Yu Wanzhi took a bite. The crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside duck meat melted in her mouth, bursting with rich, savory sauce flavor. It tasted absolutely amazing!
“Mmm… this is delicious!”
Seeing her enjoying the food, Xiao Yunting’s lips curled up unconsciously. He naturally picked up another pancake, just about to roll another portion for her—when he caught three pairs of eyes staring intently at him, clearly teasing him.
“W-What are you all staring at? Can’t good food shut your mouths?”
Fu Zhoujing shook with silent laughter. “Nothing. We’ve just never seen you being so… doting. It’s a rare sight, so we’re enjoying it. Come on, eat—if we keep staring at our boss here, he’ll silence all three of us!”
The atmosphere quickly grew warm and lively. The four had grown up together, sharing similar backgrounds and family standing. Their grandfathers and fathers were almost all leaders in the military or state-owned factories, so they had endless stories and shared memories to talk about.
Among the four friends, only He Liangchen had joined the army, where he now served as a platoon leader. Su Nian was the deputy director of a savings office. Fu Zhoujing and Xiao Yunting appeared to hold no official jobs, yet they never lacked money—even the other two had no idea what they actually did for a living.
“Liangchen, I heard your grandfather wants to arrange a marriage for you with the Liu family?” Su Nian said, his tone playful. “Liangzhou’s already engaged to the Duan family, and Liang’an is still too young… so it must be you, right? It wouldn’t be a bad match. After all, Liu Xinrou was once known as the most beautiful girl in the whole compound!”
As he finished speaking, Su Nian glanced curiously at Yu Wanzhi, who sat quietly eating beside them.
Before seeing Yu Wanzhi, he’d thought Liu Xinrou was decent enough. But now? Next to her, Liu Xinrou was as plain and tasteless as a bowl of plain noodle broth!
Clatter!
At the name Liu Xinrou, Yu Wanzhi felt as if she’d been struck by lightning. Her body jerked violently, and she froze completely in place—time itself seemed to stand still.
In her past life, that was exactly the name Xiao Yunting had used as an excuse to force her into signing the divorce papers. Fu Zhoujing had later told her it was all a lie… but she could still see that proud, triumphant smile on Liu Xinrou’s face. It was like a sharp knife, piercing deep into her heart—leaving her tossing and turning, sleepless, night after night after their divorce.
Back then, Liu Xinrou had already been in her thirties. Word was that she’d been in an unhappy marriage; after her divorce, her own family had disowned her in shame. It was Xiao Yunting and Fu Zhoujing who, out of old friendship from the compound, had gotten her a job as a salesclerk.
After Yu Wanzhi began dating Xiao Yunting, she’d only met Liu Xinrou a handful of times. Fu Zhoujing, however, often spoke highly of her—how hard she worked, rising from a humble salesclerk all the way to regional manager in just two years.
That was why, when Xiao Yunting told her during the divorce that he needed a wife like Liu Xinrou—capable, supportive, and steady in both work and life—rather than a pampered, delicate girl like her… she had believed him completely.
“What’s wrong? Aren’t you feeling well?” Xiao Yunting picked up the chopsticks she’d dropped and set them aside. His eyes were filled with unmistakable concern.
Yu Wanzhi forced a faint, bitter smile. “It’s nothing. I just ate a little too much. Please go on eating—I’ll step outside for some fresh air.”
Ate too much?
She’d only eaten two rolls, and taken one bite of the third. How could she already be full?
Xiao Yunting stood up and gently took her hand. “Eat a little more. You’ve gotten so thin—even a cat eats more than you! Finish your meal, and I’ll walk out with you.”
Seeing that he clearly meant I’m coming with you if you leave, Yu Wanzhi settled back into her seat. After all, this was a rare gathering with his old friends—she didn’t want to be the one to spoil the mood.
Su Nian continued cheerfully, “I never thought you’d be the first among us four to get engaged! I was fully convinced you’d dedicate your whole life to the army and never marry!”
He Liangchen offered a faint, calm smile. Truth be told, he’d never considered marriage. If it was only to satisfy his family’s wishes… then for him, spending a lifetime with anyone would be much the same.
The meal passed pleasantly enough. Afterward, the group walked back toward the family compound together.
When they parted ways, Yu Wanzhi tugged gently at the hem of Xiao Yunting’s shirt. “About tonight… may I stay just one more night? Tomorrow I won’t trouble you anymore. Thank you so much for taking care of me these past two days. In two weeks, I’ll come back to collect my household registration booklet. How much should I pay you for my stay?”
At her words, Xiao Yunting’s expression turned instantly cold and stern.
“I thought we agreed you’d stay with me for the time being? Tomorrow I’ll send people to get Zhoujing’s house in Huahua Alley ready—it’ll take no more than a week. Is waiting a few days really so hard?”
“If this is about Grandfather’s manner toward you… please don’t worry. He’s a true revolutionary who fought on the battlefield. He enlisted at sixteen, became a division commander at twenty-nine, was appointed commander at thirty-seven, and earned the rank of General at forty-five. He’s faced countless enemies, and his gaze alone can make anyone tremble.”
“But he… he dotes on me dearly. And you’re my… friend. He means you no harm at all.”
Yu Wanzhi was stunned by how thoughtful he was. Her fair face flushed bright red—caught off guard, exposed, and flustered, she didn’t know where to look.
Xiao Yunting sighed softly. “Did you go looking for another place to stay today? Since in our past… as you put it, our past life… we were so close… there’s no need to stand on ceremony with me. Stay here comfortably, and move to Zhoujing’s house once it’s ready. There’s no rush.”
“Don’t go wandering off alone tomorrow. After breakfast, I’ll take you out to buy daily necessities, and show you around the city properly. It’s getting late—go get some rest now.” With that, as if afraid she would refuse him, he turned and hurried quickly back toward his family’s home.
A soft, tender smile touched Yu Wanzhi’s lips as she slowly followed after him.
She suddenly realized—twenty-year-old Xiao Yunting was simply adorable.
Back in her room, after washing up and just as she was about to climb into bed, there came a knock at the door.
Xiao Yunting stood outside like a guardian, holding a metal box in his hands. His tone was casual, yet earnest. “Take this money and these ration tickets. Come ask me whenever you need more—earning money comes easily enough to me. Just focus on settling in and getting used to life here. I’ll also keep an eye out for suitable job openings for you. And if you don’t feel like working… then I can always… support you. I can take care of you.”
Seeing that she wouldn’t take the box, he simply pressed it into her arms, wrapped her hands around it firmly—and then hurried away again, vanishing like a gust of wind.
Yu Wanzhi pressed a hand to her mouth, smiling to herself. Unexpectedly, the memory of their very first meeting in her past life came flooding back.
In that life, she had been abandoned at the doors of an orphanage since birth. After graduating junior high, she’d longed to continue to high school—but the orphanage simply couldn’t afford tuition for every child. So she’d worked odd jobs, scraping together whatever she could to pay for school.
It had been a hard, harsh life. She often went hungry. Years of poor nutrition left her prone to low blood sugar. Just days before the national college entrance exams, overwhelmed by stress and having gone a full day without food… she’d fainted right there on the street. And that was when Xiao Yunting had found her—and rushed her to the hospital.
When she woke up, he’d handed her a thick envelope of money. And he’d said almost exactly what he’d said tonight:
“Take this money. While you were unconscious, I looked through your bag, found your teacher’s contact information, and learned everything about your situation.”
“Earning money is easy for me. So focus entirely on your studies. I’ll cover everything—all the way through your university graduation…”