"I am not familiar with Deng Meili, and we have no relationship whatsoever."

Once outside the restaurant, Gu Ye hurriedly tried to explain, though he didn't know why. He and Deng Meili had never had any relationship; it was all one-sided on her part. But a voice inside him told him he needed to make things clear with Bao Ni.

"I know this is from a young girl's unrequited love, filled with resentment. She's used to being high and mighty and can't stand the slightest grievance." Bonnie has seen too many people like this, who rely on their family background to do whatever they want, thinking that the world should revolve around them and that they are the center of the universe.

To say that Deng Meili had any deep feelings for Gu Ye is completely unrealistic. Although they had known each other since childhood, they had no interaction and no deep emotional exchange. How could there be such deep feelings? It was just resentment.

“It’s insignificant people, we don’t need to waste our time on her. Instead, why don’t you take me to stroll through the streets and alleys of Beijing?” Bonnie thought that if she had the chance to go back to this era, she would like to see those old alleys and place names that appeared in history books, wondering if she could still recognize them.

"Okay, we'll start tomorrow."

After eating and drinking their fill, the two walked slowly to the bus stop. Just then, a bus arrived, and they boarded, bought tickets, and found seats.

The night was starry, and there wasn't as much smog as it would be decades later, when looking up at the sky, all you could see was a hazy gray expanse.

Back in their room, Bonnie and Gu Ye were a little tired. They washed up and prepared to go to bed, planning to continue shopping tomorrow.

The next morning, after Gu Ye and Bao Ni finished washing up and went downstairs, they found that Grandpa Gu was still at home.

"Aren't you going to work today, Grandpa?"

"I don't have anything to do these days, so I don't need to go. I'm practically semi-retired now, so I don't need to go every day."

Grandpa Gu was very kind to Bonnie and answered all her questions.

What are your plans for today?

"After breakfast, I'm going to take Bonnie to stroll around the streets and alleys of Beijing and see the ancient hutong culture." Gu Ye thought that after breakfast, he would go to Han Ye's place, ride his bicycle, which would be more convenient than taking the bus, and he could ride wherever he wanted to go.

"That's great. Let's take Bonnie around and see the things left by our ancestors. They're all worth learning from and meaningful."

"Breakfast is ready, come and eat!" Grandma Gu called out from the kitchen, making sure that Gu Feng and his family of three upstairs could hear her.

In the kitchen, Aunt Wang and Grandma Gu had prepared a sumptuous breakfast. Gu Lan and Gu Yuan were also there, helping to set the table. Having been slapped by Bao Ni last time, Gu Lan felt a little intimidated by Bao Ni and her face still stung.

Ever since Comrade Xu Fang asked Bao Ni to do the dishes, which caused a series of arguments, no one wants Bao Ni to do housework anymore. Everyone is like familiar strangers, living under the same roof without much communication.

After dinner, Gu Ye brought over his bicycle and found a women's military coat for Bao Ni to wear, as it was windy and cold on the back of the bicycle.

Sitting on the back of the bicycle, Bonnie felt quite excited. This old-fashioned bicycle was equivalent to a car in later times.

I remember there was a popular joke back then that said, "I'd rather cry in a BMW than laugh on a bicycle!"

Bonnie felt that it was impossible to judge whether this statement was right or wrong. It was a personal choice, and as long as one continued down the path chosen and did not regret it, there was no going back.

Instead of going to a large shopping mall, the two chose some historical alleyways, walking on the mottled stone slabs, touching the uneven walls, and imagining the stories that had happened there.

Occasionally, she would encounter elderly people sitting under the eaves, listening to their stories and learning about various tales from the local people. Bao Ni found this more interesting than visiting famous historical sites.

To Bonnie's disappointment, while the names of many large buildings in Beijing remained unchanged, the names of some alleys, parks, and streets were no longer present. She wondered if they no longer existed or had been renamed decades later.

Bonnie and her friend had been strolling through the alley for a few days, but with the Lunar New Year approaching and the weather getting colder, the alley activities stopped.

During their last meal, Gu Ye and the others didn't discuss any important matters. Now, Han Ye has arranged another time, this time just the few of them men.

"Baoni, Wei Hong asked you to go shopping tomorrow morning. She's asking if you have time. Zhao Yuan and Wu Fang are also there."

"Sure, what time tomorrow?"

"Meet at the main gate at nine o'clock."

Bonnie said she understood, and Han Ye left because he had something to do.

"Take more money and tickets tomorrow, buy some things for Mom and the others, and bring back some gifts!"

Gu Ye thought about buying things from the Lin family. He had to thank his mother-in-law for giving birth to such an excellent Bao Ni, which gave him such a good wife and brought sunshine into his life.

"I understand. I'll handle it. We're all family, so there's no need to buy anything flashy or impractical. Let's buy more practical things."

Bonnie wondered if she could buy some defective items, since she had many relatives and they were economical.

“I’ll ask them to find some military uniforms that they don’t wear at home and take them back to my uncle’s younger brothers.”

Gu Ye thought of the envious looks his uncles from the Lin family gave him every time they saw his military uniform, and decided he would have to fulfill their wish this time.

The two had made their plans and were just waiting to implement them the next day when a burst of laughter came from the courtyard, startling Bonnie.

"Who is it? That laughter is a bit creepy."

Gu Ye knew immediately that it was his aunt who had returned. She was the only one in the Gu family who laughed like that; it was quite exaggerated.

Gu Xiaogu was Grandpa Gu's youngest child and only daughter. She was truly showered with love and affection, growing up to have everything she wanted. After marriage, she also had a lot of say in her husband's family.

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