1970s: Hot wife accompanies the army, cold-faced rough man is not easy to tease

Chapter 338 Clinging to that bastard's thigh
The fish is tender and smooth, and the soup is rich and delicious. It does smell a bit pungent, but the more you eat, the more fragrant it becomes.

Gu Hongying only took two bites and then stopped eating. The fish was specially prepared for her sister-in-law, and she wasn't that greedy.

Lu Youyou noticed and smiled, "Why don't you take two back with you?"

Gu Hongying immediately waved her hand: "This was specially prepared by my father for my sister-in-law, how can I accept it?"

"Little deer, you can keep it and eat it slowly. I'll find someone to get it later," Gu Bohuai said.

"Yes, yes, I'm going back to school in a few days, I won't be able to stay at home for long." Gu Hongying pushed the fish towards Lu Youyou again, "Sister-in-law, you should eat more."

Throughout the meal, Zhui Feng and Xiao Hui Hui stayed by Lu Youyou's side, watching her with concern.

Gu Hongying's attention was half on the two of them. The more she looked at them, the more she liked them. She wanted to get closer to them, but neither of them would give her the time of day.

Little Grey didn't even need to think about it; it would never let a stranger touch it. Chasing Wind was usually very easygoing, but it was on the mission of guarding its greedy owner and refused all playful behavior.

Gu Hongying could only watch enviously until she left, when she finally got a chance to pet the dog's head. But Little Grey was squatting on the eaves, and even if she jumped up, she couldn't reach it.

"Sister-in-law, I'll come to see you again when I come back from summer vacation. I'll bring gifts for my nephew and niece then."

"Okay, see you then." Lu Youyou waved goodbye from the doorway.

Actually, she quite liked Gu Hongying; she was cheerful, generous, and ambitious, unlike the rest of the Du family.

Gu Bohuai rolled down the car window: "Go inside quickly, take care of yourself! Qingye, call me anytime if anything happens."

Gu Hongying also poked her head out and waved: "Goodbye, elder brother and sister-in-law!"

The jeep drove out of the alley, and the father and daughter chatted for a while about their daily life at the military academy. Gu Hongying rested her chin on her hand and stared blankly out the window when she suddenly heard her father ask, "Are you going to the Du family's place for dinner tonight?"

Gu Hongying paused for a moment, then softly hummed in agreement.

"Shall I take you there now?"

There was no emotional fluctuation in Gu Bohuai's voice; it was as if he was simply asking about the weather today.

Gu Hongying sighed silently, but she knew that things were beyond repair.

Since her parents divorced, the house has been quiet and deserted every year during the Spring Festival. She first ate with her father, and then went to the Du family to eat with her mother and uncle. As for Gu Yuanzheng, he had been staying in the south for several years and had not returned.

For her, the Lunar New Year seems to have nothing to do with family reunion.

The mention of the Du family quickly quieted down in the car. When Gu Hongying got out of the car, her father only smiled gently, without mentioning Du Shuang or the Du family at all.

Two of the Du family's pillars have fallen, and the remaining second son is just a university teacher with no interest in an official career. Now, the one who has the most say in the family is the youngest sister, Du Xue.

Du Xue and her husband Zhao Junyan have been working in Shanghai and were not affected much. Two years ago, Zhao Junyan was promoted to the second-in-command of the Beicai Zhengwen Bureau.

However, since Du Jiagen lives in Beijing, the siblings still get together there once a year.

When Gu Hongying entered, the Du family was making dumplings. Du Xue greeted her with a smile.

"Hongying is here. Have you had lunch yet? Would you like me to cook some dumplings for you?"

"I've eaten. Happy New Year, Auntie, Uncle, and Second Uncle!" Gu Hongying put down the New Year's gifts, looked around but couldn't find Du Shuang. "Auntie, where's my mom?"

"She's upstairs; she has a bit of a headache." "I'll go up and check on her, then I'll come down to help."

Gu Hongying ran upstairs and opened the door to see Du Shuang leaning against the bed, looking exhausted.

"Mom, how are you? Did you take your painkillers?" Gu Hongying sat down on the edge of the bed and touched the glass on the bedside table with the back of her hand; it was still warm.

Du Shuang lifted her eyelids, revealing bloodshot eyes and heavy dark circles.

From a once elegant and charming noblewoman to her current thin and pale appearance, with prominent cheekbones and deep nasolabial folds on her face.

Perhaps because of the heavy resentment, her eyelids drooped, making her look even more sharp-tongued.

Du Shuang raised her eyes and stared coldly at Gu Hongying for a while, her dry voice somewhat grating: "You came from your father's place?"

Gu Hongying moved her lips, but in the end she just gave a simple "hmm" and skipped over the lunch.

But even though she didn't mention it, Du Shuang wasn't about to let it go: "Did your dad say anything about your brother? Is he coming back this year? Is he still in Shenzhen? What's so great about that place?!"

Du Shuang coughed involuntarily when she got excited, and the sound of her coughing made Gu Hongying both anxious and helpless. She could only pat her back to help her catch her breath.

"Mom, my brother is all grown up, why are you still worrying so much? Doesn't he know what he's doing? You're just making him worry too much..."

"He's your own brother!" Du Shuang interrupted sharply. "You don't even care that he's your own brother, yet you're making sarcastic remarks here!"

Gu Hongying's eyes immediately reddened. What sarcastic remarks did she make? Gu Yuanzheng was just a disappointment, was it her fault?
"It's not like I forced him to go. Did he discuss it with anyone before he left? Did he inform me? What does it have to do with me?!"

She was so angry that she wanted to turn around and leave, but seeing her mother's haggard appearance, she ultimately held back and didn't move.

Du Shuang didn't want to argue with her daughter. She couldn't speak to Gu Bohuai anymore, and Gu Bohuai wouldn't see the Du family. The only way she could help her son was through Gu Hongying.

“Hongying, Yuanzheng is your own brother. Only you two are family. If you’re not close to each other, who will you be close to?” Du Shuang pulled her daughter’s hand and earnestly advised her.

"Your brother being forced to go to the capital won't do you any good either. Hongying, find a chance to persuade your father to bring Yuanzheng back so that you two siblings can help each other..."

Gu Hongying had heard the same clichés countless times.

When Gu Yuanzheng first went to Shenzhen, Du Shuang still had illusions that her son might make a name for himself outside. But now she could no longer deceive herself.

Gu Yuanzheng only contacts her when he needs money; otherwise, she doesn't know where to look for him.

Watching Gu Qingye rise step by step and Lu Youyou acquire more and more titles, Du Shuang felt as if she were being stabbed with a knife and roasted by fire.

She knew very well that she couldn't let things continue like this, and she had to drag Gu Yuanzheng back to the capital no matter what.

If he doesn't stand in front of his father and occupy his position, Gu Bohuai will never remember that he has such a son in a few years!
Gu Hongshuang almost laughed when she heard this: "Mom, do you really think that Gu Yuanzheng and I can help each other?"

"How can you talk like that? How can you talk about your own brother like that?!" Du Shuang's eyebrows furrowed, unable to bear anyone speaking ill of her son.

Now she can only pin her hopes on Gu Yuanzheng, otherwise how can she survive? What is she trying to achieve by going through all this trouble?

"You think you can cling to that bastard's coattails? Do you think he'll even bother with you?!"

"Mom, stop talking!"

Gu Hongying couldn't stand it anymore. Gu Qingye was more legitimate than her and Gu Yuanzheng. If he was a bastard, then what were she and Gu Yuanzheng?
(End of this chapter)