Font Size:
As Jiang Qian sat in Han Shiguo’s bike leaving home, the whole village saw it.
Now, sitting in the back seat of Han Shiguo’s bike, Jiang Qian’s face was still a little flushed.
There was no avoiding it—neighbors, especially the older ladies, were all extremely enthusiastic.
In particular, she had just run into her second great-uncle’s wife and cousin-in-law, who even called her over for a little chat.
However, it was mostly Han Shiguo doing the talking with them, while she just had to sit there like an ornament.
You really couldn’t tell—he looked distant and aloof, as if strangers should stay away, but he was actually quite chatty.
In truth, Han Shiguo wasn’t naturally talkative. It all came down to this: if he wanted to marry someone’s daughter, he had to understand what it meant to act like a future son-in-law, right?
After all, this was his future father-in-law’s family and relatives, not his subordinates!
But the more relatives of Jiang Qian’s family Han Shiguo met, the happier he became. It felt like an acknowledgment of his status!
Leaving the village now, he was in a great mood. Pedaling his bicycle, he struck up a conversation, “Did you use to go to school in the city with your fourth brother?”
Han Shiguo was already twenty-six this year, while Jiang Shouchuan and Jiang Qian, being fraternal twins, had just turned twenty.
Han Shiguo was six years older than her.
But if things worked out between them, he’d have to call Jiang Shouchuan “fourth brother.”
It was all a matter of seniority. If he married her, they would be on the same level in terms of family hierarchy.
Still, at this point in time, he wouldn’t dare to call him that.
As Jiang Qian quietly mused over this, she simply said, “Yes, I went to high school in the city with my fourth brother.”
It really wasn’t easy. They had to walk from the village to the city and back again on foot.
They would come home once a week to pick up food supplies, but most of the time they lived at the school.
However, the brother and sister were among the few from the surrounding villages who had the opportunity to attend high school in the city.
In those days, education wasn’t highly valued. With the urban youth being sent down to the countryside, even the educated city youth were forced to come and work the fields. So, what was the point of studying?
After all, everyone would end up working the land. Who would want their children to waste time going to school?
It seemed more practical to spend that time working in the fields to earn labor points.
This was the mindset of most families at the time.
Jiang Qian felt incredibly fortunate to have parents like hers, who gave her the chance to go to school, and even attend high school in the county town.
Han Shiguo said, “You two are really impressive. I only went to middle school, and it wasn’t until I joined the army that I realized my education wasn’t enough. So, I studied high school material on my own and got my high school diploma.”
So, you’re telling me you’re a high school graduate too, and that you’re not beneath me, huh?
Jiang Qian chuckled inwardly and gave him positive feedback. “Really? With such a busy training schedule, you still found time to improve yourself. You’re so disciplined.”
Was that too awkward? She had no experience in dating, after all.
Clearly, it wasn’t awkward. Han Shiguo’s eyes lit up with a smile at the praise. “I’m still reading and studying. If I get the chance, I want to continue my education and earn a college degree.”
Jiang Qian was genuinely surprised this time. From the bottom of her heart, she offered him praise, saying, “You’re absolutely right. If you have the opportunity, keep studying and aim for a college degree. It will benefit your future even more.”
“I’ve collected a lot of books while in the army. If you want to read them, you’re welcome to. We can study together and take the exams,” Han Shiguo said.
Hearing this, Jiang Qian couldn’t help but smile. He hadn’t directly mentioned marriage, but nearly every other sentence was a subtle hint toward it.
Hearing her laugh behind him, Han Shiguo’s lips curled into a smile as well. He could sense that she had a favorable impression of him.
In his good mood, Han Shiguo wasn’t paying attention to the road and hit a rock—not too big, not too small. The sudden jolt caused Jiang Qian to instinctively grab hold of his waist.
Even though the weather had gotten cold, Han Shiguo ran hot and wasn’t wearing much.
And there it was—she could clearly feel it!
Firm abs!
Jiang Qian kept a calm expression, but inside, she was screaming.
Han Shiguo glanced down at her delicate hands wrapped around his waist, feeling elated inside. Of course, he didn’t forget to offer an explanation, “I wasn’t paying attention just now. The road’s a bit uneven. Hold on tight.”
Jiang Qian couldn’t help but miss the feel of his firm abs, but it was their first time meeting, so how could she dare keep holding onto his waist? She quickly let go and grabbed the back seat instead, softly saying, “The road’s bumpy. You should ride slower.”
Her soft, gentle voice made Han Shiguo’s heart melt. Though he felt a bit of regret, he knew she was just shy, so he replied, “Alright, I’ll slow down.”
Jiang Qian shifted the topic, asking him about his time in the army. After all, when getting to know someone, it’s good to talk more about their experiences and let them open up.
You can understand a person’s way of handling things by listening to what they say.
Although this was Jiang Qian’s first time being in a relationship, she was well-read, having devoured countless novels. While her hands-on experience was zero, her theoretical knowledge was quite rich.
“Our army is quite busy. Daily training is a must for us. Our bodies are like a treasured sword—no matter how sharp a sword is, if it’s not honed, it will rust over time,” Han Shiguo explained.
He was happy to share his experiences in the army with the young lady, hoping that she would understand it better and come to appreciate that side of his life more.
So, he told Jiang Qian quite a bit.
Listening to him talk about the training, Jiang Qian gently asked, “Does it tire you out?”
Han Shiguo was momentarily stunned, a warm feeling welling up in his chest, but he replied, “I’m not tired.”
“You’re not a machine. Even machines need to stop sometimes, get a little oil, change some parts. How much more important is it for a living, breathing person?” Jiang Qian’s voice was gentle. “When you’re working towards your own life goals, you should also take care of your health. After all, the body is the foundation of everything.”
“Alright, I’ll listen to you. I’ll pay more attention from now on,” Han Shiguo said, his mood light and cheerful.
He could hear his own inner voice clearly: He had to marry this girl!
Jiang Qian, feeling a bit shy after what she said, blushed. Despite her wide knowledge from books, she was still inexperienced, and some things felt too awkward to say out loud.
But everything is difficult at first.
Jiang Qian thought to herself that with time, she’d get used to it and it would become second nature.
With that in mind, she glanced at his back again. Looking at it gave her a real sense of security. “I heard your family, the Han family from Han family Village, moved here from the south. How did you end up so tall?”
“Probably take after my uncle and the others. They’re all pretty tall,” Han Shiguo replied.
The people from Han Family Village had moved there more than fifty years ago. Originally, the area was just barren land, but they cleared and developed it, and it eventually became Han Family Village.
Jiang Qian smiled and said, “My mother’s from the south.” Her mother, Zhou Guiyun, had also come north as a refugee in her younger years.
Her father was a true local, and he was quite tall by local standards.
Though her mother was from the south, she was tall and graceful as well. Because of this, their generation really benefited from it.
Her older brothers, the first and second, didn’t fare as well. They were around 1.75 meters tall, but her third brother was very tall, standing at 1.8 meters—he was the tallest in the family.
Even her fourth brother wasn’t as tall as him, but he was still 1.78 meters, which was considered very tall for that time.