AYLS – Chapter 65

With the two kids there, she suddenly had two extra helpers for the chores.

Lin Qiao promised them that if they worked well, they could try a bit of hotpot at lunchtime. The brother and sister immediately rolled up their sleeves and got to work.

As for herself, she didn’t feel like eating hotpot—she had eaten too much the day before, and the flavor still lingered in her mouth—so she just made some plain porridge for herself.

At lunch, the kids happily ate the fragrant hotpot, but seeing Lin Qiao eating plain porridge alone made them feel a little embarrassed.

“Sister-in-law,” Gu Huarui asked, “why aren’t you eating hotpot? Just porridge?”

Lin Qiao took a sip of her porridge. “I’m just worried there won’t be enough for you, so I’m saving some for you.”

“……”

Gu Huayuan cleared his throat softly. “Your sister-in-law is always like this.”

The siblings were momentarily stunned—they really hadn’t noticed before.

But seeing it with their own eyes, there was no denying it.

Gu Huarui awkwardly said, “Sister-in-law, we really misunderstood you before. You’re actually really nice.”

Lin Qiao asked, “Misunderstood me about what?”

“We thought you made Mom angry,” Gu Huayin said. “She’s been in a bad mood at home for several days.”

“Oh, that,” Lin Qiao smiled. “No misunderstanding. I did make her angry.”

“……”

Lin Qiao took responsibility for her actions, but still spoke with confidence. She stuck to her principle: if she felt she was right, then anyone who was wrong was at fault. “That’s because she made me angry too. Anyway, this is an adult matter—something you guys don’t need to get involved in.”

Gu Huayin asked, “So… why were you angry at each other?”

Lin Qiao said, “Isn’t it normal for people to get angry sometimes? Haven’t you ever made Mom angry? Didn’t you make Dad angry a few days ago?”

“……”

“You guys made Dad angry, but I didn’t go punish you for it, did I? That’s just because I’m a kind person.”

“……”

The two kids kept their heads down, eating hotpot, not wanting to bring up the past. Just thinking about it made them worry about how their sister-in-law had treated them before.

After lunch, once everything was tidied up, people started arriving.

Even though they had planned to come after lunch, these were all close friends—they wouldn’t just show up to eat. They planned to stop by, hang out a bit, and help with some chores.

Seeing guests arrive, Lin Qiao immediately linked arms with Gu Huayuan, showing off their affection at the doorway.

Gu Huayuan looked a bit awkward. “Do we really have to do this?”

“We agreed!” Lin Qiao said firmly. “We have to make people envy our relationship.”

Was it really necessary? Gu Huayuan rubbed his temples helplessly, still not understanding what Lin Xiao Qiao was thinking.

This time, five people were invited—those who were closest to Gu Huayuan, three of whom came with their families.

Seeing how affectionate the two were, the guests exchanged knowing looks with Gu Huayuan.

He ignored it and smiled, letting them in to sit.

Once everyone had arrived, Lin Qiao released Gu Huayuan’s arm and happily ran inside to play with the ladies.

Three family members had come, so it was perfect for a card game.

Among the three, one was Zhang Tuo’s wife, Li Yan; the other two Lin Qiao had seen in the compound before—they were all childhood friends’ wives of Gu Huayuan.

One, Sun Lin, worked in military logistics; the other, Li Xiaoman, was an elementary school teacher.

When Lin Qiao suggested playing cards, they immediately agreed.

Li Yan, however, was engrossed in a book, showing no interest in joining the group.

Lin Qiao didn’t want to disturb her, realizing she simply wasn’t social—it was fine if she didn’t want to participate.

She sent her younger brother and sister-in-law to bring in chairs.

“Sister-in-law, aren’t you afraid Dad will find out?” Gu Huarui asked.

“If we don’t mention it, he won’t know. Besides, we’re not making money—this is just for emotional bonding and friendly competition.”

The two kids went to fetch stools and then sat obediently by Lin Qiao, waiting for dinner.

Lin Qiao shuffled and dealt the cards quickly and skillfully.

Sun Lin laughed, “You’re experienced.”

Lin Qiao: “…No, no, I’m just dexterous.”

Sun Lin and Li Xiaoman laughed, thinking Gu Huayuan was lucky to have such an easygoing wife.

While playing, they chatted about Lin Qiao’s life in the Northwest.

She told them she had raised a flock of chickens there, which were about to start laying eggs. She planned to hatch another batch in spring to provide more nutritious food for the military displays.

“You’re amazing,” Sun Lin said admiringly.

Lin Qiao smiled modestly, “It’s okay. I learned it all at the chicken farm.”

Talking about her work, Lin Qiao exuded confidence, feeling proud of herself.

She couldn’t help but reflect that having her own career was really important.

Then she described the conditions in the Northwest: basically eating only two meals of grain porridge a day, water was rationed, no central heating—she had to heat her own bed, “just those earthy beds.”

The two ladies, who hadn’t traveled much, listened wide-eyed, feeding Lin Qiao’s pride.

They also asked if she planned to stay in the capital, where housing was available and it was easy to transfer residency. In their compound, many wives stayed in the city when their husbands were transferred elsewhere.

Lin Qiao waved her hand and said, “No, I have to go with Gu Huayuan!”

Hearing her answer, the two of them exchanged smiles, thinking Gu Huayuan really had incredible luck.

A clever man really chooses differently—someone who knows how to be considerate and attentive.

Not like Zhang Tuo, who seemed completely blind.

Both of them secretly glanced at Li Yan at the same time.

The group played cards until the afternoon, and it was only when the aroma of hotpot wafted from outside that they remembered to prepare dinner.

When they went out, a few of the men were already busy around the big iron pot.

The women were astonished. “You started cooking by yourselves?”

“Didn’t Gu Huayuan say? He said today is the day for women to visit their parents, so you all should rest.”

Lin Qiao smiled brightly at Gu Huayuan, feeling like she had just shown off a little.

“Linzi, let’s go home. I’m full,” Sun Lin’s husband, Gao Changliang, said, rubbing his forehead with a sigh.

“Don’t talk nonsense. You need to learn more,” Sun Lin tapped him.

Zhang Tuo glanced at his wife and pursed his lips.

Lin Qiao smiled even more and even scratched Gu Huayuan’s palm.

Gu Huayuan: “…”

Although the men weren’t letting the women help, when it came to something like eating hotpot, it felt incomplete not to participate.

The ingredients were all prepared—just bring them over. Once the broth boiled, they could start cooking.

Everyone hadn’t had such authentic hotpot in a long time, so they didn’t mind getting their mouths oily as they ate.

“Gu Shitou, where did you get this hotpot base? Ours never tastes this good.”

“He’s got a good nose; is there anywhere in the capital he doesn’t know?”

Gu Huayuan laughed. “Xiao Qiao took me to pick it out, one shop at a time. If I were to treat you, there’s no need to go through all that trouble—just boil some water and it would be fine.”

“Come on, Gu Shitou, once you’re married, you’ve got no brothers left.”

Lin Qiao quickly spoke up. “Don’t listen to him. He really cared—he got up super early this morning to buy the ingredients. This cabbage was freshly bought this morning.”

Gu Huayuan calmly listened from the side as she spun her little stories.

Even if they were lies, everyone happily believed them, praising Gu Huayuan for being loyal, and then asked about his future plans—when he’d return to the capital, for example.

Now that he was married, he couldn’t just stay away forever, could he? He also needed to consider Xiao Qiao. Conditions in the northwest were harsh; it was one thing for Gu Huayuan to go alone, but to bring his family along would make his wife and child suffer.

Lin Qiao said, “It doesn’t matter, I don’t care. None of this is important. He can like it wherever he wants.”

Gu Huayuan’s mouth curved slightly. “Hear that?”

“…”

Finally, they were full. Really full.

With so many people eating, the supplies at home were quickly cleaned out.

In the end, the last piece of cabbage in the pot was snatched by Gu Huarui, who ate with a puffed-up face, looking completely satisfied.

“Why isn’t Li Yan eating?”

When Sun Lin put down his chopsticks, he noticed Li Yan’s bowl was full of food that she hadn’t touched.

Li Yan smiled. “I’m not hungry.”

Seeing this, Zhang Tuo picked it up and ate it himself. “She probably ate too much at lunch.”

No one minded.

After dinner, it was already dark. In the cold weather, it was best to leave, so after helping clean up the dishes, they proposed to go home.

Lin Qiao, smiling sweetly, linked arms with Gu Huayuan and stood at the door to see them off.

Since they were all from the same courtyard, even the two chubby kids were taken along.

Along with a basket of oils, salts, and condiments from the Gu family.

Only then did Gao Changliang realize that these seasonings had come from the courtyard. He muttered to himself, wondering what Uncle Gu and Aunt Zhang would eat at home today.

Back at the courtyard, Zhang Wenjuan ate contentedly.

With no seasonings at home, it was impossible to cook. What to do? Of course, they had to eat out.

They had lunch at the courtyard guesthouse cafeteria and went out again for dinner, practically finishing a year’s worth of meals in one day.

She was happy, but Gu Bicheng wasn’t quite as pleased, feeling awkward seeing the couple eat out together, like some young newlyweds.

Back home, he kept insisting that the two kids copy their lessons—absolutely must copy!

Zhang Wenjuan said, “It’s just a little seasoning; is it really necessary to punish them so much? Besides, wasn’t it for their eldest brother and sister-in-law?”

“For Gu Shitou and Xiao Qiao? Don’t kid yourself. That’s for their own mouths! These two brats are getting worse by the day. Didn’t you also yell at them at home, threatening to hit them?”

Zhang Wenjuan: “…” Well, she didn’t expect they’d get to eat out.

After Zhang Tuo sent the two kids home, soon the sounds of them shouting and playing filled the house.

Zhang Tuo listened from outside and laughed, then led his wife back home.

“It’s lively with kids at home, isn’t it?” he asked Li Yan, smiling.

Li Yan didn’t respond.

Zhang Tuo sighed and asked again, “By the way, why didn’t you eat anything today?”

“No appetite,” Li Yan said, her stomach growling.

Zhang Tuo: “…”

Li Yan remained silent.

While in her room, she had heard that comrade Lin Qiao raised chickens and cleaned the coop every day.