Chapter 125: Two in One

Chapter 125: Two in One

"It's great news that Qin Xueguan got accepted into college; Dad must be over the moon..." Qin Xueguan had previously attended a training program at the Agricultural University, so he had some foundational knowledge. This time, with the resumption of the college entrance exams, he paid to take the exam. Thanks to his earlier training, he had a decent grasp of basic academics. In this exam, Qin Xueguan was determined to come out on top and had been studying hard. Like Qin Yao in the past, he wasn't strong in math, but he managed to catch up during his training. His chemistry was excellent, and being a child raised in the capital, he had an edge in foreign languages, regularly listening to specialized broadcasts. Qin Xueguan excelled in the foreign language portion of the exam... And so, in a somewhat muddled but expected way, he got into college.

Qin Xueguan knew he had done well and that, barring any mishaps, he would get in. However, the incident with the previous list had really shaken him. Until he held the admission notice in his hands, he didn't dare believe it. He even kept his parents from boasting about it and didn't tell his brothers. It wasn't until he had the notice that he announced to everyone: Qin Laosi was going to college!

He wasn't just the first college student in the Qin family; he was also the first from the large courtyard. This gave his father, Chef Qin Chuanrong, quite a bit of pride.

"We've been eating like kings at our house... but really, it's no big deal, my son just got accepted into college."

"Of course, he's like a guy who’s been raising pandas for years—albeit small ones."

"Our dragon and phoenix twins are really something—Yaoyao became a proctor for the college entrance exams. Look at them! One’s a proctor, and the other’s heading off to college—makes a dad proud!"

These days, Qin Chuanrong is on cloud nine, wishing he could drink every day. Even when he returns to the large courtyard where he's lived for years, he gets lost and has to wander around "for a couple of laps" before finding his way back, stopping people to chat whenever he can.

Shen Guixiang particularly dislikes this about him. "Where's the ambition?"

"Ambition? Our dad's just thrilled, that's all. He's showing off and drinking every day, coming home reeking of alcohol, and when you tell him off, he just laughs and says he's never had such a great time."

"Listen to him! Like we didn’t have good times before."

"But it's good too. Since Qin Xueguan got into college, he's set a great example. Your elder and second sisters-in-law are also pushing their kids to study. Maybe we'll have a few more college students in the family soon."

Holding the phone, Qin Yao listened to Shen Guixiang's chatter with her eyes half-closed. This was probably a common trait among people in the large courtyard—always chatting a bit with whoever they meet, especially their kids, repeating the same things over and over.

Qin Yao didn't find it annoying. She just listened, and as she heard Shen Guixiang's excitement, her own emotions seemed to lift, feeling joyful as well.

After so many years, she had long considered Shen Guixiang as her own mother.

"Talking on the phone for so long." A deep male voice sounded behind Qin Yao.

Shen Guixiang and her daughter had been on the phone for ages, and Gu Cheng, waiting on the side, was getting antsy. Although they didn't lack for phone money, they had been going in circles with the same topics.

Mostly, Shen Guixiang was happy on the other end, and Qin Yao was just playing along, mother and daughter chatting away happily, leaving him as an invisible man.

His mother-in-law had been talking for so long; why didn't she ask about her "good son-in-law"?

"Is the son-in-law here too?" Shen Guixiang was taken aback. She hadn't expected Gu Cheng to be there. Usually, Gu Cheng was busy when Qin Yao made phone calls, rarely around. She also wouldn't call Gu Cheng's office, so she hadn't thought that her daughter's husband was actually there listening.

Qin Yao gave a light "Mhm."

"Is he not busy with work? Is he on leave at home?"

Not just not busy—he was bored to the point that she felt like pulling grass out of his head every day. "He's going for advanced training."

"Advanced training, that's good. Your brother also went for training. Does the son-in-law want to take the college entrance exams?"

Qin Yao: "He’s already a military academy graduate."

...

Seeing that the mother and daughter were chatting again and there was nothing for him to do, Gu Cheng circled around Qin Yao, occasionally stretching out his arm to enclose her in his embrace.

Qin Yao, still on the phone, didn't know whether to call him a dog or a cat, watching eagerly from the side. It was so pitiful that she couldn't bear it, so she handed the phone to the man next to her, "Talk to Mom."

Gu Cheng glanced at her, pretending to be calm but clearly eager, and took the phone from her. "Mom, yes, Yaoyao and I are doing well. The kids are clingy but manageable, always playing happily—" The poor little ones were getting roughed up by their dad, but they loved it!

The kids, around four or five, were brimming with energy, but the older husband, now with even more free time, was a force to be reckoned with. He proactively looked for ways to spend time with the two kids, playing with cats and dogs, and constantly keeping the children busy. He would mess with this and that, and the two kids had so much fun with him that it was like two mischievous monkeys trying to outsmart the Buddha—but they were no match for his boundless energy.

Gu Cheng had long legs, and with every step he took, the two little ones had to jog to keep up. With nothing better to do, he started pestering his two sons, who were gradually becoming exhausted and starting to fear their father. They eagerly presented their mother as a buffer against this unstoppable force.

"That's good then. Our family's days are getting better and better every year."

……

Gu Cheng and his mother-in-law started chatting. Qin Yao noticed that when he had too much free time, he became unusually talkative, even striking up conversations with Shen Guixiang.

"Hmm, Mom, the lady from the large courtyard is looking for you again? This time she’s talking about her son instead of her daughter?" Gu Cheng pressed down on Qin Yao's head, signaling her not to move. "She’s pushing her son to take the college entrance exams now? Hah, Mom, you could have had a pair of college-admitted children this time if it weren't for Qin Yao. Yes, it's all her fault!"

"I told her to sign up for the college entrance exams, but she refused and chose to be a proctor instead. When she came back, she told me the questions were too easy and that if she had taken the exams, she would have gotten into Tsinghua or Peking University."

"Mom, I think you missed out on a Tsinghua or Peking University daughter."

Qin Yao glared at him and reached for the phone in Gu Cheng's hand. Gu Cheng quickly raised his hand, pretending to be calm but clearly showing off his mischievous side. He took over the phone from his mother-in-law. "Mom, we're doing great, and the child is clingy but easy to manage. We have fun every day—" All the while, the poor kids were being messed with by their father.

"Anyway, I won't scold her. She's like a Bodhisattva in our home, keeping me on a tight leash. She's our little ancestor—can't be scolded or hit. I can only rely on you to keep her in line—"

The more Qin Yao listened, the angrier she became. She clung to Gu Cheng and reached up to grab the phone from him. She quickly said, "Mom, don't listen to his nonsense. Do you know what your son-in-law is doing now? He's so bored that grass is growing on his head, and he's causing trouble everywhere."

"Alright, we'll hang up now. I need to deal with him."

Qin Yao quickly hung up the phone, wrapped her arms around Gu Cheng's neck, and tried to pinch a small tuft of his hair, but his hair was too short, and her hand slipped right off.

"I’m just trying to keep you from getting too bored by pulling some weeds off your head."

Gu Cheng laughed and said, "Spare me, Yaoyao. You don't want a bald husband, do you?"

"Hmph."

As the couple was about to leave, their best friend Chen Baozhen looked at them with great reluctance. Before they left, they went to Baozhen's house for a meal. At the dinner table, Gao Jianguo couldn’t help but envy Gu Cheng. He had once hoped for a similar opportunity but missed out.

"Gu, you better not be too smug in front of me. After all, you have me to thank for your good fortune."

Back then, Gao Jianguo had felt guilty towards Gu Cheng, but now, seeing how well Gu Cheng was doing, he thought, "Forget that guy!" Gu Cheng should treat him like a benefactor. If it weren't for him and Baozhen being together, how would Gu Cheng have had the chance to meet Qin Yao?

This guy had been married for five years, and just by looking at his face, you could tell how well he had been living.

Gao Jianguo wasn't envious of the other man's wife, but he found it annoying. He had thought he had gotten a good deal, but in the end, Gu Cheng was the real winner.

"Gao, don't be so thick-skinned. I'm just not bothering to argue with you," Gu Cheng said. He had actually disliked the blind date that Old Master Gu had set up, but it turned out to be a stroke of luck, bringing him his beloved wife.

Gao Jianguo hadn't been wrong about that. If he hadn't kept Chen Baozhen around, it would have been uncertain whether Gu Cheng would have met Qin Yao.

In the end, it was hard to say who had truly benefited more.

"Sigh, Yaoyao." Chen Baozhen hugged Qin Yao and sighed. "Your Captain Gu is like a clingy piece of bubblegum. I thought I was introducing you to a considerate partner, not someone this clingy."

Qin Yao laughed. "Baozhen, your Lao Gao is the real deal—reliable and considerate."

From Comrade Qin’s perspective, Gao Jianguo was much more serious and reliable, unlike Gu Cheng, who could act like a child when he got carried away.

"Don't even go there," Chen Baozhen quickly waved her hand in front of her face. "Just hearing his name makes me feel like it stinks."

"How did I end up putting up with a man who farts, sheds dandruff, and leaves his sweat-soaked clothes all over the bed? How do I even manage to tolerate all this?"

Qin Yao: "I guess this is what liking is all about."

"It’s hard to put into words." After five or six years of marriage, Chen Baozhen could no longer clearly articulate her feelings. In a long-term relationship, there's no excitement when you're together, nor the initial fantasies and passion. But when the other person is away for too long, seeing familiar old objects always brings back memories of time spent together.

Is this even love anymore? It’s hard to say—it feels more like a routine now, like an old pair of shoes that fit just right and have become part of your life.

Chen Baozhen quietly said to Qin Yao, "I actually envy our neighbor Bai Qiuling. She left with her mother-in-law and child to go to Yangcheng for university. This stagnant life is driving me crazy too."

"Maybe I should think about taking the college entrance exams next year?"

Chen Baozhen was feeling bored with her life, trapped in this small, comfortable bubble, going back and forth between the school and the family compound. Life has lost its spark. She knew her husband so well that they always talked about the same things, with no freshness left.

It was more exciting when she first arrived at the family compound and argued with Gao Jianguo. Everything was new to her, and the life on the island felt fresh. But now, six years have passed, and the life on the island has become too familiar, while the world outside feels strange and distant.

The neighbors next door were leaving for college in Yangcheng, and even her best friend was moving away with her husband. Seeing all the familiar people around her leaving made Chen Baozhen feel a deep sense of loneliness, making her want to leave her husband and explore the outside world for a bit.

Qin Yao encouraged her, "Then why not start preparing for the exams? It'll be four tough years if you get in, but you can get through it if you persevere."

Chen Baozhen looked at her with half-closed eyes, "You're really good at stabbing me with words, aren't you? 'Just get through it,' you say."

"Haha." Qin Yao couldn't help but laugh, "Don't make plans out of the blue. If you really get into college, your life won't be as easy as it is now. You’re bored because life is too easy, aren’t you?"

"Or, you could become a part-time reporter for our magazine, handling interviews on the island."

"Or... you could be a fashion model too." Qin Yao rested her chin on her hand and looked Chen Baozhen up and down.

Her magazine needed many reporters, scattered across different locations for interviews. Currently, her startup funds were too limited, and the unit could only help her set up a branch office in Yangcheng and Shenzhen at most. The office space would be rent-free, but she'd have to manage the personnel herself, and the management was chaotic.

Given the current situation, it was impossible to hire college graduates, and full-time reporters were too expensive to maintain. She could only develop some amateur reporters to help with interviews.

With the current education level, even reporters trained in universities might not be up to standard. It might be better to find some people and provide simple reporter training before sending them out on assignments.

Real work skills can't be learned from textbooks; they can only be honed through practice.

"Me, a reporter? Can I really do that?" Chen Baozhen asked curiously. She sometimes fantasized about becoming a famous musician, being interviewed by media reporters. Now, Qin Yao was suggesting she become a reporter herself?

"Of course! I'm short of people for my startup, and as my best friend, you have to help me. You can handle interviews on the island. There are several universities on the island too. After the semester starts, find a few students who seem interesting and ask them questions you're curious about."

"You should also find someone who can write articles. You ask the questions, and she takes notes. Then, she can write the articles based on the material. Although we're not an official media outlet, it's best if the writing is somewhat standardized. Oh, and you can ask Director Huang for advice."

Qin Yao suddenly thought of Director Huang from the hospital's publicity office. He was a real talent. If he weren't in publicity, he'd make a great editor-in-chief.

Chen Baozhen: "What questions should I ask?"

"Any questions you're interested in. You're bored, right? So dig up some fresh and interesting information."

Chen Baozhen: "Fresh and interesting? For the first batch of students who took the college entrance exams after they were reinstated, can I ask what they ate on the day of the exam?"

Qin Yao: "...Yes, you can."

"I'm really curious. I've heard some people eat fried dough sticks (youtiao) and two eggs in the morning. Do people really do that?"

Qin Yao: "..."

"Jen, maybe you can try that with your daughter someday."

Chen Baozhen smiled, "And what did you mean by 'fashion model' earlier?"

"Well, I’ll explain that to you later."

After saying goodbye to Chen Baozhen's family, on a calm afternoon, the family boarded the ship. Their luggage had already been loaded onto the ship, and they traveled light. The four-year-old kids were no strangers to ships and warships. Due to their young age, the guards didn’t worry about them and they often ran around the warships like mice, with many strange uncles pinching their little faces.

Among them, poor Mingming suffered the most because he resembled Gu Cheng. Normally, these men never dared to speak out of turn out of fear of Gu Cheng. But now, seeing a miniature version of Gu Cheng, everyone was overjoyed and couldn’t resist pinching and poking him.

When Mingming was carried onto the ship by his father, he still remembered to hold his little face to avoid being pinched and poked.

Gu Cheng, towering over everyone, held Mingming, who kicked a few times in his father’s arms, peeking out from over his father’s shoulder.

Gu Cheng patted his butt and thought to himself: stepping on Dad isn’t something you should do.

Rui Rui was led onto the ship by his mother, unguarded, looking around. Suddenly, a rat darted out, startling everyone, and Rui Rui froze.

The rat stopped in front of Rui Rui, its bean-like eyes looking at him for a moment before it swished its tail and ran away.

Seeing this, Qin Yao’s mouth twitched. She was used to such scenes—animals seemed drawn to him; even the rats couldn’t resist giving him a second glance.

Was it saluting?

“There’s a rat…”

“It’s normal to have rats on the ship.”

Not only were there rats, but countless parasites clung to the ship's body or underneath, needing to be scraped off each time.

Bai Qiuling, along with her mother-in-law, son Jiang Hao, and daughter Jiang Xue, also boarded the ship. Jiang Dinghai, with a dark face, came to see them off. Many years ago, when Bai Qiuling had come with the army and her children, Jiang Dinghai had found it hard to get used to.

Now, with his wife gone, his mother gone, and his children gone… what kind of situation was this?

“Take care of yourselves,” Jiang Dinghai said bitterly. For the past few days, he had been regretting it so much that he wanted to slap himself. Why hadn’t he stopped his wife from taking the college entrance exams? His mother had been right! At her age, what was the point of taking the exams? In a few more years, their son could have taken the college entrance exams himself.

“Don’t worry about us, just take care of yourself,” said Grandma Ge, holding her granddaughter happily, rubbing salt into her son’s wounds: “You should live your life well, work hard, and seize the opportunity now that we’re not a burden, giving you space.”

During this time, Bai Qiuling had successfully convinced her mother-in-law. Now, Grandma Ge fully supported her decision to go to college.

The kids were excited about the move, and as for their father, they didn’t mind leaving him behind.

Jiang Dinghai: “…”

“We’re leaving,” Bai Qiuling said with a smile, feeling quite pleased. Jiang Dinghai was a man with a strong sense of responsibility, though his emotions were hard to pin down.

Before her rebirth, Bai Qiuling and Jiang Dinghai had been in a long-distance marriage, their relationship growing cold. She had wanted to escape the marriage but had lost her children after making a wrong turn. Now, reborn, she had come back to Jiang Dinghai’s side, and their life together had become somewhat unremarkable but had also developed some emotional depth.

Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that there wasn’t much love between them. Unlike the neighboring Gao Jianguo and Chen Baozhen, who, despite their quarrels, had clearly chosen each other out of love.

And unlike Qin Yao and Gu Cheng, who weren’t set up on a blind date but had fallen in love naturally. No one in the military housing complex would believe they didn’t have true feelings for each other.

After coming back with the army, Jiang Dinghai had treated her well, but Bai Qiuling sometimes wondered if this man was just living step by step, following the requirements of his family, getting married and having children at the right age.

When Jiang Dinghai had chosen her, it had just been a blind date that led to marriage. It could have been any other woman.

Over the years, Bai Qiuling had coldly observed the marriages of those around her, feeling that men only needed a woman to marry, as long as she was suitable and the material conditions were right.

Perhaps if Jiang Dinghai had met another woman, he would have lived the same life… While this made him a responsible man, Bai Qiuling couldn’t help but feel uneasy about it.

When they had first come with the army, it felt like they were clinging to this man out of necessity. Now, they were leaving. Goodbye to all that.

From now on, the sky’s the limit, and the sea is wide for her to explore. She wouldn’t have to rely on any man. She could rely entirely on herself, go to college, make a lot of money, and take care of her children and mother-in-law on her own.

She felt a satisfying sense of payback.

Just one word: awesome.

Thinking about her future life, Bai Qiuling felt energized and not at all sad about leaving. She couldn't wait for the ship to dock in Yangcheng so she could embrace her new life.

Qin Yao stood on the ship and watched as couples bid farewell to each other, finding the scene quite captivating. It was almost like watching a classic scene from a period drama.

Seeing this, Qin Yao felt a bit sorry for Jiang Dinghai. In the original plot, this was probably the part where he was supposed to exit the story.

But that's just how it is in novels from this era—most male leads are just background characters. Now it's time for the female lead's career to take off.

Qin Yao thought about getting a piece of the action herself and maybe watch some drama unfold.

"What are you looking at?" Gu Cheng followed her gaze toward the Jiang Dinghai couple, barely holding back his laughter.

Recently, he and Comrade Jiang Dinghai had become quite a contrast in the family compound. He, Gu Cheng, had moved away with his entire family, while the poor Comrade Jiang Dinghai was left all alone. Alas, young Gu shed a crocodile tear of sympathy.

"When Bai Qiuling comes over later, say hello to her." He wasn’t planning to be a bystander in Bai Qiuling’s story, but it would be fun to watch and enjoy the show from the sidelines.

When Bai Qiuling went to college, there would definitely be some drama in her dormitory. Meeting the people in her dorm would be like watching a show—she could just watch the drama unfold from the sidelines.

Speaking of making money, Qin Yao believed in her own ability to earn money. Maybe she’d even become wealthier than Bai Qiuling sooner. She didn’t want to be someone who just sipped some soup, only to end up giving others a share of her soup.

"Teacher Bai." When Bai Qiuling boarded the ship, Qin Yao greeted her. The two families exchanged some pleasantries and then went their separate ways.

Before parting, Qin Yao said to Bai Qiuling, "I'm very interested in college. When I have time, can I visit you at school?"

Bai Qiuling didn't refuse. Instead, she gave Qin Yao a curious look. "Just let me know before you come."

Qin Yao hadn't interacted much with their family before. She had always been closer to their neighbor, Chen Baozhen. Now, she was interested in college?

Bai Qiuling didn't mind interacting with Qin Yao and even thought about asking Qin Yao to teach her two children composition. Both Jiang Hao and Jiang Xue were not good at writing essays.

Gu Cheng had arranged for a car to take them to their new apartment building, next to the school's family area. The newly built houses had a two-bedroom layout. The living room wasn't very big, but the two bedrooms were quite spacious. The entire building had six floors, with well-positioned staircases and good lighting. Each floor housed six families, with two staircases.

Their family was assigned to the third floor, unit 301. There were some simple wooden furniture pieces, which had a nice design, though some spots had small mold patches, probably because the place hadn't been lived in for some time.

This was the difference between the southern and northern regions. In the north, mold didn't easily grow, but in the south, if you weren't careful, it could get damp and moldy. If the paint was applied, it was fine, but unpainted bamboo furniture would be covered in mold during the humid season. It can be quite concerning.

On the first day of moving in, they cleaned and disinfected the place. They also added some simple furniture. They didn't need to buy quilts or washbasins—they were given two sets of military green quilts. Even the kids had military green quilts now. Qin Yao was thinking about getting bunk beds or two single beds with desks beneath them.

The two bedrooms were quite large, able to fit two children's beds, and there was still space for a desk in the corner. However, the living room was a bit small, and the soundproofing wasn't great. Comrade Gu Cheng probably wouldn't be able to play doll carriage games with the children indoors.

The two children were quite excited about the new home and didn't mind that the house was smaller. They ran around the rooms, exploring. Qin Yao told Gu Cheng to watch the children, so he took them out for a walk. Eventually, they were all exhausted, hanging off their father like limp fish, carried under his arms back home.

There was an old bamboo bed in the living room. Qin Yao cleaned it, and the two kids were wiped down with hot water and changed into dry clothes by their father. They then lay on the bamboo bed, completely relaxed.

Qin Yao was afraid the children might catch a cold, so every time they sweated, she would use tissue paper to wipe them through their clothes, and when they got home, she would wipe them with hot water and change them into dry clothes. She couldn't bear for the children to get sick—when they did, it would last ten days to half a month, making the children uncomfortable and her heart ache.

Qin Yao took out a small blanket and gently covered their bellies. In a soft voice, she said, "Alright, alright, rest now. Later, we'll go out to eat."

There were many restaurants in Yangcheng. Whether you cooked at home or went to a restaurant, you'd use the same amount of food coupons. At most, you'd spend a bit more money. Qin Yao was eager to try the state-run restaurants here. From a later-generation perspective, the food was "high-quality yet affordable."

Even the most skilled chefs sold their food at the same price. There were no overpriced boxed meals or meals. The train meals from the 1970s were the most economical, in stark contrast to the expensive and poorly tasting train meals of the future.

Just because... at this time, some chefs with unfavorable family backgrounds, who used to work in big hotels, were relegated to making train meals.

Qin Yao had taken many long-distance trains and was always pleasantly surprised by the train meals, which had flavors from various regions.

While private restaurants hadn't become popular yet, and various chefs hadn't started their own businesses, state-run restaurants offered low-priced meals that were economical and satisfying.

Thinking this, Qin Yao turned around and noticed someone peeking at the door. When the person realized she had been spotted, they gave a sheepish smile. It was a somewhat short woman, about 1.5 meters tall, with a mushroom haircut. She wore a gray coat and had a likable smile.

The woman's eyes were small, almost always looking like she had just woken up.

The woman, surnamed Chen, didn't have any other quirks, except for her fondness of watching young, handsome men. Earlier, she saw a young man with children heading toward this building, so she followed and ended up checking out the situation next door.

When Qin Yao discovered her, the woman didn't feel embarrassed at all. Her eyes smiled into thin lines as she said, "Comrade, hello. Did you just move in?"