Chapter 14: A New Perspective on Her

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Lu Weiguo handed over the money, and as the staff nervously received it with trembling hands, he left with a cool and aloof demeanor.

As he departed, the atmosphere around the post office relaxed significantly.

The staff member sighed in relief and said to a colleague who had been keeping a safe distance, "If it weren't for his military uniform, I'd have thought he was here to rob us."

The colleague approached, admiringly commenting, "You've got some guts, not running away."

The cashier puffed up with pride. "We're here to serve the people, not to bow down to any evil forces."

Evil force Lu Weiguo: ...

Back in the car, Shi Tingyu looked at Lu Weiguo and asked, "Did you tell your family?"

"Yeah."

"And what was their reaction?"

Lu Weiguo hesitated for a moment while fastening his seatbelt. "They were very happy. They thought I'd never find a wife."

Shi Tingyu nodded, not pressing further.

The car drove towards the department store, and the atmosphere inside was a bit quiet. Neither of them was particularly chatty, and they found themselves unsure of what to discuss in the car.

As they were about to pull up to the department store, Lu Weiguo broke the silence.

"Don't worry, my family is very easy to get along with. You'll be living in the family quarters, so you won't have to worry about that."

Shi Tingyu tried to sound nonchalant. "I wasn't really worried."

Under Lu Weiguo's slightly amused gaze, Shi Tingyu turned her eyes to the window, her voice softening. "I know your family should be nice. It's just that integrating into a new family takes time."

Lu Weiguo found her response intriguing. Although they had only known each other for a few days, he perceived that Shi Tingyu had grown up in a privileged and loving environment. She was somewhat delicate and displayed a certain aloofness compared to most people.

She was also quite perceptive; even the slightest shift in his emotions seemed to be caught by her. This was the first time she had shared some of her inner thoughts with him.

It was a bit awkward, but Lu Weiguo was intrigued by her insight.

"How did you know my family is nice?" he asked.

Shi Tingyu recalled Lu Weiguo's relaxed demeanor whenever he spoke about his family and replied casually, "It's not hard to tell. You always look at ease when talking about them, so it's clear you have a good relationship with your family."

Lu Weiguo didn't deny this, but asked, "Is that all?"

Shi Tingyu didn't base her judgment solely on that. "Your older brother is married, and even though you haven't been home often, you know your nephew is in first grade. This indicates you keep in touch with your family regularly."

"Anything else?" he pressed.

Shi Tingyu gave him a sideways glance. Did he want to squeeze all her observational skills out of her?

She continued, "You can also tell from your salary."

"If you can save that much money, it means your family isn't exploiting you. Given how much you earn, it's clear that your family's financial situation is decent."

She noted that even though a monthly contribution of ten yuan seemed substantial, considering the total salary, it wasn't a huge burden. The current salary system was categorized by rank, and while allowances were separate, the basic salary details were generally known. If his family were exploitative, he wouldn't be able to save so much.

Having heard that his previous salary was even less, Shi Tingyu concluded that his family must be good.

Lu Weiguo was quite impressed with her deductions.

He had assumed Shi Tingyu was not very skilled in handling social situations, feeling awkward around enthusiastic people and reluctant to interact. In modern terms, she might have social anxiety.

Although Shi Tingyu wasn't severely affected by social anxiety, she did exhibit some traits of it.

He hadn't expected her to be so perceptive about people. She had managed to analyze his family's situation with just a few hints.

He now felt more at ease about her interactions with his family, believing that as long as she was willing, very few people would have a reason to dislike her.

Feeling reassured, Lu Weiguo said, "Let's go."

Since Lu Weiguo had stopped asking questions, Shi Tingyu suggested, "Let's get going. We've been in the car for a while, and people keep glancing our way."

The afternoon shopping took until after five o'clock, and they still had some items to get but decided to postpone those. They left the goods at the family quarters, and Lu Weiguo took Shi Tingyu back to her family home.

They planned to tidy up and organize the new place tomorrow so they could move in.

Shi Tingyu's parents, despite their initial discomfort with Lu Weiguo's appearance, invited him to dinner.

Lu Weiguo declined, citing other matters.

Shi Tingyu stepped in to reassure them. "If he has things to do, let him go. We'll have plenty of opportunities to dine together as a family."

Lu Weiguo agreed and took one last look at Shi Tingyu before leaving with a quick stride.

Family, huh.

Indeed, being married meant becoming family.

After returning to the camp, Lu Weiguo didn't head to his dormitory but instead went to visit Colonel Qin Jun's home.

During his phone call, he had inquired about sending Shi Tingyu's parents to his hometown, even if they were sent down. With the prestige of a former village head and a current brigade leader, he could ensure a better experience for them.

This was something only Colonel Qin could assist with.

Qin Jun, an old revolutionary dedicated to the country, would spare no effort in protecting anything beneficial to the nation. The recent suppression of a report was a prime example.

Although he should have informed Shi Tingyu's family to reassure them, Lu Weiguo was unsure if it would succeed. He didn't want to raise their hopes only for them to be dashed, which would be worse.

Colonel Qin was surprised yet expected Lu Weiguo's visit. Without hesitation, he took Lu Weiguo to his study.

What they discussed remained between them.

By the time Lu Weiguo left Colonel Qin's home, it was already nine in the evening.

He didn't return to his dormitory but went directly to the new house in the family quarters.

Though May's weather was warm, and he managed without blankets, he made do with his clothes for the night.

His immediate task was to set up the lighting. He took out a flashlight, rolled up his sleeves, and quickly changed the light bulbs, brightening up the room.

He also drew a bucket of water from the well in the courtyard and meticulously cleaned the house.

The more he did now, the less Shi Tingyu would have to do tomorrow. She had delicate skin and didn't seem like someone suited for heavy work.

On the other side at Shi's home, Shi Tingyu was taking a bath in the bathroom and drank some spring water.

Since she and Lu Weiguo were officially married, she was no longer subject to being sent down, so drinking the spring water was fine.

Regarding the spring water's effects, she had concluded that it was primarily for detoxification and recovery.

In the novel, the heroine's transformation into an unparalleled beauty due to the spring water seemed unrealistic to her. She believed the spring water was more of a medicinal source that helped expel toxins, resulting in better skin and complexion, but it wouldn't turn someone into a breathtaking beauty.

After all, a beautiful outcome is only possible if one starts with a good-looking face.

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