Chapter 32 Chapter 32

032.

Liu Yongli's gaze first fell on Song Chunman, then swept to the man beside her, and suddenly froze.

The man was wearing a neat army green uniform, standing straight as a pine tree, with a soldier's unique calmness in his eyes and brows.

This... is he really a soldier?

How is this possible?

Song Yushan also bit her lip, and the shock in her eyes almost overflowed.

She stared straight at Gu Tingzhou. Her broad shoulders and narrow waist made her military uniform stand out straight. Her eyebrows were dark, her nose was high, and her jawline was sharp. Her military green uniform was dazzling in the sunlight.

How could a second-hand girl like Song Chunman, who had been dumped by her husband and had a child, find such a man?

"Sister," Song Yushan suppressed her jealousy, digging her nails deep into her palms, her voice tense, "This... this is the person you were talking about marrying?"

Song Chunman looked at her calmly, "Yes, he's my boyfriend, Gu Tingzhou."

Gu Tingzhou took a step forward and smiled slightly at Song Zhiqiang and the other two.

He knew that these people had always been mean to his wife, but he still maintained a superficial politeness at this moment: "Uncle, Aunt, I am Gu Tingzhou, currently serving in the nearby military region."

Song Zhiqiang finally came back to his senses, his face a little embarrassed. He never expected that the person Song Chunman was going to bring back was actually a soldier.

Before he could respond, Song Yushan said, "Sister, have you checked his identity? Don't let him fool you."

Song Chunman chuckled at this, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. Her tone was filled with mockery: "From what you said, are you saying that Gu Tingzhou's military identity is fake?"

"What else?" Song Yushan snorted. How could a woman like her possibly marry someone in a military uniform? Perhaps some scoundrel borrowed the uniform to pretend?

She raised her eyes to look at him, the mockery in her tone like a layer of ice, "There are a lot of people pretending to be soldiers nowadays, sister, I'm doing this for your own good, you better keep your eyes open."

"Yes." Liu Yongli also laughed. "We know you are anxious to get married, but you have to find out who the other party is."

Song Chunman was about to say something, but Gu Tingzhou pulled her aside, looked at the two of them and smiled, "You two are right to be worried. I'm currently serving as a regiment commander in a nearby military district. You can go to the military district and look up my name and ask clearly to see if I'm real or fake."

"Leader...Leader?"

These words were like a stone thrown into the water, and the three men's expressions changed again.

"How could you be the leader?" Song Yushan retorted sharply, her eyes full of jealousy. "I think you're just a fraud!"

She stared at Gu Tingzhou intently. It was outrageous enough that Song Chunman, a remarried woman, could find a soldier. How could she possibly become the regimental commander? If he really was the regimental commander, he must be either blind or fake!

Gu Tingzhou's face darkened, his eyes as cold as ice. "If you find out I'm not lying after checking, I'll hold you accountable for slandering the military."

His voice was not loud, but it carried an intimidating aura.

Song Yushan was so frightened by that look that she shrank back and didn't dare to say anything for a long time.

"Oh, what are you talking about?" Liu Yongli quickly tried to smooth things over, putting on a fake smile, "We just care about Chunman and are afraid that she's been cheated."

Song Zhiqiang didn't respond, his eyes fixed on Gu Tingzhou's military uniform.

The military uniform was ironed straight, with two flap pockets on the chest buttoned tightly, and two more pockets on the waist. The style of the four pockets was clearly the uniform worn by cadres. He had seen cadres from the army in the factory wearing such clothes.

Could it be... this man is really the leader?

As soon as this thought came to his mind, he suppressed it. But looking at Gu Tingzhou's physique and demeanor, it didn't seem like he was pretending.

He didn't dare to gamble, and quickly looked at Song Yushan and Liu Yongli and said, "Alright, stop talking."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Gu Tingzhou again: "Sorry, we were also worried about Chunman, so we spoke a little hastily."

Song Chunman sneered when she heard this. This wasn't just a bit anxious, it was obvious that he thought it was impossible for her to find such a man and didn't want her to have an easy life.

Song Zhiqiang turned to look at Song Chunman again, his tone softer than before: "Since you are here at the staff quarters, why not go home and have a meal?"

Gu Tingzhou didn't answer, but turned to look at Song Chunman.

Song Chunman refused directly, "No, we have something else to do later, so we won't go over."

Being rejected by her, Song Zhiqiang's face instantly darkened, "Song Chunman, you returned to the staff quarters and refused to even enter the house? Do you still regard me as your father?"

Song Chunman raised her eyes, a sneer on her lips: "Didn't you say you didn't want to see me when we called yesterday? Why do you want me to go back now?"

Song Zhiqiang was speechless and his face turned pale and blue.

Liu Yongli quickly tried to smooth things over: "Chun Man, your father was just angry yesterday, why did you take it seriously? Since you're getting married, you have to let us get to know your marriage partner well, right?"

Song Chunman took a half step forward, her eyes swept over Song Zhiqiang and Liu Yongli, and her tone was as calm as the wind blowing through the wall: "There's no need to understand. Who I marry is none of your business now."

"We are all family, so how can there be no relationship?" Liu Yongli said directly. If they don't go, how can they talk about the betrothal gift?

Song Chunman laughed, "What family? When I got divorced, you thought I was a disgrace and scolded me yesterday. Now you're talking about family again. I'm afraid you're thinking about my betrothal gift."

As soon as she finished speaking, Liu Yongli choked and Song Zhiqiang's face darkened.

"You don't have to worry about it. I can handle these things myself." Song Chunman said coldly.

After she finished speaking, Gu Tingzhou naturally stood beside her and looked at the Song family calmly: "Chun Man is right, we can make the decision on our own, so I won't waste your time."

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around, holding Song Chunman's hand, and the two walked out side by side.

The sunlight falling on the two of them actually made Song Zhiqiang and the other two feel indescribably dazzling.

But at this moment, he was really angry. He had no idea that Song Chunman had found such a good partner.

If I had known this, I wouldn’t have said those words yesterday. Now Song Chunman doesn’t even give him any face.

Song Chunman didn't know what he was thinking. After leaving the staff compound, they originally wanted to go shopping, but it was getting late, so they went straight back to Gu's house.

As soon as the two stepped into the Gu family's courtyard, Mother Gu came to greet them, "You're finally back. Your father and I have been thinking about you since this morning."

Father Gu also walked out of the main hall, his eyes swept over the two of them, and said in a deep voice: "Have you got the household registration book?"

Gu Tingzhou nodded, "I got it."

Father Gu added, "Then wait until tomorrow, as soon as the marriage report documents arrive, you can go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get the marriage certificate. Chunman and the child's household registration should also be transferred here as soon as possible to avoid any unnecessary complications."

Song Chunman held Gu Tingzhou's hand, her fingertips slightly warm, and nodded vigorously: "Dad, I'll listen to you."

"Mom." Song Xiyue suddenly tugged at the corner of her clothes, her little head tilted, her black eyes sparkling, "Are you going to marry Uncle Gu?"

"Yes." Song Chunman squatted down and helped her tidy up the loose hair on her forehead. "We will live here from now on, with grandpa, grandma, and Uncle Gu."

The little girl's eyes suddenly lit up, like two stars falling: "Then I will be Uncle Gu's daughter from now on?"

Gu Tingzhou also squatted down, rubbing his fingertips against her soft cheek, his voice gentler than ever before: "It's not 'later', it's from the day you were born, you've been daddy's daughter."

"Really?" The little girl looked up, her eyelashes fluttering. "Then I can call you daddy now?"

Gu Tingzhou looked into her sparkling eyes, his Adam's apple moving slightly, "Of course."

"Dad! Daddy!"

The little girl's crisp cry was like a piece of candy hitting people's hearts.

Song Chunman looked at the father and daughter smiling at each other, and suddenly understood that perhaps this was the meaning of her rebirth.

If she had not divorced, moved, or met Gu Tingzhou, she would not have known that Gu Tingzhou was the father of her child.

Although Song Chunman was very unhappy about meeting the Song family, her unhappiness disappeared instantly when Gu Tingzhou brought the marriage report approved by the army in the evening.

"Is the political review so fast?" She couldn't help laughing. "Didn't they say it wouldn't come until tomorrow?"

Gu Tingzhou also laughed in his heart, "This is checked very quickly, just a few phone calls and it's done. You don't have any problems."

Song Chunman pursed her lips and asked, "Didn't your boss say that I was getting married for the second time?"

"Why are they asking this?" Gu Tingzhou laughed. "Marriage is free now. If your background and identity are not a problem, then that's all that matters."

Song Chunman also felt that as a regimental commander, Gu Tingzhou must be highly valued by the army, and they would be worried that marrying a divorced woman would affect him, but she didn't expect... that the review would be easily passed.

Just as he was thinking about it, Gu Tingzhou said, "I've also taken a day off tomorrow. Let's get the marriage certificate in the morning, then go get our household registration. We still have time to go buy wedding supplies. What do you think?"

Song Chunman nodded, and Gu Tingzhou asked again, "Then let's set the wedding date at the hotel three days later. What do you think?"

"Three days later?" Song Chunman's eyes widened slightly. "Isn't that too soon? Besides... going to a restaurant would be too expensive."

"It's free." Gu Tingzhou said with a smile, "Our parents will pay for the wedding banquet."

Song Chunman glared at him and said, "Even if my parents pay for it, you can't spend it like this. Let's just hold it at home and invite some relatives to have a casual meal."

Gu Tingzhou raised his eyebrows, his tone filled with a bit of stubbornness that brooked no negotiation: "That won't do. I will only get married once in my life, and I must do it in a grand manner. I must let everyone know that you, Song Chunman, are now my, Gu Tingzhou's, daughter-in-law."

Song Chunman looked at his seriousness and felt warm and amused.

Before she could finish her words, her daughter hugged Song Chunman's legs again. She raised her little head and shook her face: "Mommy, mommy! Just listen to daddy!"

The little girl rolled her eyes and added in a crisp voice, "I also want to eat a big cake in the restaurant and put a red flower on my dad. The aunt next door said that you have to wear new clothes and red flowers when you get married!"

Song Chunman was amused by her little adult appearance. She bent down and pinched her cheeks. Then she looked at the expectation in Gu Tingzhou's eyes and finally relented: "Okay, I'll do as you two say."

After saying that, Gu Tingzhou took out a passbook and handed it to her, "Here, this is for you."

"For me?" Song Chunman took it curiously and opened it. There were actually three thousand yuan inside!

She immediately closed it and returned it to him, "What is this for?"

Gu Tingzhou pushed the passbook back and said, "This is the betrothal gift from our Gu family to you."

Song Chunman's fingertips trembled slightly as she held the passbook. The thin thing seemed to weigh a thousand pounds.

She pushed the passbook into Gu Tingzhou's hands, her voice a little tense: "This is too much, I really can't take it."

"Why can't I accept it?" Gu Tingzhou stuffed the passbook back into her hand and pressed his fingertips against the back of her hand. "I now know all the hardship you've endured raising the child alone these past few years. I wasn't there for you during your most difficult times. This is a token of my love, and you must accept it."

Song Chunman looked at the seriousness in his eyes and felt a sudden pang of pain in her nose.

All the grievances I've suffered over the years suddenly came flooding back as if someone had touched me gently.

She had been ignored by Song Zhiqiang for the past four years, and endured the ridicule and sarcasm from the Sun family. She thought she had gotten used to it, but when he said "accept it" at this moment, her eyes were filled with tears.

So this is what it feels like to be cared for by someone.

Seeing her eyes redden, Gu Tingzhou softened his tone again: "Just think of this as the child support I gave you for the past four years, okay?"

Song Chunman's nose felt even more sore after hearing what he said, but she couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips.

She clutched the passbook tightly, and finally nodded gently: "Okay, I'll take it."

Gu Tingzhou left very quickly, and Song Chunman suffered from insomnia again that night.

When I woke up the next day, there were some dark circles under my eyes again.

They had to go get the marriage certificate soon, so she quickly got up, put on makeup, changed her clothes, and also changed a beautiful dress for her daughter.

After the mother and daughter were done, Gu Tingzhou also arrived. However, today he was not driving a military vehicle, but a Hongqi car, which must have been a borrowed car.

But this is not important to Song Chunman.

The three of them got in the car, which drove fast. In about twenty minutes, they arrived at the street civil affairs bureau.

There are three floors here, and various quotations are painted on the white walls outside, which makes it look very retro.

Although Song Chunman had been here once, four years had passed and she couldn't remember where the marriage registration office was. The two of them had to ask people for a long time before they found the place.

Maybe they came too early, as there were still quite a lot of people getting married at that moment, and many of them were waiting in line wearing new clothes.

Song Chunman and Gu Tingzhou sat down at the back of the queue and watched the couples at the wedding window busy with various things under the guidance of the staff.

After waiting for couple after couple, it was finally their turn after about an hour.

For some reason, Song Chunman felt a little nervous. Although the process of getting the certificate was the same, the person getting the certificate was different.

The officer looked at their information and knew that Song Chunman was getting married for the second time. He looked at Gu Tingzhou and asked, "Comrade, did you get the marriage certificate voluntarily?"

"Voluntary." Gu Tingzhou raised his eyebrows slightly.

Since it was voluntary, the staff didn't ask too many questions. They checked their information and issued them a marriage certificate as soon as there were no problems.

This took no more than twenty minutes.

When the clerk handed over the marriage certificate, he also said some congratulations to the two.

Song Chunman took the marriage certificate with her hands still shaking. The marriage certificate was the same as before, except that the names in the middle had become hers and Gu Tingzhou.

It was his first marriage, and Gu Tingzhou’s fingers tightened slightly around the marriage certificate.

I have never been afraid of struggling on the training ground in my life, but at this moment I was a little panicked by the pounding heart in my chest.

He glanced to the side quietly and saw Song Chunman looking down at the marriage certificate in her hand, with a slight curve at the corner of her lips. That smile was like water soaked in the morning light, clear and bright, which made his heart jump suddenly.

His wife is really pretty.