Chapter 529 - 461: Topic
Chapter 529: Chapter 461: Topic
Gongsun Xiang remained noncommittal about his cousin’s words, so Gongsun Li said no more. After all, they were from the same generation, with comparable seniority and nearly identical cultivation. They typically managed clan affairs together and felt they were equals—neither was superior to the other. Furthermore, Gongsun Xiang and Gongsun Hanshan were father and son. Gongsun Xiang would never treat a matter so vital to his father’s interests lightly and would undoubtedly give it thorough consideration. Li had said all that needed to be said.
Outside the Gu family’s main gate, Tang Qingyun helped his parents into the car and shut the door. Instead of getting in himself, he stood by the vehicle and waited. He saw Xiao Man emerge from the gate and was just about to raise his hand to wave her over when he saw Gu Shaojun, standing beside her, gently wrap an arm around her waist and guide her toward another car. Gu Shaojun didn’t forget to look back and say to Tang Qingyun with polite deference, "Uncle, I’ll take Xiao Man!"
Tang Qingyun’s chest tightened. ’Why hasn’t this kid gone back to his base yet?’ he thought. ’As long as he’s in Beijing, he’s always hanging around her, day in and day out. Manman has become so distant from her own family.’
He unhappily yanked open the door, got into the car, and motioned for the driver to go. He turned to his parents and said, "Don’t you think that kid, Shaojun, is going a bit too far? Nothing is even close to being settled yet, but he’s already picking her up and taking her to the Gu family’s home every single day. He doesn’t even consider whether Manman wants to go. Manman has a quiet, tranquil personality; she’s a woman of few words. She has her own mind and needs her own time to do her own things. You’ve seen how she is—when she’s not at school, she loves staying home with family and doesn’t like to go out. Even if she doesn’t say anything about Shaojun’s behavior, she might not be happy about it deep down."
Grandpa Tang glanced at his second son and said calmly, "I don’t see any unwillingness from Manman. She and Shaojun like each other, so what’s wrong with them spending every day together? It’s not like Shaojun can be home all the time. He has to return to his base soon, and he only gets these few days of vacation all year. Young people in love don’t like to be disturbed. Just let them be. You should stay out of it."
"Father, how can you say that?" Tang Qingyun protested.
"As long as the feelings aren’t one-sided, there’s no problem. I choose to support them. And it’s not because of the marriage arranged by our generation, but because my granddaughter likes him! She wants *him*! When I married your father, I don’t think I was some silly little girl. I knew what was what. And haven’t we had a good life together? Your father has never once found fault with me, isn’t that right, old man?"
"Of course, of course! Not a hint of displeasure!"
Grandpa Tang squeezed Grandma Tang’s hand and chuckled. "Our granddaughter may be smart, well-behaved, and sensible—much more so than you were back in the day—but I was still most fond of my feisty, headstrong little bride! No one knows this, but the years before Qingshan was born were the most exciting, vibrant, and nostalgic time of my life. Watching my willful little bride gradually transform into a dignified, elegant matriarch... and that was all my handiwork! To borrow a phrase from Manman... what a sense of accomplishment!"
Grandma Tang burst out laughing and gave his side a pinch with her other hand.
Tang Qingyun, caught off guard by the sudden display of affection, silently turned to face forward again, settling properly into the passenger seat. ’Well, it’s a good thing my parents get along so well.’
Grandpa Tang, however, hadn’t forgotten their original conversation. He paused for a moment before continuing, "Manman and Shaojun’s marriage was indeed arranged by our ancestors, but the two of them are deeply in love and a perfect match. That said, before any wedding, there needs to be an engagement ceremony. Your Uncle Gu and his wife spoke with us... they’re thinking of holding it in the next few days."
Tang Qingyun froze for a second, then whipped back around. "I don’t agree. That’s far too rushed! Manman is still a student; it will affect her schoolwork. And my brother will never agree to it!"
"It’s just an engagement ceremony. The children in our family are all geniuses. If Manman hadn’t been lost to you all, setting her back more than ten years, her intellect would be on par with Hao Hao’s! Even now, her coursework is far more advanced than that of her peers. She’s already an expert in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and with Yiming tutoring her, she’s excelling in Western Medicine too. A simple engagement won’t affect her one bit. As for your brother, he has already agreed. There’s no issue."
"Dad, you have to be joking. My brother is the last person who would ever agree to this. I’ll call and ask him myself when I get back!" Tang Qingyun stared at his father in disbelief.
"Why would I joke about this? I am being completely serious with you right now!"
Grandpa Tang’s face hardened. "Qingshan’s issue with Shaojun was because of the broken engagement. But Shaojun broke that engagement *for* Manman. This proves they are a match made in heaven. This fated connection was a gift from our ancestors, so you two brothers need to stop being so difficult about it. Let’s not forget that Manman is very fond of Shaojun. And besides, your mother and I are still here. You wouldn’t dare defy an ancestral marriage contract, would you?"
Hearing this, Tang Qingyun lowered his gaze. "Father, I have no intention of defying our ancestors’ wishes. It’s just..."
’It just doesn’t sit right with me! I don’t want my daughter to get married so soon!’
’She’s my own flesh and blood, lost the moment she was born. We missed so many years with her, and we only just found her. She’s only been officially back in the family for a few days, and I, her father, haven’t had a chance to do anything for her yet. I haven’t been able to show her the depths of a father’s love. How can I stand to see her whisked away so soon, to take on another man’s name and live in another family’s home?’
’Besides, my little girl is still so young. The government is even promoting later marriages these days; it wouldn’t be considered late if she married ten years from now! What’s Gu Shaojun’s hurry? Seriously, I’m only just now realizing how thoroughly unlikable that kid is!’
Seeing the unhappy look on her younger son’s face, Grandma Tang could guess what he was feeling. Her heart went out to him, so she offered a few words of comfort. "When two families are joined by marriage, these things have to be discussed two or three times before anything is finalized. This is just the first time the Gu family has brought it up. They’re the ones asking for her hand, so of course they want things to be quick and easy. They probably wish they could just take her home to raise as their own. But it’s not that simple, is it? Our response is what truly matters."
Tang Qingyun let out a quiet sigh of relief, shaking his head with a wry smile. ’This isn’t like me at all,’ he thought. ’So impulsive and impatient. It’s like I’m regressing with age.’
Gu Shaojun and Xiao Man’s car followed closely behind Grandpa Tang’s. The topic of their conversation, however, was worlds apart from the discussion in the car ahead. They were, of course, still talking about the Gongsun Clan.