Chapter 9: Undercurrent_1

Gu Xiaobei calmly sat down across from Chi Xiaoyue, making no sound. Even Lu Zhanguo was taken aback when he saw Chi Xiaoyue, then sat beside Gu Xiaobei.

Chi Xiaoyue's heart wasn't at ease either, especially with both of them appearing before her simultaneously. In just a moment, Chi Xiaoyue collected her spirit and asked with a gentle smile, "Brother Zhanguo is also accompanying sister-in-law into the city?"

Lu Zhanguo nodded somewhat awkwardly; he had, after all, harbored some feelings toward Chi Xiaoyue at one point.

Gu Xiaobei, sitting by his side, naturally sensed Lu Zhanguo's awkwardness and discomfort. Her heart was not at peace: surely there was an affair between them. However, in this era, love probably didn't go beyond holding hands. Then her mind wandered, imagining various scenarios of their interactions.

As everyone got on board and the vehicle prepared to set off, Lu Zhanguo glanced at the person beside him, only to see Gu Xiaobei with hands folded in front, back straight as a pen. With no expression on her face and a drifting gaze, she seemed lost in her own world. For some reason, Lu Zhanguo felt as if this version of Gu Xiaobei was very far away from him, as if she would slip out of his grasp the moment he loosened his hold.

Thinking this, he felt a twinge of pain and, regardless of the setting, reached out to grasp Gu Xiaobei's hand on her knee, "Are you feeling uncomfortable? Lean on me. The road from the compound is not smooth."

Pulled back to reality, Gu Xiaobei looked at the dark hand clutching hers, her mood lifted greatly. She gave Lu Zhanguo a sweet smile, "Alright," and leaned against him—if she didn't lean over willingly, she would be a fool. She tilted her head to rest on Lu Zhanguo's shoulder and closed her eyes in delight.

Chi Xiaoyue, sitting across from them, felt her heart nearly bleed out at the sight, but she still had to pretend not to care as she whispered with a companion. Yet, her gaze involuntarily swept toward the other side time and again.

Due to the recently melted snow, the road was especially muddy and difficult to navigate, turning a journey that usually took just over twenty minutes into nearly forty minutes of jostling. Whether it was because of her pregnancy or the fact that the original owner of the body was simply delicate, Gu Xiaobei's face turned pale as a ghost, her stomach churning.

Seeing Gu Xiaobei's pale complexion, Lu Zhanguo could not care less and pulled her into his arms, "Hang in there a little longer, we're almost at our destination."

Seeing this, Chi Xiaoyue hurried over, crouched in front of Gu Xiaobei, "Is it because of the pregnancy? Brother Zhanguo, let's switch places; I'll give sister-in-law a massage." Unable to bear seeing Gu Xiaobei in discomfort and with no other solution, Lu Zhanguo simply nodded and stood to switch places.

Chi Xiaoyue took the opportunity to sit beside Gu Xiaobei. She let Gu Xiaobei lean on her and started to gently massage her head.

Gu Xiaobei, too uncomfortable to care, inwardly cursed Lu Zhanguo a thousand times. How could he so trustingly hand his wife over to a love rival?

Fortunately, they soon arrived at their destination. Off the vehicle, Gu Xiaobei felt revived. She walked ahead with a cold face, not bothering to acknowledge Lu Zhanguo. She was furious; why should she thank him? What the other woman wanted was for him to commit himself to her.

Lu Zhanguo saw Gu Xiaobei walking ahead without a backward glance and quickly bid farewell to Chi Xiaoyue before hastening after her.

Chi Xiaoyue watched Lu Zhanguo's departing figure, her usually calm face finally showing signs of unwillingness and a fierce determination.

Lu Zhanguo had just caught up with Gu Xiaobei, his face colorless as he prepared to ask, "What are you making a fuss about now?" But instead, he saw Gu Xiaobei smiling brightly, tilting her little face up as she said, "Hurry, let's go eat wontons. I'm starving to death." Gu Xiaobei knew when to stop, and since their relationship had just started to mend, she couldn't oppose Lu Zhanguo right now.

Looking at her smiling face, Lu Zhanguo lost all desire to be angry, feeling a sense of satisfaction instead.

After eating a big bowl of wontons with plenty of chili, a delighted Gu Xiaobei said, "Lu Zhanguo, will you treat me to wontons for the rest of my life?"

Lu Zhanguo's expression warmed. In a low voice, he said, "Alright."

Lu Zhanguo took Gu Xiaobei to the post office first, asking her to wait outside while he went in to make a phone call. After about fifteen minutes, he came out, his expression quite grim. He cast a thoughtful glance at Gu Xiaobei and said, "Let's go, let's buy groceries."

Gu Xiaobei felt puzzled by the scrutinizing look Lu Zhanguo gave her.

Lu Zhanguo, walking in front, recalled the phone call he had made, the reminder from Zhao Heng at the Security Bureau, "White Fox has infiltrated your area. Individual information is completely unknown. The only certainty is that this person is fluent in four foreign languages." He had wanted to call Zhao Heng to inquire about military supplies since military phones are monitored and censored, fearing that it might cause trouble if people with ulterior motives overheard. But now, he was confronted with a more vexing issue.

In his heart, Lu Zhanguo firmly believed that Gu Xiaobei was not a problem, but how could someone who hadn't even finished high school speak foreign languages so fluently? It didn't make sense. Lost in thought, Lu Zhanguo suddenly turned back and saw Gu Xiaobei walking into the backlight, her entire being enveloped in sunlight, warm and sanctified.

As Gu Xiaobei approached, he asked nonchalantly, "Your English is so good, did you teach yourself?"

"What's so surprising about that, I speak four languages," said Gu Xiaobei proudly. Lu Zhanguo felt a chill down his spine. Four languages, that was too coincidental.

But looking at Gu Xiaobei's proud little face, he felt it didn't quite fit.

Gu Xiaobei, oblivious to Lu Zhanguo's thoughts, pointed ahead to a bookstore, "Let's go browse that bookstore. I'm so bored at home. I want to buy some storybooks."

The bookstore was the state-run Xinhua Bookstore. Rows of bookshelves emitted an old scent. In this era, especially in such a remote town, hardly anyone read books; they were too busy trying to fill their stomachs. It was odd that there was such a large bookstore. Inside, there were only four or five people browsing.

Lu Zhanguo and Gu Xiaobei split up to pick books. Gu Xiaobei liked fashionable magazines; how could such things exist in this time? Moreover, after looking around, she didn't find a single book she wanted to read. Instead, she overheard two people whispering in Italian behind a bookshelf.

Gu Xiaobei was surprised—talent in a small place indeed. Listening closely, it sounded like a man and a woman, like two young lovers on a date. Then she turned to find Lu Zhanguo.

Lu Zhanguo chose a book on military affairs. After paying, the two left. A few steps away from the bookstore, Gu Xiaobei looked back at the sign of Xinhua Bookstore and said, "How can there be such a big bookstore in such a small place? And this place is full of hidden talents, using Italian for a date."

Lu Zhanguo, already laden with heavy thoughts, grew alert upon hearing this, pulling Gu Xiaobei to a secluded spot, "What did you just say about Italian?"

Gu Xiaobei thought nothing of it, "Just two young people on a date. The guy said, 'Come back the day after tomorrow,' and the girl said she couldn't because she couldn't get out, her family was strict, that sort of thing. Probably to avoid people gossiping."

Lu Zhanguo knew the situation was not that simple, but it involved secrets he couldn't share. Hiding the turmoil in his heart, he said, "Let's go, we need to buy groceries, Zhijun and his family are coming over for dinner tonight."