Chapter 490 - 430: Too Late for Regrets
Chapter 490: Chapter 430: Too Late for Regrets
Chapter 430
The couple, reunited after a long separation, didn’t get to stay peacefully in the room for long. Tang Haocheng and Gu Shaoqin soon came looking for them. Tang Haocheng knocked forcefully on the door. The moment it opened, he ignored Gu Shaojun completely, grabbed Xiao Man, and started to leave, rambling, "Sis, why did you leave without telling Grandma? She was worried sick when she couldn’t find you and told me to find you right away! Let’s go back to the living room and watch some TV, chat with everyone. It’s almost time to go home. We have to cook dumplings and set off fireworks at midnight..."
Seeing his future brother-in-law pretending not to know him and ignoring him, Gu Shaojun arched an eyebrow. He grabbed Gu Shaoqin’s shoulder and followed the siblings toward the main living room. Gu Shaoqin, despite being a lanky teenager, couldn’t keep up with his big brother’s strides and stumbled along, whispering nervously, "Big Brother, I... I tried to lead Hao Hao somewhere else, but he knows our house too well. He found you as soon as he started looking!"
Gu Shaojun smiled. "It’s fine. I’ll be home for about ten days this time. I can see Xiao Man every day."
"Really? Does Second Brother get the same?" Gu Shaoqin was delighted. He had idolized his two older brothers since he was little, but unfortunately, they spent very little time at home. Now that he heard they had such a long vacation, he was naturally overjoyed.
"Yes, the same amount of time. But Shaofeng might only stay home for two days. He has some personal business to take care of."
"What kind of personal business could Second Brother have?"
"Why wouldn’t he? Everyone has personal matters. It’s not my place to tell you about this. We should wait for him to sort things out before he tells everyone."
"Big Brother."
"Hm?"
Gu Shaoqin scratched his head in embarrassment. "Ah, I... why did I suddenly forget what I was going to say?"
Amused, Gu Shaojun grabbed the back of Gu Shaoqin’s collar with one hand and lifted him off the ground, holding him there for a moment before setting him down. Gu Shaoqin broke into a wide grin. When he was little, his brothers often picked him up like this, teasing him for being too thin and light. But now he was much taller and heavier, yet his big brother could still lift him with one hand. ’He’s so strong!’
"Big Brother, you’re so strong! I want to be stronger too. My arms get sore after holding Shaoying for just a little while. Don’t be fooled by how small she is, she’s solid and heavy. Even my mom has trouble holding her now."
"You’ll be as strong as me one day. Xiao Man has been helping you recuperate. Your health is fully recovered, right?"
"It is. The doctors did a full check-up and said everything is normal. I don’t need to take any other medicine anymore, just a Nourishing Yuan Pill once in a while. Sister Manman makes those too."
"Good. After taking the Nourishing Yuan Pills, it’s time for you to start your Cultivation."
Gu Shaoqin’s heart leaped with joy. "Like Hao Hao? You mean Energy Introduction?"
"Yes. Most people in the Gu family have Dual Spirit Roots, which makes us very suitable for Cultivation. According to Grandpa, most of the other preparations are complete. The reason I could take such a long vacation this time is to teach you the secrets of the Cultivation Technique."
"Ah!" Gu Shaoqin cried out excitedly, his face beaming with eagerness. Every time he watched Hao Hao cultivate, he would be itching to try it himself. Hao Hao was already at the Qi Refining Fifth Level and could use some Spells that looked just like magic tricks: casually conjuring a fireball to light the coal in the kitchen stove; muttering a few words and, with a wave of his hand, causing a small shower of rain to fall and water a dozen potted plants... Gu Shaoqin’s eyes would go wide. He was so envious!
Now he was going to cultivate too! As long as he worked hard, he would soon be able to use those kinds of Spells. Hao Hao had said that Spells shouldn’t be shown off to others casually, and of course, Gu Shaoqin understood that. He wouldn’t let anyone see; he’d just play with them by himself. He had never liked toys, not since he was a child, but he’d fallen in love with these Spells at first sight. ’They seem so much fun!’
At this time, only the women and children were in the large living room. Gu Shaozhen, Zheng Shaolian, Shao Jin, and the others had probably been called into the small parlor.
Gu Shaojun didn’t go to the small parlor to have tea with the men, old and young. Instead, he stayed in the large living room to chat with his mother, the two grandmothers, and his aunts. He patiently answered their various questions about foreign countries with a smile. He sat with Xiao Man the entire time, not at all bothered that Tang Haocheng was glued to his sister’s side, as if they were conjoined twins who couldn’t be separated.
Xiao Man, however, found Tang Haocheng’s behavior very strange and quietly asked him what he was up to. Tang Haocheng put on a perfectly composed air. "What could I be up to? I’m her little brother, shouldn’t I stick with my sister? We’re guests in someone else’s house. We have to look out for each other, you know?"
Speechless, Xiao Man could only roll her eyes at Tang Haocheng.
The Spring Festival Gala on TV tonight was excellent, especially the comedy skits, which captivated everyone chatting in the living room. They were all laughing so hard they couldn’t stop.
A little after ten o’clock, Grandpa Gu and Grandpa Tang led the group of men, young and old, out from the small parlor. Everyone was gathered together again just as the gala reached its climax. They all watched the TV with focused smiles, bursting into laughter from time to time.
Xiao Man noticed that Gu Shaoying was getting sleepy and Third Aunt Gu was trying to soothe her, so she got up to help Zhou Hui Lan tidy the tables and refill the snacks like pastries, candied melons, fruits, and nuts. Since she was busy working, Tang Haocheng naturally didn’t follow. It would have been awkward for him to sit next to Gu Shaojun, so he went over to hang out with Gu Shaoqin.
Once the two siblings had moved, Gu Shaojun also stood up and went to sit beside Grandpa Gu. Amidst the sounds of joy and laughter, the grandfather and grandson began to talk in low voices.
"Grandpa, where’s Shaofeng?"
"Shaofeng... ah, he... went back to his room. He said he was making preparations to leave Beijing tomorrow. I stopped him, but I expect he’ll insist on leaving the day after tomorrow."
Grandpa Gu sighed softly. "That business with him... he explained it all in front of everyone just now. Your Grandpa Tang and the others were rather sympathetic, so I couldn’t say much more. Sigh... Back then, your second uncle was just like him, rushing into marriage so impulsively. Only now does he realize your second aunt is not a good match, and it’s too late for regrets. The truth is, for children from families like ours, the requirement of a marriage between social equals isn’t necessarily what outsiders think... This is too long a topic to get into. Never mind. As the saying goes, a person’s character is set by age seven. Shaofeng is resolute. Once he’s made up his mind, I’m afraid there’s no turning back. We can only let him be. I just hope that girl is of good and pure character and is worthy of his devotion, so that he doesn’t follow in his father’s footsteps."
"That girl... she should be a good person. We met Zhang Qingwan this time in N Province. Before Shaofeng went abroad, he asked Qing Wan to find and take care of Wu Xiangyun. Wu Xiangyun later became critically ill, and Qing Wan asked Xiao Man to treat her. Afterward, Xiao Man and Wu Xiangyun even exchanged letters and packages; they get along quite well. You know Xiao Man’s temperament—she doesn’t just befriend anyone... The reason Shaofeng is so determined to marry her, absolutely insistent, is twofold. One, he has feelings for the girl. And two, it’s because his aunt went too far. What she did was bullying, using her power against the weak, and she nearly cost that girl her life!"
Grandpa Gu’s gaze suddenly turned sharp. "While our Gu family can be forceful at times, we always act with reason! At the very least, we have never driven anyone to their death. Tian Xueqin dared to act this way? Who gave her the right? It seems her punishment this time was far too light! This is why I say one must marry a virtuous wife, someone whose background and character you know through and through. Your second uncle wouldn’t listen to his elders—what the hell kind of person did he marry? Daring to disgrace the Gu family’s name... I’ll kill him!"