next year
Before opening the blind box, Ye Jia sat at the bar, looked at Gu Anzhou, and asked him, "What do you think of this method? Does it make you feel insecure?"
This is something completely unknown, and it's a big decision. Gu Anzhou said he really needs a sense of certainty.
Gu Anzhou tilted his head, as if he didn't quite understand what she was saying: "You're not going to leave me there alone, are you?"
"What? Of course not, it says 'for two' here."
"Then why are you worried that I feel insecure?"
Ye Jia understood what he meant and laughed: "You mean to say that as long as I'm here, anywhere is fine?"
Gu Anzhou nodded.
"Then I'll take you back to your hometown to farm, would you be happy?" Ye Jia reached out and rubbed his strong arms a few times. "Your body is just right for this."
"I'm willing, I've actually thought about farming."
Farming is probably the most reassuring and certain thing. As long as you work honestly, you can foresee the seeds sprouting, the seedlings growing, and the crops ripening day by day. Although it is affected by external factors, those are the forces of life itself.
Ye Jia withdrew his hand and touched his chin, realizing that he was really serious.
"No, what if you get too tired to recharge me?"
Gu Anzhou was taken aback, then his face turned bright red, and he said softly, "No, it won't happen."
With the phone placed in the middle, Ye Jia clicked to start drawing.
An unfamiliar airport appeared. Ye Jia checked and found that it wasn't far from the one Chu Nian had drawn, except that she was in Jiangnan, while Chu Nian had already gone to the North in the strict sense.
He then used a lottery app to select a small town under his jurisdiction, named Qichi Town. Ye Jia immediately felt a surge of goodwill upon seeing the name.
The two searched for information about Qichi Town. There wasn't much information, but they were quite satisfied with what they found.
Gu Anzhou has even found a place he wants to buy and open a shop.
Ye Jia asked, "If we're not opening a bar, what are we opening?"
"What do you think about opening a private restaurant with my cooking skills?"
"Oh!" Ye Jia exclaimed excitedly, "Absolutely! You're going to be a chef!"
Wouldn't "chef" sound better?
"Okay, Chef Gu."
Having chosen their travel dates and bought their train tickets, the two decided to explore the city first, since they hadn't been to any of the places before heading to their new home.
After tidying up the shop and packing everything up, Gu Anzhou put on the ring.
I bought it a few days ago, but because I still need to operate the business and prepare ingredients for cocktails, it's inconvenient to wear it.
Now that he could finally wear it, he immediately put it on and moved closer to Ye Jia: "I want to take a picture."
Gu Anzhou was now somewhat regretful that he hadn't taken a photo when he opened the store. Otherwise, he could have sent the photos from then and now to Teacher Lu as a comparison of success stories.
"Okay, but how do we film it?"
Neither of them knew much about photography or composition.
But I do have an aesthetic sense; I can tell something's wrong with the photos.
Ye Jia pondered, "This is when Chu Nian is really needed."
"Let's forget about it then, I feel like she'll just make it look even weirder." Weird from different angles.
In short, two precious photos were taken. One photo shows the two of them wearing matching rings, with a neatly arranged background that clearly indicates they are preparing to move on to the next stage.
One of them was a selfie taken from a reversed angle, which was a bit tricky and resulted in some distortion. The two of them looked at it and laughed, wondering how it could turn out like that.
As they left Lingfeng Island, many people came to see them off, all reluctant to part with Boss Gu.
Some people joked that Ye Jia had just run away with the man, which was really too much, and it felt like her family was about to marry off Mr. Gu.
Sister Chun also came, holding Ye Jia's hand with a worried expression: "You must be happy."
Ye Jia opened her arms and hugged Chun Jie: "Don't worry, sister, he's not what you think."
"Really? What's going on?"
"It's not convenient to say, but it's not what you think."
Sister Chun immediately thought of another possibility: if it wasn't a criminal, and it was inconvenient to say, then it could only be someone who was cracking down on criminals.
She slapped her forehead. Really, what was she thinking? Xiao Gu was such an upright person who had helped so much. How could she think the worst of him?
Ye Jia smiled and waved.
Who knows when they'll be able to come back again? The two faced Listening Wind Island, which slowly receded into the distance, bidding them a silent farewell.
They were reluctant to part, but what they felt most was anticipation for their next destination and the next stage of their lives.
-
Qichi Town is located in a water town.
They rented an old house with white walls and gray tiles. When they opened the back window, they could see a narrow, clean river flowing quietly, with reflections in the water that looked just like a rippling ink painting.
The house was completely empty when they rented it; everything inside was something the two of them had found locally.
While browsing online, they gradually became acquainted with the local residents.
Everyone was quite curious about how they chose to come here to live for an extended period.
Ye Jia said they were a pair of wandering poets.
It was utter nonsense, but after a moment of surprise, everyone, like Chu Nian, believed it.
This made Ye Jia feel embarrassed, and she quickly explained to everyone that it was a joke, and that only Gu Anzhou was a poet, not her.
Everyone nodded in understanding.
“It seems we really do have that kind of vibe,” Ye Jia said to Gu Anzhou on the way home. “But it’s strange, you definitely have a bit of it, but do I?”
"Why don't you try writing poetry?"
“Me? I’m a pure science student, I don’t have that kind of talent.” Ye Jia looked at the moon reflected on the water. “I’m only at the level of ‘the moon fell into the river and shattered into stars’.”
Gu Anzhou chuckled at her words: "You're already better than me. All I can say is 'Ah! Bright Moon!'"
Ye Jia looked at him with disgust.
Gu Anzhou immediately stopped laughing. He wished he could have said something more sophisticated, but he just couldn't think of anything. Just as his lips sank, he saw Ye Jia laugh out loud again, and he instantly breathed a sigh of relief.
After setting up their home, they began preparing for Gu Anzhou's shop.
The shop I took over is very spacious and even has a small courtyard.
It's just a few hundred meters from my home, not in a busy area. The previous business owner said that he lost so much money after only a few months that he couldn't stand it anymore, and it took several more months before someone finally took over.
That's honest, though.
Gu Anzhou wasn't very confident that he could revitalize a store, but at least he had to find something to do, otherwise Ye Jia would ignore him when she was working, and he could only hum idly on the side.
If Ye Jia nags and bothers you, you'll get beaten up.
The interior design was done by Gu Anzhou himself, as were the bar design, including the menu and cup holders. He also does some drawing, though without formal training; his style is simple, sometimes a bit abstract, but quite cute.
After reading it, Ye Jia felt impressed but didn't quite understand: "It looks good, simple yet elegant, let's go with this one."
"So you don't have any suggestions?" Gu Anzhou showed it to her to see if she had any complaints.
"I don't understand it, so what advice can I give?"
"But you come to eat here every day, so we have to make sure it makes you feel good."
Ye Jia gestured with her hands over him a couple of times: "Even if you're just standing there, I'd still be happy eating in a bare-bones apartment."
Gu Anzhou was about to say something when he was kicked out.
"Okay, okay, I'm busy."
Gu Anzhou couldn't help but grumble twice more in dissatisfaction.
Ye Jia jumped up and ruffled his head twice, making him produce even more strange noises.
They were treated like dogs.
Gu Anzhou went to the store and worked with the construction team on the renovation, overseeing every detail and ensuring that everything was under his control.
He doesn't plan to hire anyone else, so all the movement must be based on his instructions.
This way, no uncontrollable events will occur in the future.
Midway through, Ye Jia took Gu Anzhou back to his hometown, and then Gu Anzhou took him to Beicheng.
I'm here to see Director Li.
Director Li and Gu Anzhou's mother entered the police academy in the same year, and the two had a deep friendship. After so many things happened later, Director Li naturally took good care of Gu Anzhou.
To Gu Anzhou, Director Li was like a family member without blood ties.
As expected, Ye Jia knew her intuition was accurate.
At the dinner table, she brought this up: "Actually, when we first met, I wondered if you might be in this identity."
"Oh?" Director Li's expression changed for a moment. "This is terrible. Do I have such a strong 'official air' about me? I still want to work on the front lines."
“It’s not ‘official’; it’s a feeling that’s very familiar to me,” Ye Jia said, recalling her childhood. “It’s a feeling of authority mixed with warmth.”
Gu Anzhou listened from the side, quite surprised. He hadn't expected that Ye Jia had witnessed such a cruel scene when she was so young.
He first witnessed such a scene as an adult, after he had received training.
He still can't forget that situation, which not only brought a nuclear-level shock but has also appeared repeatedly in his dreams since.
That undoubtedly had an impact on his mental state.
But he never sensed that Ye Jia had been torn apart.
Director Li's expression also changed, and his tone became serious: "I've heard about it; it was a decapitation case."
Ye Jia nodded: "I don't know how that bureau chief is now, or whether he's still alive, but I'm very grateful to him. Without his comfort, I would probably have had nightmares for several years."
Gu Anzhou put his arm around her shoulder and squeezed her shoulder with his hand. His palm was cold but sweaty.
“I also want to thank Director Li. If it weren’t for you, I might not have been able to get through this, and I would never have met Ye Jia.”
Director Li smiled, lifting the somewhat somber atmosphere, and joked, "Then you must invite me to be your witness at your wedding!"
The two exchanged a glance.
Then Gu Anzhou said, "I came to see you this time because I wanted to invite you to the wedding."
Director Li was stunned. After a moment of silence, his eyes welled up with tears: "You... good, good, Anzhou, that's wonderful. We need to tell your parents this news as soon as possible."
"good."
Their itinerary for the second day was to visit the cemetery.
Gu Anzhou's parents were buried together in one grave. His father's gravestone was older, while his mother's gravestone didn't look like it had much weathering.
Ye Jia watched him wipe the tombstone with his eyes downcast, and felt a tightness in her chest.
He really is, in fact, very lonely.
I must feel very regretful.
The fact that he didn't get to see his mother one last time must have left an unresolved knot in his heart.
But there's nothing we can do about it.
"Mom, Dad, I've brought some new family members to visit you."
Ye Jia was taken aback. He didn't mention his girlfriend, which surprised her, but the word "family" sounded even warmer.
She grasped Gu Anzhou's large hand and introduced herself to the two of them.
Gu Anzhou listened and chuckled, "Why is it so formal, like an interview?"
“He was much more serious in his interview than I was, okay?” Ye Jia retorted, then continued speaking to the tombstone, “In conclusion, I am a fairly reliable prospect, so please don’t worry about Gu Anzhou’s future.”
Gu Anzhou had never made such a serious promise in front of Ye Jia's parents, and suddenly felt as if Ye Jia was promising to take good care of him.
"Yes, you're much more reliable than me. I can't live without you."
Ye Jia patted him on the shoulder: "Sure, I'll let you renege on my promise. I'm capable of it."
Gu Anzhou laughed out loud, believing that his parents' spirits in heaven could truly see and hear.
Back in Qichi Town, Ye Jia continued working, while Gu Anzhou continued with matters related to opening the shop.
After Ye Jia finished dealing with the business of the two companies she was in charge of, Gu Anzhou's shop was also ready. She planned to take a break for a while and enjoy a comfortable life.
I bought a bunch of seeds, like spinach, lettuce, potatoes, and carrots, to grow vegetables in the yard.
She had been working in the fields since she was a child and was very experienced. She planted peas and even built a trellis to harvest the pods. She finished the job in no time and didn't need Gu Anzhou's help.
Gu Anzhou watched in disbelief: "You make me look like an incompetent husband."
"Just wipe my sweat." Although it was still chilly in early spring, Ye Jia was also sweating profusely. She was wiping her own sweat when she heard him say that, so she told him to do it.
Gu Anzhou obediently followed the instructions, wiped the sweat from Ye Jia's forehead, and admired the results of Ye Jia's morning's work.
This feels so good, it's just the two of them, and no one is bothering them.
"What are you two doing? You're living the life of an old married couple now." Chu Nian saw the two of them hugging as soon as she came in, both with the calmness that only people in their seventies or eighties would show.
"Why did you arrive early?" Ye Jia asked in surprise, and hurried to greet Chu Nian.
"We can't wait until your wedding day to come, and I also wanted to see if there's anything I could do to help." Chu Nian said excitedly, "The air here is so fresh, I feel like my lungs have been cleansed on my way here."
"Where you're staying now is pretty good, isn't it?"
"It's a bit dry over there. I feel like the place you got is better." Chu Nian said, taking a deep breath and looking excited. "I'm planning to move back here and be your neighbor!"
Gu Anzhou: "..." He was just thinking that no one would bother them, and then this annoying person came.
He went over and helped carry Chu Nian's luggage inside.
Chu Nian whispered to Ye Jia from behind, "I feel like he's unhappy. He's petty."
"No, he will welcome you."
"Pfft." Chu Nian didn't believe it, but she did think he wouldn't dare not welcome her.
The two chatted about their recent situations. Chu Nian hadn't encountered anything interesting in her new place, as there weren't many young people there. However, she spent her days drawing and reading comics, which made her life quite fulfilling.
"I've realized that the only thing I can't live without is sex toys; I don't need a real man."
After Chu Nian finished speaking, she gossiped about Ye Jia: "You two, are you going to be like an old married couple at night too?"
Speaking of this, Ye Jia is quite troubled. She does want to enter the old married couple mode, especially after going out for a walk after dinner in the evening. She feels particularly calm and relaxed and thinks it would be very comfortable to fall asleep like that.
However, he insisted on exercising before bed, which caused his heart rate to rise and made him restless.
Gu Anzhou was very considerate of her, saying it was just once, she could go to sleep now, and they could continue tomorrow morning.
Ye Jia's nerves were on edge; he couldn't sleep at all. He shook people up and continued until he was completely exhausted and passed out.
"say!"
"No." Ye Jia shook his head wearily. "It's in combat mode."
Chu Nian clenched her fist: "Damn it!"
Before the restaurant officially opened, Chu Nian was the first customer besides Ye Jia, and it was also her first time tasting Gu Anzhou's cooking.
"If it's really delicious, I'll move here. I can visit you every day and eat Mr. Gu's cooking."
"Wow!" Chu Nian said without holding back after taking a bite, "Is this how you make pickled bamboo shoots and pork soup? It tastes so bland."
"No way..." Ye Jia also took a bite. It was even less flavorful than before, practically tasteless. She looked at Gu Anzhou with concern and asked, "Are you alright?"
Maybe you've lost your mind and forgot to add salt.
“Very good, I prepared this meal with a very clear mind.” Gu Anzhou said solemnly.
“Brother-in-law,” Chu Nian said, displeased, “do you have such a big problem with me?”
"..."
Brother-in-law?
It sounds pretty good.
But calling him brother-in-law doesn't mean he's happy for her to move in here; he still has to come see Ye Jia every day.
Ye Jia doesn't have much time to begin with; there's not enough for him alone, let alone for her. That doesn't make sense.
"yes."
"...Okay, I won't move here. Don't worry, I'll only stay for ten days or half a month and then leave."
Gu Anzhou immediately took the dishes back, ready to reheat them: "Welcome, welcome, a warm welcome."
"I told you he was petty," Chu Nian complained to Ye Jia. "You didn't believe me."
Chu Nian went to a small hotel that night, and Ye Jia gave Gu Anzhou a serious reprimand: "If Chu Nian really wants to move in, are you going to stop her from coming?"
“…Not really.” Gu Anzhou immediately admitted his mistake, “But coming to see you every day, isn’t that a bit too much? There should be some boundaries between friends.”
Ye Jia was somewhat convinced: "That's true. But she was probably just exaggerating. We lived across the hall from each other on Lingfeng Island, but we didn't see each other every day."
"But in any case, she has given up the idea of moving here."
Ye Jia stroked her chin: "If I get tired of staying with you and want to go visit Chu Nian for half a month, would you agree?"
"Tired of being with me?" Gu Anzhou was seriously injured.
"Rationally speaking, this situation is also possible."
"..."
Gu Anzhou remained silent for a long time before saying, "Of course you can go see her for half a month, but could the reason be that you want to see her, rather than that you're tired of being with me?"
Ye Jia breathed a sigh of relief.
"Okay, if that day ever comes, I'll dress you up nicely, and I'll come back as soon as possible so you won't be lonely at home."
Ye Jia reached out to rub her head, and Gu Anzhou offered his head to her, though there was a hint of resentment in his eyes.
It's so cute it makes you want to kiss it.
-
It was called a wedding, but it was really just an invitation for everyone to have a meal that they cooked together.
There weren't many people who came: Ye Jia's parents, Director Li, Chu Nian, and some other people from the town who wanted to offer their blessings.
According to the town's custom, newlyweds must make a kind of cake called "Tongxin Gao" together before their wedding.
The two of them followed local customs and made some together, using glutinous rice flour and red bean paste. Traditionally, two cute dumplings are stuck together, but theirs were tangled together.
Gu Anzhou introduced Director Li to Ye Jia's parents as his uncle.
Only then did the two realize that his parents had passed away. Their expressions immediately turned to heartache, as they had never heard him mention it before. Poor child.
However, the uncle seemed to love the child very much. He looked imposing and seemed to have an extraordinary status, but when you chatted with them, they were very easy to talk to and could talk about anything.
There was no formal ceremony. Before the meal, Director Li, who was the officiant, picked up his wine glass and gave a brief but powerful speech: "Anzhou, Jiajia, keep moving forward and don't look back."
After saying that, he tilted his head back and drank the wine in his glass, leaving everything unsaid.
As night deepened, the guests departed.
Ye Jia and Gu Anzhou sat on the stone steps by the river, with a cat lying at their feet that had somehow appeared. Its plump body looked very auspicious.
This was exactly the situation Ye Jia had described; the moonlight was reflected in the river, shimmering like tiny stars.
The wind of late spring in Jiangnan blew silently. Gu Anzhou held her hand tightly, feeling her definite presence.
"We're married," Gu Anzhou murmured, stroking the cat's head. It was actually a bit unbelievable; he had never imagined he would become a husband one day.
"Does it feel any different?"
"It feels like... I've landed, and I'm no longer wandering."
Ye Jiaxiao: "With your level of poetry writing, you really can't wander anymore."
"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore." Gu Anzhou regretted reciting the poem.
-
With Gu Anzhou's skills, oh, first of all, his looks, he could probably attract customers no matter where he opened a shop or what kind of shop he opened.
On the day of its official opening, the aunties from the town came to eat in groups, all beaming with joy as they watched the people behind the open kitchen.
Ye Jia finished her morning work and was shocked to see so many people when she arrived at the store. The former shopkeepers must have cried when they saw this.
It's amazing that so many customers come to this remote location.
Attracting customers solely based on looks is unlikely to last, but Gu Anzhou's shop is becoming increasingly successful, even attracting tourists to Qichi Town.
It all started with a viral post: [Shocking! Delicious hidden gems in a small town! The owner is incredibly handsome, but sadly married young TT]
A popular comment below reads: "[Isn't this the owner of the bar on the island? He was a great bartender too! I was wondering why he closed down; turns out he opened a restaurant. Does that mean his wife doesn't like drinking but loves eating? I'm so jealous!]"
Everyone wants to see just how handsome and delicious it really is.
Before long, it transformed from a restaurant "hidden" in the small town into a popular restaurant that was hard to get a reservation at, with many people driving from surrounding cities to come here.
For a time, Gu Anzhou was even busier than Ye Jia.
"I don't even have time to play with you!" Gu Anzhou complained after closing the shop at night. "Maybe I should use the same trick I used on Chu Nian, deliberately make the food bad, and drive everyone away."
"Hey, are you shameless? They paid for it. And you really did it on purpose to drive Chu Nian away, you petty jerk."
Gu Anzhou ignored the second half of the sentence and asked, "Then what should we do?"
"Hire someone, or set a day off each week."
"The store's holidays are good; I'd like to work three days on and four days off."
"That's too much rest." Doesn't that mean he's going to harass her for four days straight? No, no. "One day is enough."
Gu Anzhou sighed: "I think we should think about moving to another place. If we change locations, I'm planning to open a hardware store, so there won't be any risk of it being popular."
They actually described popularity as a risk.
I listened to Ye Jia's suggestion to close the shop for a day, and spent the day cooking for Ye Jia at home.
Ye Jia came to visit after finishing her work and hugged the man wearing an apron from behind.
His once gun-wielding hand now firmly grips the pot handle, his once ever-alert ear listens to the sizzling sound of the pot frying, and his wounded body is embraced by warmth.
After finishing their meal, the two walked together along the riverbank, basking in the sun.
They met on Lingfeng Island last year and got married in Qichi Town this year.
Where will we be next year?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
