Chapter 277 Preparation
"Mhm." Gu Qibao nodded, unable to help brushing away a tear. Her heart felt a little sour.
This was the first time they had seen each other yet they could not embrace.
She could only watch from afar, an experience so bittersweet that she would have rushed to hug him if it weren’t for certain reservations.
To hold the person she loved most.
Di Mingzhe’s trip to the countryside caused quite a stir in the village, filling it with exhilaration.
Everyone was set on slaughtering chickens and ducks for his visit, but Di Mingzhe stopped them, insisting that he would eat whatever the villagers normally ate.
The villagers were so touched they were almost moved to tears.
But everyone here knew the hidden motives. They understood why Di Mingzhe came and why Di Mingjue followed — they both came for Gu Qibao.
But no one dared to say it. They were here under the pretext of ’official duties and rural inspection’.
One was the Vice President, the other a principal, who would dare to challenge the yet unspoken truth?
Dare to say that they came for Gu Qibao?
Nobody dared to voice such audacious speculations, particularly among the children who were quite fearful.
Irritation brewed in their hearts, especially among the girls.
But despite the jealousy, none of them could do anything about it.
Of course, Lin Wan was the most displeased of all. Once she returned home, she frowned at Gu Qibao, her voice filled with bitterness. "The headmaster must have come especially for you, Gu Qibao. It’s against the rules to have family visits in less than half a month’s time."
In the face of Lin Wan’s provocation, Gu Qibao didn’t even bother to argue back. She simply retorted, "You better be responsible for what you say, Lin Wan. The Vice President came here to inspect the Remote Mountain Area, and the principal is here to comfort the students."
"Humph, such high-sounding sentiments," Lin Wan responded, evidently unwilling to concede.
Nangong Ran, standing nearby, interjected, her eyes cast sideways at Lin Wan. "What’s the point of obsessing over this all day long? Envy won’t change anything. They came here for this mountain area. If you continue to twist words and talk nonsense, be careful what comes your way."
Although Lin Wan knew the truth deep down, though, she knew the real reason might be because of Gu Qibao, she dared not mention it.
After all, their visit did carry an official nature.
Feeling aggrieved, she had no choice but to leave in anger.
Gu Qibao felt anxious too, wondering when she would finally see Di Mingjue.
Just as she was worrying about this, someone came to inform her that Di Mingzhe had declared he would be eating lunch with the villagers. He emphasized that the villagers should not prepare anything special for him and continue their usual routines – work as usual, cook as usual.
When it was time for lunch, he would randomly choose a few homes to join for the meal.
The hostess quickly confirmed the arrangement, reminding the students to proceed as usual. Some went to the fields to weed, others chopped wood, fetched water, or fed the livestock.
Hence, with these chores out of the way, they began to prepare for lunch.
Usually, four people were in charge of lunch.
One person lit the fire, one cooked the rice, and two others chopped and stir-fried vegetables.
After all, there were eight students plus the host family to feed. One person could not manage it alone, so it was always quicker when everyone pitched in.
These were their usual roles.
Gu Qibao’s role was comparatively easier — to start the fire. After so many days, she had become quite proficient at it.
And so, without any further delay, everyone hurried to prepare the meal.