B5SB -Chapter 43 The Package

Kun City Military District

Lu Huailin had just finished training and was on his way back to the dormitory when

Communications soldier Xiao Zhang ran into him carrying a package and a remittance slip. “Deputy Regiment Commander Lu, here’s your package and remittance slip.”

Lu Huailin took the package and said to Xiao Zhang, “Thank you.”

Xiao Zhang smiled. “Deputy Regiment Commander Lu, I still have other letters to deliver, so I’ll get going first.”

Lu Huailin nodded and took the package back to his dormitory.

He opened the letter inside and saw neat, elegant handwriting.

It read: Comrade Lu Huailin, hello. I have safely arrived in Jinyang City. I am very grateful for your lifesaving help. Inside this package is mushroom meat sauce. Please help deliver two bottles to Doctor Shen.

Lu Huailin stared at the letter over and over. Such a big piece of paper, and it only said this much?

He opened the package and found six bottles of mushroom meat sauce. At least she had some conscience—she gave him two extra bottles.

While the other dorm residents hadn’t returned yet, Lu Huailin locked the mushroom sauce in his cabinet.

Military District Hospital

“Lu Huailin, what brings you here?” At the office door, Shen Yujie circled him in surprise.

“You only come around when there’s something important, huh?”

Lu Huailin raised the bottles of mushroom meat sauce in his hand. “Comrade Gu asked me to bring these to you. Don’t take them away from me,” he said, then turned to leave.

“Stop right there!” Shen Yujie quickly stepped in front of him, took the bottles, and scolded, “Are you trying to steal my stuff? That’s shameless!”

Back in the office, Shen Yujie eagerly opened the bottles. The aroma was rich. He tasted some with a spare pair of chopsticks. The meat cubes were plump, the flavor delicious.

Looking at Lu Huailin with a puzzled expression, he said, “Why aren’t you leaving? Trying to mooch my mushroom meat sauce? Don’t even think about it. I haven’t eaten meat in ages, and it’s thanks to Comrade Gu thinking of me.”

Lu Huailin glanced at him. “If you don’t get any meat, it’s your own fault.”

Shen Yujie looked at him disdainfully. “What do you know? That girl has to cut pig grass and go to school. She’s ambitious.”

Lu Huailin glanced at him calmly. “I didn’t say she wasn’t ambitious, and I’m not looking down on her. But she feels perfectly justified using your support to go to school.”

“Take care of yourself. I’m heading back to the military district.”

Lu Huailin let it drop there.

Shen Yujie watched his retreating back and muttered, “Such a big rough guy.”

Machinery Factory

Gu Yihan had gotten used to working at the factory—slacking off a little at work, chatting, reading the newspaper.

Of course, there were small frictions. There were six people in the office, each with their own thoughts, and some enjoyed watching her clash with Zhou Na.

Gu Yihan wasn’t a troublemaker, and Zhou Na didn’t seem particularly competitive.

“Xiao Na, how did your blind date go yesterday?” Wang Xiang asked curiously.

Zhou Na frowned. “Don’t mention it. It didn’t go anywhere. That jerk insisted on having a boy. His mother said marrying into their family means you cut ties with your own family.”

The entire office stared at Zhou Na.

Wang Xiang spoke bluntly: “Who set you up? Don’t tell me it’s someone with a grudge?”

Zhou Na said darkly, “Who else? The factory director’s pretty daughter-in-law, of course.”

Wang Xiang nearly choked on her water.

Zhou Na glared at her. “With your luck? She wouldn’t even bother coming to the accounting office to see you.”

Wang Xiang awkwardly smiled. “Forget I said anything, haha.”

Zhou Na left the office in a bad mood.

Gu Yihan was confused. Wang Xiang quietly explained: “Zhou Na is the director’s younger sister-in-law… no, ex-younger sister-in-law. The director’s ex-wife left him and her child for some so-called love. Zhou Na lives in the director’s house, taking care of her sister’s child.”

Wang Xiang looked at Gu Yihan suggestively. “You understand, right?”

Gu Yihan was speechless—she didn’t understand at all.

Sister Li, unable to resist, said, “Originally, she and the director were going to get married, but someone else stole him.”

Gu Yihan understood—it was two women fighting over one man. She didn’t comment and just listened.

Time quickly passed into July 1968.

Gu Yihan had been working at the machinery factory for three months and was officially confirmed as an employee, becoming a bona fide Jinyang citizen.

After work, Gu Yihan asked Maomao to go with her to the security office. “Grandpa, can I borrow a bicycle at your gate?”

Grandpa Gu came out. “Sure. Ride it to work tomorrow, and that’s fine.”

Gu Yihan’s eyes lit up. “Thank you, Grandpa.”

Pushing the bicycle, she asked Maomao, “Want to come to school with me?”

Maomao wagged its tail happily and barked in response.

Gu Yihan assumed that was agreement. “Okay, I’ll ride, you run yourself.”

She rode the bike slowly while Maomao chased after her.

At the school, she headed straight to the office to get her graduation certificate from Teacher Shen.

On the way, she ran into him. “Teacher Shen.”

Teacher Shen turned, smiling. “I just wanted to see you. I have something for you.”

Gu Yihan’s eyes showed slight confusion. “Teacher Shen, what is it?”

“Come over to my place for dinner this weekend. I said before I’d invite you, and it’s about time to fulfill that promise,” Teacher Shen said, looking at Gu Yihan with a subtle, ambiguous expression.

Gu Yihan felt uncomfortable under his strange gaze. “Okay, Teacher Shen.”

After receiving her vocational school graduation certificate, it was getting dark. Gu Yihan headed home with Maomao. Near the big willow tree,

Maomao began barking fiercely at a shadowy area.

Gu Yihan looked in that direction and saw two people—a man and a woman—from their heights.

“Maomao,” Gu Yihan tried to calm it, patting its back. As they walked into the willow alley, Maomao whimpered softly.

She had no choice but to push her bicycle alongside Maomao. “You’re worried about other people’s relationships now?”

“Brother Zixin, if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t even be able to go to school,” came Lin Fang’s gentle voice.

“Study hard. When you graduate from high school, I’ll marry you. I promise to get you promoted quickly so you can follow the army,” a clear male voice rang out in the quiet space.

“Woof, woof,”

Lin Fang and that Zixin looked toward Maomao and Gu Yihan.

Gu Yihan’s face flushed red. She wasn’t eavesdropping on purpose, and it was dark enough that they couldn’t see her blush.

Lin Fang whispered, choked up: “Sister Xiao Han, please don’t tell anyone.”

“I don’t meddle in other people’s business that much,” Gu Yihan said, grabbing Maomao’s ear. “You’ve been too nosy—sleep in your doghouse tonight.”

She didn’t even glance at the two and headed straight home.