Gu Wan’s eyes curved into a smile, and crystalline tears still clung to her long eyelashes, making her look utterly pitiful and lovable.
Zhang Xiaowei couldn’t help himself. He freed one hand and wrapped it around Gu Wan’s shoulders from behind, letting her lean against his chest.
Li Mingyue was also stunned by Gu Wan’s delicate, moving appearance. When had this foolish woman learned how to dress up and put on makeup? She was actually incredibly alluring. Judging by Zhang Xiaowei’s expression, he clearly wasn’t pretending. He was probably genuinely attracted to her now.
Thinking of this, Li Mingyue coughed heavily, reminding Zhang Xiaowei to keep his distance. At the same time, she reminded Gu Wan once again,
“Wanwan, you’re still married. I’m afraid it’s inappropriate for you to be with Zhang Xiaowei like this, isn’t it?”
The moment Gu Wan heard that, she sprang out of Zhang Xiaowei’s arms and sat far away from him.
“I almost forgot about that. In the end, we really can’t be together.”
Just moments ago, Zhang Xiaowei had been holding a soft and fragrant beauty in his arms. Then, with Li Mingyue’s cough, the warmth in his embrace suddenly sprang away from him like it had been launched by a spring.
A deep sense of disappointment filled Zhang Xiaowei’s heart.
He shot Li Mingyue an unhappy glance. When he received her warning look, he remembered their plan.
So he moved closer to Gu Wan again, took one of her hands, and said affectionately,
“Why don’t you divorce Li Xiaoyu first? Once you’re free again, we can openly and honorably be together.”
Gu Wan pretended to be annoyed with herself.
“That’s right! I almost forgot. Li Xiaoyu has already signed the divorce application. I just need to take it to the office, and I can get the divorce processed directly. Then…”
Gu Wan lowered her head shyly.
“We can be together openly and honestly.”
Her fair skin paired with that bashful expression left Zhang Xiaowei completely mesmerized.
Li Mingyue was furious. She quietly stretched out her leg and kicked Zhang Xiaowei hard.
“Ow!”
Zhang Xiaowei cried out involuntarily, earning a huge eye roll from Li Mingyue.
Look at you, completely blinded by lust!
“Sure. I’ll go with you tomorrow.”
Li Mingyue could tell that Zhang Xiaowei had developed lustful intentions toward Gu Wan, so naturally she didn’t trust the two of them to be alone together.
“She’s going to get a divorce. If you go with her, wouldn’t that make it obvious to the officials that she cheated? She’s in a military marriage. If they ask a few more questions, she might not even be able to get the divorce.”
Zhang Xiaowei realized this too.
“Then I won’t go with you after all. I’ll wait for you at home. Once you’ve finished the divorce, we’ll get married, and we’ll be together forever.”
Gu Wan pretended to shyly nod.
Her scumbag father and stepmother were delighted to see the two of them manipulating Gu Wan so easily. They simply sat beside them in silence, happy with how things were unfolding.
Gu Wan glanced toward her scumbag father and deliberately said with a troubled expression,
“Oh, there’s one more problem.”
Everyone immediately became nervous, unsure what had gone wrong again.
Gu Wan frowned.
“The head of household on my household registration is Li Xiaoyu. After I divorce him, I obviously can’t remain on the same household registration. My grandfather is gone now, so where am I supposed to transfer my household registration?”
Gu Wan’s household registration had originally been registered under her grandfather’s household. After she married Li Xiaoyu, she had established a separate household. Now that her grandfather was gone, she really had nowhere to transfer her registration.
Upon hearing this, Liu Jihong nudged Li Fu-gui.
It was time for the head of the household to step up.
Li Fu-gui cleared his throat.
“You’re my daughter, so naturally your household registration can be transferred here. Jihong, give Gu Wan the household registration booklet. Once she finishes the divorce procedures tomorrow, she can transfer her registration directly to our household.”
Liu Jihong thought about it.
If Gu Wan’s household registration were transferred to their family, she would officially become one of them. If anything happened to her in the future, her inheritance would naturally belong to them.
Afraid that Gu Wan might change her mind even a second later, Liu Jihong immediately went to retrieve the household registration booklet and placed it in Gu Wan’s hands.
Gu Wan immediately switched into sweet-talking mode.
“Dad, Mom, I never realized that you were the ones who loved me the most. And Mingyue, Fukun—having all of you by my side makes me so happy.”
Zhang Xiaowei also chimed in, making sure everyone remembered his presence.
“And me. Once you finish the paperwork, we’ll be family. I’ll always stay by your side.”
“Mhm.”
Gu Wan shyly lowered her head.
From an angle where no one could see, however, a mocking smile appeared on her lips.
So you want to scheme against my inheritance, do you? You want to trick me into being sent to the countryside?
Then I’ll let you experience what it’s like to be sent to the countryside with absolutely nothing!
Gu Wan had been running around all day, acting out this entire performance with them—crying one moment and laughing the next—and she was truly exhausted.
After dinner, Gu Wan returned to her room.
After locking the door, she immediately slipped into her space.
Only then did she discover that the house had become even larger.
Not only was there an additional room for storing all the things she had taken from the Feng family, but there was also a warehouse at the back specifically for storing the supplies she had stockpiled.
The spiritual spring had doubled in size.
The chickens, ducks, geese, cattle, horses, and sheep she had brought in were running all over the space, happily nibbling on the grass.
Meanwhile, the fish, shrimp, and crabs she had put into the spiritual spring were swimming around happily. They seemed to have grown even larger than when she bought them.
This wouldn’t do.
It was far too chaotic!
Gu Wan decided to reorganize everything.
She would dig several ponds beside the spiritual spring, using separate ponds to raise fish, shrimp, and crabs so each species would have its own designated area.
She would also dig a bathing pool for herself. Taking a soak in it every day would be excellent for relieving fatigue and whitening her skin.
If she hadn’t been soaking in the pool these past few days, she wouldn’t have been able to endure such an intense day of activity.
The livestock and poultry also needed fences to keep them in designated areas. Otherwise, once she started farming, the crops might not even have a chance to grow before these animals destroyed everything.
She also needed to buy tools, fencing materials, and other supplies.
She would have to make a trip to an agricultural supply store tomorrow.
After soaking in the spiritual spring, Gu Wan felt much more refreshed.
Remembering that she had important things to do the next day, it was time to get some rest.
There were still four days before she would leave Beishi by train.
The good show was about to begin.
Early the next morning, Zhang Xiaowei arrived at the Li family’s home and gazed at Gu Wan affectionately.
“Wanwan, I really want to go with you…”
Li Mingyue made a couple of meaningful sounds beside him.
“Mm, mm.”
Zhang Xiaowei quickly changed course.
“But for the sake of our beautiful future, I have no choice but to suppress the longing in my heart… I’ll wait for you at home. I’m sure you’ll come back with good news.”
Gu Wan nodded firmly.
There would indeed be good news.
Very good news!
Carrying everyone’s expectations with her, Gu Wan took a bus to the marriage registration office.
She hadn’t expected so many people to be registering marriages in this era. Even before the doors opened, a long line had already formed outside.
There weren’t many people waiting for divorce, so Gu Wan naturally didn’t bother joining the line.
Instead, she walked around the surrounding area.
After yesterday’s dangerous incident, she had to be even more careful and make sure no one was following her.
Gu Wan discovered that the Li family truly trusted her. They hadn’t sent anyone to follow her.
That put her at ease.
Her walk around the area wasn’t wasted either.
She discovered that the office responsible for sending educated youth to the countryside was right next to the marriage registration office.
Wasn’t this exactly like someone delivering a pillow just when she was sleepy?
She hadn’t forgotten that the Li family had been plotting to send her to the countryside.
If they were going to scheme against her, then she would return the favor.