Chapter 19: Thoughts on Marriage

Back when they’d traveled from Qionghai to Tang County, they had also passed this very lotus pond.

She still remembered how the girl had stretched her neck eagerly to catch a glimpse—but unfortunately, her seat hadn’t offered a good view. With her line of sight blocked, she couldn’t see the full scenery, and her face had shown clear disappointment.

That subtle moment had not escaped Zhou Zhengliang’s eyes.

So-called “ladies first”?

It was merely his way of ensuring she wouldn’t leave this trip with regrets.

As the car sped down the highway, Xu Mo didn’t dare let his mind wander. Still, catching a glance through the rearview mirror, he could sense the leader’s mood was fairly pleasant.

The G2 Ring Expressway offered scenic beauty year-round. For those on long journeys, it worked wonders in easing tension.

Most importantly, when the leader was in good spirits—everything else went smoothly.

Around four in the afternoon, the car returned to Qionghai.

Gu Yao received a phone call from her aunt.

Her aunt chided her—saying that since she was back in Nanning, she should’ve dropped by the house for a meal.

Holding the phone, Gu Yao looked visibly conflicted.

Her eyes darted briefly toward the person beside her. She gave a vague response, glossing things over. It wasn’t the right time for details.

Soon, she heard her uncle’s voice faintly through the receiver: “Let her come home first—we’ll talk later. It’s not convenient now.”

Director Shen truly knew how to handle things.

Her aunt muttered something on the other end—likely grumbling that he should’ve told her earlier, so she could’ve prepared some local specialties for her niece to bring back to Qionghai.

In truth, small details revealed that there was no real hatred between the couple.

So then—what had pushed them all the way to divorce?

She understood.

Adults were experts at one thing: putting on a show for the kids.

At the very least, her younger cousin was still completely in the dark.

Two minutes later, the call ended.

Just as she switched off her phone, a deep and composed voice sounded beside her: “No need to rush back to work. Take two days off, get some rest—and reorganize your thoughts.”

“Okay.”

Gu Yao nodded. “Thank you, Secretary Zhou.”

Then her brain froze.

She turned to him in confusion and asked, “Just now, when you said ‘reorganize thoughts’—what kind of thoughts?”

She thought maybe she had zoned out and missed part of the conversation.

A flicker of something unreadable passed through Zhou Zhengliang’s eyes—dark and inscrutable, gone in a blink.

He didn’t answer her question.

Instead, he posed another: “What are your thoughts on marriage, Xiao Gu?”

…??

Even the person in the front seat—Xu Mo—was stunned for a moment.

For a leader to suddenly switch channels from business to personal talk, and ask something like that? Very rare.

But Comrade Xiao Gu was sharp.

Faced with this unexpected question, her mind quickly jumped back to that afternoon—outside the logistics office corridor.

Her expression grew awkward. She tested the waters, asking, “Did you overhear my conversation with my uncle?”

Zhou Zhengliang paused.

Then said, “I wasn’t the only one who heard.”

What?

Gu Yao closed her eyes, looking utterly defeated.

Great.

Now the whole department would know that Director Shen’s marriage had collapsed. If her younger cousin caught wind of it, what then?

And yet—the top official still sat waiting for her response.

What did she think about marriage?

To her, that question was already way beyond her level.

Still, she had thought seriously about her aunt and uncle’s situation.

Eventually, she had arrived at a conclusion: “Marriage is between two people. One hand can’t clap on its own. No matter who’s more at fault—both sides are responsible in some way.”

From her tone, it was obvious she held some strong opinions.

Zhou Zhengliang said nothing in response, falling silent.

After a while—

He lifted the corner of his lips slightly.

It was faint—a subtle, unreadable smile. Then came a low chuckle, almost imperceptible.

Startled by his reaction, Gu Yao stared at him, bewildered.

The afternoon sun had lost some of its harshness, casting a soft glow over his collar. His shirt was open at the top button, exposing the strong, clean lines of his throat—sharply contoured, mature, quietly sensual.

That one low chuckle, rising from his throat, carried a grainy, magnetic timbre unique to grown men—tickling the ears like a current.

In just three seconds, Gu Yao quickly turned her gaze away.

She turned her clear eyes toward the window, cheeks burning.

It was the first time she’d ever stared at a man for so long—only to end up making herself embarrassed.

Clearly, her thoughts weren’t pure.

After a long silence, Zhou Zhengliang resumed the conversation.

His gaze rested on the girl’s blushing profile, and his voice was calm and gentle:
“Divorce isn’t always a negative word. You’re still young—don’t carry prejudice toward people who’ve been divorced.”

Oh.

She understood. And respected that.

But honestly, she never said she looked down on divorced people.

Still, the lesson Secretary Zhou was teaching her today… felt a little odd.

Throughout the conversation, Xu Mo remained completely silent up front.

He didn’t dare chime in.

After all, Secretary Zhou had never brought up this topic before. And now, to suddenly be discussing it with a young girl? There had to be a reason—but what?

If one had to guess…

Could it be related to her—the one from the Liang family in Beijing?

Hard to think of any other explanation.

Due to the leader’s thoughtfulness—and Xu Mo’s insistence—they dropped Comrade Xiao Gu directly at her home.

No. 19, Xiangyang Road—an old-style residential neighborhood.

Looking out the car window, Zhou Zhengliang surveyed the gate and its outdated access control, speaking in an even tone:
“Precast panel housing, built around 1995. It’s already included in this round of shantytown renovation. Also quite far from the office—makes commuting inconvenient.”

Xu Mo was surprised.

Truly worthy of being Secretary Zhou—he could guess the year of a random building just like that?

Gu Yao had just bent down to offer her thanks and say goodbye, but when she heard the comment, she replied casually:
“Just three more months. Once my lease is up, I’ll look for another place.”

“It’s not safe for a young woman to live alone. Do you have a roommate?” he asked.

She shook her head.
“I’m not used to sharing a place.”

Besides—

She gave a shy little smile and pointed toward the security booth.
“Don’t let the rundown appearance fool you. The security’s actually quite good.”

The neighborhood committee had formed their own property management team—very responsible.

Though Gu Yao didn’t make much money, she wasn’t so desperate as to sacrifice safety for cheap rent.

Zhou Zhengliang believed that.

After all, she wasn’t stupid.

—

What followed was an unprecedented level of relaxation.

With comp time plus the weekend, she had four days off in a row—and finally experienced what it meant to wake up naturally.

While others were racing to clock in, Comrade Xiao Gu lay in her air-conditioned room, torn between getting up for lunch or staying in bed. In the end, she made the tough decision to order takeout.

Pulling out her phone—

Fried chicken, spicy hot pot, braised chicken rice…

Ugh. Everything was a nutritional disaster.

Eat and slowly die from toxins. Don’t eat and die from hunger.

Cue the next round of mental wrestling.

Eventually, hunger won out—her stomach touching her spine, she dragged herself weakly to the kitchen for instant noodles.

Around 8 p.m., her cousin called via video.

The moment Gu Yao answered, her cousin got straight to the point:
“Yao Yao, I’ve found something about what you asked me to look into.”

Regarding the second young master of the Cheng family going MIA for a week.

Phone off. No reply on WeChat. It was like he vanished into thin air.

Wen Jing said, “According to inside sources, no one knows what he did wrong, but he’s been suspended from his post at the group. The chairman grounded him at home for a full week to reflect.”

Ah—so that’s what happened.

What else could it be? Obviously, it was about blocking that government vehicle last time.

Gu Yao sighed softly.
“I was actually thinking of meeting with him this weekend to talk about the whole live-streamed proposal thing.”

Well, guess that’s not happening now.

“You sound pretty calm about it,” Wen Jing noted. Then, raising a curious brow, she teased, “Come on, tell me the inside story—did Cheng Er tick off someone big?”

Even someone as powerful as Hengyuan’s chairman had to bow his head—had to be a major figure.

Thinking back to what had happened that day—

Honestly, Gu Yao still felt a lingering fear.

If that Coaster driver had reacted just two seconds slower… if he hadn’t hit the brakes in time…

She didn’t dare imagine the consequences.