A Beauty in the 80s Goes on a Blind Date with Her Child, Captivating the Military Compound - Chapter 56

Seeing that Gu Chengfeng was truly enraged, Liu Yonggui signaled the server.

“Stop preparing the dishes for the table inside. Go in and tell them the private room has been booked for today. While you’re at it, bring them their outstanding tabs. Tell them to settle their accounts and never come back—our small shop cannot accommodate them anymore.”

The manager was a shrewd judge of character. Shen Sisi thought to herself, feeling quite satisfied with how he handled the situation.

Of course, what moved her most was the man by her side. No wonder Gu Chengfeng had been so confident in calling for the manager; they were old acquaintances. Realizing their bond was forged through a life-and-death situation, she felt a pang of heartache.

She had understood the hardships of soldiers before. To her, they were “the most beloved people”—patriots who guarded the borders and kept the lights of every home burning. No matter how dangerous the obstacle, they were always on the front lines to fulfill their duty.

But now that her identity had shifted to that of a soldier’s family member, the term “most beloved” was replaced by an endless, unspoken ache for him. When she had changed his bandages last time, she saw the scars—his “medals,” but also proof of the blood he had shed. If she could, she truly didn’t want Gu Chengfeng to always charge into the most dangerous places. But she couldn’t say it aloud, simply because he was a soldier.

While she stood there lost in thought, the sound of glass shattering erupted from the private room.

“Chen Ting, can you get the hell out of my way? Don’t you see I’m talking business with President Wang?”

“Are you trying to humiliate me on purpose?”

Yang Huaidong’s voice roared, followed by the faint but sharp sound of a slap. Soon, a middle-aged man in a suit strode out with his secretary, his face red with fury. Yang Huaidong chased after them, hunched over with a fawning expression. “President Wang, please stay! We haven’t finished our discussion…”

President Wang yanked his hand away without looking back. “I think there’s no need for us to collaborate.”

Left behind, Yang Huaidong’s greasy face twisted as his features scrunched together. “Chen Ting, look at what you’ve done!”

Chen Ting walked out of the room sobbing, her hand over her face. A visible red swelling had already begun to form on her left cheek. “I didn’t mean to. Who knew this server would be so tactless?”

Noticing so many eyes on him, Yang Huaidong bit back his remaining rage. “I’ll settle this with you when we get home!” He grabbed Chen Ting by the hair, dragging her toward the exit. As he passed Shen Sisi, he paused, his small, lecherous eyes unable to stop wandering over her body.

Gu Chengfeng instantly caught the lewd gaze. His eyes narrowed, stabbing into the man like daggers. His gaze was more feral and frantic than a wild beast’s; it looked as if he might tear the man apart with his bare hands. Yang Huaidong snapped back to his senses and hurried away, his steps fast and panicked.

The server stood there dazed, holding a notebook. “Manager, he hasn’t paid. Should I chase him?”

Liu Yonggui snorted. “Don’t bother. Go to the paper mill tomorrow to collect the debt. What are you standing there for? Clean up immediately and invite our honored guests to the private room!”

Gu Chengfeng nodded to him in appreciation. Liu Yonggui’s face relaxed, clearly delighted. “The meal today is on the house, as a thank you for saving my family.”

Gu Chengfeng’s gaze sharpened again. “If you say that, I’ll never step foot in this restaurant again. I am a soldier; it is my duty to save the people. I will not take advantage of you.”

He insisted on paying as a matter of principle. Liu Yonggui couldn’t win the argument, so he simply ordered the staff to memorize their faces so they could provide extra-warm hospitality the next time the family visited.

Gu Chengfeng finally led Shen Sisi and the child into the small private room. They had just finished ordering when Gu Changmei and Xu Hongying pushed open the door.

“Sorry to keep you waiting…”

Shen Sisi smiled. “It’s fine, we just sat down.” She quietly observed the two. Their ears were red from the cold, and they were huffing out plumes of white mist, clearly having walked quite a distance.

As soon as Gu Changmei sat down and had a sip of tea, she pulled a long, red gift box from her bag. Before Xu Hongying could even drink any water, she impatiently pulled out a square gift box of her own. These were clearly jewelry boxes.

“Sisi, we came in a hurry, so your Aunt hasn’t prepared much. This necklace is the gold chain my elders gave me when I got married. I haven’t worn it much, so it’s still like new. I’m giving it to you; I hope you like it.” As she spoke, she opened the lid.

A shimmering gold chain appeared before Sisi’s eyes, featuring a hollowed-out, heart-shaped pendant that was so bright she couldn’t look away.

“This—this is too valuable! No, I can’t accept this.” It was an aunt’s wedding gift; she must have cherished it herself. How could Shen Sisi take it?

“Oh, what’s there to be embarrassed about?” Xu Hongying wasn’t as subtle as Gu Changmei. she roughly grabbed Shen Sisi’s hand and slid a large gold bangle onto her wrist.

Sisi felt a chill against her skin, followed by a heavy, solid weight. Looking at the “Dragon and Phoenix” bangle—as wide as a finger—she was stunned. Gold of this weight had to be worth a fortune. Gu Chengfeng’s betrothal gifts were already more than enough, far exceeding standard marriage dowries. She hadn’t expected his aunt and mother to give her gold jewelry as well. What kind of wealthy family is this?

Shen Sisi tried to pull the bangle off, but she was no match for Xu Hongying’s grip.

“Stop pushing it back! This is a greeting gift for a new daughter-in-law. If you don’t take it, you’re not giving us face.” Xu Hongying was direct and hot-tempered. In the words of Gu Chengfeng’s father, she was “more of a man than most men.”

Shen Sisi’s head buzzed. She truly hadn’t expected that when the family “conspired” to leave her behind, they were actually discussing gifts for her. Suddenly, a stinging sensation rose in her eyes.

Ever since her parents passed away, she hadn’t been “pampered” like this in a very long time. Though her eldest aunt was good to her, she always had too many concerns involving Chen Jianguo and Chen Ting, which inevitably created a sense of distance. She hadn’t expected that there were still people in this world who would truly treat her as family and cherish her like a jewel.

“It’s not just for you; Niuniu has a gift too.” Gu Changmei gave Xu Hongying a look.

Xu Hongying begrudgingly pulled out a small jade “Peace Button” pendant on a red string. She glanced at Niuniu; her gaze wasn’t exactly warm, but it wasn’t as repulsed as before.

“Let’s get one thing straight: I haven’t accepted this child yet. I just saw how sickly she looks and couldn’t bear it.” Xu Hongying pulled the red string and placed it over Niuniu’s neck, then patiently shortened the cord so it hung perfectly at her chest.

Gu Changmei glanced at her. This stubborn old woman and her pride!

“Sisi, don’t listen to your mother’s nonsense. She has a sharp tongue but a heart of gold. As soon as she heard the shopkeeper say that jade can nourish one’s health, she bought it without a second thought. Let Niuniu wear it; slowly, her health will improve.”

Shen Sisi had heard this saying before—”A person nourishes the jade for three years, and the jade nourishes the person for a lifetime.” The minerals and trace elements in the stone can indeed help regulate the body through skin contact. More importantly, it was a gesture of sincerity from Xu Hongying.

Shen Sisi’s heart was deeply moved, but as an “impostor” in this marriage, how could she accept such precious gifts?