A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Back in Nanjing, Miss Tian's parents and wife began to make arrangements for the wedding. This was Gui'er's second time meeting Miss Tian's parents. The first time was at the engagement party. I heard that Miss Tian's parents were also government officials and wealthy wives.

Dingxiang learned from other servants that Miss Tian's father actually came from a humble family. He had come to Nanjing with Director Tian to work hard and was fortunate enough to marry Miss Tian's mother. With the help of Miss Tian's mother's family, the two brothers were able to secure official positions. Miss Tian's father was just an ordinary clerk, while Director Tian had become very successful and now took it upon himself to look after his brothers and their families.

However, Miss Tian's parents, especially her mother, were very proud and had originally planned to find a son of a high-ranking official in Nanjing for their daughter. However, they ended up marrying the eldest son of the Sha family. While this was acceptable, they were still not entirely satisfied. Therefore, during the marriage discussions with Madam, Miss Tian's parents were always arrogant and demanded her full approval. Madam, out of respect for Director Tian, tolerated this, surprising Gui'er. Madam, who appeared kind but actually had a temper and a strong air, was so amiable this time.

Miss Tian, on the other hand, seemed to have regained her former indulgent personality after returning to Nanjing. She often invited Gui'er to go to the opera or to a card game with her. After her experience in Jiangcheng, Gui'er was too foolish to go with her. She found excuses to refuse each and every time. Later, when the frequent refusals became too frequent and the lady asked her why she was not close to her future sister-in-law, Gui'er was forced to accompany Miss Tian to the mall and the movies once or twice. She was very cautious and would only feel at ease if Ah Cheng accompanied her.

Miss Tian even went out with her cousin often and brought her cousin to the Sha Mansion without any hesitation. To outsiders, this might seem like a sign of a good relationship between cousins, but Dingxiang received a rumor that Miss Tian and her cousin had actually been in a relationship before, and Miss Tian even had an abortion for her cousin, which might have affected her fertility.

However, even though Sha Yanyao saw it, he did not stop it, and even entertained his cousin warmly. However, when Miss Tian was not around, she would often go to Jinbao's room. Now, all the servants in the Sha Mansion knew about the relationship between Sha Yanyao and Jinbao, and everyone called her Miss Jinbao very respectfully.

Dingxiang said to Guier privately, "I'm afraid the Second Young Master and Miss Tian will just have their own affairs from now on."

Gui'er felt helpless as she watched the chaotic situation at the Sha Mansion unfold, wanting only to stay out of it. Aside from school, she tried to spend as little time at home as possible, spending more time at Miss Shen's and Zhou Huifang's homes.

She informed Miss Shen about the situation in the Sha Mansion. After hearing this, Miss Shen couldn't help but worry about her and suggested, "Guier, if you really don't like living there, just come and live with me. The Shen Mansion is very spacious anyway." But Guier considered that doing so might embarrass the people in the eldest house, so she didn't dare to agree for the time being.

One day after school, Gui'er and Zhou Huifang were strolling through the shops near the school as usual when they suddenly saw a familiar figure flash by. Gui'er only saw the back of the figure. She hurried out onto the street and suddenly realized that the man had lost most of one of his ears. It was Liang Guowei. He had also come to Nanjing!

Zhou Huifang also ran out of the store and said to Guier, "What's wrong with you? Did you see anyone you know? Why did you suddenly run out?"

Gui'er had no choice but to say, "No, I thought it was someone I knew, but it turned out I was mistaken."

As soon as she separated from Zhou Huifang, Gui'er said to Ah Cheng, "Brother Ah Cheng, I think I saw Liang Guowei. I heard he has relatives here, and they have connections with high-ranking government officials. Please contact Wu Mingqiang immediately. Before I left, he said he would come and investigate Liang Guowei's family. I wonder how the investigation is going?"

Ah Cheng hurried away after receiving the order. The next morning, when he was at school, he said to Gui'er, "Miss, I found Brother Qiang. He's investigating. But it seems that this Liang family uncle does know some high-ranking people. He's preparing to conduct an in-depth investigation, but he said it would take some time. He also asked you to be careful when going out during this period and never act alone."

Gui'er nodded. In fact, she didn't dare to take the risk alone. In addition to bringing Ah Cheng with her, she would also bring the pocket pistol that Sha Yanxiao had given her, just in case.

Soon, the date for Miss Tian and Sha Yanyao's wedding was set. During this period, Miss Tian dragged Guier to try on wedding dresses all day long. She tried many sets and finally chose a style. She then directly adjusted the fabric and had it custom-made. It was said that the fabric was imported from France.

After receiving it, Guier couldn't help but marvel at the white Republic of China cheongsam wedding gown. Crafted from premium silk, its slim fit perfectly frames her figure. The Western-style train at the hem is intricately hand-embroidered. The neckline and cuffs are inlaid with delicate lace and embellished with tiny sequins, shimmering brilliantly in the light. Paired with a floor-length white veil, its lace edges complement the dress, and accessorized with a pearl necklace, the gown exudes a sense of luxury and elegance.

After getting the wedding dress, Gui'er was sent back to the Sha Mansion first. The lady warmly invited Miss Tian to come in and sit for a while before leaving. Miss Chen agreed, walked into the hall, and took out the wedding dress she had just brought back. Everyone who saw it said it was very beautiful.

Jin Bao was already a little pregnant at this time. She walked forward with envy, touched the wedding dress with her hands, and said, "Isn't this material very expensive? It's pearl-colored and has hidden patterns. This is the first time I've seen it."

Miss Tian said: "Don't touch your wedding dress when you are pregnant. It's unlucky."

The lady quickly scolded Jin Bao, "Why don't you go back to your room and rest? You just run out and cause trouble."

Jinbao walked away with an embarrassed smile. Guier looked at her lonely back and sighed a little.

The wedding was about to take place, and this time, the Marshal unexpectedly rushed over from Jiangcheng, bringing along his fourth concubine and her two children. Sha Lili was very excited and insisted on taking Guier to visit the scenic spots in Nanjing. Guier couldn't resist her, so she had to go out for a walk with her and also try some Nanjing's special foods.

On the day of the wedding, the Central Hotel was ablaze with lights. The bride was the daughter of a high-ranking official, and the groom was a rising star in the political arena. Everyone was very respectful, and political leaders and business tycoons from all walks of life came to the wedding.

Black cars filed into the hotel entrance, uniformed doormen bustling about. Inside the banquet hall, a gramophone played the melodious "Blue Danube," and crystal chandeliers cast a soft glow. Sha Yanyao wore a crisp Mao suit, a badge of status pinned to his chest. Miss Tian wore her couture cheongsam wedding gown, with Gui'er and Sha Lili standing beside her as bridesmaids.