Chapter 125: First Arrival in the Capital — Part 1
It was a good thing both men had the foresight to bring military vehicles. Wanyan and her family had brought a staggering amount of luggage; their two trunks were packed to the bursting point. Mother Sheng had even entertained the idea of bringing along all their old pots and pans; if Wanyan hadn’t talked her out of it, the house in Chengdu would have been stripped bare.
Sheng Wanze took the wheel of the first car. Since his parents and grandparents had missed him terribly, they all piled into his vehicle to catch up. This left Gu Tingxiao and Sheng Wanyan with a rare moment of privacy in the second car. They sat together in the back, and for a few miles, neither spoke. After months apart, a sudden shyness had settled between them. Eventually, Gu Tingxiao reached out shamelessly and took her hand.
“Wanyan, the journey must have been exhausting for you.”
“It wasn’t too bad,” she replied. “I didn’t really suffer.”
And she hadn’t. With the family occupying their own compartment, they had plenty to eat and drink, and they could sleep soundly without the constant fear of pickpockets.
In only six days, they would be married. Gu Tingxiao’s heart raced every time the thought crossed his mind. He had been counting down the days, wishing he could bring her home immediately.
“Keep up with the others,” Wanyan urged softly. She was worried the elders in the front car would look back, see them lingering, and start getting ideas.
Gu Tingxiao knew it wasn’t the time for a long, private talk, so he accelerated to follow Wanze’s car out of the station.
The Gu family had prepared a small courtyard for the Shengs in a quiet alley not far from the military compound. As soon as Wanyan saw the property, she felt a familiar stir of excitement. In her previous life, she had inherited more properties than she could count and lived a life of such privilege that she rarely gave land a second thought. Now, things were different. Everything she wanted, she had to earn with her own hands. Looking at the traditional architecture, she made a silent vow: in a few years, she would buy a few courtyards in the Capital and perhaps some alley houses in Shanghai if the chance arose. Even if she didn’t live in them, they were excellent assets for the future.
The courtyard was about 200 square meters. It featured four rooms and a central living area usually used for dining. The kitchen was located in the backyard, equipped with a traditional wood-burning stove. A neat stack of firewood stood nearby, likely prepared by Gu Tingxiao over the past few weeks. In the corner of the backyard sat a red-brick outhouse, matching the brickwork of the main rooms.
The front yard was dedicated to laundry, featuring a sturdy drying rack. It was a simple design—wooden beams lashed into “M” shapes with a long pole laid across the top—perfect for hanging fresh wash.
Hearing the cars pull up, Pan Yue hurried out of the kitchen, spatula still in hand. She greeted them with a brilliant, enthusiastic smile.
“Grandma, Mom, Dad, Wanyan! You’re finally here!”
“Oh, Xiaoyue! Come let me look at you,” Mother Sheng cried, rushing forward. “Have you been alright at the military base? Did Wanze bully you?”
Pan Yue shook her head, laughing as she answered her mother-in-law. “I’m fine, Mom. I have my work, and the family compound is very comfortable. I haven’t lacked for anything. Wanze is wonderful, too—he’s very family-oriented and comes straight home as soon as he’s off duty.”
“That’s good, that’s good. We can rest easy knowing you’re happy.”
While the women chatted happily, Gu Tingxiao and Sheng Wanze began unloading the vehicles.
“Grandma, Dad, Mom—the rooms are all set,” Pan Yue explained. “I thought Grandma and Wanyan could take the two middle rooms, and Mom and Dad could take the one on the left?”
Pan Yue had made the beds early that morning, and Gu Tingxiao had already given the entire place a thorough scrubbing.
“That’s perfect, dear. You’ve thought of everything,” Mother Sheng said, patting Pan Yue’s hand in approval.
“And the water is hot and ready,” Pan Yue added. “You can all wash up before we sit down for dinner.”
“I smell like a stable,” Father Sheng groaned. He was the first to grab his clothes and sprint toward the washroom.
Gu Tingxiao helped Wanyan carry her luggage to her room. She had brought more than anyone else, as she wouldn’t be returning to Chengdu after the move to the capital. Everything she owned was in these bags. Even her bicycle had already been handled; Gu Tingxiao had found an old comrade who drove a transport truck to ship it to the base for her.
Wanyan pulled out a large cloth bag containing her immediate clothes and toiletries, leaving the rest in a heavy wooden chest she didn’t feel like opening yet.
“Wanyan, let me help you hang those up.”
Gu Tingxiao was hovering around her like a shadow, eager to be useful. Wanyan didn’t see the point in being overly formal, so she stepped aside and let him help.
“Alright, thank you.”
He set to work immediately, hanging her dresses with care. Meanwhile, Wanyan gathered her travel-worn clothes and headed to the yard to wash them. Halfway through, she suddenly remembered the “private” items still in her cloth bag—the camisoles and undergarments of the era. She dropped the washbasin and bolted back to the room.
By the time she got there, Gu Tingxiao had already finished organizing the bag.
“You… you finished sorting everything?” Wanyan asked, her voice a bit thin.
Gu Tingxiao nodded, maintaining a stoic face, but the tips of his ears had turned a bright, telltale crimson. While tidying, he had come across the smaller, more personal garments. At first, he had considered leaving them for her to find, but he realized that leaving them out in the open might make her even more embarrassed. He decided it was better to simply fold them neatly and put them away. Surely it wasn’t a crime for a man to help his fiancée with the laundry?
Wanyan’s face flushed instantly. He didn’t have to be so honest about it. “Why didn’t you wait for me to come back?” she stammered. Handling those items was much different than just seeing them.
“Cough!” Gu Tingxiao cleared his throat, clenching a fist to hide a nervous twitch of his lips. “Wanyan, we’re getting married in six days. I don’t think you should be the only one doing chores after we’re married. You’ll have to get used to me helping.”
Wanyan’s face burned even hotter. It was the first time in either of her lives that a man had handled her clothes so intimately. “I’m… I’m going to go hang the laundry,” she managed to say before fleeing the room.
Gu Tingxiao watched her go, noting her red ears and her lack of an actual protest. A triumphant smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. His little fiancée was shy.
After everyone had bathed, the family gathered in the living room. Knowing they wouldn’t have eaten well on the train, Pan Yue had gone all out. She had started a pot of chicken soup at noon and prepared a soothing millet porridge. The table was spread with braised pork, braised fish, and her family’s signature pickled radishes—the perfect savory accompaniment to the hot porridge.
