Ruan Tong collected herself and walked into the house, putting on a bright smile as she addressed her parents. “Dad, Mom, I plan to take Gu Bai back home tomorrow.”
Early the next morning.
Ruan Tong rubbed her sleepy eyes and turned her head to find the man’s figure missing from the bedding on the floor.
Aside from their wedding night, Gu Bai had been sleeping on the floor ever since.
Last night, feeling guilty, Ruan Tong had offered him the bed, but he refused.
Hmph!
If he likes sleeping on the floor so much, let him keep doing it. Don’t even think about getting into bed come winter!
Freeze him to death, the jerk!
Ruan Tong gritted her teeth at the thought.
Around ten o’clock, Gu Bai rode the bicycle, taking Ruan Tong back to her parents’ home.
The entire Gu family owned only one Forever-brand bicycle.
Gu Bai rode the 28-inch heavy-duty bike with remarkable steadiness and speed.
As soon as Ruan Tong and Gu Bai stepped into the courtyard, they heard Wang Ying’s voice coming from inside the house.
Wang Ying, who was usually stern and unsmiling, managed a faint smile for Gu Bai, though it vanished quickly as she resumed her cool demeanor.
“Fourth Brother, my mom is usually like this—she doesn’t smile much. Please don’t mind it,” Ruan Tong whispered to Gu Bai.
Wang Ying’s ears were sharp, and she naturally caught the remark. She shot Ruan Tong a glare. “You silly girl, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and bring Xiao Gu inside!”
Ruan Tong playfully stuck out her tongue and tugged at Gu Bai’s sleeve to lead him in.
Gu Bai glanced at the pale, delicate hand pulling him, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he averted his gaze and subtly freed his sleeve.
In the village, guests were usually entertained by the kang, a heated brick bed.
A small kang table was placed on it, used for serving snacks.
Though Wang Ying had a cold demeanor, often wearing a stern expression as if someone owed her money, and her sharp tongue spared no one, she was anything but stingy.
She laid out all the best treats on the kang table to entertain her son-in-law.
Gu Bai politely took an orange and held it in his hand.
Seeing this, Ruan Tong unceremoniously took the orange from him, peeled it, and fed a segment into his mouth.
Watching the young couple getting along well, Wang Ying’s worried heart finally settled.
“Xiao Gu, how are your parents doing?” Wang Ying poured a cup of water and placed it before him, asking with concern.
The Gu and Ruan families had been close since their ancestors’ time. Though they didn’t live in the same village, it didn’t hinder their bond.
“They’re both doing well.”
Gu Bai was also a man of few words. With Old Ruan not at home, Wang Ying wasn’t sure what else to talk about with her son-in-law.
Seeing the conversation stall, Ruan Tong helplessly pursed her lips and spoke up to ease the awkward atmosphere. “Mom, I wasn’t feeling well a few days ago, so I didn’t bring Gu Bai back in time. Sorry for making you worry.”
Hearing this, Wang Ying understood that her old ailment had flared up again. She frowned. “Was it because you were exhausted from the wedding?”
As she spoke, her eyes occasionally drifted toward Gu Bai.
That blatant look wasn’t about wedding exhaustion—it was clearly hinting at whether he had been unrestrained on their wedding night!
Even Gu Bai, who usually remained unflappable in any situation, found his composure slipping at this moment.
Ruan Tong suppressed a smile and continued playing the victim. “This time, I slept for three days straight. I really don’t know why.”
Instead of sympathizing, Wang Ying shot her a disdainful look.
If it were her, seeing a newlywed wife who slept so much, she’d probably have thrown her out long ago.
How did she end up with such a delicate, strange condition!
Ruan Tong was given a sidelong glance and couldn’t possibly be unaware of her mother’s thoughts. She continued, “Gu Bai and my mother-in-law have been looking after me the whole time. They’ve both been very good to me.”
Wang Ying raised an eyebrow, looking at the clever Ruan Tong. This girl had indeed become much more sensible since getting married.
“Wife, I’m back!”
Just then, a shout came from outside the door.
“You’re back, so what? No need to shout! I’m not deaf!” Wang Ying grumbled as she got off the kang and went out to greet him.
Ruan Tong couldn’t help but chuckle softly, looking up at him. “They usually interact like this. You’ll get used to it.”
“It’s quite nice,” Gu Bai replied, a rare hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Seeing this, Ruan Tong was slightly taken aback. So he could smile too. When he smiled, it was like a flower blooming—bright, warm, and comforting.
Just as Ruan Tong was lost in her thoughts, Old Man Ruan came in. Seeing his son-in-law sitting on the kang, he immediately beamed. “Xiao Gu, today we must have a few drinks, no matter what!”
“All you think about is drinking!” Wang Ying grew angry at the mention of alcohol.
Old Man Ruan, not one to miss such a good drinking opportunity, winked at Ruan Tong. “Tongtong, go help your mom pick vegetables.”
“Alright!” Ruan Tong, catching the hint, quickly got off the kang and pulled Wang Ying outside.
Wang Ying shot Old Man Ruan a fierce glare from across the room before letting her daughter lead her out.
Once outside, Wang Ying resumed her cool demeanor. She gave Ruan Tong a once-over and spoke with a tone of disdain, “You’re a newlywed. Why are you dressed so plainly?”
Ruan Tong was wearing a simple white shirt and dark blue pants, which coincidentally matched Gu Bai’s outfit, giving off a couple’s vibe.
To be honest, the two of them standing together—the woman beautiful, the man handsome—were quite a perfect match.
“I prefer to keep things low-key,” Ruan Tong said, pulling over a small stool and sitting down to help Wang Ying peel garlic.
Wang Ying glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, watching her peel the garlic. She teased, “Oh, it’s only been a few days since you got married, and you already know how to peel garlic? And you say they treat you well? Seems like you’re just putting on a brave face!”
Wang Ying didn’t lower her voice, so the two men in the inner room heard her clearly.
Old Man Ruan had only this one daughter and had doted on her like a treasure since she was young.
Gu Bai was well aware of this.
Hearing this, both men felt a bit awkward.
Old Man Ruan forced a few dry laughs. “Xiao Gu, Tongtong has been spoiled by me since she was little. If she does anything wrong in your family, please look out for her.”
Gu Bai nodded. “Don’t worry, Dad. Ruan Tong is very capable, and my parents like her too.”
The underlying meaning was: You know your daughter well—she’s not one to let herself be taken advantage of.
To put it bluntly, Ruan Tong was no pushover.
But these words, Gu Bai would only keep to himself and not say them out loud.
Since Ruan Tong had married him, she was his person, and he would protect her no matter what.
“Good,” Old Man Ruan replied with a smile, though he still felt a bit worried.
He knew Gu Bai was just saying this to be polite. After all, he knew his daughter’s temperament all too well.
In the yard.
Wang Ying’s words grew increasingly outrageous, and Ruan Tong had no choice but to pull her into the side room. “Mom, keep your voice down.”
“What? Are you embarrassed?” Wang Ying affectionately ruffled Ruan Tong’s hair. “Let me ask you, are you still in touch with Su Yue? I heard he went to the Gu family on the day of the wedding?”
“Why would I be in touch with him? We were just ordinary friends to begin with.”
Ruan Tong explained with a serious expression.
“Hah!” Wang Ying gave her a forced, insincere smile. “Let me warn you, you’d better not have any more dealings with that Su fellow. If your in-laws find out and kick you out, don’t come crying back to us—we can’t afford that kind of shame!”
Wang Ying wasn’t just trying to scare Ruan Tong; she was fully capable of following through on her threat.