Chapter 537 - 518: Dating

Sui’er nodded at Gu’er’s words. She couldn’t be of much help with this, but since her father and older sister thought it was a good thing, then it must be.

"Oh, by the way, Sis. Once the school is set up, what do you think about me bringing some of my classmates over to teach during winter and summer break?"

Sui’er wanted to do her part. She thought it was a great idea. Bringing her classmates here to teach during the breaks would be a good experience for them. It would let them get to know the local village, spend time with the children, and teach them things like new knowledge, songs, and games. It seemed very meaningful.

"That’s a great idea! As long as they’re willing to come, we’d welcome them, of course. Tell your classmates that room and board will be fully covered, and we’ll pay them a salary. Anyone who wants to come is welcome."

Gu’er thought it was an excellent idea as well. University students have a different perspective on the world; they could offer the children experiences that other teachers couldn’t.

"Okay, then it’s a deal. My classmates probably won’t even ask for a salary, though. They’ll be happy as long as room and board are covered."

Sui’er was delighted that Gu’er had approved of her idea.

"Alright, we can sort out the details later."

Gu’er nodded. The two sisters chatted as they walked back home.

When they got home, Jiji heard the door open and immediately pulled Cao Qiu by the hand to the entrance. The moment he saw Gu’er, he leaped into her arms.

Gu’er quickly set her things on the floor and wrapped her arms around her son.

Jiji burrowed into Gu’er’s embrace, rubbing his head against her cheek again and again. His little face was a picture of distress. He was used to always having his mom around, but when he’d looked for her this afternoon, she was gone. She wasn’t with his dad either. He couldn’t find his mom, and he hadn’t been happy even while playing.

"There, there, Mommy’s back now, isn’t she? Mommy went to buy us clothes. I bought some new clothes for Jiji, too. Do you want to see them?"

Looking at her son’s little face, Gu’er forgot about everything else.

Jiji stayed put in Gu’er’s arms, refusing to budge. He ignored anyone who tried to tease him and just clung to Gu’er’s neck. You couldn’t imagine how clingy he was.

"He’s going to be just as attached to his wife when he grows up. Just you wait, he’s exactly like his father."

Cao Qiu said, feeling a little sour. She watched him every day, doted on him every day, and wished she could pluck the moon from the sky for her grandson. And what was the result? Her grandson was still closest to his mother. As his grandmother, she couldn’t help but feel a little jealous.

Sun Jiaming just chuckled, not saying a word. What could he say? Being attached to your wife was a good thing; it meant they had a good relationship. If things weren’t good, who would want to be together all the time?

"I don’t see anything wrong with it. Look how well Gu’er and Jiaming get along. And Dingzi and Marina, Li Zhi and Feng Ling—aren’t they all doing great?"

Grandma Sun disagreed. "A man should cherish his wife, that’s how it’s supposed to be. A woman worries about you, works hard for you, gives her all... if you, as a man, don’t cherish her and treat her well, then what good are you?"

"Besides, it’s natural for a child to be closest to his mother. No one can compare to that."

"I didn’t say it was a bad thing," Cao Qiu muttered. "I was just teasing."

’Attached to his wife?’

Gu’er thought to herself. ’If Jiji grows up and is only affectionate with his wife, I probably wouldn’t feel too good about it, would I? I can kind of understand a mother-in-law’s feelings now. You watch your son grow up and get married. On the one hand, you’re relieved that he gets along well with his wife, but on the other hand, there’s bound to be a bitter taste.’

’Sigh, why am I thinking so far ahead? He won’t be getting married for at least another ten or twenty years. Thinking so far into the future and making myself upset... I must be crazy. Besides, I still have Sun Jiaming. I could even have another child. Even if our children aren’t by our side, Sun Jiaming and I can still have a good life together. When you get old, your spouse is your true companion. Your children eventually have to leave.’

Once Gu’er thought it all through, her slightly uncomfortable mood lifted. Cuddling Jiji, she joined everyone in looking at the new clothes.

The days passed by. The New Year came and went, followed by the Lantern Festival, and a few days later, Sui’er left. A few days after returning to school, she called Gu’er. She said that Chen Xiaomei had indeed decided to help her. She was fine with not taking a salary, but she couldn’t be an official partner. If the business lost money, she wouldn’t have any funds to contribute and couldn’t let Sui’er bear the loss alone.

Sui’er was a little down about it, but she felt better after Gu’er comforted her. Everyone has their own path to walk and their own way of thinking. You can’t make decisions for other people; what you think is good isn’t necessarily what someone else thinks is good.

On a happier note, Sui’er told Gu’er that many of her classmates, including some upperclassmen, were interested in coming to the village to teach during the winter and summer breaks. She said she would let Gu’er know ahead of time.

After the call with Sui’er, life went on as usual.

「In April」, Xinghua came to see Gu’er to talk about Dong Liang.

After he picked up the sweater, Dong Liang should have had no reason to visit the shop again. But before the New Year, he had stopped by twice. The first time was to thank Xinghua, telling her that his mother loved the sweater. He exchanged a few words with her and then left.

The second time, he said he was just looking at yarn. Xinghua was happy to see him and spent a long time showing him different options. He ended up choosing a men’s style. Xinghua gave him the lowest possible price and rushed to finish knitting it for him before the New Year. Dong Liang was very happy and touched, and they talked for quite a while that day.

He also brought Xinghua a few things, explaining that his mother had made them herself. He told her not to mind the humble gift, as it was a token of his gratitude.

Xinghua happily accepted them and, in return, gave him two scarves. One was a women’s scarf for his mother, and the other was a men’s scarf for him. She said she had made them with leftover yarn so there was no charge, just a small gift in return.

And so, they started talking more. Whenever he had free time, Dong Liang would drop by Xinghua’s shop, often bringing a small gift and just chatting with her. Neither of them had broken the ice yet, but it was clear they had feelings for each other.

The Lin Family’s attitude was to let nature take its course; they didn’t try to stop Xinghua and Dong Liang.

A few days ago, Dong Liang went to see her again and indirectly brought up the subject of their relationship. It turned out someone had tried to set him up with a potential partner. His mother, Wang Qiu, thought it was a decent match and wanted him to meet the person, but Dong Liang refused. He already had feelings for Xinghua and didn’t want to see anyone else.

Wang Qiu felt her son wasn’t getting any younger and couldn’t afford any more delays. She told Dong Liang that if he wouldn’t meet the person she found, he had to find someone himself. Otherwise, he had to go on the arranged meeting.

Dong Liang didn’t want to meet anyone else. He had a feeling Xinghua was interested in him too, but he had never asked about her family situation. He didn’t know if her family would object, especially since his own family’s circumstances weren’t great. After thinking it over for two days, he decided to ask Xinghua directly.

If Xinghua felt the same way, he would ask a matchmaker to go to her family and formally propose marriage. If she wasn’t interested, he would give up on the idea.

Xinghua didn’t reject him, but she felt flustered. She told Dong Liang that she needed to think about it and would give him an answer in a couple of days.

Dong Liang understood that this was a major life decision, not something to be agreed to on the spot. Of course, she needed time to think. It would be too flippant to say yes immediately. So, Dong Liang happily agreed to wait. The fact that she was willing to consider it meant that she had feelings for him.

The truth was, Xinghua did like Dong Liang. She felt he was an honest and good person. Even though his family had gone through such a difficult time, his personality wasn’t bitter or morose. He wasn’t a scheming person either. Seeing him smile made her feel at ease. But when it came to marriage, she was a little scared, which was why she had come to Gu’er for advice.