Gu Yunche casually answered Driver Xiao Wu’s question about why he was going to the provincial capital, but in his mind appeared the image of Bai Lin as a child kicking a shuttlecock in his family’s courtyard. Her fair little face would gradually redden from jumping around, covered in a thin layer of sweat.
When Mu Guiying heard him mention his father’s comrade’s daughter, a thought immediately flashed through her mind.
Could he be talking about Bai Lin?
In the original novel, the female lead Bai Lin was Gu Yunche’s childhood sweetheart. She was also the only daughter of Gu Father’s comrade-in-arms, the martyr Bai Zhenbang. After her father died, she had been raised in the Gu family.
Back then, the Gu family hadn’t brought three-year-old Mu Guiying home because they simply didn’t have the energy to care for so many children.
Thinking this through, Mu Guiying cautiously asked, “How old is your uncle’s comrade’s daughter? What’s her name?”
Gu Yunche turned to look at her, confusion filling his eyes.
He secretly wondered—Mu Guiying didn’t even know Bai Lin, so why did she suddenly seem so curious and concerned?
Gu Yunche adjusted the cuffs of his shirt and rolled them slightly upward, revealing the clear muscle lines on his arms.
Mu Guiying stared for a moment before silently cursing herself for being shallow.
She wasn’t someone blinded by love, but she still liked handsome men with broad shoulders, narrow waists, and long legs.
If a man like Gu Yunche had appeared during the time she worked as a livestream hostess, she definitely would have taken the initiative, teasing him until his face flushed and his heart raced, making him unable to resist her.
But this was Gu Yunche. His childhood sweetheart was on one side, admirers on the other. Too many people already liked and chased after him. A countryside weed like Mu Guiying needed enough self-awareness to stay far away from a man who already had an official pairing.
“What are you staring at?”
Gu Yunche’s cool, magnetic voice interrupted her thoughts.
Mu Guiying’s cheeks reddened. “Uh… the buttons on your shirt cuffs are really nice.”
Social death happened every year, but it especially loved her.
Mu Guiying quickly looked away and heard Gu Yunche clear his throat.
“The girl I’m picking up is named Bai Lin. She’s two years older than you.”
So it really was Bai Lin.
The moment she heard the name, Mu Guiying instinctively drifted into thought.
In the original novel, Bai Lin first appeared during her second year of university. By then, Mu Guiying and Gu Yunche’s marriage had already become a battlefield. Bai Lin, however, was like calm moonlight shining upon Gu Yunche, soothing the violent chaos Mu Guiying had brought into his life.
Mu Guiying and Bai Lin were complete opposites.
One was despised by everyone—even the Gu family’s neighbors would detour around her. The other was loved by all—even crying toddlers would instantly smile upon seeing her.
“How tragic…”
Thinking about it, Mu Guiying couldn’t help sighing softly.
Gu Yunche paused.
Mu Guiying actually knew the word “tragic”?
“What did you just say?”
Mu Guiying froze briefly before changing the topic. “Nothing. I just think Miss Bai’s name sounds very beautiful.”
Speaking of names, Mu Guiying suddenly made up her mind.
She wanted to change hers.
She disliked the name Mu Guiying. It was too easy for people to misunderstand and too embarrassing.
Sharing the same name as the famous literary heroine and legendary female general Mu Guiying required an incredibly strong mentality to not care.
Seeing that Mu Guiying had gone silent and closed her eyes to rest, Gu Yunche turned back awkwardly.
“Did I hear wrong?”
Because of the delay on the road, Gu Yunche and Mu Guiying missed the train to the provincial capital when they arrived at the county town.
The county wasn’t far from the provincial capital, but not many people traveled there. There was only one train and one passenger bus each day.
Driver Xiao Wu brought the two of them to the county guesthouse.
As Mu Guiying watched dust rise along the old-fashioned streets of the county town, she felt especially nostalgic for her own era.
Gu Yunche looked at her constantly glancing around and found it amusing.
After all, she had grown up in the countryside. When would she ever have seen a bustling county town before? Once she saw the provincial capital or even the capital city itself, she would probably be utterly shocked.
But looking at her now, she was probably hungry.
“Come on. Go wash your face at the guesthouse, then I’ll take you out for dinner.”
Xiao Wu nodded as well. “Turn right up ahead and you’ll see Friendship Restaurant. Huimin Restaurant is right beside it.”
Mu Guiying really was hungry, so she cheerfully entered the guesthouse.
Gu Yunche thought Xiao Wu was being overly enthusiastic.
After all, Mu Guiying was beautiful—the kind of woman men liked—but her character wasn’t good. He worried Xiao Wu might be led astray by her.
“Comrade Xiao Wu, you should head back first. Next time you come to the capital, I’ll treat you to a meal.”
Xiao Wu scratched his head unwillingly and opened the car door to take out some bread.
“Commander Gu, help me give this to Miss Mu. She hasn’t tried it yet.”
Gu Yunche had guessed Xiao Wu’s thoughts correctly.
He pushed it back. “She likes eggs, not bread.”
After saying that, Gu Yunche turned and walked into the guesthouse.
Xiao Wu stared blankly for a moment before slapping his forehead.
“So the two of them are a couple! No wonder Commander Gu traveled all the way from the capital to pick her up.”
He took a bite of the bread, got back into the car, and smacked the steering wheel.
“Tsk, that Gu guy really is lucky. Miss Mu is so beautiful—even in the county town you couldn’t find a second one like her.”
After washing her face, Mu Guiying came back out.
By then, Gu Yunche had already changed into a light green shirt and dark green trousers. He was waiting at the entrance.
“Let’s go.”
His previous clothes had probably been stained with blood from his injury, which was why he had changed completely.
Once they reached the street, Gu Yunche walked ahead while Mu Guiying followed behind, deliberately keeping a certain distance.
As they walked, girls riding bicycles and women carrying knitted handbags couldn’t help brightening at the sight of Gu Yunche’s handsome face, as though they had suddenly seen light itself.
Mu Guiying sighed inwardly—who didn’t like handsome men? Who wasn’t obsessed with looks? Especially when Gu Yunche was practically heaven for face-lovers.
“Little Mu… can you walk a little faster?”
Gu Yunche had become uncomfortable and impatient under the women’s gazes, so he turned back to urge her along.
Mu Guiying hurried to catch up.
“I’m coming, Commander Gu.”
The moment she called him “Commander,” the girls on bicycles slowed down dramatically, and the women carrying bags also slowed their pace.
Their sparkling eyes looked as though they wanted to melt Gu Yunche under starlight, though they resembled wolves more than admirers.
Gu Yunche lengthened his stride and walked even faster.
In a low voice, he said, “From now on, don’t call me Commander Gu. Call me…”
Mu Guiying looked at him in confusion.
Gu Yunche felt it necessary to make their relationship clear through the form of address.
“I think of you as a younger sister. From now on, call me Brother or Brother Gu.”
Mu Guiying knew Gu Yunche already had a younger brother and sister. How could he possibly become her older brother?
Still, she had enough self-awareness and softly agreed.
“Alright, Brother Gu.”
“Mm, let’s go.”
Gu Yunche nodded in satisfaction.
Taking advantage of his good mood, Mu Guiying quickly added, “Brother Gu, I actually have something I want to ask you about. Can we talk while eating?”
She had something to ask him?
The word “ask about” was rarely used around Ancient City Village. People there usually said things like “inquiring” or “chatting about something.”
Seeing Gu Yunche examining her suspiciously, she hurriedly laughed awkwardly.
“I learned the phrase ‘ask about’ from the village chief recently. Isn’t it correct? I just mean asking around.”
Only then did Gu Yunche nod slightly before stepping into the restaurant.
When ordering food, Gu Yunche asked for Mu Guiying’s opinion, but she didn’t offer any. She was afraid of saying the wrong thing again.
Gu Yunche ended up ordering braised pork, shredded potatoes, and scrambled eggs with chili peppers.
Mu Guiying thought the choices were pretty good. All of them were perfect with rice.
Gu Yunche poured her a cup of tea before speaking slowly.