Although Guo Wenjing and Grandma Guo share the same surname, Guo Wenjing is actually Grandma Guo's granddaughter.

Grandma Guo lost her husband in middle age and raised her daughter alone. Later, her daughter also met the wrong person and died before she turned twenty, leaving behind Guo Wenjing, who had just turned two.

The grandmother and granddaughter have been relying on each other for more than ten years. Because her father never appeared when she was young and her mother passed away early, Guo Wenjing was bullied by her peers and developed an inferiority complex and timid personality.

It wasn't until Grandma Guo couldn't stand the gossip around her anymore and moved to Liuhuai Lane that Guo Wenjing gradually got a little better, but only a little. Her personality changed from being self-conscious and timid to being quiet and shy.

Because the two families lived next to each other and were about the same age, Su Qingci and Su Jindong were always each other's little shadows since they were young.

In the second half of last year, Guo Wenjing took over her grandmother's job as an accountant at the North Suburb Timber Factory.

Su Jindong grinned at Guo Wenjing, "Wenjing, it's been a long time! I didn't see you when I came back last time!"

“That time I went to get timber with our factory director. When I came back, you had already returned to the army.”

"I should have never gone!"

Grandma Guo looked at Guo Wenjing thoughtfully, then poured tea for Su Jindong with a thermos and invited him to warm himself by the coal stove.

Su Jindong handed the dried fruit in his hand to Guo Wenjing, sat with her for a while, and sincerely thanked the Guo family for taking care of Li Yueniang.

Grandma Guo looked at her granddaughter, who was staring blankly at the door, and felt a deep sense of disappointment and frustration.

"Everyone's already gone, what are you looking at?"

"I've taught you since you were little to be well-behaved and proper, especially as a girl, you should be reserved and respectful!"

"Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year, and I don't want to say much. Think more about your mother and learn from her mistakes!"

"Don't embarrass me."

"At such a young age..."

Guo Wenjing's face turned pale, her fingers instinctively gripping the oil paper bag tightly, her body tense and afraid to move.

Her maternal grandmother was the closest person to her in the world, but also the harshest.

Although she was never hungry and was beaten only a handful of times, she was never lenient when it came to ordering her around and verbally abusing her.

She seemed to know what Guo Wenjing was thinking. Every time Guo Wenjing was happy about something, she could always dampen her spirits with a couple of words.

"What are you standing there for?"

Didn't you hear me talking to you?

Guo Wenjing lowered her head and said, "I understand, Grandma!"

Grandma Guo saw her like that and felt a bellyful of resentment with nowhere to vent it.

"Alright, alright, every time I try to teach you, you're like a block of wood. Don't stand here and get in my way."

Upon hearing this, Guo Wenjing felt a sense of relief and hurriedly entered her room as if fleeing for her life.

Grandma Guo sighed inwardly; she could easily see through Guo Wenjing's thoughts.

But Su Jindong clearly had no interest in her whatsoever.

She certainly doesn't want Guo Wenjing to follow in her mother's footsteps.

Guo Wenjing returned to her small room and finally relaxed, sitting down at the table by the window.

Carefully opening the oil paper bag in my hand, I took out a small piece of dried yellow peach and gently sniffed it.

Then, like a precious treasure, she gently took a tiny bite.

A sweet smile spread across her lips.

She liked Su Jindong, and had liked him for a very long time.

When she was eleven years old, she and her grandmother had just moved to Liuhuai Lane. On her way home from school, a group of children blocked her way.

Su Jindong suddenly appeared out of nowhere, shielding her behind him, and shouted at the children who were bullying her, "From now on, Guo Wenjing belongs to me, Su Jindong. Anyone who dares to cause trouble for her or bully her will be beaten to death."

That was the first time in her life that someone had so openly protected her.

From then on, no matter where she was, her gaze would unconsciously follow Su Jindong whenever he was around.

The week-long holiday passed quickly.

Su Jindong returned to his unit carrying the large and small bags given to him by his grandmother.

After arriving at the dormitory and putting his things down, he went straight to the infirmary.

"Comrade Ning Yan~"

Zhou Ningyan was tidying up her things when she heard someone call her, and she quickly turned around.

"Comrade Su!"

"Comrade Ning Yan, come quick, let's go!"

Su Jindong glanced around and saw that there were only two female soldiers busy with their work in the room, and no one was paying attention to him. He quickly waved and winked at Zhou Ningyan.

Zhou Ningyan glanced cautiously at her busy comrades, and saw that no one was paying attention to her.

Only then did he put down the registration book in his hand and secretly followed Su Jindong with small, quick steps.

The two ran all the way to the grassy slope behind the grove of trees before stopping, panting.

"Comrade Ning Yan, when did you get back?"

“I didn’t go back. My home is far away, and it would take four or five days to get there by train, so I stayed to work.”

"Except for the day I went to my aunt's house on New Year's Eve, I was in the team the rest of the time."

"Why didn't you tell me? I asked you last time during the holiday. If you had told me, I would have taken you to my house to play."

Look what I brought you!

Su Jindong, with a fawning expression and eyes shining like two little suns, handed over the small paper bag of cooking oil.

Zhou Ningyan smiled broadly and looked up at Su Jindong, "What good stuff is it?"

Su Jindong raised his chin. "You'll know once you open it!"

Feeling his burning gaze, Zhou Ningyan lowered her head shyly, her girlish charm completely stunning Su Jindong.

"Ning Yan~"

Su Jindong murmured to himself.

Zhou Ningyan slapped Su Jindong and said in a coquettish tone, "Call me Comrade Ningyan or Comrade Zhou, it's not good if people hear that!"

Su Jindong scratched his head and laughed like a fool.

"If someone sees me, I'll report it to the organization."

As for what kind of report to submit, both of them knew perfectly well.

Seeing that Zhou Ningyan was embarrassed, Su Jindong pulled over the oil paper bag, opened it, and showed it to her.

"I brought you all kinds of dried fruit this time."

“I remember the snacks I brought you before the New Year. You love dried fruit the most, so I brought a big bag of them this time.”

"There are also some small crispy fish and pork jerky. You often take turns on night shifts, so we'll give them to you as snacks."

"I've finished eating, I'll bring you more next time!"

Zhou Ningyan pinched a piece of dried apple and put it in her mouth. The sweet aroma made her eyes light up, and her gaze towards Su Jindong became intense.

She tentatively asked, "Comrade Su, did Commander Su give you all of this?"

"No, my sister mailed it back to me!"

"What the hell? Where is she?"

She is...

Su Jindong remembered his grandmother saying that he shouldn't tell anyone Su Qingci's address.

He mumbled, "She's in the south."

"You know the climate in the south; there's plenty of fruit there."

Zhou Ningyan immediately lost interest, then her eyes darted around, and she casually inquired about the New Year from Su Jindong.

If it were Li Yueniang, she would easily notice that Zhou Ningyan and Su Jindong's casual conversations revolved entirely around Su Yi.