Jin Long, having placed the wine, left without saying much more. In his heart, he calculated that once Su Shen understood the purpose of the wine, he would surely be grateful.
He didn't need any thanks. As long as Su Shen remembered that he was a good brother, it would be fine.
Meanwhile, at the Su residence.
Gu Zi, after returning home, didn't idle away her time. Though she aspired for a leisurely life, she understood that quality living didn't equate to a life of languor. Gu Zi believed that total idleness could lead to one's downfall, a fate she intended to avoid.
She and her daughter, Su Le, played games in the yard, letting their dog, Big Yellow, roam freely, reveling in the family's company.
Afterward, Gu Zi let Su Le watch TV while she went upstairs to change the bed sheets, soaking the used ones in preparation for washing later that evening.
Suddenly craving something sweet, Gu Zi stepped out to buy some traditional sour yogurt. She then made a fruit salad using the yogurt, various fruits from home, crushed peanuts, raisins, goji berries, and crumbled soda biscuits.
Enjoying the fruit salad while watching TV and occasionally playing with Su Le, Gu Zi relished the comfort and simplicity of her life. Her plans were straightforward: care for her children while preparing for university exams.
Once enrolled, she would balance motherhood with her studies, and when Lele was old enough for kindergarten, she could focus more on herself.
By then, she would have a family and a degree. It would be a good choice for her to go abroad for further studies or to do something that she was interested in.
Unlike her previous life, where she toiled endlessly for money without a sense of poetry or purpose, Gu Zi no longer aimed just to survive but to live with quality.
Her previous experiences in the workforce, where initial aspirations were overshadowed by the complexities of office politics, had taught her harsh lessons. The glorified strength and independence she was supposed to feel as a woman persisting through sickness and relentless work felt more like brainwashing.
In that life, men and women alike became mere cogs in a machine, often with disproportionate effort and reward. Companies claimed to want wolves, not sheep, but paid just enough for a grass diet. How could a wolf thrive on grass? Or a grass-fed wolf have the strength to hunt?
The truth was that most companies didn't want wolves; they wanted sheep in wolves' clothing. Even in their grass diets, there was disparity: some ate basic grass for lack of choice, while others, through relentless effort, afforded branded grass, maintaining a facade of prestige.
Even when she realized that she might have been brainwashed by some upper-class societal mechanism, it was too late. Like most, she was already trapped in that pattern, unable to break free — and that was the most terrifying part.
Fortunate to have been given a new lease on life. Gil Zi was determined to cherish and enjoy this second chance fully.
Thus, she had no plans for more children. Gu Zi felt that while it was acceptable not to have contraceptives on her first night, moving forward, she needed to be vigilant.
Condoms were becoming widely available in this era, as she discovered through an online search. Almost every city had latex factories producing them for department stores, and some towns even installed condom vending machines for easy access. What surprised her the most was the environmental consciousness of the era – the condoms were reusable!
Since they were going to the city tomorrow, Gu Zi planned to take the opportunity to buy some condoms. This way, they would not have to worry too much about getting pregnant.
When Su Bing and Su Li returned from school, they were greeted by the rich aroma of milk. Gu Zi, having just prepared two bowls of fruit salad, told them, "Eat this first to tide you over before your homework. I'll start cooking dinner soon. "
Su Li, eyeing a bowl of fruit salad, quickly grabbed it, saying, "Thanks, Mom! I passed my math test – got sixty-five!"
Su Bing, more reserved, picked up the other bowl and thanked Gu Zi. His math test score was a perfect hundred, leaving no room for improvement..
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