In the afternoon, Guan Wenru returned to the suffocating Han family house as soon as get out of class was over.
As soon as I entered, I saw Lin Jiaman rubbing her hands together, a very unnatural, ingratiating smile plastered on her face as she greeted me.
He was completely different from the terrified man he was in the morning, but the scheming and heartache deep in his eyes were impossible to hide.
"Wen...Wenru is back...Are you tired from class?"
Lin Jiaman exchanged dry pleasantries, her eyes flickering, "Um... about what you said this morning... five thousand yuan... isn't that a bit... too much? Look at the family's situation, Haoxian didn't leave anything behind... could you..."
Guan Wenru didn't even put down her crossbody bag before interrupting her directly, her voice flat and cold, "No."
Lin Jiaman's smile froze on her face. "No... listen to me..."
"Five thousand! Not a penny less!" Guan Wenru's gaze was sharp as a knife, shooting straight at her. "This is not a matter of bargaining. You only have one choice: raise the money, or... wait to be ruined."
Her words left no room for negotiation.
Lin Jiaman's face fell instantly, her lips trembled, but she dared not say anything more.
The five thousand yuan felt like a mountain pressing down on her, making it hard to breathe, while the leverage Guan Wenru held was like a sword hanging over her head.
At this moment, Han Xiangdong and Han Fengjiao ran out from the inner room.
The two children seemed to have been instructed by Lin Jiaman; they forced obedient smiles on their faces and ran over to try and hold Guan Wenru's hand, their voices sickeningly sweet.
"Mom, you're back!"
"Mom, we miss you so much!"
In the past, no matter how bitter or tired Guan Wenru felt, hearing this "Mom" would always soften her heart and make her feel that all her efforts were worthwhile.
But now, listening to that hypocritical child's voice, she felt a churning in her stomach, and she thought of their greedy and vicious faces when they grew up!
Guan Wenru abruptly pulled her hand back, took a step back, and avoided their touch.
A cold, mocking sneer appeared on her face. "Mom? Who's your mom? Didn't Lin Jiaman tell you? I'm not your mom!"
She crouched down, her gaze level with the two children's, her eyes devoid of any warmth, only a chilling warning:
"Listen up, from today onwards, you are not allowed to call me Mom anymore!"
"Remember? If you call it wrong even once..."
Her voice suddenly turned cold, "I'll slap you! I mean what I say."
Han Xiangdong and Han Fengjiao were completely terrified by her eyes and words. The fake smiles on their faces vanished instantly, replaced by real fear and confusion.
The two instinctively shrank back behind Lin Jiaman, no longer daring to utter a sound.
Guan Wenru straightened up, ignoring the disgusted looks on the faces of the three generations of the family, and went straight to the kitchen to make herself a simple meal.
After finishing her meal, she washed the dishes and went straight out the door.
She didn't have a specific destination; she was just strolling slowly around the less crowded area outside the family compound.
The setting sun cast a long shadow of her.
She's waiting... or rather... she's "fishing".
Sure enough, not long after, I heard steady and familiar footsteps behind me.
He Yanzhi appeared beside her, keeping a distance of about one step, and they walked side by side.
His encounters seemed like "chance," but the frequency was far beyond mere coincidence.
"Comrade Guan," he began, his voice still low, "have you eaten?"
From an angle where He Yanzhi couldn't see, Guan Wenru's lips curled up slyly for a moment, then quickly disappeared.
When she turned to face him, a perfectly timed...trouble... was already on her face.
“I’ve already eaten! Brother Yan…” she said softly, sighing slightly, “What are you doing here? Are you also feeling bored? I don’t know why, but I just feel like the days are going by without any meaning, a bit… boring.”
He Yanzhi was clearly taken aback by her sudden words and paused for a moment.
In his mind, Guan Wenru wasn't someone he could confide in...
At this moment, Guan Wenru seemed to have thought of something. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him, her tone deliberately serious:
"Brother Yanzhi, I heard that the cavalry regiment sometimes allows family members to learn to ride horses? I... I'd like to learn, to pass the time and get some exercise."
Could you... perhaps speak to the comrades in the cavalry regiment for me? Could they perhaps teach me sometime when they have some free time?
In this era, for a widow of her sensitive status, this request was actually quite bold and outrageous.
Upon hearing this, He Yanzhi answered almost without hesitation, "I'll teach you."
As soon as the words left his mouth, he seemed to realize how inappropriate and... hasty his answer was.
He immediately coughed lightly, averting his gaze to cover it up, his ears burning slightly, and quickly tried to cover it up by saying:
"What I mean is... the cavalry soldiers have heavy training schedules and aren't always available. And... my horsemanship is passable. Of course, if it's inconvenient for you, I can let you..."
“There’s nothing inconvenient about it.” Guan Wenru immediately replied, her smile returning, bright and open, as if she didn’t feel there was anything wrong at all. “Brother Yanzhi, I’d be more than happy if you were willing to teach me personally, but… I’m afraid it would take up too much of your time.”
Looking at her clear, open, and innocent smile, He Yanzhi's unease vanished instantly, replaced by an indescribable... impulse.
He shook his head solemnly, "It won't delay. Or... should I go borrow a horse now?"
"Okay, then I'll wait for you on that side path. There are fewer people there, so no one will laugh at me when I practice."
"good!"
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