It was as if they were on their honeymoon. Nowadays, weddings in the countryside always involve a trip to the city. Even though the marriage was arranged hastily, it shouldn't be too simple.
To give the couple some private time, Tián Shūfāng had spoken to Nannán the previous night. Nannán was very understanding. Upon learning it was for Shěn Míngyuè's benefit, she agreed without a second thought.
Seeing his parents had left, Gù Yuǎnyáng finally sidled up to his Second Brother. "Brother, did you and sister-in-law last night..."
Gù Yuǎnyáng could hardly imagine his second brother, who had always seemed uninterested in women, having relations with Shěn Míngyuè. It felt so inexplicable. They had only met a few times, and things had progressed so quickly, like a dream.
The thought of his second brother being defiled by that woman made Gù Yuǎnyáng feel sick.
Hearing Gù Yuǎnyáng’s question, Gù Yuǎnzhōu frowned subconsciously. "That's not something you need to worry about. Go to work."
Gù Yuǎnyáng didn't dare to say anything more and left quietly. Gù Yuǎnzhōu saw that it was getting late and decided to wake Shěn Míngyuè up for breakfast.
Even though his family might misunderstand what happened between them last night, Gù Yuǎnzhōu knew clearly that they hadn't really done anything, just a clumsy kiss before they both got confused. Gù Yuǎnzhōu thought Shěn Míngyuè was still asleep, so he didn't knock when he entered the room. As soon as he pushed the door open, he saw Shěn Míngyuè standing naked in front of the closet, choosing clothes. Her nightgown was beside her.
Although Shěn Míngyuè quickly covered herself with her arms, Gù Yuǎnzhōu still saw it. Hmm, big and round. "Sorry, I thought you were still asleep." Gù Yuǎnzhōu quickly retreated, feeling a bit flustered.
Shěn Míngyuè blushed. She thought, anyone with eyes could see. This man really picked the timing, coming in when she was changing. She quickly put on her clothes, bit her lip, and then left the room. Fine, she had no right to blame Gù Yuǎnzhōu, after all, she had done that sort of thing herself last night. It was even, no one owed anyone anything.
"Let's eat first. Mom left some food for you." Gù Yuǎnzhōu rubbed his nose with his index finger and spoke.
Shěn Míngyuè gave a soft "Mm" and went directly to the kitchen.
After a simple meal, Gù Yuǎnzhōu spoke again. "Dad and Mom want me to take you out to see the sights. Because I'm busy with work, I only have four days of leave, so I can't take you far away. We'll just tour around here. Is that okay?"
Shěn Míngyuè felt it was fine. Several friends she knew in her past life didn't even have honeymoons, let alone now. She had over eight hundred yuan in her pocket and wanted to go out and see what was happening with businesses. She heard that in the 1980s, there was gold everywhere; if you were in the right place, even a pig could fly. Shěn Míngyuè loved money too much; without money, she lacked security, so she had to make money.
"Yes, shall we go now?" "Mm." "Wait for me for a moment, I need to get ready." Shěn Míngyuè planned to wash her hair before going out.
Gù Yuǎnzhōu was quite patient. While Shěn Míngyuè was getting ready, he sat on the sofa reading the newspaper. When Shěn Míngyuè was done, they went out.
This time, Gù Yuǎnzhōu didn't drive. He rode a bicycle. Shěn Míngyuè sat sideways on the back and, after thinking for a moment, grabbed his lapel.
The family compound was bustling at this time. Although the young people were at work, the old men and women had nothing to do and gathered under the trees, chatting and gossiping. Seeing Gù Yuǎnzhōu riding his bicycle with his new bride, everyone couldn't help but glance over. After the couple walked away, the discussions began. "It's such a shame about the second son of the Gù family, marrying such a wife." "Who says not? We've never heard of marrying the sister-in-law after the eldest brother died. It's quite a novelty." One auntie, while cracking melon seeds, gestured exaggeratedly. "You all don't know, but yesterday I saw that girl from the Sòng family. She was crying her eyes out, looking so pitiful."
Speaking of Sòng Xuě, everyone became more animated. Who didn't know this girl liked Gù Yuǎnzhōu? She had pursued him for years, and now he had gotten married so haphazardly. Anyone would be upset. "Exactly. She really wasted the girl's time. This Shěn Míngyuè, apart from her looks, is really not presentable in any other way."
Everyone chimed in, belittling Shěn Míngyuè to no end.
Gù Yuǎnzhōu planned to take Shěn Míngyuè to a famous local scenic spot first. Halfway there, Shěn Míngyuè said she didn't want to go to the scenic spot; she wanted to visit the department store.
Gù Yuǎnzhōu thought she might want to buy something and didn't ask further, heading directly to the department store.
Upon arriving, Shěn Míngyuè excitedly went inside to browse. Gù Yuǎnzhōu thought she was looking for something to buy and was ready to pay. However, Shěn Míngyuè just looked without buying anything, strolling around for a long time with nothing in her hands. Gù Yuǎnzhōu thought she was reluctant to spend money. "See anything you like? I'll buy it for you."
Shěn Míngyuè had already forgotten about Gù Yuǎnzhōu. When he spoke, she realized he was still with her. "No, I'm just looking." Shěn Míngyuè wanted to start a business and see what could make money now. Of course, it could only be a small venture at first, as she didn't have much capital.
The two of them walked from the first floor to the fourth. After leaving the department store, Shěn Míngyuè also walked around the nearby commercial street. Gù Yuǎnzhōu noticed something and asked in a low voice, "You seem very interested in these shops. Do you have any ideas?"
Shěn Míngyuè didn't hide it and nodded immediately. "I want to start a small business myself. I came out today to scout around."
Gù Yuǎnzhōu was clearly surprised by this answer and couldn't help but frown slightly. Firstly, Shěn Míngyuè was pregnant and should prioritize her health. Secondly, she grew up in the countryside and lacked education. Doing business requires a sharp mind, and it seemed unrealistic for Shěn Míngyuè to think of this right after arriving. Moreover, individual entrepreneurs were looked down upon at this time; small vendors were considered no different from farmers in people's eyes. Gù Yuǎnzhōu didn't look down on individual entrepreneurs; he just felt Shěn Míngyuè didn't need to work so hard.
"Doing business is very tiring. Not to mention needing reliable sources for goods and experience, I doubt the family would agree either." The Gù family was, after all, a prominent one, and his parents were quite conservative. They would definitely not want Shěn Míngyuè to become an individual entrepreneur. If their daughter-in-law set up a stall outside right after getting married, what would people in the compound say behind their backs?
"Why wouldn't they agree? What's wrong with earning money with my own hands? Even though I'm pregnant now, it's still early and doesn't affect my mobility. I can't always rely on your family, taking your food and drink. What kind of person would that make me?" Shěn Míngyuè's expression turned serious. She refused to be a parasite. The Gù family already had many people who disliked her; if she didn't earn money, she would be even less able to hold her head up in the future.