She hurriedly got out of bed, dressed, and tidied herself up, not wanting Gu Chong to wait outside for too long.

She quickly washed her face, not even having time to tie her hair into a ponytail. She just grabbed a comb, ran it through her hair a couple of times, and left it hanging down her back before heading out.

Gu Chong was standing obediently outside the educated youth settlement, waiting for her as usual, holding a food bowl in his hand.

Only after she left did his usually calm eyes show a flicker of emotion. He smiled gently and said good morning to her.

Good morning.

Perhaps because half a month had passed, Xue Fu was a little embarrassed that morning.

She rubbed her nails against her palm, then raised her hand to smooth her hair before realizing she hadn't looked in a mirror when she came out.

Xue Fu: !

She immediately turned her face away.

"What's wrong?"

Gu Chong asked, slightly puzzled by her actions.

Xue Fu coughed, realizing that she was acting awkwardly and pretentiously.

The two of them had been dating for three or four months, but she still had some baggage on her shoulders.

She also wanted to always look beautiful in his eyes.

How do I look now?

"Um?"

Gu Chong didn't quite understand the root of her problem.

Gu Chong, a straightforward man, replied earnestly, "It's fine."

He glanced at Xue Fu's expression again, afraid that she felt he hadn't used enough words, so he added a few more sentences: "Now she looks rosy-cheeked, full of energy, and full of vitality."

It's much better than when I got off the train yesterday.

Gu Chong: "I feel like you had a good night's sleep."

Xue Fu choked for a moment, then smiled: fine.

Although that wasn't my intention, I felt quite good after hearing this answer.

Xue Fu agreed, saying, "Yes, you're right."

Gu Chong smiled.

However, he plans to make time to read more books in the future.

He discovered that Xue Fu liked it when others praised her.

He needs to learn more compliments, the kind that can praise her a hundred times without repeating himself!

Xue Fu opened the lid of the rice bowl and asked him, "Have you had breakfast?"

After hearing him nod and say that he had eaten at home, Xue Fu felt relieved and started eating by herself.

Halfway through the meal, Xue Fu suddenly remembered that she had something she hadn't had time to tell Gu Chong yesterday.

It's very important.

She swallowed the bun in her mouth, glancing furtively at Gu Chong's reaction beside her.

However, she didn't hide her furtive glances well, and he immediately caught her looking over.

He gave a low hum, looked over at her, and asked, "What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"oh..."

Xue Fu awkwardly raised her hand and pinched her earlobe, then shook her head. However, she didn't notice the obvious struggle and hesitation that flashed in her eyes.

"Didn't we talk about Haicheng before?"

Xue Fu spoke slowly and deliberately, barely beginning to say what she was about to say, but the clever Gu Chong guessed what she was going to say next.

He lowered his gaze slightly. The weather was fine today, and at this time of day, the bright sunshine cast their shadows side by side onto the muddy ground.

He asked, "Have you settled on a job? When are you going back?"

He was calm and composed, his gaze fixed on her quietly, yet with unwavering determination.

That one look was enough to calm Xue Fu down from her confusion and soothe her.

She smiled gently, her eyes crinkling into a smile, and nodded. "Yes, it's settled. It's a job at a newspaper, as the editor-in-chief's assistant."

She explained the situation to him in detail: "The editor-in-chief went to Beicheng and will not return to Haicheng until early April, so I will only report for duty at the beginning of April."

Gu Chong paused slightly, but Xue Fu didn't notice his expression. He just nodded and said, "Okay," as if he had no temper.

Xue Fu glanced sideways, now focusing intently on him to see how he would react.

Whether he had already prepared himself mentally or this matter had no effect on his emotions, he seemed very calm and composed at the moment, showing no signs of melancholy or regret over the separation in April.

Xue Fu couldn't describe her feelings. She didn't want to see him sad about it, but his overly calm and indifferent demeanor made her feel conflicted.

Xue Fu wrinkled her nose, unable to figure out the reason, so she decisively threw the problem back to the person in charge and left it to him to solve.

"And what about you?"

She asked.

"Then what do we do?"

She stared straight at him.

She didn't want him to do anything; she just wanted to hear him say some sweet words and coax her.

Okay, she admits she was being a bit deliberately difficult, but that's how love is—sweet and sour at the same time.

Gu Chong understood what was going on by observing the change in her expression.

He said, "We're dating, just like we are now."

“Afu,” he smiled, unable to suppress his laughter in front of her. He cleared his throat and lowered his voice, “Do you know that the tone and words you just spoke sounded like you were pressuring her to get married?”

He teased her, successfully making Xue Fu blush, and she even pinched his arm.

"Alright." Seeing that she finally smiled again, Gu Chong patted the back of her hand that was resting on her arm to comfort her, "I know, Afu."

"Wait for me in Haicheng, just like this time, only it will be much longer than half a month. But I will definitely go. I will bring Xiaofei with me to Haicheng, and I'll need you to pick us up at the train station."

He looked at her intently, then asked in a deep voice, "Do you believe me?"

Xue Fu nodded: "Of course I believe you."

There are some things Gu Chong doesn't know, but she does.

If we get through this year and things reopen, everything will become clearer and move in a positive direction.

Human resources will no longer be restricted to the land and can move freely.

You can go wherever you want.

Xue Fu had complete confidence in Gu Chong.

"When you go back in April, I'll go to Haicheng with you, okay?"

While Xue Fu was pondering, she heard Gu Chong utter these words.

She froze, her fox-like eyes gazing at him with surprise and shyness, not blinking, and pink gradually crept up her ears.

She choked back tears and asked shyly, "What did you say?"

"I'll go to Haicheng with you," he repeated in my ear, each word clear and distinct. "Is that alright?"

Xue Fu swallowed, her throat slightly dry, feeling somewhat uncertain.

Is that what she meant?

He's incredibly audacious! He wants to go to Haicheng to meet her parents, to actually visit them in person?!

Does he want to marry her?

Her throat itched, and her heart tingled. Xue Fu coughed, her eyes glistening with tears.

Her eyes flickered as she cautiously confirmed with him, "Are you... just taking me home, or... do you want to do something else?"

Gu Chong smiled and chuckled, then nodded his chin thoughtfully and said, "I guess so."