Chapter 7

Chen Baozhen's husband, Gao Jianguo, came back three or four days a week, essentially every other day. Most of the time, Chen Baozhen was home alone.

The house assigned to her family was a small two-story building. The first floor was damp, with a living room, kitchen, and a utility room. The second floor had two simple rooms: a master bedroom and a secondary bedroom. The rooms were quite large and spacious for that era.

Ever since entering Chen Baozhen's house, Qin Yao couldn't help but sigh.

This sister of hers was truly... If you said she didn't have the burden of being an idol, she would always dress up beautifully when going out, standing there like a proud daytime swan.

It could be described as "a daytime swan outside, living in a dog's den at home."

Even though her best friend from childhood had come over, Chen Baozhen was very open and didn't bother to tidy up. As soon as Qin Yao entered the house, there was a damp smell, and dust seemed to be flying in the dim light.

All the furniture was covered in a fog-like layer of dust.

All the furniture was made of wood: wooden tables, chairs, and a wooden sofa. Paintings were hung on the walls, and a few newspapers were scattered on the table, with a silver metal-painted harmonica on top. In the corner of the room, a cello was casually lying on its side.

It wasn't messy to the point of having no place to step, but it wasn't clean or tidy either.

Clothes with a sour smell were scattered on the sofa. There were even more clothes in Chen Baozhen's bedroom, many of which she had tried on in the morning but didn't wear outside. She took them off, placed them aside, and didn't hang them back in the wardrobe, too lazy to wash them, just leaving them in a pile.

Qin Yao sighed deeply; Chen Baozhen was too qualified as a control group.

Chen Baozhen: "Why are you sighing?"

Qin Yao said coldly: "Even a dog would sigh."

"Yaoyao, you know that I've always been like this," Chen Baozhen said as she picked up a few clothes and stacked them on a chair, forming a small mountain. "When I was at home, my aunt took care of everything."

Chen Baozhen's parents had jobs, and there was an unmarried great-aunt in the family who had been diligently doing housework in the Chen family.

Chen Baozhen had a good relationship with her aunt.

"I'm planning to ask Gao Jianguo to get his sister to come over and help me with the cleaning," Chen Baozhen said naturally. She originally didn't want to live with her husband's sister, but her own aunt couldn't follow her after marriage, so she had to ask her sister-in-law for help.

Qin Yao couldn't help but look at Chen Baozhen with the gaze one would reserve for a "special kind of person."

This was too much!

To so naturally ask the husband's sister to come over and do housework, was this something a human would do?

It was indeed difficult for Qin Yao to like such a person, even though they were the comparison group's supporting female character and her best friend in the original book.

Qin Yao picked up a feather duster and said to Chen Baozhen: "I don't like staying in a dirty and messy environment; it affects my mood."

"I feel the same," Chen Baozhen nodded.

Qin Yao unceremoniously swatted her on the butt: "Get to work, stinky baby."

Chen Baozhen: "—You!"

"What 'you'? Get to work, behave yourself!" Qin Yao supervised Chen Baozhen cleaning the house with the feather duster, especially the pile of clothes that may or may not have been worn. They all needed to be washed.

There was running water on the first floor, but the water flow was small. Qin Yao used a large bucket to collect water, and next to it was a large silver aluminum basin filled with Chen Baozhen's dirty clothes. Chen Baozhen sat sullenly on a small stool, her tall figure hunched as she rubbed the clothes.

Qin Yao: "Scrub the collars and cuffs hard; just wash the other parts casually."

...

"Yaoyao, you're like Zhou Bapi."

Qin Yao supervised Chen Baozhen washing all the dirty clothes in the house, and even her own dirty clothes were washed and hung out to dry in the yard. The two of them tidied up the house, swept and mopped the floor, and wiped the dust off the furniture. After cleaning, the house became bright and shiny.

Qin Yao opened all the windows, and the breeze from outside brought in a refreshing feeling. Although Chen Baozhen's yard was desolate, the scenery of the family courtyard was beautiful. The buildings of that time weren't tall, and you could see the distant mountains. The green belt had tall and slender coconut trees.

Chen Baozhen, full of resentment, kept nagging: "Yaoyao, you're so fierce."

"Yaoyao, you're not nice to me anymore."

Qin Yao walked up to her, rubbed her face against hers, and checked the goodwill.

"Her goodwill towards you is 88 (she regards you as the best friend in the world)"

Chen Baozhen covered her face, her usually proud expression now like a child's, constantly complaining. Qin Yao's mouth curled up, unable to help but laugh out loud.

After all that complaining, the goodwill hadn't dropped.

Good sisters were indeed different from those lousy men.

*

After cleaning up until the evening, the aroma of stir-frying from the next-door neighbor Bai Qiuling's house wafted over. Chen Baozhen rubbed her nose; she was hungry and prepared to take Qin Yao to the canteen.

She said she would treat her best friend to the small bok choy she had grown, but it was just talk.

"Not going to the canteen." Qin Yao took Chen Baozhen to a grocery store to buy a few sauces, and from a late-returning military fishing boat, they got a few fish and a large bag of oysters. They carried the items back.

The bag of oysters was heavy and had a sea smell. Chen Baozhen, disliking the bag of oysters, stretched her arm far away from her body.

Chen Baozhen didn't like eating these fish and shrimp; they didn't have much meat, and if not handled properly, they could be fishy and smelly.

Qin Yao estimated that their appetite wasn't big, so she planned to make garlic oyster vermicelli and grill the fish and oysters in the yard with charcoal.

To remove the fishy smell and enhance the aroma, Qin Yao first stir-fried the garlic paste. Oil was precious at this time, so she didn't dare to use much, but she put in plenty of garlic, and the aroma of garlic wafted out from the pot, causing Chen Baozhen to sneeze.

Using a knife to pry open the oysters, she washed them and placed them in a steamer basket. Soaked vermicelli was placed on top, and garlic chili sauce was poured over. Twelve oysters were steamed for fifteen minutes.

When the lid was lifted, the fresh aroma stunned Chen Baozhen. "So fragrant! So fragrant! So fragrant!"

Chen Baozhen didn't expect that the pungent garlic taste combined with the sea smell of the oysters would create such an extraordinary fresh aroma.

The vermicelli covering the oyster meat was soaked in a fresh sweetness. When it first came out of the pot, the freshness was so intense it was almost overwhelming. Taking out the oyster, I took a small sip of the broth, and the vermicelli, white with a hint of brown sauce, was so delicious that it was hard to stop eating.

One person had to eat five or six to feel half full.

For the garlic oyster vermicelli, large oysters were chosen. Qin Yao lit the charcoal, set up the grill, and placed the small oysters on the fire. She poured garlic sauce over them, and the fresh aroma wafted over to the neighbor's yard.

Jiang Dinghai and Bai Qiuling were entertaining guests at their home, and the fresh aroma made the food in their mouths less appealing.

In the past, it was always their aroma that made the neighbors envious, causing Gao Jianguo to yearn with admiration. Today, it was strange that the neighbors also had a warm, smoky atmosphere.

"Mom, it smells so good."

Qin Yao's grilled oysters attracted several children, including Bai Qiuling's child, Jiang Hao, a six-year-old, and his three-year-old sister.

In her previous life, Bai Qiuling did not follow the army to the island. She stayed in the village to take care of the children and was later deceived by a young educated man, who abandoned her. The man turned out to be a scoundrel who played with her affections and then discarded her.

Bai Qiuling regretted her decision and was reborn to return to the past. This time, she decided to stay with her husband, Jiang Dinghai, whom she had married through a matchmaker with little emotional attachment, and follow the army to the island to take care of the children.

After arriving on the island, Bai Qiuling discovered that her husband Jiang Dinghai held a relatively high position with good benefits. Their neighbors were a newlywed couple who moved into the family compound around the same time.

Bai Qiuling was Jiang Dinghai's fiancée from the countryside, while Gao Jianguo married a city girl, Chen Baozhen. Jiang Dinghai and Gao Jianguo were of similar age, which led to much discussion among the people in the family compound.

"Old Jiang, if you hadn't married a countryside fiancée first and waited to find someone like Old Gao, you could have found a city girl."

"Gao Jianguo is more calculating than you."

...

At first, outsiders believed that Bai Qiuling, the countryside girl, could not compare to Chen Baozhen, the city girl. Now, Gao Jianguo's family was in a mess, and Chen Baozhen, the city girl, could not manage the household at all, shifting public opinion in Bai Qiuling's favor.

Because of this, Gao Jianguo often argued with Chen Baozhen.

"Eat, one each." Qin Yao distributed the grilled oysters to the children. Jiang Hao received one. She had no feud with the original heroine, Bai Qiuling, and while she wouldn't go out of her way to befriend her, she wouldn't target her either.

"Thank you, sister."

The child's gratitude was tender and innocent.

Qin Yao grilled fish and sat with Chen Baozhen, each eating one. In the evening, they bathed to wash off the barbecue smell. The two best friends slept on the same bed.

Not in the master bedroom, but in the guest room. The weather was hot. They hung up the mosquito net, spread a cotton quilt and a cool mat, added a blanket and a fan, and lying together wasn't annoying.

Qin Yao slept comfortably that night. The next day, Chen Baozhen woke up earlier than her, wearing baggy shorts and a short-sleeved shirt, going downstairs to brush her teeth.

When Qin Yao woke up, Chen Baozhen had already finished washing.

"YaoYao, you seem to have lost weight." Chen Baozhen pounced onto the bed, staring at Qin Yao's face without blinking.

Qin Yao had just woken up, her black hair disheveled and hanging down. Her skin was like a freshly peeled egg, smooth and delicate.

Hearing this, Qin Yao picked up a mirror and also felt that she had lost some weight. Her overly full face, in the early morning, resembled a fresh and beautiful rose, astonishingly beautiful.

"YaoYao, if this were the Tang Dynasty, you would be an unparalleled beauty like Yang Yuhuan. You are so beautiful."

Chen Baozhen couldn't help but reach out to touch Qin Yao's face, forcibly holding back the desire to kiss her.

"Tomorrow, let's go to the open-air swimming pool to play in the water. I want to experience the joy of Emperor Tang Minghuang. Concubine, let's bathe together in the Huaqing Pool."

Qin Yao slapped her hand away. "Pervert."

Chen Baozhen, with her cold and aloof appearance, had the nerve to say something so unreliable.

Qin Yao got out of bed and dressed, taking off her pajamas and buttoning her shirt. When she pinched her waist, she clearly felt that her body had slimmed down.

She hadn't done anything, not even started dieting, and yesterday she even ate a few candies with Chen Baozhen.

There was a full-length mirror in Chen Baozhen's master bedroom. Qin Yao stood in front of the mirror, amazed at the woman in the mirror.

The body in the mirror was becoming more and more like her appearance before she transmigrated into the book.

An eighteen-year-old girl, her face full of collagen, after a good night's sleep and nourishment, her skin was snow-white, her lips red like cherries, white and red colliding, creating a stunning beauty.

Beauty comes in a thousand forms, and besides being twice the size of an average girl, Qin Yao had to admit that this body was fleshy but very attractive, with a certain allure that her previous self did not have.

She pinched her arm, soft and white, with great texture!

After a simple breakfast, Qin Yao supervised Chen Baozhen in cleaning the yard, pulling out weeds, and killing insects.

Chen Baozhen said, "You're so beautiful, I'll do whatever you say, hehe, YaoYao."

As the two were busy in the yard, several passing sisters-in-law saw them. Around 10 a.m., a tall male officer and a female medic arrived.

The female medic was named Hong Yuyin, and the male officer next to her was the military doctor He Guangzhi, a scholarly man wearing glasses.

Hong Yuyin had a good relationship with Bai Qiuling and knew that Bai Qiuling's cousin had come to find a partner. She asked to bring a message to call for Doctor He to arrange a meeting.

Doctor He was somewhat dull but had excellent medical skills. He spent his days reading medical books and had no youthful exuberance. He had previously dated two match partners, but both found him too boring.

Apart from his personality issue, Doctor He's other conditions were good.

Hong Yuyin liked to visit Bai Qiuling's home, and the most secret and unknown reason was that she enjoyed looking at the courtyard of Bai Qiuling's neighbor's house. Every time she saw Bai Qiuling's well-kept, vibrant courtyard, and then looked at Chen Baozhen's messy home next door, Hong Yuyin felt an inexplicable sense of joy.

She harbored hostility towards Chen Baozhen.

Not only in this family compound but also in the cultural troupe and the hospital, many young girls had varying degrees of hostility and jealousy towards Chen Baozhen.

Chen Baozhen had been matched with Captain Gu! Initially, Chen Baozhen came to be matched with Captain Gu, causing many sisters-in-law and young girls to watch the outcome with bated breath. Although it didn't work out, Chen Baozhen was greatly envied.

Others didn't have the chance to be matched with Captain Gu, but she almost had the opportunity to become his wife.

Captain Gu was tall and handsome, standing there in his snow-white military uniform. Any young girl would find it hard to look away. Not only was he good-looking, but his family background was also excellent. He was among the best in terms of personal ability, with great physical fitness and strong command skills. Last year, during the large-scale exercise, his outstanding command earned him significant commendations in the district, and he received countless merit awards.

The honorary introduction sign near the auditorium dedicated to Captain Gu always attracted people who pretended to pass by or deliberately came for a look. Some even stopped for a long time, memorizing the content on the sign.

It’s a good thing it didn’t work out.

Chen Baozhen married Gao Jianguo, who was also an excellent male officer. When they first got married, many male officers were envious. However, their marriage has turned out like this, and quite a few people are secretly laughing at them.

Hong Yuyin was one of those enjoying the spectacle.

"Teacher Chen, you’re being very virtuous today, even cleaning up the yard," Hong Yuyin said. Chen Baozhen stood up and turned around, revealing her round and smooth face. Both Hong Yuyin and He Guangzhi noticed her striking appearance.

Teacher Chen was tall and had an outstanding facial structure and demeanor. Her face was as vibrant as a richly colored oil painting or the bright enamel colors in the Forbidden City.

She was undeniably beautiful, but her large figure created an uncertain sense of beauty. She was big, very white, and yet pretty.

These seemingly incompatible descriptions gave an uncertain impression of her beauty.

Chen Baozhen, with her arms crossed, said, "Is it that surprising? A friend is visiting, so I tidied up a bit."

"Not at all, not at all," Hong Yuyin replied, turning to head towards the neighboring yard. Behind her, He Guangzhi was standing there, his cheeks slightly flushed as he was lost in thought about the beautiful face he had just seen.

Entering Bai Qiuling's yard, Hong Yuyin asked, "Doctor He, were you just looking at Teacher Chen's friend?"

He Guangzhi nodded, feeling embarrassed.

"Teacher Chen's friend is quite overweight. She probably doesn’t like doing chores, just like Teacher Chen," Hong Yuyin said pointedly.

He Guangzhi's eyes darted away, and he instinctively replied, "It's not necessary for women to do chores."

As an internist, he didn't have to perform surgeries like surgeons. Apart from a slightly lower subsidy, he had a regular day job and, apart from night shifts, spent most of his time at home. He had a lot of free time to take care of the household.

If she's lazy... it doesn't matter.

"Ah?" Hong Yuyin was taken aback.

Upon arriving at Bai Qiuling's house and meeting Tian Shuyun, they had tea and chatted. Initially, Tian Shuyun didn't have much hope for the person introduced to her. However, seeing the gentle and cultured young military doctor, He Guangzhi, wearing glasses and speaking mildly, she couldn't help but feel attracted.

Doctor He would be an excellent marriage prospect!

Tian Shuyun's heart fluttered, but Doctor He seemed uneasy, only engaging in polite conversation. Tian Shuyun assumed he was shy, having heard that Doctor He was quiet and spoke little. She didn't mind; she thought it was good for a man to be more reserved.

"I have some business to attend to, so I'll be leaving now," He Guangzhi said, finding an excuse to leave. Later, he subtly conveyed to Bai Qiuling's husband that it "wasn't a good fit," politely declining further developments.

A warm fire burned in He Guangzhi's heart, the image of the person he had seen earlier lingering in his mind, unable to forget.

After much internal struggle, desire finally overcame his fear. For the first time, He Guangzhi mustered the courage to go to the Military Hospital to seek the help of Nurse Supervisor Ge Yunxia, hoping she could help him find a matchmaker.

Seeing the shy and reserved Doctor He with a flushed face, stammering, Nurse Supervisor Ge teased him, causing his face to turn even redder.

"Is it about Teacher Chen's new guest? Chen Baozhen?" Upon hearing the name Chen Baozhen, Nurse Supervisor Ge frowned. She didn't have a good impression of Chen Baozhen, who had often been used as a counterexample when educating male officers about choosing spouses... ahem ahem.

Doctor He nodded with a red face.

"It's rare to see you so concerned, Doctor He," Nurse Supervisor Ge said with a smile, understanding immediately. "I’ll help you with this. Let me go ask around."

Doctor He hesitated, "Please don't say it's me... Nurse Supervisor Ge, help me come up with a plan."

Nurse Supervisor Ge instantly understood, "I get it. We'll take an indirect approach. Let me feel things out first."

Nurse Supervisor Ge had a natural fondness for matchmaking. The more challenging it was, the more she enjoyed the task.

In the afternoon, at the military port, Captain Gu stepped off the ship, dressed in his snow-white military uniform. He adjusted the cap on his head.

*

Behind him was the deep blue sea, vast and boundless, with a massive ship looming above it. Gu Cheng walked forward with large strides, and the soldiers on both sides saluted him.

The sea breeze made his uniform flutter, and the brim of his cap shielded him from the sun. His face beneath was stern and serious, showing no emotion.

Gu Cheng handed a file to Gao Jianguo, who thanked him immediately. He hadn't expected Gu Cheng to help him.

Ever since marrying Chen Baozhen, Gao Jianguo had felt awkward about spending time alone with Gu Cheng. However, as time went on, he became more comfortable. Fortunately, Gu Cheng hadn't held any grudges because of the marriage.

"If anyone contacts you, please keep the information confidential and don't tell others," Gu Cheng said, needing a favor. With his cold expression, no one could tell what he was thinking, and Gao Jianguo had no idea what Gu Cheng truly meant.

"Sure," Gao Jianguo agreed, not considering it a big deal. He smiled and added, "Captain Gu, do you have time tonight to come over for dinner?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Gao Jianguo realized it might not be appropriate. He had just received help from Gu Cheng, and it was a rare opportunity, but with his recent argument with his wife Chen Baozhen and her friend visiting, inviting Gu Cheng over would be inconvenient.

Gao Jianguo felt a headache coming on.

Fortunately, Gu Cheng declined immediately.

Feeling relieved, Gao Jianguo made a polite gesture, "Please come. It's a rare opportunity, and Baozhen married me thanks to you."

Chen Baozhen had traveled a long way, following her family's arrangement to meet Gu Cheng for a blind date. In the end, she married Gao Jianguo, making him "lucky to have picked up such a bargain." Gao Jianguo felt guilty and found it hard to face Gu Cheng, even though Gu Cheng and Chen Baozhen hadn't been interested in each other from the start. It was best to clear the air now.

Gu Cheng, aware of his situation, might even sympathize with him.

"Alright, I'll come," Gu Cheng agreed.

Gao Jianguo was stunned, "Ah?!"

Gu Cheng gave him a surprised look, and Gao Jianguo quickly snapped back, "Yes, yes, yes. You're most welcome..."

As Gao Jianguo's mind went blank, he wondered how to prepare in such short notice.

Ever since that night he got off the boat, he hadn't seen Qin Yao again. He had left her an address, so surely she would contact him, right?

Gu Cheng had left some information with the Fishing Company, where he had connections. It would be convenient to inquire about things once they arrived at the residential compound.

Thinking of Qin Yao, an inexplicable restlessness welled up inside Gu Cheng, like a pesky cat's claws scratching at his heart and lungs.

He shouldn't have left his information; then he wouldn't be anxious to know if Qin Yao had tried to reach him.

Last night, he had a dream. He dreamt he was sharing an umbrella with this chubby girl. The wind caught the umbrella, and she fell into his arms... The dream was chaotic. The scene shifted to a cabin, where he worked and rested. He hadn't opened the documents in his hand when the chubby girl fell asleep on his shoulder. There was a knock at the door, and he panicked, wondering how to hide her—then he woke up startled.

How could he have such a bizarre dream?

"Let's go together then. I'll bring out my good wine, and we can have a couple of drinks," Gao Jianguo's gaze drifted, landing on Gu Cheng's stern profile. Inwardly, he couldn't help but feel a sense of defeat.

Thinking about his own courtyard and hall, it wouldn't be tidied up anytime soon. Let Gu Cheng see it, well, if he saw it, so be it. He really wasn't trying to gain sympathy.

Back when he was able to marry Chen Baozhen, Gao Jianguo had thought himself the luckiest man in the world. Who could have known, who could have known...

Gao Jianguo stared at Gu Cheng's face, holding back the question:

Does your family have a grudge against you?