“Sorry about that.” Xia Wanqing apologized repeatedly. When she looked up, she realized it was an old acquaintance. “Gu Huaichuan—what a coincidence.”
“Yeah, what a coincidence.” Gu Huaichuan handed her a packet of yam cakes, his face expressionless. “I bought too many. Could you help me finish them?”
He certainly wasn’t going to say that he’d been waiting here the whole time.
“Who would’ve thought our tastes were so similar?” Xia Wanqing laughed openly.
Of course they were similar—everything she liked, he liked too.
He remembered that when they were young, what she loved most was sweets.
The freshly baked yam cakes were crystal clear and steaming.
She took a light bite—soft and springy. The mild sweetness of the jujube paste blended with the fresh sweetness of the yam, melting on her tongue.
She’d gone hungry for a long time and had stomach problems; yam cakes were just right for her.
Who would’ve thought her taste was so similar to Gu Huaichuan’s?
Xia Wanqing suddenly thought of one advantage of marrying Gu Huaichuan: they wouldn’t need to compromise over food preferences. That was pretty nice.
After eating two, she already felt full, so she didn’t take any more.
Gu Huaichuan’s gaze fell on the yam cakes.
They were so small, yet she was full after just two. That wouldn’t do her health any good.
After they got married, he would cook good food for her and fatten her up a little—only then would her body be healthy.
At the thought of marriage, Gu Huaichuan’s heart began to race, a mix of excitement and unease.
He wondered if Wanwan might change her mind.
The next second, he heard her bring up their marriage.
“Gu Huaichuan, when are you going home?”
Home leave wasn’t long. In previous years, he’d been chased away as soon as he saw her. This time he’d stayed a few extra days—his family must be worried.
Gu Huaichuan’s heart skipped. Had she discovered that he’d stayed here secretly just to see her?
“Don’t worry. Within two days, I’ll definitely get the household registration booklet. Then we can go get the marriage certificate. But you should still call your family and let them know.”
Because of work, Gu Huaichuan’s father, Gu Guozhong, had moved the whole family to the capital, where they were now settled.
From the province to the capital was a two-day-and-one-night train ride. She remembered that Gu Huaichuan would be going on a mission soon and probably wouldn’t have time to go back.
To register a marriage, one had to go to the household registration location of one party. Xia Wanqing felt it would be better to do it in Shanghai.
Once she got the household registration booklet, they could get married.
If her plan went smoothly, she’d have it within two days.
“Okay.” Gu Huaichuan heard his own voice—so hoarse it hardly sounded like him.
He couldn’t believe his ears.
Wanwan said she wanted to marry him. Was he dreaming?
He secretly pinched his thigh.
It hurt!
Not a dream!
Wanwan really planned to marry him!!!
“Let’s go.” The post office was not far away, and Xia Wanqing led the way.
She didn’t see that Gu Huaichuan, walking behind her, was so nervous he was moving his arms and legs in sync.
The call connected.
His mother, Jiang Wanyan’s voice came from the other end. “Hello.”
“Mom, it’s me,” Gu Huaichuan said softly.
Jiang Wanyan asked a few caring questions, then began to complain.
“It’s been five years. You haven’t come home even once, and you haven’t brought back a daughter-in-law either. When are you going to let me have some peace of mind?”
Every time this came up, Gu Huaichuan told them to wait.
But they waited and waited, and he still hadn’t proposed. She’d wanted to go in person several times, but worried Xia Wanqing might feel pressured, so she held back.
All she could do was vent her anger at Gu Huaichuan—but the fourth son never came home on leave either.
With nowhere to release her frustration, she grew anxious and angry, even suspecting that her fourth son had another woman outside.
She had her husband inquire at the army unit, only to be told he was single.
At night, Jiang Wanyan even dreamed that Gu Huaichuan brought home a son-in-law instead of a daughter-in-law, scaring her awake.
She took a deep breath and finally asked what was on her mind.
“Fourth son… do you like men?”
“Mom.” Gu Huaichuan frowned slightly, not understanding why she’d ask that.
The receiver wasn’t very soundproof, and Xia Wanqing heard it too.
She stared at her toes, lowering her presence. Though in later times this was common in some places, in this era very few people accepted it.
Even though theirs was a fake marriage, she still wanted to know his orientation—just in case.
Seeing Xia Wanqing’s expression, Gu Huaichuan’s heart jolted.
Wanwan heard that—would she misunderstand him?
“Mom, Xia Wanqing and I are planning to get married,” he explained.
“Ah—!” A sky-piercing scream came through the receiver.
Gu Huaichuan pulled the receiver away, yet he could still hear it clearly.
“Heaven bless us, ancestors bless us! This iron tree of yours has finally bloomed! So you don’t like men! Is my daughter-in-law there? Let me talk to her!”
“No need,” Gu Huaichuan said in a low voice. Afraid his mother would say something that might cause a misunderstanding, he added coldly, “I’m hanging up.”
He hadn’t said that Wanwan wasn’t there—meaning she was right beside him. Jiang Wanyan missed her terribly after not speaking to her for so long.
“Gu Huaichuan! If you don’t let Wanwan talk to me, I’ll disown you!”
Helpless, Gu Huaichuan handed the receiver to Xia Wanqing. “If my mom says anything unpleasant, just hang up. Don’t mind her.”
“You little brat—what are you saying?” Jiang Wanyan felt she might one day be driven to death by this unfilial son.
The next second, a sweet voice came through the receiver. “Auntie.”
“Wanwan!” Jiang Wanyan’s voice immediately turned cheerful and affectionate. “Wanwan, Auntie has missed you so much.”
When Xia Wanqing had gone missing before, she’d been raised by the Gu family.
Such a delicate, jade-like child—Jiang Wanyan adored her and had even once thought about not returning her.
Later, when Xia Wanqing and Gu Huaichuan got engaged, Jiang Wanyan was so excited she didn’t sleep all night, eagerly waiting for them to marry soon.
But she waited and waited, and the marriage never materialized.
She kept urging them, but Gu Huaichuan always told her to wait, making her so angry she wanted to beat him.
Now, hearing that Xia Wanqing was finally going to become her daughter-in-law, she was so excited she could barely contain herself.
“Wanqing, Mom—Auntie likes you the most. Once you marry into the family, I absolutely won’t let you suffer even a little!” Jiang Wanyan promised solemnly.
“Thank you, Auntie,” Xia Wanqing replied with a smile.
She remembered clearly how kind Auntie Jiang had been to her.
So she wasn’t worried about being mistreated by her future mother-in-law.
When Jiang Wanyan was happy, she became a chatterbox. Afraid she might scare Wanwan off, Gu Huaichuan urged softly, “Mom, that’s enough.”
“You brat! I should get ready to meet the in-laws then. Mom—Auntie can’t wait to see you again.”
Jiang Wanyan was once again angered by her blockheaded son. She’d finally gotten to talk to Wanqing—what was wrong with saying a few more words?
“Auntie, I’ll be leaving soon.”
She would soon break ties with the Xia family and have nothing to do with Xia Jianye.
She just needed to think of a way to make the Xia family willingly sever ties with her.
Jiang Wanyan said regretfully, “Alright. We’ll meet again when there’s a chance.”
“Auntie, talk next time,” Xia Wanqing replied with a smile, her fox-like eyes curving like a crescent moon.
Gu Huaichuan naturally took back the receiver, about to hang it up.
Gu Xing was out shopping with Xia Yiyi. Passing by the post office, he saw Gu Huaichuan on the phone.
He immediately thought Gu Huaichuan was calling home. His mom lived at his uncle’s place, and long-distance calls were expensive. He wanted to piggyback on the call—his fourth brother surely wouldn’t make him pay.
Without hesitation, he rushed in and grabbed the receiver. “Fourth brother, is this a call home?”
Seeing Gu Xing, Gu Huaichuan’s breath tightened, though his expression remained unchanged as he nodded. “Yes.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he kept watching Wanwan, afraid she might say she wouldn’t marry him.
Fortunately, Wanwan showed no reaction at all.
“Fourth brother, I want to say something to Mom,” Gu Xing said with a grin, holding out his hand.
Gu Huaichuan quietly let out a sigh of relief and handed him the receiver.
“Hello—Auntie, is my mom there?”
Gu Xing’s father and Gu Huaichuan’s father, Gu Guozhong, were biological brothers. Gu Xing’s father had died early. Feeling sorry for his elder brother’s widow and child, Gu Guozhong took them in and supported them—for a full twenty years.
“She’s here. Wait a moment—Sister-in-law!” Jiang Wanyan shouted toward the inner room. “It’s Gu Xing on the phone.”
“Coming.” Li Cuihua had been asleep. Hearing Jiang Wanyan, she turned over, planning to keep sleeping.
But when she heard it was her son calling, she flipped up in one swift motion, slipped on her slippers, and hurried over.
“Hello, son!” Li Cuihua’s sharp voice came through.
“Mom, I’m getting married,” Gu Xing said, looking at Xia Yiyi, his eyes full of love.