Although she also wanted to facilitate this marriage, the speed at which the engagement and wedding were progressing was too fast.

Gu Yimin couldn’t help but frown. He hadn’t intended to marry off his daughter so quickly.

Xiaoxi had just turned nineteen; there was plenty of time to wait.

Wei Mingyu also felt that getting engaged tomorrow was a bit too rushed, but seeing her nephew so eager, she had no choice but to help him out.

“Xiao Sen’s considerations are understandable. As a soldier, there are many things beyond his control, and leave isn’t something he can just request whenever he wants,” she said.

Yan Xueqi also nodded. “Before this year, Xiao Sen hadn’t been home for three years. He just doesn’t want Xiaoxi to wait too long!”

This last sentence completely broke Jiang Xiuqing’s defenses!

If they got engaged and still had to wait two or three years to marry, that would indeed be too long!

Gu Yimin fell silent for a moment, then turned to his daughter. “Xiaoxi, are you willing to join him in the military?”

Gu Xiaoxi had been completely dazed throughout the conversation. Hearing the question, she glanced at Lu Jiansen and then nodded.

“Okay, I’ll leave the marriage arrangements to you and Mom.”

Jiang Xiuqing nodded softly. “Take Xiao Lu to the room… no, to the kitchen to help wash the vegetables. We’ll have dinner together later and discuss the details.”

“Okay,” Gu Xiaoxi replied, standing up and heading to the kitchen.

Lu Jiansen immediately followed her.

Seeing the two lovebirds leave, Wei Mingyu quickly brought up the matter her nephew had repeatedly emphasized before coming.

“For the engagement, we’ll offer 660 yuan as a betrothal gift, symbolizing good luck and smooth progress. Additionally, we’ll provide a bicycle, sewing machine, wristwatch, radio, and all the meat and vegetables needed for the engagement banquet. If you have any other requests, feel free to mention them.”

Jiang Xiuqing was stunned, thinking she had misheard.

660 yuan was already an unusually high betrothal gift. Even for a wedding, most families wouldn’t offer that much.

Not to mention the “three rounds and one sound” (bicycle, sewing machine, wristwatch, and radio), which were typically reserved for weddings, and even then, not everyone could afford all of them.

And now they were asking if she had any other requests?

How could she possibly ask for more?

Gu Yimin was also taken aback by the generosity of the Lu family’s aunt. After a moment, he said, “We don’t need so many things for the engagement.”

Wei Mingyu insisted, “Of course you do. Our Xiao Sen is very fond of Xiaoxi and values her deeply. Only by treating her well will their life together be happy. You only have one daughter, so naturally, you’ve pampered her. Rest assured, once she marries Xiao Sen, he will never let her suffer.”

Yan Xueqi nodded in agreement with his wife. “That’s right. The men in the Lu family are all very family-oriented. These things will be needed sooner or later, and Xiao Sen doesn’t have much leave, so it’s better to prepare everything at once.”

Gu Yimin shook his head. “Since Xiaoxi will be joining him in the military, we don’t need the sewing machine. We already have one at home—it’s not new, but it works. Xiaoxi’s brother also bought her a bicycle, so there’s no need for another. As for the radio, Xiaoxi doesn’t usually listen to it.”

“Just get her a wristwatch. The rest can be converted into cash, which they can take with them to the military base. With money on hand, they can buy whatever else they need.”

Wei Mingyu smiled and nodded at their honesty. “That works too!”

With the matter settled, the two in the kitchen were focused on washing vegetables, not saying a word.

Just as Gu Xiaoxi thought Lu Jiansen would remain silent the entire time, the man suddenly spoke softly in her ear.

“I’ll be gentler in the future.”

Completely unprepared, Gu Xiaoxi: “…”

Two seconds later, her face turned bright red.

Lu Jiansen lightly touched the faint red mark below her collar, his tone tinged with regret. “I’ll treat you well for the rest of my life.”

Gu Xiaoxi, both shy and annoyed, nodded. “I know! I believe you! But hurry up and wash the vegetables. Make sure they’re clean—I’m a bit of a clean freak, and my stomach is sensitive. As my parents say, I’m a delicate flower who needs careful nurturing. I can’t endure hardship or tolerate disrespect. Don’t find it troublesome later!”

Lu Jiansen suddenly laughed.

He nodded solemnly. “I’ll take good care of you.”

Gu Xiaoxi raised an eyebrow. “Can you cook? My mom always said I should marry a chef so I can live a long and worry-free life.”

In her previous two lives, her early death was largely due to her weak constitution, compounded by poor nutrition after being sent to the countryside. Her health deteriorated, and she fell ill whenever she overexerted herself.

Lu Jiansen, looking at her lively and charming expression, replied seriously, “I’m not a chef, but I’m a decent cook. As long as I’m home, I’ll handle the cooking.”

Gu Xiaoxi could also cook, though her skills were mediocre—she hadn’t inherited her mother’s culinary talent. Hearing that Lu Jiansen could cook made her quite happy.

This alone eased much of her anxiety about marriage.

Lu Jiansen was a man of action. To impress the young lady, he personally cooked five dishes: braised pork, taro chicken, minced pork eggplant, lotus root and pork rib stew, mushroom tofu stew, and stir-fried greens.

Knowing Gu Xiaoxi loved steamed eggs, he specially prepared a portion just for her.

When Jiang Xiuqing saw the dishes on the table, her heart swelled with joy, and her gaze toward Lu Jiansen grew even kinder.

Even Gu Yimin’s opinion of Lu Jiansen improved significantly.

Wei Mingyu, during the meal, kept her head down, suppressing her laughter.

Her nephew’s ability to win over his future wife was truly impressive—he had managed to win her over with just one meal.

If her older sister knew, she’d be over the moon!

She had to eat quickly and rush back to make a phone call to report the good news.

Lu Jiansen, for his part, was also thinking about hurrying back after the meal to call his superiors and push for the approval of his marriage report.

Only Yan Xueqi ate slowly, savoring each bite. Once he returned home, he wouldn’t have such delicious food.

His wife’s cooking was, at best, edible—just enough to not poison anyone.

Gu Xiaoxi also ate slowly, savoring the meal. She was genuinely surprised by Lu Jiansen’s cooking skills, which seemed to rival her mother’s.

It was quite unexpected!

In her past life, she had eaten many delicious meals, but few home-cooked dishes could surpass her mother’s.

The meal was a joyous occasion for both hosts and guests.

After dinner, Lu Jiansen and his family stayed for a short while before leaving.

As Jiang Xiuqing washed the dishes, she said to her husband, who was preparing to take out the trash, “Don’t you think the kitchen is unusually clean today?”

Gu Yimin looked around and nodded. “Yes, it’s very clean. The cabinets look brand new, and even the soot on the pots is gone. Xiaoxi must have been busy last night.”

Jiang Xiuqing paused for a moment, then pointed to the kitchen knife. “This knife is new. The thermos also looks like it’s been replaced.”

Then, abruptly changing the subject, she asked, “Do you think Xiaoxi and Lu Jiansen have met before?”

She couldn’t shake the feeling that there was an odd familiarity between the two, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

Gu Yimin was silent for a moment, about to speak, when Jiang Xiuqing suddenly thought of something else.

“Maybe they haven’t met. Perhaps Da Chuan mentioned Xiaoxi to Lu Jiansen.”

Gu Yimin smiled and nodded. “That’s possible. Da Chuan has always been fond of talking about his little sister. It’s good that Xiaoxi will be joining the military—she’ll be closer to her brother, and he can help look after her.”

Jiang Xiuqing, who had initially been worried about her daughter’s life in the military, felt reassured by her husband’s words and quickly moved on to other topics.

Meanwhile, Gu Xiaoxi took the opportunity to take a bath and wash her clothes.

Just as the family finished tidying up, Uncle Gu hurried over.

“Yimin, Mom and Dad want you to come over. They said they have something to discuss.”

“Alright, I’ll head over right away,” Gu Yimin nodded.

He actually needed to inform his parents about Xiaoxi’s engagement tomorrow.

Even though they had split the household and his parents didn’t pay much attention to him, he still had to let them know.

After Uncle Gu left, Gu Xiaoxi softly said to her mother, “Grandpa and Grandma are calling us over because they want us to share the losses from the fire.”

In her past life, the old woman had done the same thing.