Chapter 35: Gu Tingxiao’s Thoughts
“As long as you like it.”
Gu Tingxiao had racked his brain for a long time, only to finally utter this single sentence. To Sheng Wanyan, he looked exactly like a large, eager wolfhound, staring at her with earnest eyes.
She thought about it for a moment and decided to accept the gift. She had already seen through Gu Tingxiao’s character—if she didn’t take it, he absolutely wouldn’t back down.
“Thank you.”
Gu Tingxiao breathed a quiet sigh of relief when he saw her accept the box. He clenched his fists, hiding his sweaty palms from her sight.
Sheng Wanyan turned to go wash her new bicycle. Coming down the stairs, Sheng Wanze paused the moment he saw the two of them together.
Why did he get the feeling that Gu Tingxiao had ulterior motives? Didn’t this guy usually stay a hundred meters away from the female comrades in the art troupe?
Now, not only had he walked back with his sister, but he was following her downstairs to wash a bicycle. More importantly, Gu Tingxiao was shadowing her just two steps behind.
When did he ever get this close to women?!
You could beat Sheng Wanze to death and he still wouldn’t believe that Gu Tingxiao didn’t have a hidden agenda.
Good grief, Wanze thought indignantly. I bring him home for a meal, and he actually dares to set his sights on my own sister! Is he even human?
Down in the courtyard, just as Sheng Wanyan was about to dip a rag into the bucket of water, it was snatched away by a large, calloused hand.
Their fingers inevitably brushed against each other. Sheng Wanyan quickly let go of the rag and pulled her hand back.
“I’ll do it,” Gu Tingxiao said smoothly.
He took the rag and squatted down to help her wash the bicycle. If one looked closely, they might have noticed a flicker of flustered unease in his eyes.
It was his first time making physical contact with a girl, and the soft, smooth brush of Sheng Wanyan’s skin had made his heart tremble. For a split second, he had been afraid that if he gripped too tightly, he might crush her delicate hand.
Sheng Wanyan stood back, left with no choice but to watch the two grown men diligently wash the bicycles. They were incredibly thorough. Not even the smallest gap between the wheel spokes was missed. They treated the bikes with the same meticulous care one might give their own child—though, considering the cost of a bicycle in this era, it practically was the financial equivalent of raising a child.
Seeing that there was nothing left for her to do, Sheng Wanyan strolled over to sit under the shade of a nearby tree. She fished a White Rabbit creamy candy out of her pocket, unwrapped it, and popped it into her mouth.
But the moment the sweet scent hit the air, all the children playing in the courtyard swarmed around her.
“I want candy too!”
“I want to eat one too!”
“Sister Wanyan~”
Surrounded by five or six kids looking up at her with expectant, drooling faces, Sheng Wanyan couldn’t help but smile. She pulled a handful of candies from her pocket and handed one to each child.
The kids were thrilled. They clutched their prizes and thanked her sweetly.
“Thank you, Sister Wanyan!”
“This candy is so sweet!”
“Alright, go play. There’s no more,” Sheng Wanyan said, waving them off.
The children happily scattered. They were perfectly content with just one piece and didn’t pester her for the four candies she still held in her hand.
Sheng Wanyan walked over and handed two candies each to Sheng Wanze and Gu Tingxiao, playfully calling it their “reward” for washing the bikes.
Gu Tingxiao looked down at the two White Rabbit candies in his palm and let out a silent, inward laugh.
Is she treating me like a child?
He never ate sweets, but for the first time in his life, he carefully tucked the candies into his pocket.
Gu Tingxiao took his leave before Mother Sheng had finished cooking dinner. Before heading out the door, he glanced over at Sheng Wanyan, who was sitting by the sewing machine helping Grandma Sheng sort through some fabrics.
Sensing his gaze, Sheng Wanyan looked up and offered a polite smile. “Goodbye.”
Seeing her smile, Gu Tingxiao’s heart skipped a beat. His sharp eyes softened noticeably as he looked at her.
“Goodbye.”
Sheng Wanze walked him downstairs to see him off. The moment they were out of earshot, Wanze turned to him.
“You… are you interested in my sister?” Sheng Wanze asked directly, skipping any pretense.
“Yes.”
Gu Tingxiao didn’t try to hide it. He admitted his feelings openly and frankly.
“You… you’ve got some nerve!” Sheng Wanze sputtered. “I invite you to my home for a friendly meal, and you set your sights on my sister! You… you…”
Sheng Wanze was rendered speechless by his comrade’s sheer audacity. Was this how a brother-in-arms behaved? What a terrible comrade! He was nothing but a shameless thief!
“Comrade Sheng Wanze, you know exactly what kind of man I am,” Gu Tingxiao said steadily, meeting his glare. “I will treat her well.”
Hearing this only made Sheng Wanze angrier, though deep down, he had to admit that Gu Tingxiao was an exceptionally good catch. Still, the thought of his precious younger sister being stolen away made his heart ache.
“There are plenty of good comrades out there. My sister is outstanding—she might not even be interested in you!” Sheng Wanze retorted stubbornly, lifting his chin in a rare display of brotherly pride.
His sister was an independent person. The way she had looked at Gu Tingxiao today was no different from how she would look at an ordinary friend.
Hearing this, Gu Tingxiao sighed inwardly. He wasn’t blind; he could clearly see that Sheng Wanyan currently harbored no romantic feelings for him.
But as the saying went, even the most independent woman couldn’t resist a devoted, persistent man. He would patiently work to make her accept him, step by step.
It seemed he needed to head back to base and take on more missions. Earning enough merit for another round of vacation time to properly court her had just become his top priority.
Back upstairs, Sheng Wanze sat at the dinner table, sneaking frequent, protective glances at Sheng Wanyan.
Sheng Wanyan found his constant staring baffling. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore.
“What are you doing?”
Sheng Wanze silently picked up a large piece of braised pork and placed it in her bowl. Wanyan just stared at him, thinking her brother was acting incredibly weird today.
“Eat more,” Sheng Wanze said softly. “I’m heading back to the army tomorrow. I’ll have to rely on you to take good care of the family while I’m gone.”
Sheng Wanyan rolled her eyes at his solemn tone. “Obviously. They’re my parents and grandparents too, you know.”
Sheng Wanze smiled and nodded.
Throughout the meal, Grandpa and Father Sheng took turns imparting their usual patriotic lectures.
“Once you return to your unit, you must train hard and contribute to the motherland.”
“Don’t let down the country that has nurtured and trusted you.”
“I understand, Grandpa. I understand, Dad,” Sheng Wanze replied earnestly.
Grandpa Sheng nodded, taking a satisfied sip of his wine. He had always been at ease with his grandson’s character.
Grandma and Mother Sheng were deeply reluctant to see him go, but they knew this was his duty. There was nothing they could do except offer their full support so he wouldn’t be distracted or hindered on the front lines. They were incredibly proud of the path he had chosen, even if it broke their hearts to watch him leave.
Seeing the suppressed sadness in his mother and grandmother’s eyes, Sheng Wanze felt a heavy lump form in his throat. He felt so guilty for leaving them behind, but a soldier’s duty always called.
“Mom, Grandma… eat some meat,” he urged gently.
Mother Sheng sighed. Never mind, she thought to herself. It’s my own fault for raising such a dutiful son.
She picked up a piece of meat and forced herself to eat.
After dinner, Mother Sheng pulled Wanze into her room and handed him a wad of cash.
“Here is a hundred yuan. Take it with you.”
“Mom, I don’t need this much,” Sheng Wanze protested immediately. “Just give me enough for the bus fare.”
Mother Sheng insisted, pressing the money firmly into his hand. He was officially engaged now, and his fiancée was stationed in the exact same military region. He needed to have money on hand. If the two of them went out on dates, was he going to make the girl pay for herself?
“I’m giving this to you for your dates. There’s no reason to mistreat Pan Yue or make our family look stingy,” she scolded gently.
Hearing her reasoning, Sheng Wanze finally accepted the cash. Now that he was engaged to Pan Yue, it was his responsibility to treat her well and ensure she was never looked down upon by others.
Seeing him listen to reason, Mother Sheng felt a wave of relief. At least this son wasn’t completely hopeless; he was still teachable.
