The courtyard gate creaked open with a "zi ya".
Lin Wan Yi was just humming a little tune as she hung a washed shirt on the clothesline when she saw Gu Yanshen return.
His military uniform was neatly pressed, his steps steady, yet on that handsome face of his, a layer of frost seemed to have formed, cold enough to scrape off ice shards.
Lin Wan Yi just wanted to speak when the voices of Sister in law Li and Sister in law Qian from next door floated over in a harmonious duet, as if they had planned it.
"Oh my, Mr. Gu is back!" Sister in law Qian's face, laced with a fake smile, was harsh enough to pierce ears.
Li immediately chimed in, her gaze like a knife across Lin Wan Yi, her voice raised by a full octave to ensure the entire courtyard could hear: "Isn't that so, Mr. Gu is really hard-working — toiling for the country in the army during the day, and at night... still has to serve the delicate daughter of a capitalist at home."
