“Okay.”
A smile finally appeared on Xu Zhongyi’s face as he said to Gu Yufei, “Yufei, I’m already very happy that you can grace me with your presence for dinner. Why would you pay? I’ll take care of it. Just pick whatever you want, go for the most expensive ones.”
“Look at you, acting like a nouveau riche, no wonder my brother doesn’t like you.”
Gu Yufei rolled her eyes at Xu Zhongyi, then looked around the office, asking in a low voice, “Where’s Chen Chu-chang? Isn’t he here today?”
Hearing Gu Yufei mention Chen Hanwen, Xu Zhongyi immediately became alert. “Why are you asking about Chen Chu-chang? Do you have something to ask him?”
“Look at you, so suspicious. Do you think I’m going to harm Chen Chu-chang?”
Gu Yufei pursed her lips and rolled her eyes before saying, “It’s about the cargo ship my family owns. Didn’t it get detained by the Japanese in Shanghai a while back? Thanks to Chen Chu-chang’s efforts, the ship was released. Now the cargo has been shipped back home, and my parents want to thank Chen Chu-chang.”
Xu Zhongyi immediately let out a long sigh of relief. Seeing Xu Zhongyi’s reaction, Gu Yufei couldn’t help but laugh. She smiled and teased him, “What’s wrong? Are you worried that my family will try to match me with Chen Chu-chang? After all, neither of us is married. We'd be a good match...Hey, shopkeeper, what are you thinking? Your mind is full of such nonsense, isn’t it?”
“……”
Xu Zhongyi, however, didn’t act like a groveling dog as he used to. Instead, he told Gu Yufei in a very serious tone, “Yufei, Chen Chu-chang will choose whomever he wants. It has nothing to do with what you two are like. As long as he likes someone, anyone is a good match.”
What if Gu Yufei’s family is rich?
If Chen Hanwen doesn’t like her, even if she’s a fairy from heaven, she’s nothing.
Moreover, Gu Yufei was the woman Xu Zhongyi loved. For the sake of this love, Xu Zhongyi also wanted to remind Gu Yufei: “Yufei, for the sake of our friendship, I need to remind you: Don’t do anything that will upset Chen Chu-chang. It won’t end well for you, or your family.”
Seeing Xu Zhongyi's serious tone, Gu Yufei also became serious. She rarely, or never, saw Xu Zhongyi so serious and solemn. She couldn’t help but laugh. “Is it really that serious? Xu Zhongyi, I’ve never seen you so serious before.”
Xu Zhongyi emphasized his words again. “I’m serious! Don’t offend Chen Chu-chang, don’t do anything to upset him. Otherwise, no one can protect you, not even your family.”
“Alright, alright, I get it. Thanks for reminding me.”
Gu Yufei looked at Xu Zhongyi and quickly said, “Don’t worry, I was just joking with you. What kind of person is Chen Chu-chang? How could he possibly like me? Look at you, you’re in such a panic...Don’t worry, I know my place. I won’t force myself on Chen Chu-chang.”
Seeing that Gu Yufei was telling the truth, Xu Zhongyi immediately felt relieved. It wasn’t that he couldn’t bear to see Gu Yufei with Chen Hanwen, but that he didn’t want to see her keep going down the wrong path.
That was wrong. Xu Zhongyi had to set her straight.
“But speaking of which, you’re so loyal to Chen Chu-chang. What do you call it again…?”
Gu Yufei habitually wanted to tease Xu Zhongyi, but Xu Zhongyi cut her off. “A bootlicker, right? Yes, I am Chen Chu-chang’s bootlicker. Without Chen Chu-chang, where would I be today?”
Gu Yufei chatted with Xu Zhongyi for a while. Seeing that he had returned to his usual self, she left his office with a sense of relief.
At the door of Xu Zhongyi's office, Gu Yufei ran into Zeng Moyi.
They were not in the same Telecommunications Section and only knew each other casually, so they just exchanged simple greetings and didn’t talk much.
However, Gu Yufei couldn’t understand why Zeng Moyi was here. The Telecommunications Section and the General Affairs Section were not on the same floor. Why would Zeng Moyi come here?
She didn’t think much about it but focused on digesting what Xu Zhongyi had told her.
Gu Yufei was also an underground Communist Party worker who was undercover in the Military Unification Commission, but she and Zeng Moyi were not under the same leadership. They were under different superiors and thus didn’t know each other’s identities.
Unlike Zeng Moyi, Gu Yufei had a more outgoing personality. After observing Chen Hanwen and Xu Zhongyi for a long time and reporting to her superiors, she had the intention of persuading them to join the Communist Party.
They were not people who hated the Communist Party fiercely within the Military Unification Commission. Moreover, they didn’t manage the external affairs but only dealt with internal affairs. It was rumored that their Zhongyi Trading Company had once sent medical supplies to the armed forces led by the Communist Party. This further strengthened Gu Yufei’s determination to persuade them to join the Communist Party.
To win over all those who can be won over, to unite all those who can be united.
This was the motto of the Communist Party. Chen Hanwen and Xu Zhongyi were forces that could be united.
Today's conversation with Xu Zhongyi made Gu Yufei realize that Chen Hanwen was very decisive in his actions. He would not easily follow other people’s opinions or suggestions. If you wanted Chen Hanwen to join the Communist Party, he had to be willing to do so himself. Otherwise, no matter how much you tried to convince him, he would not listen.
Xu Zhongyi, however, was someone who could be persuaded.
He was kind-hearted and liked her.
After the War of Resistance Against Japan, the Kuomintang and the Communist Party clashed. The two people she loved were on different sides. This was something Gu Yufei did not want to see.
So… she had to find a way to educate Xu Zhongyi about the Communist Party and let him know its principles.
While pondering how to persuade Chen Hanwen and Xu Zhongyi, Gu Yufei was lost in thought when she reached the door of her office and saw Qi Siyuan, who was standing there with a dark face, waiting for her. Gu Yufei didn’t see him at first. Only when Qi Siyuan blocked her way did she snap out of her reverie.
“Cousin? You scared me!”
Gu Yufei looked at Qi Siyuan helplessly. “Don’t you ever just appear silently like that? You’ll scare someone to death.”
“Hmph!”
Qi Siyuan snorted, then went straight to the point. “Did Xu Zhongyi approve the note?”
“He approved it. I went there. How could he not approve it?”
Qi Siyuan felt relieved after hearing that the note was approved and his face softened slightly. Gu Yufei then said, “Brother, why do you always have it in for Xu Zhongyi? He’s not a bad person. Moreover, if it wasn’t for Xu Zhongyi, you wouldn’t even be able to get the supplies. You two were classmates at Qingpu School. Do you really have to go for each other’s throats every time you meet?”
“That bastard is his classmate!”
Qi Siyuan seemed to have heard the most disgusting thing in the world. He was so angry that he couldn’t even speak properly. He waved his hand and said, “Alright, forget about him. You’re going out with me tonight. There’s a reception you need to attend.”
“What kind of reception? It’s not another blind date, is it?”
The thought of the high-quality men that Qi Siyuan had introduced to her made Gu Yufei have a headache. “If it’s a blind date, then forget it. None of the guys you introduced are to my liking.”
“Hmph!”
Qi Siyuan snorted again. Gu Yufei wouldn’t let him get away with it. She glared at him and retorted. In the end, Qi Siyuan was defeated. “It’s not a blind date. Our teacher, Li Weigong, is here. He has some business at the bureau, so we’re having a dinner for him tonight.”