Chapter 51: Promise to Date
The women in his family always loved shopping at the Friendship Store for overseas Chinese. He wasn’t entirely sure what this young woman liked, but he figured the premium items there would definitely please her.
“Thank you. I like it a lot.”
Sheng Wanyan accepted the hairpin with a smile. Although Gu Tingxiao’s taste was distinctly masculine, he hadn’t picked out anything gaudy. She really couldn’t appreciate those brightly colored, red-and-green clothes and hair accessories of this era. Wearing them made a person look like a walking floral quilt, or a circus monkey put on display for everyone to stare at.
Seeing that she genuinely liked the gift, Gu Tingxiao breathed a quiet sigh of relief. He watched her enter the apartment building before finally turning around to leave.
Back in her room, Sheng Wanyan pressed a hand against her chest, feeling her steady heartbeat. She had to admit, she felt pretty good today.
This was her first official date in this era. Although she had often gone to the movies in her past life, it had always been with a group of friends. She had no shortage of suitors, but they had all been chasing after her wealth and family background. She hated the feeling of being placed on a pedestal. What she truly wanted was a relationship built on equal footing and genuine communication.
She wasn’t strictly opposed to marriage or having a family, so she wouldn’t stubbornly push away a good opportunity when it presented itself. Sometimes, you had to grasp what was yours; otherwise, it would be too late for regrets once it slipped away.
Sheng Wanyan took a deep breath to steady herself. She decided she should give him—and herself—a real chance. With her capabilities, she could afford to lose. There was nothing to be afraid of!
The next morning, when Sheng Wanyan wheeled her bicycle out for work, she found Gu Tingxiao already waiting at the entrance of the compound.
He was holding a freshly bought breakfast—steaming hot meat buns. Seeing her, he immediately strode over.
“Why are you here so early?” she asked in surprise.
“I’m here to escort you to work,” he said, pressing the paper bag into her hand. “Here, eat the buns while they’re still hot.”
Sheng Wanyan glanced at the bag, then up at him. “Have you eaten yet?”
“I’ve eaten!” he answered with absolute, rigid seriousness.
Sheng Wanyan looked him up and down, her eyes full of disbelief.
Wilting under her sharp gaze, Gu Tingxiao finally stammered, “I… I didn’t eat. But I’m not hungry.”
Sheng Wanyan sighed helplessly. Other people dated to build a life together, but at this rate, she was going to end up starving Gu Tingxiao to death. If outsiders didn’t know the truth, they’d think she was a glutton who hoarded all the food.
“I already had breakfast at home,” she said. “I’ll eat half a bun, and you can finish the rest.”
Gu Tingxiao was initially reluctant. He had been in such a rush to catch her before she left for the factory. He had hurried to the State-Owned Restaurant, bought the two meat buns, and then stood guard at the compound entrance, clutching them to his chest to keep them warm.
He only had four days left of his vacation, and he was terrified that time was running out. If Sheng Wanyan still hadn’t agreed to date him by the time he had to return to base, he would have to wait several months, or even half a year, before he could see her again. If some other man swept her off her feet during that time, he wouldn’t even have a place to cry about it.
“If you don’t eat, then I won’t eat either,” Sheng Wanyan threatened softly.
Hearing this, Gu Tingxiao immediately took a bun and started taking large bites. Despite eating so quickly, his movements were disciplined and not the least bit vulgar. After Sheng Wanyan finished her half, Gu Tingxiao seamlessly polished off her leftovers without a hint of hesitation or disgust.
Only then did he happily escort her the rest of the way to the factory. Just before she went through the gates, he told her he would come pick her up for lunch.
“Aren’t you busy at all?” Sheng Wanyan asked, puzzled. Why did it feel like Gu Tingxiao had an endless amount of free time? Every day he was here to walk her to work, pick her up, and eat meals with her.
“I’m on vacation. I’m not busy!” he declared.
“All right.” Hearing this, Sheng Wanyan had nothing more to say. It was obvious this man’s entire focus was centered firmly on her. “I’m going in.”
“Mm.”
Gu Tingxiao stood and watched her back until her slender figure completely disappeared into the factory compound. Only then did he turn to handle his own affairs.
He had come to Chengdu partly to deal with some errands assigned by his family, but his primary reason was Sheng Wanyan. There was also an official mission he was involved in—he had actively volunteered for it specifically because it stationed him closer to her.
True to his word, the moment Sheng Wanyan walked out of the factory gates at noon, Gu Tingxiao was already waiting.
Before coming over, he had made another trip to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to buy gifts for her family. He had purchased three tins of premium vanishing cream, specifically meant for the three women in the Sheng household, as well as two bottles of high-end Moutai liquor for Grandpa Sheng and Father Sheng. He had thoughtfully accounted for every single family member.
Sheng Wanyan actually had plenty of vintage Moutai stored in her space, hoarded from her previous life. In this era, whenever she got her hands on rare liquor tickets, she would buy a few bottles to stockpile, occasionally taking one out to let her grandfather and father enjoy a drink. Still, she appreciated his gesture immensely.
“Comrade Sheng Wanyan, I might need to return to my unit early,” Gu Tingxiao said, his brow furrowed with deep reluctance. They had only just started their trial period yesterday, and now he was already being pulled away.
Hearing this, Sheng Wanyan paused. She gave a small nod but said nothing.
The atmosphere between them suddenly turned heavy. Not wanting to leave things like this, Gu Tingxiao led her to a quiet, secluded corner away from the crowds. He stood at attention, his expression intensely serious, and spoke with absolute earnestness.
“Comrade Sheng Wanyan, will you officially date me with the intention of marriage? I swear I will treat you well.”
Before she could process the weight of his words, Gu Tingxiao pulled a neat stack of bills from his pocket and held it out to her. “This is my salary from last month. Please take it.”
It was exactly eighty yuan. It was his entire month’s pay, and he was offering every last cent of it to her.
Sheng Wanyan quickly pushed his hand away. This man is too foolish, she thought incredulously. Handing over his entire salary before they had even officially confirmed their relationship! If he had met a woman with malicious intentions, she could have scammed him out of everything down to his trousers.
“Comrade Gu Tingxiao,” she said softly, looking up into his anxious eyes. “I agree to be your girlfriend.”
“What???” Gu Tingxiao stared at her in utter disbelief, terrified that his ears were playing tricks on him.
“I said, I promise to date you.”
“Really… really?”
He was so overwhelmed with excitement that he could barely form a coherent sentence. Sheng Wanyan nodded again. She had thought things through very clearly the night before. She did have a good impression of Gu Tingxiao, and she was willing to see where this relationship could go. However, she still had her firm boundaries.
“But I have a condition.”
Gu Tingxiao immediately snapped to attention and nodded solemnly. As long as she was willing to be with him, he would accept anything. “As long as it doesn’t violate military principles or basic morality, I will agree to it.”
Sheng Wanyan felt a wave of helpless amusement. Did she look like the type of person to make immoral demands?
“I am agreeing to date you,” she began seriously. “But in the future, we may discover that our values don’t align, or one of us might do something unworthy of this relationship. If that day comes, I expect us to separate peacefully, without dragging it out or disrupting each other’s lives.”
Gu Tingxiao’s brows furrowed so tightly they could have crushed a fly. He didn’t fully understand why the girl he loved felt the need to be so fiercely independent and guarded. He admired her rationality, but her hardened strength also made his heart ache for her.
“Comrade Sheng Wanyan, you have my word!” he declared fiercely. “I will never do anything to betray this relationship! We are dating with the sole intention of marriage—for a lifetime!”
Seeing his intensely earnest expression, Sheng Wanyan couldn’t hold back a genuine laugh. She looked breathtakingly beautiful when she laughed. Her bright smile seemed to dim the vibrant scenery around them, reducing the world to a mere backdrop for her radiance.
Gu Tingxiao was completely dazzled. Unable to look away, his eyes remained entirely captivated by her.
