A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

That day, Gui'er was at work when the head nurse came in. She said to her in a flattering tone, "Nurse Sha, someone's looking for you."

Gui'er was confused. Before she could turn around, a familiar and clear voice came from behind her: "Guier, do you remember me?"

Guier turned around and saw that it was Tong Yujun. After not seeing her for a few years, she had grown a lot taller and was wearing an expensive dress, the style of which was different from the local fashion. It was obvious that she had returned from another place. The childishness on her face had faded, and she had more of the style of a fashionable woman from a big city. She was particularly eye-catching in this small town, and the nurses and doctors passing by couldn't help but take a few more glances at her.

Gui'er was overjoyed and quickly stepped forward to hold her hand and said, "Yujun, it's been a long time since we last met. When did you come back?"

"I just got here last night, and I heard from my uncle that you're working as a nurse in the hospital now. I never thought you'd actually go down this path."

"Uncle?" Gui'er thought for a moment before realizing it was Song Xichen she was referring to. She quickly said, "By the way, I heard you guys are coming back to hold your wedding. Congratulations. When's the auspicious date?"

Tong Yujun smiled shyly, took out a bright red invitation with gold foil from her handbag, handed it to her and said, "Here, this is yours. You can be my bridesmaid when the time comes. We are going to have a Western-style wedding. Oh, and I have also prepared a bridesmaid dress for you. Try it on when the time comes. If it doesn't fit, ask a tailor to alter it immediately."

Gui'er felt that this was very similar to a modern wedding, and she couldn't help but feel a little excited. She said happily, "Great. Where do you live now? The Song Mansion?"

Tong Yujun said, "How is that possible? My father takes my wedding very seriously. He didn't let Xi Lun and I get too close before the wedding. He was afraid that others would laugh at me and say I was trying to get close to them. We saw each other every day when we were in Hong Kong. I'm not used to not being able to see each other during this period."

Gui'er listened to her seemingly complaining but actually sweet speech and felt happy for her from the bottom of her heart. She smiled and said, "It's not surprising that your father has such a request. After all, you are his only daughter who married off in a grand manner."

Tong Yujun heard this and gave a wry smile. "How could that be? My father's concubine has already given birth to a son and a daughter. My younger brother is being trained as the heir, but he's still young. My sister helps out at my father's company. She said she would never give the family business away. She and my brother-in-law are working very hard, but my father still thinks his son is the legitimate heir."

Gui Er sighed inwardly. Such situations were inevitable in wealthy families. She quickly changed the subject and said, "Have you met He Ruizhu? She's now a well-known female boss of a foreign company."

Tong Yujun said happily, "I heard about that too. She's divorced, which is great. She's truly an independent woman who dares to break free from an unhappy marriage. By the way, I've made an appointment with her for dinner. Let's go together when you get off work."

Guier happily agreed without thinking, and even called Sha Yanxiao in advance to inform him that she would be having dinner with her classmates.

In the evening, Guier changed into casual clothes and went with Tong Yujun to the western restaurant on the second floor of Wing On Department Store where they used to eat together.

He Ruizhu was already waiting at the window seat, wearing a neatly tailored dark green suit that made her look tall and straight. A silver watch on her wrist flashed as she raised her hand. She had lost her former gentleness and looked more capable than a businesswoman.

"Ruizhu, long time no see!" Tong Yujun smiled and sat down, putting her bag aside. "You're becoming more and more impressive as the boss of a foreign company."

He Ruizhu smiled and poured lemonade for them. "I'm just trying to make a living. How can I compare to you, who's about to become a bride?" She looked at Gui'er. "Have you been doing well recently? I heard some news that the Marshal's Mansion is... quite a lot going on..."

Gui'er hadn't expected that the outsiders had already heard about the unusual movements in the mansion. She didn't know where to begin, and telling them too much about the things in the General's mansion wouldn't do them any good, so she smiled and said, "I'm fine. I'm just an adopted daughter, a marginal figure. The big things that happened there basically have nothing to do with me."

The waiter brought the menu. Tong Yujun ordered a filet mignon and cream of mushroom soup. She smiled and said, "Ruizhu, I heard your foreign company is the only one in Jiangcheng right now. So many ladies come to you with money begging for goods. Tell me how you've grown your business so big."

He Ruizhu stirred the lemon slice in her glass and said calmly, "There's no secret. It's just a matter of being brave. I used to rely on others, but later I realized that relying on others is not as good as relying on myself." She paused, a hint of relief flashing in her eyes. "The divorce was the hardest. His family spread bad things about me, saying I was restless, but I insisted on putting on some show. Now it's all over."

Gui'er's heart warmed when she heard this: "You are really amazing, I can't do it like you."

"You're not bad either." Tong Yujun patted her hands. "It's harder for you to stay true to yourself and become a nurse in a place like the Marshal's Mansion than for us. We all rely on our families, but you're the only one who left the protection of your family and got a job on your own. I never dared to imagine what it would be like for me to go out and work."

Gui'er felt a little embarrassed by what she said and quickly changed the subject: "You're lucky. You don't have to go out on your own. Isn't that better? Tell me about your wedding. Is a Western-style wedding going to require a white wedding dress? Have you booked everything yet?"

Tong Yujun's attention was diverted, and her eyes lit up. "Of course I have to wear it! I ordered it specially from France. The skirt is very long, and I have to wear a veil on my head. Oh, and we need a pastor to officiate the wedding. You have to stand by my side and help me hold up the skirt." She sighed and said, "Speaking of which, my dad still thinks Western-style weddings are too ostentatious. He insisted that I add a Chinese-style ceremony, worshiping heaven and earth, saying that this is the only way to be considered a 'proper wedding.'"

"It's good to do both, it's lively." He Ruizhu cut a piece of steak. "I think the form is not important. The key is to be happy. Like me now, I go to the foreign company every day to check the accounts. When I have free time, I go to the opera with friends. It's much more comfortable than being around him before."

Gui Er thought of the intrigues in the Marshal's Mansion and the daily life of saving the dying and healing the wounded in the hospital. She said softly, "No matter how I live, it's good to be able to make my own decisions."

The lights outside the window were just beginning to light up, casting a warm glow on the faces of the three people. The waiter brought the dessert. The icing on the caramel pudding shimmered. Tong Yujun forked a piece and raised it to her lips, saying with a smile, "We always order this dessert when we come here. Let's try it and see if the taste has changed."

Gui'er and He Ruizhu also used a fork to eat some. The taste was still the same, but the feeling of eating was different. After meeting again after these few years, it felt like everyone had embarked on different paths in life.