Changzong’s grandmother had passed away. His divorced parents were still alive. He had no full siblings—only half-siblings he hadn’t contacted in years. Even on his grandmother’s side, it was his uncle who’d reached out first before ties resumed. As for his parents… if they didn’t take the initiative, he had no reason to think of them.
So when Jiang Hongguo said Gu Changzong had no siblings, she wasn’t wrong.
Sister Shan laughed. “Grandma Kong’s matchmaking itch is acting up again. Half this neighborhood married through her introductions—even me.”
Grandma Kong puffed up proudly. “Say it then—was I good at matchmaking or not? Maybe not as good as Hongguo’s husband, but the men and women I introduced were decent. None divorced, right?”
Sister Shan nodded gratefully. “My husband’s not outstanding, but I’m ordinary too. Someone like him suits me just fine. Grandma Kong has good judgment. Hongguo, if you have unmarried relatives, give them to her.”
Hongguo shook her head with a smile. Even if she had, she wouldn’t dare casually arrange someone’s lifelong fate.
She packed two bowls of freshly fried meatballs—half fish balls, half pork balls, neatly paired.
She glanced toward Sun Aiqin’s house. “If they were home, I’d send them a bowl too.”
Sister Shan and Grandma Kong had already eaten several and couldn’t stop praising them.
Changzong didn’t join their chatter. The moment they stepped in, he’d taken the baby, fed him milk powder, changed his diaper without fuss. Sister Shan wasn’t too shocked—until she saw him draw water from the well to wash the diaper himself. She burst out laughing.
Grandma Kong shot her a look. “Your husband’s washed your underclothes before. What are you jealous about?”
Sister Shan waved dismissively. “Not jealous. I’m just wondering—when Hongguo reaches my age, will her husband still treat her this well? Look at mine now—he slacks off whenever he can. Doesn’t move unless I scold him.”
Grandma Kong shrugged. “At least yours earns money. Otherwise how could you buy all those useless plates? If you’re unhappy, hire a helper.”
Jiang Hongguo watched Changzong quietly working, not joining the neighborly gossip.
If ten years pass and his appearance doesn’t change… won’t I grow older than him?
Why did such strange worries keep popping into her mind?
The baby would grow. So Changzong would age too… right?
She laughed at herself for overthinking. He was already a few years older than her. In a few years, she’d see clearly whether he changed or not.
By noon, she had built a good rapport with her neighbors.
Gu Changzong looked at her with genuine admiration. “Guoguo, you’re amazing. I tried several ways to convince Grandma Kong to rent to me, and she was still curt. You used half a day to make her soften—even toward me.”
He looked so sincerely impressed that Hongguo almost believed she truly was remarkable.
But she wouldn’t let praise go to her head. “Everyone has different strengths. No need to envy others. I was just being myself. Maybe I happened to suit Sister Shan and Grandma Kong’s temperament. Changzong, in my heart, you’re the most amazing. Truly.”
He lit up.
He did have certain abilities—he could get things done—but when Hongguo called him the most amazing, it was because she liked him. Love made people see through a soft, beautifying lens.
During lunch, he insisted on holding her hand while eating. They would eat a bite, then glance at each other and smile.
Hongguo set down her chopsticks and touched her flushed cheeks. Sometimes Changzong acted a little silly—and she found herself becoming silly too.
But this kind of silliness felt blissful.
She shared her impressions of Sun Aiqin. “Changzong, she seems like she’s carrying a stomach full of bitterness. Sister Shan says she’s past her hardships now, but she looks weighed down. About that IOU… I think I’ll wait.”
Changzong guessed Sun Aiqin had already noticed something unusual about her husband—that was why she looked troubled.
Hongguo had once been the same. He’d seen it. Back then he’d worried—but now he realized it had been needless. Hongguo was the best.
He felt blessed beyond measure.
He mentioned that during driving lessons, he’d run into Sun Aiqin’s husband.
“That man’s lucky,” Changzong said. “He was lying by the roadside last year, heart dead. After the car overturned, he wasn’t badly hurt. Switched to another vehicle and left. Today I saw him at the driving school and recognized him.”
Hongguo smiled in surprise. “That’s quite a coincidence. Did you talk to him?”
Inside, though, waves crashed.
So that’s why Changzong didn’t collect from Sun Aiqin…
Changzong shook his head. “He doesn’t like talking. Looks at people like they owe him their lives. Got scolded all morning by the instructor. I didn’t speak to him.”
As expected.
Men like them—if neither initiated conversation, nothing would be said.
Hongguo sighed. “With that attitude, Sun Aiqin might have to bring gifts to apologize to the instructor. If he wanted to learn driving, why not adjust his attitude?”
Changzong felt a flicker of jealousy. He didn’t like hearing her talk about another man—even if only in pity.
“Guoguo,” he said softly, “you don’t need to pity him. Just pity me is enough.”
When she talked about other men, he usually wasn’t like this. But when it came to Sun’s husband, he was.
Was it because men like them could fall out of love after being hurt?
Hongguo asked quietly, “Changzong… would you ever become like him? If you grew disheartened with me, would you fall for someone else?”
He shook his head and pulled her firmly into his arms before answering.
“Guoguo, even if you changed someday, no one could ever treat me better than you do now. If you changed, I would die. Guoguo… can you keep treating me like this?”
Her eyes stung.
She rubbed them and lifted her chin. “Changzong, I won’t change. I’ll always treat you well. You can grow old and die peacefully—not die of heartbreak.”
He was overwhelmingly happy. How had he been so lucky to meet someone like her?
And Hongguo felt just as fortunate. She had met the best Changzong too.
“Are you going to driving lessons this afternoon?” she asked.
“Yes. Instructor said two o’clock.”
With time to spare, he moved through the rooms, finishing any chores left undone.
She urged him to leave early. After he left, she locked the courtyard gate, napped with the baby, then prepared milk when he woke.
The baby fell asleep again.
Hongguo sat alone, drifting into idle thoughts.
She was just considering finding something to occupy herself when Sun Aiqin returned next door.
Hongguo hurried to the gate.
She saw Sun—and saw her husband.
He did look fierce. Without mental preparation, she might have crossed the street to avoid him.
But now, she wasn’t afraid.
After greeting them, she called out warmly, “Sun Aiqin, you’re the only one who hasn’t taken tea yet. Don’t close the door—I’ll bring it over.”