B5SB -Chapter 386 Mending Relationships

Gu Yihan came home from work and saw an unfamiliar woman efficiently preparing dinner in the kitchen.

She guessed that this must be Lai Di, the person Lu Huailin had mentioned.

Smiling, she walked in. “Sister Lai, from now on, you just need to take care of my mom. You don’t have to worry about cooking.”

Lai Di was startled by the sudden voice and quickly turned to look at Gu Yihan.

She explained softly, “I’m from the countryside. I can’t stay idle, so I thought I’d take over the cooking as well.”

“That way, it won’t be like you’re just paying the thirty yuan a month for nothing.”

Food and lodging were covered, plus thirty yuan a month—such a good job that Lai Di wished she could do it for her whole life. Naturally, she had to work diligently, afraid that if Gu Yihan got upset, she might be asked to leave.

Gu Yihan looked up and met Lai Di’s slightly nervous eyes, understanding immediately.

She nodded. “Then you get busy. I’ll go upstairs first.”

Once Gu Yihan left, Lai Di instinctively patted her chest, thinking how scared she had been.

She had thought, as Fang Yi had said, that Brother Lu’s wife would be harsh, unreasonable, and unfilial to Mother Lu.

But seeing her in person, she realized that Gu Yihan’s expression was gentle, with a smile at the corners of her eyes—no trace of harshness at all.

Upstairs in the bedroom

Lu Huailin was tightly holding his wife on the bed.

He smiled and said sweetly, “Wife, from now on, have Sister Lai handle everything for Mom. You just go to work as usual, and chat with the military spouses in your free time.”

He didn’t want his wife to feel stressed because of Mother Lu.

Gu Yihan glanced at him and nodded.

As long as she didn’t have to serve his mother directly, she wouldn’t interfere in other matters.

And so, Mother Lu settled into the family quarters.

Just as Lu Huailin had promised, her moving in didn’t affect Gu Yihan’s normal life.

The day before the New Year holiday

Before leaving work, Zhang Yue stopped Gu Yihan and Qin He, who had packed up and were ready to go home for the holiday.

“Xiaohan, Sister Qin, I’m getting married on the sixth day of the New Year.”

Gu Yihan exchanged a glance with Qin He and said in unison, “Congratulations.”

Zhang Yue tugged at the corner of her mouth, pressed her lips, nodded, and didn’t say anything further. She turned and left.

Gu Yihan and Qin He were left utterly confused.

“Zhang Yue told us she’s getting married on the sixth, but she didn’t ask us to go celebrate. Does that mean we don’t have to go?”

Gu Yihan shook her head. “I don’t know. She didn’t say where she’s getting married!”

Since Zhang Yue didn’t specify, Gu Yihan wasn’t the type to rush off to give wedding gifts.

When Gu Yihan arrived home, she saw Haohao in the yard practicing military-style boxing seriously.

She smiled and asked, “Where’s your dad?”

Little Haohao, focused on his movements, said, “Dad is calling Grandpa.”

Gu Yihan looked at his earnest little figure and couldn’t resist wanting to pinch his cheeks.

Haohao, realizing his mom was approaching, knew she wanted to pinch his cheeks again.

He shouted in alarm, “Mom, don’t interrupt my training!”

Gu Yihan paused for a moment, amused, and smiled at him.

She turned and went straight to the living room, where Lu Huailin had just hung up the phone.

She asked with a smile, “Is Dad coming to our house for New Year?”

Lu Huailin sighed, shaking his head. “No. He said seeing Mom gives him a headache.”

Gu Yihan: “….”

At that moment, Mother Lu started yelling from the bedroom, “Ahhh!”

Gu Yihan glanced at Lu Huailin, who was rubbing his temple in frustration, and her lips curled into a small smile.

Mother Lu had been mistreated by Lu’s eldest brother and Fang Yi for several months. Her post-stroke body hadn’t received proper nutrition and had worsened.

Now, after a month of quiet care at their home, with proper nutrition, she started yelling again this morning.

During the day, she would call out intermittently when no one paid attention.

Hearing Lu Huailin and Gu Yihan return from work, she shouted, aiming to make herself miserable so others wouldn’t be comfortable either.

Lai Di, busy preparing dinner in the kitchen, frowned when she heard Mother Lu yelling.

She hurried to the bedroom and quietly tried to reason with her, “Aunt Lu, don’t make a fuss over nothing. If you annoy Brother Lu one day, he might rent you a place outside and have me take care of you. I’m not capable of giving you the fine meals you need.”

Mother Lu rolled her eyes at Lai Di, furious, and drooled again.

She just wanted Lu Huailin to come in and talk to her. What’s wrong with that?

She had spent all day alone in a tiny, dark room and wanted someone to talk to. Was that a crime?

With difficulty, she said, “Let… Lin… come.”

Having taken care of Mother Lu for over a month, Lai Di could somewhat guess her intentions.

Sitting on the bed across, she sighed, “Aunt Lu, I know you want to repair your relationship with Brother Lu. But even if you want to mend things, you need to take it step by step, right? Yelling like this might make Brother Lu think you’re deliberately picking a fight!”

Hearing this, Mother Lu’s eyes flashed with anger. She hadn’t expected this rural girl to see through her thoughts.

She didn’t want to take things slowly?

But she had no time left.

In just three months, she would have to leave the family quarters.

Although Lu’s eldest sister took care of her, no matter how attentive, it wasn’t as comfortable as living with Lu Huailin.

She had dedicated caregivers, soft blankets washed regularly, and all the necessities.

Her body was paralyzed but not insensible. Comparing the two situations, living with Lu Huailin was clearly more comfortable.

It was obvious that Mother Lu didn’t want to leave.

Midnight

Gu Yihan was suddenly awakened by the crackling sound of firecrackers.

She turned to see the time and reached for the light switch on the headboard with her eyes closed.

Feeling his wife’s movement, Lu Huailin pulled her tightly into his arms, patting her back.

“Wife, go back to sleep. It’s still early,” he whispered softly.

Gu Yihan mumbled drowsily, then turned and fell asleep again.

Early next morning

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

A sudden, urgent knocking woke Gu Yihan again.

Annoyed, she sat up sharply. Finally, she had a day off for the New Year, hoping to sleep in.

Instead, she was disturbed by firecrackers in the middle of the night and now someone knocking loudly at the door in the morning.

Lu Huailin also woke up, saw Gu Yihan sitting on the bed sulking, and quickly got up, pulling her into his arms.

Fuming, he gritted his teeth. “Go back to sleep. I’ll go check which rude person is banging on the door so early, disturbing my wife’s sleep.”

“Do they not know that disturbing someone’s sweet dreams should be struck by lightning?”

Without waiting for her response, he dressed quickly and went downstairs.