Xia Lan stood dejectedly in front of the station, her joy at going to the county town greatly diminished.
Qin Yu gently ruffled Xia Lan's hair and coaxed her softly, "I'll come find you as soon as I've arranged everything, okay?"
"Mm." Xia Lan nodded.
But Xia Lan was clearly not happy because of Qin Yu's words. Qin Yu was also a little troubled when he saw Xia Lan like this.
How can I comfort my heartbroken wife?
Looking around and seeing no one on the road, Qin Yu steeled his heart and hugged Xia Lan tightly.
Xia Lan leaned against Qin Yu's chest, unusually without struggling, and obediently nestled in his arms.
"Xia Lan, look at me." Qin Yu sensed Xia Lan's dependence on him, and felt both sweet and reluctant to part with her. He called out softly.
“…Hmm?” Xia Lan slowly raised her head and looked at Qin Yu.
"During this temporary separation, I hope you can seriously consider me and accept me as your husband..." Qin Yu said earnestly, stroking Xia Lan's face with one hand and gently rubbing her lips with his fingertips.
Xia Lan looked at the seriousness in Qin Yu's eyes and recalled his lingering kiss, her cheeks flushing.
"I will seriously consider it." Xia Lan nodded earnestly.
"While I'm gone, you must keep yourself pure. If I find out you're flirting with other girls or spreading rumors, I... I won't want you anymore." Xia Lan thought of Hu Li and the tea ceremony girl Fang Yiyi in the village and warned Qin Yu.
She was somewhat attracted to Qin Yu, but that didn't mean she would accept him having ambiguous relationships with other women.
"I won't." Qin Yu's expression tightened when he heard Xia Lan say she didn't want him anymore, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
"I believe you won't, but I don't trust them! You have to promise that you won't even let them touch you!" Xia Lan warned, her eyes wide.
"If rumors spread about you and other women, and someone tells me that you two are alone together, it will hurt me regardless of whether you did it or not!" Xia Lan has experienced betrayal before, and she has absolutely zero tolerance for betrayal and ambiguity.
"I understand." Seeing the seriousness in Xia Lan's eyes, Qin Yu knew that she was saying this because she cared about him, and the anger he felt from being doubted dissipated considerably.
Xia Lan rested her forehead against Qin Yu's chest, muttering, "Who knows what they'd do to get you? I'm starting to like you, so please don't disappoint me, okay?"
"Okay." Qin Yu kept these words in mind, and couldn't help but smile.
She said... she kind of liked him.
If he tries even harder to treat her well, will she like him more and more?
The bus came into Qin Yu's sight. Qin Yu let go of Xia Lan. Xia Lan looked at the bus and gave Qin Yu a resentful look.
Qin Yu took Xia Lan's hand and kissed it.
Xia Lan's eyes reddened.
The bus stopped in front of the two of them. Qin Yu let Xia Lan get on the bus first. There was no one else on the bus except them. Xia Lan chose a double seat by the window in the front and sat down. Qin Yu sat next to her.
This time, without Qin Yu saying anything, Xia Lan took the initiative to rest her head on his shoulder.
Qin Yu adjusted his body to make her more comfortable.
"What's wrong, lady?" The ticket seller walked over and asked with concern, seeing Xia Lan's sullen expression.
"She's fine, just a little carsick," Qin Yu explained to the ticket seller, who nodded understandingly.
Where are you going?
"county seat."
Qin Yu took out his money and handed it to the ticket seller, who tore off two tickets and returned them to Qin Yu before leaving them alone.
Xia Lan leaned on Qin Yu's shoulder, feeling the reliability and security he gave her. She respected and was grateful to Qin Yu, as he always stepped forward to protect her when she was in trouble. It would be a lie to say that she wasn't moved.
But once Xia Lan was truly certain that she wanted to be with him, she felt that simply being attracted to him and liking him wasn't enough.
A relationship requires a long-term commitment, which she is not yet certain of, and this sudden separation is difficult for Xia Lan to accept.
Xia Lan looked at Qin Yu's profile, slowly closed her eyes, and enjoyed this warm moment.
This was a brief moment that belonged only to the two of them.
Qin Yu didn't know what Xia Lan was thinking, but he could sense a sense of confusion and unease about her.
After the bus slowly arrived in the county town, Qin Yu took Xia Lan to the department store and watched her go into the office to complete the formalities.
Qin Yu took the key to Xia Lan's small room, cleaned the room again, and made up the bedding he had brought for Xia Lan.
After confirming that she had everything she needed, Qin Yu left the small room.
When Xia Lan arrived at the office, Minister Yang looked up and saw her, and immediately smiled.
"Comrade Xia Lan, you've arrived."
"Hello, leader, I'm here to report for duty," Xia Lan said with a smile to Minister Yang.
"Very good, I'll have someone help you with the formalities right away," Minister Yang said with a smile, leading Xia Lan to the personnel department. The head of the personnel department looked at Minister Yang with surprise, and quickly came forward to greet him.
"Hey, Lao Yang, who could possibly make you bring someone here personally?" Minister Liu looked Xia Lan up and down curiously, assuming she was a relative of Minister Yang.
"This is Comrade Xia Lan. Please handle the formalities for her," Minister Yang said to Minister Liu with a smile.
Minister Liu gestured to the office staff to handle the formalities for Xia Lan, while he and Minister Yang walked outside.
"Who is it?" Minister Liu asked.
They don't look like his relatives.
"The person I recruited is a talent." Minister Yang's lips curled into a smile. "You know what I proposed at the meeting this time, right? It was this girl who brought it up."
"Is it the one that made the factory director praise you?" Minister Liu nodded knowingly.
Minister Yang, who was supposed to be severely reprimanded for firing three sales clerks, was instead praised by the factory manager at the meeting, which puzzled many people.
The factory director himself explained the reasons. If this matter is successful, then Minister Yang will become a pragmatic and outstanding cadre in the director's eyes.
Promotion and salary increases are inevitable in the future.
"You still have two empty seats left, right?" Minister Liu's eyes were fixed on the two empty seats.
Minister Yang glanced at Minister Liu indifferently. "I can only give you one position at most."
"One is fine too, consider it a favor I, Lao Liu, owe you." Minister Liu nodded understandingly; he had only wanted one position anyway.
"Who are you going to give this position to? Your sister-in-law?" Minister Yang asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Isn't it her? My wife has been arguing with me about it several times, and I really can't do anything about it," Minister Liu said dejectedly. His wife was insisting that he find a job for her lazy and good-for-nothing sister.
Where is he supposed to find her a job? That arrogant "young lady" refuses to do this or that, complaining that it's too tiring. No matter how many jobs he finds for her, she's not happy with any of them.
She may not have the life of a princess, but she has the heart of one.
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