Gu Mang rubbed his temples, his expression growing more serious. He took a deep breath and hung up the phone.

He needs to go back to the central city, but not now.

Going back now would only alert the enemy, allowing those who thought his plane crashed and his body was never found to stir up trouble again and come up with even more vicious ways to harm him!

"Sago pudding or grass jelly, which do you prefer?"

Gu Mang was slightly taken aback, then turned around and met those bright, sparkling eyes. She smiled at him, her smile as sweet as the milk tea in her hand.

"What's wrong?" Jiang Can looked at him. "You don't look well..."

"I'm fine." This feeling of being seen through is very unpleasant.

Gu Mang's voice was harsh and cold as he turned his back on her, saying, "You can drink it yourself. I don't like sweet things."

Jiang Can stood there, holding two cups of milk tea, stunned for a long time before biting her lip and jogging after him.

She followed closely behind him, not daring to get too close. His broad back was like a cold wall, beyond which lay his world, which she was so close to but could never reach.

...

Everything was normal on the second day of the wedding.

Gu Mang gave the bedroom to Jiang Can to sleep in, and he slept on the sofa outside. There was only one blanket, which he also gave to her, while he wrapped himself in a worn-out sheet. Jiang Can felt a little guilty and stood at the bedroom door for a long time, but the words "Go back to your room and sleep" seemed to be tied in knots in her throat, and she couldn't bring herself to say them.

It seems Gu Mang was right; she needs time to adjust to the fact that she has a husband.

She lowered her head slightly and smiled softly.

Rumors say Gu Mang is cold and aloof, bad at communicating, but quite skilled at fighting. But she doesn't think he's that bad; at least he treats her with plenty of respect and tolerance.

According to custom, the bride should return to her parents' home on the third day.

Jiang Can felt uneasy as soon as she woke up in the morning.

For most people, the wedding third day after the wedding is a big event, and the son-in-law should accompany the bride, and they should also prepare some pastries to take back to the bride's family. The family happily finished lunch and rushed back before sunset.

But for Jiang Can, this homecoming was actually a trip to ask for money.

Her father promised her that if she married in place of Jiang Yao, he would give her a substantial dowry, enough to cure her mother's illness and fund her younger brother's schooling.

However, even though she had been married into the family for three days, the Jiang family's promise seemed to have vanished into thin air, and no one had mentioned it again.

After much deliberation, Jiang Can realized that she had to ask for it herself, but she couldn't bring Gu Mang along, otherwise everything would be exposed. Who knew what Gu Mang might do in a fit of anger?

"Gu Mang, I..." She racked her brains for the right words, trying to come up with a legitimate and logical reason so that her son-in-law wouldn't have to accompany her back to her parents' home.

After thinking for a long time, I swallowed all those words back and managed to squeeze out a few: "I've made breakfast, come and eat."

Gu Mang was doing his morning exercise in the courtyard when he heard her soft, sweet voice, and it felt as if a corner of an iceberg in his heart had melted.

Jiang Can made vegetarian steamed dumplings and eight-treasure rice, and also ground some soy milk. When Gu Mang stepped into the small house, he suddenly felt it was much brighter. Since getting married, this place was no longer the dusty, grimy place it used to be.

The place is filled with the warmth of human life; everything that passes through Jiang Can's hands carries a cozy, sunny feeling.

Gu Mang unconsciously curled the corners of his lips and sat down at the table.

The woman opposite me seemed to be preoccupied with something.

He thought for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Shouldn't you be going back to your parents' house today?"

Jiang Can paused, bit her lip, and lowered her eyes, remaining silent.