The Beginning of Natural Disaster, I Won by Hoarding Tens of Billions of Supplies

Chapter 595: Doudou, I Like You

With his daughter in charge of the cooking, Gu Tinglin invited Chief Si to the study to drink Pu’er tea. “Anning’s cooking is quite good. We can just sit and wait for the meal.” 

Chief Si, seeing right through the situation, couldn’t help but admire, “Top-quality Pu’er, and it must be a gift from your daughter, right?” 

Gu Tinglin smiled, “How long has it been since we sat down to enjoy tea like this?” 

While they chatted in the study, Jiang Ning busied herself in the kitchen, quickly preparing the meal. 

It was a simple meal, but thoughtfully prepared. 

Chief Si, being from Hunan Province, was treated to Jiang Ning’s special blood duck, packed with chili, ginger, and garlic—the flavor was bold and overwhelming. 

It didn’t take long for Chief Si to start salivating at the smell. He hadn’t had this in a while. 

No wonder Old Gu is so content with his daughter. Not only does she help him with his efforts to revive Chinese civilization, but her cooking is impeccable. 

The meal was just as good as a banquet and clearly tailored to Chief Si’s tastes, showing how thoughtful Jiang Ning was. 

Satisfied, Chief Si couldn’t help but sigh again, thinking about the loss that had come to Huacheng since her departure. 

He thought about the transport ship’s Fire Seed Containers and couldn’t resist asking, “Old Gu, are we still honoring our agreement?” 

Gu Tinglin pretended to be clueless. “What agreement?” 

Chief Si wasn’t about to let it go, “We both have daughters now, and with Si Min gone…” 

He stopped suddenly, choked up thinking about his daughter. 

Gu Tinglin, feeling moved, turned to Jiang Ning. “Anning, I made an agreement with your Uncle Si. If I ever get married and have children, if they’re of the same gender, we’ll recognize each other as godparents. Would you be willing?” 

At the time, he had just broken up with Song Yaling and was grieving the loss of both his child and his love. He hadn’t even considered remarriage, let alone having more children. He had just agreed casually. 

It was just a joke, but now Chief Si wanted him to fulfill it. 

Gu Tinglin left the decision to Jiang Ning. 

Without hesitation, Jiang Ning filled a cup with wine and handed it over. “Godfather, I hope you live a long life and may Huacheng and Fengcheng flourish together.” 

Chief Si was taken aback by her quick response. 

He took the cup and drank it in one go. “Good, good, from today on, I have another daughter.” 

Gu Tinglin raised his glass too. “Old Si, Anning can be a bit impulsive, and she might not always do things perfectly. I hope you’ll look out for her.” 

The mood around the table lightened as they ate for over an hour. 

Both were happy, but as the time to part drew near, a feeling of sadness crept in. 

Natural disasters and the unpredictability of the world meant that the two cities were thousands of miles apart. No one knew if they’d ever meet again in this lifetime. 

The wine flowed freely, and a pleasant tipsiness began to creep up their cheeks. 

The car arrived to pick up Chief Si, and Gu Tinglin, a little drunk, said, “Anning, see off your uncle.” 

Jiang Ning cleared the table, grabbed a gift bag, and saw Chief Si to the door. 

There was a breeze at the entrance of the yard, which sobered up Chief Si. He looked at her with a more serious gaze. “Anning, if you could choose again, and if none of your worries existed, would you stay in Huacheng?” 

Jiang Ning already had an answer in her heart. “Uncle Si, actually, it doesn’t matter where I am. As long as I have a sense of belonging, the fruit I bear will still be a part of China. Isn’t that even more brilliant, like stars lighting up the sky?” 

They both understood each other well. The recognition at the dinner table was just a bargaining chip. 

Chief Si represented Huacheng, and he had come from afar to secure some benefit. But this identity would be equally useful and harmless for Jiang Ning. 

Hearing her answer, Chief Si felt a sense of regret but didn’t press the matter. 

“Tomorrow, we’ll leave Fengcheng. I hope there will be a chance to meet again.” 

He looked at Jiang Ning, his serious expression softening a bit. “The road you’ve chosen isn’t an easy one. Be careful of the thorns and storms along the way.” 

Jiang Ning understood the hidden meaning in his words. “Thank you, the rainbow after the storm is even more beautiful.” 

She watched him leave, then turned back. 

Gu Tinglin, no longer tipsy, sat back with a relaxed posture. “Did your Uncle Si leave?” 

Jiang Ning nodded. “You specifically had me send him off, just to give him the chance to speak?” 

“Your Uncle Si has had it tough. Since he traveled so far, we should try not to let him leave with unresolved feelings.” 

But Jiang Ning didn’t think so. “I think Uncle Si won’t let you off easily.” 

Anyone who made it to a top position in the Huacheng military wouldn’t be so easily dismissed. If Fengcheng didn’t want to be part of Huacheng, it would have to prepare for a tough fight. 

Gu Tinglin was very satisfied with her careful thinking. “Anning, you’ve really grown.” 

When he first suggested adopting Jiang Ning as his goddaughter, he had already seen through Uncle Si’s tricks. 

He had the tolerance to accept people, as long as they didn’t go too far. 

That night, Doudou walked back under the moonlight, gazing up at the sky full of scattered stars, sparkling like jewels. 

Qin Mu sent her back. 

They hadn’t seen each other in a long time, and their time together was too short. Both of them didn’t know what to say. 

Qin Mu took a deep breath but was still nervous, his palms sweating. 

They had walked quickly, but the journey back still felt short. 

Tomorrow, he would leave, and some things, if not said now, might never be said. 

He wiped his hands on his pants and suddenly grabbed Doudou’s wrist. 

Doudou’s reflexes kicked in, and she threw him over her shoulder. 

Qin Mu reacted quickly, a bit clumsily, but managed to avoid it. 

Despite her soft, innocent look, Doudou had always been tough and formidable. This was something that Huo Yishen and Jiang Ning had worked hard to train in her. 

But Qin Mu wasn’t the weakling he used to be; he had grown up. 

Whether in the past or now, he finally spoke up. “Doudou, I… I like you.” 

Doudou’s mind went blank. 

How could she explain it? She had always considered Qin Mu her friend, her only friend. 

But that didn’t mean she was oblivious to romantic feelings. 

When they reunited in Fengcheng, Qin Mu had come to visit her several times. 

Though he hadn’t said it directly, his gaze towards her, when he thought she wasn’t paying attention, was familiar to Doudou—her older brother would look at his wife the same way. 

She had a vague idea of what Qin Mu meant. 

Under the moonlight, Doudou tightened her fist slightly, taking a moment to calm herself before speaking sweetly, “Thank you for liking me, Xiao Mu.” 

Qin Mu was about to respond, but before he could, she added, “But in my heart, you’ll always be Brother Xiao Mu.” 

The moonlight was dim, making it hard to read his expression. 

But it was probably a sad one. 

What Doudou didn’t know was how much effort Qin Mu had put in just to stand by her side. 

She was his motivation. 

It was Qin Mu who had requested to come to Fengcheng. 

It was the place where he was most likely to find her. 

And he had succeeded. 

When he saw her for the first time, he felt like his heart would leap out of his chest. 

The grown-up version of her looked exactly like the girl who had appeared in his dream’s countless times. 

But she had coldly rejected him. 

“Doudou, why?”