Chapter 58: Little Lu Knows How to Have Fun

"I also think my eldest brother's divorce is not a bad thing. Sister-in-law—no, Xiao Ning's mother doesn't take care of the eldest brother, nor does she stay home or pay attention to the children. What is the point of keeping someone so heartless?! Just to add to your own frustration?!"

Huang Xiaorou entirely supported the eldest brother getting a divorce. She dared to voice these thoughts in front of her own husband, but she would never dare utter them before her mother-in-law.

Though they interacted infrequently, she knew well what kind of temperament her mother-in-law possessed—someone with extraordinarily high standards and expectations. Fortunately, she had her own job and worked in the same unit as her husband; otherwise, living directly with her mother-in-law would surely have felt suffocating.

"That is my view as well. Yet mother refuses to see it clearly and simply wants to make things difficult for Lu Xiaoning."

Gu Fenggu was hardly oblivious to his mother's nature; it was simply awkward to discuss openly.

"Making things difficult for her is only making things difficult for herself. Better not to see each other at all, to stay far apart. With time, it will all pass. After all, the world doesn't grind to a halt without anyone."

Huang Xiaorou felt utterly speechless regarding her mother-in-law's self-defeating tactic of destroying a thousand of the enemy while sacrificing eight hundred of her own. Who, really, was making things difficult for whom?!

Naturally, this situation had the most detrimental impact on the children, but who could blame them for drawing such a mother?!

A mother like that was worse than having no mother at all. At least without expectations, there would be neither disappointment nor despair.

Huang Xiaorou truly could not fathom what was going on in Lu Xiaoning's head. The men of the Gu family were all blessed with fine appearances, and their family background was among the best. It was precisely because Gu Fenggu looked so handsome that she had fancied him in the first place.

She simply did not understand.

"By the way, could you ask Mom and Dad tomorrow if they know any doctors specializing in fertility? Mingzhi and Wanning are in fine physical health, yet they simply cannot conceive. It is truly bizarre."

Gu Fenggu asked his wife to enlist her parents' help regarding his younger sister's plight. Since his mother had already brought the matter to his doorstep due to his sister's pressing concern, he had to give it proper attention.

"Matters of this sort really depend entirely on fate. I will mention it to Mom and Dad tomorrow, though people shouldn't go about taking medicine indiscriminately."

Huang Xiaorou was well aware that her sister-in-law had been married for three years without any physical ailments yet remained unable to bear a child. She could only sigh at her sister-in-law's poor fortune.

Even so, family matters were paramount and deserved full attention, so she agreed without a second thought.

Both of Huang Xiaorou's parents worked at the military hospital; her father served as the director, while her mother worked in obstetrics and gynecology. They were undoubtedly capable of assisting Gu Mingzhi.

Thus, the following day, after Huang Xiaorou returned to her parents' home and explained the situation, the elderly couple readily agreed.

They immediately set about finding relevant doctors, explaining the circumstances, consulting specialists, and requesting prescriptions.

Naturally, the doctors who helped prescribe remedies were practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine, and the prescribed formulas consisted of herbal decoctions. However, these could only serve an auxiliary role, and the doctors explicitly noted that their effectiveness would be limited.

Consequently, half a month later, an anxious Mother Gu received an express registered letter sent by her second son.

"How is it still traditional herbal medicine?!"

Upon examining the two prescriptions sent by her son, Mother Gu could not help muttering in deep disappointment.

Her daughter had already consumed countless doses of such herbal medicine to no avail. It was bitter and difficult to swallow, and most importantly, completely useless.

Though she no longer held much faith in it, Mother Gu still went ahead to have the prescriptions filled, then telephoned Gu Mingzhi to urge her to drink the concoction every day.

Hearing that she had to resume drinking herbal medicine, Gu Mingzhi naturally felt resistant, yet she had no choice. What if it finally worked? Without drinking it there was no hope; by drinking it, there remained a sliver of hope.

Thus, mother and daughter harbored these exact feelings as they gritted their teeth and continued to swallow the bitter herbal brew.

***

Today marked the scheduled day for Lu Xiaoning to visit Grandfather Gu's residence and keep the children company, as per their agreement.

According to the original pact and arrangement, as soon as Lu Xiaoning fulfilled three visits, the divorce proceedings would commence.

Lu Xiaoning had already arranged with her first love to leave the country immediately following the divorce. All her paperwork was prepared; only the final divorce remained.

Therefore, reluctant though she might be, Lu Xiaoning had to obey Lu Jiaojuer's instructions and do whatever she was told.

Today, Lu Jiaojuer planned to take the children for an outing to the park, accompanied by Grandfather Gu and Gu Fengruirui.

In addition to them, the party included Grandfather Gu's guard, the household logistics auntie, and an extra comrade dispatched by the residential compound's guard detachment—primarily out of concern that a child might get lost.

Lu Jiaojuer had long since prepared all necessary items for the outing in collaboration with the logistics auntie: small snacks, pastries, fruit, drinking water, and even tea leaves and charcoal, along with a small clay stove and a small clay kettle.

She had put a great deal of thought into the snacks. She prepared potato fries, sweet potato balls, pumpkin cakes, tricolor steamed buns, milk buns, marinated chicken, thin pancakes, meat-filled flower rolls, and pickled papaya and radish.

She had also purchased common pastries and biscuits from the supply and marketing cooperative, alongside two large tablecloths and some five or six small stools, completing their preparations.

Since the traveling party was relatively large and their destination was a public park, they had also borrowed a jeep.

However, as the Gu family prepared to set off, a few complications arose. Chief among them was that Gu Zhongning and the other children had caught wind in advance of the park excursion and learned that Lu Jiaojuer was preparing an abundance of delicious food. Overjoyed, they had gone about spreading the news outside every day.

Thus, while Lu Jiaojuer, the guard, and the logistics auntie were busy carrying items out to the jeep, several children ran over, dragging their respective grandparents along with them.

"Xiao Lu, I heard you're all going to the wilderness for a picnic?!"

"Grandma Liu, yes, we are."

"Xiao Lu, our children want to go too. Why don't we all go together?"

"That's right, my grandson wants to go as well. Can he tag along with you all? It's much more lively with a crowd."

"Indeed, indeed! Tell us what to prepare and we'll bring our own. We won't freeload off your food."

"Oh my, Elder Gu, you're going too?! Then let's all go together."

Before Lu Jiaojuer could even respond, Grandfather Gu emerged carrying four small stools. With sharp eyes, one neighbor immediately shouted loudly toward Grandfather Gu, determined to tag along no matter what.

Grandfather Gu: "..."

Why were these people so fond of sticking right behind his family? Whatever the Gu family did, they wanted to do as well—did they have no minds of their own?!

Could he refuse?

Certainly not. After all, the park didn't belong to his family, the road wasn't private property, and neither the vehicles nor the people were exclusively his.

Consequently, an hour later when the party finally set off, the procession had expanded to five jeeps and five bicycles.

Beyond transporting the children, the vehicles were packed with small stools, food, drinks, and three large buckets of drinking water.

Ultimately, the guard detachment had to dispatch two additional comrades to accompany them, as several other grandfathers had enthusiastically decided to join in on the fun.

This massive spectacle left Lu Xiaoning speechless: "..."

With so many people around, she hardly needed to manage the children at all, leaving her uncertain whether to feel a sense of relief.

Which child wouldn't be overjoyed at the prospect of visiting a park?

Crucially, not only would they get to play, but they would also enjoy a picnic on the grassy lawns. Upon arrival at the park, Lu Xiaoning was assigned simply to hold the hand of the excited little Dongdong, with no other duties required of her beyond keeping him company.

Gu Zhongning, now ten years old, understood quite a bit. Though he remained sullen upon seeing his biological mother and felt unhappy, his mood lifted once the outdoor fun began.

Gu Fengruirui was pushed along by his guard, while Grandfather Gu and the other elders walked in the rear carrying small stools. The children had long since rushed forward in excitement, and the guards followed closely behind to keep watch upon receiving their orders.

Lu Jiaojuer quickly selected a prime camping spot, spread out the tablecloths with the logistics auntie, arranged the various provisions, and finally ignited the small stove to boil tea.

While she busied herself, the grandfathers chatted merrily among themselves as they strolled off to check on the children.

Lu Xiaoning was also tugged along by little Dongdong to join the other boys and girls, needing only to keep a watchful eye from the side while he played.

Naturally, Lu Jiaojuer did not place blind trust in her; otherwise, she would not have requested guards and tasked the logistics auntie with child-rearing duties.

Even Gu Fengruirui had been dispatched to watch over the children. After all, the park was vast, featuring artificial rockeries and lakes; what if someone accidentally fell into the water unnoticed?

Their enormous procession naturally drew considerable attention from other visitors in the park, particularly when Lu Jiaojuer laid out an eclectic array of items on the tablecloths and sat leisurely brewing tea—a scene of supreme tranquility.

Eventually, when the grandfathers returned with the tired children, everyone's eyes were instantly drawn to the spread.

"Wow, so many delicious things!"

"What is this?"

"Are these steamed buns? Why are they yellow?"

"Aside from yellow, there's green and red too!"

"What are these little balls made of? They're fried so deliciously."

"What are these long strips? I've never eaten these before."

"These flower rolls have meat inside! I've only ever had savory flower rolls, never meat rolls."

"You can even wrap meat inside these pancakes—wow, so tasty!"

...

Living conditions for the children in the compound were already far superior to those of most families; they regularly ate meat, and eggs and milk were never in short supply. Yet they were still astounded by the treats meticulously prepared by Lu Jiaojuer, shouting in delight as they ate.

As for the grandfathers, the experience was even better. Seated on small stools, sipping tea comfortably, holding a flower roll or a steamed bun in hand while watching the children play and eat with joy—there was simply nothing better in the world.

This outing had been the absolute right choice.

The next time the Gu family organized an activity, these elders decided they would shamelessly tag along no matter what, because young Xiao Lu truly knew how to host an outing.