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However, Gu Zhi knew that worrying didn’t really help.
Days would gradually get better, everything would slowly improve.
Su Niannian was like the sun, lighting up the Gu family.
In the afternoon, Su Niannian once again prepared traditional Chinese medicine for Gu Zhi, adding a certain amount of spiritual spring water to it.
Su Niannian took the pulses of both Gu Zhi and Gu Ningning. While taking the pulse couldn’t determine if the cancer was improving, it was clear that Gu’s mother’s lungs were recovering and getting healthier.
In other aspects, there had been considerable improvement.
Su Niannian believed that it wouldn’t be long before Gu’s mother would fully recover.
As for Gu Ningning, it was simply a matter of congenital weaknesses from when she was in the womb. Previously, Gu Nan had also given her some health supplements, and with the addition of the recent spiritual spring water, Gu Ningning’s condition had also greatly improved.
Tonight’s dinner was once again prepared by Su Niannian. The steamed cornmeal buns, mixed with a bit of wheat flour, were fragrant and freshly steamed by Su Niannian.
In addition to the braised pork, Su Niannian also stewed fresh meat with potatoes.
She even made a soup with wild vegetables, and there were a few slices of meat in the broth as well.
Tonight’s dinner was once again prepared by Su Niannian. The steamed cornmeal buns, mixed with a bit of wheat flour, were fragrant and freshly steamed by Su Niannian.
In addition to the braised pork, Su Niannian also stewed fresh meat with potatoes.
She even made a soup with wild vegetables, and there were a few slices of meat in the broth as well.
The whole family sat together, enjoying the meal happily.
After learning that Gu Nan’s proposal had been successful, Gu Zhendong, although happy for Gu Nan, couldn’t help but feel uneasy whenever he thought about his own situation.
He had long since sentenced himself to death, and it was not easy to break free from it.
So, he still ate alone in his room.
After the meal, Gu Nan washed the dishes, while Su Niannian tidied up the table. From time to time, a glance exchanged between them spoke volumes, with the tension between them almost palpable.
“Have you thought about when you and Niannian will get married?” Gu Zhi asked Gu Nan.
“Next year, when Niannian is able to get the marriage certificate,” Gu Nan replied.
Although he wanted to marry sooner, in Gu Nan’s eyes, Niannian was still young.
While it was common in the countryside to hold a wedding ceremony and consider it as being married, Gu Nan wanted to wait until Su Niannian could officially obtain the marriage certificate before tying the knot.
It was also a way of providing security for Su Niannian.
Gu Zhi understood Gu Nan’s intention and didn’t say much more.
“Well, as long as you’ve discussed it and agreed, that’s fine,” Gu Zhi said, always supportive of her children’s decisions.
Once everything was cleaned up, Su Niannian was ready to head back to the Educated Youth station.
Gu Zhi handed Su Niannian the bamboo basket she had woven, a small, delicate piece that was perfect for carrying little things, especially for a young girl.
Su Niannian happily accepted it, then turned around and handed it to Gu Nan, asking him to hold it for her.
Gu Nan naturally took it without hesitation.
The actions between the two of them looked just like an old married couple, with no sense of awkwardness whatsoever.
Gu Nan accompanied Su Niannian back to the Educated Youth station.
It was only around five in the evening, and the sky was still bright.
Gu Nan pushed Su Niannian’s bicycle while she walked beside him.
The bamboo basket was placed on the back seat of the bicycle.
Walking side by side, Su Niannian glanced at Gu Nan.
“Are you not afraid of others finding out that we’re seeing each other now?” Su Niannian teased, noticing how open Gu Nan was acting today compared to before when he wouldn’t admit to their relationship.
“I’m not afraid anymore,” Gu Nan replied calmly, not feeling there was anything wrong with it.
“Oh!” Su Niannian stretched the sound out playfully.
“I was afraid before…” Gu Nan began, his voice low as he tried to explain.
“I already know,” Su Niannian interrupted him, finishing his sentence for him.
“But it seems like you don’t want to marry me so soon. I overheard you talking to Auntie,” Su Niannian said, folding her hands behind her back and tilting her head as she continued.
“You’re still young, not even twenty yet.” It wasn’t that Gu Nan didn’t want to marry her right away, but right now, they couldn’t legally get a marriage certificate.
Su Niannian had mentioned before that she was still young.
“We can have the wedding first. In the countryside, there are many girls getting married at fifteen or sixteen,” Su Niannian said, half-jokingly.
“Do you want to get married now?” Gu Nan stopped walking, turned to face her, his expression serious.
“If you want to, it’s not impossible,” Gu Nan thought to himself.
“You’re making it sound like I’m in a hurry to marry you. You said you’re not in a hurry, so fine, no rush,” Su Niannian said, teasing him again.
“…” When did Gu Nan ever say he wasn’t in a hurry??
This was just the little miss overthinking things!
“What I said was, you’re still young!” Gu Nan explained, trying to clarify.
Su Niannian continued walking ahead, and Gu Nan quickly caught up by taking a few quick steps, pushing her bicycle.
“Oh, right, right, I’m still young,” Su Niannian said, tilting her chin up and puffing out her cheeks.
“I was wrong, you can get married whenever you want,” Gu Nan quickly apologized, realizing he had said something wrong.
Su Niannian ignored him.
“I’ll listen to you,” Gu Nan said, unable to figure out how to comfort her, so he just spoke his true feelings.
He would listen to whatever Su Niannian said.
“I’m all alone, no one cares for me, no one loves me. How could I dare to make any decisions?” Su Niannian continued teasing Gu Nan.
“You’re not alone, and you’re not unloved,” Gu Nan replied seriously, knowing Su Niannian was just joking, but he couldn’t stand hearing her say that. He grabbed her arm and spoke with great seriousness.
Not far away, the women of the village, who had just finished their meal and were sitting under a tree enjoying the shade, had already noticed the two of them.
“No way, isn’t that Su Niannian, the young lady from the village, and Gu Nan, that guy from the Gu family?” one of the women whispered.
“Hey, don’t go spreading rumors. How could Su Niannian, the young lady from the village, be walking with Gu Nan? When has Gu Nan ever walked with a girl? His face is always cold, like a stone.”
“No way, it’s really Su Niannian, with Gu Nan! Look, it’s them!”
While the first two women were just chatting casually, the one who spoke just now was a woman in her forties, not quite old enough to be missing details.
“Is this real? It really is them! My goodness, is the sun rising from the west today?”
Gu Nan’s reputation in the village was well-known. His feats, like wielding a sickle in one hand and an axe in the other to hunt wild boars, were the stuff of local legend. Everyone in the village knew about it.
Especially his height and physique—he was the picture of strength.
If it weren’t for the trouble at Gu Nan’s family, all the unmarried young women in the village would have definitely considered him. Even though Gu Nan’s family had faced some issues, many of the village’s young women and even married ones still had their eyes on him.
With his looks, his build, and the way he worked, it was clear that Gu Nan had incredible endurance.
After meals, the village’s information center often discussed Gu Nan, with many people feeling that Gu Nan had been weighed down by the problems his family faced.
Of course, recently, another hot topic in the village’s gossip circle was Su Niannian, the young educated youth who had come to the village.
She was a kind-hearted person, never looking down on the rural folks. Even when a child was thought to be dead, she was willing to blow air into the child’s mouth and nostrils, trying to revive the child.
Later, they learned that the child hadn’t died, but in the eyes of the villagers, Su Niannian had saved the child when they thought the child had already passed away.
The two of them seemed completely unrelated, so it was a surprise that they were walking together so closely.
The villagers had just seen Gu Nan pulling Su Niannian’s arm.