1990s: Spring Water Family

Chapter 189 If I don't earn enough money, I'm not qualified to come back and marry you.
“You may doubt my motives, and I don’t want to hide it. I do want to pursue you. As long as you are willing, my time is at your disposal, and I can handle the relevant procedures at any time.”

"Before that, I have only one request: please be my personal financial advisor and help me manage my existing assets."

"As you know, I just returned to China and don't understand the current economic development in the country. I don't dare to easily try investing to make my assets appreciate quickly. With your help, I will have a much easier time."

"Of course, I won't let you work for free. I will give you corresponding compensation. All investment returns will be split in half with you."

-

"Financial advisor?"

It has to be said that Gu Bin knows how to manipulate people, especially Lin Xiyu.

Upon hearing that half of the shares would be divided, her heart raced and her eyes instantly lit up.

"Yes."

Gu Binqing's clear eyes held a hint of a smile: "All my personal assets are entrusted to you to manage."

How much money is in the card?

Lin Xiyu was somewhat tempted.

"five million."

Gu Bin spoke frankly.

"Five million?!"

Lin Xiyu felt the bank card was a little too hot to handle.

Thinking about all the hard work I've put in and all that meager savings, I feel an indescribable sadness welling up inside me.

"Xi Yu".

Gu Bin's gaze was honest: "If I don't earn this much money, I'm not qualified to come back and marry you."

"You really want to marry me?"

Lin Xiyu didn't believe it: "It's been five years, and you haven't had any other women in your life?"

"No."

Gu Bin gazed deeply into her eyes: "The only person I've ever loved is you."

Where is Liu Rushi?

Lin Xiyu still harbored resentment.

She could tell from the phone call that the man was unwilling to accept defeat.

"Jealous?"

Gu Bin adored her jealous little expression and couldn't help but want to reach out and pinch her cheek, just like he did many years ago.

"You trust me that much? You let me manage such a large sum of money for you?"

Lin Xiyu noticed his movement and subconsciously turned her head away.

"I don't trust anyone but you."

Gu Bin's eyes darkened, and he withdrew his hand with a hint of disappointment.

"Is it really a 50% split?"

Lin Xiyu's mind was completely occupied by the division.

"As long as you agree to marry me"

Gu Bin stated unequivocally: "Not only will you receive the profits, but you will also get half of the principal."

Half of the principal?!

Two and a half million!
Lin Xiyu didn't want to admit it, but at that moment, she was deeply moved.

"With my qualifications, I'm in high demand in the dating market, and I could be snatched up by someone in no time."

Gu Bin seized the opportunity to throw out bait: "If you don't want to miss the opportunity, you must tie yourself up now and solidify your marital relationship."

"If you're not married, who's your spouse?"

Lin Xiyu immediately understood what he meant, and spat at him in embarrassment and anger.

"We can get the marriage certificate tomorrow."

Gu Bin's eyes were honest.

"I have to go to work tomorrow."

Lin Xiyu's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"Ask your boss for leave."

Gu Bin offered his advice.

"You think you can just invite them like that? It's not like you own the school."

Lin Xiyu rolled her eyes at him, and was about to say a few more sarcastic things to him.

"You don't want the house anymore?"

Gu Bin shut her down with one sentence: "The value of welfare housing is huge, and you'll never have another chance like this if you miss this one."

In the cramped and confined space, there was suddenly silence. Lin Xiyu had been caught off guard and had no choice but to give in.

--
The housing reform policy clearly stipulates that a married couple can only enjoy one welfare housing unit. Some people try to exploit loopholes, benefiting from both sides. When this is discovered, one unit is forcibly revoked.

When their school first introduced housing reform policies at the end of 98, teachers who met the policy requirements had already been allocated housing once.

This redistribution involves three properties that were found to be non-compliant and were forcibly returned.

Housing is in high demand, and many people are eyeing it.

Lin Xiyu has only been at the school for a short time and has a short work experience, which is not an advantage. Fortunately, she has a high academic qualification, which is a plus.

She estimated that all the married teachers already had houses, and as long as the three older teachers with more than six years of service didn't rush to get married, she still had a chance to be allocated a house.

--
"The bed is too small; there's not enough room for two people. You should go back."

Gu Bin's words were too blunt and a bit hurtful. Lin Xiyu was embarrassed and angry. Her eyes were misty and looked like they had hooks, glaring at him resentfully.

Although it was said in a blaming tone, it stirred up a tingling feeling in one's heart.

"Take a shower and go to bed."

Gu Bin suppressed his inner turmoil and ignored her provocation, bringing her a basin of warm water from the bathroom to wash up.

"I'll do it myself."

After wiping her face with a towel, Lin Xiyu saw him squat down to wash her feet, and her ears involuntarily burned.

Gu Bin remained silent, staring blankly for a moment at his fair and delicate feet soaking in the water.

Lin Xiyu felt uncomfortable under his gaze. She quickly washed herself, dried herself with a towel, rolled onto the bed, and shrank under the covers.

"Go to sleep."

Gu Bin found it amusing, turned off the wall lamp, and carried the washbasin back to the bathroom.

A moment later, the sound of running water came from the bathroom.

Lin Xiyu listened intently for a while, then, with a sudden thought, she turned over in bed and looked at her wardrobe.

There were men's clothes in her wardrobe.

No one has ever worn it. It's hung on the balcony for self-defense. I bought it based on Gu Bin's measurements, and it should fit him well.

Should we send it to him?
She was conflicted inside, but her body language betrayed her true feelings.

Without much hesitation, she got out of bed, hopped on one leg to the wardrobe, took out a set of men's clothes, and took them to the bathroom.

The bathroom lights were off, and the door was ajar, letting in damp steam through the crack.

Lin Xiyu clutched her clothes and knocked lightly on the door twice.

The sound of flowing water suddenly stopped.

Gu Bin seemed surprised to see someone outside the door and was somewhat startled. He coughed tentatively twice.

"I got you two changes of clothes."

Lin Xiyu's ears burned. Thinking of hanging her clothes on the doorknob, her hand trembled nervously, and her pants fell to the ground.

She was limping and had difficulty bending over.

"Let me do it."

Gu Bin suddenly opened the door and picked it up for her.

A vivid and sensual image of someone emerging from a bath immediately caught her eye with a strong visual impact.

Water seeped from Gu Bin's hair, running down his neck to his ankles.

"what!"

Lin Xiyu covered her face with her hands in embarrassment.

The next second, tragedy struck.

With eyes closed, it's hard to maintain balance on one leg, and the body tilts to the right and slips.

Gu Bin caught her quickly, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes: "So eager to peek at me showering? Why don't we do it together?"

"No, no, no, I won't wash."

"I didn't peek."

I really wanted to bring you some clothes.

Lin Xiyu struggled to get off the ground, hopping quickly on one leg, and slipped back into the bedroom, then wrapped herself in the blanket and rolled back onto the bed.

"hehe."

Gu Bin watched her retreating figure and let out a pleasant laugh.

-

Lin Xiyu crawled back into bed, her mind filled with stunning images, her ears burning hot.

She let out a groan, helplessly pulling the covers over her head. As the sound of water subsided, Gu Bin emerged from the bathroom and immediately noticed the bulging cotton bundle on the bed.

He chuckled, reached out and pulled the quilt aside, then crawled inside.

Lin Xiyu's back stiffened, and her breathing became erratic.

Gu Bin hugged her from behind, inhaling the intoxicating fragrance of her hair, and closed his eyes.

The hot breath sprayed on her ear, burning her nerves, and Lin Xiyu's back stiffened, afraid to move.

"Sweetie, go to sleep."

Gu Bin noticed her nervousness, gently patted her arm, and closed his eyes.

A few moments later, she heard soft snoring behind her, but Lin Xiyu's mind was unusually active, and she remained wide awake for a long time.

She was extremely frustrated and turned over irritably, curling up in his arms.

Gu Bin was fast asleep, breathing evenly, his delicate features within reach.

Five years had passed since I last saw him. He was a bit darker than before, and his pale skin had turned into a healthy wheat color.

The sparse stubble on his chin and the bluish tint under his eyes made him look somewhat tired.

He must be tired!

I flew back from the US without jet lag, and went straight to a banquet after getting off the plane. I also spent a long time in the hospital because of her.

My heart skipped a beat at that moment.

She stared at him intently, unable to resist reaching out and gently tracing his features from his forehead to the tip of his nose.

I don't know how much time passed, but then I was overcome with extreme drowsiness, and my eyelids gradually became heavy.

She found a comfortable spot, leaned against his warm chest, and peacefully closed her eyes.

-

The next day at noon, Lin Xiyu was woken up by her cell phone ringing.

The clock had already struck 11:30 when the school's dean of students called to inquire about her absence from work.

She slapped her forehead in frustration, and had no choice but to use her foot injury as an excuse.

Fortunately, the morning news had already reported the stampede, and the head of the teaching department believed her without a doubt. Out of kindness, he granted her three days of sick leave so that she could rest properly.

Lin Xiyu found it strange, feeling that the head of the teaching department seemed like a different person today, unusually easy to talk to.

Without thinking too much, she expressed her gratitude and ended the call, then collapsed weakly onto the bed, too exhausted to move and closed her eyes.

It's all someone's fault for insisting on staying overnight, which made her restless all night, unable to sleep well, and exhausted both physically and mentally.

What about others?
Where did it go?

Why aren't you inside?
Thinking of the culprit, she ground her back teeth, feeling an urge to bite him.

"Click."

With a slight click of the door lock, Gu Bin pushed the door open and walked in, carrying a plastic bag containing a lunchbox.

He was dressed in his jogging clothes, looking refreshed and energetic, a stark contrast to her listless appearance as she lay in bed.

Lin Xiyu's teeth were itchy, and she wanted to bite him again.

"Gululu."

A rich aroma of food wafted over, but the poor stomach protested before its owner could react.

"Are you hungry? Get up and eat."

Gu Bin heard this and a mocking glint flashed in his eyes.

"Where did you buy your food?"

Lin Xiyu couldn't resist the temptation of the food and couldn't help but swallow.

"canteen."

Gu Bin took the lunchbox out of the plastic bag and placed it on the desk.

Which cafeteria?

Lin Xiyu's heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly jumped up from the bed.

"Your school cafeteria."

Sure enough, the next second, Gu Bin's words completely threw her into a panic.

"You went to our school cafeteria?"

There are no restaurants nearby.

Gu Bin said matter-of-factly, "Only your school has a cafeteria. If you don't go to the cafeteria, where else can you get food?"

"Whose meal card?"

Lin Xiyu was so nervous that she stammered a little.

"Besides your meal card, whose can we use?"

Gu Bin took out a meal card with a photo on it from his pants pocket and smiled meaningfully: "The photo is very beautiful. No wonder she is a campus belle. She has suitors wherever she goes."

"Cough cough."

Lin Xiyu coughed twice, covering her mouth, and glanced away guiltily.

Her beauty was undeniable. Not long after she started teaching at the vocational school, male teachers expressed their affection for her and wanted to take things further. Male students also secretly sent her flowers, shyly expressing their love.

She didn't want to cause controversy as soon as she arrived, so she rarely appeared in public in the cafeteria. For her daily meals, she would just cook some noodles in her dormitory and make do.

"I not only went to the cafeteria."

Gu Bin's eyes remained playful as he casually dropped another bombshell: "I also went to the administration office to submit the doctor's sick leave note for you."

"what?"

Lin Xiyu was indeed shocked a second time: "You went to the administration office to submit a leave slip? Doesn't that mean that all the teachers in the school know?"

"almost."

Gu Bin raised an eyebrow with a hint of smugness: "After all, I'm not bad either. I'm the kind of person who attracts attention wherever I go. It's hard for people not to notice me."

"What did you say to the director?"

Lin Xiyu suffered a heart attack. No wonder the head teacher was unusually easy to talk to today; it turns out it was because of him.

"They didn't say anything, just chatted for a bit."

Gu Bin said matter-of-factly, "I also helped you fend off a lot of unwanted suitors. By now, the whole school probably knows that Teacher Lin's fiancé is handsome and a perfect match for her."

"you say."

Lin Xiyu was speechless: "My fiancé?"

"Isn't it?"

Gu Bin countered with a slightly cold look in his eyes.

"This is... way too domineering."

Lin Xiyu was about to retort when he seized her fatal weakness.

"Don't forget to register now; you might have a chance to be assigned to a company dormitory."

Lin Xiyu: "."

He swallowed back the words, "I haven't agreed yet."

"Let's eat. I'm going to take a shower and change my clothes."

Gu Bin found it amusing, patted her head affectionately, and then took a change of clothes into the bathroom.

-

"Dong dong dong."

He had barely entered the bathroom when an impolite knocking came from outside, so loud that it sounded particularly jarring in the quiet hallway.

Lin Xiyu put down the lunchbox, her brows furrowed in displeasure.

"Dong dong dong."

The person seemed resentful; seeing no one respond, they knocked even louder.

"Who?"

Lin Xiyu, suppressing her anger, hopped to the door on one leg.

"You're Teacher Lin?"

The security door opened, revealing a middle-aged woman with exquisite makeup and a slightly harsh appearance.

"What's your business?"

A hint of panic flashed in Lin Xiyu's eyes. Her first thought was that one of the students in her class had caused trouble again, and someone had come knocking on her door.

“I am Ge Jie’s mother.”

The visitor introduced himself with obvious disdain and contempt.

"Teacher Ge?"

Lin Xiyu visibly breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this name.

It's good that they're not students; she's genuinely afraid that if something happens to a student, she won't be able to bear the responsibility.

"I already know about your affair with Ge Jie."

The middle-aged woman looked her up and down, then snorted coldly, "Although my son likes you, you should understand that with your qualifications, marrying a local Shanghainese is definitely a step up for you. Besides, you have a younger brother, and neither his father nor I want Ge Jie to marry you. You'd better give up on him as soon as possible."

"You seem to have misunderstood something."

Lin Xiyu, restrained by the fact that the other party was her colleague's mother, explained with suppressed anger: "Ge Jie and I are just colleagues, there is no other relationship between us. It is his business if he likes me. I have not agreed to marry him, let alone will marry him."

"You don't like my son?"

The middle-aged woman felt insulted, and her face turned even uglier: "My son graduated from a prestigious university, owns a house and a car, and is far better off than you. How dare you say you look down on him?"