Chapter 379 - 332: Severing Ties
Chapter 379: Chapter 332: Severing Ties
Chapter 332: Severing Ties
The living room was boisterous with laughter, seeming to be full of people. Xiao Man was secretly surprised. ’Didn’t Mrs. Zhou say it was just a gathering for the Gu and Tang Families today? Did they invite other guests?’
Following Grandpa Gu and Mr. Gu into the room, Xiao Man glanced around. There were indeed many people, seated in two groups in the huge living room. Grandpa Tang was playing chess with Shao Jin, while Shaozheng and a few other boys were gathered around watching. A heroic and handsome middle-aged man in a white navy uniform sat beside Grandpa Tang—it was Gu Qiyuan. He must have just gotten home, as Xiao Man hadn’t seen him when she arrived.
Grandma Tang and Granny Gu sat side-by-side on the sofa, surrounded by five or six other women. Three women are enough to stage a play, as the saying goes, and with a group this size, it was like two plays at once. No wonder it was so lively. Ai Wenli was sitting next to Mrs. Zhou. The Gu family’s Second Aunt, Tian Xueqin, was also back and was holding the hands of a middle-aged woman on each side, chatting passionately with them. The three of them were all smiles, looking incredibly happy. Xiao Man recognized one of the two women with her—it was Jun Ran’s mother, Ms. Huang. Xiao Man had attended a banquet at the Jun Family’s home and had also seen Ms. Huang twice at the Tang family’s residence.
Xiao Man started to walk over to Grandma Tang and Ai Wenli when she suddenly felt a weight on her leg, as if something had wrapped around it. She looked down and couldn’t help but laugh. It was this little cutie—Gu Shaoqin’s sister, Gu Shaoying. The one-year-old had learned to walk before she could talk and loved to hug people’s legs. (Gu Shaoying tilted her head back, protesting with a series of babbles: ’I don’t just hug anybody’s legs, you know! I only like Sister Manman’s legs! Sister Manman, I want candy! I want fruit! I want meat! Want, want, want!’)
Xiao Man squatted down, picked Gu Shaoying up, and pressed her cheek against the baby’s in a little nuzzle. The little cutie broke into a wide, giggling smile, a stream of drool trickling down her chin. Xiao Man feigned disgust and shot her a sidelong glare, which only made the little one flap her hands and laugh more happily. Just as Xiao Man was about to pull out a handkerchief, a snow-white one embroidered with violets reached over and wiped Gu Shaoying’s drool. A gentle, smiling voice said, "Our Shaoying is so well-behaved and pretty. It’s just a little drool, isn’t it? Why look so disgusted? Right? Come here, Shaoying. Big sister will dote on you. Come on, let me hold you!"
Xiao Man: "..."
Turning her head, she saw Jun Ran with a cloyingly sweet smile on her face. Xiao Man wanted to snap at her. ’Do you really need to put on this act in front of me? The only one I’m disgusted with is you. When was I ever disgusted with this little cutie?’
Beside Jun Ran stood another young woman with a similar disposition and glamorous features, who was also smiling at Xiao Man. Xiao Man found the woman’s smile familiar but, for a moment, couldn’t recall where she might have seen her before. She was inwardly annoyed. ’Of course Jun Ran is here to cause trouble for me again. I’m really starting to miss Zheng Shaolian. He should be discharged by now. He needs to hurry back and help me fight off these demons!’
Shaoying pushed Jun Ran’s hands away, refusing to let her hold her. Xiao Man shielded the little one, turning to dodge Jun Ran, but her arms suddenly felt empty. Gu Shaoling had snatched Shaoying away from the other side. She chided the baby, "You silly child, she’s disgusted by you, and you still want to play with her? You’re so foolish! Be a good girl and don’t make a fuss. Let your sister hold you. I’m your *real* sister, you know!"
Tian Sisi, who was stuck to Gu Shaoling’s side like a shadow, sneered at Xiao Man. "What kid doesn’t drool? You’re a country bumpkin yourself. You’re probably a thousand times dirtier than Shaoying!"
Xiao Man’s gaze turned cold. "Who did you say was dirty? What did a country kid ever do to you? From now on, when you see someone from the country, you’d better get lost. You aren’t worthy of speaking to us, you understand?"
Xiao Man’s face was grim as she spoke, her words delivered with righteous conviction. Even the thick-skinned Tian Sisi started to look uncomfortable. Jun Ran and Gu Shaoling were momentarily stunned. The small circle of them fell quiet, and the atmosphere turned awkward. Unable to break free from Gu Shaoling’s arms, Gu Shaoying started to wail. A nanny quickly hurried over to take her out to play.
The adults on the sofa looked over. Grandma Tang raised her voice and called out, "Manman? What’s wrong, Manman? Come here, Grandma’s right here!"
Granny Gu said to Mrs. Zhou, "Manman just had a long walk in the backyard with Grandpa Gu and Mr. Gu, so she must be hungry. Now that she’s back, let’s get dinner on the table."
Mrs. Zhou agreed and stood up. She first went over to inform the men, then headed to the dining room to arrange for the dishes to be served. At a signal from Grandma Tang, Ai Wenli followed her to help.
Granny Gu looked at the group of young ladies and said, "Girls, go wash your hands and get ready for dinner. Manman, was Shaoling being thoughtless and annoying again? You tell Grandma, and Grandma will teach her a lesson! Shaoling, get over here!"
"..." Gu Shaoling puffed out her cheeks, turned her head, and glared hatefully at Xiao Man like a fighting cock.