inappropriate.
“Here – no tea, but I have a cup of malted milk.” Xiangxue quickly handed over the hot drink while boasting: “Fang Bai bought this to nourish me. She said I’m too thin.”
“Comrade Gu…” Chu Yu glanced at the richly aromatic malted milk in the mug, questioning his life choices once more. So Comrade Gu Fangbai only thought of him because she was so close to his sister?
“What about Fang Bai?”
Chu Yu told the truth: “Comrade Gu treats you very well.”
Xiangxue beamed, her eyes curving like crescent moons: “Of course! We’re especially close. So big brother, when will you visit the Gu family to formally court her? Good girls are hard to find – you should secure the relationship soon.”
“Thump… thump-thump…”
“Hit it harder!”
“Should we switch to stones? We’ve been throwing mud for days but the capitalist brat still won’t come out.”
“My mom said we’ll splash manure water tomorrow!”
“Hahaha… I’ll join too!”
“…”
The familiar door pounding and children’s malicious voices interrupted the siblings’ long-awaited reunion.
While Xiangxue remained unperturbed, Chu Yu stood to go outside.
“Brother! Don’t bother. They won’t come in.” Xiangxue hurried after him.
Chu Yu stopped and gently pushed his sister back inside: “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything. Just wait here.”
Her elder brother had always been clever since childhood. Seeing no trace of impulsiveness on his face, Chu Xiangxue obediently returned to the main hall.
Meanwhile, Chu Yu grabbed a flashlight and strode outside. Nimbly dodging the mud thrown at him, he effortlessly restrained four young boys with two in each hand.
The troublemaking children hadn’t expected a tall soldier to emerge from inside. They froze in unison, only starting to wail in fear as they were dragged stumbling away.
The children’s cries were sharp and piercing, instantly carrying far into the distance.
Soon, hurried footsteps came rushing in their direction.
Along with the footsteps came concerned calls from the parents:
“Maodou, what’s wrong?”
“Dabao, who bullied you?”
“Junjun, Mom’s here.”
“…”
Hearing their families’ voices, the troublemakers seemed to gain confidence and immediately howled even louder, as if they had suffered immense injustice.
They were all neighbors and lived close by.
The parents quickly rushed over. Seeing their precious children being held down, they instinctively prepared to scold and shout.
But the words caught in their throats, and they swallowed them back: “Chu… is that Little Chu back?”
When the middle-aged man at the front recognized the tall man before him, he immediately suppressed his anger, rubbing his hands together uncertainly.
The others also halted in their tracks.
Although they had allowed their children to harass the young girl from the Chu family, they still felt somewhat intimidated by the Chu family’s son.
Rumors said Little Chu was formidable—already a company commander, holding a rank. It would probably be easy for him to quietly retaliate against ordinary folks like them, right?
Chu Yu was completely unaware of their wild speculations. Of course, even if he knew, he wouldn’t care. He didn’t lose his temper but, as in the past, greeted them with warmth and politeness.
Only when the children grew truly impatient and began crying in earnest did he act as if he had just remembered and released them, apologizing sincerely, “My apologies, I forgot I was still holding the children… I thought they had mistaken the house and intended to escort them home myself. How fortunate that you uncles and aunts came looking just in time.”
Fortunate, my foot! Little Chu was clearly doing it on purpose.
But these neighbors had all received favors from the Chu family before. While the children’s mischief could be dismissed as ignorance, the adults causing a scene would be a different matter.
So, no matter how aggrieved they felt, they could only play dumb. They even made a show of slapping their children and scolding them half-heartedly.
Chu Yu waited until they finished before pretending to intervene: “…The children are still young, uncles and aunts, no need to hit them. They probably just thought it was fun. Coincidentally, I’ve been promoted to battalion commander and the army granted me 20 days of home leave. The children are welcome to visit me more often—we’ll get familiar in no time.”
Was that a threat? With his capitalist family background, he could still get promoted? It seemed the Chu family’s situation wasn’t as dire as they thought. They’d have to keep a closer eye on their children from now on. The middle-aged man at the front forced a smile: “Hehe, Little Chu, you’ve been promoted to battalion commander? Congratulations!”
Throughout it all, Chu Yu maintained a gentle smile, chatting humbly and warmly with them for a while longer before politely seeing them off.
Peeking through the door crack, Chu Xiangxue had watched her brother’s handling of the situation with curiosity. “I thought you’d argue with them.”
Chu Yu flicked his sister’s forehead with his finger. “Quarreling won’t solve anything. If all goes well, they won’t bother you again for the next month.”
“Is it really that simple? Will it actually work? Then… are there other ways?” Chu Xiangxue, who had been harassed for over half a year, was stunned.
“There are plenty of ways, as long as you’re willing to navigate the situation.” Since she was willing to get engaged, she ought to be fully protected. So, did Fang Zhifan really have ulterior motives?
=
Chu Yu was a man with a plan.
Even if his sister didn’t urge him, he intended to formalize his relationship with Gu Tongzhi as soon as possible.
So, early the next morning, while casually chatting with Fang Zhifan, he escorted his sister to the library.
After going inside to chat with the other staff for a while, he headed straight to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.
He had never been in a relationship before, but with loving parents, a well-off family, and a younger sister, he had developed a good sense of taste.
Since the two of them hadn’t officially confirmed their relationship yet, giving gifts like a wristwatch might come across as pressuring, so Chu Yu chose two nice dresses and a pair of small leather shoes instead.
Worried that the gifts might seem too modest, he also bought a few kinds of pastries before finally feeling somewhat satisfied and packing everything into his military backpack.
He didn’t rush to find Gu Tongzhi. Instead, as planned, he slightly altered his appearance and spent most of the day carefully investigating the Gu family’s situation.
Only after confirming that Gu Tongzhi was indeed being pursued by many and facing difficulties in marriage did he shoulder his backpack and set off for the newspaper office.
Meanwhile.
Having either left early or taken time off for several days in a row, Gu Fangbai decided to lay low for a few days, even though the editor-in-chief hadn’t said anything.
But plans often don’t survive contact with reality. Just as she was buried in her work, writing furiously, she heard her colleague’s barely suppressed excited whisper:
“Fang Bai! Your brother is here to see you. Oh my gosh, your brother is so handsome and tall! Even someone like me looks petite standing next to him.”
“My brother?” Gu Fangbai looked up from her manuscript in confusion.
Hu Yaoying, cupping her face with both hands, tilted her chin toward the editor’s office door. “Over there.”
Thinking it was her eldest cousin, Gu Fangbai followed her gaze and was startled. “Chu… Brother Chu?” So soon?