Chapter 229: Grandpa Gu’s Sudden Concern on New Year’s Eve
Upon hearing this, Wang Chunmei realized her mother was right. Mother Gu was likely just waiting for her to bring the money back before letting her through the door.
“So what do you suggest we do now?” Wang Chunmei asked, her anxiety rising. “Gu Tinghao made it very clear that if I don’t return every single cent, I’m stuck here at my parents’ house.”
Mother Wang’s face tighted into a grimace. This son-in-law of hers was truly unyielding. To leave his own wife stranded at her maiden home for the Lunar New Year was incredibly cold-hearted.
“Then you’ll just have to stay here for the time being,” Mother Wang replied, shifting her posture. “But resources are tight at home right now, so you’ll have to switch to eating coarse grains from here on out.”
Wang Chunmei gasped, her temper flaring. “Mom! Can’t I even use a portion of that cash to buy proper food?”
“Absolutely not. Your mother is keeping every cent of that money safe for the grandson in your womb. You can’t touch it.” Mother Wang coaxed her smoothly, fully intending to use the massive windfall to secure marriage prospects and resources for her own household grandsons later down the line.
She had several grandsons under her roof, which meant her future expenses would be astronomical. The sixteen thousand yuan smuggled over by her daughter would single-handedly resolve a massive wave of financial pressure for the Wang line.
Wang Chunmei protectively cradled her belly. She rationalized that enduring a few months of coarse rations was a worthy sacrifice for the sake of her future son; after all, the fortune would inevitably belong to him in the future anyway.
“Fine,” Wang Chunmei conceded, entirely blind to the manipulation.
A triumphant, satisfied smile broke across Mother Wang’s face.
On New Year’s Eve, the entire Gu clan assembled in the main courtyard to share their traditional reunion feast. Gu Tinghao had dutifully brought little Gu Jingjing back to the villa, determined to let his daughter enjoy a peaceful, joyful holiday.
Mother Gu scanned the bustling tables, noting the distinct absence of her fourth daughter-in-law. She knew perfectly well that Wang Chunmei was likely holding out at her maiden home, stubbornly waiting for Gu Tinghao to bow his head and beg for her return.
She can keep dreaming!
Her absence was a blessing; it ensured the household wouldn’t be plagued by passive-aggressive toxicity during the sacred holiday.
Not a single member of the Gu family missed Wang Chunmei. Over the past two days, since Gu Tinghao had taken over her primary care, little Gu Jingjing had shed her usual timid, hollow posture. Sitting at the table tonight, she was vibrant, talkative, and radiated the beautiful, pure innocence that belonged to a four-year-old child.
The second uncle’s branch had also traveled up to the capital to join the festivities. Before the meal was served, the men of the family—Father Gu, the second uncle, the eldest brother Gu Tingye, Gu Tingxiao, Gu Tinghao, the second uncle’s eldest son Gu Tingyan, and the second brother-in-law Lin Junhu—had gathered inside the private study to discuss military logistics.
The second uncle’s younger son was currently stationed with his regiment along the harsh northwestern frontier; because his unit’s holiday leave rotation was highly restricted, he hadn’t been able to make the journey back this season.
Meanwhile, the women of the household—the second uncle’s youngest daughter Gu Tingying, the second sister Gu Tingting, the second aunt, and the eldest cousin’s wife Li Jiaying—bustled happily around the kitchen to finalize the feast.
“Come along, everyone! It’s time to eat!”
The household nanny had been granted holiday leave to celebrate the New Year with her own family, so the grand feast had been executed entirely through the collective labor of Mother Gu and the women of the clan.
Sheng Wanyan had initially tried to slip into the kitchen to offer her assistance, but she was instantly blockaded and shooed out by her sister-in-laws.
“Why on earth are you hovering near the hot stoves?” Mother Gu chided affectionally, gently nudging her away from the threshold. “You’ve just cleared your first trimester. March right back out and rest your bones.”
The other female relatives nodded in firm agreement. “We have an army of women in here; we certainly don’t lack hands. Go sit in the living room and let Grandma pour you a fresh cup of tea.”
Without giving her room to argue, her cousin Gu Tingying took her by the arm, guiding her out to the plush sofas. The second aunt gestured for her daughter to remain by Wanyan’s side to keep her company.
“Tingying, stay here and chat with your sister-in-law. You two are practically the same age; you’ll have plenty in common.”
Gu Tingying was scheduled to turn twenty-one after the Spring Festival, making Wanyan mere months older than her. However, unlike Wanyan, Tingying had yet to secure a marriage partner, and her parents were beginning to mount serious pressure on her to find a suitable match.
The second aunt had already finalized arrangements for a formal blind date immediately following the holidays. The prospective suitor was a prominent young man raised within their own military compound—the second son of the Bai family, who currently held the distinguished rank of deputy battalion commander within the Southern Military Region. At twenty-five years old, he had just returned to the capital for the holidays; since both clans belonged to the exact same political military faction, the parents had seamlessly aligned the introduction.
Gu Tingying currently performed as a classical dancer with the elite the Capital Art Troupe, while the second uncle’s household was stationed in the coastal city of Hai City. Her parents had explicitly ruled out finding a spouse for her down south. After all, the second uncle wouldn’t remain stationed in Hai City forever; within a few years, his seniority would guarantee a permanent transfer back to the high command in the Capital. Therefore, securing a partner rooted in the capital was the superior strategy, even if the man’s current deployment required him to serve regionally for a time.
The second uncle had climbed the military ranks step by step, and as a seasoned soldier, he understood that a man’s intrinsic strength and strategic capability mattered far more than any temporary geographic placement. If Tingying didn’t feel a spark with the Bai family’s son during their the Capital meeting, they could always evaluate the eligible bachelors back in Hai City later.
One by one, the women of the family emerged from the kitchen carrying heavy, steaming platters. The grand reunion spread featured exactly ten dishes and one rich soup—a traditional layout symbolizing absolute perfection and harmony for the coming year.
The table groaned under the weight of a slow-simmered chicken broth, stir-fried wild rabbit, braised pig’s trotters, rich red-cooked pork belly, a perfectly steamed whole fish, savory pork layered with preserved mustard greens, scrambled eggs with fresh tomatoes, a delicate egg custard, vibrant stir-fried seasonal greens, and two crisp side dishes featuring roasted peanuts and a smashed garlic cucumber salad.
The patriarchs of the family routinely indulged in premium liquor during the holidays, and Mother Gu and Liang Zhenna proved they could easily hold their own, sipping their drinks with practiced elegance. Even the elderly Grandma Gu joined the toast; she was a formidable, legendary woman who had marched alongside the troops and borne witness to active combat during her youth, possessing a spirit as fierce as any soldier’s.
Sheng Wanyan sat comfortably beside the grandchildren, happily sipping the nourishing chicken soup as the youngsters enthusiastically hoisted their bowls to drain every last drop.
Witnessing the pure, unburdened joy vibrating through the room, Old Master Gu raised his glass, his booming voice instantly commanding the attention of the entire table.
“With our entire clan assembled under one roof tonight, such an absolute gathering is a rare and precious milestone. I wish to impart a few definitive instructions to the younger generations.”
“Every single working adult in this room is actively serving the republic. For generations, the blood of the Gu line has been poured directly into the foundation of this nation!”
“I expect none of you to ever lose sight of the immense sacrifices our ancestors bled into this soil, nor should you ever take for granted the elite cultivation and privilege the state has invested in your persons.”
“Anchor this truth deep within your consciousness: no matter where your deployment takes you or what level of executive authority you eventually wield, the nation remains our absolute primary choice! It is our unyielding bottom line!”
“We understand, Dad,” Father Gu and the second uncle intoned respectfully.
“Understood, Grandpa,” the grandchildren echoed in unison.
The Gu clan had only ever maintained one core directive: dedicating their lives to national advancement and remaining entirely worthy of their ancestors’ legacy. The supreme honor and reputation of the country would never be tarnished under their watch.
“My bones are growing old now,” the old general continued, his gaze sweeping across his sons and grandsons. “The ultimate custody of the Gu legacy will eventually transfer to your shoulders.”
“Never forget who you are. You carry the Gu name; you must always maintain the unyielding integrity, bottom line, and proud dignity of this house.”
Concluding his address, Old Master Gu drained his liquor in a single, definitive swallow, his posture radiating a fierce, commanding aura that had defined his decades on the battlefield.
The family happily resumed their feast. The second uncle’s branch noticed Wang Chunmei’s total absence but wisely refrained from raising a single question. They were all seasoned family members who were well aware of her petty, dramatic disposition. Since the supreme patriarch of the house hadn’t expressed a shred of dissatisfaction over her vacancy, there was absolutely no reason for them to afford her any thought.
Because her pregnancy made rich, gamey meats unappealing, Wanyan bypassed the stir-fried rabbit completely. However, Gu Tingxiao had taken the liberty of requesting a custom batch of the braised pig’s trotters, ensuring the kitchen incorporated the fiery, bold spices she craved. Wanyan thoroughly enjoyed the savory meat, her body experiencing zero traces of morning sickness or gestational nausea. As long as she could eat and drink heartily without discomfort, Gu Tingxiao’s protective heart could finally rest easy.
Wanyan cleanly polished off a massive pig’s trotter, a fluffy bowl of white rice, two portions of the chicken broth, and a generous sampling of the side dishes, reaching a state of absolute fullness.
“Are you satisfied, honey?” Gu Tingxiao murmured, leaning close to check on her comfort.
Wanyan offered a contented nod, though she secretly felt a little bloated from the massive intake.
“Wanyan,” Old Master Gu’s voice suddenly boomed across the table, though his tone was layered with an uncharacteristic, gentle warmth. “Have you eaten your fill? Would you like to take a slow stroll through the courtyard to help your digestion?”
The sudden, tender inquiry caused several family members to freeze mid-bite, entirely unable to believe their own ears.
Sheng Wanyan blinked in total bewilderment.
Old Master Gu had always maintained an intensely formidable, stern exterior, strictly removing himself from the trivial, everyday domestic affairs of the household. He was notoriously rigorous and unyielding when addressing the younger generations of the clan. Due to his intimidating presence and the hardened, lethal look he had carried since his combat days, even his own biological sons—Father Gu and the second uncle—treated him with a healthy dose of instinctual fear.
As for the grandchildren and extended relatives, they routinely approached him with absolute, rigid deference, never daring to make a careless movement in his presence, preferring to keep their eyes lowered and slip past his sight.
For this terrifying old patriarch to suddenly adopt such a soft, nurturing tone left the older generation completely stunned.
Little Gu Jingjing, being the youngest child at the table, was so thoroughly shocked by the gentle rumble that the braised chicken leg she was gripping slipped right out of her fingers, clattering onto her plate.
Was Great-Grandpa… currently possessed by a phantom?
Why on earth did his voice sound like a soothing hum instead of his usual, thundering tiger’s roar?
Father Gu possessed a sliver of classified inside knowledge regarding Wanyan’s national standing, but even he had never anticipated that his formidable father was capable of exhibiting such profound gentleness.
