Chapter 737 - 636
Chapter 737: Chapter 636
After dinner, the suggestion of going out for more entertainment was met with enthusiastic agreement from nearly all the young people. Gu Shaojun had already given Gu Shaozhen and Zheng Shaolian a heads-up at the table, putting them in charge of finding a fun spot. With a single phone call, Gu Shaozhen had booked out an entire clubhouse. If they wanted things to be even more lively, everyone was welcome to invite their own friends—the more, the merrier. Everything—food, drinks, and fun—was on the house, and they could even party all night.
Gu Shaoling didn’t come tonight. Tian Xueqin had long been considered an unwelcome guest by Grandma Tang, so there was no chance of her showing up. The second branch of the Gu family was represented by Wu Xiangyun, but her constitution was delicate and she needed her rest. Granny Gu didn’t let her go out, so Wu Xiangyun stayed behind to help Jiang Yuyan look after Gu Shaoying.
Tang Haocheng and Gu Shaoqin were tall, but they were still minors. The men didn’t think much of it. ’Aren’t their older brothers with them? Boys have to grow up and experience things.’ The grandmothers and mothers, however, were prone to worrying. They nagged them endlessly not to drink or eat anything there, not to pick up smoking, and on and on. The two boys were exasperated and promised they would just go to have a look and would be back soon.
Even though girls like Pang Xiaoji and Cheng Yaji were in college, their families kept a close watch on them, so they rarely got to visit places like this. They were all buzzing with novelty and excitement. Xiao Man asked Gu Shaozhen to look after the girls, ensure their safety, and send them home before eleven o’clock, not letting them stay out too late.
With Shaozheng and Shaolian hosting everyone, Gu Shaojun and Xiao Man only stayed at the clubhouse for about twenty minutes. After sharing three beers with the crowd, they slipped out hand in hand when no one was looking.
Gu Shaojun was driving, and Xiao Man asked from the passenger seat, "Where are we going?"
Gu Shaojun smiled and patted her head. "Where do you want to go?"
"I don’t know either. *Sigh*. In the movies, couples always have a ’special place,’ but we don’t even have a regular spot to meet."
Gu Shaojun was speechless.
His young fiancée had a point, and he was at a loss for words.
It was as if his hand was fused to her head, refusing to leave. He gently stroked her hair and said guiltily, "It’s my fault. I haven’t been able to be there for you all these years. You have every right to resent me."
Xiao Man took his large hand and pulled it down, pressing it against her cheek. She smiled. "I’m not resentful. I understand your duties, and I support you. It’s just... I’ve missed you so, so much."
Worried his thickly calloused palm might hurt his fiancée’s smooth cheek, Gu Shaojun quickly pulled his hand away. His voice was a little hoarse. "I miss you too, baby. So many times, I’ve wanted to use a Spell to rush back and see you, but I always held back. Once you start, it’s a slippery slope. Acting on a whim like that isn’t just against regulations; it could easily expose our status as cultivators. I can’t take that risk unless it’s a last resort. To be honest, I understand where Mr. Tang is coming from. I really haven’t been a good enough fiancé. I haven’t been able to stay by your side and give you the perfect romance... but I can’t live without you! I might be a poor fiancé, but I want to be a worthy husband. Baby, I’m trying my hardest!"
"Mm, I know. I believe in you!"
They chatted softly the whole way, but Gu Shaojun’s driving was anything but slow. Xiao Man was too busy gazing adoringly at her fiancé to notice where he was headed. Before she knew it, the cars and pedestrians on the road began to dwindle, until finally even the streetlights grew sparse and then vanished completely. She couldn’t help but remind him that they couldn’t go too far. Even though they had cleared it with Mr. Tang, they still couldn’t be home too late.
The car came to a stop. Xiao Man got out and surveyed her surroundings, vaguely recognizing the place as the eastern suburbs. Yang Liu’er and Lu Jian Country had bought land out here, and thanks to Yang Liu’er, Xiao Man herself had also purchased a few rural courtyard houses in the area, which was why she had visited several times before.
Gu Shaojun parked the car on the shoulder of the road. In the distance, lights twinkled from villages, but they were far off. The roadside was lined with vegetable fields and ponds. Next to one of the ponds stood three trees with flourishing branches, and at their base were several large boulders. When Xiao Man had visited before, she had often seen people fishing from atop those rocks.
The two of them walked over and sat down on the boulders. They had no fishing rods, and there wasn’t much scenery to admire. Even the moon was just a faint, waning crescent. The sky full of stars, however, was brilliant and utterly captivating.
Xiao Man tilted her head back to look at the starry sky, and as she gazed, she became completely lost in its depths.