A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Chapter 1042 Reporting to Chen Zhongyu

The next morning, just as Gui'er got up, Dingxiang rushed over and said, "Miss, your classmate, Miss Lin, who got engaged in the newspaper a couple of days ago, is here to see you."

Gui'er quickly got dressed, washed up, put on a wig, and went downstairs.

Lin Peishan was already waiting in the living room. She was wearing a fashionable dress, lambskin high heels, and a gold necklace and jade bracelet that she didn't usually wear. She exuded a cheerful and festive aura.

Upon seeing Gui'er, she was overjoyed and skipped over, saying, "You're finally back! When did you arrive? Why didn't you contact me? I only found out from Brother Chen."

Gui'er smiled and said, "I came back too late yesterday. I only had time to go to the bookstore and I was tired, so I wanted to take a break. I was planning to come to see you today, but I didn't expect you to come first."

Lin Peishan took her hand and sat her down on the sofa, saying, "How was it? Did you see your brother? It's a pity you can't attend my engagement party. I invited several classmates from families that have business dealings with ours. It was quite lively."

Gui'er smiled and said, "I saw the newspaper; it really is a big event in the city."

Lin Peishan smiled shyly and said, "Brother Chen is also very sorry that you couldn't come. He invited us to lunch, so it's on us treating you."

Gui'er readily agreed, and the two chatted for a while longer. After checking the time, they decided it was time to set off.

Lin Peishan got into his own car and drove directly to the Tanhualou Hotel on Hollywood Road, a popular area frequented by high society figures.

This was Gui'er's first time here. She noticed that the building's architectural style was no different from modern architecture. The doorman at the entrance greeted them respectfully as they approached and then opened the door.

"I had my engagement banquet here, it's a pity you weren't here. There's a Western restaurant on the third floor, the steak is quite authentic, let's go there to eat."

Gui'er nodded and followed Lin Peishan uphill. Along the way, they occasionally encountered some well-dressed ladies and young women wearing expensive jewelry who greeted Lin Peishan.

“My parents and their friends really enjoy coming here for meals and tea, so there are quite a few familiar faces here.”

Gui'er smiled. Today she was wearing a light green dress. The material was nice, but it was rather plain. It would be considered decent on the street, but in this place where wealthy socialites and heiresses dressed in designer brands and custom-made clothes gathered, it looked a bit shabby.

However, she didn't mind. She was no longer the daughter of a military commander; to survive here, she had to keep a low profile. Those who dressed glamorously were backed by powerful families; they didn't have anyone to rely on. Being low-key was the best way to protect herself.

Upon arriving on the third floor and entering the restaurant, I could see Chen Zhongyu already sitting there waiting.

Lin Peishan stepped forward, and Chen Zhongyu gentlemanly pulled out a chair for her. Unlike before their engagement, they were no longer restrained and openly showed their affection.

Gui'er smiled and said, "Oh right, I haven't congratulated you two on your engagement yet. Congratulations! I wish you a happy marriage soon."

Lin Peishan lowered her head shyly, while Chen Zhongyu said generously, "Thank you."

Chen Zhongyu said, "The bookstore staff relayed the news to me yesterday. They said there seemed to be some problems with the supplies we were sending to Guangxi. What are the problems? I haven't received any feedback from our colleagues there yet."

Gui'er couldn't help but feel worried after hearing this.

"That's right, after Comrade Deng Jun led us to transport the supplies to the residence of a local gentry, comrades came one after another to collect the supplies. Comrade Deng Jun personally escorted the batch of supplies sent to Guangxi out of the city. He also made an appointment with us to meet up with my brother after the supplies were delivered."

"As a result, he didn't come back for a long time. After the scheduled time passed, everyone felt that something was wrong, so Brother Wu led us to move the supplies first, left a code, and told him to meet at the Aiqun Building."

“He didn’t return until a day later. He said that when they reached the outskirts of the city, they were discovered by the Japanese. In order to protect the supplies, he and another comrade were responsible for drawing the Japanese away. However, the Japanese kept chasing them. They discussed that the two of them should run away separately so that at least one of them could escape. He successfully escaped, but the other comrade disappeared. He said he looked back but couldn’t find him.”

"Why haven't the supplies arrived in Guangxi yet? Have the supplies from Jiangcheng arrived yet?" Gui'er asked anxiously.

"The supplies from Guangxi haven't arrived yet, but people in Jiangcheng have reported that they've been safely returned to Jiangcheng."

After hearing Chen Zhongyu's words, Gui'er finally felt relieved.

"Gui'er, are you happy to see your brother this time?" Lin Peishan asked.

Gui'er said happily, "Of course I'm happy, but the time we spent together was too short. We met by chance at the Aiqun Building, but we had to part ways again on the same day."

"Oh, that's a bit of a pity. But your older brother is here on a mission, so there's nothing we can do about it. How's the situation in Guangzhou? My father has some friends there, but we've lost contact with them and don't know if they're safe."

Gui'er recalled those days in Guangzhou, shaking her head and saying, "Guangzhou is now under the control of the Japanese army, and they are implementing a high-pressure rule. Even buying food is done by quota. Some families are already starving, and the price of rice on the black market is rising every day. People are living in misery."

She glanced around. It was lunchtime, and wealthy families, couples, or friends were all eating at the restaurant. Among them might be high-ranking government officials, or even semi-traitors like Lin Zhengfu who were involved in shady businesses.

"Anyway, things are very chaotic over there right now, and there are some things I can't say here."

Chen Zhongyu glanced around and immediately understood her thoughts. He nodded and said, "Alright then, let's eat first and then go to my place for some drinks. Let's eat first."

After finishing their meal, Chen Zhongyu took Lin Peishan and Gui'er to his apartment.

This was Gui'er's first time visiting his residence, a newly built apartment in Central. It felt quite spacious, with three bedrooms and a living room—more than enough for one person. Light brown wooden floors framed a geometric marble threshold, and the walls were adorned with simple, straight plaster moldings. A Western-style fabric sofa sat by the window, opposite which was a Chinese-style carved wooden table with a brass lamp. A narrow staircase with metal railings led to a small attic upstairs, where several Western-style books were stacked in a corner niche—everywhere displaying Chen Zhongyu's elite status.