"I don't regret it, Leng Yuan. I want to marry you."
Gu Jiaojiao looked up at Leng Yuan, her eyes as bright as stars and full of earnestness.
At first, she had been seduced by his good looks, only thinking of making their relationship official. But after realizing she had transmigrated into a book, she naturally began to see him as her only pillar of support. After all, the man before her was the person she was closest to in this new era.
The girl's complete earnestness and determination made Leng Yuan's fingers tighten on the handlebars.
He wasn't sure if it was because they had slept together, but he found himself subconsciously being much more tolerant of the current Gu Jiaojiao. Her soft voice instantly weakened his firm defenses.
He knew very well that her previous words had all been lies. He had deliberately brought her to the Civil Affairs Bureau without warning, intending to test her. He never expected Gu Jiaojiao to actually agree to marry him, and with such a genuine expression.
"Gu Jiaojiao, I gave you a chance."
The man was furious, his voice tight with frustration.
He had been prepared to face the consequences, yet Gu Jiaojiao had chosen to marry him. This left Leng Yuan feeling frustrated and helpless. In the end, he could only relent.
He scooped her up in one motion, placing her on the crossbar. Leng Yuan stepped down on the pedal, and the bicycle turned, leaving the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau behind.
Watching the Civil Affairs Bureau grow smaller and smaller behind them, Gu Jiaojiao nervously grabbed the man's powerful arm. "Are you having second thoughts?"
'Is he backing out of registering our marriage?'
Gu Jiaojiao's heart leaped into her throat. She couldn't help but replay what she'd said earlier, wondering if she had misspoken.
Leng Yuan looked at the anxious girl, who seemed terrified he would abandon her, and a smile involuntarily touched his lips.
"It's the day we're getting our marriage license, after all. We can't just be casual about it."
Gu Jiaojiao didn't yet understand what he meant. 'What does he mean, "can't be casual about it"?'
Leng Yuan's bicycle had already stopped in front of the department store.
First, the man led her to the clothing counter. His eyes swept over the display, and he selected a bridal outfit hanging in the most conspicuous spot. He then asked the salesclerk for a Dacron shirt, glanced over the floral-print skirts and picked one out, and finally walked over to the shoe counter to choose a pair of small, black leather shoes for Gu Jiaojiao.
The nearby salesclerk was stunned by Leng Yuan's actions.
She had seen plenty of wealthy customers, and she'd seen her fair share of generous ones. But this was the first time she had ever seen someone shop as if money were no object.
That bridal outfit was made of high-quality satin. It was beautiful, yes, but the price was exorbitant. Many people admired the dress, but no one ever actually bought it.
The dress was made of real silk; it couldn't be scraped or snagged, or it would be easily damaged. It also required careful maintenance.
Usually, people bought wedding clothes that they could also wear for everyday occasions.
Very few people were willing to buy something so expensive that would only be worn once.
This was the first time she had seen someone buy such an expensive dress without a second thought.
And he had bought so much all at once, no less.
It wasn't just the salesclerk; Gu Jiaojiao was also dumbfounded.
You have to understand, at this time, an apprentice at a textile factory earned fifteen yuan a month, while a full-time worker earned twenty. Even a good job at a steel mill only paid thirty.
But this dress in front of them cost forty-five yuan—two months' salary for an ordinary worker!
'This man is way too generous!'
The salesclerk couldn't help but glance at Gu Jiaojiao with envy and jealousy.
'How could this woman be so lucky? Her man is handsome and so willing to spend money on her.'
Ordinary people would agonize for a long time over buying just one item. This man, however, bought three items in one go, all of them expensive and high-quality.
Gu Jiaojiao also felt a pang of heartache over the money. She tugged on Leng Yuan's arm, leaned in, and whispered, "This is too much. Just one is enough."
"It's not a lot. You can rotate them."
In addition to the clothes, Leng Yuan also picked out an imported Swiss Plum Blossom-brand watch. The watch alone cost two hundred and sixty yuan.
The final bill came to: two hundred and sixty for the watch, forty-five for the bridal outfit, fifteen for the leather shoes, and twenty-five for the other clothes, totaling three hundred and forty-five yuan.
This was an absolutely enormous sum of money. At that time, many rural families would only earn a little over a hundred yuan for the entire year's work.
The man paid without so much as blinking.
Because they had bought so much, Leng Yuan was able to borrow a room for Gu Jiaojiao to change into the newly purchased shirt and skirt.
Gu Jiaojiao understood the man's intention and didn't refuse. She followed the salesclerk to the staff dormitory to change her clothes before coming out.
The girl's skin was fair, her features delicate and beautiful. Her lovely long hair was tied up in a high ponytail, giving her a sweet and pristine look. Paired with the white shirt and light-colored floral skirt, the moment she walked out, it was as if she were glowing, instantly capturing everyone's attention.
Leng Yuan's dark, deep eyes chanced upon her, and he found he couldn't look away.
The old Gu Jiaojiao had been beautiful, but her expression was often acerbic and mean, always scowling or glaring. She had completely squandered any goodwill she might have had with others.
The current Gu Jiaojiao was confident and poised. Her innate, delicate nobility was on full display in that moment. She was as beautiful as a white swan—a completely different person from before.
At least, Leng Yuan wouldn't have given the old Gu Jiaojiao a second glance. But this Gu Jiaojiao... he found himself staring for a long time before forcing himself to look away.
Gu Jiaojiao walked up to Leng Yuan. The man had already regained his composure, his dark, deep eyes showing no hint of emotion. She couldn't help but tug at her skirt.
'If I hadn't looked in the mirror this morning and known what I look like, I'd think I was hideous!'
'After all, the man in front of me is so composed he won't even spare me a glance.'