"Xingdong, you're back? Such a big thing happened at home, and you're not here to accompany your wife? You don't need to dwell on those rumors outside. With me here, everything will be resolved! Don't forget how I handled things for you when you were in the army. I am your strongest support!" Zhang Wan'er said, patting her chest.
Her poised demeanor, when observed by the female protagonist, left her feeling somewhat uneasy. However, she couldn't express it without appearing petty.
Gu Xingdong, hearing Zhang Wan'er's words, replied with no hint of emotion, "Mm." He then handed the documents to the female protagonist, his gaze filled with tenderness. In a soft voice, meant only for her ears, he said, "What you asked Su Nian to handle has been dealt with. The pork needed for the East District this year will be supplied by Gui Family Village, with Xu Teng acting as the intermediary to arrange everything!"
The female protagonist raised an eyebrow in surprise at Gu Xingdong's words. She lightly punched his shoulder and asked, "Didn't you have other matters to attend to these past few days? Xiao Nian's business capabilities are quite strong. You didn't need to trouble yourself."
Upon hearing the word "trouble," Gu Xingdong glared at the female protagonist with displeasure and said irritably, "You are my lawfully wedded wife. Now that you've encountered a problem, shouldn't I, as your man, share the burden with you?"
Facing Gu Xingdong's gentle chiding, the female protagonist shrugged helplessly and said with a smile, "Yes, yes, yes. I knew you cherished me the most."
Li Xiulan and Zhang Wan'er watched their whispered conversation. Li Xiulan's eyes crinkled with laughter, while Zhang Wan'er put on a smile that was anything but genuine.
As they were sharing a moment, Zhang Wan'er interrupted with a complex expression, "The food is all ready. Let's eat first! Xingdong, your stomach was injured six years ago. It's thanks to me often making porridge and cooking for you that your stomach condition improved slightly. Now that you're home, I can't be by your side to take care of you, so you must learn to take care of yourself. Recurrence of your stomach issues will only cause you discomfort. Lishu, you need to pay close attention to this."
Her interruption jolted the female protagonist back to reality. She quickly urged, "Yes, Mom has already prepared the meal. Let's not waste any more time here. Let's be seated, and we can eat and chat!"
As the words fell, the group began to find their seats. Gu Xingdong suddenly noticed a girl standing in the corner, whose face seemed somewhat familiar. Noticing Gu Xingdong's peculiar glance, the female protagonist turned to look at Tiantian in the corner, then beckoned her over. She then whispered to Gu Xingdong, "I'll explain this to you later."
Gu Xingdong pursed his lips and nodded. Their interaction was observed by Li Xiulan, who then noticed an extra young girl in the room. Just as she was about to ask about the girl's identity, Gu Xingdong placed a hand on his lips, making a shushing gesture towards her. Li Xiulan understood and nodded. Finally, the family sat down at the table with unspoken understanding, no one mentioning Tiantian's presence.
The atmosphere during the meal was exceedingly strange. Zhang Wan'er kept bringing up their past experiences in the army. The female protagonist harbored a premonition that Zhang Wan'er was doing this intentionally. However, without concrete evidence, despite feeling uncomfortable, she could only suppress her jealousy and finish the meal.
After recounting numerous past events from their time in the army, only Li Xiulan could offer a few responsive remarks to Zhang Wan'er. The female protagonist and Gu Xingdong remained largely indifferent. Zhang Wan'er knew that rushing things wouldn't work. After the meal, she looked out the window at the darkening sky and feigned a look of difficulty, saying, "It's getting late. Perhaps I should leave now. Uncle Yang will worry about my safety if I return too late!"
"Mm," Gu Xingdong replied, his tone still flat. Just as he was planning to find an opportunity to create a private moment for them, Gu Xingdong suddenly said, "It's indeed not very safe for you to go home alone. Why don't I escort you?"
Zhang Wan'er's eyes lit up at his words, a flicker of triumph crossing her gaze. She thought her subtle maneuvering was going unnoticed, but her emotions were picked up by the female protagonist. *This Zhang Wan'er is indeed problematic,* the female protagonist thought with a cold snort, her jealousy now boiling over.
A restrained smile appeared on Zhang Wan'er's face. She then said, "Alright, let's go then."
With that, Zhang Wan'er turned to leave. However, as she reached the door, she suddenly realized something felt off. The footsteps behind her sounded different. She turned around curiously, only to see Su Nian, not Gu Xingdong, escorting her. This caused her expression to turn extremely unpleasant.
"Gu Xingdong, I don't understand what you mean! It's not safe for a girl like me to walk alone at night. Does Miss Su accompanying me make it safe? She'll have to return alone later. Aren't you joking with another girl's safety?!" Zhang Wan'er said, her face filled with anger.
She had expected Gu Xingdong to seize the opportunity and offer to escort her himself. To her surprise, he responded very calmly, "Su Nian's strength is comparable to that of an ordinary man. There were some incidents on this street recently, but under Fu Chen's management, it has become much safer. Please, go home with peace of mind!"
Facing Gu Xingdong's unyielding, direct approach, Zhang Wan'er was seething with frustration. However, she knew that impatience would get her nowhere. Thus, she could only suppress her anger, putting on a forced smile. "Since the street is safe, I don't need anyone to escort me back. You all should rest well. I'll call you when I get home. Lishu, don't worry, I will help clarify those rumors about you and Xu Teng. Back in the army, Gu Xingdong and I were the closest, and his wife is also my good friend!"
After speaking, Zhang Wan'er subtly glanced at Gu Xingdong, trying to detect any unusual expression on his face. However, the result was, as usual, disappointing. Gu Xingdong showed no reaction whatsoever. Instead, he urged, "It's getting late, please hurry back. The children at home need to rest, so we won't be seeing you out." With that, Gu Xingdong, carrying a child in each arm, walked towards the rooms.
Seeing that her target had already left, Zhang Wan'er lost interest in lingering. She smiled faintly, said, "Goodbye," and left without looking back.