A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Chapter 528 Zhou Huifang breaks off the engagement

Gui'er was momentarily speechless. Xu Wenjie continued, "Actually, there are many different opinions within the Nationalist government right now. Some are actively preparing for war, some advocate a negotiated solution, and there are also very extreme pessimists. However, we haven't heard any reports from people like Chen Gongbo and Wang Jingwei that they are leaning in this direction. However, your statement suggests that they are collaborating with the enemy. This is a very serious matter. We must be cautious and not make conclusions based on speculation, otherwise it will easily lead to chaos."

Guier thought about it and it made sense. She was so sure because she knew what happened later. But before this incident happened, who would believe that a vice president of a party-state with such high power would do something like surrendering to the enemy?

After school that day, Zhou Huifang asked Guier to go to her home to play and take her mother's pulse. Guier happily agreed.

As they exited the school gate, they spotted Liang Guowei standing there. He was dressed in a moon-white English-style suit, a crisp sapphire brooch pinned to his collar, gleaming with a cold light. His hair was meticulously combed, greased with pomade, and the gold watch on his wrist shone brightly as it swung its chain. He had grown his hair long over the injured ear, hiding the missing half. At first glance, he looked like a dashing, elegant young man. The female students leaving the school gate after school turned their heads at his sight.

He saw Gui'er, smiled and waved, then walked up to Gui'er and Zhou Huifang and said, "Guier, school is over, let me take you home. Catherine's Cafe has launched a new chestnut cake, which I heard is delicious. We can stop by to try it."

Guier smiled and said, "Thank you for coming over, but I have something to do today. I have to go to a classmate's house. I'm sorry."

Zhou Huifang, who was standing next to her, quickly said, "Oh, actually..."

Gui'er quickly reached out and pinched her hard behind her back, then said with a smile, "Master Liang, unfortunately, I have already promised my classmate to go help his mother with physical therapy. Although my friend is understanding, it is her mother's health. I can't break the appointment just to go out and have fun."

Liang Guowei was slightly startled, then smiled gracefully and said, "You're right, I was inconsiderate. Who is this?"

Zhou Huifang quickly said, "My last name is Zhou, and I'm Gui'er's classmate."

Liang Guowei smiled and said, "So you are Miss Zhou. I will treat you to a meal if I have the chance. I won't bother you today." Then he left.

As soon as he left, Zhou Huifang excitedly pulled Gui'er and said, "You hid it so well. How did you know such a handsome man without even telling anyone? It really makes others envious."

Gui'er said angrily, "This isn't a good person, is it? Let's go to your home and see your mother."

Afterwards, the two went to Zhou Huifang's home to see her mother. She was fine, and Gui'er took her pulse and found that her spleen and stomach were a little weak, but not serious. She prescribed some medicinal food for her, and then asked her with concern: "A weak spleen and stomach can actually be caused by worry and anxiety. Auntie, are you worried about anything?"

Mrs. Zhou was stunned when she heard this. She glanced at Zhou Huifang and said with a smile, "As a housewife, I have nothing to worry about except my husband and children. I believe everything will be fine."

Guier smiled and said, "Yes, Huifang is so sensible and well-behaved, and she's already found a husband. You shouldn't think too much about it. It's not good for your health."

The Zhou family thanked Gui'er, and Mr. Zhou wanted to pay for the consultation. Gui'er quickly said, "I'm not a real doctor. I just know some basic skills and I'm just helping to look after you among relatives and friends." Finally, seeing that Gui'er kept refusing, the Zhou family had to give her a box of snacks instead, and this time Gui'er accepted it.

After saying goodbye to the Zhou family, Zhou Huifang accompanied Guier all the way to the front door. Then she suddenly said to Guier, "Did you just say that my mother's spleen and stomach are not in good condition because of worry?"

Guier smiled and said, "It's not necessarily the case. There are many factors, but excessive worry can indeed lead to spleen and stomach imbalance. What's wrong? Did something happen in your family?"

Zhou Huifang suddenly covered her mouth, controlling her emotions, and said, "That fiancé is actually fake."

Gui'er was startled and asked quickly, "What's going on? Did your family get scammed? Your family...your father works in the same unit as my eldest brother, so they both have some power. How could they be so bold as to scam you?"

Zhou Huifang said, "It's not a lie, but what they said before about being related to the Song family was true. However, the Song family is now a distant relative and we don't have much contact anymore. Moreover, their family has fallen on hard times and their business has failed, so their current situation is even worse than mine. My parents wanted to cancel the engagement, but so many people showed up when we were engaged, and I heard that they are still using my father's work at the Military Commission as a pretext to borrow money from people outside."

Gui'er said quickly, "What's the matter? Let's return it immediately."

Zhou Huifang said dejectedly: "Many of my classmates knew about my engagement at that time. I didn't know how to face them when the time came."

Gui'er said to her, "It's no big deal. You didn't invite many classmates to your engagement. Even if they knew, engagement is nothing. You can still get divorced after getting married. Can't you just say that you found your personalities were incompatible during your relationship? Then everyone will just think you're someone who's pursuing love, and there won't be any problem. Don't worry, don't ruin your life for a little face."

Zhou Huifang breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this. She looked at Gui'er and smiled, saying, "Thank you, Gui'er. I haven't dared to tell anyone for fear that others would look down on me. Fortunately, I discussed this with you."

Not long after, a classmate at school privately asked Guier whether Zhou Huifang had broken off the engagement, saying that he had seen her cancellation announcement in the newspaper.

Guier smiled and said, "I'm not sure about that either."

The classmate swore, "Of course it is, because both of their names match. How could it be such a coincidence?"

Gui'er said, "I haven't seen the newspaper, but even if the engagement is called off, it's no big deal. Maybe they hadn't met before the engagement and didn't know if their personalities were compatible. Now that they've met, they feel they're not compatible, so they called it off. We're women of the modern era. We should have self-awareness and oppose feudal arranged marriages, don't you agree?"

The students attending this school receive a new type of education, and the teachers all respond to the New Life Movement launched by the government and do not advocate arranged marriages. So when people heard this, they all said that it was indeed remarkable that Zhou Huifang had the courage to challenge arranged marriages.