Chapter 433 - 377: Return
Chapter 433: Chapter 377: Return
The visitors were indeed from the Sun family. Besides the woman Mr. Sun used to call "Shaoyao," Sun Sao, there was a middle-aged couple, two remarkably handsome and dapper young men, and the rest appeared to be attendants, quietly following behind with gift boxes and other items in their hands.
Grandpa and Grandma went forward to greet Sun Sao. When Sun Sao saw Xiao Man behind Grandma, she paused, a look of surprised delight on her face. "Is—is this Miss Xiao Man?" she asked in disbelief. "Is it really her?"
Grandpa smiled and nodded. "Yes, yes, this is Xiao Man!"
He beckoned Xiao Man over. "Come say hello to Sun Sao."
Xiao Man was a little speechless. ’Grandpa, she calls you Brother Amu, and you call her Sun Sao, and now I’m supposed to call her Sun Sao, too... Ugh, whatever! It’s been a confusing mess from the start. I guess I’ll just have to play dumb and go along with it.’
"Hello, Sun Sao," Xiao Man said, taking a few steps forward with a smiling nod.
"Oh, my! Hello, Miss Xiao Man!" Sun Sao beamed, but as if recalling something, her eyes grew slightly red.
A few years had passed, but Sun Sao’s appearance hadn’t changed. She was still slightly plump with a kind face, her skin fair and delicate. Her jet-black hair was combed smooth and shiny, pulled back into a round bun adorned with two exquisite silver hairpins. Like Grandma, she still favored the traditional blouses with slanted fronts and knotted buttons. However, unlike the village women who only wore gray, black, or blue, she was dressed in a matching set of pale cyan Hangzhou silk with a subtle pattern. The cuffs and trouser legs were trimmed with piping, looking very cool and comfortable in the sweltering summer heat.
Sun Sao took Xiao Man’s hand and dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief. "Before the Old Master passed, he was still murmuring, ’That girl Man, she must live well, grow up quick...’ If he could have lived to see you today, to see Miss Xiao Man all grown up and so beautiful, I can’t imagine how happy he would be!"
Xiao Man said, "I’m the one who should be sorry. I wasn’t able to go and pay my final respects to Mr. Sun or offer a stick of incense for him."
"Don’t say that. The Old Master knew his time was short, so he left specific instructions: before the eldest grandson returned, no one was to know of Miss Xiao Man’s existence... It was for your own good!"
Sun Sao stepped aside and gestured to the people behind her, introducing them to Grandpa, Grandma, and Xiao Man. "This is the Old Master’s eldest grandson, Mr. Sun Jingzu, who is now the head of the Sun family. This is his wife, Mrs. Sun, and these two are the First Young Master and Third Young Master..."
Grandpa looked at Sun Jingzu and said, "So the Master, Madam, and the Young Masters have returned! Amu lives out here in the countryside, ignorant of the world. I apologize for not being able to welcome you from afar!"
It was rare for Xiao Man to hear Grandpa speak such formal pleasantries, and she couldn’t help but suppress a smile.
Mr. and Mrs. Sun stepped forward together. Sun Jingzu bowed slightly and extended his right hand toward Grandpa, his expression earnest and solemn. "Mr. Mo, you are too kind. It is we who should have come to visit our relatives sooner! We had planned to return to the country at the beginning of last year, but our eldest daughter ran into some trouble, so we were delayed until this August. Then we had some complicated family affairs to sort out in Beijing and our ancestral home... We only just arrived in Wancheng two days ago. We hope you can forgive us for this late visit!"
"Oh, what are you saying? Come, come, no need for such formalities. You are honored guests, please, have a seat!"
Grandpa shook hands with Sun Jingzu, while Grandma smilingly welcomed Mrs. Sun and Sun Sao. Sun Jingzu and his wife made sure to have their two sons pay their respects to the elders. Xiao Man also greeted Mr. and Mrs. Sun Jingzu and exchanged nods with the two Sun brothers.
That’s right, Xiao Man only exchanged a smiling nod with them. ’If I said any more,’ she thought, ’my own brothers and sisters would have to come out for their turn, and who knows how long it would be before we could finally eat.’
Meanwhile, Mo Jiabao and Jiang Junlin had already moved quickly to set up another dining table. Fifth Auntie, Yu Wumei, and Xinghua hurried into the kitchen to chop and prepare vegetables. Thankfully, there were plenty of ingredients, and a table full of meat dishes was ready in no time.
Naturally, Grandpa, Grandma, and Secretary Mo sat at one table with the newly arrived honored guests. The attendants were dispersed among the other three tables. The countryside didn’t have so many rigid customs, and the Sun family’s attendants were smart enough to follow the arrangements.
If Old Imperial Doctor Sun were still alive, he would be a hundred years old this year. As his grandson, Sun Jingzu and his wife were around fifty years old. Thanks to a lifetime of privilege and their elegant attire, they looked quite young for their age. Yet, when Grandpa and Grandma, who were both over sixty, sat with the couple, there wasn’t a significant difference in their apparent age. In fact, Grandpa and Grandma seemed more energetic, their complexions even healthier and more radiant.