Gu Jianing was telling the truth—she did believe Sheng Zexi.
Because she had lived through this before.
In her past life, this man had always treated her as the irreplaceable love in his heart. Even though she never married him, he never married another woman while he was alive, nor did he ever get entangled with anyone else.
He even risked his life, rushing into a blazing fire to find her.
When he died, his final will was to be buried alongside her.
In her past life, Gu Jianing had truly witnessed what it meant to love someone “until death do us part” through Sheng Zexi.
Even though she never thought of herself as a particularly good woman—never believed she was worthy of such devotion—he still chose to love her like that.
So in this life, she chose to marry Sheng Zexi.
It was, without a doubt, the right decision.
His tenderness, his love, his unwavering care—it was like a fire. No matter how cold or unyielding she might have been, under that warmth, she was bound to melt.
That’s why, no matter in this life or the last, she always believed in Sheng Zexi’s love for her.
And her so-called “questioning” just now? That was nothing more than a playful act of affection.
Sheng Zexi had felt a little down earlier, thinking Gu Jianing didn’t love him as much as he loved her. But now, hearing her say she believed in him, he felt renewed.
It must be because he had always treated her well—that’s why Ningning could trust him so completely.
This realization made Sheng Zexi determined to do even better.
At this point, he no longer dwelled on whether she loved him or not. Instead, he told Gu Jianing about Peng Wenjing.
Even if she trusted him, some things still needed to be explained.
Gu Jianing had already understood the situation after hearing from Sister Yu earlier in the afternoon.
Peng Wenjing had a one-sided crush on Sheng Zexi, but he had no interest in her.
Or rather, plenty of women in the military district admired Sheng Zexi, which was understandable. After all, he had everything—a powerful background, exceptional skills, striking looks. Other than his occasionally sharp tongue, he was practically flawless.
And yet, in her past life, she had been foolish enough to reject him.
Fortunately, she made the right choice this time.
As for Peng Wenjing, she had been clinging to Sheng Zexi by relying on her brother’s status as a regimental commander. That alone was enough to make Gu Jianing frown.
Peng Wenjing was persistent—almost to an obsessive degree.
She probably hadn’t given up on Sheng Zexi yet. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have targeted Gu Jianing at the hospital.
Who knew what trouble she might stir up next?
But Gu Jianing wasn’t worried.
She was never one to back down from a challenge.
If anyone dared to steal her man—she would fight back!
“The water is getting cold,” Sheng Zexi reminded her.
He picked up a towel, lifted Gu Jianing’s legs onto his lap, and carefully dried them. Then, he put socks on her and tucked her petite figure snugly into the warm bedding.
“Stay inside and keep warm. I’ll be back after I empty the basin.”
“Okay.”
Sheng Zexi carried the basin of water outside, emptied it, and quickly returned. He climbed into bed, and the couple embraced as they fell asleep.
Outside the window, the snow piled up even thicker.
Sheng Zexi had always slept well, but tonight, he dreamed—a rare occurrence for him.
He wasn’t sure if he was dreaming because everything felt too real.
In the dream, he seemed to have returned to the day Gu Jianing jumped into the river.
That day, he had also been waiting at the entrance of Huaihua Village, but what he received was the matchmaker’s rejection.
After that, he saw Ningning marry that educated youth, Wen…
On the heated brick bed, Sheng Zexi suddenly opened his eyes, jolted awake from the nightmare.
A dream where he failed to marry the love of his life was indeed a nightmare for him.
It took him a moment to calm down and process everything.
He lowered his head and saw Gu Jianing sleeping soundly in his arms. Her delicate, beautiful face was tinged with a faint flush. Holding her tighter against his chest, he felt the warmth of her soft body, and his heart gradually settled.
It was just a dream.
The dream was the opposite of reality.
In reality, he had married Ningning. She was his wife, and she was right here in his arms.
Sheng Zexi lowered his head and gently kissed Gu Jianing’s smooth forehead, his eyes filled with tenderness and love.
“Ningning, I’m so glad we ended up together.”
“We will always be together.”
…
The military hospital quickly sent someone to discuss a collaboration with Gu Jianing.
They presented her with two options: one was a direct buyout—5,000 yuan for one formula, 10,000 yuan for both; the other was a profit-sharing model, offering a 10% royalty.
“Comrade Gu, we’ve set a relatively low price for the stomach-protecting pill and the medicinal plaster, as we want them to be affordable for soldiers and civilians. The 10% royalty is also quite modest. I suggest you choose the buyout option for both formulas.”
The person negotiating with Gu Jianing was Dr. Hao from the hospital’s gynecology department. She had been chosen because, as a fellow woman, she had a good reputation and a kind temperament.
Her suggestion was fair and genuinely in Gu Jianing’s best interest.
If she accepted the buyout, she would immediately receive 10,000 yuan and become one of the wealthiest individuals of the time.
The concept of a “ten-thousand-yuan household” wouldn’t even emerge until the late 1980s, and this was still the 1970s. That sum of money was incredibly significant.
Even Dr. Hao couldn’t help but marvel—Sheng Zexi had truly married an exceptional wife. Just by selling two formulas, she could earn 10,000 yuan, an amount most people could never accumulate in a lifetime.
Gu Jianing understood Dr. Hao’s good intentions. If she hadn’t been reborn and hadn’t witnessed the rapid rise in prices and the explosive growth of technology and the economy in later years, she might have agreed to the buyout. But…
“Dr. Hao, I choose the royalty option. But not at 10%.”
Dr. Hao was surprised by her rejection of the buyout. Did she think 10% was too low?
During the hospital’s internal discussions, even Dr. Hao had felt 10% was a bit stingy.
After all, both formulas belonged to Gu Jianing. If she had the means to produce and sell them herself, she could earn 100% of the profits. Offering her only 10% wasn’t exactly generous.
However, Gu Jianing’s next words took her by surprise.
“I only want 1%.”
“1%? Comrade Gu, are you sure?”
Dr. Hao was genuinely shocked. She had assumed Gu Jianing was dissatisfied with the 10% rate—she never expected her to ask for just 1%.
A gentle smile appeared on Gu Jianing’s lips. “Yes. The reason I initially developed the stomach-protecting pill and the rheumatism plaster was because Xige suffers from both conditions. I understand that military personnel endure harsh training conditions and are frequently sent on missions, which makes them prone to these ailments.”
“They protect us, risking their lives on the front lines so that we can live in peace. And since my husband is a soldier, I understand this even more deeply. That’s why I want to do something for them.”
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