That morning, after breakfast, Aunt Lin and Xiuli left for work, leaving only the three Lin siblings and Ling Luochuan at home.  

Lin Yaoyu had been taking his younger brother to the training ground almost every day lately, determined to toughen him up and instill some masculinity in him.  

Xiuzhu, having grown up in the military compound, had zero interest in the training ground and once again firmly rejected her eldest brother’s invitation.  

Lying on her bed under the breeze of a fan, nibbling on the mung bean cakes Ling Luochuan had given her, she was thoroughly enjoying her leisurely little life.  

The training ground was scorching hot—no way was she going.  

But her peaceful time didn’t last long before the phone downstairs rang.  

*Knock, knock, knock…*  

Aunt Chen tapped on the door and entered. “Xiuzhu, there’s a phone call for you downstairs.”  

“Alright, I’m coming.” She climbed out of bed and ambled downstairs, settling onto the sofa in the sitting area before picking up the receiver.  

“Hello, who is this?”  

A lazy voice drifted through the line. “Xiuzhu, it’s Gu Yu. I’m free today—how about we go eat at the state-run restaurant?”  

“Oh, Brother Gu…”  

“But… it’s so hot today. I’ll get sunburned if I go out. Maybe another time?”  

Xiuzhu was genuinely grateful to Gu Yu, but her procrastination habit kicked in—she really didn’t feel like moving.  

Gu Yu thought to himself: *This little ingrate. A whole week has passed, and she hasn’t reached out once. She probably forgot all about me.* This time, he absolutely couldn’t let her brush him off.  

*Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow—how many tomorrows are there?*  

“Xiuzhu, I’ll drive over to pick you up. We’ll go straight to the state-run restaurant—you won’t even feel the heat.”  

“After we eat, I’ll bring you right back. How about it?”  

Remembering that he had saved her life and hearing him say this much, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse.  

With a spoiled tone, she relented, “Fine. But you have to pick me up at the compound gate at exactly 10 o’clock. Don’t keep me waiting.”  

Having seen him in his police uniform arresting criminals that day, Xiuzhu figured he must be a public security officer—at least her personal safety was guaranteed.  

Gu Yu’s heart itched at her coquettish voice, and he replied warmly, “Of course. I won’t make you wait.”  

***  

At 10:10 a.m., Xiuzhu appeared at the compound gate wearing a white peter-pan-collar polka-dot *bulaji* dress.  

Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, adorned with a pink silk scarf woven through the ends like a ribbon.  

Gu Yu stared at her, momentarily stunned, before snapping back to reality and considerately opening the car door for her. His voice was slightly hoarse as he said, “Get in. I’ve got iced mung bean soup for you in the car.”  

Xiuzhu eyed the military-green Jeep with curiosity—it looked brand new. Smiling politely, she voiced her question, “Thank you. By the way, whose car is this?”  

“Borrowed it from my family,” Gu Yu replied casually.  

In those days, only military cadres had access to vehicles. The fact that he had this car suggested his family held a high-ranking position. Xiuzhu’s eyes flickered with interest.  

She pressed further, intrigued. “Are there soldiers in your family too?”  

Only then did it occur to her that she knew nothing about Gu Yu’s background. On the train, she hadn’t felt the need to ask, and their later meetings had been too rushed for conversation.  

*Was it a bit reckless to go out to eat with him like this?*  

Even if it was to thank him for saving her life, it was too late to back out now—she was already in the car.  

Gu Yu drove slowly and steadily as he answered, “Yeah, just like your family, mine’s full of soldiers. I used to be one too—just retired and transferred to civilian work this year.”  

Xiuzhu’s mind didn’t register that Gu Yu’s comment about her family meant he already knew all about her background.  

Instead, she was busy wondering why someone so young had already retired and switched careers.  

Xiuzhu’s thoughts were incredibly easy to guess—they were practically written all over her face.  

Gu Yu had been watching her out of the corner of his eye, worried she might overthink things. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke up: “There’s no particular reason. The military just wasn’t for me, so I changed environments, that’s all.”  

“Oh…”  

She awkwardly rubbed her nose, thinking, *How did he know what I was wondering? Did I accidentally touch on a sore subject?*  

The car fell into silence. Xiuzhu sat in the passenger seat, sipping the mung bean soup in small gulps. The ice had melted by now, leaving it perfectly chilled.  

Gu Yu glanced at her from the corner of his eye. The girl’s large, sparkling eyes seemed to speak volumes, and her lips, freshly moistened by the soup, looked even redder. The contrast with her fair skin was striking, and when she smiled faintly, she looked like a celestial being—adorable beyond words.  

His fingers tapped lightly against the steering wheel, his gaze inscrutable.  

Unable to resist, he added a few more words of concern: “It’s not good for girls to have too much cold stuff in the summer.”  

“Be good. We’ll be eating soon, so don’t drink too much now. If you like it, I’ll make more for you later.”  

Xiuzhu had been doted on her whole life, so while she noticed the faintly indulgent tone in his voice, she didn’t dwell on it.  

“You made this yourself?” Her voice carried surprise—she hadn’t expected a man in this era of prevailing machismo to know how to make sweet soups.  

Gu Yu raised an eyebrow slightly, a touch of pride in his expression. “Of course. And it’s not just mung bean soup—I can cook plenty of other dishes too. What do you like to eat?”  

“I never would’ve guessed you had this skill! I love sweet and sour fish, braised pork, and lotus root stuffed with glutinous rice and osmanthus.” Just mentioning these dishes made Xiuzhu’s tone brighten.  

She couldn’t help but swallow lightly, already craving them.  

Gu Yu adored seeing her look like a little glutton. It was good that she loved food—he could start by winning her over through her stomach.  

Knowing her mother was from Hangzhou, he said, “I can make all of those, and they’re just as good as what you’d get at a state-run restaurant. My mother’s from Shanghai—she loves those kinds of dishes too.”  

Then, he added temptingly, “I’ll make them for you another time. You can compare and tell me if anything needs improving.”  

“Sure!” Xiuzhu agreed eagerly.  

The corners of Gu Yu’s lips curled into a smile as he drove, his usually sharp, narrow phoenix eyes softening.  

He drove deliberately slowly, keeping pace with a bicycle, just to spend more time with her. Yet, despite his efforts, they arrived at their destination half an hour later.  

Gu Yu parked the car, got out first, and then walked around to open her door, saying considerately, “Be careful—mind your step.”  

“Okay,” Xiuzhu replied absently, her eyes taking in the sight of the 1960s-era state-run restaurant in Beijing.  

Chongqing was far from the capital, so she only came back with her parents every few years. Back then, she hadn’t yet recalled her past-life memories and hadn’t paid much attention to her surroundings.  

Now, with a completely different mindset, she observed everything with fresh curiosity.  

The imposing red-brick building bore a large sign reading “Beijing State-Run Restaurant,” its façade decorated with simple slogans.  

Stepping inside, the first thing that caught her eye was the spacious, tidy dining hall.  

A prominently displayed slogan hung on the wall, different from the one outside: “Unprovoked assault of customers is strictly prohibited.”  

Xiuzhu couldn’t help but think, *Does that mean it’s fine if there’s a reason?*  

Gu Yu first led her to order. There weren’t many dishes to choose from—the menu board on the wall listed only six options: three meat dishes (scallion-fried pork liver, braised spare ribs, and fried eggs) and three vegetable dishes (stir-fried three delights, fried tofu with vermicelli, and mushrooms stir-fried with peppers).  

After looking them over, Xiuzhu asked Gu Yu, “How about the braised spare ribs, fried eggs, and fried tofu with vermicelli? And two bowls of rice? Do these sound good?”  

“Sure. I’ll eat anything you pick.” He smiled at her as he spoke.  

Xiuzhu pulled out her wallet, ready with cash and ration coupons, only to be told that Gu Yu had already paid.  

“But *I’m* treating *him*—take my money. Here’s the grain coupon and 4.5 yuan.” She tried handing the payment to the waitress.  

The waitress’s attitude at this time was generally poor, but seeing these two well-dressed comrades before her, she behaved slightly better than usual.  

“Comrade, there are customers behind you. You’d better find a seat quickly,” she said, unwilling to bother with their affairs. As long as the payment was settled, she didn’t want any extra work.  

Gu Yu led the frowning Xiuzhu to one of the large square tables in the dining hall, selecting a clean bench for them to sit on.  

Then he explained gently, “Look, it’s so hot today, and you still came out to eat with me. Let me treat you this time. You can treat me next time—it’s the same either way.”  

“Oh, alright then.” Xiuzhu thought to herself that this meant she’d have to go out with him again. In this era, frequently spending time alone with a man didn’t seem very proper.  

She had assumed it would be a one-time thing to settle the debt. How annoying—she hated owing favors the most.  

Seeing her furrowed brows, Gu Yu immediately knew what she was thinking, his eyes darkening slightly.  

*This little ingrate. She plans to ignore me after this meal, doesn’t she?* The phone number he’d left her on the train had probably been forgotten long ago.  

It felt like retribution. Usually, it was girls who went out of their way to approach him. This was the first time he’d been genuinely interested in someone, yet she remained indifferent.  

Truthfully, when he first met her on the train, he had simply thought she was an exceptionally delicate and spoiled little girl. He couldn’t help observing her but hadn’t planned on anything more, especially given her young age.  

But seeing her in danger yesterday made him realize—he was afraid of her getting hurt, afraid she might disappear from this world.  

At the time, he still refused to admit he had feelings for her, dismissing it as mere concern.  

Yet last night, he had an… *indescribable* dream. Waking up early in the morning, he washed his sheets with a dark expression—the first time in his 25 years he’d ever done such a thing.  

Gu Yu was intelligent. He knew this meant he had developed romantic feelings for this girl. The more he thought about it, the more he realized she perfectly matched his preferences in every way—both in personality and appearance.  

He wasn’t one to procrastinate. If he wanted something, he would pursue it actively. Her young age didn’t matter—he could wait a couple of years before marriage.  

*Forget it. Why bother getting worked up over a little girl?* Anything Gu Yu wanted, he had never failed to obtain.  

Now that she had caught his attention, he wouldn’t let her go.  

Since it wasn’t yet noon rush hour, their food arrived quickly. The waitress shouted from the service window—during this period, customers had to fetch their own dishes.  

Gu Yu stood up to retrieve their order. Looking at the three dishes on the table, he asked, “Is this enough variety? If you’d like anything else, I can go order more.”  

“No need. The portions here are huge—I won’t be able to finish much anyway.” Xiuzhu was slightly taken aback by the generous servings that nearly covered the entire table. What more could they possibly add?  

Using clean chopsticks, Gu Yu picked out a well-prepared spare rib and placed it in her bowl. “Alright, then eat first. Try the ribs.”  

Xiuzhu picked up her chopsticks gracefully, her movements refined and practiced. As the food entered her mouth, her cheeks puffed out slightly. Chewing slowly, an unconscious smile of satisfaction curled at the corners of her lips.  

Gu Yu watched with quiet appreciation, attending to her needs throughout the meal.  

At the neighboring table sat a blind-date couple and two middle-aged women around forty.  

They were close enough for their conversation to be clearly overheard.  

Xiuzhu’s eating slowed as their discussion caught her attention.  

The one speaking now was a round-faced woman. Her eyes carried a trace of amusement, her expression sharp and shrewd.  

She said smugly, “Aunt Xiaofang, Jianguo is now a steel mill worker, earning 45 yuan a month.”  

“Jianguo’s father is a permanent employee at the ice cream factory, with a salary of 30 yuan.”  

“The son from his late ex-wife is usually taken care of by his mother. Xiaofang will live a blessed life marrying Jianguo.”  

The round-faced woman chattered nonstop—clearly a matchmaker.  

Beside her, the square-faced man named Jianguo wore an arrogant expression, his chin raised so high that his two large nostrils were clearly visible.  

Next to the young woman, the thin-faced mother beamed with an almost fawning smile.  

Her eyes slightly narrowed, her lips curved upward. “Yes, Jianguo’s conditions are truly excellent. So, the betrothal gift will be 300 yuan, plus the ‘Three Turns and One Sound’—no problem, right?”  

The matchmaker turned to the square-faced man named Jianguo.  

His brows furrowed slightly, his lips downturned, losing their earlier smugness.  

Seeing his displeasure, the thin-faced woman quickly added, “Though Jianguo’s conditions are good, he is already 30. Our Xiaofang is only 18, still a young maiden.”  

“But who can deny Jianguo’s capability? His family is well-off. An older husband with a young wife—he’ll surely dote on her.”  

The man named Jianguo looked tense, hesitating before speaking. “This isn’t a small sum. I’ll need to discuss it with my mother.”  

The matchmaker hurriedly smoothed things over. “Of course, of course! This is a big matter—naturally, you should discuss it with your family.”  

“Oh, let’s eat first!” she said, grabbing a large chunk of meat and stuffing it into her mouth.  

The square-faced man and Xiaofang’s mother quickly picked up their chopsticks—after all, ordinary folks were lucky to eat meat once or twice a month.  

The 18-year-old girl at the相亲 (xiāngqīn, matchmaking) table remained silent throughout, only placing a piece of meat in the square-faced man’s bowl before eating.  

Then, she glanced at him shyly before lowering her head and eating quietly, her manners delicate.  

The square-faced man paused mid-bite under her gaze, his previously arrogant eyes now burning with interest.  

Abandoning his meal, he turned to Xiaofang’s mother and said, “Auntie, after dinner, I’ll take Xiaofang to see a movie.”  

Xiaofang’s mother eagerly agreed.  

Then, Xiaofang peeked at the square-faced man again, her expression bashful…  

Xiuzhu, watching nearby, widened her eyes in amazement.  

Leaning close to Gu Yu’s ear, she whispered, “This Xiaofang is something else. Just a few glances, and she’s already softened that square-faced man’s attitude.”  

“But this Jianguo fellow is really ‘an old cow eating tender grass’—12 years older than Xiaofang!”  

Gu Yu’s heart raced as her sweet breath brushed his ear.  

Then, hearing Xiuzhu’s remark about “an old cow eating tender grass,” his chest tightened…