Chapter 169: Hold on, let me introduce myself—I'm Anran's boyfriend

After a couple of hours of eating and drinking, the bonfire had already gone out at some point.

Don't let A Qing's short stature and slim build fool you—his appetite is not small.

Most of it was eaten by him.

The soupy dishes were basically cleaned up, plus some fried and salt-baked items; Wu An tidied up briefly and had A Qing pack everything into lunch boxes to take away.

There's no refrigerator at the old house; if left overnight, the food can't be eaten the next day.

He specifically told A Qing to say at home that the taken food hadn't been touched with chopsticks, so Aunt Juan wouldn't disapprove.

A Qing waved his hand, saying, "How could they dislike it?" then picked up the stuff and left.

Gu Anran also stood up, preparing to ride away.

Wu An hurriedly followed, intending to see her off.

Gu Anran said, "I can go on my own; I haven't drunk much, don't worry."

Wu An said, "It's so late; I'll still take you home."

"Wait a moment."

After saying that, he hurried into the house and came out carrying a box of milk and a box of nutritional supplements.

Gu Anran blinked: "Are you still planning to come to my house as a guest?"

Wu An smiled: "No way."

"If I run into your grandmother, showing up empty-handed would look bad."

"No one ever complains about too many gifts."

Gu Anran shook her head: "I think you're overthinking it."

Wu An didn't say anything.

He was just being cautious.

To be honest, he also didn't want to meet Gu Anran's grandmother under these circumstances.

At the very least, it should be a formal visit to show sincerity.

Otherwise, taking Gu Anran home late at night always makes him feel like a delinquent yellow-haired troublemaker luring a good girl, and he'd be caught red-handed by her parents.

He feels this way mainly because in his previous life he was already thirty, making his mental age much older than Gu Anran's.

The facts prove it.

Men's hobbies are indeed quite single-minded.

Wu An rode his motorcycle smoothly along the coastal road, the sky full of stars dazzling and beautiful.

Seeing such scenery, Wu An couldn't help but feel distracted.

He hadn't yet decided what to say, but Gu Anran spoke first: "You bought a boat and a house—are you planning to stay and develop in the village from now on?"

"Right."

"These days many people try every means to take their money to the city; don't you want to?"

"I don't think it's necessary."

"As long as you have money in hand, anywhere can be a paradise; in the countryside it's even better, with relatives and friends nearby."

"Moreover, the city doesn't have the environment we have here; in the future, city folks will try every way to come here."

"Staying in the village saves decades of detours—how great is that?"

Hearing this, Gu Anran's lips curled slightly: "All you spout are fallacious theories."

Wu An smiled.

In fact, he didn't just spout those words off the top of his head.

His current life is what he dreamed of in his previous incarnation.

In his past life he drifted in the big city for over a decade, enduring wind and frost, suffering countless hardships.

And although the big city is good, it lacks his home.

Nowadays, after great effort he's made a change; his days keep improving, with Father, elder brother and sister-in-law nearby—he'd have to be crazy to think of leaving.

"So do you want to stay in the village or go to the city?"

"I think what you said is quite good." Gu Anran paused, then added, "But fishermen have a hard life."

"Hard work is hard work; as long as you can earn money, it's fine."

"Besides, fishermen are freer; I can schedule every day, every minute, every second."

"Just like today, when we made money gathering seafood, we can eat and drink together."

"Why earn money? For life."

"Earn money when it's time to earn, enjoy life when it's time to enjoy."

"If we were in the city, we'd often have no control over our own fate."

Gu Anran laughed: "You talk as if you'd lived in the city."

Wu An also laughed, his smile somewhat complex.

"Little sis."

"We really have lived that life."

"In this regard he definitely has the authority to speak."

In the city, many times he had money but didn't know how to spend it; looking around, he felt lonely and helpless.

Finding someone to eat and drink with is hard—either this person is busy or that one is.

How good village life is—you don't need to call; a shout brings someone to keep you company with drinks.

Not to mention having family nearby—something many envy but can't attain.

Gu Anran looked up at the sky and said in a leisurely tone: "What you said is pretty much what I had in mind."

You're not just saying that to deliberately cater to me, are you?

"Of course not." Wu An paused, then smiled and said, "But I know you don't want to leave your hometown."

Even if I were catering to you, that would mean I know what kind of life you want.

I will strive to let you live the life you want as soon as possible.

Gu Anran tilted her head to look at him and asked, "How long?"

Wu An was taken aback, and also turned his head to look over.

Gazing at her lovely, flower-like face before him, and then meeting those clear, bright eyes—limpid and clear to the bottom.

He knew what Gu Anran was asking, and smiled: "At most one year!"

If he doesn't hurry up and bring her home as his wife, he won't feel at ease.

Gu Anran smiled brightly; she knew Wu An understood what she was asking.

Does this count as mutual pursuit?

Gu Anran felt so happy that she almost wanted to throw herself onto the bed and roll around.

This has been her habit since childhood.

As she grew up, she rarely did this anymore, because the older she got, the fewer happy things there were.

Just as she was about to speak, she noticed the motorcycle veering into the ditch, and frightened, she quickly shouted, "Watch the road ahead!"

Wu An quickly looked ahead, timely adjusted the front wheel, and also broke out in a cold sweat.

Soon they entered the village.

The motorcycle was loud, with barking dogs all along the way, and the romantic atmosphere was gone.

But he also felt that everything that needed to be said had been said.

He was pondering whether to find a more secluded spot to park the bike—not to do anything, just simply wanting to talk.

This counts as confirming their relationship; they should strike while the iron is hot to deepen their feelings.

As a result, they heard Gu Anran exclaim, "My grandma is up ahead!"

Wu An focused his gaze and saw a flashlight beam by the roadside, revealing a silhouette.

His suspended heart finally settled.

Gu Anran sensed he was a bit uneasy and said, "Why don't you park the bike and go on ahead?"

"Next time you come to my house to play, we can meet properly."

Wu An shook his head: "Better to say hello first, then leave."

He hadn't done anything shady, nor had he eloped with Gu Anran; he had simply brought her back safely.

What is there for him to run from?

If he ran, wouldn't that show he has a guilty conscience?

He drove the bike up, just stopped, Wu An immediately jumped off, took out the two gifts and placed them at the old lady's feet: "Grandma, good evening."

"Let me introduce myself—I'm Wu An."

"Gu Anran's boyfriend."

"From the neighboring village, about a year older than Anran."

"It's our first meeting; I'm not very good with words, so please don't take offense."

"Goodbye."

Having said all that in one breath, he turned and walked away, getting faster and faster, as if his feet were oiled.

Gu Anran shouted twice from behind, but he didn't stop.