Chapter 60: Give Birth to a Lonely Egg

For the next two days, Lan Mo worked at the hospital during the day and returned to her room early after dinner each night.

It took her three evenings to finally prepare the ingredients sent by “Little Useless in the Cultivation World” and send them over.

On the second night, the Colorful Silkworms began laying tiny eggs. Each cardboard box was covered densely with small specks of various colors, a sight that easily gave one goosebumps.

In another ten days or so, they would hatch into silkworm babies. She needed to figure out how to quickly level up her farm to level fifteen during this time.

The day after tomorrow, she would be heading to the countryside, so tomorrow she had to go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some items typical of the era, like enamel washbasins and thermos bottles.

While Lan Mo was already preparing for her trip to the countryside, Gu Yan’an had already boarded the train to Xinjiang.

Apart from bringing several colleagues from his unit, he also brought along a fellow veteran who had served with him in the army.

The man’s surname was Xu, and his name was Xu Duo. He lived in a rural area of Jingshi. Three years ago, while carrying out a mission, he had two fingers chopped off and was discharged with a lump sum payment.

Now unemployed, he made a living by farming in the countryside and earning work points. Seeing that Xu Duo had two children to support, Gu Yan’an decided to give him a hand and even spent money to have someone issue him the necessary documents.

Of course, the main reason was that Gu Yan’an himself wanted to secretly earn some extra income. Since he couldn’t appear in person, he had to find a partner to help him make money.

If he didn’t start earning soon, when would he ever catch up to Momo?

This time, he had brought all the money he had saved for marrying a wife, planning to have this Xu Duo transport a large quantity of cotton back to Jingshi to sell—secretly, of course.

He had connections to source the cotton and was responsible for loading it onto the train. The actual selling of the cotton afterward would not be handled by him.

Over the past few years, while earning work points at home, Xu Duo had also taken opportunities to secretly trade grain and mountain delicacies.

To avoid drawing attention, Gu Yan’an did not sit in the same carriage as Xu Duo, and his colleagues had no idea he had brought an outsider along on this trip.

Suddenly, Wang Haibo, who was sitting across from Gu Yan’an, stood up and stretched, then said, “Director Gu, can we pay extra to switch to sleeper berths? I heard the trip to Xinjiang takes more than just a day or two. Sleeping like this, hunched over, is going to break our backs.”

Liu Heping and Lu Ming, sitting nearby, chimed in, “Yeah, yeah! Director Gu, how about we switch to sleeper berths?”

Gu Yan’an sneered, “Do you really want to switch to sleeper berths? Do you know how many train transfers we’ll need to make to get to Xinjiang? The cost isn’t cheap, and the higher-ups won’t reimburse us for sleeper tickets. Are you willing to pay out of your own pockets?”

Gu Yan’an poured cold water on their enthusiasm, and everyone fell silent.

To be honest, Gu Yan’an also wanted to pay extra for a sleeper berth. But not only were sleeper tickets not reimbursable, the cost was simply too high. The money he saved could be used to buy delicious treats for Momo.

He wondered where the roast duck and pastries he had mailed to Momo were. Would she reply after receiving his letter?

He would be away for a whole month. When would he get to see Momo again? Ah… what a headache!

Meanwhile, another headache was brewing for Cui Li’s family. The news of Gu Yandong saving Bai Wei had spread throughout the entire compound. Just now, Gu Wenbin and Zheng Yanhong, along with their son Gu Yandong, had come to propose marriage. Bai Wei was crying as if her heart would break.

Gu Wenbin angrily pulled Zheng Yanhong away, leaving Gu Yandong standing dumbfounded beside Bai Wei.

Bai Zhi thought this Gu Yandong was actually a decent person—at least he was sincere toward her sister. The way he looked at her sister was practically dripping with affection.

When her sister had rejected him earlier, a flicker of pain had flashed in his eyes, his dark pupils revealing a hint of helplessness and unwillingness.

Bai Zhi spoke up to comfort her: “Sis, we’re not forcing you to marry Yandong right away, so please stop crying.”

Bai Wei had been crying all along, neither refusing nor agreeing, but Gu Wenbin was no fool.

Wasn’t this clearly slapping them in the face? She had already been kissed and embraced by his son, and now she was looking down on him? His son Yandong was outstanding too, wasn’t he?

Bai Zhi then turned to Gu Yandong and said, “Yandong, why don’t you head back first? Our family needs to sit down and discuss how to handle this matter properly. We’ll give you an answer in a couple of days, okay?”

“Alright! Weiwei, please don’t cry anymore! If you really don’t want to marry me, I won’t blame you. I’ll wait for you until you marry someone else—just give me a chance!”

Bai Wei gazed at Gu Yandong through tear-filled eyes, her heart in turmoil. Not only did everyone in the compound know Gu Yandong had taken advantage of her, but even people at their workplace knew.

Who else could she marry besides Gu Yandong?

Bai Wei wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and said coolly, “You should go. Let me think about this a bit more!”

Gu Yandong left reluctantly, looking back every few steps.

Bai Jinyuan, thinking this whole mess was entirely their daughter’s own doing, couldn’t hold back his anger.

“Bai Wei, what was that attitude just now? It’s like someone owes you a huge debt.”

Cui Li, seeing her precious daughter being scolded, shot Bai Jinyuan a fierce glare. “Weiwei is already so upset, why are you still criticizing her?”

“Bang!”

Bai Jinyuan slammed his hand on the table and roared, “Cui Li, Weiwei has been spoiled rotten by you! Not only is she thoughtless, but she also has no sense of responsibility—she’s just like you! Hmph! A doting mother ruins the child…”

“Bai Jinyuan, what did you say? Say that again if you dare!”

Cui Li suddenly stood up, fuming and ready to confront Bai Jinyuan. Seeing this, Bai Zhi quickly rushed over and hugged her.

“You little ingrate, who are you hugging? I gave birth to you, not your dad!”

Bai Zhi teased with a smile, “Mom, could you have had a child all by yourself without Dad? Don’t tell me you like laying unfertilized eggs?”

Cui Li was momentarily confused and blurted out without thinking, “I’m not a chicken—what unfertilized eggs?”

“Pfft…!” Bai Zhi burst out laughing, and Bai Jinyuan’s anger instantly dissipated. At least his Haoran and Xiao Zhi were sensible.

“Alright, alright, Mom, don’t be angry. Even if you’re upset, we still have to figure out how to handle your precious daughter’s situation, right?

To be honest, I think Yandong is a really good guy. If she marries him, even if my sister acts up a bit, Yandong likes her so much that he’ll probably be tolerant.

As for anyone else, I don’t believe they’d put up with my sister’s passive-aggressiveness and fake, pretentious behavior for long.”

Bai Wei, feeling utterly devalued by Bai Zhi’s words, lost her temper and lashed out without restraint:

“Bai Zhi, I’ve had enough of you! The other day you said no one wanted me, and today you’re calling me fake and pretentious.”

“Do you think everyone is like you, a tomboy? If I’m unwanted, you, this damned tomboy, are even more unwanted!”

“How dare you! Bai Wei, did all your education go to the dogs? How can you curse your younger sister like that?”

Bai Wei retorted defiantly, “Well, she cursed me first!”

Bai Zhi stayed silent. After all, no matter how her sister scolded her, she wouldn’t lose a piece of flesh.

Her personality might be a bit straightforward, but that didn’t mean she was unwanted, right? Wasn’t Liu Xuewen, the math teacher of Class 2, Grade 3 at their school, quite fond of her?

Bai Jinyuan said sternly, “Enough, both of you sisters stop arguing. Now let’s talk about Yandong’s marriage proposal.

Weiwei, you were saved by Yan’an, and he also had physical contact with you. Everyone knows about this now.

If you don’t marry him, either wait until this matter fades away, or just marry someone who doesn’t care about it.”

Bai Wei pouted and said, “Dad, I don’t want to marry just anyone. What if I end up marrying a farmer?”

“Then think carefully about Yandong. At least he has a stable job. And his family conditions aren’t bad either—his mother is the head nurse at your hospital, and his father works in an office at the railway bureau.”

“Dad, their family only has three rooms. If I marry him, where will our children live after they’re born?”

“Of course, they’ll live with you. When the children grow up and Yanni gets married, won’t there be an extra room then?”

“But if I marry Brother Yan’an, I could move into Grandfather Gu’s siheyuan. Their courtyard is so much bigger.”

Hearing her sister say this, Bai Zhi felt like spraying her with contempt. She wasn’t much to look at, but she sure had grand fantasies.

Bai Jinyuan glared at Bai Wei and said, “Forget about Gu Yan’an! Because of this matter, I had to swallow my pride and apologize to Wenlin yesterday. Fine, take your time to think it over. Give me an answer in a couple of days, and give Yandong an answer too.”

“Oh…!”

So spoiled, willful, pretentious, and brainless—who would dare take such a foolish woman?

What was meant to come would come. Bai Wei couldn’t escape it now. She was destined only for the honest Gu Yandong.