Chapter 398: 408: Rumor_1
Overnight, everyone in the family compound came to know that Lu Zhanguo had brought a strange woman home, even arm in arm as they entered the building.
From ancient times to the present, people’s passion for gossip has not changed. No one questioned its authenticity and everyone chose to blindly believe what they heard.
Zhao Hongmei even secretly eavesdropped at Gu Xiaobei’s door to listen in on any sounds inside. It seemed that she heard some sounds of a man and a woman in love. The truth was, Bai Xiaolan had just taken a bath and, feeling uncomfortable, sat on the sofa and let Ji Xiangdong massage her neck which released satisfying sounds.
When Zeng Changzhi came back in the evening, she said to him, "Lu Zhanguo is shameless indeed. He actually brought a strange woman home to sleep."
Zeng Changzhi was startled. If it were any other man, he would have believed it, but not about Lu Zhanguo. Even though they hadn’t worked together for a long time, he knew his character well. Moreover, Zhanguo spent most of his time among men, where would he find a woman? He scolded: "You mustn’t talk nonsense. Old Lu isn’t like that."
Zhao Hongmei retorted, "I saw it with my own eyes. I was looking down from the second floor, and I can’t be wrong. That woman is taller than Gu Xiaobei. Gu Xiaobei is so pitiful. She’s young and good-looking, yet she’s with a man like that."
"You should refrain from spreading rumors, what if it causes a misunderstanding?" Zeng Changzhi remained skeptical.
Hugging Erhu, Zhao Hongmei coldly snorted, "I heard them doing that thing from outside the door, and I already told the wife of the deputy commissar upstairs. We both agreed to talk to Gu Xiaobei later. We can’t let her be kept in the dark."
Zeng Changzhi, distressed, massaged his forehead, "Why must you meddle in others’ affairs? Your mouth runs faster than a belt. This news has spread so quickly because of you."
Because they are newcomers, they didn’t know that Lu Zhanguo has a twin brother, and Lu Zhanguo never discloses any details about his private life to anyone.
A few days after Ji Xiangdong acknowledged his kinship, he moved into the small courtyard. So many people weren’t aware of it, but those who did know thought it true that Lu Zhanguo was being unfaithful.
Gu Xiaobei and Lu Zhanguo got home a bit late that night. After having dinner, they had a chat with Ji Xiangdong and Bai Xiaolan, and it got late, and they didn’t bring back their child.
As Lu Zhanguo was unlocking the door, Zhao Hongmei opened hers with a smile, "Xiaobei, you’re back." After saying that, she glared at Lu Zhanguo’s back. This Chen Shimei was also wearing this coat in the afternoon.
Gu Xiaobei was a bit caught off guard. Zhao Hongmei had angrily left with her child that day, and she thought that their relationship had ended and it would be awkward for them to talk when they met. But now seeing Zhao Hongmei’s smiling face, she forced a smile and replied, "Yes, we had dinner at my mother’s house and got back late."
Zhao Hongmei added, "Well then, we won’t disturb your rest." After saying this, she glared at Lu Zhanguo again before turning around to go back into her house and close the door.
Gu Xiaobei naturally saw Zhao Hongmei’s glaring at Lu Zhanguo and thought she was still upset about Erhu being scratched by Mo Wang. Lu Zhanguo, on the other hand, seemed to not care about this matter.
Once inside, Gu Xiaobei mumbled, "Do you think she eavesdrops at the door all day to hear what’s happening in the corridor? Every time we come home, she manages to open the door right on time."
"You go take a shower first. Don’t you still have articles to write? You put the dirty clothes there after bathing, and I’ll wash them together after my bath." Lu Zhanguo didn’t care what the woman across the door wanted to do, and said while taking off his coat.
After Gu Xiaobei finished her shower and came out, she was sitting on the sofa letting Lu Zhanguo dry her hair when there was a knock on the door.
As Lu Zhanguo opened the door, Tian Yuanyuan rushed in. Her scarf was off, her face was red from the cold, and her glasses fogged up from the temperature difference between the inside and outside. She quickly took off her glasses, wiped them with her handkerchief, and then looked at Gu Xiaobei laughing.
Gu Xiaobei was a bit confused, "What’s the matter? Why are you laughing like that?"
Tian Yuanyuan had her fill of laughter before saying, "Did your elder brother come back?"
Gu Xiaobei nodded, "Yes, he just got here today."
Tian Yuanyuan sat down next to Gu Xiaobei, laughing as she said, "I thought so. Did your elder brother and sister-in-law come over this afternoon?"
Gu Xiaobei nodded again, "Yes, we let them come over to take a bath and rest."
Tian Yuanyuan began laughing again, removing her glasses to wipe the tears of laughter, "As soon as I got off work today and got upstairs, I was stopped by the wife of advisor Li from the first floor. She told me that your husband Lu brought a woman home to do... that." In the presence of Lu Zhanguo, Tian Yuanyuan felt embarrassed to say "sleep together".
On hearing this, Lu Zhanguo’s face darkened immediately.
Gu Xiaobei couldn’t help but laugh, "Who came up with this nonsense? Even such a rumor can get spread." Then she remembered Zhao Hongmei’s expression from earlier.
Tian Yuanyuan laughed, "Exactly. Our house is three buildings away from yours, and still, the rumor has reached us. I guess the whole compound knows it by now. As soon as I heard about it, I rushed here to tell you. Those who know Lu has a twin brother definitely won’t believe it, but what about those who don’t? They’ve probably believed the rumor already, which is so detailed."
Gu Xiaobei looked at Lu Zhanguo and laughed, "It seems we’ll have to take my elder brother and sister-in-law around the compound a couple of times, or else Lu Zhanguo will be burdened with the reputation of a philanderer."
Lu Zhanguo’s face grew even darker on seeing his wife teasing him and also feeling a bit helpless.
Tian Yuanyuan stood up, saying as she did, "I came here to give you a heads up so that people with ulterior motives can’t take advantage of this."
"Thank you so much for coming here in this cold weather." Gu Xiaobei stood up, prepared to see Tian Yuanyuan out.
"No need to, my husband Hong Bing and I had a good laugh about this. I’m going now." Saying this, Tian Yuanyuan was already at the door, opening it to leave.
Gu Xiaobei watched Tian Yuanyuan go downstairs, shivered from the cold, and then closed the door and went back into the house. Lu Zhanguo was sitting there with a cold expression, so she ran over and hugged his neck teasingly, asking, "Tell me, have you ever brought another woman here?"
Lu Zhanguo slapped her rear gently, resignedly saying, "Who on earth would spread such a rumor?"
Gu Xiaobei pointed at the door across from theirs, "It has to be her. It seems that she’s not a person we can get along with."
Upon learning the truth, Zhao Hongmei was so surprised that she couldn’t close her mouth. She said to Zeng Changzhi, "This is bad, this is bad. I’ve already told a lot of people. Who knew he had an elder brother who looked exactly like him?"
Zeng Changzhi didn’t bother with her. Thankfully the rumor hadn’t spread out of control, he rustled his newspaper, and said, "In the future, control your mouth, or you will cause trouble sooner or later."
Zhao Hongmei was rather anxious, saying, "No, I have to explain to Xiaobei that I didn’t do it on purpose."
In the following days, Gu Xiaobei was not seen around, but Lu Zhanguo’s elder brother and sister-in-law were seen there often. Every time Zhao Hongmei saw Ji Xiangdong from the window, she was amazed. They really looked too similar. So, it was understandable that she had mistaken him.
