Xinyan cheerfully said goodbye to them and walked briskly towards the courtyard.
Along the way, she thought about Tang Congrong and reminded herself: Whether or not sheâs connected to those people, she must remain vigilant, as those grasshoppers after autumn will still be jumping around for some time. She mustnât be careless.
When she reached the alley entrance, she happened to run into Zhan Ming.
There was a woman following behind him, and this time Xinyan could see clearly. She wasnât very pretty, but gave off a good impression.
Xinyan thought: This might be the widow Li Gaiyun mentioned, Zhan Mingâs current partner Ge Suhua, whom heâs dating with marriage intentions.
Zhan Ming greeted Xinyan with a smile, "Hey, little landlord, youâre back?"
Xinyan nodded while saying, "Uncle Song, we live in the same alley, so weâre sort of familiar with each other. You can just call me by my name. Also, regarding the shop issues, I donât want everyone to know about them."
Zhan Ming paused for a moment before quickly responding, "I understand, I understand."
Then he pointed at the woman beside him and introduced, "This is Comrade Ge Suhua, my partner. Weâre holding our wedding next Wednesday. If you have time, come for a celebratory drink."
Xinyan smiled and offered her blessings, "Sure, unless something unexpected comes up, Iâll definitely be there. Congratulations."
Ge Suhua graciously said, "Thank you."
They still had things to do, so they hurried off after a brief greeting.
As soon as she entered the courtyard, the aroma of food wafted towards her.
From the kitchen, He Jinxuan called out, "Yanyan, youâre back?"
Xinyan smiled as she walked into the kitchen, seeing the man wearing an apron, scrubbing a wok. Her heart felt a surge of warmth. Although this man wasnât very handsome, he was robust.
He could earn money, cook, and was meticulous. His muscular physique was eye-catching, hehe.
Seeing her stand there motionless, He Jinxuan turned and saw Xinyanâs expression, "What, are you captivated?"
Xinyan smiled, walked closer, and hugged him from behind, resting her face against He Jinxuanâs back, "Mm, men who focus on their work are very charming."
He Jinxuan felt his whole body tense up and thought of something, "How about we get the marriage certificate early? That way, I can live here openly to take care of you, and not have to leave at night. Would you consider it?"
Upon hearing this, Xinyan stiffened as she hugged He Jinxuanâs arm.
He Jinxuan sensed her change, "I was just saying, donât think too much about it."
Xinyan thought about He Jinxuanâs age and wondered if she was being a bit selfish, "Was it really just a casual comment?"
He Jinxuan paused his actions, washed his hands, turned around, and looked earnestly at Xinyan, "Yanyan, I donât want to deceive you. I wish I could marry you right now. But I promised you back then, and I donât want to break my word."
He finished speaking and pulled her tightly into his arms, whispering in her ear, "I want, when Iâm not on assignment, to be with you always, to pamper you, to cherish you."
Xinyanâs heart wasnât made of stone, "Then it depends on whether you can persuade Comrades Han Jingchen and Gu Wanqing."
He Jinxuan got excited upon hearing this, "What did you just say?"
Xinyan buried her head into He Jinxuanâs arms, "Didnât hear anything, just pretend I didnât say it."
He Jinxuan wouldnât agree to that, "No, no, no, I heard it."
Saying that, he lifted Xinyan up and spun her around, "Yanyan, you said it, no take-backs."