Chapter 137: Visiting the Yan Family

"Mistress." Gou Dan stepped forward gently to tuck the quilt around her.

Zhong Yuxiu opened her eyes and said, "Someone is coming to visit the day after tomorrow. Remember to prepare a meal for eight people and make a few extra nice dishes for our guests."

"Understood, I have noted it down." Gou Dan took a step back. "Goodnight, Mistress."

"Goodnight."

Gou Dan went to the laboratory to charge and enter standby mode, but Zhong Yuxiu felt no sleepiness. Her mind kept replaying the events of the day; it felt like a dream. In the near future, she would transition into a married woman. She did not feel repulsed by this; instead, she felt a sense of stability, knowing she had someone to lean on.

In her previous lives, regardless of where she had transmigrated, she had always been resistant to the idea of marriage. Thinking back on it now, she realized the problem: she had never truly felt like she belonged to those worlds. Furthermore, she had witnessed too many relationships ruined by indifference, as well as divorces, separations, marriages of convenience, and couples living under the same roof but leading separate lives—none of that was what she wanted.

She had lived as if she were born solely for a mission, making personal happiness secondary.

It was not until she met Yan Rushan that it felt like destiny. From the very beginning, Yan Rushan gave her a sense of absolute reliability. He was a dependable person, and their subsequent interactions only confirmed this. By now, the resistance toward marriage had vanished, replaced by a sense of anticipation.

Lost in these wandering thoughts, she drifted off to sleep, enjoying a night of pleasant dreams.

The next day, the sun was already high.

Zhong Yuxiu climbed out of bed lazily, rubbing her sleep-filled eyes. She pulled back the curtains, and the blinding sunlight flooded the room. She squinted, waiting for her eyes to adjust before opening them fully.

Gou Dan pushed the door open. "Good morning, Mistress. Breakfast is ready; you may eat now."

"What delicious things did you make?" Her voice was raspy and languid.

"Beef noodles with chili oil, your favorite."

Zhong Yuxiu nodded. "I'll go change, then I'll come down to eat."

"Very well, Mistress. I will go serve the noodles for you." Gou Dan turned and headed downstairs.

Since she was going to the Yan family to meet her future in-laws today, Zhong Yuxiu specifically chose a red wool coat. She paired it with flared trousers, wearing thermal leggings underneath, along with a white cashmere turtleneck sweater. She added a red scarf and black snow boots; this ensemble was quite fashionable for this era.

After washing up, Zhong Yuxiu went to the dining room. On the table sat a large bowl of noodles, a plate of pomelo segments, some snacks and candies, and a cup of malted milk.

The malted milk had been a gift from Yan Rushan previously. She didn't drink it often, and no one else in the house had any particular interest in it. She hadn't expected Gou Dan to serve it today.

"Gou Dan."

"Coming, Mistress." Gou Dan emerged from the kitchen, carrying a small plate.

Zhong Yuxiu asked, "Why the malted milk? The noodles are enough."

"Mistress, malted milk has high nutritional value; you should drink more of it." Gou Dan placed the plate in front of her. "I made a small side dish for you to have with your noodles. Please, eat up."

"Alright then." The malted milk didn't have an unpleasant smell, so she could just barely accept it. She wasn't trying to be difficult, but she truly didn't have a fondness for milk-based drinks.

Gou Dan added, "Mistress, please enjoy your meal. I am going to get paper and a pen to list the materials needed for the dryer."

"Go ahead."

Gou Dan turned and went to the utility room, returning with writing supplies. Zhong Yuxiu glanced at them and then focused on her meal; the noodle broth was flavorful, and the noodles were chewy and delicious.

After finishing the large bowl of noodles and vegetables, Zhong Yuxiu set down her chopsticks and finished the malted milk. She felt stuffed; the pomelo segments on the side were now just for looking—she couldn't manage another bite. What a pity.

Gou Dan set down the pen and handed her the list.

"Mistress, please have someone send these materials as soon as possible, and I will build it quickly."

"I understand. I'll call Comrade Xi Nian right away." Zhong Yuxiu stood up and left. Gou Dan cleared the table. By the time Zhong Yuxiu finished her call, Gou Dan had emerged from the kitchen. "Gou Dan, Comrade Xi Nian said the materials will be delivered in two days, and he’ll stop by to pay a New Year's visit while he's at it."

Gou Dan nodded. "Very well, Mistress. Would you like to go back upstairs to sleep, or stay down here to read?"

"I'll read for a while. It's past ten o'clock, isn't it? Comrade Yan should be here soon." She had slept quite late; whenever she had nothing to do, her mind was at its most relaxed, and she slept most soundly. She hadn't realized she’d slept for so long.

"What type of book would you like to read, Mistress? I will go fetch it for you."

Zhong Yuxiu replied, "The medical text, *Essence of Medical Ethics*."

"Understood, please wait a moment." Gou Dan went upstairs and returned shortly, carrying a thick, ancient-looking book, which he presented to her. "Mistress, your medical book."

"Thank you." She took it and looked at Gou Dan. "There is nothing else for you here; go about your tasks."

Gou Dan acknowledged her, moved the pomelo segments from the dining table to the coffee table in front of her, and Zhong Yuxiu sat on the sofa and opened the book.

The copy of *Essence of Medical Ethics* she held was not the original; many parts had been edited. She had only read it once before, and now she wanted to read it a second time to carefully absorb its essence.

When she settled her mind to study, it was easy to get immersed. Once one enters the threshold of a subject, one inevitably grows to love it.

Unfortunately, what she loved most was scientific research—exploring the principles of all things in the universe. If possible, she still wanted to continue exploring the mysteries of the cosmos.

Back in the Interstellar era, she loved doing research and uncovering the secrets of the universe. With the advanced technology of that time, they could develop black holes to travel to other planets, which touched upon the deepest mysteries of space. Now that she had left the Interstellar, she missed it quite a bit.

Yan Rushan stepped into the Zhong residence and saw her at a glance, cradling the medical text as she read.

"Yuxiu."

Zhong Yuxiu looked up at the sound of his voice and smiled. "You're here! Come and sit. Gou Dan peeled some pomelo; eat some to moisten your throat."

"I'm here." Yan Rushan walked over with a light step, sat down beside her, and first took a piece of fruit from the coffee table to eat, then fed a piece to her.

Zhong Yuxiu blushed, her ears burning, but she ate it anyway.

Yan Rushan’s heart stirred, his expression softening. "Yuxiu, it's getting late; we should be going. My mother has prepared a lot of delicious food at home, and before I came over, I stopped by the state-run restaurant to buy some meat dishes you like."

"Mm, let's go then."

Setting the medical book aside, Zhong Yuxiu stood up to go to the utility room to prepare the New Year's gifts, taking out a portion of her own provisions to include.

"Brother Yan, see if anything else is needed. It wouldn't be right to be too meager for a first visit."

"This is more than enough; we have everything at home. My grandfather's New Year benefits have arrived too, and we can't even finish all that food." Yan Rushan didn't refuse; as long as the proper etiquette was observed, no one could find fault with her.

"Wait, we're missing wine."

Zhong Yuxiu ran back to the utility room and brought out two bottles of wine. These were also part of the benefits issued from above. The benefits were excellent, and the wine was the best among them—it would cost dozens of yuan outside. It was a perfect gift for guests or for entertaining.

"Alright, let's go."