Gu Huaizhi wished he could move all of Shen Mianyin's things downstairs right now.
But since Shen Mianyin had already agreed, she could just stay at his place tonight.
Anyway, being on different floors was convenient; if she urgently needed something, she could just come upstairs to get it.
Unbeknownst to her, Shen Mianyin's things could gradually be moved downstairs.
Thinking this, Gu Huaizhi was instantly overjoyed.
On the way to take Shen Mianyin to work, the smile never left his face.
***
Before long, it was time for the New Year.
Gu Da's family had also returned.
However, on New Year's Eve, Shen Mianyin still went back to the Shen family home first to celebrate.
After leaving the Su family, she had thought she would be spending the New Year alone this year.
But she felt that spending it alone wasn't so bad, much more pleasant than spending it with the Su family.
She just hadn't expected that she would still have family to celebrate the New Year with.
On New Year's Eve, both Gu Huaizhi and Shen Mianyin had the day off.
The two set out together in the morning.
Gu Huaizhi was going to the main house for the New Year today, but he would first drop Shen Mianyin off at the Shen family home before heading back.
On the way, Shen Mianyin had Gu Huaizhi make a detour to the supermarket.
To buy some ingredients for the New Year's Eve dinner.
Things like fish, shrimp, and crab.
The mall happened to have live snow crabs, so Shen Mianyin bought one.
She also bought some cooked foods; they could be sliced up in the evening to make a few cold platters of braised dishes.
Before the New Year, she had also bought some fruits and various kinds of candies.
The old residential community where the Shens lived had frequent interactions between neighbors and a tradition of visiting each other for the New Year. Keeping extra candy at home was good for giving to the children.
Gu Huaizhi's car couldn't enter the alleys of the community, so he could only park outside.
Gu Huaizhi opened the trunk, which also contained the gifts he had prepared for the Shen family.
"It's not appropriate for me to visit unannounced, but since it's the New Year, I can't come unprepared," Gu Huaizhi said. "Take these home with you."
There was red wine, nutritional supplements for Mother Shen, and a GoPro for Shen Chenggang.
When Shen Mianyin saw the GoPro, she asked in surprise, "Why did you buy this?"
"Isn't Shen Chenggang making videos?" Gu Huaizhi said. "I think he's doing a good job. With this, it should be more convenient for him to film."
Shen Mianyin noticed that, aside from the red wine, the gifts Gu Huaizhi had prepared were all practical.
Even the red wine was nice for an occasional drink.
"I'll help you carry them up," Gu Huaizhi said.
Including what she had bought herself, there were quite a lot of things. It would indeed be a struggle for Shen Mianyin to carry them all herself.
So, Gu Huaizhi carried the things and went in with Shen Mianyin.
Naturally, Gu Huaizhi carried most of the items.
Only the smaller things were left for Shen Mianyin to help with.
Because Shen Mianyin came over every week, the surrounding neighbors were familiar with her.
They would greet her when they saw her.
This was the first time they had seen Gu Huaizhi; the last time he dropped Shen Mianyin off was at night.
"Mianyin, is this your boyfriend?" Although the surrounding neighbors knew a little about Shen Mianyin's situation, they didn't know about her and Gu Huaizhi.
Shen Mianyin smiled and nodded. To her surprise, Gu Huaizhi also suddenly became approachable, taking the initiative to greet them, "Hello."
"Eh! Yes, yes, good." The neighbor auntie smiled from ear to ear.
Who doesn't like someone who is good-looking and polite?
Especially with a face like Gu Huaizhi's; when he was affable, he was truly invincible.
"Are you coming back together for the New Year today?" the neighbor auntie asked again.
"He's just dropping me off first. He also has to go home for the New Year today," Shen Mianyin explained with a smile.
"That's great, that's great." The neighbor auntie couldn't take her eyes off Gu Huaizhi; he was so handsome.
Fortunately, the neighbor auntie didn't know about Gu Huaizhi's reputation in the outside world. Coupled with his pleasant demeanor at the moment, she just treated him as an approachable young man.
Faced with a handsome man, she stared even more unabashedly.
If those in the business world were to see this, who knows how frightened they would be.
After Shen Mianyin and Gu Huaizhi went upstairs, the neighbor auntie muttered to someone else, "The old Shen family has finally pulled through. That previous daughter was such a handful. The real one who came back now is really nice."
"Yeah, if the previous one was their biological daughter, there would be nothing they could do. They'd have to grit their teeth and raise her, what else could they do?" another neighbor auntie said. "It's a good thing they were switched back. This one now is so different from the previous one."
"That's right. The previous one, regardless of her illness, had a bad personality. She seemed passive-aggressive and coy, not as generous and poised as this one."
Shen Mianyin was unaware of the neighbor aunties' discussion about her and Su Yiqing as she went upstairs with Gu Huaizhi.
Because he had been here once before, Gu Huaizhi was familiar with the place this time. He stopped when they reached the third floor where the Shen family lived.
Shen Mianyin thought for a moment and said, "Since you're already here, do you want to say hello first?"
"Is that okay? Would it be rude?" Gu Huaizhi said. "After all, I didn't say in advance that I was coming to visit."
"You brought gifts anyway," Shen Mianyin said. "It's not good to be at the door and not enter."
Gu Huaizhi nodded, "That's true."
So, although Shen Mianyin had a key, she knocked on the door.
Mother Shen hadn't expected Shen Mianyin to knock when she had a key, so she opened the door with a strange expression, wondering who it could be. Seeing Shen Mianyin and Gu Huaizhi standing at the door, she was startled, "Mianyin, Mr. Gu!"
Mother Shen quickly invited them in, "Come in, quickly."
"I heard the knock and wondered who it was," Mother Shen said. "You have a key, why did you knock?"
"It's his first time visiting. I wanted to give you a little mental preparation," Shen Mianyin said.
Mother Shen's mouth opened slightly as she understood Shen Mianyin's unspoken meaning, "Mianyin, you and Mr. Gu..."
"Aunty," Gu Huaizhi took the initiative to say, "Mianyin and I are dating, and it is with the intention of marriage."
"It's truly presumptuous of me to visit so suddenly today," Gu Huaizhi said. "But since I was already at the door, it felt wrong not to come in."
"It's fine, it's fine." Seeing them bring so many things, Mother Shen knew it was because Shen Mianyin couldn't carry them alone and Gu Huaizhi had helped. It certainly wouldn't be right for him not to come in. "It's never presumptuous, no matter when you come."
"Mom, these are from Gu Huaizhi. These are supplements for you, and this is for my brother, for him to use when he makes videos."
"Why did you spend so much money?" Mother Shen said, embarrassed.
"As a son-in-law, I should," Gu Huaizhi said.
Shen Mianyin couldn't help but look at him. They weren't even married yet, and he was already calling himself the son-in-law?
Mother Shen's eyes were smiling so much they were nearly closed into a line.
She had originally thought Gu Huaizhi was high and mighty, but she hadn't expected him to be so easy to get along with in private.
"By the way, Mr. Gu..."
"Aunty, you can call me Huaizhi," Gu Huaizhi said.
Mother Shen nodded. Because she didn't know much about Gu Huaizhi, she felt more daring to use his first name. "Huaizhi, are you free for lunch? Why don't you stay and eat with us?"
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