The drinking session lasted until almost nine o’clock in the evening. Not only did they finish the liquor they had brought themselves, but they also emptied several bottles Bai Jiu had prepared for them. It was a thoroughly enjoyable time for both the hosts and the guests.
"Chi, slow down. How about I walk back with you?" Looking at his intoxicated teacher, Gao Zhijun felt incredibly worried.
The others were fine since they didn’t live far away. Mr. Mu, however, was different. Because he had no family, he had declined the family quarters assigned by the institute and lived alone in a single dormitory near the laboratory. Chi lived next door to him, which made it convenient to take care of him.
"There’s no need. You’ve had quite a lot to drink yourself. Just stay home. I’ll be fine with Chi here," Mr. Mu said. He was in high spirits tonight and had indeed drunk quite a bit, but he wasn’t so intoxicated that he had lost consciousness. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be clamoring to go back to his own place.
Chi was the most pitiful one. He was the only person who hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol, yet he had accompanied everyone throughout the entire meal. In the end, Bai Jiu couldn’t bear to watch anymore and told him to step outside for some fresh air, lest he be driven to tears by the tantalizing aroma of the liquor.
"Exactly, Mr. Gao, you should head back. I’ll take care of Mr. Mu. I’ll just sleep on the floor in his room tonight," Chi chimed in. He always kept his duties in mind. His mission was to protect Professor Mu and take care of his daily life.
Bai Jiu supported Gao Zhijun, who was feeling a bit dizzy from all the drinking tonight.
"Stop making things more complicated." Bai Jiu swatted Gao Zhijun lightly in exasperation before turning back. "Professor, why don’t you stay here tonight? We have enough room." She still felt it would be best for his teacher to stay.
"You’re a good girl. Live well with Zhijun from now on. Your days will definitely get better and better, and our country will become increasingly prosperous and strong." Unlike their generation, who had suffered far too much.
Bai Jiu was actually quite moved. Mr. Mu always kept Gao Zhijun in his thoughts, no matter the circumstances. Although her relationship with Gao Zhijun had made some progress, seeing such a pure bond between a teacher and his student filled her with both envy and deep emotion.
"Yes, better and better," Bai Jiu agreed. She knew the old man had struggled his entire life and couldn’t bear to see the younger generation endure the same hardships.
"Alright, you all go back now. I’m fine here. I’ll come over for another meal when I have free time. Home-cooked food really is the best." Mr. Mu got into the car and waved at Bai Jiu.
Seeing this, Bai Jiu and Gao Zhijun could only let them go, repeatedly reminding Chi to pay close attention to him.
After everyone left, the house was a mess. There was no helping it with so many people over. Because of the kids, Deng Meina and Aunt Xu had taken them home earlier. They had wanted to help, but since the men were still drinking, they couldn’t exactly clear the table. It was all left to Bai Jiu. They had felt incredibly apologetic when they departed. Aunt Xu had even told Bai Jiu to leave the mess, saying she would come over the next day to help clean up.
Later that night.
Bai Jiu was exhausted after a long day. There was still hot water in the pot, so after getting Gao Zhijun cleaned up and settled, she went to take a bath. By the time she lay down on the heated brick bed, her entire body went limp.
Right at that moment, a reeking, drunk man leaned over.
"Wife, thank you for your hard work. I have the day off tomorrow. How about I go out for a stroll with you?" Gao Zhijun said, pulling Bai Jiu tightly into his arms. If his eyes hadn’t remained firmly closed, Bai Jiu would have suspected he was faking his drunkenness.
"There’s no need. We’ll rest at home tomorrow." She wasn’t made of iron; she needed sleep.
Bai Jiu never received a response. Instead, she was answered by his rare snoring. It was evident he had truly had too much to drink.
The next morning.
Early the next morning, Bai Jiu felt a restless hand wandering over her body and slapped it away without hesitation. Though the hand paused its harassment, it grew unruly again before she could sink back into her dreams. Left with no choice, she was forced to open her eyes.
"Why are you still home?" she asked, directly meeting Gao Zhijun’s slightly bloodshot eyes.
Seeing her awake, Gao Zhijun couldn’t hide the smile on his face. "You’re awake."
"I have the day off today." He had too much to drink last night, but he still remembered what he had promised. "I told you I’d spend the whole day with you."
Bai Jiu glanced outside. The sky wasn’t even fully bright yet; it was still a dusky gray.
"Then why did you wake up so early?" she asked, genuinely perplexed. If he had the day off, he should just get some good rest.
"Of course it’s because... I missed my wife."
Bai Jiu rolled over and went back to sleep.
When Aunt Xu came by, she saw the father and children playing in the courtyard. Instead of going inside, she just called out from the doorway.
"Zhijun, you’re home. Where’s Bai Jiu?" She had promised to come over and help yesterday, so as soon as she finished her own household chores, she hurried over.
"It’s Aunt Xu! Come on in." Gao Zhijun set down the kids and immediately went out to welcome her. "Bai Jiu exhausted herself yesterday, so I let her sleep in a bit. I expect she’ll be up soon."
Hearing this, Aunt Xu couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face. This young couple was truly sweet.
"Let her sleep in. She definitely worked hard yesterday," Aunt Xu agreed wholeheartedly. "You haven’t finished yesterday’s chores yet, right? I’m here to lend a hand." Stating her purpose, she headed straight for the kitchen.
Although Gao Zhijun rarely showed his emotions in front of outsiders, his smile widened upon hearing Aunt Xu’s words. "There’s no need, Aunt Xu. I cleaned everything up when I woke up this morning. The only thing left is returning your tables and chairs. I was planning to wait for Bai Jiu to wake up so we could bring them over together."
This was indeed the case; otherwise, he would have returned them long ago. Their own dining set consisted of just one table and four stools, which obviously wasn’t enough for last night’s gathering. They had to borrow some from Aunt Xu’s family. Since her family had lived there for many years and had a large household, they had extra tables and chairs to lend out.
Aunt Xu was momentarily dazed. She had never seen a man dote on his wife the way Gao Zhijun did. He even helped with the housework! He was probably the only man in the entire compound who did that. She had to admit, that girl Bai Jiu was truly fortunate.
"Ah, and here I was wanting to come over early to help out. Have you had breakfast yet?" Since there were no chores left, she didn’t beat around the bush. "There’s no rush for the tables and chairs. I’ll just carry them back myself in a bit. It’s not far."
How could Gao Zhijun let her carry them back herself? He had plenty of strength, and in no time at all, he had moved the tables and chairs back to their original place at Aunt Xu’s house.
When Bai Jiu got up, she heard the laughter of the father and his two children coming from the courtyard outside. Unknowingly, the corners of her mouth curled up. Her heart skipped a beat.
There was a sense of grounded security.
It seemed that accepting everything that belonged to the original owner of this body wasn’t so difficult after all. At the very least, this man had his redeeming qualities. Regardless of how he had treated the original owner in the past, she could genuinely feel his dedication and sincerity now. He never claimed that his kindness was a way to make up for the past; instead, he was simply giving his all to pamper her.
When Bai Jiu walked out, the three of them stopped playing and came toward her.
"Mom, Mom!"
"Wife."
"Dad has the day off today! He said he’d play with us," Zhengyang and Xiuxiu chirped, thrilled that their father was staying home to keep them company.
Bai Jiu patted the two children on their heads. "Go play, then."
She was happy to see the father and children bonding. Unlike before, she no longer felt sour or disappointed. She knew that no matter what, she was their mother—the mother who would always love them.
Throughout the day, although Gao Zhijun spent time playing with the children, he spent even more time staying right by her side.
Bai Jiu took this opportunity to bring out some medical books from her pocket dimension. Naturally, they were basic texts. Even though she had studied medicine, there was a fundamental difference between traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine. She had to start from the very beginning.
"You want to study medicine?" Gao Zhijun asked in surprise, watching her organize the books.
Bai Jiu shot him a glance. "Didn’t you know that the ancestors of the Bai Family were physicians?"