BXBX NOVEL Chapter 343 - 343: Is It Working?
Chapter 343 - 343: Is It Working?
Upon seeing Lele successfully place the bottle, Shi Tou clapped his hands in praise, “Lele, you’re amazing!”
Su Le, flattered by the compliment, beamed with joy as Shi Tou continued to help with the beer bottles.
‘You little rascal, always sneaking off to Gu Zits place. I knew I’d find you here,” a voice chided. “Aunt Gu Zi is busy building a stove, and you’re making a mess. Put those beer bottles down. And what’s with this strange stove? How will the fire burn without a hole on top? Where does the pot go?”
Just as Gu Zi was about to set Lele down, she saw Aunt Zhang approaching with a basket of fresh corn, the faint scent of which wafted through the air. Aunt Zhang cast a puzzled glance at Gu Zi’s stove, wondering if this city girl knew how to build a proper one.
Gu Zi explained, “There’s no need for a pot. I’m building a clay oven for roasting food using radiant heat, not direct flame. It’s perfect for roasting chicken and such. Shi Tou is helping me.”
The beer bottles placed inside the oven served as insulation, preventing the heat from escaping downwards and affecting the roasting process.
Aunt Zhang, amused, remarked, “My, you city girls sure have a lot of tricks up your sleeves. Even a country bumpkin like me wouldn’t know how to build a clay oven. Here, try some of our freshly harvested corn.”
Everyone lived in a society bound by relationships and Gu Zi was no exception. She understood the importance of maintaining these social ties.
Gu Zi and Aunt Zhang were neighbors and friends. Gu Zi knew what kind of person Aunt Zhang was and was more than willing to maintain a good relationship with her.
Accepting the corn, Gu Zi watched as Aunt Zhang busied herself with her chores, reminding Shi Tou and Lele to play nicely and not to bully the little girl.
However, as Aunt Zhang was leaving, she seemed to remember something. Turning back, she asked Gu Zi in a low voice, “Did you use that folk remedy I gave you last time? Did it work?”
Gu Zi had a hunch that Aunt Zhang would ask about this. She wanted to say that she had misplaced the piece of paper with the remedy.
Of course, she could never have guessed that Su Shen had read and memorized it.
But Aunt Zhang meant well. There were many who gossiped about others’ affairs, but few who took the effort to find solutions. Gu Zi didn’t have the heart to tell her that the remedy was useless.
She didn’t want to blame Su Shen again, making her feel guilty. She explained, “Actually, there’s nothing wrong with Su Shen. I’m the one who’s a bit weak and needs to recuperate. The pigeon was actually bought by Su Shen for me to eat.”
Aunt Zhang studied Gu Zi in silence for a moment before speaking. “So that’s how it is,” she said, her voice carrying a note of resignation. “Well, I won’t say much more. Just as I told you before, use it if you can. This remedy isn’t easy to come by, you know. If it doesn’t work, hurry to the hospital. I’ll be going now.”
She paused, allowing the silence to hang in the air for a moment before she turned to leave.
In this day and age, a wife as young, beautiful, educated, and capable as Gu Zi was a rare find. Not only was she exceptional in her own right, but she also loved her husband deeply, preserving his dignity at all costs. She refused to admit that Su Shen was at fault, insisting instead that the problem was her own.
As Aunt Zhang walked away, she couldn’t help but marvel at Su Shen’s good fortune. He had found himself such a wonderful wife!
However, she was certain that Su Shen must treat his wife exceptionally well for her to defend him so staunchly.
Gu Zi returned to her work, her mind turning over Aunt Zhang’s words.
Something about them didn’t sit right with her. It seemed as though Aunt Zhang had accepted her explanation on the surface, but Gu Zi couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but she decided to let it go for now.
After filling two square cavities with beer bottles, Gu Zi sent Shi Tou and Su Le off to play.
She then covered the bottles with river sand, filling the gaps left by the bottles. On top of the sand, she laid red bricks, making sure they were level with the edges of the cavity.
Stretching out in a satisfying yawn, Gu Zi announced, “The base is finally done. Time for a break before we continue!”
She carried the corn into the kitchen, then walked over to where Su Le was playing. Picking up Su Le, she led Shi Tou into the house. “Shi Tou, what would you like to eat? Yogurt fruit salad or milk fruit salad?”
“I want the yogurt one,” Shi Tou replied. “It’s sweet and sour, very tasty!”
Shi Tou was a frequent visitor to the Su household and had developed quite a taste for their meals.
Gu Zi asked him to take care of Lele while she prepared three servings of yogurt fruit salad. Settling onto the sofa, she turned on the radio and tuned it to the station where she used to work.
Coincidentally, the bilingual learning program hosted by Gong Xin was on. Gu Zi decided not to change the channel..