Chapter 95.1

Hu Wanning was stunned.

Not only her, even Aunt Zhang and Bai Qingnian beside her widened their eyes in shock.

Ruan Mingfu didn’t say anything. Instead, she took out the letter from the bottom of the stack and glanced at it.

That’s when she realized.

Ever since Ruan Mingfu designed the blueprints for the Fourth Factory, Director Huang had been in a frenzy to get things done. Just half a month ago, they had sent the first batch of clothes to the market.

It was a gamble, but surprisingly, the clothes were well-received.

Although money was tight for most people these days, this was the capital!

Director Huang made a fortune and was grinning like a fool while reminding the accountant to transfer money to Ruan Mingfu.

“This is from Sister Hu for you,” Ruan Mingfu said, handing the letter to Hu Wanning. Then she turned her attention to Bai Qingnian, “Are you here looking for your cousin?”

“No, I’m here looking for you.”

Ruan Mingfu looked at him in confusion.

“Well, it’s just that…” Bai Qingnian scratched his head awkwardly, his cheeks flushing. He looked particularly easy to tease. “Sister-in-law, Yilin is ignoring me again.”

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

Ever since he learned Gu Yilin’s address, Bai Qingnian had been writing to her often. However, her responses were lukewarm, which didn’t deter his persistence. Eventually, Gu Yilin started to respond more. But after sending a letter last time, he waited an entire week without a reply.

He had been hanging around the mailroom so much that the staff were getting annoyed.

“Sister-in-law, can you ask Yilin if I did something wrong?”

Bai Qingnian looked a bit sheepish as he realized he might be troubling Ruan Mingfu.

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

This plastic friend was really something.

“Have you considered that her ignoring you might mean…” Looking at Bai Qingnian’s eager expression, Ruan Mingfu steeled herself and said, “She doesn’t like you?”

“Impossible!”

Bai Qingnian blurted out.

Realizing his reaction was a bit too strong, he calmed down a little.

“Yilin and I get along really well,” he argued. “I even suggested meeting our parents, and she agreed!”

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

Who was the one who wrote to scold her about this?

“Yilin is so gentle. She even asks if I’m resting well… that winter in Wancheng is too cold, am I catching a cold…?”

Ruan Mingfu: … Is it possible that it was just politeness?

Watching Bai Qingnian’s face light up with happiness as he spoke about Gu Yilin, she finally understood: her cousin was completely infatuated.

At this rate, even Wang Baozhen^[1]Wang Baozhen (王宝钏) is a well-known figure in Chinese folklore and traditional opera. Her story is most famously depicted in the Peking opera Wang Baozhen and Xue Pinggui … Continue reading would have to step in and give him a talking-to.

“I… should I write to ask for you?”

Ruan Mingfu exchanged glances with Hu Wanning before finally turning to Bai Qingnian with some reluctance.

“Sorry to bother you, sister-in-law.”

He beamed, showing off a set of white teeth that made him look almost as foolish as the village idiot. To express his gratitude, he set to work shoveling the snow piled in the yard.

“Sister-in-law, your cousin is quite interesting. Hey, is he and Yilin real?”

Hu Wanning looked at the people working outside. With a decent family background, he was also a battalion commander and good-looking. If she had a sister, she wouldn’t let him get away.

Ruan Mingfu: “… young people, just let them do whatever they want.”

She pursed her lips, unsure of what to say.

After thinking it over, she decided it was better to let the lovestruck fool stew in his own problems!

“Sister Lin has been getting close to Cuixiang’s mother lately,” Hu Wanning continued with the gossip, noticing Ruan Mingfu’s attention, “I heard that she introduced several people to Chunhua, and she’s currently on a blind date. Has she mentioned this to you?”

She gestured toward Bai Qingnian.

Ruan Mingfu felt a bit confused but quickly understood.

“Cuixiang’s mother likes my cousin?”

“Your cousin is in the army, with impressive credentials. It’s not unusual that someone would take an interest.”

With both the young man and woman unmarried, going on a blind date isn’t illegal, right?

“Has she come to talk to you?” Hu Wanning explained, “I noticed Cuixiang’s mother was asking about your cousin a couple of days ago. She probably knows he’s seeing someone already, which is why she hasn’t brought it up with you.”

“Seems like it.”

Ruan Mingfu didn’t have much to think about.

Although her cousin was a bit slow-witted, he was still a handsome young man. Just like Hu Wanning said, it would be a problem if no one were interested in Bai Qingnian.

…

Since winter arrived in Wancheng, heavy snow fell every day, sometimes even piling up to knee-high.

The cold weather outside, combined with the difficult snowy conditions, meant that no one had been visiting lately, making the family compound unusually quiet. On this day, Ruan Mingfu and Xie Yanzhao, along with Aunt Zhang, boarded a military vehicle to leave.

The heavy snowfall had completely blocked the road from the military base to the outside world, making it impossible for regular cars to drive through, which is why the three of them squeezed into the military vehicle.

Ruan Mingfu’s belly had begun to show a slight curve, but her thick winter clothing concealed any signs of pregnancy. However, she appeared even more beautiful than before, her skin glowing as if lit from within.

Xie Yanzhao sat beside her, his hand protectively around her.

The military vehicle rattled along, taking them to the station, and Ruan Mingfu felt like her head was spinning from the bumps.

With a pale face, she leaned against Xie Yanzhao.

“Mingfu, here, apply some cooling ointment,” Aunt Zhang said, quickly opening the lid and applying a bit of greenish balm to her upper lip.

To her surprise, it actually made her feel much better.

“It’s so crowded and bumpy inside the vehicle. Usually that’s fine, but now that you’re pregnant, it must be even more uncomfortable,” Aunt Zhang said as she put the ointment away.

Ruan Mingfu wrinkled her delicate nose as a strong scent filled her nostrils.

“Thank you, Aunt Zhang.”

When the three of them got off the vehicle and breathed in the fresh air, Ruan Mingfu felt alive again.

It was the end of the year and there were a lot more people in the station.

As they prepared to board the train, they were suddenly called out to.

“Cousin! Cousin!”

Ruan Mingfu turned to see Bai Qingnian running towards them, excitement written all over his face as he carried his luggage.

“Cousin…”

He rushed over, out of breath and wiping sweat from his forehead.

“I want to go with you!”

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

Wow, how bold of him!

Last time he asked Ruan Mingfu for help, she had no idea how to advise him but responsibly sent a letter to Gu Yilin. She heard that Gu Yilin scolded Bai Qingnian over the phone and revealed some things about their relationship, leaving him quite dejected for a while.

In the end, it was Xie Yanzhao who couldn’t stand it any longer and dragged him to the training ground for a stern talking-to, and that seemed to have settled the matter.

But from the looks of it today… their drama wasn’t over yet!

“You…”

Xie Yanzhao was about to refuse when Bai Qingnian grabbed his hand.

“Cousin, my dad agreed, and I’ve already bought my ticket.”

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

No one would believe that this kid didn’t have a plan.

Looking at the ticket in his hand, it was clearly connected to their seat numbers.

He wasn’t giving up.

After a moment of silence, Xie Yanzhao finally relented, “Fine, let’s go.”

“Great!”

Bai Qingnian cheered like a child weighing two hundred pounds.

He rushed onto the train, worried that Xie Yanzhao might change his mind, and didn’t forget to grab the luggage Aunt Zhang was holding.

“It’s good to let him keep trying,” Xie Yanzhao said, watching Bai Qingnian’s cheerful back as he shook his head.

It was fine that Bai Qingnian had feelings for someone, but Gu Yilin didn’t feel the same way at all. If Bai Qingnian kept pushing, he was bound to get hurt.

“Your cousin is really something,” Ruan Mingfu said, fully aware of Xie Yanzhao’s concerns.

“I’m not hard on you,” he said gently, looking at her, “Let’s go.”

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

Was he really not tough on her, or was he just attracted to her?

Despite the crowd, there weren’t many people in the sleeper berth. Xie Yanzhao continued to protect Ruan Mingfu as they made their way through, making sure she didn’t get bumped by anyone. By the time they arrived, Aunt Zhang and Bai Qingnian had already prepared everything they needed.

“Mingfu, drink some hot water.”

“Okay,” Ruan Mingfu said as she took the water. “Aunt Zhang, you should sit down too.”

She was really grateful to Aunt Zhang.

Not only was Aunt Zhang an excellent cook, but she also always put her first. Ruan Mingfu felt it was time to give her a raise.

Haicheng was the second-largest city in the country, and they had opened many routes. This train went straight through and would arrive by noon the next day. It wasn’t as cold as Wancheng, and Bai Qingnian, being a young man, quickly took off his thick cotton coat.

He looked around at the bustling station. “So this is Haicheng?”

It truly was a big city, rivaling the capital.

“Let’s go,” Xie Yanzhao said as he carried their things, still mindful of pregnant Ruan Mingfu, “Once we get outside, you can take your time looking around.”

Ruan Mingfu stayed close to his side.

“I wonder if Father Ruan and Mrs.Ruan have returned yet.”

They had left a few days earlier, but it was a long journey, and it took several days by train.

After exiting the station, just as they were about to call for a car, they heard a bright voice behind them.

“Ruan Mingfu!”

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

She didn’t need to turn around to know who it was; among the people she knew, only her plastic friend would call her by her full name like that.

“You finally came back,” Gu Yilin said, her eyes sparkling with delight and a hint of pride. “You didn’t want to tell me, but I overheard when Auntie was talking to my mom on the phone!”

She was wearing a stylish wool coat with a scarf wrapped around her neck. Because it was cold, her breath turned to mist as she spoke.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re the best.”

Gu Yilin beamed at the compliment, almost feeling like she could float.

Just as she was about to say something to tease Ruan Mingfu, a voice came from behind, interrupting her.

“Yilin.”

Bai Qingnian’s eyes shone brightly

He was dressed casually, looking more like a college student than a soldier.

“Great, I finally get to see you,” Bai Qingnian walked up to Gu Yilin, looking a little aggrieved, “I have a lot to say to you.”

“No!”

Gu Yilin stepped back several paces and, to everyone’s astonishment, took off running.

As she ran, she shouted, “I’m not Gu Yilin, you’ve got the wrong person!”

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

If Bai Qingnian could be deterred by just one comment, he wouldn’t have chased her all the way here. He glanced at Gu Yilin’s retreating figure and followed after her.

“Yilin, wait for me!”

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

What’s going on here, a joyful circus for mentally challenged kids?

Xie Yanzhao watched the two of them chase and evade each other, his expression equally perplexed.

“Let’s go,” he suggested.

The two of them, sharing a silent understanding, didn’t mention the embarrassing duo as they hurried to the Ruan residence.

It was a small Western-style villa with a large garden in the front, filled with memories from the original owner’s childhood. Seeing the locked iron gate, Ruan Mingfu realized that Father Ruan and Mrs. Ruan hadn’t returned yet.

But now the problem was… without a key, how were they supposed to get in?

Ruan Mingfu looked at Xie Yanzhao.

Calmly, he took a clip from her hair, inserted it into the lock, and with a quick twist, they heard a ‘click.’

“Who knew you could do that?”

And so skillfully too?

Could it be that this dog of a man was once an expert at petty thievery?

“I learned it from someone while on a mission,” Xie Yanzhao said, easily guessing what Ruan Mingfu was thinking. He ruffled her hair playfully and offered that explanation.

She swatted his hand away, shooting him an annoyed look.

“Let’s get inside.”