"Is that really how it is? But Xingdong is already married, and there's no possibility for us to be together." As she spoke, Zhang Wan'er tucked her legs in and burst into tears.
Li Zheming watched from the side, his heart aching. He licked his lips, then tentatively asked, "Do you have to be with Gu Xingdong? There are so many excellent men in this world. Wan'er, why don't you find someone who likes you? That way, you won't have to suffer the torment of unrequited love. Why don't you look around you? Perhaps you'll have a pleasant surprise!"
Zhang Wan'er's eyes darted around, then she lowered her head and said in a low voice, "I don't think anyone would like me. Besides Gu Xingdong, I don't want anyone else! If I can't be with him, I'd rather remain single my entire life than settle for another man! Zhe Ming Ge, I know what I'm saying might be a bit extreme, please don't take it to heart. I'm just complaining a little. I want to be alone for a while. Can you leave? We'll see each other tomorrow when we complete the mission!"
After speaking, Zhang Wan'er raised her head, holding back tears, and forcibly pushed Li Zheming out.
Standing outside, Li Zheming slowly raised his hand to cover his chest, the corners of his mouth curling upwards into a bitter smile. He murmured to himself, "We met first. Where am I inferior to Gu Xingdong? You insist on hanging yourself on that one tree and don't even look back at me! I could give you a better life too!"
As his words faded, he received no reply. Li Zheming lowered his gaze, took a deep breath, and a gentle smile reappeared on his face. He called out to the person inside, "If you really like Gu Xingdong that much, maybe I can help you get him! I'll help you solve any trouble you encounter, after all, you're like my sister!"
Hearing Li Zheming's words, Zhang Wan'er inside couldn't suppress her joy. To avoid him noticing anything amiss, she feigned pain and replied, "No need. Xingdong and I have no future. Zhe Ming Ge, please don't do anything foolish!"
"Leave this matter entirely to me, you don't need to worry. Hurry and get some rest. Gu Xingdong is waiting for you tomorrow." After saying this, Li Zheming turned and left Zhang Wan'er's doorway.
Zhang Wan'er watched Li Zheming's retreating back through the window. A sinister glint flashed in her eyes, and she parted her thin lips, saying coldly, "Since you've come, don't even think about leaving! You will pay the price!"
Soon, the next day arrived.
Since there was a mission to complete, they naturally couldn't sleep too late. Chen Li Shu was woken up around six o'clock.
Gu Xingdong looked at his watch with a serious expression and said, "Li Shu, you have three minutes to wash up and ten minutes to fill your stomach. We need to hurry and go arrange the supplies, otherwise, if the people don't see the supplies, the consequences will be beyond our control."
Chen Li Shu rubbed her sleepy eyes, putting on her clothes as she teased, "Comrade Gu Xingdong, am I here to relax, or to be your assistant?"
Gu Xingdong came in front of Chen Li Shu, helping her tie her hair while explaining, "Of course, you're here to relax. You need to do something to distract yourself. If you get tired, find a place to rest. You're always an exception with me."
Chen Li Shu chuckled softly, then put on a serious face and said to Gu Xingdong, "Once you decide to do something, you must do it well. I don't need to be an exception. I don't want to be told that I came here to play around. Alright, stop tying my hair. Today, we'll dress simply. Just tie your hair into a high ponytail. Dressing too well might cause a sense of inequality among the people, and it's also cumbersome and a bit uncomfortable when distributing supplies."
Gu Xingdong found Chen Li Shu's words very reasonable, so he stopped tying her hair. He said slowly, "Then you get yourself ready, and I'll go prepare food for you. Only when you're full will you have the energy to work later."
"Okay!" Chen Li Shu readily agreed, then busied herself.
About three minutes later, she finally finished getting ready and came to the dining table. Due to the scarcity of supplies in Shanghai, breakfast couldn't be prepared to the highest standard. There were only two cornmeal buns and a glass of milk.
Chen Li Shu asked with some surprise, "Where did this milk come from?"
Gu Xingdong slowly explained, "I brought it from Kyoto. It doesn't matter what I, a rough fellow, eat, but you're a girl. I know the situation here is complicated. If good food isn't available, I can only try to find something nutritious for you."
"You've worked hard, not only taking care of the refugees but also constantly considering me!" As Chen Li Shu finished speaking and was about to eat, an annoying voice came from the doorway.
Zhang Wan'er, with a smile on her lips and a shameless expression, leaned over and said, "Xingdong, you two haven't eaten yet? We're about to set off. Two cars are a bit too luxurious. Why don't we wait for you, and then we can travel in the same car?"
To prevent Gu Xingdong from refusing, Li Zheming also chimed in, "Yes, my brother and I haven't seen each other for so many years. We haven't had a good chat, so this is a good opportunity to catch up."
Gu Xingdong glanced at Li Zheming and said indifferently, "I'll go with you."
Seeing that she finally had a reason to stay, Zhang Wan'er's eyes narrowed. When she noticed the milk on the table, she feigned surprise and asked, "Oh, why do you have milk here? The people in the disaster area are already so pitiful, yet your supplies are so luxurious. Did Li Shu bring this milk? I'm not trying to be mean, but if any other refugee saw this scene, they would definitely feel unbalanced. The way you look, you don't seem like you're here to help the refugees!"
Upon hearing Zhang Wan'er's words, Chen Li Shu looked up and down at the other woman. When she saw Zhang Wan'er's jeweled necklace and noble attire, she let out a cold snort of disdain.
Seeing Chen Li Shu's arrogant demeanor, Zhang Wan'er's smile gradually faltered. She then looked at the other woman with a wronged expression and asked, "I know you don't like my speaking style, but this is just a friendly reminder. Li Shu, please don't take it to heart."