The moon and stars hang above the night sky, the night sky on the island is brilliantly beautiful. The sound of the waves not far away comes in waves, as if beating on the hearts of people.
Lu Yanchen held Gu Ling in his arms, but his long legs still walked forward easily step by step. Gu Ling's face was flushed. At one moment, she wanted to struggle down, thinking that someone so assertive would probably not be willing. At another moment, she secretly wondered why he was so strong.
It wasn't until he carried her to a place not far from the wooden house that Gu Ling insisted on getting down, and only then did he let her down.
Gu Ling twisted her fingers, feeling a complex emotion that was hard to explain. After a while, she carefully said, "I do have some favorable impressions of you, but that doesn't mean I agree to be in a relationship with you. I hope..."
Before she could finish her sentence, the man beside her chuckled, unable to conceal his joy. "Comrade Gu, rest assured, I will make an effort to show myself and strive to earn your approval."
At the end of his words, he gently asked her, "Is that okay?"
Gu Ling's mind was in a chaotic state, but surprisingly, when she heard his "Is that okay?" her inner turmoil inexplicably calmed down. She nodded slowly, "Okay, let me think about it again."
Lu Yanchen still spoke with a pleased tone, "When you've thought it through, I'll take you on a trip to the mainland. There's a teacher's yard filled with china roses, and you'll surely love it."
He spoke as if she would definitely consider and agree to be in a relationship with him. Gu Ling hurriedly quickened her pace.
However, no matter how fast she walked, he could always catch up with her and maintain the same pace.
Gu Ling was helpless and stopped to ask him, "Why are you so strong? Aren't you tired after walking for so long? No matter how fast I walk, you can always catch up with me!"
Lu Yanchen laughed, "Do you really want to know?"
Gu Ling took a breath, "Of course, I want to know!"
She had long been curious about why he had such great strength. Even men of similar height and weight didn't have the same level of strength as him!
Lu Yanchen's laughter carried a hint of teasing, "Alright, I'll tell you once you've thought it through. When the time comes, I'll answer any questions you have. I'll tell you everything you want to know."
Gu Ling was taken aback for a moment, then turned her head and walked away. She still had things to consider, and she would let this poor-mouthed man wait for a long time!
But for some reason, as she walked briskly ahead and he followed behind at an unhurried pace, Gu Ling felt her mood relax. Unconsciously, a smile appeared on her lips.
When they returned to the wooden house, she saw that Sun Pingfang had indeed come back. Wang Haohan had found her, and at that moment, sitting in the room under the kerosene lamp, Sun Pingfang's eyes were swollen from crying.
This time, Li Haixia didn't tolerate it anymore. She sternly reprimanded Peng Xiaoyue and demanded an apology to Sun Pingfang!
In the end, even if Peng Xiaoyue was unwilling, she could only apologize. After offering her apology with a defiant attitude, she planned to go outside to sulk but encountered Lu Yanchen standing in the yard.
He gave her a cold glance, and just as Peng Xiaoyue was about to express her resentment, she heard Lu Yanchen say, "Something happened to the Peng family."
Peng Xiaoyue was stunned, and then panic spread through her, "What are you saying?!"
Lu Yanchen's voice remained calm, "I received a letter a few days ago. Your father is in trouble. You should think about your own affairs carefully from now on."
After saying this, Lu Yanchen turned and walked away, returning to his tent.
The night was cool, and mosquitoes viciously bit Peng Xiaoyue's legs, drawing a large amount of blood. The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became. Now she finally understood why the letters she sent home received no response. Under normal circumstances, shouldn't her mother have immediately called to bring her back?
It turns out that something had happened to their family!
How could she go back now? Once her father was in trouble, trying to use family connections to transfer her back would be even more difficult!
Was she destined to stay on this island for the rest of her life?
Despair and fear overwhelmed Peng Xiaoyue, and suddenly she burst into sharp cries, crouching in the yard, holding her head in agony.
Inside the house, Sun Pingfang, who was already in a not-so-good mood, was also stunned when she heard Peng Xiaoyue's cries. She exchanged a glance with Wang Haohan, then immediately blushed and averted her gaze.
This time, fueled by frustration, she wandered aimlessly into the woods. It was Wang Haohan who had found her and brought her back. Along the way, Wang Haohan, contrary to his usual quiet demeanor, comforted her for a long time. Surprisingly, Sun Pingfang also opened up, unconsciously chatting with Wang Haohan about many things...
Sometimes, it's strange how people need a particular moment to truly get to know someone again.
Wang Haohan was not dazzling, even ordinary and unremarkable. However, after going through this evening, Sun Pingfang discovered that Wang Haohan was a genuinely warm and considerate person!
In fact, she felt that Wang Haohan's ordinary features seemed much softer. Every time she made eye contact with him, there was a gentle and shy warmth that she herself couldn't perceive.
Because it was already late, everyone took turns bathing and going to sleep, but many couldn't sleep that night.
At first, it was Peng Xiaoyue's loud crying, and it took Niu Dawei half the night to finally persuade her to go back.
Later on, it was everyone carrying their own burdens.
In her heart, Sun Pingfang repeatedly compared the 'liking' she felt for the two men these days. She suddenly realized, just as Gu Ling had said, her feelings towards Captain Lu were not genuine affection; it was admiration, awed by his brilliance, much like admiring the moon in the sky—everyone likes it, but it's not true affection.
But as beautiful as the moon may be, it remains untouchable. What's truly heartwarming is what can be touched and felt beside you.
As they walked, Wang Haohan told her, "From the first day on the island, I thought you were a very, very nice girl, as cute as a kitten. You should believe in yourself. There's only one you in the world, and no one can replace you. No matter how good others may seem, they're not you."
Blushing, Sun Pingfang asked, "What's good about me... I'm not like Gu Ling..."
Wang Haohan scratched his head, "You sing well. I've heard you humming songs, but I've never heard Gu Zhiqing sing."
Sun Pingfang was stunned, warm emotions overwhelmed her, and she couldn't restrain them. She did like singing, but she never dared to sing loudly. Wang Haohan had actually heard her singing?
The entire night, Sun Pingfang couldn't sleep well.
Meanwhile, Gu Ling also had trouble sleeping for a while. Eventually, she sighed softly and fell asleep.
Early the next morning, when Gu Ling woke up, the other educated youths were still asleep. She noticed that most of Lu Yanchen's group hadn't gotten up either because it was only five in the morning. However, Lu Yanchen was already busy.
He was working on the new houses that Gu Ling and the others were building. When Gu Ling walked over and took a look, she couldn't help but be amazed, "Did you not sleep?"
She knew exactly how far they had progressed in their construction yesterday, but it was evident that Lu Yanchen had done a lot more work since then.
Lu Yanchen admitted, "I was too excited, couldn't sleep. I laid in bed until four and then got up."
Gu Ling was momentarily stunned, feeling a slight warmth in her ears. What's there to be excited about?
In the following days, Lu Yanchen, along with his group of soldiers, assisted the educated youths in building their new houses. Not only that, he arranged for Ding Shaoyang to take a boat to the mainland to contact a large ship, which brought a considerable amount of sand, cement, lime, and other construction materials. With these materials, the houses would be even more sturdy once built.
As they watched the building take shape day by day, everyone's enthusiasm grew stronger!
Lu Yanchen stayed on the island for a week, and with his help, the speed of building houses surpassed everyone's expectations!
Once the main structures of the houses were almost completed, the remaining tasks became simpler, and Gu Ling and the others could handle them on their own.
Lu Yanchen then led his team to plow the fields, turning over several large sections of land apart from the area already planted by Gu Ling and the others. The newly plowed land, after experiencing rain, would make it much more convenient to plant crops in the autumn.
Watching Lu Yanchen work effortlessly, the young people were a bit puzzled, but more than that, they were happy!
Having someone help with the work, especially someone as strong as Lu Yanchen, naturally made things much easier for them.
After finishing these tasks, Lu Yanchen had to leave. During the time he helped, he never initiated a conversation with Gu Ling. Initially, she was worried he might approach her and people would notice something, but when she realized he didn't even spare her a redundant glance, she felt she had over thought the situation.
Sometimes, she even wondered if that night was just a dream...
Until the day Lu Yanchen and his team were about to leave, Gu Ling was in the kitchen cooking mung bean soup.
Suddenly, Lu Yanchen appeared in the kitchen.
Wearing an apron, Gu Ling felt a bit absent-minded when she saw him entering.
The man's handsome features were like a painting, and his deep eyes resembled cold stars in a deep pool. The aura he exuded was like a snow-capped mountain under the moonlight, cold and resolute. No matter how many times one looked at him, he remained captivating.
Gu Ling's heart was pounding as she tried to guess what he was going to say. Then, he grabbed one of her hands, and from his pocket, he pulled out a clamshell about the size of a palm and placed it in her hand.
"Hold onto it. If you like it, keep it. If not, throw it away. I have a mission to carry out. If everything goes well, I'll be back in about half a month."
Having said that, he didn't give her a chance to refuse. He turned and walked out of the kitchen, then blew a sharp whistle to Ding Shaoyang, shouting, "Assembly!"
A group of soldiers quickly assembled in the distance and, along with Lu Yanchen, boarded the boat with their luggage.
Gu Ling hesitated for a moment, then walked into the yard and looked towards the sea. She saw the group of people on the sea getting farther away.
She opened the clamshell in her hand and found inside a box full of pearls, each one round, beautiful, and emitting a soft and enticing luster. Placed in the center was a heart-shaped pearl, along with a note.
His handwriting was bold and elegant, penetrating through the paper: "This pearl is a lot like you."
Afraid that someone might see, Gu Ling quickly covered the clamshell, but her heart was in turmoil.
Meanwhile, the man standing at the bow of the ship was looking at the girl in the yard from a distance, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Ding Shaoyang, having stowed away the luggage, noticed their leader smiling at the coastline and asked curiously, "Leader, what are you smiling at?"
Lu Yanchen turned around, sat down, and casually tapped his fingers on his knee. He nonchalantly asked, "Ever been in a relationship?"
Ding Shaoyang quickly shook his head, "No."
"Then you wouldn't understand."
After a while, Ding Shaoyang suddenly realized, "Boss, haven't you been in a relationship too?"
With the group of guys led by Lu Yanchen gone, the island returned to tranquility, but this time, the tranquility was different from before.
In the past, Peng Xiaoyue would occasionally stir up trouble, but now, she cries all the time after learning about her family's troubles.
Gu Ling noticed several times when Sun Pingfang and Wang Haohan were working together in places where no one paid attention. Both of them had smiles on their faces that weren't there when others were around.
After a few days, Li Haixia approached Gu Ling and said, "Gu Ling, do you think Sun Pingfang and Wang Haohan might be in a relationship?"
Gu Ling, uncertain, just smiled and said, "If that's the case, they will tell us sooner or later."
The new house looked more beautiful each day. Lu Yanchen had even arranged for Ding Shaoyang to bring black tiles. After the general shape was completed, the two-story building had a white wall and black tiles. Against the backdrop of sunlight, sandy beaches, and the sea, it looked even more stunning!
The second floor of the building had four rooms, and the first floor was spacious enough for the young people to live comfortably. After construction, the first floor could be used to store their belongings, and the previous wooden house could be left for Lu Yanchen and his team when they came to stay.
In addition, Gu Ling discovered some details that made her heart beat unusually every time she noticed them.
During Lu Yanchen's week on the island, he seemed very straightforward, but he had actually laid many subtle traps.
For example, he had sprinkled a lot of sunflower seeds along the base of the wall at some point. By the time Gu Ling noticed, the sunflowers had already sprouted and were growing vigorously. It felt as if she had won the lottery, and her mood unexpectedly became exceptionally good.
He even helped her plant some watermelons. Planting watermelons at this time of the month was a bit late, but given the hot weather on the island, they might still be able to enjoy some late-season watermelons in the fall.
Looking at the delicate watermelon seedlings, Gu Ling couldn't help but think of Lu Yanchen several times throughout the day.
She didn't say anything but felt a softness in her heart.
Five days later, Ding Shaoyang came by again, claiming it was on his way, and brought a large bundle of chrysanthemum seedlings for Gu Ling and the others.
Peng Xiaoyue widened her eyes, "What's this for? Can we eat it?"
But Gu Ling liked it a lot. She loved flowers, all kinds of flowers, and wished she could live in a sea of flowers!
Their new house was almost complete, and they were currently working on crafting new furniture.
When they lived in the wooden house before, they lacked experience in making furniture, and everything they made was relatively crude. Now, with more experience, they were able to create more refined pieces, and the details of the new house were much better than before.
Not only that, but Gu Ling decided to expand the flower beds and vegetable gardens around the new house. She planned to plant sunflowers and create a china rose garden, a chrysanthemum garden, and also explore other flower varieties. This way, there would be flowers blooming throughout the four seasons!
Of course, she didn't insist that everyone help with the gardening. This was more of a personal hobby.
Except for Peng Xiaoyue, everyone else pitched in to help.
With abundant fertilizer, intense sunlight, and daily watering, the sunflowers that Gu Ling had planted earlier grew like crazy!
By early August, the new house was completely organized, and the sunflowers were in full bloom. The golden sunflowers created a sea of flowers, and walking through that flower sea every morning made it feel like living in a painting!
Furthermore, the corn had also grown to the point where it could be harvested. Every morning, everyone would go to the field to pick fresh corn, snap off tender green beans, and pick ripe red beans. They would then cook rice porridge and make dishes for their meals.
The fresh corn was peeled off the cob, crushed with a stone mortar, mixed with a bit of corn flour and sugar, and then evenly spread on corn leaves. After steaming in a pot, it became a delicious and visually appealing dish!
Peng Xiaoyue instinctively exclaimed, "What is this that looks so good..."
After realizing she was praising Gu Ling, she quickly changed her tone, "What's the use of looking good if it doesn't taste good?"
After trying one, she was completely won over by the sweet flavor of the corn and ended up eating three!
The rice porridge made with fresh red beans had a different taste compared to that made with dried red beans. It carried a plant-like fragrance that was soothing to every pore when consumed!
Paired with a dish of dried fish and stir-fried green beans, breakfast became a delightful experience!
Especially sitting in the courtyard by the sea, the view included the azure ocean and a sea of golden sunflowers. Gu Ling felt that living like this for the rest of her life would be quite wonderful.
***
In comparison, Gu Ya's life wasn't as good. Although she successfully used plot modifications to strengthen ties with her in-laws, she later found out that the Yu family wasn't as great as she had imagined.
In her previous life, after returning from the island to the mainland, she saw the Yu family living a life immersed in wealth and prosperity. How come this life is not like that at all?
Yu Mingxin's father was originally a leader in a state-owned enterprise, seemingly conducting business for the public and making a considerable amount of money. However, for some unknown reason, there was a sudden reform, and Yu Mingxin's father had fifty percent of his power stripped away, making the family situation awkward.
The Yu family was in a state of panic, and even the household staff were dismissed. Although Yu Mingxin's mother had formed a good relationship with Gu Ya, she adhered to traditional beliefs, thinking that the wife should handle all the household chores.
Coincidentally, Gu Ya became pregnant, enduring morning sickness every day while juggling work and household duties.
Meanwhile, Yu Mingxin was a demanding man with large sexual needs, lacking sensitivity and respect for women. He was careless and indulgent, paying no attention to the feelings of females. Even when Gu Ya cried and pleaded, it was to no avail.
It wasn't until their child was lost due to an incident during their intimate moments that Gu Ya realized what had happened.
Her mother-in-law blamed her for not managing her husband properly, saying, "Men don't understand the seriousness of these matters. As a mother, don't you know better? The child here died because of you!"
The hard-won relationship was shattered once again.
Gu Ya felt deeply wronged, unaware that in her previous life, Gu Ling had experienced a similar situation. With her father-in-law facing trouble, a difficult relationship with her mother-in-law, and her husband's insatiable demands while pregnant, Gu Ling had faced those challenges, shedding tears every night but managing to persevere.
Unable to vent her anger, Gu Ya suffered from insomnia for several days. Finally falling asleep, her first glimpse into the dream world was to check on Gu Ling's situation.
With this revelation, her mind felt like it was about to explode!
The comments were filled with praises and admiration!
『Wow! Did Gu Ling build a new house? When did she confirm her relationship with Lu Yanchen? I want to see their sweet love!』
『Oh no, I want pearls too! They're probably wild pearls. And is freshly picked corn from the field really tastier?』
『In response to the above, freshly picked corn is indeed very sweet! I can finish five at once! Seriously, Gu Ling's life skills are too strong. Leaving aside other things, having both a flower sea and the sea at the same time is just incredible!』
『Is the protagonist of this story really not Gu Ling? Look at the lives of Gu Ya and Gu Ling, tsk tsk.』
...
As she looked at those comments, Gu Ya gradually became numb.
However, when she widened her view and saw Gu Ling sitting in the yard eating with those educated youths, and observed the fresh corn, porridge, fragrant dishes on the table, the neatly growing crops, various vegetables, and the sunflowers scattered on the ground, along with the vibrant and brilliant sunflower sea not far away...
Why was it like this?
In that desolate and lonely island, she had stayed for more than ten years and had never cultivated such flourishing crops!
Not to mention that dazzling little Western-style building!
She remembered that back then, they lived in mud houses on the island for so long. Those mud houses were like black holes, imprisoning her most beautiful youth...
And then, there was Lu Yanchen, that dazzling Lu Yanchen who had never looked at her directly. Why did he fall in love with Gu Ling so easily?
In comparison, the present Yu Mingxin couldn't even compare to Lu Yanchen's fingertip. He was not as handsome as Lu Yanchen, and his family background was not as good as Lu Yanchen's. If Gu Ya hadn't known that Yu Mingxin would become rich in the future, she would never have married him!
Deep within her heart, pain twisted like a knife, bitterness, sorrow, and jealousy humiliating her. Gu Ya gritted her teeth and clicked on the next part of the plot.
Without hesitation, she wrote〚Lu Yanchen is ambushed, stabbed multiple times, and dies!〛
The good man she couldn't have in her previous life, Gu Ling wouldn't get him in this life either!
***
After twenty days passed, Gu Ling and the others were planning to move into their new house. It was at this moment that Wang Haohan brought up something with Sun Pingfang.
"We are planning to get married," he said.
This announcement shocked everyone.
"Married? Wow, when did you two get together?" Li Haixia asked, her face beaming with a smile, and the joy spread among the group.
Life on the island for this small group of people was somewhat monotonous, so the sudden good news brought happiness to them all.
Sun Pingfang blushed, and Wang Haohan chuckled, "Pingfang and I spent some time getting to know each other. We both really like each other and want to get married. Since we might have to stay on the island for a long time, and the chances of going back are slim, I don't want to miss out on such a great girl like Pingfang."
Sun Pingfang's eyes glistened with moisture as she softly added, "I feel the same way."
Gu Ling couldn't help but feel happy for them. "Alright, since we're moving to a new house, how about we organize a simple wedding ceremony for you? We can pick a good day and celebrate your union!"
In fact, having a wedding on the island was quite romantic, with the beach, the sound of the waves, and the sunflower fields providing a picturesque backdrop. It could be a beautiful and memorable experience.
As everyone prepared for Sun Pingfang and Wang Haohan's wedding, Gu Ling felt a bit empty inside.
Lu Yanchen had mentioned that he would come back after half a month, but he hadn't shown up.
Gu Ling couldn't help but wonder if she shouldn't have believed a man's words. Although she didn't expect much, subconsciously, she still hoped he would come.
She wished he could see the sunflowers in full bloom.
For several days, everyone was fervently preparing for the wedding of Wang Haohan and Sun Pingfang. However, unexpectedly, the island received some uninvited guests.
On a clear day with sunflowers in full bloom and waves crashing against the shore, the sky suddenly echoed with a roaring sound.
Everyone rushed outside to see and found an aircraft hovering in the sky, rumbling as if it were flying in their direction!
Having spent several months on the island, no one had visited except for Lu Yanchen and his group.
The sudden arrival of a helicopter excited everyone, and they eagerly stared at the sky.
The helicopter circled for a while before slowly descending onto the island. A few people disembarked from it, their eyes filled with disbelief.
After all, just a few months ago, when they passed by this place earlier in the year, it was still a deserted island!
They couldn't believe that what was once a barren island had transformed into a resort in just a few short months!