Chapter 297 - 268: On Time
Chapter 297: Chapter 268: On Time
Tian Xueqin was lost in thought as she walked, not really paying attention to what the two girls beside her were discussing. Since they had found Tian Xueqin in the small side courtyard where the third branch of the family lived, the three of them were now taking a different path back. As they passed through a moon gate, Tian Sisi suddenly gasped in surprise, pointing in a certain direction for her aunt and Gu Shaoling to see. "Look! Isn’t that my oldest cousin? And... Xuanxuan’s mother!"
About twenty or thirty paces away, under a solid wood trellis, two people were standing opposite each other, talking. It was none other than Wu Xiaowen and Gu Shaojun.
The Gu family had a greenhouse for their flowers. Even when auspicious snow sometimes fell during the Lunar New Year festival, the courtyards could still be filled with numerous potted plants and flowers taller than a person. They were vibrant, lush, and verdant—a pleasant sight that brimmed with the feeling of spring. Using these potted plants for cover, Gu Shaoling and Tian Sisi tiptoed closer to eavesdrop on their conversation. Tian Xueqin shot them a reproachful glance but didn’t stop them, instead moving a bit closer herself, thinking she could greet them after they finished talking.
Wu Xiaowen had originally been looking for Xiao Man. The relatives they visited on Lunar New Year’s Eve were a collateral branch of the Wu family, and they had been very polite to her and her daughter. Seeing that the clan uncle was in poor health with symptoms similar to Father Wu’s, Wu Xiaowen remembered that Xiao Man had a prescription. She promised to help find the medicine. When the relatives heard she had access to a special remedy, they were overjoyed and treated the mother-daughter pair with even more enthusiasm, which made Wu Xiaowen feel very proud.
Having made such a bold promise, she naturally had to find a chance to get the medicine from Xiao Man. So, the moment she saw Xiao Man come out, she kept an eye on Old Mrs. Tang. While the old woman was talking with Grandma, she quickly slipped out a side door. She saw Xiao Man with two other girls, glanced around, and spotted Gu Shaojun walking down the paved path from the front courtyard. Suddenly remembering Xuanxuan’s situation, she decided to find Xiao Man later. She went to meet Gu Shaojun first and suggested they have a chat. Gu Shaojun, of course, found it difficult to refuse. That was how the two of them ended up here, their conversation now drawing to a close, just in time for Tian Xueqin and the girls to overhear a few sentences.
Wu Xiaowen said, "Shaojun, so it’s settled? You’ll come to the Beijing Grand Hotel at 11:30 tomorrow morning to have lunch with Xuanxuan. It’s been a while since you’ve seen each other, so you two should have a good talk."
Gu Shaojun nodded. "Alright, I’ll be there on time."
"You know how Xuanxuan feels about you. She misses you so much she even calls out for ’Brother Shaojun’ in her dreams. Her poor health since childhood is also because she’s been carrying this emotional burden... Please don’t bring anyone else along. Just the two of you should meet alone, okay? Her circumstances are difficult right now. I hope you won’t look down on her like those vulgar people do. You’ve known each other for six or seven years; you two have feelings for each other! A thousand taels of gold are easy to come by, but true love is hard to find. That child is truly willing to give up everything for you! You have to cherish her and comfort her properly!"
Gu Shaojun didn’t answer right away. After a long pause, he said calmly, "Xuanxuan’s life isn’t difficult. She has a mother like you, which is fortunate enough. Xiao Man... oh, I forgot, Xiao Man is actually Mr. Tang’s daughter! It’s alright, she’s only missing a mother. In the future, there will be even more people to dote on her and love her! Well then, I’ll be going. Goodbye!"
"Hey, Shaojun! Shaojun... wait, I have more to say..."
Gu Shaojun acted as if he hadn’t heard. One strode away while the other chased after, and soon they were out of sight.
Tian Sisi patted her chest and let out a huge breath. "Whoa... I told you! My oldest cousin has no feelings for Tang Manman. She just wouldn’t believe it. She’s just asking for trouble!"
Gu Shaoling pouted. "My oldest cousin and Xuanxuan are still entangled. He’s even going to see her and have a meal with her. And after Sister Jun Ran likes him so much, too!"
Tian Xueqin clicked her tongue, a smile naturally appearing on her cheeks. "Alright, you two, quiet down. What do you know? Both Shaojun and Shaofeng are the promising young men of the family. Their marriages will be decided by the elders. It’s not your place to worry."
The three of them continued walking. Gu Shaoling linked her arm through Tian Xueqin’s and asked coaxingly, "Mom, the other day my brother called Grandma, and I overheard! My brother said he wanted to get married, and Grandma said okay... Is that true?"
"No, you misheard." Tian Xueqin’s smile vanished, her expression turning formal and her tone flat. "For your brother to be in the first group to go abroad for advanced studies is a great honor. He should be working hard to improve himself. How could he possibly get married at a time like this? Besides, he’s still young. He should wait until he’s at least twenty-five."
"But Grandpa said that by the time Dad was twenty-five, my brother was already old enough to make the Zeng Family’s kid cry!"
"Really? Cousin Shaofeng is so impressive!" Tian Sisi said, clapping and laughing.
Tian Xueqin couldn’t help but smile. "Yes, Shaofeng had just turned three then. When he was one, he could already run fast and steady, and he was strong, too. If he didn’t want an adult to hold him, no one could pick him up except for the men in the family. He wouldn’t even let them get close!"
"Mom, you and Dad were able to get married at twenty, so why can’t my brother? Grandpa said if he likes the girl, he should just get married. She’s studying medicine, too, which is great!"
"Oh, you child, why don’t you understand? A family like ours can’t just marry any girl we see. Both sides need to have comparable backgrounds. Haven’t you ever heard of being well-matched in social status? You’re still young. When you’re older, Mom will explain it to you in detail. It’s because your brother... well, it’s also our fault as parents for being negligent and not guiding him in time. That’s how he got entangled with that little nurse. You can’t blame him! Marriage is a lifelong commitment. It affects one’s future, one’s descendants, and the prosperity of the entire family. It’s not child’s play! These young girls are so naive. They think they can get by just by being sweet-talkers and using their looks. What kind of family is the Gu family? She’s just the daughter of a minor family, whose parents are merely workers at a small, county-level factory, yet she dares to have such ambitions. She’s certainly got some nerve! Even if she really did marry into this family, and even if I could tolerate her, I’m afraid she wouldn’t be able to last. Being the young mistress of a wealthy family isn’t just about knowing how to enjoy a life of luxury! Shaoling, you must remember this. In the future, you..."
"Mom! Can you please stop? You’ve been telling me to do this and that ever since you got back. It’s making my head spin!" Gu Shaoling whined impatiently, hanging off Tian Xueqin’s arm.
Tian Xueqin smiled and patted her daughter lightly. "Your grandma has spoiled you rotten!"
Beside them, Tian Sisi gently bit her lip and lowered her head to look at the path beneath her feet. The path, a little over a meter wide, was paved with green and red bricks in an exquisite and beautiful pattern. She often came to stay at her aunt’s house and considered herself very familiar with the large compound, but she could never get enough of looking at these beautiful patterned paths she walked on.
’So this is the ’wealthy family’ my aunt talks about? Is it really so unattainable? Isn’t my aunt exaggerating a bit? She married into it, didn’t she? And she’s lived a good life here for half her life!’
’The Tian family is working class; for three generations, they’ve been ’master workers.’ Grandpa and Grandma worked hard to send my aunt to a public health school. Right after she graduated, there was a natural disaster, and she met my severely injured uncle while saving lives. They got married shortly after. It was that simple, without a single obstacle!’
’Grandma always said my aunt was born lucky. I’m sure my own fate can be just as good as hers!’