Chapter 228 Safety Buckle

As he spoke, he pulled his hand back, as if trying to push him away.

Zhou Shufen ignored him and grabbed his wrist.

"Don't move, close your eyes."

He opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.

He sat there obediently, eyes closed, body taut and straight.

"Put it on."

She said softly.

"This safety amulet will protect you for me. Look, I have one too, it's a pair."

As he spoke, he slowly raised his left hand and held the safety buckle up to his eyes.

“It was given to me by my grandmother when she was alive. She said that when I got married, I would give it to my future husband.”

Guo Zhenyi felt a burning sensation in his chest.

He paused for a moment, then finally raised his hand and gently pinched her chin.

Then he lowered his head and kissed her.

Her eyelashes fluttered, and she was instantly enveloped by his warm breath.

"Shufen".

"Why didn't you give those safety buckles to Zhou Dajun? Isn't he your husband?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he froze, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes.

But she blinked and a mischievous smile crept onto her lips.

"Do you want to hear the truth, or a lie?"

She turned her head to the side, her eyes sparkling.

"Listen to the truth first."

He looked somewhat aggrieved.

"The truth is, the safety buckle wasn't even there when we got married."

Her tone was calm.

“It has been buried under the soil in Zhou Dajun’s house for a long time, and I have never touched it.”

"And what about lies?"

He lowered his voice and asked tentatively.

"It's a lie..."

She deliberately dragged out the sound, drawing small circles on his chest with her fingertips.

"Even if I had found it earlier, I would never have given it to him."

Guo Zhenyi's heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly grabbed her hand.

"Why?"

"Grandma said that this thing should be given to the person you love the most."

“Zhou Dajun has never been sincere with me for even a single day. All the kindness he showed me was calculated; from beginning to end, not a single bit was genuine.”

“You’re different, Zhenyi.”

Guo Zhenyi suddenly pulled her even deeper into his arms.

His voice was low and hoarse, trembling slightly.

"Your mouth... it's really killing me."

Zhou Shufen chuckled and rubbed her cheek against his chest.

She pressed her ear close to his heart, listening intently to its steady beating.

The last piece of charcoal in the hearth finally came to an end.

It shattered with a soft "snap".

It's late at night.

Guo Zhenyi followed behind Zhou Shufen.

She was bending over, carefully making the bed for him.

He stood quietly in place, his gaze fixed on her back.

She lowered her head, her shoulders soft and graceful.

Her hair swayed with her movements.

She noticed his gaze and slowly turned her head.

"What's wrong?"

He took a few steps forward.

"The bed... is so soft."

But his gaze didn't fall on the bed; instead, it lingered on the old watch on her wrist.

Zhou Shufen turned slightly to the side and straightened the pillow.

He patted the pillowcase again.

"At your age, you should sleep in a softer position so you won't suffer."

Her tone was gentle.

Guo Zhenyi suddenly reached out and pulled her into his arms.

"Shufen, do you think I'm getting old?"

He spoke softly, his chin gently resting on the top of her head.

"Today...we are officially married."

Her body suddenly stiffened.

Then she turned her hand and firmly grasped his fingers.

“Where are you old? You’re still that young man who could carry two bags of rice up five flights of stairs in one go.”

She chuckled softly, her voice gentle and sweet.

Guo Zhenyi shuddered violently.

"Your mouth..."

“When I was young, people always said I stood up straight and was full of energy. But now that I’m this old, what’s the point of talking about being a ‘handsome young man’? That term said goodbye to me ages ago.”

She suddenly turned around and gently smoothed out the wrinkles on his collar.

"In my case, it's somewhat related."

She looked up at him, her eyes clear and bright.

“Last time you wore that Zhongshan suit to accompany me to a meeting at the factory, a group of young girls hid behind the window and secretly watched you, saying that you looked more than ten years younger than your actual age.”

His ears turned bright red instantly.

"They're just making fun of me."

She held his fingers in her hand and gently rubbed the calluses on his palm with her fingertips.

"You stand as straight as an old pine tree in the mountains, unyielding to wind and rain. Your eyes are as bright as a twenty-year-old's. You are far superior to those who are idle and only know how to talk nicely."

She paused, then took another half step forward.

"Besides, he's my man. I can praise whoever I want, and nobody can stop me."

Her words gently touched the softest spot in his heart, making his whole heart itch.

He kissed her lips.

After a long while, they finally stepped back a little.

He gently stroked her cheek with his fingers, his voice lowering.

"You're not allowed to praise others anymore."

She was amused by his serious yet domineering demeanor.

"Okay, okay, you can have it all."

After saying that, she stood on tiptoe, leaned forward slightly, and got closer to him.

"Now, handsome young man, could you please stop standing there?"

Guo Zhenyi's heart skipped a beat.

He stared at her, his gaze fixed on the mischievous glint in her eyes.

He then held her hand tightly, and the two slowly walked towards the bed.

...

The next morning, Zhou Lijuan got up very early.

They cleaned every nook and cranny of the house.

It was past seven o'clock, and the sky was already bright.

Guo Zhenyi opened his eyes first.

He turned his head and looked at the person next to him who was still sleeping soundly.

She gently sat up, put on her coat, and tiptoed to the door.

Then he reached out and gently closed the door.

Last night, for the first time in his life, he understood what "a man's happiness" truly meant.

It wasn't the boisterous revelry of drunkenness, nor the exhilaration of gambling.

Instead, it's about embracing someone you truly love tightly.

Zhou Shufen was extremely exhausted last night and fell into a deep sleep.

In her sleep, she unconsciously uttered a few words in her sleep.

He then realized that she and Zhou Dajun hadn't been together for over ten years.

Guo Zhenyi stood at the door, grinning from ear to ear.

Early in the morning, the cold air was seeping straight into people's necks.

But he felt warm all over.

"Lijuan, it's so cold, why don't you lie down a little longer?"

He spoke as he walked into the kitchen.

Upon inspection, all the pots, pans, and dishes had already been cleaned up.

These were tasks that he should have done.

But now, it's a young woman who's getting up early to run around doing all the chores.

He felt both touched and guilty.

"Uncle Guo, I have to go with Changyu to meet with foreign businessmen today, so we have to get there early."

Zhou Lijuan wiped the stove clean and then rinsed the rag.

Qi Changyu also pushed open the door and walked in.

"Changyu, come and eat! We're busy today, hurry up!"

She neatly set out the bowls and chopsticks.

While serving the soup, he urged them on.

"Uncle Guo, would you like to wait for my mom to get up so we can eat together, or should we eat first? I've already prepared the soup base. Just blanch the rice noodles in the pot, pour on some chili sauce, and it'll be ready."

As she spoke, she lifted the lid of the clay pot, and a rich aroma wafted out.

"You guys eat first, I'll go sweep the yard. The end of the year is approaching, so it needs to be clean."

Guo Zhenyi smiled and waved his hand.

He then turned and walked to the corner of the wall, picked up the bamboo broom, and went outside.

A thick layer of dead leaves had piled up in the corner of the yard.

As he swept, he thought of the two children, his heart filled with joy.

Zhou Lijuan and Qi Changyu ate while speaking in English.

The two chatted back and forth, their tone relaxed and natural.

Guo Zhenyi couldn't understand those foreign languages.

But you can tell from their tone and rhythm that the two children speak very fluently.