After Becoming the Family Head, I Got an Unofficial Fiancée (GL) - Chapter 8
Since it was still summer vacation, the mall was full of parents bringing their children out to play. Everywhere, you could see kids running around wildly.
Gu Weiyan couldn’t help but frown as she watched the unruly children. To be honest, she didn’t like kids, especially mischievous ones, so she instinctively stepped aside to avoid them.
Jiang Man had been holding her hand the whole time. From the car to the mall, they hadn’t let go of each other’s hands. Jiang Man felt her palms sweating from the grip, but it didn’t feel right to pull away from Gu Weiyan’s firm hold. She just let her continue holding on.
Mrs. Gu, walking ahead, turned back and saw their hands intertwined. She smiled and said, “Let’s go buy Xiao Man a pair of sports shoes. School’s starting soon, and it’ll be easier for her to wear them in gym class.”
Gu Weiyan didn’t have any objections. She looked down at Jiang Man and asked, “What brand of sports shoes do you like?”
Jiang Man shook her head nervously. “I’m not picky about brands.”
“Then let’s go to the store up ahead. I saw a neighbor’s kid wearing those shoes, and they looked pretty nice,” Mrs. Gu said as she walked into the store and began picking shoes off the shelves. She selected a pair of beige sports shoes and waved for Jiang Man to try them on.
Jiang Man glanced at Gu Weiyan. Seeing no objection, she released her hand and walked over to try on the shoes beside Mrs. Gu.
Afterward, Mrs. Gu took both Gu Weiyan and Jiang Man to several other stores. Since Jiang Man was still a student, she only wore her school uniform most of the time. So, she bought a few sets of seasonal clothes, all in a sporty style.
They later passed by a stationery store, and Jiang Man told Gu Weiyan she wanted to go in and buy a few pens.
While Jiang Man was busy choosing items from the shelves, Gu Weiyan and her mother stood outside chatting casually.
Mrs. Gu looked at Jiang Man and turned to her daughter. “Are you and Xiao Man sleeping in the same room now?”
“What are you thinking, Mom?” Gu Weiyan responded helplessly. “She’s only 18. How could I be sleeping in the same room as her?”
Mrs. Gu blinked, looking at her with curious eyes. “Really?”
“Mom,” Gu Weiyan said seriously, looking directly at her mother. “She sleeps in the guest room. Aunt Zhou can vouch for it. And you know, I’ve never agreed with the arranged marriage. How could I accept it so quickly?”
Gu Weiyan valued the idea of free love. She wanted her partner to be independent and mature, someone with an adult way of interacting—if they liked each other, they would be together, but if not, they would part ways. She didn’t want to be in a situation where she was shopping with a young girl who was practically a stranger, bound by a marriage contract before they’d even met.
While she didn’t mind Jiang Man, she felt like her mom was meddling too much.
Do they have to control everything, even whether we sleep in the same room?
Jiang Man was her fiancée. If she wanted to sleep with her, that’s her choice!
Mrs. Gu looked at her daughter for a moment, then turned her attention back to Jiang Man, still busy choosing items in the store. She said, “The marriage was arranged by your grandfather. Your father and I couldn’t refuse.”
Gu Weiyan listened attentively but didn’t speak.
“Although I don’t understand what your grandfather is thinking, Xiao Man is a good child,” Mrs. Gu continued. “She’s young, innocent, and we know her background. It’s definitely better than those people out there who are just after your money.”
“But you still need to be cautious,” Mrs. Gu said. “Pay attention to the Jiang family. They’re a bit complicated. I just hope Xiao Man is happy with you.”
Gu Weiyan glanced at Jiang Man, who was now at the cashier, and then turned to her mother. “I’m aware of it.”
Jiang Man came running over after finishing her purchase, holding five pens and two notebooks. “I’m done.”
Mrs. Gu smiled at both of them. “I think we’ve done enough shopping for today. Let’s head home.”
After returning to the villa with their purchases, Jiang Man watched as Mrs. Gu’s car left the neighborhood. Then she turned to Gu Weiyan and asked, “I didn’t cause any trouble today, did I?”
Gu Weiyan looked at her and smiled. “No, you were very cooperative.”
Jiang Man was thrilled and happily followed Gu Weiyan back home.
They had bought quite a few things today. Besides two pairs of shoes, there were several sets of fall clothes and outerwear, and with the items Jiang Man had purchased herself, they couldn’t fit everything into just a few shopping bags.
Aunt Zhou looked at the clothes and decided to wash them first. Meanwhile, Jiang Man saw Gu Weiyan sitting on the sofa watching TV and walked over, hands behind her back, saying, “Um… thank you for buying all these things for me.”
Gu Weiyan glanced back at her and said nonchalantly, “It wasn’t that expensive.”
Today, it was mostly Mrs. Gu doing the buying, while Gu Weiyan just paid, and Jiang Man was the one who used everything.
“It’s not just today’s stuff. It’s also the desk and cabinet from before,” Jiang Man said softly, looking into Gu Weiyan’s dark green eyes. “These things must have cost quite a bit, right?”
“It’s fine,” Gu Weiyan replied. She wasn’t too concerned about money. After all, she could earn it as easily as she spent it. As long as she liked something, she could afford it, and these small amounts didn’t bother her at all.
Jiang Man didn’t know what to say when she saw Gu Weiyan acting so indifferent. Seeing Jiang Man’s awkward expression, Gu Weiyan couldn’t help but smile.
“My mom has already left, so you don’t have to be so nervous,” Gu Weiyan said. “You can relax here. You don’t have to worry about everything being based on my mood.”
Jiang Man’s gaze grew a little heavier. “Okay, thank you.”
Gu Weiyan shifted slightly and asked, “When does school start for you? Is it in the next few days?”
“Yeah,” Jiang Man nodded. “It starts next Monday.”
“Have you finished all your homework?”
“Uh… not yet,” Jiang Man blushed, nervously fiddling with the hem of her clothes. “I still need about two more days to finish it.”
Gu Weiyan gently said to her, “Then these next two days, you should stay at home and focus on your homework. I’ll take you to school when it starts.”
Jiang Man stayed silent for a few seconds, then nodded and said, “I’ll go work on my homework now.”
Gu Weiyan nodded. “Go ahead.”
After watching Jiang Man head upstairs to her room, Gu Weiyan leaned back on the couch, propping her head up with her hand, thinking for a while. She couldn’t understand why she had even asked Jiang Man about her homework, because it really felt like she was playing the role of a mother raising her daughter.
The temperature was still in the 30s at the end of August, but luckily, it rained twice over the weekend, giving the entire city a good wash. The sky was as clear as a blue mirror, reflecting the rainbow-colored sunlight.
Today was the first day of school for all the major schools, so the driver arrived at 7 AM. Gu Weiyan and Jiang Man had breakfast together before heading out.
The driver had recently learned that there was a high school senior in Gu Weiyan’s family. Although he was curious about why a successful young woman like Gu Weiyan had a high school student at home, his professional ethics stopped him from asking anything. After setting the GPS to City North High School, he pressed the accelerator and headed there.
Jiang Man was wearing a blue and white school uniform, her hair tied in a ponytail at the back of her head, making her look especially energetic today.
She placed her backpack next to her, gazing out the window at the unfamiliar roads and scenery, watching the people walking by.
At 7 AM, the city roads weren’t too crowded, so they didn’t spend much time leaving the villa area. However, the closer they got to the school, the more pedestrians and vehicles appeared, most of them parents dropping off their kids for school.
Gu Weiyan hadn’t seen this scene in a while. In the past, the driver would deliberately avoid the school area to avoid traffic, but now, she found herself joining the crowd.
City North High School had both middle and high school divisions. The middle schoolers wore brown uniforms, while the high schoolers, like Jiang Man, wore blue and white. So, Gu Weiyan could easily spot the high school students from the middle school students.
The closer they got to the school, the heavier the traffic became. The driver stopped at a red light and pulled on the handbrake. He couldn’t help but say, “There are quite a few students at this school.”
Gu Weiyan could already see the school gate from a distance, and the cars ahead of them were moving at a snail’s pace. Some high school students, riding electric bikes or bicycles, were boldly weaving through the traffic, shouting at the people in front to move.
The streets were filled with noisy students. Jiang Man peered out the window, then turned to Gu Weiyan and said, “How about I just walk the rest of the way? It’s almost there.”
Gu Weiyan glanced at the car ahead, barely moving, then checked the time on her phone.
Indeed, walking there would be faster than driving.
“Okay,” Gu Weiyan said. “I’ll walk you to the entrance.”
Jiang Man looked surprised and quickly said, “You don’t need to go through that trouble. I’m familiar with this place, I can walk by myself.”
“It’s fine,” Gu Weiyan said to the driver. “Xu, wait for me by the side of the road.”
The driver, Old Xu, replied with a quick “Yes.” Gu Weiyan grabbed Jiang Man’s backpack, got out of the car, and even looked inside to say, “Come down.”
Jiang Man hurriedly got out, closed the door, and followed Gu Weiyan toward the school.
At 8 AM, the sun shone through the gaps in the leaves along the road, casting light on Gu Weiyan’s head and shoulders. All around them were young high school students, full of energy, loudly greeting their friends before linking arms and running off, laughing and joking.
Gu Weiyan hadn’t experienced such a scene in a long time. She glanced at Jiang Man, who seemed very nervous, keeping her head down and walking closely behind her. Jiang Man hadn’t spoken a word during their walk down the street.
“Are you having lunch at the school cafeteria?” Gu Weiyan asked her.
Jiang Man glanced up at her, and after their eyes met, she quickly lowered her head, softly replying, “Mm.”
Gu Weiyan asked again, “What time do you finish school in the afternoon?”
Jiang Man answered awkwardly, “At 5:30.”
“No evening classes?” Gu Weiyan asked.
“The teacher said there aren’t any for the first few days,” Jiang Man replied.
Gu Weiyan nodded. When they reached the school gate, she stopped and handed Jiang Man the backpack she’d been holding, saying, “I’ll come pick you up after school. If I’m late, wait inside the school. I’ll call you when I arrive, and then you can come out.”
Jiang Man took the backpack, feeling the weight of her books and assignments inside. She hugged it to her chest, and it felt a bit heavy.
“Okay,” Jiang Man looked at Gu Weiyan for a moment, then said, “I’ll go in now. Be careful on the way, Gu Weiyan.”