Early the next morning, just as Gu Shunhua stepped out to dump the waste, she was stopped at the entrance of the shared courtyard compound—by Su Jianping.
The moment she saw him, her expression soured.
It’s the New Year, for heaven’s sake, and here this grown man is, still playing tricks and scheming all day long. Isn’t he just trying to settle some petty score with me? she thought. If you had the guts to face me properly, to lay everything on the table and go head-to-head like a real man, I might actually respect you. But this? Skulking about, holding things in, talking in circles like you’re scared of your own shadow? You look at me like I owe you three hundred yuan—seriously, is it that deep?
So she simply wore a cold face, her expression calm and distant, and didn’t bother responding to him.
Su Jianping stood by the gate, lips pressed into a thin line, staring at her. “Shunhua, I saw him.”
Gu Shunhua blinked. “Huh?”
“I saw him,” he repeated. “And it all made sense. Everything—finally.”
She honestly didn’t know what to say. It was too early for this nonsense, and she really needed to get to the public latrine. Any later and there’d be a line.
So she sighed and said, “Brother Jianping, we grew up together in this courtyard, we’re childhood friends. Let’s cut the games. Maybe I was a little hasty with some things before, I’ll admit that. But let’s be honest here—what you did, was that really okay? That day when you went to see Director Sun—if I hadn’t caught you in the act, how far would you have taken it? You were trying to trip me up behind my back, weren’t you? If this got out, sure, people might laugh at me—but you’d be the one losing face. Isn’t that true?”
Su Jianping sighed. “Shunhua, I get it now. You’re mad at me because of that day. You’re right—I shouldn’t have gone to see Director Sun. That was my fault. But I only did it… because I care about you.”
Care about me?
Gu Shunhua was even more confused now. She raised an eyebrow at him, wondering, What kind of nonsense is he spouting now?
But she didn’t want to start something with him. She didn’t have the energy. Best to end this quickly and avoid him.
She took a deep breath and said evenly, “Brother Jianping, whatever it is you’re trying to say, just say it clearly. All this hemming and hawing—it’s irritating. If you were just some stranger on the street, I wouldn’t even give you the time of day. But you live in our compound too. We see each other all the time, and this constant back-and-forth is getting old, don’t you think?”
But instead of clearing things up, her words only made Su Jianping misinterpret even more.
His head was filled with tangled memories and half-formed conclusions. Now, hearing her speak like that, he convinced himself she was talking about them. That she wanted a resolution between the two of them.
Why else would she press for a clear conversation? It had to be because her rough-edged ex-husband had returned and she couldn’t handle it. She was panicking.
She was probably afraid Su Jianping would keep hovering around, afraid her ex would see something and make trouble.
He looked conflicted for a moment, but finally said, “Shunhua, to be honest, there are some things I can’t rush. These things take time. You need to keep working hard and making progress.”
Gu Shunhua raised an eyebrow. What on earth is he talking about now?
Seeing her growing impatience, he quickly tried to reassure her. “Shunhua, don’t be anxious. It’ll all work out in time. Now that you’ve gone to Yuhuatai—if you work hard and get officially transferred—once that’s done, all the other obstacles will disappear. Then, we can sit down and talk everything through.”
“We”? Talk what through?
Gu Shunhua frowned. “Are you talking about the house? Can’t we just sort that out now?”
She thought to herself that if worst came to worst, she’d just compensate him with some money and make him sign a formal agreement—get it over and done with.
Su Jianping replied, “We can wait on the house. I believe it’ll get resolved eventually. My work unit is a good one—they’re talking about building housing in the future. The more pressing issue is your situation. You’re working too hard right now—it’s not sustainable. I’ve thought it over. You’ve had it tough these past few years. I’m a man. If I can carry some of this burden for you, I should. I’ll go find your ex-husband and have a talk with him. You’re raising two kids—it’s not easy. They’re his kids too, and he should take responsibility. Even if he’s some rough country guy, he’s still a man and a father. He can’t just ignore them, can he?”
Gu Shunhua was utterly bewildered but grasped the general idea—he wanted to ask Ren Jingnian for money?
She replied, “You’re going to talk to him? You think you’ll get anything out of that? He doesn’t have much money. Besides, this is between us. He just got here—he doesn’t know anything yet. Can’t I just handle it myself?”
Su Jianping shook his head firmly. “No. I have to speak with him. Make things clear. It’s something I have to do as a man. Shunhua, don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”
As he spoke, he seemed to sink deeper into his own delusions, caught up in some desperate resolve.
Maybe it was Ren Jingnian’s arrival that reignited his competitive streak. Suddenly, he couldn’t accept the idea of losing Gu Shunhua.
His affection for her—whether real or inflated by jealousy—had reached a fever pitch. Now that he knew she belonged to another man, he couldn’t bear it. He had to win her back.
His voice even wavered as he said, “Shunhua… wait for me. I’m going back inside.”
She watched as he turned stiffly and walked back into the compound, even more confused than before. What the hell is he trying to do? she thought, remembering how Ren Jingnian had said Su Jianping had looked at him strangely.
Seems like I really need to warn Ren Jingnian. Who knows what this guy is planning.
Back home, Gu Shunhua complained a bit about Su Jianping and told Ren Jingnian, “Anyway, if he tries to come to you, just play dumb. Say you don’t have any money. If he keeps trying to stir the pot, we’ll come up with something else.”
Ren Jingnian frowned. “I’ve got to go back to work in Langfang. I can’t always be here watching over you. He’s still a man—if he gets nasty while I’m gone, there’s no telling what he might do. If he really does come talk to me, I’ll deal with it. Worst case, I’ll offer him some benefit to get him off our backs.”
Gu Shunhua nodded. “Fine. Try the soft approach first. If that doesn’t work, we’ll get tough. I’m telling you, some people only back down when you show strength. If it comes to blows, they’ll be the first ones to run.”
Ren Jingnian raised an eyebrow and chuckled.
Back in Inner Mongolia, she’d handled things efficiently—but he’d never seen this feisty side of her. Now, she was ready to throw punches at a moment’s notice.
Seeing him laugh, Gu Shunhua snorted. “What’s so funny? Am I wrong? Power comes from the barrel of a gun!”
Ren Jingnian quickly stifled his laugh and agreed, “You’re right. If anyone gives us trouble about the house, we’ll throw some fists. I’d like to see anyone in that courtyard try to outmatch me.”
As he spoke, he clenched his fist for effect.
Standing there, a six-foot-something man with a serious face and his fist raised—it really did look like he meant business. Gu Shunhua couldn’t help but laugh.
After breakfast, she said she was going to pay a visit to Wang Xinrui and Chang Hui. But just as she was getting ready to leave, Wang Xinrui showed up at their door, carrying a bundle of things.
Chapter 35: Lamb Hotpot Bed
It was the holidays, after all, and everyone was busy. After sitting for just a short while, Wang Xinrui took her leave. Gu Shunhua figured she might as well take her gifts to Chang Hui’s place first—visiting Wang Xinrui again today wouldn’t seem appropriate.
So she and Ren Jingnian grabbed some red date cake and pork knuckles and hurried over. Unfortunately, Chang Hui wasn’t home—she’d gone to her maternal grandmother’s with her mother. Only her father was in, so they dropped off the gifts and returned.
Back home again, they finally had time to take the children out. They strolled around Dashilan for a while. The air on the street still carried the sharp tang of sulfur from all the firecrackers. Most of the shops were closed, but the street vendors were out in full force—some with big white canvas canopies selling candied hawthorns, others carrying shoulder poles with large bowls of tea, or manning cast-iron pots roasting sugar-glazed chestnuts on the spot.
Gu Shunhua bought four sticks of candied hawthorns. They were beautifully arranged, filled with red bean paste and decorated with sunflower seeds pressed into festive patterns. It was the New Year—one looked for auspiciousness, and these treats certainly looked joyful.
The four of them each held a big stick of candied hawthorn as they ate and wandered. They visited the archery tower at Qianmen, then took the bus to Tiananmen—it was their first time back since returning.
As soon as they arrived, it felt vast and open. Under the clear, pure blue sky, Tiananmen stood majestic and imposing, the Great Hall of the People dignified and solemn. The square was lively, with people selling all sorts of things. On the southern end, there was even a basketball court where a group of teenage boys were playing.
There were photographers in front of Tiananmen, too. The family took a group photo, then individual shots of the kids, and finally one of just Gu Shunhua and Ren Jingnian.
On the way home, Ren Jingnian suggested, “Why don’t we grab something special to eat while we’re out? Just a little extra to go with lunch.”
That sparked a memory for Gu Shunhua. “There’s a lamb shop up ahead in the hutong. Why don’t we get some stewed lamb?”
“Lamb shop?” Ren Jingnian asked.
“Yeah, we call those little lamb stalls lamb beds. That place in the hutong is said to have a cellar out back—their broth has been simmering for years. It’s authentic.”
That piqued Ren Jingnian’s interest. “Sounds good. Let’s get it.”
They headed into the hutong just as a fresh batch of lamb was coming out of the pot. The steaming meat was piled high into a large copper platter, the savory steam rising in clouds—it was mouthwatering.
The place was popular. Even during the New Year holidays, they weren’t asking for ration coupons—people were lined up to buy.
Gu Shunhua hadn’t brought a container, so she asked the shopkeeper. He was generous and cheerful and said she could borrow a basin.
She didn’t hold back and ordered a big basin of lamb, broth and all, the fragrance wafting thick into the air.
Only then did Ren Jingnian realize he was the one who’d have to carry the heavy basin all the way home.
Gu Shunhua chuckled quietly. “Let’s go. We’ll have to return the basin later.”
Ren Jingnian raised an eyebrow. “We better walk fast, or it’ll get cold.”
And so, he walked briskly down the street with the basin in hand. Whenever they passed a neighbor, people would glance over, and those who recognized them would smile and say, “Shunhua’s husband seems like such a good-natured man.”
They arrived at the shared courtyard, only to be greeted by raised voices as they approached their home.
Gu Shunhua instantly recognized Chen Lu’s voice. She was loudly saying something about visiting relatives and a bottle of Maotai, implying that such a good thing should’ve been shared with everyone.
Chen Lu was complaining, “Auntie, it’s not like I’m greedy for Maotai. I’ve seen it enough not to get wide-eyed over it. But the way this was handled—it wasn’t right. I mean, come on. Brother-in-law came by. Shouldn’t we at least have been told? That’s your niece’s husband. Why weren’t we told?”
Gu Yuehua laughed, “What, are you expecting us to host a full Manchu-Han Imperial Feast to welcome the new husband?”
Chen Lu had been talking for a while, but Chen Cuiyue remained unmoved. That unsettled Chen Lu even more.
After the previous incident, she had noticed that Chen Cuiyue no longer seemed to be under her control. And this morning, when she ran into Ren Jingnian, his reaction was completely off-script. It spooked her.
In her panic, she’d thrown away her pride and rushed over to the Gu house, hoping to play her old games and test how Chen Cuiyue would react—because, as far as she knew, that woman was still her biggest asset. She had to try and win her back. Chen Cuiyue had always stood by her in the novel. She had to fight for that—it was her only lifeline now.
Chen Lu bit her lip and pushed down her fury, looking pitifully at Chen Cuiyue. “Auntie, listen to what Yuehua’s saying. What, if I don’t throw a Manchu-Han banquet, I don’t count as family?”
And with that, she burst into tears.
The tears were genuine—she was truly panicked. Everything seemed to be unraveling. If the story was no longer following its course, she might never get Ren Jingnian.
She sobbed, “Auntie, I don’t know what I did wrong to make you so mad. I’ve always liked you best—even more than my own mom. But now, you’re so cold to me, it really hurts.”
She sniffled and added, “You don’t know—my dad was angry at you the other day and said a bunch of stuff. I was the one calming him down, speaking up for you. If it weren’t for me, there would’ve been a huge blow-up already!”
That was the wrong move.
Chen Cuiyue’s face turned chilly. “Oh? Your dad’s angry at me, is he? What exactly did he say? I’d love to hear it.”
Gu Yuehua burst out laughing. “Chen Lu, now you’re slipping. If you want to sweet-talk someone into giving you handouts, you should’ve said, ‘My dad talks about you every day and says nothing but good things.’ Otherwise, who the hell wants to keep feeding your family for free?”
Chen Lu was livid. As thin-skinned as she was, being called a scrounger and a schemer—those words stung.
She snapped through gritted teeth, “Gu Yuehua, who are you calling a schemer? Is that how you talk to family? Who raised you like this?”
Gu Yuehua stuck out his tongue. “Whoever fits the label, that’s who I’m calling it! Look at that smug face of yours!”
As the youngest in the house, spoiled and unruly, he never cared for decorum. You could call him names—he’d happily admit he was just a rough piece of junk glass. So what?
Chen Lu had already been feeling stifled because of Ren Jingnian. Now, after being mocked by Gu Yuehua, she lost it.
She swung her arm and yelled, “Why don’t you go look in the mirror! You coward! You’re getting worse by the year—and you think you can talk back to me? What are you, huh?”
But just then, a voice called from outside.
“Auntie, we’re back.”
It was Ren Jingnian.
He stepped inside, sweeping his gaze across everyone—and yes, it landed squarely on Chen Lu.
Tear-streaked, red-eyed, flushed and disheveled, Chen Lu looked nothing like the elegant heroine she imagined herself to be.
Hearing his voice, and then feeling his gaze on her—it was like being paraded naked through the streets, or having a bucket of ice water dumped over her in broad daylight. Her heart dropped to the floor.
How could he see her like this?
All her fury evaporated, replaced by regret, shame, and dread.
But Ren Jingnian didn’t spare her another glance. He simply walked in and set the steaming basin on the table. “Auntie, we bought some stewed lamb. Let’s have this for lunch.”
Chen Cuiyue beamed. “Perfect! Just what we needed—an extra dish.”
Gu Shunhua nearly burst out laughing. She’d seen it all—the moment Chen Lu saw Ren Jingnian, she’d gone from a furious, wailing shrew to a bashful little maiden. But after being caught in the act of yelling like a fishwife, no amount of demure act could save her now. It was so awkward.
Chen Lu bit her lip and shot a resentful glance at Gu Shunhua.
Gu Shunhua smiled sweetly. “Chen Lu, what happened just now? Who upset you? You were shouting so fiercely—you scared us! Did you even cry?”
Chen Lu, normally quick-tongued, found herself helpless under Ren Jingnian’s gaze. She was the heroine of the story—she had to protect her image. Even if her character arc had taken a hit, she had to salvage it somehow!
So she blinked pitifully and mumbled, “Sis, I just lost my temper for a moment. It’s nothing.”
Gu Shunhua said cheerfully, “Did Yuehua say something to you? Come on, we’re all family. If he teased you, you should just tease him back.”
Chen Lu shook her head quickly. “It’s fine, really. Nothing big. I’m not that petty.”
Even as she spoke, she couldn’t help stealing glances at Ren Jingnian.
Just then, he looked at her and said, “Your face is dirty.”
Chen Lu turned crimson, stunned that he’d noticed.
Her heart raced—this… this is it! The scene I wrote in the story!
Next, he’ll gently brush my face, right?
But… this wasn’t the right setting. There were people all around.
Still, hadn’t he divorced Gu Shunhua? If so, it wasn’t anyone’s business what happened next.
As she wrestled with these thoughts, Ren Jingnian walked toward her.
Her heart pounded. She gazed up at him with a bashful smile.
He came right up to her—
And then?
Then… he reached out—
Chen Lu watched in stunned silence as Ren Jingnian raised his hand, took out a handkerchief, and gently wiped the corner of Gu Shunhua’s ear. “You’re so careless,” he murmured, “must’ve been from eating the candied hawthorn.”
His voice was low and rich, tinged with tenderness and intimacy. It was the kind of voice that could make ears go numb.
But the words were meant for Gu Shunhua.
Chen Lu froze, unable to process what just happened.
After a long while, the pink bubbles in her mind all burst.
She slowly looked around to see the Gu family bustling around, preparing to eat. The steaming lamb soup filled the room with its delicious aroma. They joked about needing to return the basin and how it was a pity it wasn’t the right season for fresh Sichuan peppercorns, which would’ve made the broth even better.
No one seemed to have noticed the emotional storm that had just passed.
Chen Lu stood there in a daze, unable to understand—why, why did it turn out like this?
Ren Jingnian had looked at her, had walked toward her…
But in the end, he stood beside Gu Shunhua.
Author’s Note:
Red envelopes for this chapter! Double update, double red envelopes—what kind of holiday is this? …I have no idea either!
Juju’s Note:
About the comments… I (belatedly) realized that the comment reCAPTCHA wasn’t working 😭 I tried fixing it multiple times, but technology won this round. So, I’ve disabled it so everyone can comment freely now! That also means… hello, spam 😩 I’ve been tricked a few times—got excited over new comments, only to find out they were spam bots dropping weird links 😂
While we’re here…
If you haven’t rated this novel on Novel Updates yet, please consider doing it! Every little boost helps the project reach more readers. 🤎