Chapter 103 Meeting
Gu Yanxu carried Princess Bai Tang to the bed and then said:
"What are you thinking? I just wanted to hug you."
The beds were still the ones provided by the base, but Bai Tang replaced all the bedding for the group of them.
Since nobody knows what the original mattress looked like, it's more reassuring to sleep on your own.
Bai Tang temporarily stored the original mattress in her spatial storage, planning to change it out when they left.
After putting Bai Tang down, Gu Yanxu also lay down on his side on the bed.
Gu Yanxu thoughtfully took a blanket and covered Bai Tang's stomach with it, then said:
"Go to sleep, go to sleep. You have to get up early tomorrow. Cover yourself with the blanket so you don't catch a cold."
...
On the second morning after arriving at the Beijing base, everyone in the convoy planned to go out for a walk, some to look for people, and some to run errands.
Bai Tang and the others got up very early in the morning and had a simple breakfast in the living room.
The group prepared to go downstairs to wait for Zhao Lei, planning to go to the base center together to find someone.
Bai Tang and the other three said, "When we get to the base center, if Captain Zhao can't find the address..."
You guys should tell him that if he lives in a shantytown, then the four of you should accompany Captain Zhao there.
Did you understand what I meant?
Lin Fan nodded and said, "I understand, sister-in-law. You can rest assured that you can leave it to us."
"But how did you know, sister-in-law, that Captain Zhao's wife and child live in the shantytown?"
Bai Tang glanced at him: "Is that even a question? Captain Zhao called, but no one came to the ordinary residential area, so it must be in the shantytown."
Captain Zhao is so eager to find someone that he might not think of this possibility. Remember to mention it later.
Lin Fan: "I understand, I understand. Captain Zhao is just worried and confused."
He went out the door and quickly went downstairs, where he saw Zhao Lei already waiting.
Zhao Lei walked over and said, "You're here. Let's go to the base center together."
Bai Tang said, "Captain Zhao is here so early."
As Zhao Lei walked, he said, "Don't laugh at me, but I was so worried that I didn't sleep well all night and got up very early."
Gu Yanxu: "Why would I laugh? It's perfectly normal to worry about family. Let's drive there."
After they finished speaking, they all got into their respective cars.
Bai Tang and her group led the way in their car. Bai Tang was driving, and she was quite familiar with the layout of the Beijing base.
Bai Tang led them to the entrance of the base center with practiced ease.
After parking the car for someone, I got out and walked into the lobby of the community center.
Bai Tang led them to the counter and asked the staff.
Bai Tang was asking Gu's family for their address, while Zhao Lei was asking another staff member for his family's address.
Bai Tang's staff quickly found the Gu family's address and thoughtfully provided a route map.
Zhao Lei encountered a problem: the base system only registered information about his wife and two children, but not their address.
Zhao Lei panicked for a moment and said to the staff, "Where might my wife and child stay?"
The staff member said impatiently, "How should I know? They're not my wife and kids."
Zhao Lei's joy was extinguished because the Beijing base was so large that finding three unknown people was too difficult.
Zhao Lei was about to squat down when Bai Tang gave Bai Jiyang and Lin Fan a look.
The two of them quickly grabbed Zhao Lei, and Lin Fan said:
"Captain Zhao, don't be discouraged. I heard from others that most people without addresses live in shantytowns. Let's go with you to look for them."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Lei's eyes instantly lit up again.
Then he said, "Don't bother, I'll go by myself. You're anxious to find your family too."
Lin Fan said, "It's okay. Actually, we are all orphans. Our eldest brother's family adopted us."
The eldest brother and his wife went to find their family; we can accompany you to find your family.
"It's alright, the boss won't mind, right, boss?"
Gu Yanxu also said, "It's okay, there's strength in numbers. Captain Zhao, just let a few of them go with you."
Tangtang and I will go find our family.
Bai Tang said to Zhao Lei, "Let them go with you; it'll be easier to find them if there are more people."
Zhao Lei thanked Bai Tang and the others again, and then drove with Lin Fan and the others to the shantytown.
Bai Tang and Gu Yanxu drove to the address of the Gu family.
It was a ten-minute walk to the place, which was a small, detached house.
The two got out of the car, and Gu Yanxu went to knock on the door.
Soon someone in the courtyard asked, "Who is it?"
Bai Tang and Gu Yanxu immediately recognized the voice as their grandfather's.
Gu Yanxu deliberately used a high-pitched voice and said, "They come to collect electricity and water bills."
Grandpa Gu stopped opening the door and then said to the outside:
"I paid my water and electricity bills a long time ago. You're not a staff member. Who are you?"
Bai Tang chuckled softly outside the door. Gu Yanxu's words were illogical, and his grandfather saw through them immediately.
Gu Yanxu cleared his throat and said, "Grandpa, open the door. It's me. I've brought your granddaughter-in-law back."
As soon as Gu Yanxu finished speaking, the door in front of him opened inward.
Grandpa Gu came out and saw that Gu Yanxu and Bai Tang were indeed standing in front of him.
Grandpa Gu said excitedly, "You little rascal, you finally know to come back. I told you all to come to Beijing back then, but you wouldn't listen."
And you even dragged my granddaughter-in-law along to suffer outside; I've noticed you've both lost weight."
Gu Yanxu replied, "Grandpa, at least let us into the house first. It'll get hot outside soon. Do you have a fan?"
Grandpa Gu stepped aside to let the two of them into the house, and the two of them went in with their backpacks on their backs.
As Grandpa Gu walked, he asked, "Tangtang, how are you doing over there? You're not suffering, are you? You look so thin."
Bai Tang smiled and said, "Grandpa, we're all doing well."
I didn't suffer at the Shengshi base, and I feel like I've gained weight. How come you say I've lost weight?
I see you've lost a lot of weight. Have you not been eating properly?
Grandpa Gu said, "I call this a healthy and light diet."
The three of them went inside, where the living room was simply furnished with a table and chairs.
Bai Tang and Gu Yanxu put their backpacks on the chairs.
Gu Yanxu turned around and asked, "Where are my parents? You're all alone here, why aren't they home?"
Grandpa Gu said irritably, "Those two went to work, otherwise we'd starve. You're really infuriating."
Gu Yanxu smiled apologetically to coax his grandfather, knowing he was just throwing a tantrum; after all, having an elder in the family is like having a treasure.
"Grandpa, don't be angry. We're all fine now."
Grandpa Gu asked again, "Where is Tangtang's younger brother, and Linzhou and the other two? Why didn't they come with you?"
How was your journey? Did you encounter any danger?
Bai Tang said, "Grandpa, you're asking so many questions, which one should we answer?"
Grandpa Gu sat in his chair and said, "Then let's go back one by one."
Bai Tang knew that Grandpa Gu was worried about them, so she patiently answered all his questions.
"My brother and Lin Zhou and two others went to help look for people. A team leader we know is looking for his family at the Beijing base."
I asked the four of them to help me find someone; they should be here in a little while.
We didn't encounter any danger on the way, and we're here to pick you up and take you to the Shengshi base.
After hearing Bai Tang's explanation, Grandpa Gu was finally relieved.
"Stay home and wait for your parents to come back at noon. Also, where are you staying now?"
Gu Yanxu said, "We're staying in the base's dormitories for now. We won't be staying long anyway, so it's fine."
Grandpa Gu glared at him: "Who cares about you? I care about my precious granddaughter-in-law. Some people are just being presumptuous."
Gu Yanxu laughed and replied, "Yes, yes, I was just being presumptuous. I don't even know who was showing me such concern on the phone."
Grandpa Gu stubbornly said, "It might be your dad, but it's definitely not me."
Gu Yanxu replied, "Maybe."
Bai Tang watched the grandmother and grandson bickering from the side. She wanted to laugh but held it in.
Bai Tang took a lot of things out of her backpack and put them on the table.
Most of them were food items, and Bai Tang planned to cook a meal in her home kitchen at noon.
Cooking for such a large family is hard work, Bai Tang called out to Gu Yanxu:
"Let's cook lunch at home. I'll go get some things from the car. You take these to the kitchen first."
Gu Yanxu naturally understood what she meant; she wanted to take out some food from her spatial storage.
Bai Tang went out to get in the car and pick up her things, while Gu Yanxu moved the things he had already taken out to the kitchen.
Gu Yanxu could tell from the lack of extra ingredients in the kitchen that his parents and grandfather weren't eating very well.
Although they had told their parents beforehand that something serious might happen and advised them to stock up on supplies.
But now two years have passed, and they probably don't have much stock left.
Thank goodness they came; otherwise, with the temperature continuing to rise, they don't know how difficult it would have been for them.
Gu Yanxu was lost in his own imagination, feeling that his parents and grandfather were not living a good life.
Just then, Bai Tang returned carrying a large bag of things.
Bai Tang called out to him, and Gu Yanxu quickly went to answer her.
Grandpa Gu went back to his room and did something, I don't know.
The two put their things away in the kitchen and returned to the living room together. Grandpa Gu came out carrying a small box.
He reached out and handed it to Bai Tang, then said, "Tangtang is a family heirloom of our Gu family. One is with your mother, and I'm giving you the other now."
This is your grandmother's wish; one for each of you, daughter-in-law and granddaughter-in-law. Open them and take a look.
Bai Tang took the box and opened it. Inside, there was a jade bracelet, which looked like it was no ordinary item.
"Thank you, Grandpa. I will definitely keep it safe."
Grandpa Gu waved his hand and said, "When are you going to give me a big, healthy great-grandson so I can hold him?"
Gu Yanxu continued, "Grandpa, we're not considering having children right now. It's not suitable given the current environment."
Grandpa Gu said, "I was just a little bored at home alone, I was just saying that."
Bai Tang said, "It's okay, Grandpa. When the time comes, you and Mom and Dad will come back to the Shengshi base with us, and we'll stay home with you."
I also have a cat, which can keep you company.
Grandpa Gu said, "That's great! I can even help you walk the cat."
Canned food is currently playing with Mu Mu in the space. Because it's too hot outside, and we're worried that Canned food won't be able to handle it, we've temporarily put it into the space.
The two chatted with Grandpa Gu for a while, then went to the kitchen to prepare ingredients for lunch, planning to make a more substantial meal.
Grandpa Gu said that his parents would come back to have lunch with him.
Bai Tang also told Lin Zhou and the other three their home address, and that once they found the person, the four of them would come over for dinner.
.....
Lin Fan and the other three accompanied Zhao Lei to the shantytown. They first asked each person if anyone knew Zhou Suying, Zhao Nian, and Zhao Qiao's family.
Zhou Suying is Zhao Lei's wife, Zhao Nian is Captain Zhao's eldest son, and Zhao Qiao is his youngest son.
I asked a few people, but they all impatiently said they didn't know. Everyone in the shantytown was sweltering in the heat, so who would have the time to meddle in other people's business?
Lin Fan thought for a moment and said, "We can't ask each one one by one like this. It's too time-consuming, like looking for a needle in a haystack."
How about this, we split into two teams, and then find people to search for the items. Whoever finds the item first will be paid a certain number of contribution points.
As for how much to pay, that's up to Captain Zhao.
Zhao Lei said, "I'll pay fifty for any information, and one hundred for taking us to the specific location."
Lin Fan said, "Okay, let's split up and search for people. That way it will be faster. After all, money makes the world go round."
The group split up to search for Captain Zhao and his family.
Sure enough, news soon came that "the family they were talking about was seen north of the shantytown."
Lin Fan and his group quickly found the Zhou family by following the guide.
Zhao Lei paid the man the contribution points as agreed, and then he walked into the small, dilapidated shed.
Inside, he saw his wife and children whom he had been longing for day and night.
Zhou Suying was startled when she saw several large men suddenly appear at her door. She quickly supported her youngest son in her arms.
When she realized that the person who came was her husband, Zhou Suying could no longer hold back her tears.
The youngest son in her arms also cried and rushed towards Zhao Lei, shouting happily:
"It's Daddy, Mommy, Daddy's back, it really is Daddy."
Zhao Lei hugged his wife and child tightly, then asked, "Where's Niannian? Why isn't she here?"
Zhou Suying said, "My health has been poor ever since the extreme cold. We three can only survive because he earns contribution points. He went to work."
Lin Fan walked in at this moment and said, "Now that Captain Zhao has found the person, the rest of us will be leaving first."
Zhao Lei wiped away his tears and said, "Thank you all. Please thank Captain Bai for me."
Lin Fan said, "It's okay, we'll be going now."
After they left, Zhao Lei told his wife who they were, and then they waited at home for their eldest son to come home from work, planning to take them away.
...
Lin Fan and his three companions quickly drove over and found the Gu family's house, following the directions given by Bai Tang.
When the group saw Bai Tang's car parked at the entrance, they knew they had found the right spot.
After parking the car, the group went to knock on the door. Lin Fan knocked and shouted, "Boss, open the door! It's so hot outside!"
Gu Yanxu was busy in the kitchen at that moment, and called out:
"Tangtang, go open the door for them. I can't leave right now."
Just as Bai Tang was about to go to open the door, Grandpa Gu stood up, saying:
"I'll go open the door for those little brats."
Bai Tang covered her mouth and chuckled, intending to watch how cowardly Lin Fan and the others would become intimidated later.