In order to win over his future wife, Gu Jingzhou stuffed into his pockets all the grain coupons, meat coupons, sugar coupons, industrial vouchers… that he had saved for a long time just so Su Die could eat well and eat her fill.
Looking at the table full of rich dishes, Su Die laughed.
“Can we even finish all this? It’s too wasteful. Don’t order like this next time.”
“This is our first official date. Of course I have to order more delicious food. In the future… you’ll be in charge of everything at home. I’ll just be responsible for earning money and paying for things. How about that?”
Gu Jingzhou looked at her expectantly.
Su Die picked up a piece of glossy braised pork and put it in his bowl, lowering her head shyly. “You’re full of tricks.”
This man was way too good at flirting he was actually making her blush.
In her previous life, she had always been busy. During school she had to keep up with academics while completing all sorts of extreme tasks assigned by her overachieving family. After graduation, she immediately took over her grandmother’s company. Before she could even enjoy life before she could even experience a sweet romance she had transmigrated.
Meeting Gu Jingzhou in this life was truly an unexpected joy.
Seeing that she neither rejected nor resisted him, Gu Jingzhou beamed. “After we eat, let’s go watch a movie. I’ve already bought the tickets.”
Su Die: “…”
She didn’t have a big appetite, but she had eaten quite a lot.
The dishes at state-run restaurants in this era were genuinely good no artificial additives, and the ingredients were all natural.
Once Su Die set down her chopsticks, Gu Jingzhou quickly swept through the remaining dishes and even finished the soup she had left in her bowl.
After leaving the restaurant, he used the excuse of going to the department store to “trick” her inside.
“Comrade, we’d like to buy a ladies’ wristwatch.”
Su Die tugged at his sleeve. “I already have a watch.”
After she graduated high school, Niu Zhenzhu had taken out the family’s savings to buy her a Plum brand watch so she could check the time while going on blind dates. It was still quite new.
Gu Jingzhou shook his head and focused on choosing carefully. “I’m your boyfriend. If others have it, you should have it too. If others don’t have it, I’ll still try my best to buy it for you. That’s what I should do.”
Before Su Die could respond, the sales clerk said enviously, “Your boyfriend treats you really well.”
Gu Jingzhou’s lips curved upward. He wanted everyone to know he was Su Die’s boyfriend.
In the end, he picked out a fully steel, shock-resistant Shanghai-brand watch for her.
After that, he took her to buy ready-made clothes.
It was the 1960s, and most clothing colors were dark. Su Die had more than enough clothes in her space, but Gu Jingzhou didn’t know that and insisted on buying her some.
He chose three floral dresses and two sets of synthetic fabric outfits.
He also bought her White Rabbit milk candy, glutinous rice sticks, and canned fruit.
He even wanted to buy her shoes, but Su Die stopped him. “I have enough shoes. We’ll buy them later.”
After leaving the department store, they went to see the movie Spring Thunder, which had just been released. The theater was packed, mostly young couples sitting together.
Su Die hadn’t watched a movie from this era yet and paid close attention throughout.
Gu Jingzhou, however, was distracted watching the movie for one second, staring at Su Die for five. His eyes were full of tenderness and adoration.
By the time the movie ended, it was already late.
Su Die was worried about Su Lan’s situation and wanted to go home early. Though reluctant, Gu Jingzhou obediently drove her back to Yangliu Alley.
After parking the jeep, he used the excuse of carrying her things to walk her to the door.
The neighbors had already seen the jeep and the handsome officer that morning. Now seeing them return together with big and small packages, they couldn’t help but ask:
“Who’s this handsome officer?”
Gu Jingzhou had been waiting for that question. Straightening his back, he answered clearly:
“I’m Xiao Die’s boyfriend. I took her out today. We’ll be registering our marriage in a few days.”
Su Die glanced at him. Give him a little sunshine and he’d shine brightly.
An old man looked him up and down approvingly. “Young man looks spirited and has good taste. Xiao Die is the prettiest girl in this alley. You’d better treat her well.”
“Don’t worry, Uncle. I’m fond of her. I’ll definitely treat her well.”
Before long, everyone in the alley knew that knife-wielding Su Die now had a tall, handsome army officer boyfriend.
Just as they reached the Su family’s gate, they saw an elderly man in plain clothes with a stooped back pacing outside.
Su Die’s eyes lit up. She ran over with a smile.
“Grandpa Ge, are you looking for me?”
Ge Wenhan snorted and walked off with a dark expression.
Not angry, Su Die told Gu Jingzhou to put the things inside and hurried after him.
“Grandpa Ge, don’t be mad. I’ve been busy with blind dates these days and couldn’t find time to translate documents for you. Have a milk candy to calm down.”
Gu Jingzhou followed closely, not missing the chance to make a good impression.
Inside, the old man grumbled, “Young people these days lack ambition. The materials are piling up like a mountain. Do you want to exhaust me?”
There was a serious shortage of senior intellectuals, and Ge Wenhan intended to cultivate Su Die into a talent who could serve the country.
“I understand, Grandpa Ge. From tomorrow on, I’ll report here every day, okay?” Su Die said cheerfully.
The old man then scrutinized Gu Jingzhou.
“This is the one you chose?”
Su Die nodded.
“What’s your name?”
“Gu Jingzhou.”
“Being a military wife is hard. If I ever find out the Gu family treats Xiao Die poorly, I won’t spare Gu Zhengning.”
“Do you know my grandfather?” Gu Jingzhou asked excitedly.
“Hmph. Ask him yourself. But I’ll say this no matter if she follows the army in the future, her translation work cannot stop. You must support her.”
“Rest assured, Grandpa Ge. I’ll support whatever she does. At home or outside, she calls the shots.”
“Good enough. Go home. Come back early tomorrow.”
Before leaving, Su Die borrowed a foreign-language short story to translate that night.
After walking out, Gu Jingzhou looked at her pitifully. “You won’t think I’m too clingy, will you? I just want to spend more time with you.”
“That’s how dating works,” she smiled. “The more you interact, the better you know if it’s suitable.”
“I’ll go then… I’ll bring you breakfast tomorrow.”
He turned back three times before finally leaving.
Once he was gone, Duoduo popped out from behind the door. “Auntie, is that my future uncle?”
Su Die rubbed her fluffy head thoughtfully. “Probably.”
Just then, Niu Zhenzhu and Su Lan returned from work, both smiling brightly.
“Is the paperwork done?” Su Die asked immediately.
“It’s done,” Su Lan said cheerfully. “With help from the officers, everything went smoothly.”
Niu Zhenzhu added, “We went back to the Guo house and smashed the place up. Brought back some new cloth too. Su Lan and Duoduo won’t wear their old clothes anymore—we’re starting fresh.”
Su Die admired her mother’s fighting spirit. “Good. With a job, a child, and money in hand, your life will only get better.”
At dinner, they discussed the 6,000 yuan compensation. Su Die suggested depositing it in the bank.
Even though the annual interest rate in 1967 was only 3.96%, money was valuable then. The interest alone would be over 200 yuan by year’s end.
In a few years, when private courtyard houses could be freely traded, they could buy one in a good location in the capital. Su Lan and Duoduo would have nothing to worry about for the rest of their lives.
As the family chatted happily, there was a knock at the gate.