Chapter 38

Lu Guanshan was tall and poised, his steps steady. His chiseled face carried an inherent aura of authority, not requiring anger to command respect, and his sharp, cold gaze made an impression.

He wore a white shirt on top and black trousers on the bottom, different from the usual military green.

This outfit made him look even more handsome, adding an elegant and scholarly charm to his presence.

A white shirt can accentuate a man’s handsome features, and with Lu Guanshan’s exceptional physique, his muscles subtly visible, and his long, lean legs in black trousers, it made him look striking. Paired with his handsome face, he made the dilapidated village suddenly shine!

Yu Li felt a rush of joy that she couldn’t suppress.

She had just been coldly insulting Xia Yuying, but in the blink of an eye, her ears flushed pink, and her eyes, unknowingly shy, took on a softness like rose petals kissed by spring rain, gently swaying.

Lu Guanshan’s previously cold expression softened to warmth the moment he saw Yu Li.

He walked up, his gaze growing warmer.

“Why are you standing here?”

Yu Li bit her lip. “I’m borrowing a tractor with my older brother. My mom asked us to go get some bricks.”

Secretary Chen, seeing the driver behind Lu Guanshan in his grass-green uniform driving a car, immediately understood and quickly said, “Tuanjie, no need to borrow it! You can just take it! A few days is fine!”

Lu Guanshan stepped forward and shook hands with Yu Tuanjie. “Big Brother.”

Yu Tuanjie couldn’t hide his happiness. “Ah! You’re finally back! Come on, Li, take your brother-in-law home to rest! I’ll go get the bricks myself. Don’t go to the town just yet!”

Lu Guanshan nodded. “Alright.”

Yu Li also nodded gently, her whole demeanor obedient and gentle. Her eyes were clear, and her cheeks had a soft, peachy pink glow, giving her a sweet and alluring look without being ostentatious, like a little kitten that made people want to protect her.

Lu Guanshan turned and was about to take Yu Li back to her home.

Driver Xiao Zhou followed them.

At the side, Wu Guohua finally couldn’t hold himself back!

His eyes were dark and unclear as he forcibly suppressed his anger.

What was going on with Lu Guanshan? Didn’t he fall unconscious? How could he wake up?

With their competition for promotion, this incident made Lu Guanshan almost certain to win. What about him?

Yu Li had always been dull and evasive with him, so why was she so shy and lovely around Lu Guanshan?

He even wondered if the two of them had been having an affair before he broke off the engagement!

There was another thing Wu Guohua hated.

He himself was quite good-looking, 1.8 meters tall, and a fine, handsome man. In the entire Hongxing village, there was no other young man better than him.

But every time Lu Guanshan appeared, he was easily overshadowed!

Lu Guanshan’s features were too perfect, but what was the use of looking so good? Was he trying to live off his looks like a woman?

He was 1.88 meters tall and even more upright, and he had all these muscles—what were they for? Couldn’t he just lie down and rest once in a while?

This man was crazy!

What irked Wu Guohua the most was that Lu Guanshan was polite to everyone else but was cold and distant toward him!

They were both at the same rank, so why did Lu Guanshan act so arrogantly?

It was just an injury! The leader even sent a car to bring him back to marry, what did that look like?

Wu Guohua decided that he must correct Lu Guanshan’s mistake!

“Captain Lu, have you suddenly forgotten me, Wu Guohua?” Wu Guohua asked, looking coldly at Lu Guanshan.

The man suddenly turned around, his deep gaze locking onto Wu Guohua’s.

Wu Guohua felt a shiver in his heart but still stared back.

Lu Guanshan sneered softly.

“The package of life-saving medicine that Captain Wu had to send to your mother is what truly made me understand who you are. What? You don’t think I’ve understood enough yet? Don’t worry, after we’re done with the formalities, we’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other!”

Wu Guohua’s face stiffened!

He clenched his teeth slightly, feeling helpless. He had indeed made a mistake by indulging his mother’s plan!

But to take a step back—was Lu Guanshan not at fault either?

He was the captain, didn’t he know how to judge a situation? Didn’t he know the wine had a problem?

When things went wrong, he only knew how to blame others?

Though Wu Guohua was furious, he still held back.

His mind was in turmoil, with only one thought.

He could let go of Yu Li, but Yu Li absolutely could not marry Lu Guanshan!

Xia Yuying was also consumed by jealousy!

She couldn’t help but greedily stare at the car!

How wonderful it would be if the car was here to pick her up!

How many days would the car stay? Could she borrow it on their wedding day as well?

After all, it was the army’s car, not just Lu Guanshan’s!

Yu Li looked at the two of them, each with their own schemes, nearly driven to frustration, and smiled.

“Ah, you two aren’t speaking, I almost forgot! We made a bet earlier. If Lu Guanshan comes back, you two will have to bark like dogs three times! You didn’t forget, did you?

I believe you two aren’t the kind of shameless, treacherous, two-faced, vile people, right?”

She said all this in one breath, and the words were clearly aimed at insulting Xia Yuying and Wu Guohua!

Lu Guanshan couldn’t help but laugh.

His wife sure knew a lot of words, and she was so cute!

He casually added with one hand in his pocket, “No, they’re definitely not the kind of shameless, vile, pretentious, hypocritical people.”

Wu Guohua: …Are you showing off how many words you know?!

Xia Yuying couldn’t hold back anymore: “Yu Li, stop beating around the bush! They’re both colleagues. What you’re doing is sowing discord between comrades! If the leader finds out, he definitely won’t approve of your marriage!”

Yu Li smiled brightly. “Alright, go ahead and report it! Go tell them not to approve of my marriage to Lu Guanshan!”

Xia Yuying was speechless. How could she dare to report?

Everything they had done was already rooted in their own guilty conscience.

In the end, Wu Guohua took a deep breath. “Captain Lu, women often have long hair but short minds. As men, we can’t let them run wild. Let’s not make a big deal out of this small matter. We can talk privately in the next few days!”

But Lu Guanshan immediately shot back: “Your woman may have long hair and a short mind, but my Li is the smartest and most reasonable. She must have been wronged today. So, I’m asking you two—are you going to apologize and bark like dogs, or make a bigger fuss?”

His voice was low and heavy, like a blunt instrument hitting their heads, carrying a cold warning!

Xia Yuying was even angrier!

The more she looked, the more it seemed that Yu Li had lost Wu Guohua but had found someone even better.

She kept telling herself, no matter how good Lu Guanshan was, wasn’t he still going to die young?

The louder Yu Li laughed now, the harder she would cry later!

Wu Guohua, seeing Lu Guanshan angry, dared not argue further. He truly didn’t have the confidence to face Lu Guanshan head-on.

In the end, it was Xia Yuying who, with a pitiful look, reluctantly barked a few times.

“Woof woof woof, is that enough? Are you satisfied now? Yu Li, you’re really too much!”

Xia Yuying stomped her foot and walked away in anger.

Wu Guohua quickly followed her.

Yu Li relaxed and laughed. It felt great!

Every time she saw Xia Yuying’s furious and humiliated expression, she felt a lot of the frustration in her heart dissipate.

Lu Guanshan, watching her laugh, stretched out his large hand. “Let’s go home.”

Yu Li gently bit her lip, glanced at Xiao Zhou beside her, and softly asked, “Is it inappropriate to hold hands?”

Lu Guanshan’s expression turned serious. “I just injured my head. From now on, you’ll have to hold my hand whenever we walk. You take care of your own man!”

Okay, okay, Yu Li extended her small hand, which was immediately held tightly by Lu Guanshan’s large one.

His hand was warm and dry, steadily enveloping her little hand, making Yu Li feel overjoyed inside.

She felt so fond of Lu Guanshan!

Though they had known each other for such a short time, just seeing him made her happy to the point that her whole heart felt like it was floating!

She didn’t notice that Lu Guanshan’s lips had also gently curved upward.

Not far away, Wu Guohua was comforting Xia Yuying.

By chance, he glanced over and saw the backs of Yu Li and Lu Guanshan, and their clasped hands.

Yu Li’s hand was smooth, fair, and delicate, small like jade, with slender fingers like green onion stems.

He had once thought of touching her small hand.

But in the end, he never did.

Now, she belonged to someone else.

Xia Yuying was still crying, holding her face and shaking her shoulders. “Guohua, you saw how she always picks on me! If it weren’t for you, I would never have put up with her! She’s the one who doesn’t deserve you. Why does she keep holding onto you? We love each other, is that wrong?!”

Wu Guohua heard these words in his ears, but his eyes were fixed on the hands clasped between Lu Guanshan and Yu Li.

A sharp, painful feeling suddenly pricked his heart!