Gu’er and the others took Lin Shan to where he was leaving from. The path was in much better shape than the last ti they’d co, likely because so many people had been traveling recently.
"I’ll co back for your wedding with Jia Ming, Gu’er. Take good care of yourself, and don’t work too hard."
Lin Shan whispered to Gu’er as they were about to part.
"Okay."
Gu’er nodded, her cheeks flushing. Hearing her father say that made her truly realize she was getting married this year. In just four more months, she wouldn’t be on her own anymore.
On the way back, Li Zhi asked Gu’er, "So what did Uncle Lin say to you? Whispering behind our backs so we couldn’t hear."
"I-It was nothing."
’How could she possibly tell them that?’
"You’re lying. He definitely said sothing."
But Li Zhi didn’t believe her.
"My dad told you guys not to bully , or he’ll sort you out next ti he sees you."
Gu’er suddenly found her confidence and said loudly.
"That’s right, you’d better not bully Gu’er. Uncle Lin is pretty tough."
Sun Jiaming chid in to back Gu’er up. As Gu’er nodded emphatically, Sun Jiaming added, "And I’m pretty tough, too. I can take you in a fight."
Gu’er shot Sun Jiaming a playful glare.
"Alright, alright, I’m scared, okay? I’m telling you, Sun Jiaming, you’re going to be totally whipped."
Li Zhi grumbled.
"Listen to my wife, follow the Party—it’s my honor," Sun Jiaming declared loudly, making even Gu’er blush this ti.
Li Zhi threw his hands up in surrender, but the mont they left the steering wheel, the car nearly swerved into a ditch. Dingzi shot him a cold glare, and Li Zhi went back to driving properly.
"So, when are you guys planning to renovate the apartnt? I went to see it the other day. The place is huge! We’re all on the sa floor, so it’ll be super convenient from now on."
Li Zhi couldn’t stay quiet for two minutes before bringing up the apartnts again.
"I’m hiring soone after the eighth day of the New Year."
Sun Jiaming wished he could have soone start the renovations right now, but most workers around here don’t start until after the eighth day, and so wait until after the fifteenth.
"What’s the big rush? Let’s just wait until after the second month of the lunar calendar and do it together."
Li Zhi was surprised Sun Jiaming was hiring people so soon.
"I’m not doing it with you guys. I’ll renovate my place first. After mine’s done, I’ll do Gu’er’s, and then yours. It’s a great plan."
’Of course, Sun Jiaming couldn’t just admit that he was in a hurry because he wanted to marry Gu’er as soon as possible.’
Gu’er, however, understood completely, and her face grew a little red.
"Hey, are you two hiding sothing from ?"
Li Zhi caught Gu’er’s expression in the rearview mirror. He tried to turn his head for a better look, but Dingzi grabbed it and forced him to face forward.
"You guys are ganging up on ! Why am I the only one who can drive? None of you bother to learn. I don’t care, I’m not driving next ti."
Li Zhi grumbled, but his expression told a different story. He was actually quite proud of being the driver.
"Why would we learn? We’ve got a free chauffeur," Gu’er laughed. She had no interest in driving.
"Exactly. We’re happy to just be passengers."
Sun Jiaming chid in.
"Yep."
Dingzi nodded.
Li Zhi was speechless. He opened his mouth to protest, but after receiving another cold glare from Dingzi, he could only groan and focus on his driving.
Life returned to normal in the following days. Business at the store was good; they now had stable supply channels for dostic goods, so Gu’er didn’t have to worry about that. It was just the goods from the Soviet Union that still required them to lead teams of people to haul them over by hand.
While Sun Jiaming had found workers to renovate the apartnt, Gu’er was preoccupied with their Soviet supply line.
’Next year would be 1989, the last year of the eighties. When did the Soviet Union collapse, again? In her previous life, Gu’er had never paid attention to such things, so she didn’t know the exact year.’
’Before it collapses, they should expand the business. This thod of hauling goods by hand isn’t a long-term solution. How can they move more goods over there, and how can they bring more goods back?’
’By train? But chartering a whole freight car to the Soviet Union and back would require an enormous amount of capital, not to ntion the support of powerful people.’
’On the Soviet side, she could approach Inspector Ivan and just give him a cut of the profits. Those Vietnase could help, too. If she could pull it off, with a steady supply of goods, business would boom.’
’But what about the dostic side of things? She needed connections here at ho, too.’
’Who could she possibly ask?’
’Doing business wasn’t considered illegal "speculation and profiteering" anymore, but would the governnt support such a large-scale shipping operation?’
’To ship goods from the Soviet Union by train, they’d first have to get them to Harbin, and she didn’t have any connections there.’
’Gu’er thought of Vice Secretary Yuan, but quickly shook her head. They had only t twice. She didn’t want to leave him with a bad impression over this and have it negatively affect Lin Shan.’
’She had to think about this long-term. If the train idea didn’t work out, they could wait for the river to thaw in the spring and try chartering a boat first. If that was successful, then they could move on to shipping by rail.’
Lost in these thoughts, Gu’er soon found that March had arrived. March was ant to be a season of warmth and blossoming flowers, but not in the Northeast; spring wouldn’t truly arrive until April. On this day, however, Sun Jiaming took Gu’er to their new apartnt. As she looked at the spacious, sunlit ho, spring finally blossod in Gu’er’s heart.
Sun Jiaming had consulted her on the apartnt’s layout and decor, because she would be the lady of the house. Now, seeing it all co together, she was thoroughly satisfied.
The apartnt had three bedrooms and two common rooms, more than enough space for them. Besides, she had her own apartnt right next door, just as large as this one. Even if they had lots of relatives visiting, there would be plenty of room.
"Gu’er, I plan to let the place air out for half a month. Didn’t you say we can’t move in right after renovations are done? We’ll give it two weeks, which brings us to the eighth of the fourth lunar month. The weather will be warr by then, too. What do you say we get married then?"
Sun Jiaming asked, holding her hand, his voice full of sincere affection.
Gu’er nodded, a blush coloring her cheeks.
"Gu’er, I’ve heard so people wear Western-style wedding dresses now. Do you like them? I could go out of town in a few days and buy one for you?"
Sun Jiaming asked.
’A wedding dress?’
Gu’er’s eyes grew misty. Every woman dreams of being the most beautiful bride, wearing a pristine white gown, marrying the man she loves most, and living happily ever after.
What did she wear when she got married in her previous life? It was a new set of clothes her mother had managed to get for her only after taking a beating. A wedding dress... she had never even heard of such a thing back then, let alone dared to dream of one. But now, Sun Jiaming was asking if she wanted one.
’Do I want one?’
Gu’er asked herself.
’It seems... I don’t really want one that badly.’
"There’s no need, Brother Jia Ming. I want to wear a traditional red wedding gown. I’ll have one made when the ti cos, so you don’t have to worry about it."
Though her face was red, Gu’er answered him earnestly. What she wore didn’t matter. The important thing was that she was marrying him, Sun Jiaming. As long as that was true, no matter what she wore, her heart would be filled with sweetness.
"My Gu’er looks beautiful in anything. You’re the most beautiful no matter what."
Sun Jiaming gazed at Gu’er, his eyes burning with a fiery passion.
"Brother Jia Ming..."
Gu’er murmured, flustered. His gaze was simply too intense; she felt like she was about to lt under it.
"Gu’er,"
Sun Jiaming murmured again. The mont Gu’er looked up, his lips t hers.
Her eyes were wide open at first, but then she slowly closed them, her heart intoxicated. She felt herself responding to Sun Jiaming as their lips and tongues tangled together. It was wonderful, it was sweet, and she loved this feeling.
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