Under a nearby green tree, sunlight filtered through the humid air, falling upon Qiao Yu’s graceful figure.
Fortunately, before disembarking, Qiao Yu had applied sunscreen to her face and arms.
Otherwise, the midday sun on the island would have scorched her skin.
Watching Gu Shaoyuan stride toward her with long legs, his presence imposing, Qiao Yu inexplicably felt her heartbeat quicken.
When Gu Shaoyuan stopped in front of her, she realized just how tall he was—a full head taller than her.
She stood at 165 centimeters; he was at least 190.
His skin was a healthy honey tone from years of training and sun exposure, his features sharp and defined, with deep-set eyes and brows. His short hair was neat and tidy, and the slight upward tilt at the corners of his eyes didn’t appear frivolous but instead carried a sharp, scrutinizing intensity.
Dressed in a crisp military uniform, he had broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and a tall, robust build, his lips pressed into a firm line.
Qiao Yu’s first impression of him was quite favorable. At least her fiancé was handsome, a tough man.
Far better than that weakling Zhang Yu.
“Are you Regimental Commander Gu Shaoyuan?”
The gentle voice in his ear snapped Gu Shaoyuan back to attention.
While Qiao Yu had been sizing him up, his gaze had also settled on her.
The young woman before him was pure yet carried a hint of delicate charm, with exquisite features. Her fair cheeks were flushed a faint pink from the sun, and tiny beads of sweat dotted her forehead.
She wore a fitted light blue dress, her waist so slender it seemed as if it could snap with a pinch.
Gu Shaoyuan pressed his lips together and took a step forward, shielding her from the sun.
“Yes, I’m Gu Shaoyuan. Uncle Qiao already sent me a telegram. It’s you who’s here to fulfill the marriage arrangement.”
Qiao Yu looked up at his stern face and smiled. “Please take good care of me from now on, Regimental Commander Gu.”
Meeting her moist, glistening eyes, Gu Shaoyuan felt his heart skip a beat.
“I’ll take you to the family quarters first.”
“Alright.”
Obediently, Qiao Yu followed behind Gu Shaoyuan. After such a long journey by train and boat, she was truly exhausted.
The man tall and the woman petite, they made a strikingly well-matched pair as they walked together.
Nearby, the subordinates had lost all interest in training, their eyes fixed intently on the two.
“Who’s that girl? Haven’t seen her before—she’s not from our island, is she?”
“No idea. When did our regimental commander get to know such a pretty girl? Kept it hidden from us.”
It was Yang Zhongcheng who saw through it all, lowering his voice to say, “I reckon that girl is Regimental Commander Gu’s fiancée, here to marry him!”
The subordinates erupted in surprise. Was their long-single regimental commander finally settling down?
…
Gu Shaoyuan carried Qiao Yu’s small leather suitcase and led her to the family quarters.
Qiao Yu looked around curiously. The residential buildings here were all two-story bungalows, built with stone, numbering over thirty in total.
With the island’s damp spring weather and frequent summer typhoons, stone construction was likely chosen for its moisture resistance.
Seeing Gu Shaoyuan already standing in front of a bungalow with a courtyard, Qiao Yu hurried to catch up.
Gu’s mother was in the yard drying fish when she spotted Gu Shaoyuan bringing in a fresh, stylish-looking girl. She was so shocked her mouth hung open.
“Shao Yuan, who is this girl?”
Putting down the fish, Gu’s mother stepped forward, her face full of astonishment.
Gu Shaoyuan glanced at the somewhat reserved Qiao Yu and said to his mother, “Uncle Qiao’s youngest daughter, Qiao Yu.”
He didn’t forget to introduce his mother to Qiao Yu. “This is my mom.”
Qiao Yu greeted Gu’s mother with a smile.
“Auntie, hello.”
“Ah…”
Gu’s mother’s eyes lit up for a moment, but then she immediately realized something was off—wasn’t it Qiao Xiang who was engaged to her son?
Why was the girl who came to the island Qiao Yu?
Feeling awkward, Gu’s mother smiled at Qiao Yu and quickly pulled Gu Shaoyuan aside, lowering her voice to ask him.
“Son, what’s going on?”
“Uncle Qiao sent me a telegram two days ago saying he wanted to change the marriage arrangement, and I agreed.”
Gu’s mother: “?”
So she was the only one who didn’t know.
Gu Shaoyuan handed the small suitcase to his mother, then turned and walked over to Qiao Yu, his dark eyes fixed on her.
“I can only submit the marriage report tomorrow. You should rest well for now. I still have to go back for training.”
Qiao Yu understood and smiled at him. “Alright, go ahead with your work.”
A flicker of surprise passed through Gu Shaoyuan’s eyes. Hadn’t Yang Zhongcheng said that the younger daughter of the Qiao family was the most willful and spoiled?
The Qiao Yu he was seeing now seemed different from the one others described.
Gu Shaoyuan nodded to Qiao Yu, gave his mother a few more instructions, and then turned to leave.
Gu’s mother looked at the well-behaved and pretty girl before her, feeling quite satisfied. What did it matter if the marriage arrangement had been changed? She had already taken a liking to Qiao Yu as her future daughter-in-law.
“Xiao Yu, come inside.”
Qiao Yu quickly followed, taking the small suitcase from Gu’s mother’s hands. “Auntie, let me carry it.”
Gu’s mother didn’t insist and let her take it.
Weren’t city-bred young ladies supposed to be spoiled and arrogant? Yet she found Qiao Yu gentle and completely without the airs of a privileged young lady.
The more Gu’s mother looked at her, the more she grew fond of her.
Qiao Yu followed Gu’s mother into the house, which was decorated quite warmly. It seemed Gu’s mother was someone who cherished life and family.
Gu’s mother affectionately took Qiao Yu’s hand and led her to a room. “Xiao Yu, you can stay in this room for now. Shao Yuan cleaned it himself just yesterday.”
“At the time, I asked him what it was for, and he didn’t answer. Now it seems he was preparing it for his future wife!”
Qiao Yu blushed at Gu’s mother’s words. She and Gu Shaoyuan hadn’t even registered their marriage yet, but Gu’s mother already treated her as her daughter-in-law.
Seeing her embarrassment, Gu’s mother didn’t say more. She patted the back of Qiao Yu’s hand and said, “You must be tired after such a long train ride. Rest for a while. I’ll call you when dinner is ready.”
Qiao Yu: “Alright, thank you for your trouble, Auntie.”
After Gu’s mother closed the door, Qiao Yu finally let herself go, throwing herself onto the bed—though the iron bed frame was a bit hard.
The room had been cleaned quite thoroughly by Gu Shaoyuan. Aside from a bed, a wardrobe, and a desk, there was no other furniture.
Since they weren’t married yet, Gu Shaoyuan had prepared a separate room for Qiao Yu to stay in alone.
Qiao Yu closed her eyes and entered the Spatial Dimension.
The bumpy journey of the past two days had exhausted her, so she hurried to the bathroom to take a hot shower and wash away her fatigue.
After her shower, Qiao Yu checked the valuable items she had moved from the old Western-style mansion, feeling a great sense of accomplishment.
If she ever ran short of money in the future, these antiques, paintings, and treasures would come in handy.
As for the other useless items, Qiao Yu had exchanged them for points. To her surprise, she had earned three hundred points.
“What should I plant first?”
Qiao Yu pondered and finally chose seeds for wheat, potatoes, and cabbage.
It felt like she was playing Penguin Farm. If only she could raise some small animals too.
When the time comes, she’ll need to find a way to buy some piglets, lambs, and calves.
Qiao Yu lowered her head to look at her hands, which had accidentally gotten a bit dusty while inspecting the antique vase earlier.
Coincidentally, there was a small flowing stream ahead.
Qiao Yu walked to the stream, crouched down, and washed her hands.
To her surprise, her hands, which had been slightly reddened by the sun, actually became even fairer and more delicate after being washed in the stream water.