The next day, Gu Beiting ended his leave and went back to training. Mu Youyou, following Caicai’s hint, realized she was still 50,000 short of activating the trading system.
The books translated by Xinhua Bookstore hadn’t arrived yet, so Mu Youyou had little to do during the day. She didn’t know how to use the sewing machine she bought for the wedding, so she purchased two sewing books from the mall and began learning to make clothes.
Fortunately, Li Yumei had taught her before, so it was relatively easy to pick up again.
She used the leftover red fabric from the wedding to practice threading straight lines.
That day, the military area was very lively because the arts troupe had come to perform. In the morning, Li Yumei came by and invited Mu Youyou to watch, but Mu Youyou declined; she wasn’t interested in these performances.
When Gu Beiting received notice, he gave the soldiers leave and planned to go home to accompany his wife, but someone stopped him.
“Captain Gu, aren’t you coming to watch our performance?” a female soldier from the troupe called out.
Gu Beiting looked at her, not recognizing her at all.
“Captain Gu, don’t you remember me? I’m He Yu. A year ago, you saved me during the floods in Xiang Province. I’ve performed in our military district a few times since then,” He Yu said urgently.
“I don’t remember,” Gu Beiting replied, not wanting to acknowledge her, and walked past. He was eager to go home to his wife.
“Hey, Captain Gu, wait!” He Yu grabbed his arm anxiously.
“This comrade, please mind your behavior. I’m already married,” Gu Beiting said, freeing his arm.
“Married? Since when?” He Yu asked in shock. She had inquired before and knew he had always been single.
“That’s none of your business,” Gu Beiting replied and left.
Gu Beiting didn’t expect that this scene had been seen by Wang Guihua and several military wives from afar.
“Hey, what do you think is the relationship between Captain Gu and this He Yu from the arts troupe?” Wang Guihua asked the other wives.
“Who knows? I heard Captain Gu and his wife were engaged by their families since childhood.”
“Really? So there’s no love involved?”
“Yeah. Do you think Captain Gu is involved with He Yu…?”
The military wives’ gossip didn’t reach Gu Beiting.
“Wife, I’m home!” When Gu Beiting returned, Mu Youyou was blushing as she sewed underwear for him.
“Welcome back. Here you go,” she said, tossing the pants to him and heading to the kitchen to cook.
Gu Beiting smiled, trying on the pants—they fit perfectly.
“Wife, let me help.”
“Chop up that wild chicken from yesterday. We’re having braised chicken today,” Mu Youyou instructed.
“Got it!” Gu Beiting replied with a smile.
“Why didn’t you watch the arts troupe’s performance?” Mu Youyou asked curiously. Many soldiers and military wives liked watching these performances in this era.
“Boring. I’d rather stay home and watch my wife. She’s much prettier than them,” Gu Beiting said with a grin.
“You chatterbox,” Mu Youyou said, playfully glancing at him while peeling potatoes.
Watching her profile, Gu Beiting felt his heart warm. He finally understood why Deputy Commander Cui always spoke about the benefits of having a wife—it was such a happy feeling.
After lunch, they took a short nap. In the afternoon, Gu Beiting had to train again.
After waking, Mu Youyou planned to buy some vegetables from the village, as the seeds in their field had just been planted.
Stepping out of the residential compound, she felt people pointing at her.
Mu Youyou frowned slightly. She hadn’t left home all day—what was going on?
“Hello, are you Comrade Mu?” a female soldier in uniform called out—it was He Yu.
“Look, Comrade He is looking for Captain Gu’s wife,” a few military wives whispered from afar.
“Will there be trouble?”
“Should we intervene?”
“Who are you?” Mu Youyou asked, turning to He Yu.
He Yu hadn’t expected Mu Youyou to be so beautiful and regretted approaching her, but she couldn’t help herself. She had liked Gu Beiting for a year and always signed up to see him whenever the troupe performed in the Eastern Military District.
“I’m He Yu, from the Western Military District Arts Troupe. A year ago, Captain Gu saved me in Xiang Province,” she said, studying Mu Youyou’s expression.
“Oh,” Mu Youyou replied calmly, inwardly thinking this troublemaker had come looking for trouble.
“I’ve come every time the troupe performed in the Eastern Military District this year,” He Yu continued, surprised that Mu Youyou had no reaction.
“Hmm,” Mu Youyou replied, feeling speechless. You want to say what? That you like Gu Beiting? Then go tell him yourself.
“I heard you and Captain Gu were engaged by your families. You don’t have feelings for him,” He Yu said, deliberately omitting that she wasn’t close to Gu Beiting.
“Yes, Comrade He, if you have something to say, say it directly. I’m in a hurry to buy vegetables,” Mu Youyou said. Standing outside in the hot summer, wasn’t it uncomfortable?
“I…” He Yu suddenly didn’t know what to say. She had just impulsively approached after hearing gossip, realizing this person was Mu Youyou.
She was the star of the troupe and had assumed Mu Youyou was a simple countryside woman, not realizing she was so beautiful and seemingly educated.
“Youyou?” More onlookers gathered; Li Yumei and Liu Shuzhen also arrived.
“What’s going on?” Wang Guihua asked, approaching to ask her military wife friends.
“I don’t know, still watching,” they replied.
“Yumei, it’s fine,” Mu Youyou said, smiling at Li Yumei and Liu Shuzhen.
“Comrade He, Gu Beiting and I were indeed engaged by our families, but we are married,” Mu Youyou said, looking at He Yu.
“But he doesn’t like you,” He Yu said. Arranged marriages didn’t guarantee feelings.
“Ha, so he likes you then?” Mu Youyou laughed coldly. Is this a white-lotus type of affection?
“And if you like Gu Beiting, go confess to him. Why come to me? Do you want to tell me that you two are in love and hope I’ll step aside?”
That stubborn Gu Beiting, always attracting these troublesome admirers. She’d have to deal with him tonight.
“You…” He Yu hadn’t expected Mu Youyou to speak so bluntly. She had deliberately been vague about her relationship with Gu Beiting, hoping to mislead her.
“Comrade He, you’re a soldier. You should know the consequences of breaking up a military marriage. If you want me and Gu Beiting, have him come tell me himself,” Mu Youyou said.
Sigh, her level was too low. Compared to the TV dramas she watched in her previous life, He Yu was simply not entertaining enough.