Gu Ting held her on the desk and kissed her, and now the books on the desk were all in disarray. Gu Ting bent over, with both hands on the desk, trapping her in his embrace.
Hearing her complaint, Gu Ting also fell silent and reflected for a moment; indeed, the time had been a bit long.
Gu Ting looked down at her for a while, his throat moved slightly, and then, with a hoarse voice, he coaxed, “How about I make it shorter from now on?”
Wen Ke’an hadn’t expected him to compromise so quickly. Just as she thought to make her own demands, Gu Ting tentatively spoke again.
“Eight minutes?”
“………”
Wen Ke’an declined to comment.
When Gu Ting left that night, Wen Ke’an didn’t dare to go out. She was afraid her parents would notice something, especially since her lips still seemed slightly swollen.
Wen Ke’an couldn’t sleep that night, so she opened an app to find questions for Gu Ting. After a while, she hadn’t found any satisfying questions. Just as Wen Ke’an was about to exit, she accidentally noticed her teammate was online.
After some thought, Wen Ke’an sent a message to her teammate.
【Every day An’an eats lemons】: “Are you there?”
【The universe’s number one handsome guy】: “Yes.”
【An’an eats lemons every day】: “Do you have any questions that you think are more difficult?”
【An’an eats lemons every day】: “Preferably classic types of questions, more challenging, no competition questions.”
The reply came quickly.
【The universe’s number one handsome guy】: “Okay, wait a moment.”
Wen Ke’an somehow felt that Handsome Guy’s tone was much better than when they first met.
It wasn’t long before Handsome Guy sent her three questions.
The questions weren’t easy, and they might be somewhat challenging for Gu Ting.
This was exactly the type of questions Wen Ke’an wanted!
After cheerfully thanking Handsome Guy, Wen Ke’an exited the app.
The next morning, Wen Ke’an couldn’t wait to take the questions to Gu Ting’s house.
Gu Ting had just woken up not long ago, and was brushing his teeth shirtless. Wen Ke’an sat obediently on the sofa, but her gaze couldn’t help but drift towards Gu Ting.
At seventeen, Gu Ting’s body hadn’t fully developed into that of an adult’s yet, though you could clearly see his abs and the muscles on his arms. However, if he wore clothes, he still seemed somewhat lean.
From the mirror, Gu Ting saw the girl on the sofa staring at him, unblinkingly. After finishing brushing his teeth, Gu Ting turned to look at her and asked with a smile, “Satisfied?”
“Not bad,” Wen Ke’an seriously commented with a straight face.
Gu Ting chuckled, looking at her, “Coming to you, do you really prefer my younger body?”
“……….”
After washing up, Gu Ting finally became serious: “Why are you here so early?”
“I came to bring you some questions.” After saying that, Wen Ke’an picked up the question papers beside her to show Gu Ting.
Gu Ting took them and looked over, then said, “This question is good, quite challenging.”
“Right!” Wen Ke’an smiled, “So, I’ll give you twenty minutes. Can you solve it?”
“Is there a reward if I solve it?”
Gu Ting was clearly more interested in the reward.
Yesterday, there were supposed to be thirty rewards, but the little girl reneged and refused to give any.
“Yes!” Wen Ke’an nodded.
These problems were somewhat difficult for her and were not easily solved. Wen Ke’an thought that Gu Ting would definitely not be able to solve them this time.
Gu Ting smiled and said, “Well, then, my little teacher can start timing now.”
Originally, Wen Ke’an was sitting obediently on the sofa, but now that there was no one else at home, she gradually became bold and sat directly on the floor. The floor was heated and covered with a blanket, soft and cozy.
Wen Ke’an read her book while stealthily nibbling on nuts from Gu Ting’s coffee table. Whenever she had the chance, she would sneak peeks at Gu Ting working on the problems.
Seeing Gu Ting obviously stumped by the problems, Wen Ke’an felt an inexplicable sense of achievement.
“Twenty minutes have passed.” Wen Ke’an said, after eating her last grape.
Seeing Gu Ting reluctant to hand over his answer sheet, Wen Ke’an guessed that he probably hadn’t solved it.
“Hand it over,” she demanded.
Gu Ting smiled and obediently handed his answer sheet to her.
Wen Ke’an looked down at the answer sheet, her smile slowly fading as she did.
“Is it correct?” Gu Ting deliberately asked.
Wen Ke’an was silent for a moment. “It’s correct.”
“Since the problem has been solved, today’s reward…” Before Gu Ting could finish his sentence, he saw the girl who was kneeling on the floor slowly moving away, seemingly trying to escape.
Wen Ke’an, sensing something wrong, pursed her lips, intending to sneak away silently. The next second, Gu Ting swiftly placed his hands on the coffee table, effectively trapping her between his arms.
Wen Ke’an calmed down for a while, pretending as if nothing had happened, and looked up at him, only to see his dark eyes also staring at her.
“Where are you going?”
“………”
Wen Ke’an swore she never wanted to go to Gu Ting’s house alone again; he was simply very annoying!
At ten-thirty in the morning, Wen Ke’an had agreed to meet Chu Han at a nearby shopping mall. After many cold days, the weather finally warmed up. With only two days left until the New Year, the streets were particularly crowded. Especially outside the shopping malls and supermarkets, almost everyone was carrying a big bag full of New Year’s goods.
Wen Ke’an was waiting by the roadside when she saw Chu Han, dressed in a light yellow cotton outfit, running towards her, “An’an!”
Chu Han, wearing an orange wool hat and with her hair in two braids, looked lively and cute. As soon as she arrived, her gaze fell on Wen Ke’an’s mouth, and she asked in confusion, “Why is your mouth swollen?”
“………”
Wen Ke’an hadn’t figured out how to respond when Chu Han asked again, “Were you bitten by an insect?”
Wen Ke’an silently nodded, “Yeah, a shameless big bug.”
(TL/n: She forgot to add pervert shameless big big. Lol)
After playing outside for a day, Wen Qiangguo called in the afternoon to say that dinner was ready at home and invited Chu Han to come over for dinner. Chu Han was fond of the meals prepared by Wen Qiangguo and happily agreed to it.
These days, the shop stays open late into the night, and Chu Han helps out after dinner.
At 8:30 pm, Wen Ke’an felt it was getting late. Just as he was about to offer Chu Han a ride home, he saw her frowning and stretching her neck to look outside.
“What are you looking at?” Wen Ke’an walked over and took a look himself.
“That looks like Xie Huaiyan,” Chu Han said quietly, puzzled. “How does he know I’m here? Is he tracking me again?”
Wen Ke’an looked up and saw a tall man in a black trench coat standing at the crossroads nearby. The man was tall, likely over 1.85 meters, with a cool demeanor.
Chu Han thought for a moment, then took off her plastic gloves and looked at Wen Ke’an, “An’an, I’ll go out for a bit.”
Wen Ke’an knew what she wanted to do but still felt uneasy, “I’ll go with you.”
As if expecting Chu Han to come over, Xie Huaiyan quietly waited for her.
As soon as Chu Han reached him, before she could speak, Xie Huaiyan handed her a cup of freshly bought taro bubble milk tea.
Chu Han was stunned.
She had been casually mentioning wanting to drink milk tea while on the road yesterday, not expecting him to remember it.
The milk tea was still very much his style: a super-sized cup, about as big as her face.
Chu Han didn’t know whether to accept or refuse it, hesitating for quite a while before finally taking it, “Thank you.”
After all, accepting favors makes one feel obligated. Although Chu Han was somewhat angry just now, accepting the milk tea quelled much of her anger, and she spoke more gently, “You don’t have to come and pick me up.”
Looking up at Xie Huaiyan, who was standing under a street lamp, the warm yellow light made him seem gentle too.
“Mm,” Xie Huaiyan looked down at her and softly responded.
“I don’t go home too late, it’s not dangerous,” Chu Han added after a thought.
“Okay.”
Xie Huaiyan agreed readily, but his actions spoke otherwise.
Chu Han stared at him; he remained motionless beside her, showing no intention of leaving.
Despite their brief acquaintance, Chu Han knew Xie Huaiyan was stubborn; once he set his mind on something, he had to see it through. So, although his verbal agreement was swift, his actions were honest.
Wen Ke’an did not follow, knowing they needed some privacy to talk, so she waited under a street lamp not far from Chu Han.
Chu Han glanced back at Wen Ke’an, then walked over to her, visibly frustrated.
“Xie Huaiyan came to pick you up. Why don’t you go back with him? It’s almost 9 o’clock now.”
Seeing the annoyed Chu Han return, Wen Ke’an knew the conversation with Xie Huaiyan hadn’t been pleasant.
“Since he’s come all this way, I might as well stay a bit longer before leaving.”
“It’s cold, and he thoughtfully brought you milk tea; don’t be mad,” Wen Ke’an advised with a smile.
Understanding Chu Han, Wen Ke’an knew she was someone who couldn’t be forced but could be persuaded. Ironically, Xie Huaiyan was not one to back down easily.
Convinced by Wen Ke’an, Chu Han began to soften. Holding the big tub of milk tea, she looked up at Xie Huaiyan again, “He’s like a block of wood. It feels like he doesn’t understand anything I say.”
“I’ve told him not to follow me these past few nights, but he insists on doing so. I bumped into my mom midway through, and now she thinks I’m dating him,” Chu Han said, clearly upset.
“Will your aunt scold you?” Wen Ke’an asked softly.
“No, because Xie Huaiyan is wealthy.”
“My mom would love nothing more than for me to marry into wealth,” Chu Han shrugged. “I guess I’ve gotten used to it, I’ve been finding Xie Huaiyan more pleasing to the eye lately.”
“There’s no rush to get married. You’re still too young,” Wen Ke’an said earnestly to Chu Han.
Chu Han was only seventeen now, and such family dynamics could likely cause a girl to mature early. Wen Ke’an hesitated for a moment before softly advising, “You must protect yourself when you’re outside and avoid doing anything bad.”
Chu Han’s gaze fell on Wen Ke’an’s lips, and after a moment of staring, it seemed like something suddenly occurred to her.
She leaned closer to Wen Ke’an and whispered with a smile, “You also have to remember not to get into trouble with Gu Ting.”
On New Year’s Eve, Wen Qiangguo didn’t open his shop. Their home wasn’t in this location; they needed to return to Qing Song District for the New Year. Wen Qiangguo and Liu Qing were busy packing things up at home. This year their financial situation had improved, and they bought a lot of New Year goods that they previously couldn’t afford.
Wen Qiangguo also made some braised dishes, and soon he filled a box. He handed it to Wen Ke’an, “An’an, take these braised dishes to Gu Ting.”
Wen Ke’an obediently took the box, “Okay.”
When Wen Ke’an arrived, she found Gu Ting working out in the living room.
“I’m heading back to my hometown. These braised dishes are from my dad,” Wen Ke’an said as she placed the box on the dining table and looked back at Gu Ting.
Seeing that he had no intention of leaving, Wen Ke’an asked, “Aren’t you going home today?”
“No,” Gu Ting replied, stepping down from the exercise equipment and wiping his sweat with a towel before approaching her.
In previous years, she had always spent New Year’s Eve with Gu Ting. Although they were not wealthy back then, Gu Ting knew she loved the festive atmosphere, and he always prepared her favorite dishes.
“Why not go home?” Wen Ke’an didn’t like the idea of him spending the New Year alone.
Gu Ting looked down and saw her concerned expression. He smiled, “I’m just kidding. Of course, I’ll go home. If I didn’t, my future father-in-law would be so upset with me.”
“How is your father’s health now?”
In her previous life, when Wen Ke’an met Gu Ting, his father had already passed away for several years.
“He’s doing great,” Gu Ting said, extending his arm towards her. “These bruises are from yesterday.”
Indeed, there were some bruises on Gu Ting’s arm.
“Does it hurt?” Wen Ke’an asked softly, worried.
“It’s okay, it doesn’t hurt much anymore.”
“Then you should be more obedient in the future.” Wen Ke’an slightly frowned and looked up at him.
“Okay.” Gu Ting gently tapped her forehead and said, with a bit of pride in his tone, “After all, I always listen to my wife.”
—
It had been a long time since they had returned to this small home. The flowers and plants in the yard had not been tended to for a long time, and many had withered.
In the afternoon, Wen Ke’an and Wen Qiangguo were busy putting up couplets and hanging lanterns. Liu Qing was busy tidying up the flowers and plants in the yard.
As dusk settled in, Wen Ke’an turned on the TV; the Spring Festival Gala was about to start.
The New Year’s Eve dinner at home was also ready. The big orange cat lay beside the dining table, watching them eat.
The lights in the house were warm, and the food smelled delicious.
Every household in the neighborhood was brightly decorated, creating a festive New Year atmosphere.
At the stroke of midnight, beautiful fireworks appeared outside the window.
At that moment, Wen Ke’an received a message from Gu Ting.
“Happy New Year.”
—
On the first and second days of the Lunar New Year, they had to visit relatives. After two busy days, Wen Ke’an finally had some free time on the third day.
Wen Qiangguo and Liu Qing went to their friends’ house, and since Wen Ke’an didn’t want to go out, they did not take her along.
Feeling bored, Wen Ke’an was sunbathing in the yard with the big orange cat.
Just as Wen Ke’an was comfortably lying on the recliner and almost falling asleep, her phone suddenly rang. She opened it to see a message from Gu Ting.
“Are you at home?”
“Yes.”
“What are you doing?”
“Petting the cat.”
“Is there anyone else at home?”
“No.”
“Look up.”
Seeing this message, Wen Ke’an instinctively looked up, only to see a familiar face appearing on the opposite wall.
Gu Ting was leaning over the wall, smiling and waving at Wen Ke’an.
“Can you come down?”
The wall was still quite high, and worried that Gu Ting might not be able to get down, Wen Ke’an quickly went to fetch a ladder.
“No need.”
Gu Ting nimbly extended his hands and jumped down from the wall. The ground was soft with soil, and he landed steadily without any issue.
Seeing him walking towards her, Wen Ke’an stood there slightly stunned.
Noticing her expression, Gu Ting smiled and asked, “Haven’t seen me for a few days, and you’ve forgotten what I look like?”
Wen Ke’an glanced up at the wall and then back at him, saying, “I realize you’re getting better and better at doing this.”
“”
“Uncle and Auntie aren’t home?” Gu Ting looked towards the entrance and asked softly.
“They went to visit relatives, they probably won’t be back tonight.”
Wen Ke’an was pleasantly surprised by Gu Ting’s visit. She walked over to him, her slightly cool hand holding his, and looked up at him with a smile, “But it’s perfect timing that you’re here. I’ll take you to a fun place!”
Wen Ke’an led Gu Ting to a nearby small hill. From the hill, they could see the small town below.
Every house had lanterns hanging, making it very festive.
“I used to come here when I was in a bad mood, but in recent years, this place has been built over with buildings.” Wen Ke’an sat on a nearby small stone, smiling and speaking softly, “I miss this place the most. I used to dream about bringing you here to play.”
Wen Ke’an spoke earnestly. Gu Ting sat beside her, looking down at her, “Didn’t expect your dream to come true?”
“Yeah!” Wen Ke’an nodded with a smile, holding his hand tightly, “This is great.”
Not far downhill was a lantern festival, which wasn’t limited to just the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. In their area, the lantern festival usually started from the third day of the lunar month and continued daily.
Although it was daytime, the streets were already adorned with colorful lanterns.
The place wasn’t lacking in people either, with many stalls selling snacks and various trinkets.
Wen Ke’an carefully picked out some local specialties for Gu Ting.
With someone to pay, Wen Ke’an chose all sorts of peculiar items, and soon Gu Ting’s hands were full of bags.
Wen Ke’an ate a candied hawthorn while walking, and she suddenly stopped at a pet stall.
“Don’t you think this puppy looks a lot like Mai when he was little?” Wen Ke’an pointed at a puppy at the stall and then looked up at Gu Ting, asking softly.
This is a small white local dog, appearing to be about two or three months old, looking particularly well-behaved.
While other puppies were wagging their tails to show off, only it was lying quietly.
It wasn’t until Wen Ke’an reached out toward it that it slowly got up and walked over to her. Its black, shiny eyes were full of anticipation.
“Want it?” Gu Ting lowered his eyes and glanced at it.
“Yes!” Wen Ke’an nodded.
Since she wanted it, Gu Ting directly paid for it.
The little puppy was not easy to carry, so the vendor kindly gave her a small cage.
Wen Ke’an happily played with the little puppy for a while before looking up at Gu Ting and sweetly saying, “Husband, you’re so good~”
They played all afternoon, and just as Wen Qiangguo came home to find Wen Ke’an missing, he called her.
Gu Ting couldn’t hear what was said on the other end of the call; he could only hear Wen Ke’an speaking.
“I’m with my old junior high school friend. Yes, it’s a girl.”
“Okay, I’ll be home soon.”
After hanging up the phone, Wen Ke’an noticed that Gu Ting’s expression was off.
Wen Ke’an paused and softly asked, “What’s wrong?”
Gu Ting sighed lightly and looked at her, “I’ve lived all these years and it’s the first time I know I’m a girl.”
“”
“I was just”
Before Wen Ke’an could finish her explanation, Gu Ting glanced at the cage with the little local dog in her hand and quietly said, “Even a little local dog can openly go home with you.”
“But I can’t”
“No way.”
“”
Author’s note: Gu Ting: When I get jealous, I even get jealous of a dog. 🙂
Lmao 🤣