Chapter 134: Change of Tea
“Shut up!”
Gu Tingxiao immediately clamped his mouth shut, finally realizing that his wife was completely mortified.
Wanyan was both embarrassed and annoyed. Terrified that she might actually kick him out of the room, Gu Tingxiao quickly squatted down to help her slide on her socks and shoes.
Wanyan glanced at the desk clock and realized it was already ten o’clock. “It’s so late. Are my parents waiting for us?” she asked anxiously, swallowing a few bites of the breakfast he had brought up.
“No, Grandpa and Grandma are over at an old comrade’s house chatting, and Mom and Dad just got up themselves.”
“Really?” Wanyan eyed him suspiciously, trying to determine if he was just trying to ease her mind.
“Really,” Gu Tingxiao promised. He gently wiped a crumb from the corner of her mouth, his gaze sincere.
In truth, Mother Gu had anticipated the reality of their wedding night. Her stoic third son had finally secured a wife; it would have been a miracle if he hadn’t made a grand fuss. Because of this, she had pointedly told Father Gu the night before that they should sleep in.
“I slept far too late today and didn’t make breakfast for the family,” Wanyan murmured. “We need to get up earlier tomorrow.” It was a strict cultural custom for a newlywed daughter-in-law to cook for her in-laws on her first morning to demonstrate her domestic virtue.
“I’ll get up and cook with you tomorrow,” Gu Tingxiao offered.
“Alright.” Wanyan didn’t refuse. As husband and wife, they were a single unit; there was no reason for her to shoulder the expectations of his family entirely on her own. Ultimately, a smooth marriage depended heavily on the husband’s role in balancing relationships.
When Wanyan and Gu Tingxiao finally went downstairs, Grandpa and Grandma Gu had already returned from their morning stroll, and the Gu parents were just finishing up their breakfast.
“Wanyan, you’re awake! Have you eaten?” Mother Gu asked, walking over to affectionately take her hand. Noticing the slight stiffness in the girl’s stride, a knowing smile touched her lips—her third daughter-in-law was finally securely bound to the family.
“Yes, Mom, I’ve eaten. Tingxiao brought it up to the room for me.”
“Good, good. Come sit down and rest.” Mother Gu pulled her onto the sofa and called out to the kitchen. “Auntie Lin, bring out the poached eggs in brown sugar water I had you prepare for Wanyan.”
“Right away, Madam!” Auntie Lin quickly emerged, placing a steaming bowl on the coffee table. “Young Madam, drink some brown sugar water to replenish your energy.”
“Thank you, Auntie Lin.” Wanyan hadn’t expected Mother Gu to be thoughtful enough to prepare a traditional recovery tonic for her. Under the warm, approving gazes of the family elders, she drank it all down.
By noon, the households of the eldest brother, second sister, and fourth brother had all gathered at the main house. Today was the formal tea ceremony, where Wanyan would serve the elders and officially alter her form of address.
The Gu family didn’t practice the traditional custom of kneeling. Old Master Gu had always firmly held that a citizen of the new era should only bend their knees to their biological parents, heaven and earth, and the great motherland. Therefore, Wanyan only needed to bow respectfully to serve the tea.
Auntie Lin stood ready by the parlor doors with a tray holding four cups. Wanyan accepted the first cup, presenting it to Grandpa Gu, the patriarch of the clan.
“Grandpa, please accept a cup of tea from your granddaughter-in-law.”
“Good! Very good!” Grandpa Gu accepted the cup and drained it in a single, hearty gulp. “Here, take this. This is the red envelope Grandpa prepared for you.” He grinned, pulling a thick envelope from his pocket.
“Thank you, Grandpa.” Wanyan accepted it with a graceful bow and moved to Grandma Gu.
“Grandma, please accept your granddaughter-in-law’s tea.”
Grandma Gu accepted it with a radiant smile, happily drinking it down. “Here is a big red envelope for my wonderful granddaughter-in-law.”
“Thank you, Grandma.”
“Such a good child,” the matriarch cooed.
Next came her parents-in-law. Father and Mother Gu had been waiting eagerly for their turn.
“Dad, please drink your daughter-in-law’s tea.”
“Excellent!” Just like his father, Father Gu was a straightforward military man and downed the tea in one go. “Here, this is from Dad.” He stuffed a heavy red envelope into her hands, and Wanyan accepted it with a bright smile.
“Mom, please drink your daughter-in-law’s tea.”
“Wonderful, wonderful.” Mother Gu accepted the cup, her heart swelling. She had been waiting years to hear this specific tea toast, and it had finally come to pass. She drank it elegantly, then fished a red envelope from her own pocket. “And here is Mom’s red envelope for you.”
“Thank you, Mom.” As Wanyan took the four envelopes, she couldn’t help but notice just how thick and heavy each one felt.
“Good girl.” Mother Gu beamed. She absolutely adored hearing the girl address her as ‘Mom’ in that soft, melodic voice.
Her own daughter, Gu Tingting, had been terribly coddled since infancy, yet she grew up to be fiercely independent. By the time she turned ten, she had her own rigid ideas about her future. Her stubborn daughter’s trajectory had veered entirely off course when she bypassed civilian life to enlist in the Air Force—a move that had nearly given Mother Gu a heart attack. Since her daughter was far too hardened for soft maternal bonding, Mother Gu had hoped for a sweet granddaughter, but her eldest grandson’s daughter was close to her own mother and distant from the grandparents.
Now, looking at this gentle, polite new daughter-in-law, Mother Gu’s maternal heart was entirely satisfied. Her affection for Tingxiao’s wife instantly skyrocketed.
“Come, dear,” Mother Gu said, leading her toward the rest of the parlor. “Let me officially introduce you to the extended family. These are your second uncle and second aunt. They are currently stationed with the Shanghai Military District.”
Second Uncle Gu served as the political commissar of the Shanghai command. In contrast to Father Gu’s rugged, blunt persona, the second uncle appeared vastly more shrewd, calculated, and calm. Second Aunt Gu served as the logistics director for the same district; at first glance, she carried an air of stern authority.
“And this is your cousin, Gu Tingyan, and his wife, Li Jiaying. They both live and work in Shanghai.” Gu Tingyan had followed the family lineage into the military, currently serving as a regiment commander. His wife worked as a financial officer at a major Shanghai bicycle factory; she hailed from an established Shanghai family, having met Tingyan through a chance encounter.
“Over here are your cousin, Gu Tinglin, and his wife, Xie Ping.” Gu Tinglin was stationed in the rugged northwest, serving as a battalion commander. Because their child was only two years old and the remote military outpost was too harsh for a toddler, Xie Ping remained in the capital to manage the household and care for the baby.
“And this is your cousin, Gu Tingying. She works with the military art troupe.” Tingying was twenty years old, unmarried, and entirely unattached. She was the very same girl who had recently been targeted by the corrupt Director Wang Chaofan. True to the fiery Gu bloodline, she possessed zero tolerance for harassment; she had bypassed tears entirely and kicked the director square in the vitals, rendering him instantly incapacitated. She was widely considered a heroine among her peers.
“You already know your eldest brother, Gu Tingye, who is with the Capital Military Region, and Eldest Sister-in-law, Liang Nazhen, from the Education Bureau.” Gu Tingye held the rank of regiment commander, while his wife operated as a section chief.
“Your second sister, Gu Tingting, and Second Brother-in-law, Lin Junhu, are also with the Capital command.” Lin Junhu was Father Gu’s direct subordinate, holding the rank of battalion commander, while Gu Tingting was a proud officer in the Air Force.
“Finally, your fourth brother, Gu Tinghao, works within the municipal government, and Fourth Sister-in-law, Wang Chunmei, is with the finance department at the textile factory.”
Mother Gu carefully outlined every branch of the lineage, eager to help Wanyan integrate into the formidable clan as seamlessly as possible.
“Third Sister-in-law is truly gorgeous,” Gu Tingting spoke up, stepping forward. “This is a small welcoming token from me. Please don’t look down on your second sister’s simple gift.” She presented Wanyan with a box containing a pair of premium leather shoes.
Wanyan accepted the box with a warm smile. “How could I ever look down on it? Second Sister is incredibly thoughtful.”
Gu Tingting nodded, a look of approval in her eyes. It was clear to her that this new sister-in-law was exceptionally poised and capable.
The second uncle, second aunt, and all of her cousins stepped forward in turn to present their welcoming gifts. Before long, Wanyan’s arms were overflowing with boxes and parcels. Experiencing her very first formal gathering with the Gu clan, she had to admit she truly favored the supportive, dynamic atmosphere of the family.
In return, Wanyan reached into her pocket and retrieved a small stack of red envelopes she had prepared for the young children running around the parlor. The cash inside wasn’t an extravagant sum—exactly fifty cents per envelope—but it was a proper, thoughtful gesture to establish her role as their aunt.
