CHAPTER 71: CHAPTER 71 CONFESSION

"I am like you, lonely and helpless, laughed at by others, but never gave up. Sun Chan, you must also be strong and look ahead. Your parents must love you as much as my mother loves me; they just can’t protect you. You have to live well to reassure them."

Sun Chan nodded, tears silently falling down. This was a knot in her heart for two lifetimes, which only Gu Junming could see.

Watching Sun Chan with her face like a pear blossom in the rain, Gu Junming felt a slight tremor in his heart and wanted to wipe away her tears. But he worried about startling her and could only comfort her gently.

"Don’t cry, I won’t talk about this anymore..."

Sun Chan wiped her eyes and smiled apologetically, "Thank you, Deputy Battalion Commander. From now on, I won’t think about my past anymore."

"That’s good." Gu Junming coughed a few times, "People must look forward."

"And what about those who raised you? How are they?" Sun Chan couldn’t help but ask.

Gu Junming said, "They live in the village next to yours, Xiangyang Village. Both of them are quite old. My father is in poor health and can’t do much of the farm work. After helping you with your matter, I’ll also visit them and help with the autumn harvest at home. Oh, I have an elder sister whose husband used to hit her. I insisted on their divorce, and now she lives with our family and takes care of her children. My nephew studies quite well. As long as he wants, I’ll support his education."

Sun Chan nodded. She already knew this from when Gu Junming was seeing Wang Dan. But suddenly she wondered why Gu Junming was detailing these matters, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"I want to provide for them in their old age. In my eyes, they are my true parents. You... you won’t disdain my family situation, will you?" After saying this, Gu Junming’s face turned red, but fortunately, his skin was dark, so it wasn’t too noticeable.

Sun Chan’s ears turned red; the implication was too clear.

But does he only want to date her? He has never said such things before. The progress seemed too fast. Could it be her misunderstanding? Her mind was in chaos, and she couldn’t look at his face.

"Sun Chan, would you be willing to try being with me?" He finally asked, appearing calm on the surface, and focusing on driving, but his palms were sweating. "Only if you marry me will they stop trying to harm you. What if you encounter a scoundrel? So, I will protect you. I will treat you well for a lifetime."

"But we..."

"Yes, we haven’t met many times. But with our similar backgrounds, we’ll have common topics. I’m willing to wait until you’re twenty. During this period, whether you want to work or study, I support you. I like you." His last sentence was barely audible. Gu Junming had never confessed before; this was his limit.

Moreover, his comrades generally only saw their wives a few times before marriage. For some, the marriage was arranged by their parents, and meeting meant the wedding night. At least we’ve communicated several times, so it’s not very abrupt, right?

Sun Chan was deeply moved. Gu Junming was truly a good person.

How could a man in the village agree to let his wife continue studying?

Getting married meant endless labor, farm work, household chores, serving in-laws, quarreling with sisters-in-law and little sisters over trivial matters. She had to have children, and they had to be sons. She didn’t want to live through her past life’s days again.

Most importantly, the person in front of her was someone she liked too, and that was enough.

"Deputy Battalion Commander, do your colleagues all pair with people with better conditions? Will I hold you back?" For instance, Bai Fanglan, in every aspect was superior to her, and she feared being just an orphan might hinder Gu Junming’s future.

Gu Junming laughed, "Who said that? The officers from the city mostly pair with working-class families, and many battalion commanders and company commanders from the countryside marry hometown wives. It’s not as exaggerated as you think. I’m just an ordinary person; I can only rely on myself."

Sun Chan nodded, neither of them spoke further, quietly watching the road ahead together.

Gu Junming didn’t need to ask if Sun Chan agreed; it wasn’t necessary anymore. His hand was already holding hers, and Sun Chan’s face was as radiant as a peach blossom. She dared not look at him yet didn’t struggle.

Gu Junming knew it was settled, and he laughed heartily, very pleased. Sun Chan couldn’t resist hitting Gu Junming’s shoulder.

"What are you laughing at! Focus on driving."

Gu Junming chuckled, "Yes, you’re perfect this way. Live happily and always keep smiling."

Sun Chan was silent for a while, then nodded earnestly, "Hmm, I promise you, I will happily live from now on."

In her past life, being able to eat enough, suffer fewer beatings, or nap for a moment while working was satisfying enough, but now she realized Gu Junming was right.

She not only had to live but live well; she owed nothing to Zhao Xiuxia or anyone else.

By the time the car reached the town, it was nearly noon. Gu Junming parked at the local barracks, deciding to take Sun Chan back to the village.

He said to Sun Chan, "Let’s eat first; there’s a tough battle this afternoon."

"Hmm." Sun Chan thought of Zhao Xiuxia and her brothers and Sun Lijuan, her expression turning slightly serious.

Gu Junming took Sun Chan to the restaurant where they ate the first time. As he opened the door, Gu Junming quickly held her hand, feeling its warmth, which made his heart itch. But upon entering, he released it again.

He was in uniform, after all, so needed to keep up appearances.

"Do you still want the same thing as last time?"

"I want wontons; I haven’t tried them yet." Sun Chan smiled at Gu Junming. In her past life, she heard village girls talk about how delicious wontons in the city were: chicken soup, seaweed, and poached eggs, better than dumplings. This was what she thought the most about when she went to bed hungry each night.

Gu Junming smiled and nodded, though his heart felt sour because she couldn’t experience even such simple cuisine! He decided he wouldn’t let her endure another day of hardship.

They ordered two bowls of wontons, and Gu Junming said, "After we finish things, we’ll go straight to my home; we probably won’t have time to eat, so let’s buy some things to get by."

Sun Chan nodded, "Okay."

So they bought some biscuits and a bag of tea eggs. Sun Chan felt a bit dazed; were they really heading to his home so soon? Yet she felt secure, following someone so steadfastly. That feeling was quite nice.

Both were skilled in farming, and they discussed how to handle the autumn harvest.

The server brought over two bowls of wontons, placing them before the couple.