Chapter 128: 128: Never Would Have Thought

Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Never Would Have Thought

Gu Qiaoqiao stood in front of the young man.

She took a careful look at him.

The face in her memory was somewhat blurry, and she had forgotten his name, so she gently asked, “Excuse me, are you here to pick up Gu Qiaoqiao?”

The young man was startled, then turned to look at the young girl in front of him. She had bright eyes, white teeth, and a smile that preceded speech. Her black hair was tied into a ponytail, and she wore a beige tweed jacket over black pants that encased her straight legs. She was so strikingly elegant that it brightened one’s eyes.

Especially her eyes, clear as if they were pools of water.

The young man wasn’t stupid; he opened his mouth, quickly realized who she was but still asked with some disbelief, “You’re Gu Qiaoqiao, Doctor Qin’s wife?”

...

“Yes, I am.” The young girl’s crisp voice was filled with mirth as she pointed at the name on the signboard and said, “This is my name, exact to every character, so it must be correct.”

The young man’s face flushed in an instant, and he had imagined many different images in his mind, all sorts of them.

But he hadn’t expected the other party to be a vibrant and beautiful young girl brimming with laughter.

The young man quickly took Gu Qiaoqiao’s travel bag, speaking somewhat awkwardly, “…Sister-in-law… Hello, I am… Luh Fei. Doctor Qin had something to tend to and couldn’t come, so he asked me to pick you up.”

Gu Qiaoqiao laughed; she remembered now. This was Luh Fei, who often brought her meals when she first arrived at the base in her previous life.

But what his expression was like then, Gu Qiaoqiao couldn’t recall.

Yet it certainly wasn’t the awkwardness seen now.

“Hehe, thank you for your trouble,” said Gu Qiaoqiao with a smile.

“No trouble at all, no trouble at all.” Luh Fei, embarrassed, waved his hands and then said, “Let’s go, the car is downstairs.”

Gu Qiaoqiao got in the car.

At that moment, the sky had turned overcast.

The air was a bit moist, as if it was about to rain.

This was Yellow Sand Road leading to the Experimental Base.

There were no houses nearby.

Willow trees filled both sides of Yellow Sand Road, their tender green leaves slightly swaying on the branches, creating a hazy mist-like atmosphere.

Somehow, it inexplicably gave rise to a peculiar melancholy in one’s heart.

This wasn’t the first time Gu Qiaoqiao walked this road, but for some reason, it felt different from every other time.

Luh Fei drove the car, keeping his eyes straight ahead but still conversing with Gu Qiaoqiao.

He was genuinely curious.

Everyone thought Doctor Qin’s wife would be a seductive fox spirit of a woman with devastating beauty, but in fact, she was a young girl.

Good heavens, although she was very pretty, she looked like a high school student.

But it wasn’t entirely that of a high school student, possessing some adult stoicism and grace, yet her expressions and smile revealed a hint of vivacity and craftiness.

Especially that smile, so dazzling and cheerful.

It seemed that just seeing such a smile, even in the cold of winter, could warm the heart.

This was a side of her none of them had anticipated.

And there were also rumors that a woman from a rural area might just be wearing a floral scarf and bulky cotton pants—a downright country bumpkin.

Ah, these people never even thought Doctor Qin’s daughter-in-law would actually be a delicate young girl who, with a backpack, could walk right into a school.

The next moment, Luh Fei suddenly felt that such a bright and lively girl seemed to be a good match for the icy Doctor Qin after all.

So at that time, Luh Fei spoke much more smoothly than at first, “Sister-in-law, you’ve come at the right time. The weather will get warmer from now on. Our summer here is so pleasant, not hot at all…”

“Mmm, I’ve heard about it. The winters here are too long. Being from the South, you must have found it difficult to adjust at first,” Gu Qiaoqiao asked softly.

Luh Fei’s spirits were lifted, and he said with animated brows and a happy face, “Sister-in-law, you are totally right. I joined the guard two years ago, and when I left my hometown, people were still wearing vests. But when I got here, it was already snowing heavily. At first, I found it very novel, but after a few days, I couldn’t get used to it. It’s really cold, with temperatures dropping below minus forty degrees… When I patrolled by the river, the deep snow would cover me up to my head, and I secretly cried, but later I got used to it. After all, I am a member of the guard, and no matter how tough the conditions, we have to protect the safety of the Border City Experimental Base…”

Though Luh Fei sounded relaxed, there was also an unexpected firmness in his voice.

“You all are amazing!” Gu Qiaoqiao exclaimed sincerely.

This was the coldest region in the North, yet many of the guards and engineers/scientists were from the South.

Even Gu Qiaoqiao, a northerner, found it hard to endure during winter, let alone the southerners.

However, the summers here were cool and beautiful.

Luh Fei enjoyed hearing such words, and he grinned wide, turning the steering wheel, “Sister-in-law, we’re almost there.”

A few minutes later, they finally arrived at the experimental base.

Gu Qiaoqiao looked through the car window at the entrance of the base’s main courtyard, which was just as she remembered it.

The family quarters were built inside the base’s yard.

The area was large, surrounded by tall red brick walls.

However, they were all single-story buildings that were newly built.

Some areas still had piles of timber.

The main gate was solemn, with two guards standing post beside it.

The Border City Experimental Base was a joint investment, one of the investors being the Qin Family from the Imperial Capital.

There were grand labs, various testing fields, and top talents from all over, but in both her past and current life, Gu Qiaoqiao didn’t know what Qin Yize and his team were researching and developing, nor why they chose the cold, inconvenient North for their work.

But she knew that it was all for the benefit of the country and its people.

Luh Fei drove straight into the compound, where the family quarters were neatly constructed: three rows of red brick houses, each row housing six families.

There weren’t many, just over a dozen families.

But never underestimate these women who stayed at home cooking and taking care of children—they kept things lively.

Luh Fei drove the jeep to a stop by the first house on the east side of the first row of red brick houses.

This was the house assigned to Qin Yize by the base.

There was open space at the front and back, surrounded by wooden fences, as they are commonly called in the North.

They were about one and a half meters high, enclosing each household.

On the black soil grew clumps of wild grass and dandelions, which looked quite vibrant.

The main door wasn’t locked, and after getting out of the car, Luh Fei pushed open the pair of wooden doors.

Then, carrying Gu Qiaoqiao’s travel bag, he handed a bunch of keys to Gu Qiaoqiao, “Sister-in-law, these are the keys to the main door and the house door; give them a try to see if they work well.”

Gu Qiaoqiao took the keys and unlocked the deadbolt on the house door, while Luh Fei placed the travel bag at the entrance, saying, “Sister-in-law, there’s water in the thermal pot inside. Go wash your face, and the canteen will be serving food soon. I’ll go get you something to eat.”

“Thank you, Luh Fei,” Gu Qiaoqiao said with a smile of thanks.

Luh Fei hurriedly waved his hand, “It’s nothing, no trouble at all. Well then, sister-in-law, I’ll be off.”

After saying this, Luh Fei strode away swiftly.

Gu Qiaoqiao stood at the door, surrounded by an especially quiet atmosphere, yet suddenly she felt a swarm of emotions.

This was the home where she and Qin Yize had lived for nearly three years in her previous life.

Nothing had changed.

The house was in a woodland area, which never lacked for timber.

The entire house was floored with wooden boards.