Chapter 51: Lan Mo Speaks Out for Gu Yan’an

Looking at her family laughing together, Pan Huijuan understood that her sons truly had no interest in pursuing a relationship with that Bai Wei, so she let go of the idea.

She had no desire to kneel before the old master again for an outsider’s sake, nor did she want to end up in a bitter conflict that would drive a wedge between mother and son.

Recalling the old master’s earlier words, Pan Huijuan’s expression softened, and her tone grew gentler. “Yan’an, since you like that girl from Haishi, bring her home someday for your father and me to meet.”

Gu Yan’an wasn’t sure whether his mother had genuinely come around or was merely testing him to see how he would react.

His deep, ink-black eyes narrowed slightly, inscrutable, while his handsome face remained calm and composed. He replied unhurriedly, “Momo is very busy with work and doesn’t have any leave at the moment. She probably won’t be able to come.”

Won’t be able to come? Did that mean they were expected to go to Haishi to see her instead?

Pan Huijuan chuckled dryly. “Then you won’t be returning to Haishi for a while, will you? Why don’t you report back to your unit first and settle your work matters?”

Gu Yan’an rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought. His leg was almost fully healed, and it was time to report back to his unit. Since Momo had agreed to be his girlfriend, he should secure his job first.

His Momo already had nearly ten thousand in savings. If he didn’t work hard to earn money and ended up being outdone by a female comrade, wouldn’t that be utterly embarrassing?

Ah, what a worry—how was he supposed to make money?

Seeing his elder brother frowning tightly, his expression as pained as if he had swallowed a dead fly, Gu Yanbei wondered: Did his brother have some unspeakable difficulty, or had his job position been taken by someone else?

“Elder Brother, what’s with that expression? Did you accidentally swallow a dead fly just now?”

Was this Gu Yanbei itching for trouble again? Gu Yan’an lifted his leg and gave him a light kick. “If you want your bones loosened, get lost!”

“Mom, save me!”

Gu Yanbei covered his backside with both hands, hopping and darting quickly to Pan Huijuan’s side.

Seeing everyone’s eyes on him, Gu Yan’an said, “Don’t worry. I’ll report to my unit tomorrow, return to Haishi in a few days, and then come back to focus on my work.”

Hearing this, Pan Huijuan began to worry again about him shuttling between Jingshi and Haishi. Just thinking about the cost of train tickets gave her a headache.

Noticing her hesitation, Gu Wenlin quickly interjected, “Everyone, tidy up—wash the dishes if it’s your turn, and take your baths. Yan’an has had a long journey and must be tired. Let’s all turn in early tonight.”

…

The Lan Family in Haishi

After dinner, Ye Zhen was busy clearing the dishes, while Lan Jingtian pulled Lan Mo to sit on the long sofa.

“Momo, why haven’t we seen Xiao Gu come over for meals these past two days?”

Lan Yuanzhi laughed and teased, “He’s probably too embarrassed to show up every day. After all, he brings a pile of gifts each time he visits. If it were me, I’d find it overwhelming.

Back when I was courting Ye Zhen, things were much simpler. I gave gifts for the first meeting, then discussed marriage and settled the bride price. After we married, I only brought gifts to visit her father during holidays.”

Lan Mo’s lips twitched. Her elder brother really had the nerve to say that.

“Dad, Elder Brother, Comrade Gu Yan’an has returned to Jingshi. His family sent him a telegram saying his grandfather is seriously ill and asked him to go back.”

“Ah, did he say when he’d be back? Momo, if he leaves and doesn’t return, how about Dad finds someone for you from our workplace?”

“Dad, didn’t you think highly of him before? Why are you saying this as soon as he’s gone?”

“Dad’s just worried you’ll be sad after he leaves. By the way, Lin Xiangqian’s case has been decided. Because he reported the traffickers and performed meritorious service, he could have avoided punishment, but unfortunately, he hit that female comrade. Now we’ve decided to detain him for six months for reformation.”

“Didn’t that female comrade accuse him of that…”

“No, she said she’s still chaste, and Lin Xiangqian hit her because he didn’t succeed. Lin Laogou compensated her with two hundred yuan.

They didn’t use their brains before acting, and in the end, they lost more than they gained. They spent a total of three hundred yuan, and now their son still has to go to jail.”

Lan Mo clearly didn’t believe that female comrade was chaste.

She thought, if that girl accused Lin Xiangqian of rape, she herself would probably be recorded in the case, right?

That might even affect her future marriage. Anyway, Lin Xiangqian’s family compensated her a large sum, and Lin Xiangqian ended up in jail.

There are actually quite a few cases like this, but many people prefer to keep quiet after weighing the pros and cons.

Lan Mo asked, “Dad, what about Auntie Liu hitting Gu Yan’an with that stick? How should that be handled?”

“I was just planning to invite Xiao Gu over for mediation tomorrow. Since he’s not here, I’ll ask his little cousin to go instead.

Xiao Gu suffered some minor injuries. Auntie Liu will probably criticize and educate herself in front of Xiao Gu’s cousin, and then have her family compensate some money to settle it.”

“That’s it? Shouldn’t Auntie Liu be sent for labor reform? If that stick had hit us, wouldn’t it have been fatal?”

“Well, Xiao Gu ended up fine, didn’t he? If she had been holding a knife that day, it would’ve been easier to accuse her. The neighborhood committee now sends people daily to give ideological lessons to Lin Laogou and his wife, starting with ideological reform. As for Auntie Liu hitting someone, the authorities have punished her to clean public toilets for three months.”

This really is making a big fuss over nothing. As long as the victim is fine, everything’s negotiable?

Lan Mo felt indignant, her stomach aching with anger. Sigh… even if she wanted to speak up for Gu Yan’an, she didn’t know who to turn to for justice now.

Seeing Lan Mo lost in thought, Lan Jingtian reminded her, “Momo, be careful when you go out from now on. These traffickers don’t care who you are—they’ll deceive anyone.

Young girls are sold to men in remote mountain areas who can’t find wives, while adult men are sold to illegal coal mines to dig coal.

As for children, boys are easier to sell. Some families have many daughters, and ignorant people will spend money to buy a boy to carry on the family line.”

Do these people think they have a royal throne to inherit? Buying a boy to carry on the family line, ha…

They say without demand, there’d be no harm. These buyers are truly despicable, but the most despicable of all are those traffickers, worse than pigs or dogs.

Lan Mo returned to her room in low spirits. Now she thought of Comrade Gu Yan’an again, who would linger near the alley around her house every evening, craning his neck, hoping for her return.

Gu Yan’an was currently lying on a 1.2-meter-wide small bed in the living room with Gu Yannan.

Gu Yan’an nudged Gu Yannan beside him. “Yannan, go sleep with Yanbei. The bed in the room is 1.5 meters wide.”

“Elder Brother, after all these years, we’ve gotten used to sleeping together. How come you start finding me annoying as soon as you find a partner?”

Their living room wasn’t large, only able to fit a small bed measuring one meter twenty. Two grown men sleeping on this bed was still a bit cramped, and now even turning over was difficult.

Unfortunately, Gu Yannan had always been clingy toward Gu Yan’an since childhood and greatly admired him. When Gu Yan’an enlisted in the military, Gu Yannan found a way to join the following year.

At this moment, Gu Yan’an missed Lan Mo so much that he tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He lowered his voice and complained, “This bed is too narrow, it’s hard to even turn over.”

“Elder Brother, didn’t you rarely turn over in your sleep before?”

How could it be the same? Before, he was alone, but now he had a partner. Wasn’t it normal to miss his partner so much at night that he tossed and turned, unable to sleep?

“How about you ask Yanbei to come out and sleep, and we’ll go inside.”

“Elder Brother, you know Yanbei has OCD. He’s a grown man who washes his sheets every two days—so finicky. You’d better just squeeze in with me!”

“Forget it, I’ll make do tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll move in with Grandfather. This bed is really too narrow; you can keep it for yourself.”

Gu Yannan chuckled softly, “Once Elder Brother gets married, I bet you’ll even find a one-meter-wide bed too spacious. The reason you think our current bed is narrow is because the person sleeping with you now is me.” If it were his partner instead, would he still complain?

Getting married? The wedding bed would definitely be as big as possible, so he could hold his wife and roll around on it.

Yannan said something about a one-meter bed being too wide—could a one-meter bed even fit two adults?

But a narrow bed had its advantages too—that way, he could hold his wife tightly in his arms. If she couldn’t turn over, he could even let her sleep on top of him.

Thinking of this, Gu Yan’an couldn’t help but smile and said, “How could it be the same? My partner is sweet and soft; holding her must be comfortable. You’re a grown man, all hard and stiff—sleeping next to you is like sleeping next to a piece of iron.”

Gu Yannan immediately caught on and asked with a laugh, “Elder Brother, have you held your partner before?”

Gu Yan’an smiled faintly. Not only had he held her, but he had also kissed Momo’s little lips. Once in a dream, he had even made her go through heaven and hell.

Never mind, Yannan hadn’t even been in a relationship—how would he know that feeling?