After expressing her thanks, Mu Guiying quietly began eating her meal.
Zhang Qingqing had been prepared to watch the country girl wolf down her food with loud chewing noises, but to her surprise, Mu Guiying ate slowly and deliberately. She chewed with her mouth closed, making no sound at all—her table manners were impeccable.
Bai Lin was equally astonished. Only Gu Yunche seemed lost in thought, staring at the newspaper on the table, his brow growing increasingly furrowed.
It seemed he had thought of something, and he too looked toward Mu Guiying as she ate.
Sensing someone’s gaze fixed on her, Mu Guiying uneasily raised her eyes.
“Why are you all staring at me?”
Zhang Qingqing averted her gaze, secretly glaring at Mu Guiying.
Pretending to be pitiful, she came over and took hold of Mu Guiying’s arm. “Sister Guiying, please help me. Could you give up the household registration spot in the capital for me?”
Gu Yunche paused, his sharp gaze turning toward Zhang Qingqing.
He coldly rebuked her, “Zhang Qingqing, what nonsense are you spouting?”
Bai Lin hadn’t expected Zhang Qingqing to be so impatient—how could she blurt out something like that right away?
Zhang Qingqing believed that Mu Guiying, having never attended school or learned to read, had lived her whole life in the countryside without seeing the wider world. In her view, Mu Guiying’s only reason for going to the capital was to find a reliable man to marry and settle down.
But Mu Guiying could also find someone to marry in the provincial city and live the comfortable life she desired.
“Sister Guiying, your parents can’t arrange a decent marriage for you. You’re only going to the capital to find a man to marry and settle down. If you give up the household registration spot to me, I promise I’ll have my parents find you a good marriage prospect here in the provincial city.”
As soon as Zhang Qingqing finished speaking, her face flushed with embarrassment.
For a young woman like her to utter words like “man,” “marriage prospect,” and “marry and settle down” was somewhat inappropriate. She certainly didn’t want to tarnish her image in Gu Yunche’s eyes.
Gu Yunche’s expression turned exceptionally cold. He hadn’t expected Zhang Qingqing to speak to Mu Guiying like that. Even if Mu Guiying truly thought that way, it had nothing to do with Zhang Qingqing. She shouldn’t fabricate stories about Mu Guiying just to secure a household registration for herself.
Mu Guiying’s clear yet probing gaze swept over the three of them.
She noticed Bai Lin looking down at her leather shoes, adopting an aloof, detached attitude. In contrast, Gu Yunche’s face showed clear displeasure—he was obviously unaware of Zhang Qingqing’s intentions.
With a slight shift in her thoughts, Mu Guiying guessed that Bai Lin was the instigator.
Bai Lin had incited Zhang Qingqing to come and plead with her. Was this an attempt to kill two birds with one stone?
Mu Guiying turned her attention to the impatient Zhang Qingqing. “Sister Zhang, how do you know I’m going to the capital just to get married? Who told you that? Was it Sister Bai Lin?”
Hearing her name mentioned, Bai Lin’s cheeks suddenly flushed.
“Sister Guiying, it’s because my cousin also wants to go to the capital to take the college entrance exam. I told her it wasn’t possible—Uncle Gu and the others are arranging household registration for you. She didn’t even believe you existed, so she came along to the guesthouse to see for herself.”
As she spoke, Bai Lin kept her eyes fixed on Gu Yunche, her aggrieved expression truly pitiable.
Mu Guiying didn’t believe Bai Lin.
She turned to Gu Yunche. “Eldest Brother Gu, is that true?”
“That’s how it is,” Gu Yunche replied apologetically, looking at Mu Guiying with sincere regret. “Zhang Qingqing is young and doesn’t know any better. Don’t take her words to heart.”
His voice grew serious. “I came to pick up you and Bai Lin.”
The implication was that Zhang Qingqing had nothing to do with this matter, nor did he intend to let her take over Mu Guiying's household registration quota.
Mu Guiying set down her chopsticks and scrutinized Zhang Qingqing.
Zhang Qingqing was extremely uneasy, her not-so-fair face flushed dark red with heat.
Mu Guiying thought to herself—this girl was heading down a narrow path!
She glanced at Gu Yunche again. With such outstanding looks, a top-tier figure, and being a typical double-door handsome guy, who wouldn't be dazzled? Clearly, Zhang Qingqing was also dazzled.
Mu Guiying pressed her lips tightly together, collected her thoughts, and asked Zhang Qingqing again.
"Sister Zhang seems to know a lot about my affairs—that my parents couldn't arrange a marriage for me, which is why I went to the capital to find a good match. But today is our first meeting. How did you know all this?"
Mu Guiying's words left the room so silent you could hear a pin drop.
Gu Yunche's indifferent gaze fell on Bai Lin. She, who had been staring at the tips of her shoes, looked up and met his eyes, her own brimming with tears.
Gu Yunche was taken aback. How did Bai Lin know about Mu Guiying's family matters?
Bai Lin struggled to hold back her tears, but her voice trembled so much it made others' hearts ache.
"Sister Guiying, please don't be so aggressive. I shared my speculations with Qingqing, but I never expected her to have such thoughts."
Zhang Qingqing, however, was quite loyal. She stood up, hands on her hips, and positioned herself in front of Mu Guiying.
"Don't bully my cousin. I was discussing this with you. Isn't it true that you originally wanted to go to the capital to climb the social ladder? Did I misrepresent you?"
Mu Guiying curled her lips. She hadn't expected Zhang Qingqing to be such a naive fool, willingly used as a pawn by Bai Lin and even enjoying it.
Propping her chin on her hand, her elegant eyes swept over the white rice in the aluminum lunchbox as she remarked sarcastically, "This is the first time I've seen city folks 'discuss' things with such an attitude when asking for a favor."
She then scoffed coldly, "Sister Zhang and Sister Bai Lin are so polite—one shamelessly demanding my household registration quota, the other gossiping behind my back. I, Mu Guiying, have truly broadened my horizons and gained quite an education today!"
Bai Lin and Zhang Qingqing flushed bright red with shame.
Gu Yunche rubbed his temples, feeling that the three women together were unbearably noisy.
He said sternly, "Xiao Mu, no one can take your household registration. Rest early. We're leaving."
Mu Guiying had thought Gu Yunche would speak up to defend Zhang Qingqing and Bai Lin. After all, he looked down on her from the bottom of his heart and didn't want her living in the Gu family.
But why did he say that no one could take her household registration?
"Wait, I'm not finished!"
Mu Guiying stood up, her tone calm but carrying an undeniable authority.
"It's true that I want to leave Gucheng Village, but I never intended to find a man to climb the social ladder or marry for a living. So, let's not bring this up again."
She then turned to Zhang Qingqing and the tearful Bai Lin. "I can give up the capital household registration, but I want a Shencheng registration instead. If you can get me registered in Shencheng, I'm willing to make the exchange."
Shencheng?
The coastal city undergoing major economic development and opening up—Shencheng?
Gu Yunche thoughtfully glanced at the newspapers and then at Mu Guiying.
He asked, "You want to go to Shencheng?"
Mu Guiying nodded.
Shencheng was at the forefront of opening up, a land of golden opportunities. She wanted to go there to ride the wave of the times and seek her fortune—was there anything wrong with that?
At this thought, Mu Guiying couldn't help but smile, her joy at gaining the upper hand impossible to conceal!
A flicker of surprise passed through Gu Yunche's eyes—he never would have imagined that Mu Guiying could be such a thoughtful person.
But was she truly illiterate?