Sun Chan couldn’t help but laugh, and Han Dong anxiously defended himself: "I’ve already changed, why don’t you believe me?"
But Gu Junming didn’t listen at all and just kept serving Sun Chan food. This guy could never stop flirting with young girls in this lifetime.
While Han Dong was in the restroom, Gu Junming said to Sun Chan: "Don’t worry, I know my limits. I won’t get ambiguous with any woman."
Sun Chan nodded: "I believe you, it’s just that you’re too nice and a lot of people like you."
Gu Junming chuckled lightly: "I’ve told you, they don’t like me, they like the things I can bring them. If I were a farmer, would you still follow me? They would only scorn me. Enough about that, let me see your ID card."
Sun Chan was puzzled but took it out and showed it to him, and Gu Junming glanced at it before handing it back.
"What’s up?" Sun Sunchan asked curiously.
"Nothing," Gu Junming said. "After the New Year, you’ll be eighteen. Just two more years and I can marry you. I’m a bit impatient to bring you home."
Sun Chan didn’t expect Gu Junming to say something like that, and her face instantly turned red.
Gu Junming held her hand: "Take good care of yourself; I will treat you well for the rest of my life."
Sun Chan made a sound of agreement and gently withdrew her hand, feeling it wasn’t appropriate with so many people watching.
Gu Junming also felt a bit embarrassed and laughed as he served her more food.
Sun Chan stirred the rice in her bowl: "Isn’t the disaster area still very dangerous?"
"Not dangerous. The aftershocks have basically stopped, just some reconstruction work left. Wrapping it up." There were actually still dangers, but he wouldn’t tell Sun Chan, not wanting to worry her.
Sun Chan remained uneasy: "Please be very careful, don’t go under those collapsed structures. The roads are slippery with snow, be watchful when walking. How’s the food? Should I get you some more warm socks?"
Gu Junming hurriedly said: "No need, everything’s fine, and I can still wear the ones you gave me. I’ll be back in a few days. Wait for me."
"Mm." Sun Chan smiled and nodded.
They gazed at each other lovingly, and Han Dong had actually returned long ago. Seeing the two of them together, he felt a pang of jealousy, hesitated to interrupt, then smiled, turned, and went to pay the bill, supporting them. It was really quite nice this way; after all, I never counted as much. As long as that young girl can always be this happy, that’s enough.
Sun Chan and Gu Junming were ready to leave after eating. Gu Junming saw her to the car and instructed Han Dong to take good care of his girlfriend before leaving.
Han Dong smiled and promised: "Don’t worry, no one will bully her. Who would dare to bully the Brigade Captain Gu’s girlfriend? If they disobey, I’ll deal with them."
"Stop talking nonsense, and be careful when doing business. Don’t let anyone deceive you."
Han Dong chuckled: "It’s good enough if I’m not the one deceiving others, who’s going to cheat me?"
Gu Junming gave a few more reminders, then waved goodbye to them before turning around to leave as the car drove away.
As he reached the camp entrance, he remembered something.
Bai Fanglan was about to marry Wang Hu, and he was worried he might not make it back in time, considering asking Han Dong to send a red envelope, but he forgot. Oh well, his father would definitely go, or he could give one to Wang Hu when he sees him. He wasn’t planning to attend the wedding.
Sun Chan sat in Han Dong’s car, watching the snowflakes fall outside, and suddenly thought of Zhao Xiuxia. Whenever it snowed, she would often send Sun Chan out to collect firewood, gone all day.
Zhao Xiuxia would stay home with her daughter, roasting sweet potatoes and corn, sometimes frying melon seeds and peanuts.
They might be enjoying good food now. In her previous life, Sun Chan would feel sad thinking about this—why couldn’t they be a bit nicer to her? Even if they weren’t her biological family, they’d lived together for so many years. But now, she didn’t care at all. Because someone was taking care of her now, she was no longer alone.
That pang of sadness and pain lasted only a moment, quickly replaced by calmness.
Han Dong glanced at her side profile, a faint smile gracing her lips, dimples forming on her cheeks, probably thinking of Gu Junming.
He dropped Sun Chan off at home, then drove to see another girl. Extremely beautiful and charming, the kind of girl Han Dong’s parents disliked the most.
When the girl saw Han Dong, she was startled, then kicked him: "I thought you were dead! How come you thought of me, get lost!"
Han Dong picked her up in his arms and carried her inside: "Well, here I am."
"Go die, I’m getting married next month... sob sob..."
Han Dong didn’t let go, his hands roving more boldly, and soon the door was shut.
When everything settled down, Han Dong looked at the woman sleeping beside him, massaged his forehead, feeling this bad habit was never changing. He hadn’t even planned on doing this today; maybe it was because of being provoked by those two. Fortunately, this woman felt the same way, just playing around. Another one like Lin Hongmei, who demanded marriage after one night, would be hard to bear.
He thought of Sun Chan again, then shook his head quickly, trying not to let himself think.
While he was thinking of Sun Chan, Zhao Xiuxia and Sun Lijuan in the village were both gritting their teeth thinking about Sun Chan as well.
Now, things weren’t going too well for those two.
Since Sun Lijuan was messed with by Zhou Jinzhu last time, she’d stayed in bed for a few days before going back to school. She felt it was shameful and thought to keep it secret. If no one talked, what could happen?
Zhou Jinzhu didn’t care either; after what happened, they’d even greet each other in the village. He’d even asked Zhao Xiuxia to find a well-behaved pretty girl nearby. He had even asked Sun Lijuan to introduce her classmates to him, which infuriated Zhao Xiuxia to the point of cursing him out and driving him away.
"Are you just a beast? Don’t you know what you’ve done? Just for the sake of appearances, you even troubled us!"
Sun Lijuan was filled with fury too, what a beast! But she couldn’t fall out too badly with Zhou Jinzhu, or else, how would she live in the village if this got out? If she weren’t worried about marrying into a good family, she’d have reported him and had him executed!
Originally, she thought she could swallow her pride and let it go, planning to wait until graduation next year, when Gu Junming’s promises would be fulfilled, then deal with it.
Unexpectedly, her period never came, though she wasn’t regular anyway, so she didn’t think much of it. But just now, she asked Zhao Xiuxia for a roasted sweet potato, and as soon as she took a bite, her stomach churned, and she dashed to the bathroom, vomiting heavily.
Zhao Xiuxia, anxious, grabbed her: "What’s wrong? Did you catch a cold?"
Sun Lijuan returned to her room with a pale face, unsteady on her feet. She had a vague sense something was wrong. Her chest felt swollen, and she’d been having frequent stomach issues lately.
"Tell me what’s going on, please. Don’t scare your mom!" Zhao Xiuxia tried to take her arm.