Rebirth of Bayi Fishing and Hunting in the Northwest

Chapter 926 The Gu Family's Past and Present Events
"You and your mother look so alike when you were young." Gu Xiaoyu walked over, took off her mask and looked at Gu Boyuan. Gu Boyuan paused for a moment, but then said something that surprised Gu Xiaoyu.

She guessed her father might say she resembled her older sister, Gu Xiaoxia, but to her surprise, Gu Boyuan said she resembled her mother.

Some of the resentment that had been lingering in my heart has been gradually dissipated.

It turns out he hadn't forgotten his mother, nor had he forgotten himself.

Seeing Gu Xiaoyu's expression, Gu Boyuan knew he had made the right judgment. He sighed and said, "Let's go, it's cold outside. Let's go inside and talk."

From the moment she began waiting for her father to appear until now, although she hadn't said a word, Gu Boyuan's few words made Gu Xiaoyu feel closer to her father. Some of the bad things she had guessed, including the sense of unfamiliarity, faded away in those two sentences.

The smell inside the purchasing station wasn't very pleasant, but Gu Boyuan reminded him as he opened the door, "This place is separated from the warehouse. We've collected quite a few hides these past few days, and they have a strong odor. If you find the smell unpleasant, you should wear a mask."

Gu Xiaoyu wasn't wearing a mask as she followed Gu Boyuan into the dormitory, then looked around the room with some curiosity.

“I used to live in the courtyard, but it wouldn’t work if no one was here, so I moved here. It’s a bit simple, but when you’re living here, you do whatever is convenient.” Gu Boyuan took a cup from the table, rinsed it with cooled boiled water from the teapot, then poured in boiling water, mixed it with the cooled boiled water to make lukewarm water, and handed it to Gu Xiaoyu.

"Have a seat," Gu Boyuan gestured. "Have you had dinner yet?"

"I've already eaten," Gu Xiaoyu finally spoke. She sat on the stool, holding her cup, her mind filled with the things her mother had told her about her father. Comparing this man in front of her, who looked older than his actual age but younger than many farmers of this era, she felt that what her mother had said seemed rather subjective.

"Hmm, did it arrive today?" Gu Boyuan continued to ask.

"I arrived last night, and went to the courtyard this morning to look for you, and then I found out you were here..."

The two of them didn't experience the surprise and joy of a family reunion. Their conversation was rather bland. In fact, they both knew that the surprise, joy, and even some hesitation in their hearts were being suppressed.

This tranquility is like a volcano about to erupt, suppressed by rocks, with surging magma below and a thick stone shell above.

“I used to farm in the team. Xiaoxia… your sister married this Li Long, he’s a very capable young man, running this purchasing station. Actually, I used to sell agricultural supplies, and he helped me open that agricultural supply store. Now we’re partners in the purchasing station.”

"Although it's a bit busy, it's still making a good living." Gu Boyuan chuckled as he said this, "Your sister works at the Education Bureau, and he's also your brother-in-law. It was this Li Long who reminded me to start preparing early, so I took the teacher's exam first and then went to where I am now. We're all doing well..."

At this point, he looked at Gu Xiaoyu and tentatively asked:

"Your mother...you...how have you been all these years?"

He had wanted to ask this question ever since he saw Gu Xiaoyu. He had already thought of someone who saw a girl who looked a lot like Xiaoxia when Xiaoxia gave birth a couple of years ago. That must be Xiaoyu.

However, Gu Boyuan did not ask about those things. He just wanted to know if his wife and daughter had been doing well all these years.
It's certainly not good, because I've suffered a lot. Although things seem good now, it doesn't mean the past didn't exist.

So when this question came up, Gu Boyuan's eyes flashed with pain, which was reflected in his expression and was seen by Gu Xiaoyu.

She thought for a moment, then said very seriously:
“From as far back as I can remember, my mother told me that my father and sister lived in another place. When I asked where, she wouldn't tell me. Later… I started school, and some people at school called me a bastard child without a father. When my mother found out, she went to the school to reason with the teacher and reprimanded that student… But this didn't change my situation…”

As Gu Boyuan listened to these words, his fists clenched tightly. When Xiaoxia was little, she was also called "motherless child" by the naughty kids in the village. At that time, he couldn't beat the child. When Xiaoxia came to him crying, he would go to the child's parents.

Fortunately, Gu Boyuan still held considerable prestige in the village, and people like Li Jianguo were quite fond of Gu Xiaoxia, so after teaching a few wild boys a lesson, the matter was dropped.

He could sense the feelings of Gu Xiaoyu's mother, Fan Wenli, at that time.

"Then—my mother got married." Gu Xiaoyu's words exploded in Gu Boyuan's ears like a morning bell. He wanted to ask why, but when he looked up and saw Gu Xiaoyu's face, he lowered his head again.
"I'm sorry for you two..."

That's what he truly thought. If he hadn't been so reckless and ignorant back then, how could he have made such a big mistake, and how could he have run to the Western Regions to escape disaster? There wouldn't have been so many problems. Even if those ten years were incredibly turbulent, at least his family wouldn't have faced any major upheavals or trouble.

Therefore, there would be no tragic incidents of wives and children being torn apart.

The cause of everything lies within oneself.

Gu Xiaoyu was somewhat surprised by her father's reaction. According to her mother, if she told her biological father that her mother had remarried, her biological father might be furious and might ask why. But in this real situation, her father said it was her own problem.

Although Gu Xiaoyu was somewhat surprised, she continued speaking:
"No one calls me an orphan anymore, but I'm not happy. My new dad... my stepfather isn't particularly good to me. He also has a child of his own, a boy, and my mom spoils him... Oh right, we're in Yanjing, and I went to school there. Because of special circumstances, I didn't go to the countryside, and later, after the college entrance exam was reinstated, I got into university..."

"You're really amazing!" Gu Boyuan said sincerely.

It's truly impressive that someone could get into university so soon after the reform and opening up.

"I came here the year before last. After graduating from university, my mother said I had the right to seek the truth I wanted to find. However, she told me a lot of things, about you, about my sister, and about our old home... I also talked to her on the phone when I came here, and it felt a little different. My mother works in a library in Yenching. After graduating from university, I stayed at the university and am now a teaching assistant. We are both doing well."

"...Dad...Dad, how have you been all these years?"

Gu Boyuan could tell that his daughter, Gu Xiaoyu, was far superior to the average person in both her clothing and demeanor. Clearly, at least for now, her standard of living was better than most, which put his mind at ease.

"We...we're actually doing pretty well, aren't we?" Gu Boyuan's tone softened after he felt relieved, and he let out a long breath. "We joined the production team here, and your sister went to school, even high school...of course, we also encountered similar troubles, but as one of the founding members of the village, I was able to handle them."

Now, your sister is married, and I've moved to the county town. Your brother-in-law is a good guy... He used to be a troublemaker, but he turned over a new leaf a few years ago and has since achieved some success. He's doing quite well, and his life is much better than the average person's..."

As he said this, Gu Xiaoyu looked at the house, which was practically bare, but she didn't feel that she was any better off than ordinary people.

There isn't even an appliance!
Gu Boyuan smiled.

He said to Gu Xiaoyu:
"Please sit down first, I'll be right back after I go out for a bit."

Gu Xiaoyu held her teacup and watched her father leave. She felt a pang of sadness. She and her mother lived a life in Yanjing that, while not one of luxury, was at least comfortable and had all kinds of household appliances.

Although my stepfather wasn't good to me, he was quite good to my mother. My mother also had her own salary, so her standard of living was naturally not low.

Watching Gu Boyuan leave, she unbuttoned her down jacket and then opened the small bag she carried with her.

Inside the small bag was a small wallet, from which Gu Xiaoyu took out a stack of ten-yuan notes.

This was the money she had saved from working for over a year. Contrary to what her mother said, her father did not harbor any resentment towards her or her; on the contrary, he was filled with guilt.

According to my father, his brother-in-law runs a business and his sister works in the education bureau, so they should be doing well. But looking at my father's current living conditions, this "well" is really not that great.

She took out all her savings and looked around, searching for a possible place to put them.

She counted the four hundred yuan many times; it was the money she had saved since she started working, and it had nothing to do with her stepfather.

She will continue to save money and repay her stepfather after she starts working, but as before, they will not be able to get close to each other.

After all, she knew from a young age that her stepfather didn't like her very much.

It's understandable, since they're not biological children and they have biological children, how could they possibly be close?

It was like she had only met her biological father once, yet felt as familiar with him as if they were family members she had always lived with. The connection of blood is truly magical. Just as she was thinking about how to hide the money, Gu Boyuan entered, carrying a bag.

Is this a local specialty? Gu Xiaoyu wondered.

Sitting across from his daughter, Gu Boyuan opened the cloth bag.

The thick wad of cash made Gu Xiaoyu blink; for a moment, she couldn't believe it was real.

“Here’s ten thousand yuan. Take it back. Give half to your mother and keep the other half for yourself.” Gu Boyuan said with a hint of pride and guilt, “I don’t know where you are. I’ve made some money from last year to this year, but I don’t know how to make it up to you.”

Life in Yanjing City is definitely inconvenient, and there must be many places where you need money, so take these flowers... If you have any difficulties in the future, come and find me. It's easy for me to make money here with your brother-in-law. He earns more than me, so he doesn't need anything. I can't go over there from here, so I can't help you with any difficulties you may have..."

Gu Boyuan was already somewhat incoherent as he spoke, but Gu Xiaoyu understood what her father meant.

He wanted to use money to make up for what he owed his wife and daughter, but he didn't want Gu Xiaoyu to misunderstand that he only knew how to use money to get rid of people. She and her mother lived in Yanjing, and her father thought that "it's not easy to live in the capital," so he gave them money, hoping that her mother and she could live a better life.

My mother had no choice but to remarry. My father didn't remarry, nor did he blame my mother; he only blamed himself for bringing misfortune to his wife and daughter.

Of course, Gu Xiaoyu was shocked by her father's wealth—ten thousand yuan! That was more than a hundred months' salary for her!
Gu Boyuan then saw the wad of money that Gu Xiaoyu was holding and instantly understood his daughter's thoughts. He smiled.

It gave me a feeling of great comfort and satisfaction.

After placing the money on the coffee table, Gu Boyuan began asking his daughter about some details of her past life.

For example, what university did you attend, what was your major, how is your job as a teaching assistant, do you have your own dormitory or house, and do you have a partner?
Gu Xiaoyu also occasionally asked her father about life in the production team, whether farming could earn money, and whether it was hard work. She also asked about her sister's life, how she met and married her brother-in-law, and how her child was doing...

It's actually quite amazing. Old Gu and Little Gu haven't seen each other for almost twenty years. Although Gu Xiaoyu and Gu Xiaoxia are twins, they don't look exactly alike because of their different upbringing. They just look somewhat similar.

However, the sense of unfamiliarity between the father and daughter only existed at the moment they first met and before they recognized each other. Once they recognized each other, the sense of unfamiliarity disappeared completely.

They chatted until after 1 a.m., and seeing that it was getting late, Gu Boyuan took Gu Xiaoyu back to the guesthouse.

"Do you want to go see your sister and brother-in-law tomorrow? The two kids are adorable, you can meet them," Gu Boyuan said. "Your sister and brother-in-law don't know much about you and your mother, they only know the general outline. If you go tomorrow, I'll let them know in advance."

Gu Xiaoyu's original plan was to come and see her father and sister again, so the possibility of her coming later was extremely small.

After meeting her father just now, Gu Xiaoyu realized that her father had also had a difficult life in the past, but he truly regretted it and felt very guilty. Compared to her mother and herself, whose lives improved because of her mother's remarriage, her father and sister's lives had only improved in the last few years.

So she changed her mind. Her mother and stepfather had their own lives, and she still wanted to stay in touch with her father and sister, since they were her true blood relatives.

“Take this money. If your mother wants it, you can buy a house over there. You’re already working, you need your own space.” Gu Boyuan still hoped that Gu Xiaoyu would take the 10,000 yuan. “You just said it yourself, that home… isn’t very convenient. You’re older now, and… your brother isn’t married yet. That kind of environment isn’t good for you.”

Gu Boyuan's words struck a chord with Gu Xiaoyu. She had been applying for a dormitory recently, but being young and inexperienced, she still needed some time.

"If you don't have enough money, just call or send a telegram and I'll send you more."

"No need, no need, you don't earn money easily..." Although she was shocked by Gu Boyuan's 10,000 yuan, Gu Xiaoyu really felt that her father did not earn money easily and could not give her any more.

After all, this money was earned with my brother-in-law's help, and if it all went to me, would my sister and brother-in-law be willing to accept it?
"It's so easy... Sigh, your brother-in-law is quite the man. I find it hard to believe he made that much money." Gu Boyuan guessed Gu Xiaoyu's thoughts and said with a smile:

"Don't worry, your sister and brother-in-law aren't like that. We have everything we need here, and they even give me a share of the profits every now and then. I feel so hot holding this money. If you need it, this is perfect."

Gu Xiaoyu never expected that in this remote Northwest region, a place generally considered harsh and cold by people from Yanjing, her brother-in-law would transform from a scoundrel into a successful entrepreneur in just a few years.
It's just that the speed at which he's making money is a bit too fast. According to my father, the purchasing station has only been established for a year, and now he can come up with 10,000 yuan. This is only the dividend for a relatively small share. How much does my brother-in-law, who has the majority share, earn?

Gu Xiaoyu asked with some concern:

"Dad, is my brother-in-law going to do something illegal?"

Besides this, what else can you collect that makes so much money?
"What are you thinking?" Gu Boyuan smiled and said, "It's all legitimate acquisition. Your brother-in-law is an employee of the county supply and marketing cooperative and the prefecture supply and marketing cooperative. He's an advanced individual recognized by the autonomous region. How could he possibly do anything illegal?"

To put it simply, your brother-in-law did initially engage in some speculative activities, but he stopped later. Now that the country allows private individuals to buy and sell small commodities, it's legal.

Back then, your brother-in-law earned a small amount of money, just enough to make ends meet and be able to eat meat occasionally…

Previously, Gu Boyuan and Gu Xiaoyu mostly talked about themselves and Xiaoxia. Now that Gu Xiaoyu is suspicious, Gu Boyuan starts talking about Li Long.

Although only a general outline was given, the process was like listening to a legendary story to Gu Xiaoyu, who had lived in the city for a long time.

When they arrived at the guesthouse, Gu Xiaoyu hadn't had enough, but Gu Boyuan said it was getting late and told her to get some rest.

The guesthouse staff heard the commotion and came to open the door. They heard Gu Xiaoyu calling "Dad" and saying goodbye to Gu Boyuan, and looked at Gu Boyuan with some curiosity.

Gu Xiaoyu's accommodation at the guesthouse was registered under her university in Beijing, making her a prominent figure in this small county. Now that her father is in the county, could it be that she went there through the imperial examinations? We haven't heard of anyone getting into Beijing university in recent years.

Gu Boyuan returned to the purchasing station and couldn't sleep all night.

Gu Xiaoyu eventually accepted the money and couldn't sleep all night.

Originally, I planned to give my father the four hundred yuan I had saved and then stop coming here.

Now, instead of giving out four hundred yuan, they've taken ten thousand yuan from my father. What kind of nonsense is this?

It was obvious that her father was quite satisfied with his current life. Although, in Gu Xiaoyu's opinion, her father's college degree was so valuable that he could definitely achieve great things in a different place after the reform and opening up.

It's a complete waste of talent to keep them stuck in such a small county town.

But from a money-making perspective, even if you changed places and became an official or a professor, could you earn so much money in such a short time?

At this time, a trend had emerged in society that "those who make missiles are not as well off as those who sell tea eggs." Although this saying had not yet been officially published, this idea already existed.

Gu Xiaoyu came with a sense of superiority and to see how her father would face the daughter he had "abandoned" for twenty years.

After all, in her mother's account, it was all her father's fault.

But when Gu Boyuan truly took all the blame upon himself, she felt a pang of sympathy for her father.

She was merely a victim of the times. Does her mother's actions necessarily place her on the moral high ground?

Not necessarily.

(End of this chapter)