Chapter 39: One Day, He Will Make Sure She Dies!

“Father, don’t worry. I swear on my life and my faith that I’ll treat Ningning well.”

“When we have time in the future, I’ll definitely bring Ningning back to visit you.” Sheng Zexi promised solemnly.

“Good, good.”

Looking at her family members with reddened eyes, Gu Jianing felt her own eyes grow hot. “Father, Mother, brothers and sisters-in-law, I’ll be fine. I really will.”

In this life, she was determined to live well and make the most of it.

She absolutely would not waste the second chance Heaven had given her.

With everyone watching, Gu Jianing was led by Sheng Zexi to the jeep.

There was a small incident in the middle of it all.

When the firecrackers went off, Gu Jianing was startled and instinctively leaned toward Sheng Zexi.

Sheng Zexi quickly shielded her. “What’s wrong? Are you afraid of firecrackers?”

Gu Jianing nodded, but in truth, it wasn’t the firecrackers she feared—it was the firelight.

It wasn’t until she got in the car that she finally calmed down.

Sheng Zexi withdrew his gaze from her and got into the driver’s seat, but his eyes were full of doubt. He’d noticed how Ningning instinctively flinched from the firecrackers, and the fear in her eyes hadn’t escaped him.

Had Ningning been hurt by firecrackers before?

But as far as he remembered, back when he lived with the Sheng family, Ningning had never been afraid of firecrackers.

Sheng Zexi pushed down his doubts for now and started the car.

The process was: the jeep would drive around Huaihua Village once, then return to the Gu house for the vows and the wedding banquet.

Gu Jianing’s room had long been decorated as the bridal chamber. Tonight, she and Sheng Zexi would stay there.

Her maternal grandparents would also stay at the Gu house tonight.

Tomorrow, the two elders would return to the capital, while Sheng Zexi would take Gu Jianing with him to the Northwest with the army.

The jeep started slowly, and many people—especially children—ran after it, making for a lively scene.

The jeep passed by the Zhiqing (educated youth) compound.

Those who hadn’t been invited came out to watch.

“To marry an officer from the capital—Gu Jianing sure is lucky.”

“I heard Officer Sheng’s parents didn’t come this time. Who knows what’s going on? Maybe his family doesn’t approve at all,” Zhao Weihong said sourly.

The others thought that made sense. Who would want their son, an officer from a big city, to marry a country girl?

So what if she was pretty?

No matter how pretty, it didn’t change her rural household registration.

“Who says marrying into the city is all that great? Besides, being a military wife isn’t easy. If something happens, she could end up a…”

She didn’t finish, but everyone understood.

They were all jealous of Gu Jianing, so how could they say anything nice about her and Sheng Zexi? But they didn’t dare say too much, for fear word would get back to the Gu family and they’d hold a grudge.

If Gu Jianing had heard their bitter words, she would have said, “These people just can’t have the grapes, so they say the grapes are sour.”

If they had the same opportunity, they’d be scrambling for it.

Maybe it was karma for badmouthing others, but just then, the jeep made a sharp turn, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The dust went straight into the mouths of those gossiping Zhiqing.

“Damn, what kind of driving is that?”

“Cough, cough, my mouth is full of sand!”

It wasn’t just their mouths—their hair was full of dust too. They looked a mess.

By the time they finished brushing themselves off and wanted to say more, the jeep was already far down the road.

The children chasing after the jeep hadn’t left yet. Some had overheard the sour words and now made faces at the Zhiqing. “Say bad things, eat sand! Bad people! Bad people!”

“You little brats!”

“Run!”

The kids scattered, then continued chasing after the jeep.

“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?” In the car, Gu Jianing asked Sheng Zexi.

With his hand on the steering wheel, Sheng Zexi nodded without hesitation. “Of course I did.”

“They think I can’t hear them? Hmph.”

“With mouths that filthy, eating a little sand is getting off easy.”

Gu Jianing couldn’t help but laugh, but she still gave him a thumbs up. “Well done.”

A man should stand up for you—he deserved praise.

That way, he’d keep it up and do even better in the future.

Besides, she’d heard what those people said too.

Gu Jianing was a little angry herself, and she was a petty person—she didn’t think “petty” was an insult.

If others insulted or cursed you, you should give it right back.

Be just as petty.

Otherwise, people would only push you further!

Just for that, Gu Jianing felt she and Sheng Zexi were a pretty good match.

Soon, the jeep passed by the Bao family’s house.

Wen Zhuqing was just outside, fetching water and washing clothes, with Bao Shanyan sitting nearby, eating sunflower seeds.

Bao Shanyan watched the jeep flash by, a look of envy in her eyes.

She wanted to ride in a jeep like that too.

She knew that inside were Gu Jianing and her officer husband.

Gu Jianing really was lucky. They were both country girls, but Gu Jianing had managed to marry an officer from the capital.

Men really did care about looks.

Compared to her own strong build and rough face, Gu Jianing’s slender figure and delicate, pretty face made Bao Shanyan jealous.

So jealous that sometimes her temper would flare and she’d want to ruin Gu Jianing’s beautiful face.

But Bao Shanyan held herself back.

She knew the Gu family was not to be messed with, especially now that Gu Jianing had married an officer. And after that incident where they set up Wen Zhuqing and left him with no evidence, Bao Shanyan realized that Gu Jianing only looked innocent—she was actually very shrewd.

It was best to avoid crossing someone like that.

As she was thinking, Bao Shanyan suddenly noticed it had gone quiet beside her.

She turned to see Wen Zhuqing, who had stopped washing clothes and was staring fixedly in the direction the jeep had gone.

From Bao Shanyan’s angle, she couldn’t see Wen Zhuqing’s expression or the emotion in his eyes.

But remembering the past between Wen Zhuqing and Gu Jianing, Bao Shanyan’s face darkened.

She stood up and kicked Wen Zhuqing.

Caught off guard, Wen Zhuqing fell straight into the washbasin.

The basin, full of water, tipped over, soaking his pants with icy cold water.

“What are you looking at? What’s so interesting?”

“What, are you still thinking about Gu Jianing?”

Wen Zhuqing gritted his teeth, clenching his fists, wishing he could kill Bao Shanyan. But after being hit by her several times over the past few days, he didn’t dare fight back.

He could only swallow his anger and look up, speaking gently, “Yanzi, there’s nothing going on. I just heard a car and looked up instinctively. There’s nothing between me and Comrade Gu Jianing.”

“Hmph, you’d better know your place. She’s married to an officer from the capital now—she’d never look at you. You’d better behave and live your life with me. Don’t get any ideas, or else…” Bao Shanyan narrowed her eyes and threatened him, then turned and went inside.

Wen Zhuqing watched her back as she left. If she’d turned around just then, she would have seen that his face had already changed—gone was the gentleness, replaced by cold malice.

These past few days, he’d seen clearly that Bao Shanyan was violent and liked to hit people. Wen Zhuqing felt that if things went on like this, she might beat him to death.

No, he had to find a way to escape.

And as for Bao Shanyan—one day, he would make sure she died!"