“I asked Chunhua about that too. She said she’s leaving it to fate.”
In truth, those who were so anxious and worried were the ones who had previously come to the Gu family to propose marriage.
The Gu family was no longer what it used to be.
Just looking at the unique Western-style house in Huaihua Village was proof enough.
Not to mention how successful Yao Chunhua and Old Man Gu’s children had turned out.
The eldest son was reportedly involved in construction and real estate in Haicheng, and his wife was studying at a university there.
The second son, Gu Yunnan, and his wife were managing contracted projects, thriving and earning substantial income.
Their only daughter, Gu Jianing, was an exceptionally skilled physician, married to a promising military officer, and now settled in Jing City.
Gu Yunzhou had been admitted to Jing City University, and it was clear that upon graduation, he too would have a bright future.
And Gu Yunzhou was the only one among them still unmarried.
So, how could other families not be eager?
It wasn’t just because Gu Yunzhou was handsome and promising, but also because Yao Chunhua and Old Man Gu were the best in-laws one could ask for.
They were fiercely protective of their own and were very open-minded.
Thus, there were truly many who wanted to marry Gu Yunzhou.
Ever since Gu Yunzhou was admitted to Jing City University, over the past two years, matchmakers had practically worn down the Gu family’s threshold.
Not only from the surrounding villages, but also many city dwellers had sent people to propose marriage.
It was even said that the county party secretary’s daughter wanted to marry Gu Yunzhou and had also sent someone to make the proposal.
But without exception, Gu Yunzhou had Yao Chunhua and her husband decline all offers.
He said he needed to focus on his studies and wasn’t considering marriage for the time being.
“Now that Gu Yunzhou is going abroad to study for four to five years, what girl can wait that long?”
“Exactly. I suppose I should go back and arrange some blind dates for my niece, who’s been fond of Gu Yunzhou.”
“Same here.”
—
News always spread quickly.
Upon hearing the news, Liu Yuan, who had been writing a letter, let her fountain pen drop onto the table.
Tears instantly streamed down her face.
As she looked at the letter she was writing to Gu Yunzhou, her tears fell onto the paper, blurring the ink.
Seeing her like this, Mother Liu’s heart ached.
She rushed over and embraced her daughter. “Yuan Yuan, don’t cry. It breaks my heart to see you like this.”
Although Liu Yuan was her and her husband’s only child, and a daughter at that, she had been cherished and spoiled like a precious jewel since childhood.
Almost anything her daughter wanted, they would give her.
But now, when it came to marriage…
“Mother, I really, really like Gu Yunzhou,” Liu Yuan sobbed.
“But I also know that there’s no chance for him and me anymore.”
When they worked together at the supply and marketing cooperative, Liu Yuan had had an opportunity.
That was when she had the most contact with Gu Yunzhou.
She had confessed her feelings to him then, but he had rejected her.
Still, Liu Yuan didn’t want to give up.
She thought that since Gu Yunzhou didn’t have a girlfriend, as long as he remained single, she might still have a chance.
And she wasn’t a bad catch either.
She was good-looking and came from a decent family.
Many men wanted to marry her.
But the Gu Yunzhou she loved wouldn’t even look her way.
When she learned that Gu Yunzhou was preparing for the college entrance exam, Liu Yuan had also started preparing.
Although her grades had been average when she was in school.
But now, she could work hard for love.
What if, what if she actually got in?
It would be wonderful if she could get into the same university as Gu Yunzhou.
Then she could take advantage of being so close to him.
But if not, then…
During that time, Liu Yuan had indeed been studying hard.
Later, the results came out.
The outcome left her both happy and sad.
She was happy because the person she admired had proven to be truly outstanding.
Gu Yunzhou had been admitted to Jing City University, ranking first in the entire province.
He was truly remarkable and excellent.
She also knew that once Gu Yunzhou went off to university, his future prospects would soar.
What made her sad was…
She didn’t pass the exam.
Not just Jing City University—she hadn’t even been accepted into the most basic college.
Liu Yuan knew that once Gu Yunzhou left for university in Jing City, there would be no more chance for them.
The gap between them would only grow wider.
Perhaps, perhaps Gu Yunzhou would find someone he liked at university.
After all, universities were full of outstanding, beautiful women.
And Gu Yunzhou was exceptional and handsome—there would certainly be no shortage of women interested in him.
Feeling anxious, Liu Yuan told her parents about her feelings.
She asked them to go to the Gu family to propose marriage on her behalf.
She thought, what if, just what if Gu Yunzhou agreed?
And if not him, what about his parents?
After all, she was surely the best match among all those who wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Gu family.
In truth, Liu Yuan’s reasoning wasn’t flawed.
At the time, Yao Chunhua and Old Man Gu had indeed thought Liu Yuan was a nice girl.
But Gu Yunzhou still refused.
It wasn’t that Gu Yunzhou looked down on Liu Yuan or anything—he simply had no romantic feelings for her.
Although he didn’t have anyone he liked at the moment, he believed that the person he would eventually be with should be someone he was spiritually drawn to, someone both loved each other.
So, he couldn’t accept Liu Yuan.
As for Yao Chunhua and Old Man Gu, although Liu Yuan came from a good family, they weren’t the type to force their children.
So, since Gu Yunzhou wasn’t interested, they declined the proposal.
On the other side, Father Liu and Mother Liu hadn’t expected their daughter to be rejected.
In their eyes, their daughter was undoubtedly the most outstanding girl.
They had valued the Gu family’s good standing and Gu Yunzhou’s qualities, so since their daughter liked him, they went ahead with the proposal.
They never expected the Gu family to refuse.
To be honest, Father Liu and Mother Liu were somewhat angered.
After all, given their positions, they held significant status and influence in the county.
Many families would have jumped at the chance to form a connection with them, yet they had been turned down by the Gu family.
But no matter how angry they were, there was nothing they could do.
By then, the Gu family—especially considering Gu Jianing and her husband’s status and position—was not someone they could easily confront.
Even though Gu Jianing and her husband were far away while they were in the county with local advantages, that didn’t mean the couple couldn’t take action if provoked.
Especially since both had exceptionally promising futures.
So, after weighing the situation, they gave up on the idea of pressuring the Gu family.
Of course, Father Liu and Mother Liu weren’t the type to do such things anyway.
Time proved their decision was wise.
Especially now, as the Gu family’s standing continued to rise, they even had a feeling that one day, the Gu family might reach heights they could never aspire to.
So, after careful consideration, they had urged Liu Yuan to let go.
But though Liu Yuan said she would give up, her actions said otherwise.
She continued to study hard for the exams, but she failed again in her second attempt.
Leave a Reply