Chapter 99: Father Sheng Knows His Daughter Is Dating
Gu Tingxiao was a deeply traditional man. He firmly believed that a man should shoulder the expenses on a date, and that even after marriage, a husband should surrender his wages and let his wife have the final say in the household. That was the unwritten rule of the Gu family.
Sensing his pride might take a hit, Sheng Wanyan quickly spoke up as she handed the money over. “I’m just paying with the allowance you sent me,” she said smoothly, not wanting him to feel any psychological burden.
Her words were perfectly timed. The waiter at the state-run restaurant had been glaring at Gu Tingxiao with absolute contempt, clearly assuming the tall soldier was a deadbeat gigolo forcing a young girl to foot the bill. But the moment Wanyan spoke, the waiter’s expression instantly morphed into one of friendly respect. Realizing he had completely misunderstood the situation, the waiter looked thoroughly embarrassed.
Hearing his little girl deliberately go out of her way to protect his dignity in public, Gu Tingxiao felt a rush of warmth in his chest, as sweet as honey. She was incredibly considerate.
They found a quiet table and sat down. Gu Tingxiao immediately poured hot water from the kettle, meticulously rinsing Wanyan’s chopsticks and bowl before handing them to her. Wanyan watched his careful movements. For a man who looked so rugged and imposing, he was remarkably attentive to her needs. That contrast—a tough, battle-hardened soldier with such a gentle, delicate touch—was undeniably addictive.
When the waiter called their order, Gu Tingxiao left her to watch the table while he went to collect the food. The moment he returned, he scooped a full bowl of rice and set it gently in front of Wanyan before he even thought about serving himself.
Wanyan picked up a piece of the braised fish. She absolutely loved the soft, fragrant meat from the fish belly. Gu Tingxiao, who had been watching her every move, noticed her preference instantly. He completely avoided the tender belly cuts, opting instead to eat the bony head and tail sections so she could have the best parts.
Seeing his stubborn selflessness, Wanyan felt a wave of helpless affection. She picked up a large, fleshy piece of fish and dropped it squarely into his bowl. Gu Tingxiao looked at the meat, then looked up at her, his dark eyes burning with intense, fiery emotion.
His gaze was so deep and passionate that Wanyan felt as if she were being pulled right into him. Suddenly flustered by the intensity, she turned her head away, let out a soft cough, and shot him a playful glare.
“Stop staring at me! Eat your food.”
“Okay!” Gu Tingxiao replied obediently. He immediately picked up a large chicken drumstick, placed it in her bowl, and finally began to eat his own meal properly.
Wanyan thoroughly enjoyed the dinner. With him catering to her every need, all she had to do was open her mouth and eat; she didn’t have to worry about a single other detail. She was quickly discovering the perks of being utterly spoiled, and realized that being pampered could be dangerously addictive.
If he takes care of me like this for the rest of my life, I’ll turn into a completely useless little thing, she mused. Then again… that didn’t sound so bad. After all, her ultimate goal in this era was to coast through life as comfortably as possible.
Once they were full, Gu Tingxiao had no choice but to obey Wanyan’s strict orders to head to the military guesthouse and get some proper rest. However, he absolutely refused to part ways at the restaurant, insisting on escorting her all the way back to the tube-shaped building first. He just wanted to steal a few more glances at the girl he had been missing so desperately.
Standing at the entrance of her apartment building, Wanyan looked up at him. “Well, I’m going upstairs now.”
Gu Tingxiao nodded reluctantly. “I… I’ll come pick you up from work tomorrow.” He then held out the massive canvas sack he had been carrying. “This is everything I brought for you. Take it.”
The bag was stuffed with rare goods and gifts he had used his connections to procure from the Capital. Wanyan reached out to accept it, but the sheer, unexpected weight of the massive bundle nearly dragged her straight to the pavement. She staggered forward with a gasp.
Seeing her lose her balance, Gu Tingxiao instantly shot out a hand to steady her arm and effortlessly snatched the heavy bag back.
Wanyan looked at the bag in utter bewilderment. Did this man pack a sack full of solid iron?! Why is it so impossibly heavy? She hadn’t realized its weight when she was sitting on the back of his bicycle resting it on her lap, but trying to hold it while standing was a different story altogether. The bag easily weighed over forty pounds. Gu Tingxiao had lugged it all the way from his military base to Chengdu, carrying it casually in one hand without breaking a sweat. Were all soldiers this freakishly strong?
“Are you alright?” Gu Tingxiao asked, his face flashing with regret. “I’ll carry it up for you.”
He mentally scolded himself for being so careless. His little girl was so delicate; how could he hand her such a heavy burden? He resolved to take better care of her in the future and shield her from any heavy lifting so she wouldn’t hurt herself.
Wanyan felt a bit embarrassed. “I’m fine, it just caught me off guard for a second.” She didn’t want him to look down on her. Now that she knew the weight, she was mentally prepared and wasn’t about to let him laugh at her.
“I’ll carry it up,” Gu Tingxiao repeated, ignoring her excuses. In his mind, his girl was just trying to act tough. As long as he was around, there was no need for her to put on a brave face. When he wasn’t there, she had to handle everything on her own, but now that he was by her side, she was supposed to rely on him.
Wanyan looked at him. This man was entirely incapable of hiding his feelings; his protective instincts were written all over his face. His obvious, earnest concern sent a rush of warmth through her heart. It was rare to find someone who knew how to cherish her so deeply. She didn’t argue further; refusing again would just seem pretentious. Besides, they were partners now—wasn’t it normal for him to spoil her with gifts?
Taking her silence as agreement, Gu Tingxiao effortlessly hoisted the bag and followed her into the stairwell.
Wanyan led the way, carrying only the light fabric from the factory, while Gu Tingxiao’s tall, broad frame shadowed her from behind. His towering presence radiated an invisible, deeply comforting sense of security.
When they reached her door, Gu Tingxiao stopped. He knew it would be inappropriate to intrude on her family at this late hour. He planned to rest up for two days, purchase proper formal gifts, and then officially present himself to the Sheng family.
“Go on inside,” he urged softly.
Wanyan nodded. Gu Tingxiao stood in the dimly lit hallway, watching her until the door clicked shut behind her, before finally turning on his heel and descending the stairs with long strides.
Inside the apartment, the Sheng family had just finished their dinner and were gathered in the living room listening to the radio.
Mother Sheng took one look at the massive military bag in Wanyan’s arms and instantly knew what was going on. After all, Sheng Wanze always brought his belongings home in that exact same type of military rucksack.
“Is Xiao Gu here?” Mother Sheng asked knowingly.
“Mhm,” Wanyan hummed in agreement, setting her things down.
Mother Sheng frowned, instantly exasperated. “You silly girl! He travels all this way and you don’t even invite Xiao Gu inside to sit down for a cup of tea?”
The rest of the family turned to look at Wanyan, but it was Father Sheng whose reaction stole the show. He stared at his wife in absolute, unadulterated shock.
“Wife!!! What are you talking about?!” Father Sheng sputtered, his eyes wide as saucers.
His precious daughter was dating someone? And he was the last to know?!
“My little girl! You’re courting someone?!” Father Sheng scrambled to his feet, completely abandoning the radio broadcast. “Which family does this brat belong to?! When did this happen?!”
“Who silently stole my daughter right from under my nose?! Who did this?!” He paced the living room, muttering frantically, “Who stole my girl? How did he pull it off?”
If he found out which little punk was responsible, he swore he was going to wring his neck!
