Drip, drip, drip
Gu Xiaobei was certain she was not mishearing it. Why would there be the sound of dripping water? Wasn't she supposed to be dead? She tried to open her eyes, but they felt impossibly heavy. She remembered rushing forward to shove the child out of the way, and then the truck had hit her, sending her flying. But surprisingly, she felt no pain. Could it be divine protection?
While Gu Xiaobei was lost in her various conjectures, a deep, masculine voice came from nearby, "Xiaobei is fine, and the child in her stomach is healthy too."
The child in her stomach? Gu Xiaobei was flabbergasted. Living till twenty-five, she had always been busy with various part-time jobs to cover her tuition fees while studying. After graduation, she worked hard to save money to buy her own little house. Whenever she had free time, she would prefer chatting online and reading novels. She had harbored crushes, but she had never had a boyfriend.
How could she have a child? Could they be mistaking her for someone else? With great effort, she forced her eyes open and saw two men standing by her bed. One was a middle-aged man in a white lab coat, gentle and refined. The other, wearing green military uniform, was tall and straight, with sharp eyebrows and eyes that gave off an imposing, awe-inspiring aura. Her gaze locked onto the man in the green uniform; her heart was racing, and she thought, 'Wow, he's so handsome and manly.'
Lu Zhanguo looked at Gu Xiaobei, who upon waking, immediately stared at him. Didn't she always treat him with contempt? Why was she staring at him so intently now? Meanwhile, the doctor coughed lightly and said, "Xiaobei, now that you're awake, do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?"
Only then did Gu Xiaobei realize what she had been doing - staring at a man without blinking. Her face flushed, and she shifted her gaze to the doctor. At the same time, she noticed the IV drip hanging from her right hand. Oh my god, it wasn't a disposable one like in modern hospitals, but the reusable rubber tubing kind of drip that she'd only ever seen in old 80s TV series. What on earth was going on?
Lifting her eyes, she scanned the room. The walls were white, the wooden bed, the IV stand was also a peeling white. All of it seemed to express the characteristics of a bygone era. Had she been reborn? Time traveled? Her mind was filled with speculation, yet she remained silent.
Lu Zhanguo frowned slightly. He didn't fancy his wife all that much, she was always so cold and aloof. Now when the doctor asked her a question, she didn't even have the courtesy to reply.
Silence filled the room for yet a time. Gu Xiaobei finally calmed herself from the initial shock and asked hesitantly, "What's happening to me?"
As soon as she spoke, Lu Zhanguo's eyebrows knitted together even tighter. The doctor on the side, however, said, "You fell down some stairs while pregnant. Luckily, the baby is okay. Now that you're awake, that's a good sign. If there are any discomforts, let me know. Make sure you rest well." He then turned to Lu Zhanguo and added, "Zhanguo, I'm leaving first. If there's anything else, discuss it with Xiaobei. After all, she is pregnant." With that, he turned and left, gently shutting the door of the hospital room.
Gu Xiaobei became more anxious. It seemed that the previous body's owner and Zhanguo were husband and wife. Moreover, from the doctor's words, she inferred that theirs was a troubled marriage. Just as she was trying to figure out the situation, Lu Zhanguo spoke up, "If you still want to abort the baby and divorce, we can do the surgery tomorrow." His voice was slightly hoarse yet magnetic, but the words shocked Gu Xiaobei.
Gu Xiaobei was stunned once again. However, she quickly analyzed from his statement that: the original body's owner ("Original Xiaobei") didn't want the baby, and also didn't want to stick it with the man currently in front of her. She sighed inwardly and after thinking for a while, she licked her lips and said, "I'm hungry…"
Lu Zhanguo was surprised to see that Xiaobei, who had been silent and calm since she woke up, didn't cry or fuss. However, his face still remained expressionless as he asked, "What would you like to eat?"
Mentioning food, Gu Xiaobei's eyes immediately lit up, "I want dumplings. The kind that's both sour and spicy."
Lu Zhanguo saw the light in Xiaobei's eyes, nodded slightly, and said, "Alright, I'll go buy some now." Then he turned and left the room.
Gu Xiaobei watched his tall and upright figure leave, and couldn't help admiring him. How could someone not want such a handsome husband? Next, she scanned the shabby hospital room. She lifted her hand, looked at her own fair and tender hand, and knew that the original Xiaobei was a pampered girl who didn't do any work. She then sat up, realizing that because of the IV drip, she didn't dare to move around a lot. Then, she shook her head and suddenly she found that she held memories of the previous owner.
Now was March of 1983. The original Xiaobei had also been called Gu Xiaobei. She was currently twenty years old. The man who had just left was her new husband, Lu Zhanguo- thirty-one years old, the squadron leader of a special forces unit, and held the rank of Major. Their marriage had been arranged by their families.
The original Xiaobei had always looked down on Lu Zhanguo, who had dark skin and was unromantic, always wearing a cold face. Instead, she was attracted to Wang Chuanjiang, her white-collar high schoolmate who wore gold-rimmed glasses. Gu Xiaobei's father was an old subordinate of Lu Zhanguo's father and had forcibly married her off to Lu Zhanguo for personal gain.
After the wedding, she followed Lu Zhanguo to a certain town in the northwest. This time, after discovering that she was pregnant, she was devastated. She couldn't accept the fact that she was having a child with a man she didn't love. This led to numerous arguments with Lu Zhanguo. Finally, in a fit of rage, she stormed out of their house and fell down the stairs while rushing. Amazingly, the baby was unharmed.
Gu Xiaobei sighed deeply. The original Xiaobei's temper was always spoiled and imperious; every time she was in front of Lu Zhanguo, her gaze was cold and full of resentment. When something did not go her way, she would throw and smash things. She also had a tense relationship with the locals, she would always look down on people. Gu Xiaobei scratched her head at the mess that the original Xiaobei had left for her to handle.
When Lu Zhanguo returned with a box full of dumplings, he saw Gu Xiaobei sitting on the bed silently looking out the window. Gone was her usual arrogance; she appeared weak and delicate. Her silky hair was scattered on both sides of her fair face.
Lu Zhanguo had always known that Gu Xiaobei was beautiful. On their wedding night, he had, under the influence of alcohol, consummated the marriage despite her resistance. Since then, she had been aloof and dismissive towards him while always making condescending remarks. They kept separate rooms, and she would throw and hit visiting comrades. The revelation of her pregnancy finally resulted in an explosive argument. He felt cold inside when he thought about how this woman didn't want their child. With this thought in mind, he opened the door and entered.
Gu Xiaobei's contemplation was interrupted by the opening of the door. She turned to see Lu Zhanguo, whose expression was as cold as an icicle. She couldn't help but sigh; his unending cold expression was probably one of the reasons the original Xiaobei disliked him. But she found it attractive. Smiling at him, she said, "You're back. Hurry, I'm starving."