Gu Yunche glanced at Bai Lin’s hands. Surprisingly, they were even rougher than Mu Guiying’s.
Mu Guiying also did farm work, but she paid great attention to caring for her delicate hands and charming face. Gu Yunche had once heard from the village secretary that she would rather go hungry than stop saving money to buy hand cream and face cream.
The braised pork melted in the mouth, rich in flavor, with the heat controlled perfectly. It was obvious Bai Lin cooked this dish often enough to have mastered it.
Since Bai Lin handled cooking and tending the stove in the Zhang household, she must also have spent plenty of time washing clothes and cleaning the house.
At that thought, Gu Yunche’s expression darkened slightly.
In a low voice, he said,
“Aunt, Uncle, my parents asked me to bring Bai Lin back to the capital this time, register her under our household, let her attend her final year of high school there, and take next year’s college entrance exam.”
Because of the costs of food and lodging at the Zhang family, Bai Lin had started elementary school late and lost two years of education. Later, it was only because the Gu family regularly mailed money that she could continue studying.
After the Zhang family’s circumstances improved and Father Gu helped arrange work opportunities for Zhang Qingguo through his subordinates, Zhang Qingguo finally allowed Bai Lin to continue through high school. Otherwise, she might have already been forced to work and support the family.
Hearing that Gu Yunche intended to take Bai Lin away, Zhang Qingguo and his wife were overjoyed.
After all, Bai Lin and Gu Yunche had maintained constant correspondence over the years. Anyone with eyes could see Bai Lin’s affection for him. And now that Gu Yunche personally came under his parents’ arrangements to pick her up, it was obvious the Gu family was considering marriage ties.
Zhang Qingguo beamed happily, already making plans in his heart.
“Bai Lin’s grades are excellent, so studying in the capital won’t be a problem. But Commander Gu, my Qingqing will also take the college entrance exam next year. Could you bring her to the capital too? If she could get a household registration there, the exam would be easier, not to mention the education quality is better…”
Bai Lin inwardly disliked her uncle’s behavior. She looked apologetically at Gu Yunche.
Meanwhile, Gu Yunche only felt more sympathy for Bai Lin’s difficult years at the Zhang family. Not only did she have to study, she also had to do chores and serve the entire household.
Lowering his eyes, he set down his chopsticks and answered seriously,
“Although household registration policies have loosened somewhat recently, the number of registrations my family can take is already full.”
The moment Zhang Qingqing heard that, her face fell.
Tears welled in her eyes.
“Brother Yunche, are you only saying that because you want to take my cousin away and not me? My grades are good too. Please help me!”
Seeing her aunt and uncle giving her meaningful looks, Bai Lin bit her lip while thinking of a way to help Gu Yunche refuse gracefully.
“Brother Yunche isn’t making excuses. This time, he’s not only taking me away, but also bringing Guiying with him.”
The Zhang family exchanged confused glances.
Zhang Qingqing asked in confusion,
“Cousin, who is Guiying?”
Meanwhile, at the guesthouse, Mu Guiying sneezed in her sleep.
She muttered groggily,
“Who’s talking about me?”
Rubbing her nose, she rolled over and continued sleeping.
On the way back to the guesthouse, Bai Lin carried a lunch container for Mu Guiying while walking side by side with Zhang Qingqing.
Her gaze landed on Gu Yunche in the distance, currently standing at a roasted snacks stall buying sunflower seeds.
Without even thinking, she knew those sunflower seeds were for Mu Guiying.
Bai Lin felt even more relieved that she had told her aunt’s family during dinner that Mu Guiying would be taking one of the Gu family’s precious household registration slots.
She wasn’t worried that Gu Yunche would fall for some wild country girl like Mu Guiying.
But Gu Yunche was such an outstanding man that it was hard to guarantee Mu Guiying herself wouldn’t develop improper thoughts.
Thinking of this, Bai Lin linked arms with Zhang Qingqing.
In an intimate tone, she whispered,
“Qingqing, although Mu Guiying claims to be Brother Yunche’s relative, she actually isn’t.”
Seeing Zhang Qingqing instantly become interested again, Bai Lin lowered her voice.
“I suspect she’s the daughter of one of Aunt Gu’s close friends.”
Not a relative?
Bai Lin pulled Zhang Qingqing closer and quietly explained Mu Guiying’s background into her ear.
“The Gu family has no relatives with the surname Mu. So I think Mu Guiying’s parents are those two people living comfortably overseas. If the current political climate hadn’t changed, how could Mu Guiying possibly have had the chance to leave the countryside? With parents overseas, how could her status compare to yours?”
Hearing this made Zhang Qingqing even angrier.
Her grandparents and parents all came from impeccable revolutionary backgrounds. She herself was a promising female student with a bright future ahead of her.
So why should Mu Guiying take such a valuable household registration slot?
Gu Yunche bought both five-spice and original-flavored sunflower seeds. Carrying the kraft paper bags, he stood waiting for the two girls at the street corner.
When Bai Lin saw he had finished shopping, she pressed her lips together tightly. No matter how much Zhang Qingqing pestered her for more information about Mu Guiying, she only smiled without saying another word.
Secretly, however, she tugged at Zhang Qingqing’s sleeve.
Seeing Gu Yunche ahead of them, Zhang Qingqing also quieted down.
Once they arrived at the guesthouse, Gu Yunche knocked on the door.
“Xiao Mu?”
Mu Guiying had just finished bathing and was standing before the mirror drying her hair.
“Coming!”
As soon as she opened the door, she saw Gu Yunche standing outside with two girls behind him.
A faint scent of soap and floral shampoo drifted into Gu Yunche’s nose. Mu Guiying’s already fair and delicate face was covered with a thin layer of moisture, making her bright eyes appear even more lively and luminous. Her cherry-red lips glistened beautifully, while droplets of water still clung to the tips of her smooth black hair.
A phrase suddenly surfaced in Gu Yunche’s mind—
A lotus emerging from clear water, naturally beautiful without ornamentation.
Bai Lin and Zhang Qingqing were equally stunned by Mu Guiying’s beauty.
Both their expressions tightened slightly.
Mu Guiying glanced at the girl beside Bai Lin in confusion.
She never intended to join some awkward “three-person traveling group” with Gu Yunche and Bai Lin, so why was there suddenly an extra third wheel?
Gu Yunche lowered his gaze and stopped looking at her.
“Bai Lin and I came to bring you dinner. That girl is Bai Lin’s cousin, Zhang Qingqing.”
Zhang Qingqing?
In the original novel, Zhang Qingqing was also secretly in love with Gu Yunche.
She was Bai Lin’s biological cousin. Later, she successfully entered university and married one of Gu Yunche’s comrades. Their marriage was fairly harmonious, but they never had children.
Zhang Qingqing’s relationship with Bai Lin was poor. She always insisted Bai Lin had caused her miscarriage.
However, neither the Zhang family nor the Gu family believed her.
Thinking of this, Mu Guiying’s gaze toward Zhang Qingqing carried a trace of sympathy.
The two of them were both cannon-fodder female supporting characters with equally terrible reputations.
Truly fellow sufferers under the same sky.
But why did Zhang Qingqing’s eyes toward her seem so unfriendly?
Stepping aside, Mu Guiying said,
“Thank you all. Come in.”
Gu Yunche entered first and placed the sunflower seeds on the table. Looking around at the trash bin and newspapers on the table, he noticed there were no sunflower seed shells anywhere.
The corners of his lips curved slightly.
Mu Guiying had obediently stayed inside instead of wandering around.
This provincial capital was much larger than Gucheng Village. What if she got lost?
Bai Lin smiled warmly as she placed the lunch containers on the table.
“Guiying, come eat while it’s still hot.”
After opening the aluminum lunch boxes, several rich dishes were revealed.
Since transmigrating here, the only truly decent meal Mu Guiying had eaten was the one Gu Yunche treated her to in the county restaurant. The rest of the time, she had either been starving in a woodshed, unconscious, or suffering from motion sickness.
Mu Guiying glanced again at Zhang Qingqing.
Now she only pitied herself.
After all, Zhang Qingqing might also be a cannon-fodder supporting character, but at least she lived comfortably with plenty of food and clothing.
After thanking them, Mu Guiying quietly sat down and started eating.
Watching her eat, Zhang Qingqing’s eyes widened in astonishment…