Chapter 49: Give Each Other a Chance to Understand Each Other
Wasting food was the ultimate disgrace in this era.
Sheng Wanyan braced herself to keep eating, but before she could dig her chopsticks back in, the ceramic bowl was smoothly lifted away by a large hand.
She looked up, completely stunned, only to see Gu Tingxiao lowering his head and calmly finishing the rest of her rice. Wanyan was entirely at a loss. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words trapped tightly in her throat.
In her previous life, she had lived to be thirty years old, and aside from her immediate family when she was a small child, absolutely no one had ever eaten her leftovers. Witnessing a virtual stranger do this so naturally left her feeling a strange mixture of helplessness and deep embarrassment.
Gu Tingxiao ate with practiced ease, but the moment he looked up and caught the frozen, bewildered expression on her delicate face, he realized he had been far too presumptuous.
Yet, he refused to apologize or wait any longer. The dramatic incident with Chen Ming had been a sharp wake-up call; it proved that entirely too many opportunistic men were already circling his girl. She was so independent, brave, and unyielding—even when facing a malicious thug, she hadn’t backed down for a single second. That fierce, fearless spirit of hers only made his heart race faster.
If he continued to bide his time, she would undoubtedly be courted by someone else.
He had already spent enough time studying her character to know she was a rare treasure: thoughtful, fiercely insightful, courageous, and possessed a proud dignity. A girl like that was destined to be the most dazzling presence wherever she walked. Yesterday, a wretched creature like Chen Ming had crawled out of the woodwork; tomorrow, an exceptionally outstanding man might step forward to win her favor.
The world was vast and her future was bright; he had absolutely no way of stopping the romantic suitors that would inevitably cross her path. The only logical strategy was to break the ice, settle the relationship, and firmly secure his status. Once their bond was formalized, even if she still felt shy around him, he would have a legitimate, undisputed right to stand by her side.
Gu Tingxiao was a man of absolute execution, and this was the singular purpose of his entire trip to Chengdu.
He fixed his gaze on her, his eyes burning with an intense, undisguised passion. Sheng Wanyan’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly averted her eyes, looking out the window to avoid his piercing stare.
Gu Tingxiao let out a low, amused chuckle. It was entirely obvious that the clever girl understood exactly what he was doing and was simply trying to evade him. If it weren’t for his timely intervention the day before, she likely would have kept her emotional distance, treating him with nothing more than polite gratitude.
But now that his intentions were laid completely bare, she seemed reluctant to even finish this lunch. He only had a two-week leave this time, and once the long travel days were deducted, he was left with a mere five days central to Chengdu. Time was running out.
“Um… I should probably get back to the office,” Sheng Wanyan muttered, strictly refusing to meet his eyes. She desperately needed some quiet time to sort through her thoughts.
She truly didn’t know how to define her feelings toward Gu Tingxiao. Coming from a modern world, the concept of love at first sight felt entirely unrealistic to her. Her core values regarding romance aligned with the rules of free, modern courtship. To claim she was already harboring deep, romantic love for him would be a lie. After all, this was only their third face-to-face meeting, and she wasn’t so starved for affection that she would blindly leap into a relationship just because a man was decent and attractive.
She needed to understand him thoroughly—his true character, his flaws, and his long-term attitude toward a partnership. Furthermore, the people of this generation viewed courtship with an intense, lifelong seriousness. She needed time to weigh whether she was truly ready to take such a monumental step with him. Until she reached a clear conclusion, she refused to send him any false, ambiguous signals. Wasting someone else’s genuine devotion and sincerity was something she considered deeply shameful.
“I’ll walk you back,” Gu Tingxiao said, leaving her no room to argue. He stood up, towering over the table, and smoothly slung her canvas bag over his shoulder.
Sheng Wanyan looked at his tall, rigid silhouette and let out a silent, defeated sigh. She quietly followed him out of the State-Owned Restaurant.
Gu Tingxiao escorted her all the way to the heavy gates of the cotton mill, gently handing her bag back to her.
“I’ll be waiting here to pick you up when you clock out,” he said.
“There’s really no need,” she replied quickly. “I have my bicycle, so I can ride home in just a few minutes.”
Gu Tingxiao paused. He knew he couldn’t push her too hard or back her into a corner. Yet, the sheer urgency clawing at his chest was enough to make stress blisters pop up on his lips.
“Comrade Sheng Wanyan.”
“Yes?”
Sheng Wanyan looked up. Gu Tingxiao suddenly stepped back, adjusted the lines of his crisp military uniform, and delivered a flawless, rigid military salute. He stood perfectly straight, his expression intensely solemn, his brow slightly furrowed, and his sharp eyes locking onto hers. Despite his severe posture, his tone was laced with absolute, raw sincerity.
“Comrade Sheng Wanyan, please allow me to formally introduce myself.”
“My name is Gu Tingxiao. I am twenty-six years old, and I currently serve as the deputy commander of the Thunder Leopard Special Unit, stationed under the Tenth Military Region of the Eastern Theater Command.”
“I do not smoke. I drink occasionally, but strictly during formal gatherings with my comrades or family celebrations. I harbor no other vices or bad habits.”
“My grandparents and parents are in excellent health. I am the third child in my family. I have an older brother, an older sister, and a younger brother—all of whom have already wed and established their own households. The moment I marry, my bride and I will legally separate from the main estate and establish our own home immediately!”
“Comrade Sheng Wanyan! You are exceptionally talented, independent, brave, and wise. I am deeply and utterly attracted to you.”
“I formally request that you consider me as a suitor, and I ask to court you with the explicit, solemn purpose of marriage!”
“I swear to remain eternally loyal to my motherland—and to you!”
Gu Tingxiao’s voice was like iron, each word resonating with powerful, unyielding conviction. He was offering her one hundred percent of his sincerity.
Sheng Wanyan was entirely blindsided by his sudden, booming confession. They were standing right outside the factory entrance, after all. Thank goodness the shift had already started and the courtyard was deserted; otherwise, the entire workforce would have swarmed out to watch the spectacle.
Gu Tingxiao stared down at her flushed, conflicted face, silently waiting for his verdict.
Sheng Wanyan opened her mouth, but the words of polite rejection caught in her throat.
“You don’t have to give me an answer right now,” Gu Tingxiao added quickly, sensing her hesitation. “Take all the time you need to think it over. As long as you remain unattached, I will never give up.” A soldier on the battlefield never retreated.
Sheng Wanyan took a deep, steadying breath and looked up into his intense eyes. Since he had already boldly torn through the final layer of pretense, she decided it was time to speak with absolute clarity.
“Comrade Gu Tingxiao, your confession is incredibly sudden,” she said, her voice calm. “We have only crossed paths three times in total. We don’t truly know each other, nor do we understand each other’s underlying temperaments, quirks, or personalities.”
“To be completely honest, I do not harbor romantic feelings for you at this moment. Right now, you are simply a friend I happen to know. Do you understand what I mean?”
Gu Tingxiao nodded firmly. He understood perfectly; he knew his approach had been entirely abrupt.
“Comrade Sheng Wanyan, I understand every factor you’ve raised, and those are challenges I am fully prepared to overcome,” he countered earnestly. “I only ask that you give us a mutual chance to get to know one another.”
Sheng Wanyan lowered her head, slipping into deep thought. Gu Tingxiao watched her breathlessly, his fists clenching so hard that cold sweat slicked his palms. He had never felt this level of terror, not even when leading a charge into enemy fire. In battle, the stakes were clear; at worst, he would lay down his life for victory.
But the girl before him was different. He couldn’t force her compliance. She wasn’t an enemy to be conquered; she was his beloved. He was terrified she would shut him out entirely; she was remarkably rational, and if she chose to be, she could be utterly ruthless.
The silence stretched on for more than ten minutes. Gu Tingxiao’s hands began to imperceptibly tremble.
Finally, Sheng Wanyan let out a long breath. She raised her head, her beautiful eyes curving into a soft, radiant smile.
“Alright,” she agreed softly. “But if either of us finds the arrangement unsuitable down the line, I expect you to respect my boundaries and walk away without any further pursuit. We will part as well-wishers.”
Hearing her terms, a massive weight lifted from Gu Tingxiao’s chest. He nodded furiously, agreeing to her conditions without a second thought. As for whatever tactical schemes were already running through his brilliant military mind, she didn’t need to know.
“Then I will absolutely be here to pick you up after work,” he blurted out, his stoic mask completely shattering. “We’ll go see a movie together.”
Sheng Wanyan nodded. Since she had decided to give the courtship a fair chance, there was no point in acting falsely coy. Besides, with her independent mindset, she knew she possessed more than enough leverage to withdraw the moment things went south.
“Good,” she smiled.
Gu Tingxiao was so intensely excited that his limbs went entirely rigid. He stood frozen, suddenly having no idea what to do with his hands or feet, his words tripping over themselves as he stuttered, “Then… then… I’m going to the theater to secure the tickets right now. You go on back to work.”
