Two days had passed since Qin He's birthday banquet, and the Qin family had been very busy lately.
Madam Gu would visit frequently with Gu Ranran and Lele to discuss the wedding dates of the two children with Ming Yuzhu.
Ming Yuzhu already missed her grandson dearly. Holding Lele, she listened to Madam Gu speak.
Madam Gu was now immensely grateful to Qin He, considering Qin He had saved the entire Gu family.
If it weren't for Qin He this time, Gu Ranran would have surely met a desperate end.
Madam Gu was exceptionally gentle and polite to Ming Yuzhu.
"Madam Qin, the sixteenth of July is a good date, don't you think? I believe it would be nice for them to get engaged on this day."
Ming Yuzhu nodded, "I've already checked the almanac, and this date is indeed good. However, isn't it a bit too rushed? It's already the fifth month of the lunar calendar, meaning we'd only have two months to prepare by July."
Madam Gu chuckled, "But it's not just you preparing. If we both prepare together, our efforts will be doubled, and I think we'll have enough time."
Ming Yuzhu had no objections, as it was just an engagement party anyway.
"Alright, then what are your thoughts on the wedding date?"
Madam Gu continued to flip through the almanac, unfolding the page she had marked at home.
"This is one of the best days of the year!"
Ming Yuzhu glanced at it while holding Lele, frowning slightly.
"September twenty-eighth? Wouldn't that mean getting married only two months after the engagement?"
Madam Gu feared Ming Yuzhu might disagree, yet she was eager to welcome her daughter-in-law home sooner rather than later.
Therefore, she lowered her tone and carefully explained to Ming Yuzhu.
"Madam Qin, you see, it's only the fifth lunar month now. What we're preparing for isn't just the engagement banquet in July, but also the wedding ceremony in September. Between May and September, there are more than four full months. If we prepare together, it's equivalent to having over eight months of preparation, which is actually quite sufficient."
Ming Yuzhu and Madam Gu sat on the same sofa, discussing.
Qin He and Xu Wanwan sat on another sofa opposite them, eating fruits. Upon hearing Madam Gu's words, Xu Wanwan chuckled, nearly bursting out laughing.
Fortunately, the two opposite them were focused on the dates and didn't notice this detail.
Qin He whispered, "What are you doing?"
Xu Wanwan whispered back, "I've never heard anyone calculate dates like that before. Is Madam Gu a math major?"
Qin He shook her head, appearing unconcerned.
"I don't know."
"You don't know?" Xu Wanwan's small voice became serious, and because she was whispering, there was a slight breathiness to it.
"This is your wedding, aren't you even paying attention?"
Qin He let out a soft laugh.
"Do you want to hear the truth?"
"Go ahead."
"Actually, I don't care when the date is. I could get married today, or I could continue dating Gu Qichen forever."
Xu Wanwan scoffed, "Your mindset is definitely not typical."
Qin He smiled and whispered, "Many people care about ceremony, but I don't have that sense of ritual. Even the grandest ceremony, what's the point? Life still has to be lived day by day."
Xu Wanwan rolled her eyes, "I can't be bothered with you. What you're saying sounds like something my grandfather's generation would say!"
While Qin He didn't care about the ceremony, Gu Qichen wanted to give her the best and grandest wedding.
Madam Gu, using her peculiar arithmetic, explained how much help they could find, and by adding and subtracting, managed to calculate four months of preparation as equivalent to two years of work.
Ming Yuzhu could finally see Madam Gu's eagerness.
Holding her grandson, she reluctantly agreed.
"Other things can be discussed, but wedding attire needs to be custom-made in advance. It's best to start ordering soon. Having dozens of skilled tailors work continuously for three months should be enough time," Ming Yuzhu said.
Madam Gu nodded, "Alright. Coincidentally, I know a Suzhou embroiderer, a descendant of a master artisan. Her gold and silver thread embroidery is truly divine. I'll have her embroider He'er's wedding dress, and then I'll contact a French studio to take measurements and create a wedding gown for He'er."
Qin He blinked, suddenly feeling that having time move too fast wasn't entirely good.
She would likely be very busy in the coming period.
Xu Wanwan glanced at Gu Ranran, who was sitting on a single sofa nearby.
Gu Ranran had her head bowed, her long hair falling to her sides, her fists clenched on her knees, looking withdrawn and subdued.
Xu Wanwan felt something was amiss and whispered to Qin He, "What's up with Ranran? She looks like a recluse. Could it be that the heartbreak from her relationship hit her too hard?"
Qin He looked up and also found it strange.
She had previously heard from Ming Xue that Gu Ranran had resumed her studies at Qingda University and her mood had improved, returning to her state before the relationship.
Furthermore, after what had happened, Gu Ranran was now better at discerning people, and she had severed ties with some of her superficial friends who used to surround her.
But why did Gu Ranran always appear like this whenever she saw her?
Qin He pondered, could it be that her act of being a wicked sister-in-law at the Gu family's home had been too convincing, leaving the young girl with psychological trauma?
Xu Wanwan leaned closer to speak again, and Qin He frowned and whispered, "Those two over there are about to finalize the dates. If they look up and see us whispering together, they'll definitely say we're being impolite by talking secrets in front of elders."
Only then did Xu Wanwan reluctantly sit back down.
Qin He thought for a moment and picked up an orange from the fruit platter on the table, offering it to Gu Ranran.
"Ranran, try this orange. My brother specifically had it shipped from the production area. It arrived at the table less than a day after it was picked."
Qin He smiled and made conversation with Gu Ranran, "Wanwan has been craving oranges since she got pregnant. If I don't stop her, she can eat three pounds a day."
Gu Ranran immediately took the orange with both hands, then lowered her head to peel it, murmuring in response to Qin He.
"Pregnant women eat oranges to supplement Vitamin C, I suppose."
"But she shouldn't overdo it. She's barely eating anything else."
Xu Wanwan protested, "Qin He, please mind your tone. As my sister-in-law, why are you supervising your sister-in-law? Haven't you heard the saying, 'the elder sister-in-law is like a mother'?"
Qin He paused, looking at this so-called elder sister-in-law with whom she had grown up.
"Xu Wanwan, we grew up together. Your personality is so lively, and how many messes have I cleaned up for you?"
This time, it was Xu Wanwan's turn to fall silent.
Qin He chuckled playfully, "In elementary school, you beat up boys. In middle school, you climbed walls. In college, you—are you really trying to be my mother now? That's a bit like biting the hand that feeds you."
Xu Wanwan felt her image in front of her mother-in-law was deteriorating, and she hastily tried to cover Qin He's mouth.
"I didn't! You're talking nonsense!"
Although Xu Wanwan had a fiery personality, she had always been outmatched by Qin He in verbal sparring.
Ming Yuzhu, on the opposite side, watched with a smile.
Madam Gu glanced enviously, then seemed to reconcile herself.
It's alright. In a few months, after marrying He'er into the family, with He'er, Lele, and Ranran, wouldn't it be just like this scene?