Chapter 502 - 440: Bringing Her Home
Chapter 502: Chapter 440: Bringing Her Home
About twenty minutes after Gu Shaojun and Xiao Man had departed, Bai Junfan also came into the living room. He politely said his goodbyes to Tang Qingshan, then hurriedly left the Tang Mansion without waiting for his two sisters.
His mind was in turmoil over one thing: Tang Manman knew Yang Liu’er! ’Why didn’t anyone tell me?’
’If I’d known, I wouldn’t have had that falling out with Gu Shaojun and wasted all that effort.’
He had doggedly ignored Manman’s rejections in an attempt to maintain his ties with the Tang family and with her, all so he could see her often in the future. He thought he had the perfect cover, but he never imagined Xiao Man would see right through him—she’d even brought up his fiancée, Yang Liu’er. Even someone as thick-skinned as him couldn’t take it anymore.
’And seeing Xiao Man snuggled so demurely beside Gu Shaojun, the two of them exchanging loving glances, just made him miss Yang Liu’er!’
’Liu’er loved him so much. Liu’er would whisper sweet nothings to him...’ Just recalling those times made Bai Junfan’s heart pound and his blood race.
He hadn’t seen Yang Liu’er when he returned home yesterday, and because he’d been busy discussing Cultivation with his grandfather and the Gongsun Family, he couldn’t ask about her whereabouts. It wasn’t until this morning, when he specifically sought out Shun Ma, that he learned Liu’er had already left the Bai residence. Bai Junfan felt as if a part of him was missing!
’His aunt said Yang Liu’er had a terrible temper and would threaten to run away over the slightest thing, impossible to talk down. His sisters said she stole things. Shun Ma said she was too willful...’ Bai Junfan let it all go in one ear and out the other. ’True or not, none of it was reason enough to shut Yang Liu’er out of the Bai Family home!’
’That’s my woman. She came from the countryside with only a few years of elementary school under her belt and knows nothing about how to survive in the city. Without the Bai Family’s protection, cast out on her own... what would she do? How would she get by?’
Bai Junfan was heartbroken, worried, and furious, but he had no one to vent his frustrations on. He was the eldest grandson of the Bai Family, their future successor. His status was revered, his position unparalleled. ’If I can’t even protect the girl I dote on, what good am I?’
’I promised my adoptive parents, and I made a solemn promise to Yang Liu’er herself: I would take care of her for the rest of her life! Even if someone else were to one day be my wife in name, I would always protect Liu’er and ensure she was never without support. There will always be a share of the Bai Family’s wealth and splendor for Liu’er!’
He had planned to go find Liu’er today, but then he heard the Tang family was hosting a banquet. On his grandfather’s orders, he had no choice but to suppress his feelings and come to the Tang residence to offer New Year’s greetings.
’Things hadn’t gone smoothly. Gu Shaojun was insufferable, and Manman was no longer the docile little fawn from two years ago. It was just as Gongsun Changting had warned: ’Some people start Cultivation and immediately get an inflated sense of self-importance, looking down on everyone.’ The Manman of today was not cute at all!’
’Given how things turned out, staying any longer would be pointless. Better to drop it for now and try again another day.’
’I’ll use this opportunity to find my poor Liu’er and bring her home!’
In the afternoon, thick snowflakes like goose feathers began to drift down from the sky again. The guests departed one after another, bringing the Tang family’s banquet to a satisfactory close.
Gu Shaofeng took the opportunity to see a few of the younger guests out and simply didn’t return. When Granny Gu learned he was scheduled to leave Beijing for another province at six o’clock, she couldn’t stop nagging and complaining, but Grandpa Gu just pretended not to hear.
Since Gu Shaojun wasn’t going home, the other Gu brothers didn’t leave either, all of them staying over at the Tang Mansion. When Gu Shaozheng and Zheng Shaolian heard that Sun Yiming had given Xiao Man two boxes of "exceptionally beautiful" fireworks, the pair drove off without a word. They were back in no time with half a trunk full of "even more beautiful" fireworks. As they unloaded them box by box, Granny Gu yelped in alarm, "Why don’t you just set my house on fire while you’re at it, you stinking brats!"
Xiao Man had been staring at the long row of firework boxes, at a loss for words. Setting off fireworks was basically just burning money, not to mention all the pollution it created. But after hearing what Granny Gu said, she couldn’t help but burst out laughing, her whole body shaking.
Gu Shaojun assured her that the yard was big enough and that as long as they took proper safety precautions, there was no chance of a fire.
He and Zheng Shaojin hurried around the front and back of the house, arranging all the fireworks. That night, they lit them in succession. Brilliant, beautiful fireworks bloomed in the sky, one wave after another, like a hundred flowers bursting into full glory, like sunset clouds descending to earth. The lively, clustered bursts of light surrounded the entire mansion, making it seem like a celestial palace among the clouds—a breathtaking sight.
This "fireworks show" was quite a treat for the neighbors. They were all so captivated they didn’t even blink, exclaiming over and over how incredible it was.
After the fireworks, everyone was still in high spirits and continued setting off smaller firecrackers in the yard. Xiao Man noticed Gu Shaoqin with a few other young boys, but Tang Haocheng wasn’t among them. She walked over to ask, and Gu Shaoqin glanced back toward the house before saying:
"Hao Hao went to take a call. He got a call around noon; someone wanted him to come out. He didn’t have time, so he told them to call back around now..."
Xiao Man nodded in understanding but didn’t ask who had called Hao Hao.
She had a gut feeling it was Wu Xiaowen.
She avoided the Wu Family like the plague; she wasn’t about to go looking for trouble by asking questions.
Once the firecrackers and fireworks were done, the snow began to fall even harder, and everyone ran back inside to warm up with hot tea and snacks.
Gu Shaojun followed Xiao Man into the kitchen to see what ingredients they still had. Tang Haocheng followed them in and leaned sullenly against Xiao Man’s side. "What’s wrong?" Xiao Man asked. "What do you want to eat? Your big sis will make it for you."
Tang Haocheng glanced at Gu Shaojun, whose mouth twitched. "Your future brother-in-law isn’t going anywhere. If you have something to say, just spit it out!"
Tang Haocheng: "..."
’I really want to shoot back, ’And who’s your brother-in-law?’ But on second thought, I’m flying abroad in a couple of days and might not be back for two or three years. Grandpa said my sister’s engagement ceremony is in two years. By the time I see him again, I really will have to call him Brother-in-law, won’t I?’
Tang Haocheng pouted and ignored Gu Shaojun, turning to Xiao Man. "Sis, Dad’s plan is to not tell Mom I’m going abroad until the day I head to the airport. She called today. She wants you and me to go to the Wu Family’s home tomorrow with her to pay New Year’s visits to their relatives. I told her there was no way you would go, but she insisted that I pass her message on to you..."
"Okay, I’ve heard the message. But I’m definitely not going. Wu Xiaowen might be crazy, but I’m not."
"I’m not going either."
Tang Haocheng breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t heartless; hearing his mother crying and begging during the New Year’s holiday, he’d had no choice but to do as she asked and pass the message to his sister. Thankfully, his sister wasn’t angry. A weight was lifted from his shoulders, and his cheerful demeanor returned.
"Sis, I barely ate any dinner, and now I’m starving! I want that specialty beef noodle soup, those little whitebait fish balls, and that duck blood vermicelli you made the day before yesterday!"
Xiao Man: "..."
’This boy really can’t be spoiled. His demands are endless.’
Gu Shaojun patted the back of Tang Haocheng’s head. "Since you’re about to go abroad, we’ll grant all of your requests for today. Now get out of here. I’ll help your sister, and you’ll have something to eat soon enough."
Tang Haocheng said smugly, "That’s more like it. If you want to be my brother-in-law, you’d better keep working at it!"
Gu Shaojun let out a "Heh," and Tang Haocheng quickly scampered off.