Unable to endure the hardships of rural life, she returned home to arrange a marriage with a militar

Remembering Shu Yun's near-drowning experience, Gu Jun grabbed Shu Yun's hand in frustration and pulled her away from the lake. "Then let's not play this game."

He put his arm around Shu Yun's shoulder and walked to a small hill in the park. The view was lush and green, and the open and expansive scenery made him feel relaxed and refreshed.

Shu Yun saw that there was another children's facility below the small mound, with swings, seesaws, small sand piles, etc. Although the facilities were a bit simple, the children had a lot of fun.

Shu Yun noticed a simple swing not far from where the children were playing. It was hung between two trees by a rope and was in a somewhat remote location, so no one used it. Feeling childlike, she excitedly pulled Gu Jun over.

She sat on the swing, and Gu Jun pushed her. The swing swayed back and forth, and Shu Yun squinted comfortably in the wind. Her blue skirt fluttered in the air, drawing a beautiful arc.

Suddenly, Gu Jun stopped what he was doing. "Perhaps we should leave."

"Hmm?" Shu Yun followed Gu Jun's gaze and saw a little girl with pigtails not far away, sucking her little finger and staring intently in their direction, or more precisely, at the swing where Shu Yun was sitting.

When people looked over, the girl became a little shy. She glanced at the swing, then at Shu Yun, and then at Gu Jun.

Shu Yun suddenly felt the swing was burning hot, so she quickly stood up and waved to the girl, "Come sit down."

"Really?" The little girl's eyes lit up.

What kind of talk is this? It makes it sound like she's an unreasonable bully who snatches children's toys. But is she? Of course not!

Shu Yun gave a gentle and friendly smile, "Come here, I'm done playing."

The little girl was just running up to him happily.

Shu Yun and Gu Jun quietly left. Honghu Park is very large, with a wide and long lake called Honghu. Embankments and small bridges have been built around the lake. The two walked forward, but as soon as they reached the center of the park, Shu Yun was already exhausted. Her face was flushed and she was panting. "I can't walk anymore."

She found a shady spot under a tree and plopped down. Gu Jun poured her some water from his bag. He looked ahead and estimated that whether they continued forward or turned back, the distance would be about the same. After letting Shu Yun rest for a while, he suggested, "Shall I carry you out?"

"No way." Shu Yun refused. There were so many people in the park; if they carried her, she would become the center of attention. She was too shy to admit it!

"Let me rest a little longer, I'll be fine in a bit."

Helpless, Gu Jun pulled her to sit down on a park bench. "Let's rest." The two sat down, and Shu Yun comfortably let the wind caress her face. The leaves rustled, and it was very quiet and pleasant. For a while, neither of them spoke, but the atmosphere was harmonious and peaceful.

"Young man, this won't do. You need to find something to talk about. What's the point of chasing girls if you just sit there like that?" An old man carrying rain gear walked past the two of them, waving his hand as if he were someone who had done something great but was not.

Shu Yun and Gu Jun looked at each other, and Shu Yun chuckled, "I asked you to speak."

Gu Jun asked helplessly, "So what do you want to talk about?"

Shu Yun glared at him. "How did it become that I want to talk?"

Gu Jun thought for a moment and then told her about his past military life and the interesting things that happened between his comrades. However, Gu Jun's narration was straightforward and Shu Yun didn't find it interesting at all. She was tired from walking and felt a little sleepy.

“I heard from my sister-in-law that you fought a famous battle where you won against overwhelming odds, and that your heroic deeds were even included in textbooks. Why don’t you talk about that? I’d like to hear it.”

Gu Jun paused for a moment, then continued, "Actually, there's not much to say. That battle was very difficult and brutal. Our company sent a total of 120 men to participate in the battle, but only 6 of them actually returned..."

Gu Jun maintained his usual cold demeanor, but Shu Yun sensed the blood and tears in his voice. She unconsciously moved closer to Gu Jun, disregarding the fact that they were still outside, and took his hand, her fingers rubbing against the rough calluses on his palm.

The classic battle in which a smaller force defeated a larger one was a major turning point in Gu Jun's military career. Originally just an ordinary rural soldier with excellent qualities in all aspects, he stood out after this battle, became famous overnight, and made a name for himself in the minds of his superiors, which led to his subsequent promotion.

For Gu Jun, it was both glorious and painful. One by one, vibrant lives passed before his eyes as he journeyed alongside them. Their success was bought with the blood of countless soldiers.

Gu Jun's voice and tone remained unchanged. A gentle breeze blew by, dispelling the heat in Shu Yun's heart. She squeezed Gu Jun's hand and rested her head on his shoulder. "Don't say anything more."

Gu Jun put his arm around her. "That's all in the past."

"That's right, young man, you're making good progress." The old fisherman, who had returned, passed by them, casually leaving behind a single sentence, which startled Shu Yun and Gu Jun. Shu Yun immediately jumped away from Gu Jun.

How can that old man appear and disappear so mysteriously!

After resting enough, the two continued walking. The park was a circle, and they could see the exit as they walked. After walking for a while, Shu Yun's stamina gave out, and she slowed down again.

A young man on a bicycle sped past them. Shu Yun watched his departing figure with envy, regretting a thousand times over why she had parked her bike outside. Wouldn't it have been better to walk and ride?

Seeing that no one was around, Gu Jun picked the person up and said, "There aren't many people around here. I'll carry you first, and you can rest for a while. I'll put you down when there are more people around."

And so, carrying each other on their backs, they finally left the park. She got on the bike, sat on the back seat, and the feeling of not having to walk made Shu Yun so happy she almost cried.

When they arrived at the state-run restaurant, the two of them sat in the same seats they had sat in on their blind date. Gu Jun ordered half a poached chicken, a plate of braised pork trotters, scrambled eggs with chives, and mixed greens. The main dishes included both white rice and white steamed buns, making it seem like a New Year's feast.

Gu Jun had all his money in Shu Yun's hands. Apart from the occasional pocket money for cigarettes, he had nothing else. Shu Yun took out money and tickets from her bag and handed them to Gu Jun, saying arrogantly, "Take it. The rest is your pocket money."

Gu Jun took the money, patted his forehead, and went to the front desk to pay the bill.

The waiter brought the dishes over and said to Shu Yun, "You two are together! You're a perfect match. I always thought you two were a good couple."

The waiter even gave her a thumbs up as he spoke.

The waitress was the same familiar face; she was always the one serving dishes whenever Shu Yun went on a blind date, so she had become quite well-known.

She whispered, "Luckily you didn't end up with that fat guy, or I would have been furious."

"That fat guy must be Hu Yong, right?" Shu Yun found it amusing. "Thank you, but I'm already married."

"Really? Congratulations! By the way, you probably don't know what happened to that fat guy, right?"