Soon a girl about seventeen or eighteen years old came out of the room, looking seven or eight parts like Lin Xiaoyue, with a round face, slender eyes, and two patches of highland blush on her cheekbones.
Seeing that she had found and put on the dress that Lin Xiaoyue had been reluctant to wear, Lin Xiaoyue frowned subconsciously, but she couldn't say anything in front of so many people.
"Brother Gu, Brother Zhou, hello both sisters-in-law." Lin Xiaohui greeted them obediently and then sat down beside her sister Lin Xiaoyue.
As the men were to drink and chat, the women, after eating, left the living room to the men. Lin Xiaoyue invited Chen Lishu and Zhao Jing to sit in the room.
Because they had not moved in for long, the room was furnished simply, with only a bed, a table, and two stools.
"Sister Zhao Jing, the sandals you're wearing are really beautiful, are they leather?" Lin Xiaohui asked, her gaze falling on Zhao Jing's feet after she sat down. Zhao Jing was wearing a pair of pure white wedge sandals with thin straps, which made her feet look particularly good.
"Yes, I bought them last time I went to Beijing for a performance."
"That must have cost quite a lot of money, right?"
"It was alright."
Lin Xiaohui's gaze then fell on the loafers on Chen Lishu's feet, and her eyes flashed. "Sister Lishu, you made these shoes yourself, didn't you? The stitching is dense, and your craftsmanship is really excellent."
Chen Lishu smiled at her praise and said, "My mother-in-law made these for me. Her shoes are the most comfortable to wear."
This was not Chen Lishu exaggerating. Only those who had worn other shoes would know that handmade shoes were the best for the feet.
"Sister Lishu, your pants look nice, but the quality doesn't seem to be very good. It would be better if they were made of polyester satin. I think Sister Zhao Jing's skirt looks very nice. Look at this one I'm wearing; the cost to make it isn't much different."
If Chen Lishu couldn't sense the hostility from the young girl in front of her at this point, she would have lived her two lives in vain.
For the sake of Wu Zheng and Lin Xiaoyue, Chen Lishu merely suppressed her smile and stopped speaking.
"Sister Lishu..."
"Xiaohui, I think it's getting late. Why don't you go back to your own room and rest?" Lin Xiaoyue said before Lin Xiaohui could speak.
Seeing that she had said what she needed to, Lin Xiaohui got up as Lin Xiaoyue suggested. "Sister Zhao Jing, Sister Lishu, I'll go back to my room now." After bidding them farewell, she turned and left.
When Lin Xiaohui had left, Lin Xiaoyue gave Chen Lishu an apologetic smile. "Xiaohui didn't get into high school this time, so she wanted to come and relax here. She's in a bad mood and speaks carelessly, so sister-in-law, please don't take it to heart."
Chen Lishu smiled. "I understand." They weren't close acquaintances, so Chen Lishu naturally wouldn't waste her emotions on Lin Xiaohui.
By the time Gu Xingdong, Wu Zheng, and Zhou Liang finished their drinks, it was past eight o'clock, almost nine o'clock.
Zhou Liang saw Zhao Jing's pale face and half of his drunkenness sobered up instantly. He said goodbye to everyone and hurried away with his wife.
Chen Lishu stayed to help Lin Xiaoyue tidy up the things before bidding farewell to Gu Xingdong.
"See that building next door? It will be completed in two months." Through the dim moonlight, Gu Xingdong, holding her soft hand in his, pointed to the military family housing on the opposite side, which was already half-finished.
As he drew closer, his hot breath blew on Chen Lishu's ear. Chen Lishu turned her head and met his dark, bright eyes. She could faintly smell the hint of alcohol on his breath.
"We're still outside." Seeing his face getting closer and closer, Chen Lishu couldn't help but purse her lips and say softly, a little shyly.
"What are you thinking about?" Gu Xingdong said playfully, then suddenly straightened up with a laugh.
Chen Lishu's face instantly turned a deep red. "I, I wasn't thinking about anything." After saying that, she pouted and quickened her pace, walking ahead.
"There's construction nearby, be careful."
"Ah..."
Unfortunately, Gu Xingdong's warning came too late. Chen Lishu tripped and was about to fall to the ground, letting out a surprised cry.
However, the expected pain did not come. Instead, a firm and strong arm wrapped around her waist.
"How can you be so grown up and still not watch where you're going?"
"It's all because of you!" Chen Lishu patted her chest, feeling a little scared.
The moon peeked out from behind the clouds, and its watery light shone on Chen Lishu's startled face. Gu Xingdong's gaze moved from her face to her heaving chest, and he keenly caught the slight tremor caused by her patting. His dark, bright eyes gradually deepened.
The hand around her waist unconsciously moved down, following her slender waist to her full, rounded hips, and gave a gentle pat.
Chen Lishu's expression froze. "Gu Xingdong, you..."
Gu Xingdong bent down, his arm moving lower, and with a slight exertion, he lifted her with one arm. "It's all my fault. I'll apologize properly when we get back."
Normally, he was always serious and dignified. But now, fueled by alcohol and concealed by the night, he revealed his true nature, which was rare.
"What if someone sees us? Gu Xingdong, hurry up and put me down."
Although she knew that at this hour, especially in this secluded military family area, no one could guarantee they wouldn't be seen. Chen Lishu's heart was pounding like a drum.
"If they see, they see. Who dares to say anything when I'm holding my own wife?" Gu Xingdong said, unbuttoning the collar of his shirt with one hand, unfastening three buttons, yet still feeling the heat in his body difficult to dispel. Seeing that they were close to the dormitory entrance, he couldn't help but quicken his pace...
The next day, the loud reveille sounded. Chen Lishu opened her eyes and looked at her surroundings, momentarily disoriented.
Gu Xingdong was getting dressed. He turned and saw her awake and asked, "Do you want to get up and go to the cafeteria with me for breakfast, or do you want to sleep a little longer and I'll bring it back for you?"
Chen Lishu propped herself up. "I won't sleep anymore. It's troublesome for you to run back and forth, so I'll go with you to eat."
As she sat up, the quilt accidentally slipped, revealing a stretch of fair skin, especially the two rounded mounds that still bore traces of last night's fervor.
Sensing Gu Xingdong's increasingly deep gaze, Chen Lishu pulled the quilt over her chest, her expression like a cat about to be angered. "What are you looking at? Punish yourself by fetching water for me quickly."
"Heh." Gu Xingdong couldn't help but chuckle and turned to do as she asked obediently.
Chen Lishu quickly got ready. When they went to the cafeteria, they happened to encounter the soldiers Gu Xingdong led returning from morning exercises. Seeing Chen Lishu by Gu Xingdong's side, their eyes lit up.
One of the bolder ones called out to Chen Lishu, "Hello, sister-in-law."
Chen Lishu smiled back. "Hello."
Seeing her poised and good-tempered, they exchanged glances. One of the mischievous ones took the lead in counting: "One, two, three."
"Hello, sister-in-law!" The voices were loud and deafening. Chen Lishu, caught off guard, was startled.
"Are you all itching for a beating?" Gu Xingdong narrowed his eyes dangerously and swept a glance at his soldiers.