Tang Momo was first surprised by Gu Chengze’s arrival and then surprised by the news that he was leaving. She couldn’t help but guess, Is the wedding settled, so he’s getting ready to leave? 

Gu Chengze glanced at her and said gently, “I’ve thought a lot these past few days. I believe what you said that day was right, so I’ve decided to go back earlier and think carefully about marriage.” 

Tang Momo obviously didn’t expect this result, That’s good, as long as it’s not Xu Xiaoyun. 

Thinking of this, Tang Momo raised her head and met Gu Chengze’s dark eyes. “You’re right. After all, it’s important to take lifelong events seriously.” 

Tang Momo thought for a moment. Since he had come all this way just to politely say goodbye and was about to leave, and since he was her benefactor, inviting him for a meal wouldn’t be too much. 

“You haven’t eaten yet, right? Let’s go eat something.” 

Tang Momo thought that after this, they would probably never meet again, so her attitude became a little more enthusiastic. 

Gu Chengze probably didn’t expect that she would take the initiative to invite him. He was stunned for a moment, then nodded, “Okay.” 

The two went to a nearby state-owned restaurant. Because of his height advantage, Gu Chengze had already squeezed to the front with tickets and money. 

Tang Momo hesitated for a moment but didn’t insist on fighting with him over it. She thought she would just ask Zhang Xiaoli to bring some things back for Zhao Xiuli later. 

The state-owned restaurant only had a few dishes each day, but luckily, they arrived in time. Had they come any later, they probably wouldn’t have been able to eat. 

She thought about how the person across from her was about to return to his unit, and she would be taking the college entrance exam in a couple of years. This might be their last meeting. So she took the initiative to ask, “Have you bought your train ticket back?”  

Gu Chengze probably didn’t expect that she would pay attention to this matter and shook his head. “Not yet; I plan to go later.” 

After a few exchanges, Tang Momo found herself at a loss for words, so she simply buried her head in her meal. Once they finished eating, they could go their separate ways.  

“The last time you went into the mountains was too dangerous. Although you and your mother have jobs now, there are also various dangers hidden in the factory. You should be careful.” 

It was the first time for Gu Chengze to say these words, so his tone was a bit awkward. 

Tang Momo looked at him with a questioning look on her face, wondering why he suddenly said this. 

The look in Tang Momo’s eyes made Gu Chengze realize that his words were too sudden. He thought for a moment and then slowly added, “Uncle Wang on the team broke his leg yesterday. It seems like accidents have been happening frequently, so everyone should be careful.” 

“Is it serious?” 

Tang Momo knew that the Uncle Wang he mentioned was their next-door neighbor who had helped them before, so she couldn’t help but feel a little worried when she heard the news. 

“Broken bones take at least a hundred days to heal. He’ll have to lie at home for three months. Whether or not it’s serious, being stuck at home for that long will be very frustrating.” 

Gu Chengze only hoped she would listen to him today and be cautious in everything she did. 

Tang Momo felt that there’s something wrong with what Gu Chengze said. People from the countryside relied on work points for their livelihood. How could Uncle Wang rest for three months when he was the pillar of his family? But this wasn’t the time to argue with him about it. 

“You came to the city today to get ready for your departure, right? I won’t delay you up then. I wish you a safe journey in advance and happiness every day moving forward.” 

Knowing this might be the last time they met, Tang Momo spoke especially sincerely. 

Feeling unwelcome again, Gu Chengze felt a bit worried but didn’t show it on his face. He nodded to Tang Momo, “Then I’ll take you back first.” 

“There’s really no need.” 

Tang Momo politely declined. 

“Since I brought you out, I should take you back to feel at ease.” 

Gu Chengze now realized that after they parted, they wouldn’t meet again for at least a year. With that in mind, his expression showed some hesitation. Perhaps now wasn’t the right time to say anything, so he decided to wait. 

When the two of them were approaching the factory gate, they met Yang Jianlin from outside. He glanced at the clothes of the man next to Tang Momo and said warmly, “Xiao Tang, is this your partner?” 

Tang Momo shook her head quickly. “No, Brother Yang, you misunderstood.” 

While the two were talking, Gu Chengze was also studying Yang Jianlin. After hearing Tang Momo’s quick denial, he felt a bit uncomfortable. It took him a while to realize that this strange feeling was jealousy. 

“I’ll head in now. Be careful on your way back.” 

After saying that, Tang Momo waved at Gu Chengze and walked inside with Yang Jianlin. 

Gu Chengze watched their backs as they left and lowered his eyes, hiding his true feelings. 

After a while, Gu Chengze glanced in the direction they had disappeared and then turned to leave. 

Yang Jianlin walked beside Tang Momo as they headed into the factory. As soon as they entered, Director Wu called them over to the production workshop. 

Today, the workshop will experiment with salted egg yolk-flavored mooncakes. The master chef is still uncertain about some steps, so he wants to discuss them with Tang Momo again, especially since it’s her recipe. 

Gu Chengze went directly to the train station after leaving the food factory. He didn’t lie to Tang Momo. He did plan to leave a few days early. Xu Xiaoyun’s persistence troubled him, and since the things she mentioned hadn’t happened yet, he couldn’t take any extreme actions. 

When Zhao Xiuli heard that he wanted to leave early, she thought it would only be two days early, which was understandable. After checking the time on the train ticket, she began to prepare the things he needed to bring with him. 

The Xu family hadn’t heard any news from the Gu family, so they were already considering finding a potential match for Xu Xiaoyun. 

The people from the Qing Shui Brigade had a good opinion of Xu Xiaoyun, so there were quite a few suitors coming to propose. 

Mother Xu eventually decided to consider a match with the Qian family. The young man from the Qian family was tall and strong, a good worker. Most importantly, the Qian family was well-off. Not only could they afford the betrothal money, but Xu Xiaoyun would have a better life if she married into their family. 

Mother Xu felt she already thought carefully about Xu Xiaoyun’s future, but was surprised when Xu Xiaoyun flatly refused to even listen. 

“You don’t want this, and you’re not willing to accept that. Then tell me, what kind of person do you want to marry?” Mother Xu held back her anger as she looked at Xu Xiaoyun. 

“Mother, I’m only seventeen now; Can’t we take our time with this?” 

Xu Xiaoyun didn’t want to give up just like that. After all, wasn’t the purpose of her return to this life to live a good life with Gu Chengze?  

“Seventeen is no longer young. This is the best time for you to choose someone. If you wait too long, you won’t have that option anymore. I’m going to tell Aunt Xi that we agree now and let her arrange a time for you to meet.”  

Nowadays, everyone is getting married at the age of 17 or 18, and some want it even earlier. A girl’s prime years were only a few, so how could they afford to delay it? 

“I won’t go,” Xu Xiaoyun said firmly. 

“Don’t you understand the situation at home? Whether you want to or not, you don’t have a choice.”  

Seeing the stubborn look on her face, Mother Xu became angry. 

“If you force me, I’ll go find someone from the Women’s Federation. We’re in a new era now; arranged marriages are no longer accepted.”  

Xu Xiaoyun looked at Mother Xu coldly. If they really forced her, she would report it to the Women’s Federation. 

Since they don’t respect her opinions and only think about the betrothal money, she wouldn’t hold back any longer. 

“You have the courage to resist, but what will that accomplish? If you really like Gu Chengze, you should convince him to marry you instead of trying to show off in front of us.” 

Bai Lu said sarcastically. 

“Sister-in-law, you can eat whatever you want, but you can’t say whatever you like.” 

Xu Xiaoyun glared at Bai Lu fiercely. If it weren’t for the fact that her family was spending all their savings to bring her into the family, they wouldn’t be thinking about her betrothal money. 

“What? You’ve got the ambition but not the courage?” 

Bai Lu’s mocking gaze made Xu Xiaoyun clench her fists. 

“Enough, stop talking.”   

Xu Zhengfu stepped in as the peacemaker. After all, they were still waiting for Xu Xiaoyun’s betrothal money. 

While the Xu family was in chaos, Gu Chengze was already packing his luggage. When Xu Xiaoyun found another excuse to see Gu Chengze, she heard that he had already returned. 

Xu Xiaoyun slumped down on the ground. How did things turn out like this? He returned this time for the match-making, right? Even if he was reluctant, was Zhao Xiuli not anxious? 

No matter how many questions Xu Xiaoyun had in her heart, it couldn’t change the fact that Gu Chengze had left. 

*** 

The busy days passed very quickly, and soon it was the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival. This year’s mooncakes in the food factory were completely new, from packaging to shape to taste. 

The second factory was still producing last year’s bestseller, which made it seem too ordinary by comparison. 

At this time, Tang Momo had returned to the publicity department. Her few packaging designs had made the publicity section chief, Lu Ruijun, realize she had real skills, so he was no longer indifferent toward her. 

Such a significant reform in the factory definitely needed to be well publicized by the Publicity Department, so Tang Momo got back to work. 

Fortunately, all this hard work paid off. Their reform this time was very successful, and their sales volume completely exceeded the second factory. 

On the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the factory also distributed this year’s new mooncakes. Thinking of the little ones at home, Tang Momo couldn’t help but smile.  

This Mid-Autumn Festival is probably the most enjoyable one Zhang Xiaoli has had in the past two years. It’s also the first major festival their family has celebrated here, so they had unknowingly prepared many things.  

Zhang Xiaoli sat at the table, looking at the things on it. She reflected on the past few months and then looked at the present; everything felt like a dream. 

Both she and Momo had found jobs, and the arrangements for Jianan’s schooling were also settled. Everything was developing in a positive direction. 

“Sister, does the moon cake really have to be offered to the moon before we can eat it?” 

Tang Yangyang pointed to the mooncakes placed in the bowl, and licked the corners of her lips. 

“Just wait a bit longer, and we can eat it.” 

Tang Momo glanced at the moon cake, fruits, and a large pumpkin on the table. Zhang Xiaoli said it was a tradition to offer the moon first before they could eat. 

The two little ones had been circling around the table for who knows how long, and finally, they heard Zhang Xiaoli say they could eat. 

The twins couldn’t help but cheer loudly, then excitedly take the moon cakes from their bowls. These moon cakes were made at their sister’s factory, so they were sure to be delicious. 

Tang Momo had been going to the workshop every day and was already tired of the smell of moon cakes; she had lost her appetite for them by now. 

Once they had all tasted them, she slowly asked, “How is it? Is it good?” 

“This fruit-flavored one is so delicious!” 

Tang Yangyang wore a blissful expression on her face. It turned out that mooncakes can also be made with fruit flavor, which is really delicious. 

“If you like it, eat more.” 

Tang Momo patted her little head. 

At this moment, Gu Chengze, who had just finished training, was also eating moon cakes at their canteen. As he stared at the moon cake in his hand, he suddenly thought of Tang Momo. Would the moon cake he was eating be from their factory? As soon as this thought crossed his mind, he quickly dismissed it. 

He couldn’t help but rub his brow; it had already been several days since he returned to the team, and he seemed to think about Tang Momo every day. This action was no different from how Old Yang in the dormitory thought about his partner. 

Just as he was lost in thought, Yang Dajun sat down opposite him and glanced at the half-eaten moon cake in his hand, a bit surprised. “You haven’t finished it yet? I think something’s wrong with you ever since you came back from home.” 

Gu Chengze glanced at him and swallowed the food in his mouth: “There’s something wrong?” 

“You went back to see a potential match, right? But not only did you come back early, but you also kept a straight face all day long. Although it was like this before, it’s not as cold as now. Let me guess: could it be that you like a girl, but she doesn’t like you back?” 

At the end of his sentence, Yang Dajun’s tone carried a hint of glee. 

Gu Chengze gave him a cold look. “Sure enough, a dog can’t spit out ivory.” 

After hearing what he said, Yang Dajun was not angry. Instead, he approached him and said with a pleased expression, “Hey, you can curse without using dirty words. What’s wrong? Did I say it correctly? 

“It doesn’t matter; stop talking nonsense.” 

After Gu Chengze finished speaking, he picked up his tableware and walked forward. 

“Hey, Old Gu, we’ve known each other for so many years. Just tell me; I won’t laugh at you.”  

Yang Dajun followed behind with a grin on his face. 

Thinking of Tang Momo’s words, Gu Chengze suddenly stopped, looked at Yang Dajun, and then asked, “How did you meet your partner in the first place, and how did you know she was the one?” 

“We met when we were introduced to each other. Once we liked each other, we just settled down.” 

After Yang Dajun finished speaking, he looked at him. “Why are you asking this suddenly?” 

“How do you know that the person across from you is the one you want to spend the rest of your life with?” 

Gu Chengze’s tone was filled with confusion and helplessness. 

“Who’s so sure about it? If you like each other, isn’t that enough as long as you don’t dislike each other?” 

Yang Dajun felt that he didn’t understand Gu Chengze’s thoughts more and more. 

Gu Chengze lowered his head. He imagined in his mind the days after he married someone else. Just imagining it made him feel repulsed. But if that person were Tang Momo, he not only wouldn’t feel repulsed; instead, he felt excited. 

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but speed up his pace. He wanted to go back to the dormitory and write a letter to tell Tang Momo that he had already understood his feelings. 

***

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