Chapter 127: Visiting the Gu Family, Military Compound
Standing at the back, Gu Tingxiao raised his chin with quiet pride when he heard his future wife being praised so highly. A woman this intelligent and capable was his bride.
“In-law, it’s no wonder so many people yearn to come here,” Mother Sheng said, deeply moved as she took in the views. “I have never seen such a magnificent place in my life.”
If she hadn’t stepped outside her hometown, she would never have known how vast the world truly was. She had spent her entire life within her social circle in Chengdu, believing it was already the finest place on earth. But arriving in the Capital made her realize how narrow her previous perspective had been.
“Of course it is,” Mother Gu replied warmly. “You must stay in the Capital for a good while this time, In-law, so we can ensure you have a wonderful time.”
Mother Sheng smiled at the thought. She certainly wanted to stay and explore, but her factory duties awaited her back home. “I will absolutely make it a point to come back the next time I can secure some leave.”
Mother Gu nodded happily. She understood that her future in-law had a job and that securing such an extended leave of absence for this trip had already been an immense challenge. “Then it’s a settled deal.”
Mother Sheng agreed with a bright smile, confident that there would be plenty of opportunities to visit the capital in the future.
After conquering the Great Wall, the party headed out to enjoy authentic Peking duck. Having lived in the Capital for decades, Mother Gu knew exactly which establishment served the absolute finest poultry in the city. She led them straight to the prestigious the Capital Hotel, where the head chef was a direct descendant of the old imperial palace cooks. He possessed spectacular culinary skills and was renowned for his traditional roasting techniques, which was precisely why the hotel administration had scouted him to run their kitchen.
Mother Gu ordered two whole roast ducks, a bowl of traditional Beijing noodles with soybean sauce for everyone, and a platter of the city’s famous sweet donkey rolls.
“Please, don’t stand on ceremony, my dear relatives,” Mother Gu urged, pouring them a fresh pot of tea. “These are all classic the Capital specialties. Once the wedding is finalized, I’ll take you out to sample the rest of our regional dishes.”
As Mother Gu started to serve, Wanyan quickly rose from her seat and respectfully took the heavy teapot from her hands. Mother Gu didn’t protest, allowing the girl to take over. She couldn’t help but note how wonderfully comfortable it felt to have her future daughter-in-law pour her tea. If only this were the formal tea ceremony for changing how she addresses me, she mused happily.
After filling the cups, Wanyan carefully set the teapot down, ensuring the spout pointed directly toward the open room and away from the guests. In traditional etiquette, pointing the spout of a teapot directly at someone—especially an elder—was considered deeply disrespectful.
Observing the subtle movement, Mother Gu took a sip of her tea, her eyes crinkling with a proud smile. Her third son had truly struck gold. In this day and age, it was exceedingly rare to discover a young girl who understood traditional rules and manners so flawlessly.
When the meal concluded, Mother Gu reached for her purse to settle the bill, but Mother Sheng anticipated the move and beat her to the counter. There was absolutely no universe in which Mother Sheng would allow someone to escort her entire family around town, act as their personal tour guide, and then foot the bill for their dinner. She simply could not operate that way; she hated owing favors to anyone. Clearing a ledger immediately meant one less obligation hanging over their heads; after all, if you constantly took advantage of people, they would be far less inclined to assist you when a genuine emergency struck.
Mother Gu didn’t force the issue. She respected that her future in-law maintained a clear sense of propriety and refused to live off others’ wealth. In truth, it made her fond of Mother Sheng; the Gu family operated under the exact same principle, preferring to return a favor on the spot whenever possible. She would infinitely rather deal with an in-law who understood firm boundaries than one who possessed zero sense of decorum.
Mother Gu escorted the family back to their courtyard alley, tactfully declining to go inside so they could rest. After a grueling day of sightseeing, her in-laws were bound to be exhausted; a quiet afternoon nap would perfectly refresh them before dinner.
“In-law, we’ll head over to explore the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square first thing tomorrow morning,” Mother Gu finalized before leaving.
“Wonderful, wonderful. We will be waiting for you,” Mother Sheng replied.
“Grandpa, Grandma, please get some proper rest today. I’ll actually drop by your house early tomorrow to join you for breakfast,” Mother Gu added warmly.
Grandpa Sheng nodded with a broad smile, while Grandma Sheng captured her hand, beaming with hospitality. “That’s fantastic! Come eat with us. I’ll whip up a batch of my traditional pancakes; the children absolutely adore my savory meat patties.”
“Really? Then I am certainly going to hold you to that tomorrow morning,” Mother Gu laughed.
“Would an old auntie ever lie to you? I guarantee you’ll be begging for a second helping once you take a bite.”
Mother Gu laughed heartily, reaffirming her arrival time. “Then we will take our leave for today.”
The Sheng family waved farewell as she climbed into the vehicle. Mother Gu glanced over at her son, only to find Gu Tingxiao’s gaze entirely glued to Sheng Wanyan.
“Hey! Third son, get in the car. We’re leaving,” she prodded, amused but exasperated. Was it truly necessary to stare at the girl with such relentless intensity? She was going to be his legal wife in a matter of days. She honestly didn’t know who the boy had inherited his obsessive temperament from; neither of his older brothers displayed this level of infatuation.
Hearing his mother’s voice, Gu Tingxiao finally broke his gaze, rounded the vehicle, and climbed into the passenger seat for the ride back to the compound. Mother Gu shot him a look of profound dissatisfaction. It really is true, she thought wryly. Giving birth to a slab of barbecued pork would have been more useful than raising a son.
Gu Tingxiao rubbed his nose in silent resignation. Doesn’t my mother’s eyes get tired from glaring at me this much? he wondered.
Mother Gu merely sighed. Whoever wants this broken son can gladly take him off my hands.
Over the next few days, Mother Gu continued to guide the Sheng family across the capital. Everyone had a spectacular time, systematically sampling the finest culinary delicacies the Capital had to offer.
Eventually, the schedule shifted to the formal introductory visit to the Gu family estate. The moment the Sheng family crossed the threshold of the elite military compound, they instinctively held their breath. Faced with the heavily fortified gates and the crisp, armed guards standing at attention with rifles, they consciously dropped their voices to a quiet whisper.
Because Pan Yue’s own grandparents resided within the exact same compound, she felt it would be inappropriate to intrude on the initial Gu family summit. Leaving the group at the gates, she and Sheng Wanze detached to pay their respects at the Pan family home instead.
The remaining Sheng family members followed Mother Gu down a manicured lane, halting before a grand, two-story Western-style residence complete with a private, gated courtyard. They had never laid eyes on a home this magnificent, but the architecture quickly became the least of their concerns.
The second the Sheng family laid eyes on Old Master Gu waiting in the living room, their legs went completely weak. Was this not the legendary founding general whose face appeared regularly in the national newspapers?
They could never forget that visage if they lived to be a hundred. This was a national hero revered by millions of ordinary citizens across the country! The realization that their working-class family was actively forming a marital alliance with a founding general left them thoroughly stunned. How could their lineage possibly be worthy of such an honor?
“Our in-laws have arrived!” Grandma Gu called out cheerfully, stepping forward with rapid, eager steps. She warmly captured Wanyan’s hands, turning the girl left and right to admire her. The longer she inspected her, the deeper her satisfaction grew.
“Grandpa, Grandma, this is my fiancée, Sheng Wanyan,” Gu Tingxiao formally introduced her.
Old Master Gu nodded heavily from his seat.
“Hello, Grandpa Gu, Grandma Gu. I am Sheng Wanyan,” she greeted them, her voice steady and respectful.
“What a beautiful, elegant name,” Grandma Gu beamed. “Please, make yourself entirely at home here, child.”
Old Master Gu twitched the corners of his mouth, attempting to pull his features into what he firmly believed was a gentle, welcoming smile so his future granddaughter-in-law wouldn’t be terrified of him. Unfortunately, because of his rugged, battle-hardened features, his smile looked significantly more terrifying than his scowl. The old patriarch exuded a heavy aura of blood and military authority—a formidable presence forged through decades of brutal frontline warfare that had permanently fused into his posture. Even though he was doing his absolute best to suppress his power, the ambient pressure in the room remained incredibly intense.
Fortunately, Wanyan possessed an extraordinarily resilient mind and a calm temperament. Had it been any ordinary civilian girl standing in her shoes, her knees likely would have buckled, forcing her to sink directly to the floor.
Old Master Gu personally rose to pour fresh tea for Grandpa and Grandma Sheng. Upon discovering that Grandpa Sheng had also served on the battlefields during his youth, the two old veterans instantly unlocked a mutual connection and launched into an enthusiastic discussion of old military campaigns.
Meanwhile, Grandma Gu and the rest of the host party focused their attention on entertaining the remaining guests, with the matriarch’s gaze remaining anchored entirely on Wanyan. She noted that the girl possessed a remarkable, natural dignity. Her every gesture and word was executed with flawless precision, projecting an innate grace that made everyone in her presence feel entirely at ease.
This child didn’t carry a single trace of the awkwardness typical of someone raised in an ordinary working-class household. On the contrary, her bearing mirrored that of a daughter from an elite lineage who had been rigorously trained in traditional etiquette since infancy. Grandma Gu privately mused that the majority of the pampered young heiresses raised right here in the Capital compound would look thoroughly unpolished next to her.
While the young women of their elite social circle understood the superficial mechanics of manners and social leverage strictly to protect their families’ political standing, Wanyan possessed a profound, quiet composure and a powerful aura that belonged entirely to her.
