"Haotian, is it fixed yet? Breakfast is ready."
"Almost done."
Gu Qianru set the food on the table, took off her apron, and walked towards Luo Haotian, "What’s going on exactly? Is the drain clogged?"
"Yeah, it is clogged. It must be those kids ssing around when they were here last ti. They thought the water flowed too slowly and removed the floor drain filter."
"Hurry up and wash your hands for breakfast. I’ll talk to them later and tell them not to do that next ti, so you won’t have to unclog the drain with your old arms and legs."
"By the way, is your gathering today?"
"Yes, do you want to accompany ?"
"I think I’ll pass. As long as you have fun, that’s fine. I’ll take you there, and when it’s almost over, call beforehand, and I’ll co pick you up."
"Alright, it’s just a group of old won gossiping anyway, it’s not really suitable for you to be there."
Gu Qianru served porridge for Luo Haotian and pushed the side dishes he liked towards him, "I stead your favorite dumplings with three-flavor stuffing. Try them, they’re made with fresh shrimp delivered this morning."
Luo Haotian picked up a dumpling and took a bite, "It tastes good."
Watching the man opposite her eating joyfully, Gu Qianru teased playfully, "You’re really easy to please. Everything I give you, you say is good and delicious, just like you’re brushing off."
Upon hearing this, Luo Haotian suddenly recalled Ning Xueling, who rarely cooked, and when she finally did, it tasted like pig food, making it hard to swallow. When he rely ntioned that it tasted a bit off, Ning Xueling told their kids that he was hard to please.
Since then, she had an excuse not to go into the kitchen even more. But after their divorce, he heard she was thriving in the Wei Family, being both a homaker and socialite. Their marriage seed like a joke.
During the few years they were together, it turned out she was highly fertile, and the few tis they were intimate, she beca pregnant. Yet, he remained cold towards the children, and the only child he adored ended up not being his own. Ridiculous indeed.
Looking at Gu Qianru across from him now, this is what living should be like – mutual respect, mutual love, talking things over, a ho filled with laughter. This is a family.
After breakfast, he drove her to the gathering place. Unexpectedly, a few colleagues who arrived early were chatting by the restaurant’s entrance. Soone noticed Gu Qianru, "Qianru is here, is that your current husband who drove you over?"
Gu Qianru smiled, "Yes."
"Since you’re both here, why not let him co down to say hi and introduce himself? Or are you embarrassed?"
Gu Qianru’s face turned cold, "How can you say that?"
"Oh co on, why get upset? The way you’re dressed today, didn’t you marry so rich old man back in the day?"
When Gu Qianru worked at her forr workplace, she had many suitors but was never moved by them.
The woman speaking now, her current partner, had pursued Gu Qianru relentlessly in the past and still ntioned her occasionally, which made her uncomfortable.
After Gu Qianru took early retirent, she hadn’t t them in years. Soone arranged this gathering, and she intentionally dressed up to impress. But Gu Qianru seems unchanged, without a single wrinkle, which annoyed her even more.
Still waiting for instructions, upon hearing the woman’s words, Luo Haotian couldn’t stay seated in the car. He opened the door and got out, "Qianru, what ti should I co pick you up?"
Gu Qianru gave Luo Haotian a big smile, "I’ll call you then. Drive safely."
Luo Haotian returned her smile, nodded to those nearby, "I’ll be off then, have fun."
As soon as Luo Haotian left, soone beside them exclaid, "Qianru, your husband is handso."
The woman who had caused trouble earlier remarked again sarcastically, "What’s the use of being handso? He doesn’t even have a child of his own, a few years from now he’ll be at the rcy of others."
At that mont, Luo Qiao and Lu Yichen ca over with their three sons. Xiao Ye rushed over first, "Grandma, what are you doing here?"
Luo Qiao and the others were here to attend a comrade’s son’s wedding, and had talked to Luo Haotian that morning about it.
Just as they arrived at the parking lot, they received a call from Luo Haotian. Feeling uneasy about Gu Qianru, he asked Luo Qiao to keep an eye on things.
Upon hearing soone disrespect their grandma, the three kids rushed towards the entrance.
Xiao Ye ran over first, "Grandma, what are you doing here?"
"There’s a gathering with the colleagues today. What brings you here?"
"My dad’s comrade’s son is getting married. We’re here for the wedding banquet."
Luo Qiao and Lu Yichen walked over together. Luo Qiao smiled, "Mom, is your gathering here too? What a coincidence."
Lu Yichen also asked, "Mom, which private room are you in?"
The woman standing next to Gu Qianru looked at Lu Yichen, "Are you... Are you... Qianru, is this your son-in-law?"
Gu Qianru smiled, "Yes, this is my son-in-law and my biological nephew. That’s my daughter and my niece-in-law."
The happiness on her face was genuine, and it was clear that she had a good relationship with them.
The troublemaking woman chid in again, "What a complicated relationship."
Luo Qiao gave her a half-smiling look, "Auntie, my mom’s happiness is beyond your envy."
The woman next to Gu Qianru finally spoke, "Qianru, is your son-in-law Lu Yichen, the Director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau?"
Gu Qianru smiled and nodded, "Yes, he’s busy all the ti."
Just then, Lu Yichen’s comrade ca over, "Director Lu, Deputy Director Luo, welco, welco. Why are you standing here? Oh, Aunt Gu, you’re here too."
Luo Qiao laughed, "My mom is here for her work gathering, and we just happened to bump into each other."
The comrade chuckled, "Aunt Gu, since it’s my son’s wedding today, and it’s in the sa restaurant, please co join us for a drink."
Gu Qianru nodded with a smile and chatted a little more before Lu Yichen’s comrade went off to greet other guests.
From afar, after witnessing the scene, Luo Haotian left feeling reassured. Though they weren’t originally husband and wife, they were partners through thick and thin. He wouldn’t let anyone slander her.
Luo Qiao said with a smile, "Mom, let’s go in together. Since your old colleagues haven’t all arrived yet, you can go over a bit later."
Understanding Luo Qiao’s intent, Gu Qianru obliged, "Alright, I’ll go over and give my blessings first."
She then smiled and told her colleagues, "There’s plenty of ti, I’ll head inside first, and I’ll catch up with you all later."
As they left, another old colleague approached, "Hey, wasn’t that Qianru?"
Soone replied, "Yes, she ran into her daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren who are here for a wedding. The host invited her over, so she’ll join us later."
The troublemaker among the female colleagues added a line, "It’s just for face; otherwise, who would recognize her?"
The colleague who recently arrived remarked, "You’re mistaken. Good fortune is on her side. Although it’s her second marriage and she has no children of her own, her stepchildren treat her no different from their biological mother."
She then enthusiastically recounted the situation with the Luo family’s children, finally concluding, "Among us old colleagues, Qianru’s life is the most comfortable and happy. It’s not sothing we can simply envy."
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