Chapter 37: Officially Visiting with Gifts
Early the next morning, Gu Yan’an happily bought a large pile of breakfast and waited at the entrance of the Lan family’s house, intending to send Lan Mo to work.
Unexpectedly, the first person to walk out was Lan Jingtian, which left Gu Yan’an feeling inexplicably awkward.
“Good morning, Uncle Lan!”
Well, well—yesterday he was still calling him “Comrade Public Security,” and now he’s already addressing him as “Uncle Lan.”
“Comrade Xiao Gu, what are you doing guarding my doorstep so early in the morning?”
“Uncle Lan, I plan to send Momo to work!”
Lan Jingtian sneered. His Momo had a bicycle—did she really need him to run on two legs to send her to work?
“Momo knows how to ride a bicycle. Since your hand hasn’t fully healed yet, you should go back and rest first!”
Gu Yan’an didn’t argue. Instead, he smiled and asked, “Uncle Lan, has Lin Xiangqian revealed any information about the traffickers? If there’s any way I can help, please let me know.”
Lan Jingtian didn’t want to waste any more time talking to Gu Yan’an. The traffickers hadn’t been caught yet, and he would be busy for the next few days.
“No need. Just take care of yourself. I’ll be going now.”
Gu Yan’an had originally planned to hand two eggs to Lan Jingtian, but he thought better of it. Being too eager might not win over his future father-in-law just yet.
Lan Mo hadn’t expected that, having only agreed to be Gu Yan’an’s girlfriend the night before, he would already be waiting at her doorstep early the next morning.
Lan Mo teased, “Good morning, Comrade Gu Yan’an. It’s not even New Year yet—are you planning to be the door god of my house?”
Seeing Lan Mo pushing her bicycle out and teasing him, Gu Yan’an didn’t take offense.
“Being a door god is out of the question—I don’t want to be pasted on your door. Right now, I just want to be your guardian, close enough to stick by your side.”
Lan Mo asked again, “So, what are you here for today?”
“Of course, to send my girlfriend to work. By the way, you haven’t had breakfast yet, have you? Give me the bicycle—you eat first.”
Lan Mo didn’t let go. She continued pushing the bicycle forward.
This man was so smooth with his words that Lan Mo couldn’t help but suspect Gu Yan’an was the one who had traveled from the future, while she herself was truly a person of this era—a bit old-fashioned and lacking in romantic flair.
Lan Mo said, “But I’ve already had breakfast!”
“Back when I was a patient, I bought you breakfast, and you said you couldn’t accept even a needle or thread from the masses. Now that you’re my girlfriend, shouldn’t you give me a chance to show my sincerity?”
Gu Yan’an spoke with such seriousness that Lan Mo couldn’t help but laugh.
“Alright, since you’re so enthusiastic, I’ll have a little more. Hand me an egg—I’ll eat it later at the hospital.”
Gu Yan’an directly placed all the meat buns and eggs in his hands into the bicycle basket and asked, “Momo, how about I take you to the hospital?”
Lan Mo glanced at his left leg, then at his right arm still wrapped in bandages, and raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure you can ride a bicycle right now? Your leg is still recovering, and your arm was just bandaged yesterday. Comrade Gu Yan’an, you’ve given me so much breakfast—I can’t possibly finish it all! Haven’t you eaten yet? Why don’t you take these back?”
“I’ve already had breakfast. If you can’t finish it, save it for when you’re hungry later. Also, Momo, could you please stop calling me ‘Comrade Gu Yan’an’?”
Gu Yan’an not only knew how to seize an opportunity but also how to push his luck. They had only agreed to be together yesterday, and today he already wanted to change how she addressed him.
Lan Mo smiled and asked, “Then what should I call you? You call me Momo, so should I call you An’an?”
Pfft! Gu Yan’an suddenly burst out laughing.
“Only my late grandmother called me An’an. If Momo likes it, then go ahead and call me that!”
He wasn’t her son, yet she wanted to call him An’an—she really couldn’t bring herself to do it.
“I’m still used to calling you Comrade Gu Yan’an.”
“Alright, call me whatever you like.”
Once they got married, she would naturally change how she addressed him. Surely she wouldn’t keep calling him Comrade Gu Yan’an every day, right?
Lan Mo glanced at her watch. “Oh no! I’m going to be late. I have to go now, Comrade Gu Yan’an. You should go back and rest properly!”
Lan Mo didn’t have time to linger any longer. She hopped on her bicycle and rode off. Seeing that Lan Mo had left, Gu Yan’an headed straight to the nearby supply and marketing cooperative.
Lan Guochang was feeling a bit irritated now. He had spoken up for Gu Yan’an just yesterday, but he hadn’t seen the young man all day today, causing him to lose several rounds of chess in a row.
After finishing his shopping at the supply and marketing cooperative and returning with a large pile of items, Gu Yan’an went straight to bed to catch up on sleep, not even getting up for lunch.
There was no helping it—the person he liked had agreed to be his partner last night, leaving him so excited he couldn’t sleep a wink.
By the time he woke up again, it was already three in the afternoon. He had originally planned to go to the big tree and play a few rounds with the elderly gentlemen, but then he remembered he hadn’t sent a telegram to his family yet.
So, after hastily grabbing a few bites, he headed out. When he returned, he brought back another large pile of things.
Since the shipyard work was still being sorted out, Yang Wei hadn’t gone anywhere these past few days and had just been hanging around with Gu Yan’an.
“Cousin, why did you buy another pile of stuff?”
“Don’t you need to bring gifts when visiting your partner’s family for the first time?”
“But didn’t you go yesterday? Why are you going again today?”
“Well, you ate yesterday too, so why are you eating again today? Yesterday, Momo wasn’t my partner yet, so that visit doesn’t count. Now that she is, the first visit to her home naturally has to be more formal.”
“Haha, I think if you add half a pig, you could host a wedding banquet right on the spot. Snacks, candies, cigarettes, alcohol, chicken, duck, fish, and even skincare products for women—you’ve bought it all. Are you preparing betrothal gifts?”
He wished he could speed up the betrothal process and get married sooner, but that would require Momo’s agreement. Ah… better take it slow. He could wait!
“Stop joking around. Help me carry the things later, and I’ll take you along for dinner.”
“Cousin, are you just using me as a porter? You must have forgotten—you promised to treat me to a meal at the State-run Restaurant. It’s been days, and you still haven’t kept your word!”
“Oh, you still remember that? The dishes I bought should be enough for a four-dish-one-soup meal, right? So, do you want to come along tonight or not?”
What was supposed to be a four-dish-one-soup meal at the State-run Restaurant had now turned into a free dinner at his cousin’s partner’s house. His cousin really knew how to talk his way out of things.
Of course, Yang Wei wanted to go. Even though his family’s financial situation was decent, they only got to enjoy lavish feasts during holidays.
He put on an overly flattering smile and said to Gu Yan’an, “Cousin, your hand injury hasn’t fully healed yet, so you shouldn’t be lifting heavy things. Let me go find a big basket and carry all this stuff for you, okay?”
…
Gu Yan’an checked the time. By now, Lan Mo should be home, so he dragged Yang Wei along to the Lan family.
Su Mei looked at the large basket placed in the living room and asked, “Comrade Xiao Gu, what is this…?”
“Auntie, it was too impolite of me to come empty-handed yesterday. Today, I’ve brought my cousin along for a formal visit—just a small token of appreciation.”
“You’re spending too much! Why did you buy so many things when you could have just come? Xiao Gu, you should take these things back. I’m very happy to have you visit! The young man beside you looks quite familiar.”
“Auntie, hello. My eyes look a bit like my mother’s. Her name is Pan Huiqiao, and she works at the same hospital as Doctor Lan. Our home is only three streets away from yours.”
“Now that you mention it, I know whose child you are. Come, please sit down! Auntie will go make you a meal.”
“Auntie, I’ve also brought my cousin along to join for dinner today, so please accept these groceries!”
Gu Yan’an began taking out the chicken, duck, fish, pork ribs, and pig trotters he had bought from the basket one by one.
Just then, Lan Mo walked in. Seeing Yang Wei beside Gu Yan’an, she was momentarily taken aback before smiling and saying, “Comrade Yang Wei, what brings you here today?”
Lan Mo then glanced at Gu Yan’an. This guy comes in the morning and again in the evening—doesn’t he get tired?