Gu Zi said to Gong Xin, "I'm going to drop off something for the kids' dad. You stay home; you can watch TV or read. I'll take you to the station later."
Gong Xin hastily finished most of the mushroom soup in her bowl and stood up. "I'm not as diligent as you; I don't love to read books. I'll come with you and see your 'old man' ", she remarked.
She felt compelled to see who this man was, prompting Gu Zi, the studious overachiever, to stay home, cook soup, and look after the children.
At the same time, she felt that the two boys of the Su family were too terrifying. She could not imagine how suffocating it would be to stay alone with them.
Without objection, Gu Zi took her along to the pig farm.
Arriving at the farm's lobby, they found Jin Long on the truck, cleaning it with a hose.
When Jin Long spotted the cheerful Gu Zi, his eyes brightened. But as his gaze shifted to the woman beside her, he felt a sudden awkwardness.
The woman had short, bobbed hair, and a slightly upturned nose. She appeared lively and clever.
Her ensemble, with a red short-sleeved top paired with bright yellow shorts, cinched with a light yellow belt, and carrying a black handbag, clearly suggested she hailed from the city, much like Gu Zi.
Jin Long, feeling self-conscious in his bare-chested, rough-looking state, abruptly diverted his gaze.
After inquiring about Su Shen's whereabouts, Gu Zi proceeded toward him with the thermos. However, Gong Xin, who had just been eager to see the 'old man', didn't follow.
Gong Xin gazed at the man on the truck, with his trendy middle-parted hairstyle and striking features radiating a sense of righteousness. Surprisingly, he resembled a movie star. But now, with no shirt on and sporting slippers, he exuded a rugged, rustic charm that made Gong Xin's blood boil.
This man had an amazing physique. Were there really such handsome men in the countryside? Wait a minute, he seemed to be an employee here. Could she ask him about the 'old man'?
Noticing her lingering, Jin Long set down the hose, put on a shirt, and hopped down from the truck, his movements displaying ease.
"Are you a friend of Sister-in-law?" he inquired.
Jin Long had met quite a few city girls before, but she was the first who, despite seeing a shirtless man, didn't seem shy but rather kept staring. Gong Xin nodded, her eyes sparkling. "I'm Gong Xin. And you?"
"Jin Long," the man replied, leading her inside. He explained, "The farm has a bit of a smell, but we're all doing the cleaning work. Compared to other farms, the smell here is quite minimal."
Jin Long felt compelled to explain, perhaps out of politeness.
Gong Xin, however, didn't mind at all. Her grandparents had also dealt with pig farming when she was younger, so it wasn't unfamiliar to her. Every time she returned to the countryside, her happiest moment was to go to the pigsty and play with the little pigs. Jin Long could tell this girl wasn't that kind of delicate girl; she walked in without even covering her nose.
Indeed, people are of different kinds. He led Gong Xin to the office area for a rest and even fetched a drink for her. Gong Xin expressed her thanks without hesitation and inquired, "Why don't we see your boss around?"
"He's over by the water source, giving instructions to the staff. Sister-in-law should be looking for him there," Jin Long replied honestly. There had been some oversight among the employees today, and Su Shen was furious, more so than he'd been in a long time.
In such situations, he preferred to steer clear because when Su Shen got really angry, the pressure was too much to handle.
Gong Xin widened her eyes and whispered, "Is the 'old man' not easygoing? I've heard that men of a certain age tend to have a bad temper. Poor my dear sister, coming here to deliver food in this scorching heat. Is your boss not treating her well?"
Jin Long almost chuckled when he heard the girl calling Su Shen an 'old man.' Little did she know, he was often jealous of Su Shen.
Although he was younger, Su Shen looked better and maintained a perfect physique. Honestly, Jin Long often felt inferior in comparison.
Hardly anyone who had seen Su Shen could resist his charm. If Su Shen's conditions for marriage weren't so unique, plenty of women would have been willing to be his second wife.
"It's the employees' fault. If they hadn't messed up so badly, Su Shen wouldn't be so angry," he explained.
"Is he ugly?" Gong Xin nodded, not fully understanding.
If he were unattractive, she thought she might just avoid delving further into this. She couldn't bear the reality of seeing someone so much less worthy with the gem that was Gu Zi..
...