A Beauty in the 80s Goes on a Blind Date with Her Child, Captivating the Military Compound - Chapter 38

“Sisi!”

Gu Chengfeng quickly walked towards her against the cold wind.

It was the first time Shen Sisi had ever seen him look so anxious. “What’s wrong? Why are you rushing?”

He stopped, suppressing his frantically beating heart while catching his breath.

Beneath his tightly knitted eyebrows, a strong restlessness surged. “Nothing… nothing, I just wanted to ask how you’ve thought things over.”

The political review had only passed yesterday, and only one night had gone by, yet he seemed impatient.

Shen Sisi felt that he was acting strangely today, looking unsettled, as if a dog were chasing him from behind.

She quietly stared at him for a few seconds. “Are you that eager?”

“I…” Gu Chengfeng was instantly tongue-tied, his eyebrows furrowed tightly. “I’m afraid of complications arising if we wait too long.”

Shen Sisi keenly sensed his abnormality. “Did something happen?”

A flicker of darkness crossed Gu Chengfeng’s eyes, but he pursed his lips and pretended nothing was amiss. “Nothing. I just wanted to ask what you decided. If you feel it’s too rushed, I can certainly wait longer…”

“It’s just that Niu Niu’s illness cannot be delayed…”

His expression suddenly became gloomy, and he watched her with tortured intensity, looking as though he were begging Shen Sisi to marry him.

Shen Sisi saw all of this.

Although she didn’t know what had happened to him, she decided not to tease him anymore.

“I’ve made up my mind. How about today?” Shen Sisi asked with a smile.

This matter should be done sooner rather than later; if delayed, she truly worried about potential trouble.

Shen Sisi had already planned everything. Once they registered their marriage, they could move their household registration into the city.

Then, she could take Niu Niu to the military hospital for a thorough check-up, arrange hospitalization, and begin treatment as needed.

Hearing her words, Gu Chengfeng’s sharp, cool brows unconsciously softened.

“There’s no time like the present. It’s decided then…”

“We’ll go to the Bureau of Civil Affairs right now.”

Shen Sisi was initially worried that she was being too hasty, but she didn’t expect Gu Chengfeng to be even more eager than she was.

“Now?” She was surprised that Gu Chengfeng wanted to leave immediately. Did he even bring his documents?

“Don’t laugh at me, but ever since the political review passed last night, I’ve kept my documents on me.”

Gu Chengfeng opened his greatcoat and pulled out a manila envelope, which contained his household registration book and various certificates.

“What a coincidence, me too…” Shen Sisi patted her own cloth bag.

The two looked at each other and smiled in perfect understanding, their thoughts entirely aligned.

Gu Chengfeng made a ‘please’ gesture. “Comrade Shen Sisi, please lead the way!”

Everything went smoothly.

Emerging from the Bureau of Civil Affairs, Shen Sisi’s head was still spinning. She looked at the thin piece of paper in her hand, unable to suppress the wild thumping of her heart.

They… were married just like that?!

A small, single red certificate had tied their destinies together.

Beside her, Gu Chengfeng only glanced at it.

Once he confirmed that his and Shen Sisi’s names were written on it, he folded it and tucked it into the manila envelope.

Shen Sisi, however, rubbed the certificate repeatedly, unable to look at it enough.

“Gu Chengfeng, let’s go take pictures!” Shen Sisi suggested.

Even if this was a marriage by agreement, and even if the person Gu Chengfeng truly wanted to marry wasn’t her, she still wanted to commemorate this special day properly.

Gu Chengfeng was slightly surprised. He looked up and met her exquisite, beautiful face, clearly meticulously dressed up.

“Good. Our family of three will go take pictures!”

Gu Chengfeng picked up Niu Niu and held her in his arms. There was a Red Star Photo Studio just across the road.

Shen Sisi followed behind, her eyes curving into smiles. She hadn’t been this happy in a long time.

Since her parents passed away, and she went to the countryside as a Rusticated Youth, she felt like she hadn’t been this joyful in ages.

When they arrived at the studio, she had only planned to take one family photo.

Gu Chengfeng, however, generously waved his hand and had them take five or six.

One was a family portrait of the three of them.

The couple sat on a stool, shoulder to shoulder, with little Niu Niu sandwiched between them.

She and Niu Niu smiled very sweetly, but Gu Chengfeng, beside them, maintained a poker face, showing no discernible emotion.

After the family portrait, Gu Chengfeng suggested they each take a single portrait, and then, he and Shen Sisi would take a couple’s photo.

A couple’s photo… could it be a wedding photo?

The moment this thought popped into Shen Sisi’s head, she forcefully suppressed it.

What was she thinking? The person Gu Chengfeng wanted to marry wasn’t her, and the person he wanted to take a wedding photo with wasn’t her.

No wonder he couldn’t smile just now.

She stood slightly awkwardly to one side, keeping such a distance from Gu Chengfeng that another person could fit between them, as if they were separated by a huge chasm.

Gu Chengfeng saw her deliberate distance, and his expression grew even colder.

The photographer gestured for a long time, as the two people in the frame looked genuinely awkward, as if the other person were covered in thorns.

They were clearly a handsome man and a beautiful woman who looked perfectly matched, yet they acted like strangers.

“Comrade, why are you standing so far away? Hold your loved one’s arm.”

Loved one…

Shen Sisi’s heart raced. She cautiously looked at him, afraid that the word ‘loved one’ would upset him.

Seeing her hesitation, Gu Chengfeng took a step toward her on his own initiative.

She really did mind…

His voice was low. “If you don’t want to hold my arm, it’s alright. Let’s just take the picture like this!”

Before Shen Sisi could react, the photographer said this was fine too. He told them to stand still and started the countdown: “Three, two, one…”

As he called out “one,” at the exact moment the shutter clicked, Shen Sisi and Gu Chengfeng simultaneously stepped toward each other and immediately bumped together.

Her body was almost knocked flying. She cried out, Ah, stumbling, and instinctively reached out toward Gu Chengfeng.

In the ensuing chaos, a large, warm hand wrapped around her waist.

Click!

This moment was instantly captured!

Niu Niu stood beside them, watching her parents clumsily embrace, covering her mouth and giggling happily.

“Are you alright?” Gu Chengfeng’s broad chest shielded her completely.

Shen Sisi buried her head, shyly adjusting her hair. “I’m fine.”

The photographer beside them clicked his tongue in admiration. That shot was too natural, although a bit messy. He asked if they wanted to retake it.

Shen Sisi, feeling the sting of the cost, said no, the previous one was fine.

After all the fuss, they had taken five photos, and they were not cheap.

The boss filled out a ticket, telling them to return in one week to collect the photos.

Shen Sisi naturally took the ticket and put it in her bag, feeling a strange anticipation.

On the way back, the corners of Gu Chengfeng’s mouth were curved upward.

Passing the state-run restaurant, he suddenly stopped. “We’re not cooking tonight. We’ll eat out. Let’s celebrate.”

Shen Sisi nodded, feeling the thickness of her purse. “We should celebrate. But let’s agree now, I’m paying…”

“How can I let you treat me?”

Shen Sisi smiled cunningly. “You’ll have to get used to it… after all, starting today, I am managing the household…”

She stated the claim of managing the household so righteously that Gu Chengfeng had no chance to refute her.

He had handed over his savings book and money to Shen Sisi. From now on, he really did have to get used to his wife paying.

After all, a good man shouldn’t carry too much pocket money.

The corners of his mouth involuntarily lifted, and he turned to step into the restaurant.

The meal was eaten in harmony. An outsider would truly believe they were a family of three.

The couple—the man handsome and rugged, the woman gentle and beautiful—had a sweet-looking child, though she was a little thin.

Shen Sisi hadn’t completely managed to switch roles yet.

In the blink of an eye, she had transformed from a “disgraced woman” whom everyone reviled into a military wife, and her husband was her former senior, Gu Chengfeng.

It was unimaginable, like a dream.

But on second thought, getting along like this was quite good.

A marriage of mutual necessity, a life of respect and cordiality.

From now on, she had a companion walking beside her on the journey of life, and her days had unconsciously become full of hope.

While eating, Gu Chengfeng watched her lost-in-thought expression. Finally, he had married this girl…

After dinner, Shen Sisi nervously rubbed her fingers, whispering, “Tonight… where are you going back to?”

Gu Chengfeng noticed her tension and avoidance. While his heart sank, he feigned ignorance. “Home.”

Shen Sisi shyly lowered her head.

He was right. They had already registered their marriage; it would be too unreasonable to drive him back to the barracks to sleep.