Chapter 301 - 272: Hearts in Unison
Chapter 301: Chapter 272: Hearts in Unison
The Tang family stayed at the Gu Mansion until evening, and only after dinner did they finally say their goodbyes. Their departure took nearly half of the Gu family with them. Of the grandchildren, only Gu Shaoling remained to keep her cousin Tian Sisi company; the rest all followed Grandpa Gu and Granny Gu to the Tang Mansion. They planned to hang out for a while and return after having a late-night snack.
It had been decided that Grandma and Xiao Man would prepare the late-night snack, a completely Southern-style spread that had everyone intrigued. Third Uncle Gu had to stay and look after the new mother and her daughter, but his mouth watered at the thought of the food, so he repeatedly reminded Gu Shaoqin to pack some for him and his wife. Second Uncle Gu and his wife rarely spent New Year’s at home and didn’t want to go out. First Uncle Gu could have gone, but he was worried his presence at the Tang’s would cramp his son’s style. ’Winning back his future daughter-in-law is the most important thing right now!’ With this in mind, First Uncle Gu was content to stay home.
The Tang Mansion came alive with activity. Tang Qingshan had prepared more than enough fireworks for the boys, and the courtyard became a dazzling, long-lasting spectacle. The brilliant display attracted many adults and children, who stopped outside the iron fence to watch, letting out wave after wave of cheers.
Grandma prepared a large pot of oil tea, accompanied by thirty to forty different kinds of snacks and pastries. Bowls and plates of all colors, a dazzling array, covered the long table. The Southern food was vastly different from northern cuisine. Moreover, Xiao Man had specially stored it all in her space, so it was as if the food had just been taken out of a refrigerator. Not only was it appetizingly fresh, but its delicious, sweet, and mellow flavors were absolutely mouth-watering. Pretty much everyone loved it. They all gathered around the long table, circling it and trying a bit of everything as if at a buffet, each one of them grinning from ear to ear.
After the late-night snack, some of the group followed Shao Jin to the second-floor study to listen to new songs. Gu Shaojun and Xiao Man went upstairs as well, and when no one was looking, they both slipped into Xiao Man’s room.
Knowing that someone tactless would soon come looking for them and that they couldn’t disappear for too long, Xiao Man went to a drawer. She took out a jadeite token, its rich green color like that of a deep pool, and tied it around Gu Shaojun’s neck. "This one has strong defensive properties too, second only to that ink jade one from before," she said. "You’re a soldier, and military orders are absolute. No danger can stop you in your tracks, but I want you to be safe and sound!"
"This one is more suited for you. I want you to be safe and sound, too... I promise, I will protect myself!"
"I know some self-defense, I’ll be fine." Xiao Man reached into her collar and pulled out a red velvet cord, from which hung a delicate, heart-shaped wooden charm. She smiled and said, "Or do you want me to be covered in them, jingling like a bell wherever I go?"
Gu Shaojun couldn’t help but laugh. "Then you have to promise me you won’t be reckless. And you have to come back to Beijing for university!"
"Okay."
Gu Shaojun reached for the heart-shaped charm, which was carved with an exquisite pattern. He gave it a gentle twist, and the heart opened to reveal a tiny photograph inside—one of him and Xiao Man.
"Did you remember how to open it?"
"I remember. I love this scent."
"It’s the heartwood of a Golden Silk Nanmu tree. It’s said to last a thousand years without decaying and is incredibly rare. I happened to find a small piece during my first dangerous mission and wanted to make a special memento for you, something you would like. My first two attempts at carving it were failures, but I finally succeeded on the third try. Look, it has our photo inside!"
"Mhm! Just like this. I love it!"
They looked at each other and smiled. Xiao Man seized the chance to fasten the clasp on the cord around Gu Shaojun’s neck, then formed a hand seal and cast a secret spell on it to ensure it would never come loose or fall off.
Gu Shaojun stroked the Jade Token, the memory of the first time she had tied the ink jade token around his neck flooding back to him. His heart surged with emotion, and he smiled. "That ink jade... sometimes, I can still feel it in my dreams. It’s a real shame it disappeared. It would’ve been great if it hadn’t."
’The little minx had tied it on him without asking, and while he had been a bit flustered at the time, he found he actually quite liked it afterward!’
Xiao Man, however, thought he was lamenting the Amulet’s destruction and offered a few words of comfort.
’The supply of ready-made Amulets in the Treasure Pearl Space was indeed dwindling; they were all artifacts left by the space’s previous owner. However, I am confident I’ll be able to craft my own in the future. Spiritual Energy is scarce on Earth, and with my poor constitution and weak foundation, my Cultivation is slow. Even so, I’ve already advanced to the Third Level of Qi Refining and can use a Spirit Gathering Array to accumulate and absorb Spiritual Energy. As long as I persevere, reaching Foundation Establishment won’t be a problem. Once I do, I’ll be able to create all sorts of Amulets.’
’Gu Shaojun could cultivate, too. He’d practiced Ancient Martial Arts since childhood, had an outstanding physique, and was exceptionally talented. An appraisal with a Jade Record from the Cultivation World had identified him as having Thunder Fire Dual Spirit Roots. That was why I gave him a copy of the Nine Revolutions Primordial Technique. When he leaves in a couple of days, I’ll give him some rare herbs, like Purple Jade Lotus Seeds, and some of the Elixir Pills I currently have. Once he reaches a certain stage, he will automatically begin to absorb Spiritual Energy to temper his meridians and strengthen his body, entering the Qi Refinement Realm. Given his innate talent and comprehension, by the time we meet again, his cultivation will likely be leagues ahead of my own.’
The two of them sat down at the coffee table to eat some fruit. They were just ordinary apples and pears, but Xiao Man had stored them in her space beforehand, only taking them out when it was time to eat. The process had enhanced both their flavor and nutritional value by several degrees.
After they had each eaten half an apple, Gu Shaojun remembered the promise he had made to Wu Xiaowen earlier in the day and told Xiao Man about it.
"Aunt Wu is insisting that I give her an explanation, so I’m going. I need to meet with Xuanxuan face-to-face and clear the air once and for all. That way, there will be no reason for this to drag on. Will you come with me?"
"I’ll sit this one out. Just make sure you explain things clearly."
Their eyes met. Xiao Man felt not a trace of resentment in her heart. She was certain now that the relationship between Gu Shaojun and Tang Yaxuan, both in her past life and in this one, was not what she had once imagined.
’In her past life, there might have been some affection between them, but it was never romantic love. In this life, there were no romantic feelings, either; even the fondness that had caused the past-life Gu Shaojun to feel a certain attachment hadn’t had a chance to develop. Gu Shaojun had been injured and disabled, and knowing his personality, he would have refused to marry her, unwilling to be a burden on Tang Yaxuan. At first, Tang Yaxuan had been incredibly persistent, stubbornly insisting on honoring their engagement and marrying him. In the end, however, they never wed. With Gu Shaojun’s blessing, Tang Yaxuan married another man.’
’Gu Shaojun, for his part, had packed away all his photos of Tang Yaxuan and moved to a coastal city to recuperate. In his heart, his "little sister" Yaxuan remained a kind, wonderful person, someone to be remembered fondly.’
’It wasn’t until the sudden appearance of the "ugly monster" Xiao Man that he was truly shocked.’
’The two people in that arranged childhood engagement had both met tragic ends in their past life. Tang Yaxuan, on the other hand... she had lived quite well, hadn’t she? Because the subject was taboo, and probably also out of concern for my reaction, no one in Gu Shaojun’s villa was ever allowed to mention Tang Yaxuan’s name, let alone discuss any news about the Tang family. As a result, I never even knew who Tang Yaxuan had married in that lifetime.’