After weighing the last bag and confirming the recorded weight and quality were correct, the people of Huaihua Village prepared to leave.
“Dad, I might be back late today. It’s pretty busy, so go ahead and eat without me,” Gu Yunnan reminded.
“Alright, got it,” his father replied.
Just then, a jeep suddenly pulled over nearby.
In an era where even bicycles were considered valuable possessions, the appearance of a car always drew attention.
“It’s a jeep!”
“Hey, Uncle Village Chief, have you ever seen a jeep before?”
Old Man Gu smiled. “Of course. My son-in-law is a soldier. When he came to propose to my Ningning, he drove a jeep.”
“Oh right, Uncle, when is Ningning coming back?”
Among the younger men in the village, many had a soft spot for Gu Jianing.
Why? Because she was beautiful.
She was the white moonlight in the hearts of many young men in Huaihua Village.
“Uncle, did Ningning say when she’d be back?”
“Uncle, what’s wrong? What are you looking at?”
The young man was waiting for Old Man Gu’s answer when he noticed him staring ahead, eyes widening in surprise before he hurried forward.
The ones stepping out of the jeep were none other than Gu Jianing and her family.
Gu Jianing had originally planned to visit her second brother at the grain station since it was nearby, but she hadn’t expected to run into the public grain delivery day.
Not only did she spot her second brother, Gu Yunnan, in the crowd, but she also saw her father.
“Let me out, let me out, I need to get out!”
Unable to hold back any longer, Gu Jianing pushed the door open and stepped out as soon as the car stopped.
Just as she got out and looked up, she saw her father, who had already noticed her, rushing toward her through the crowded sea of people.
“Ningning…” Old Man Gu called out as he ran.
He moved so fast that by the time Gu Jianing had just exited the car, he had already weaved through the dense crowd and reached her.
“Ningning? My daughter, you’re back?” Old Man Gu seemed unable to believe it. Staring at Gu Jianing, he fidgeted nervously, afraid this was just an illusion.
Gu Jianing looked at her father. Over three years had passed, and time had left its mark on him.
She remembered that, three years ago, her father had no white hair, no wrinkles on his face.
But now…
Streaks of white had appeared at his temples, fine lines framed his eyes, and his back had hunched slightly.
Yet the warmth and tenderness in his eyes when he looked at her remained the same—even deeper than before.
“Dad, it’s me, Ningning. I’m back.”
Unable to hold back any longer, Gu Jianing threw her arms around her father, uncaring of the crowd around them.
Perhaps only an embrace could fully express her emotions now.
For a moment, Old Man Gu froze in surprise. Then, with trembling hands, he hugged his daughter back, finally feeling the reality of her return.
“My daughter, you’re back. You’re really back.”
“My daughter, your father missed you, missed you so much.”
In front of the villagers of Huaihua, the stern, unsmiling Village Chief Gu now wept openly at his daughter’s return.
If everyone has a soft spot in their heart, then for Old Man Gu, his daughter Gu Jianing was his weakest point.
If his daughter could come back, what did it matter if he lost face in public?
Old Man Gu had never been one to care about appearances.
To him, people were far more important than pride.
His daughter was back—he was overjoyed, crying tears of happiness. There was no shame in that.
At the sound of his father calling out “Ningning,” Gu Yunnan looked up and saw his little sister.
Did Gu Yunnan missed her?
Of course he did.
After all, all three Gu brothers were devoted sister enthusiasts.
When their sister got married, the three brothers had been so reluctant to let her go that they secretly bought alcohol, gathered on the back hill, and drank together, their hearts heavy with sorrow.
For over three years, every member of the Gu family had missed Gu Jianing.
And now, after all this time, she had finally returned.
“Is that Dr. Gu? Yunnan, is that your sister—the Dr. Gu who was in the newspaper?” a colleague asked.
Gu Yunnan nodded.
“If Dr. Gu is back, that’s wonderful! Go ahead, I’ll take care of things here.”
“Thanks.”
Gu Yunnan ran over as well.
“Little sis.”
So, after hugging and comforting her tearful father, Gu Jianing looked up to see her second brother, eyes red-rimmed, calling out to her in a voice thick with emotion and a hint of grievance.
“Little sis.” Gu Yunnan stepped forward and hugged her tightly.
It wasn’t until Sheng Zexi got out of the car that he finally let go.
Then, he shot Sheng Zexi a glare full of resentment.
This guy had married his sister, then taken her to the northwest with the army, keeping her away for over three years.
If he had known back then, he wouldn’t have let him marry Ningning so easily.
He should have beaten him up a few more times first.
Faced with his brother-in-law’s glare, Sheng Zexi could only rub his nose sheepishly, not daring to say a word. Instead, he deployed the “child strategy.”
The next moment, both Old Man Gu and Gu Yunnan found themselves holding a child.
Old Man Gu cuddled Yueyue in his arms.
Yueyue had been taught by Gu Jianing to recognize everyone from the family photo, and her memory was excellent.
So now, she immediately recognized the man holding her as her grandpa.
Though it was their first meeting, Yueyue wasn’t the least bit shy.
“Grandpa~” she called out sweetly.
That soft, childish voice melted Old Man Gu’s heart.
He had been thinking about his grandchildren all this time, and now he was finally seeing them.
His granddaughter was so well-raised—fair, chubby-cheeked, and adorable.
Her little face looked exactly like Ningning’s when she was a child.
Seeing Yueyue was like seeing his daughter all over again.
His emotions surged uncontrollably.
“Yes, sweetheart!” he answered loudly the moment she called him.
“This must be Yueyue. She’s grown up so well—and she even recognizes her grandpa!”
Yueyue wrapped her arms around Old Man Gu’s neck and explained in her tiny voice, “Mommy showed Yueyue picture of Grandpa, Grandma, uncles…”
“I knew Grandpa as soon as I saw him!”
“Wow, our little Yueyue is so clever!” Old Man Gu praised, utterly smitten with her.
Meanwhile, Gu Yunnan and Xingxing were locked in a staring contest.
Unlike Yueyue, Xingxing wasn’t as lively and spoke very little.
After calling Gu Yunnan “Second Uncle” once, he fell silent.
At first, Gu Yunnan had been happy to see his nephew.
But…
This nephew wasn’t as outgoing as his niece.
And also…
He had just glared at Sheng Zexi, his brother-in-law.
Now, faced with a nephew who looked exactly like Sheng Zexi, Gu Yunnan’s feelings were indescribably complicated.
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