Chapter 94. What Bad Luck
Many people often say that when you learn to ice skate, you're bound to fall at least once. But Gu Zi did not fall even once because Su Shen was by her side.
As she glided gracefully on the skating rink, she sported a radiant smile, akin to a princess dancing a waltz, appearing light and agile.
In her previous life, she had been consumed by studies and work, leaving her with few hobbies beyond cooking and reading.
Now, she had stumbled upon a new passion—ice skating.
Turning around, she spotted Su Shen following closely, guarding her like a knight.
The man stood at least 1.9 meters tall, with a robust physique, long legs, and well-proportioned features that were fitting for a knightly figure.
A peculiar feeling welled up within Gu Zi. It was a sensation challenging to define but unmistakably one of security.
Perhaps her fixation on him had caused her to lose her balance, and she felt herself stumbling.
She thought she was about to fall, but just in the nick of time, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist.
She found herself securely encased in his broad embrace, and they continued gliding seamlessly, much to the astonishment of onlookers.
The pair, a tall and handsome man alongside a beautifully shaped woman, appeared to be an incredibly harmonious match.
Su Shen and Gu Zi were entirely engrossed in their waltz, blissfully unaware of the attention they had garnered at the ice rink.
Among the numerous envious gazes directed at Gu Zi and Su Shen, one particular gaze was notably intrusive and unsettling.
The man wearing a flowery shirt and bell-bottom pants was under the illusion that he exuded irresistible charm. With legs trembling in his bell-bottom pants, he confidently took off the pair of aviators from his shirt collar and strode toward the couple when he saw them approaching the railing.
"Hey there, Bro, and who is this lovely lady by your side?" The man's greasy gaze lingered on Gu Zi as she instinctively sought refuge behind Su Shen.
Clearly unimpressed, Su Shen responded in a cold tone, "My fiancée, Gu Zi. This is Su Jing's boyfriend, Tian Hai."
Gu Zi offered only a brief acknowledgment and did not greet the man. Firstly, she felt that there was no need to know him. Secondly, she really hated the way this man looked at her. It was so wretched!
In a flash, a memory resurfaced in her mind.
Gu Zi vividly remembered the convoluted story involving Tian Hai from the original book. In that version of events, Tian Hai had indeed pursued her, and his influence on Su Jing had led to Su Shen working at the pig farm. He had consistently tried to connect with Gu Zi whenever the opportunity presented itself.
Over time, the villagers began to gossip about the Host seducing her sister-in-law's fiancé, Tian Hai, and betraying Su Shen.
The Host, however, held no interest in Tian Hai, and she believed herself to be innocent, refusing to engage in any attempts to prove herself to others.
Later, when these words reached Su Jing's ears and she wanted to break up with Tian Hai, Tian Hai panicked.
If it was in the past, he would have broken up with Su Jing, but it was different now. Su Jing's brother was so rich!
If Su Jing broke up with him, where would he go to live off a woman? He was still relying on Su Jing's money to flirt with girls.
He would not give up his entire flower field for a single proud rose.
He lied to Su Jing and pushed all the responsibility to the Host. He said that the Host had seduced him and asked to meet him, but he insisted on his love for Su Jing and had never done anything to let Su Jing down.
Su Jing believed Tian Hai and came to find the Host and Su Shen to argue. Su Shen was very disappointed in the Host. This must have been the reason for their divorce.
As Gu Zi recalled the contents of the original book, she felt disgusted when she saw Tian Hai in front of her. What bad luck!
She and Su Shen were about to leave the ice rink when Su Shen headed off to change into his skates.
Seizing the opportunity, Tian Hai attempted to strike up a conversation with Gu Zi, using his typical lines to seduce her.
"Zizi, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Let me reintroduce myself. My surname is Tian, and my first name is Hai. You can call me Brother Hai in private."
With unconvincing confidence, Tian Hai resorted to his usual charm, but to Gu
Zi, his advances were repulsive. The mere sight of him made her feel nauseous. Tn a retort that caught Tian Hai off guard. Gil Zi spanned. "If there's no mirror
at home, one can always use urine. What kind of toad are you, hopping around on the streets? Get away from me!"
Tian Hai was stunned. He had never thought that there would be a day when his words of charm would fail.
This opening line had served him well in the past, and he couldn't believe it wasn't working this time.
He audaciously assessed Gu Zi's appearance, her well-endowed breasts, and shapely behind, contemplating the satisfaction of touching them.
In his experience, women like her were the most likely to respond to his advances.
There was no way he would give up so easily..
...
Chapter 95. My Man Is Awesome
Tian Hai decided to take a bold gamble. He leered at Gu Zi and said, "Zizi, you look as delicate as a flower. Surely, you need the attention of many men. I'm willing to be your lover."
Gu Zi felt like retching and quickly covered herself with Su Shen's coat, fearing that those lecherous eyes would see what they shouldn't.
Disgusted, she spat and returned to where the skates were.
But the man ran ahead, blocking her path, relentless in his provocation. "Su Shen can't have children anyway. Marrying him means you'll be a widow sooner or later. Where will you find an outstanding lover like me then?"
Tian Hai thought any woman willing to marry Su Shen would surely notice him. He was younger, unmarried, an only child from the city, and not burdened with children.
Su Shen publicly claimed he married solely to care for several children, having no intention of having more. He could deceive others with that, but not Tian Hai. Men have their pride; who would admit their sexual dysfunction?
"Don't spew nonsense with your foul mouth! Su Shen is perfectly fine. If you keep this up, I'll tell him immediately when he arrives that you're harassing me!"
She couldn't confront a man head-on in public; if he laid a hand on her and refused to let go, it would only seem like an ambiguous relationship.
In this world, most people care little about the truth; they're drawn to spectacles and gossip. Gu Zi didn't want to be part of that spectacle.
She also didn't want Su Shen to witness her entangled with such a person.
For now, she could only deal with his nonsense until Su Shen appeared.
Tian Hai, seeing her firmness, felt more driven to conquer the woman before him.
He continued to tease her. "It's too tiring for you to always pretend. If you're with me, I won't tell Su Shen. You're young and don't understand the loneliness women feel. But you'll find out soon enough. It's terrible."
"Hmph! You dare compare yourself to my Su Shen? Who told you Su Shen is incapable? My man is amazing. Trash like you belongs in the bin!"
Gu Zi's eyes reddened at the anger. When she saw Su Shen coming out, she hurriedly ran towards him.
Tian Hai, driven by impulse earlier, hadn't considered the consequences. Seeing Su Shen now, his legs turned to jelly.
He was determined to bed this beautiful woman, but he'd have to figure it out later.
He knew women too well; they might resist verbally, but if you persist, they'd eventually comply.
He wasn't afraid of her telling Su Shen; Su Shen hadn't heard his words, so what could she do?
Moreover, Su Jing, that idiot, supported him. With these thoughts, Tian Hai slipped away.
Seeing Gu Zi's unhappy expression, Su Shen asked, "Are you okay?"
Su Shen never liked Su Jing's boyfriend, yet Su Jing cherished him. It was a matter of others' emotions, so Su Shen didn't say much. But he never expected that the man was so flirtatious and shameless, actually hitting on Gu Zi just now.
Gu Zi didn't hide what happened and told him, "Tian Hai said many provocative things to me just now. I didn't expect him to be so audacious."
For other matters, Gu Zi might have tolerated it, not wanting to make things difficult for Su Shen. But this, she couldn't tolerate at all.
Su Shen did not expect this at all. That bastard!
He slammed his hand hard on the wall, creating a dent as the wall plaster fell.
Apologetically looking at Gu Zi, he said, "I'm going to find him right now!" and turned to head to Su Jing's place.
Gu Zi, seeing his demeanor, momentarily doubted if this was the same mature man she knew.
There was a teenage-like fire in his eyes, as if he were ready for a showdown.
Hurriedly catching up and holding him back, she explained, "No, no, no! I don't want you to fight him, Su Shen. I meant if he wants to work at the pig farm, please don't agree, okay?"
"Sorry! I didn't think about these things." Su Shen still wanted to drag the scoundrel out and teach him a lesson, but Gu Zi held onto his hand, asking him not to go.
After calming down, he mentally noted this incident.
He told Gu Zi, "If he appears in front of you again, contact me immediately. I won't consider giving him a job."
Relieved upon hearing this, Gu Zi believed that as long as Tian Hai couldn't work at the pig farm, he wouldn't bother her again..
...
Chapter 96. Father's Back
Gu Zi thought of the bean jelly grass that was drying in the sun at home and forgot about the unhappy episode with Tian Hai.
She said to Su Shen, "Let's go to the Revival Store. I want to buy some things." Su Shen adjusted his mood and took her to the Revival Store.
She bought edible alkali, cornstarch, brown sugar, wolfberries, and also some canned fruits. Su Shen didn't know what she was planning, but he didn't find accompanying her boring. He enjoyed being her bearer of things and the feeling of paying the bill.
As they returned from the city to Daqing Village, Su Li and Su Bing were just returning from school. They met at the village entrance and walked home together.
Su Li walked very slowly because his body had not fully recovered.
Su Shen walked up and squatted down.
Gu Zi took Su Li's backpack and said to him, "Su Li, go ahead."
Su Li couldn't believe what was happening. Was Dad going to carry him?
But now, this love and warmth were right in front of him.
He walked over and lay on his father's broad back. His father lifted him and walked forward, feeling stable and secure on his father's back.
The teacher had previously assigned a task to write a heartwarming piece about "father's back."
He hadn't known what to write, so he wrote something random to please the teacher.
But now, he decided he would rewrite a paragraph to give to the teacher!
Su Bing looked at Gu Zi. He knew well that since the stepmother arrived, not only had their meals improved, but even their father had become gentler and more attentive.
All these changes were because of her arrival.
And she even saved the lives of the three siblings!
The icy demeanor in Su Bing's eyes seemed to slowly melt, and his gaze became warmer.
Gu Zi approached and took his school bag, smiling, "Lele is at Aunt Zhang's.
Could you help bring her back?"
Su Bing nodded and quickly walked ahead.
As the family entered the yard, Big Yellow, who was freely roaming in the yard, came to greet them.
It wagged its tail, its triangular eyes shining. It first went to Gu Zits feet and then rubbed against Su Shen's pants.
Su Shen put down the younger one and petted Big Yellow's head, knowing his old companion had turned traitor.
Among their group in the past, Big Yellow always bonded with him first because it was a pet he had during his military days, creating a deep bond between man and animal.
Gu Zi teased Su Shen intentionally, "Don't get jealous. It likes me mainly because..."
Before Gu Zi could finish her sentence, the man stood up, his tall figure illuminated by the bright light from the porch, making his handsome face appear even more profound and charming.
The prominent Adam's apple on his neck highlighted the mature man's unique charm.
Gu Zi squinted slightly, feeling a bit dizzy. This man's appearance was excessively superior.
"I'm not jealous of you." He was actually a bit jealous of Big Yellow.
This woman was so gentle and attentive; even Big Yellow could sense it. It was reasonable for Big Yellow to like her.
Gu Zi didn't catch the meaning in his eyes and casually said, "Let's go inside first. We haven't seen Lele all day."
As Gu Zi entered the house, Lele slid off the sofa and reached out towards her, "Mommy, want mommy!"
Gu Zi hugged the little girl and fed her some canned fruit that she had just bought. She cut the big peach into small pieces and fed Lele bit by bit.
"Su Li, you and Su Bing can share the rest of the canned fruits. There are a few cans left. If the medicine tastes bitter later, you can eat some by yourself."
Su Li held the transparent can and drooled as he looked at the golden fruit chunks inside.
He didn't feel the medicine was bitter at all; with the stepmother's canned fruits, his heart felt sweet.
"Thank you, stepmom. I'll wait for my brother to come down and eat together!"
In those times, canned fruits were a luxury item people brought when visiting others. Eating canned fruits was considered quite extravagant.
But Gu Zi knew how to make canned fruits.
She bought many fresh seasonal fruits today and some necessary materials. Tomorrow, she could make canned fruits herself.
Once she made them, she could give some to the Lin family and share some with the neighbor Aunt Zhang.
But she was a bit troubled. Where could she find containers?
She glanced at Su Shen.. "Could you help me find some glass jars with lids?"
...
Chapter 97. Magical Stepmother
Su Shen said, "Of course, what kind of jars do you need?"
Gu Zi pointed to several cans of fruit and said, "Something similar to these. I want to make fruit preserves."
A hint of surprise flashed in Su Shen's eyes. Was there anything she couldn't
"No problem, I'll have someone bring them over tomorrow."
Gu Zi expressed her satisfaction. This man was reliable when it came to getting things done.
She placed Lele on the sofa and then turned to go to the kitchen to cook.
Seeing this, Su Shen followed. When he saw Gu Zi turning back with a puzzled look in her big eyes, he said, "I can help you."
He had never found cooking enjoyable before; he just believed that if people needed to eat, food had to be made.
But in Gu Zi's enthusiasm for cooking, he saw her passion, making him understand that cooking was a heartwarming activity. Cooking together with family was a joyful process.
Gu Zi didn't refuse his offer, and the two of them busied themselves in the kitchen.
In the living room, Su Li and Su Bing were eating canned fruits together.
They wanted to share some with their little sister, but their stepmom had mentioned that she shouldn't eat too much, so they could only let her watch them eat.
"This is my first time eating canned fruits. They're so delicious!" The sweetness felt like it was reaching his heart!
Seeing his younger brother enjoying it so much, Su Bing didn't say anything, just ate a piece and didn't have any more.
Su Li, relishing the fruits, said to Su Bing, "Once, a classmate in our class brought half a bottle of canned fruits. He was so proud! He only gave a small piece to those he was close to, not me. But now I get to eat it!"
When Gu Zi heard this while coming out of the kitchen, she staunchly said, "Then tomorrow, you should also bring a can to school, share it with your good friends, give each of them a big piece!" Su Li stared wide-eyed at Gu Zi. "Really?"
"Of course!" Gu Zi nodded and went to feed Lele.
Because Lele ate slowly, Gu Zi was used to feeding her first.
Su Li clapped happily. "Bro, we have Dad and Stepmom supporting us from now on!"
Surprisingly, Su Bing replied this time with a simple "Hmm" and didn't discourage Su Li as he used to.
Su Li felt not only had Dad changed, but it seemed like even his brother had changed! Stepmom was truly a magical woman.
After the family finished dinner, Su Shen prepared to go upstairs. Gu Zi stopped him, asking, "Would you like to watch TV with us?" Su Shen paused for a moment, then sat back down on the sofa.
He wasn't accustomed to watching TV, but he couldn't bear to refuse Gu Zi's invitation.
Initially, it was quite quiet, with only the sound from the television.
Later, Su Li had many questions for Gu Zi, such as how the TV turned actors small and then placed them inside.
Gu Zi earnestly explained using simple words to describe the TV's imaging principle.
Not only did Su Li listen attentively, but Su Bing and Lele were also engrossed. Occasionally, Lele even nodded as if she truly understood, which amused everyone.
Su Shen's gaze remained on Gu Zi. He knew she was a very intelligent and Imowledgeable woman, but he had some doubts. Was marrying him a setback for her?
Perhaps he should ask her again if she had really thought it through. He didn't want to hold Gu Zi back.
The atmosphere in the Su family was exceptionally warm. Women passing by heard the laughter and felt their teeth ache from its sweetness. "This city woman is so beautiful and educated. I bet she won't stay long."
"I agree. How could such a woman willingly become a stepmother and be so good to the children?"
"When that woman completely controls the Su family's money, the tough times for Su's children will begin!"
The next day, the sun was shining brightly. Gu Zi took out the jelly bean grass and spread it out in the yard, letting it soak up the sunlight.
Then, she brought out starfruits, peaches, pears, and oranges to process. She washed what needed to be washed and peeled what needed peeling.
But not long after, someone knocked on the door. When she went out, she saw a man with a center-parted hairstyle standing outside the gate.
Big Yellow saw him but didn't bark, just wagged its tail. Gu Zi guessed he was a friend of Su Shen.
When she came out, the man called out, "Sis-in-law, I'm Jin Long. Brother Shen asked me to bring you the jars."
At the moment he saw Gu Zi, the man was stunned by her beauty.. He had only heard that Brother Shen's city wife was good-looking, but he didn't expect her to be this beautiful!
...
Chapter 98. A Good Man Who Comes Home Often
Gu Zi opened the door and greeted the man outside. She noticed a tricycle behind him, carrying several large boxes.
Jin Long helped her move all the boxes inside before leaving, his face still red when he departed.
He had never seen such a gorgeous woman before!
But wait, how did such a gorgeous woman like her fall for Su Shen? It wasn't that Su Shen wasn't good, but with those three children, most women probably couldn't accept that!
He thought and hastened the tricycle's pace. He had to hurry back and ask Su Shen about it.
Gu Zi opened all the boxes and roughly counted. There were at least a hundred jars here. It was more than enough!
She took out twenty glass jars she needed and placed them on the ground. After washing them all, she boiled water in a big pot, sterilized the bottles by boiling, then turned them upside down to air-dry.
After finishing these tasks, she prepared a large basin of diluted saltwater and continued processing the fruits.
She placed the prepared pear chunks, starfruit slices, and peach pieces into the diluted saltwater to prevent oxidation and browning.
Next, she filled the jars with these fruit pieces, layering them with sugar. Finally, leaving a two-centimeter gap from the top, she poured in cool boiled water and lightly covered the jars.
She then steamed the filled jars on a large pot for half an hour before taking them out, tightly sealing the lids, and letting them naturally cool.
It was almost noon when Gu Zi finished making twenty jars of fruit preserves.
Su Shen had told her he had social engagements in the city today and didn't need a meal.
Looking at the ingredients at home, she cooked a large plate of ham and sausage fried rice and a bowl of tomato pork soup. Those were enough for her and Lele.
After lunch, she stood for a while to pass the time, then took Lele for a nap.
When she woke up, she was startled. Where was Lele?
She quickly opened the door and went downstairs, only to realize that she had worried for nothing.
Su Le was sitting on the sofa and eating peanut candy. Her eyes were watery as if she had cried.
Su Shen sat opposite her with a slightly confused expression on his handsome face. He probably didn't know how to get along with such a young child.
When he saw Gu Zi coming down, he explained, "I just got back from the city. I heard Lele's voice while changing upstairs, and seeing you were still asleep, I brought her down first. She might not have liked it and started crying."
After bringing Lele down, he was at a loss and could only sit on the sofa, watching her cry, not knowing what to do or say.
Gu Zi took Lele into her arms, and Lele offered her the peanut candy.
In a gentle voice, Gu Zi said, "Lele, be a good girl and eat it yourself!" She pushed the candy back to Lele, who placed it near Gu Zi's mouth again. Su Shen noticed that this time, Gu Zi didn't just push it back but pretended to take a bite.
Lele joyfully danced around, and this problem was easily solved. He couldn't help but admire Gu Zi's ability to coax children.
Gu Zi gave him some guidance. 'You need to comfort children when they cry. You can hold her and say, 'Lele, be a good girl, don't cry. Shall Dad hold Lele and play with Big Yellow?' Try to find ways to talk to her."
Su Shen nodded after listening, "I will change and learn. I'll learn how to get along with the children."
Gu Zi found the look of the big man's eager-to-learn demeanor quite adorable and couldn't help but smile.
She asked Su Shen, "Aren't you going to the pig farm this afternoon?"
Su Shen said, "Jin Long is taking care of it. I had a bit to drink in the city and wanted to come back to rest."
Actually, he wanted to come back and spend time with them. Gu Zi said that a man who often returns home is a good man, so he did just that.
Upon hearing that he had a bit to drink, Gu Zi made a pot of tea in the kitchen. "Have some tea. It'll make you feel better."
Su Shen nodded, saying to her, "Thanks! I brought some snacks from the city for you. Would you like to try?"
Gu Zi had already noticed the pile of snacks on the low table, a mixture of various fragrances that almost made her dizzy.
But was it just a bit? She glanced roughly and saw sesame balls, cold noodles, pan-fried meat patties, meat dumplings, and at least a dozen different snacks.
Was this really just a bit?
Regardless, since it was for her, she didn't hesitate and generously sat down to start tasting.
Su Shen's gaze fell on her hand holding the chopsticks, which, like her, was beautiful, with nails that were translucent white..
...
Chapter 99. Feeding The Man
"Are these not to your liking?"
Su Shen saw that the woman did not eat directly. Instead, she used a plate to separate the snacks.
He thought she might not like them, and he surprisingly felt a bit nervous.
Gu Zi quickly divided all the snacks and saved some of each.
"We definitely can't finish them all, so I'm saving some for Su Bing and Su Li to taste later." After saying this, she started eating, resembling a little greedy cat with a sparkle in her eyes.
Observing this, Su Shen's lips slightly curved upward, and he didn't say anything further.
As he watched her and Lele enjoy the snacks, he also felt a sense of contentment.
In the next moment, the woman's beautiful fingers suddenly approached him.
She said, "You should try this lemon-shredded chicken, it's delicious!" Gu Zi loved sharing food, so she instinctively fed Su Shen.
But when the chicken was near the man's mouth, she realized this feeding action was too intimate.
Wasn't it too early for them to be doing this? But she couldn't do much about it now since she had already said it; there was no reason to take it back.
In order to hide her embarrassment, she even winked at the man, looking charming and seductive.
Su Shen was stunned for a moment. His mouth quickly secreted liquid, and his appetite swelled at this moment.
He didn't know if it was because of her blinking or the taste of the shredded chicken, but he opened his mouth and ate the chicken that she fed him.
The meat was tender, tangy, and refreshing.
"It's delicious, thank you," Su Shen said.
Gu Zi smiled and handed him a pair of chopsticks, saying, "Let's eat together. Here, for you."
Su Shen took it and realized he hadn't really wanted to eat those foods in the first place. The desire he'd felt earlier wasn't for the food but for this woman—more like a desire for intimacy rather than hunger.
Su Shen's gaze deepened as he took a deep breath to compose himself.
Meanwhile, Gu Zi was only focused on enjoying the delicacies and did not notice the change in his gaze.
Perhaps she felt that eating on the sofa was not satisfying enough, so she took a mat and laid it on the floor.
She brought Lele to the ground and sat down. She placed her elbows on the low table and squinted her beautiful eyes in satisfaction.
With slightly flushed cheeks and lips glistening with oil, she ate with full concentration.
Seeing this scene, Su Shen, who had initially decided not to eat anymore, couldn't resist picking up the chopsticks and eating a little.
The two didn't engage in further conversation while eating. Only Lele
occasionally called "Daddy" or "Mommy," enlivening the atmosphere.
After finishing the snacks, Gu Zi rubbed her slightly bulging stomach and hummed a little tune. She was quite content.
She rested for a while, then took Lele to the courtyard to collect jelly bean grasses.
She put the dried bean jelly grass into the bamboo basket. Lele followed behind her and learned from her to put the bean jelly grass into the basket.
However, she could only take a little at a time. As she walked, the grass in her hand fell.
Every time, only one or two stalks of grass would be safely placed into the basket. Gu Zi laughed in amusement.
Su Shen came out of the kitchen and said to Gu Zi, "I've cut the spare ribs. Let me help you with this."
With his strength, he quickly collected the few remaining jelly bean grass on the ground. He picked up the basket and walked inside.
He was wearing a white singlet. His solid and powerful arms were visible, and his veins were faintly visible on his hand as he carried the basket, appearing exceptionally sexy and enticing.
Gu Zi carried Su Le and followed him in. She did not forget to praise the man, "You're so strong; you finished in a few movements. Lele, isn't Dad amazing?
Lele widened her eyes and nodded unexpectedly, saying, "Yes," surprising Gu Zi.
Su Shen also turned to look at Su Le, not expecting her to speak so much already!
He felt that a simple thank you couldn't express his gratitude to Gu Zi. Therefore, he secretly resolved to treat Gu Zi better.
Su Bing and Su Li smelled the delicious fragrance as soon as they entered the courtyard. They hurried in and saw their stepmother bringing a plate of hot food to the low table.
"These are snacks your father brought back from the city. I heated them for you. Eat while they're warm, finish your homework afterward. Dad will be making dinner!"
Su Bing looked toward the kitchen, his eyes shining.
Su Li jumped up in joy and exclaimed, "Great! We haven't eaten Dad's cooking in a long time!"
...