Chapter 474| Chapter 475| Chapter 476
Chapter 474: A Surprise from Gu Tingxiao
The next day, Gu Tingxiao took only Sheng Wanyan out with him. Little Yi Yi watched them leave, her eyes filled with longing at being abandoned by her parents. She turned around with a pout and went straight to complain to Grandpa and Grandma Gu, who could only smile and do their best to comfort her.
Sheng Wanyan, meanwhile, felt her husband was acting rather mysterious. Ever since he had slipped out early in the morning on New Year’s Day, he had been behaving secretively.
“Where are we?” Sheng Wanyan asked, looking at the property in front of her.
It was a spacious, three-courtyard residence, and its location was even better than the two-courtyard house she had purchased a while ago. Located in the highly sought-after second alley of Inner Street, this area would undoubtedly become a priceless prime location in the future.
She turned to Gu Tingxiao with a look of doubt, a sudden realization dawning on her.
“Consider it a reward for getting into university,” Gu Tingxiao said, a warm smile touching his eyes as he looked down at her, his expression filled with love and indulgence.
Sheng Wanyan smiled back. She truly hadn’t expected this man to secretly prepare such a grand reward for her. “So… is this what you’ve been busy with lately?”
Gu Tingxiao nodded. “Yes. Shall we go in and take a look?”
Sheng Wanyan nodded eagerly, a bright smile gracing her face as she stepped through the gates with him. With every step she took, it felt like opening a beautifully wrapped present; surprises met her at every turn.
“This courtyard is surprisingly well-preserved,” she noted with delight. The murals, stone tables, and original walls were completely intact, showing almost no signs of damage.
“The previous occupants were all government employees, so they took good care of the place,” Gu Tingxiao explained. “A few minor repairs and a fresh coat of paint on the walls are all it needs before we can move in.”
He didn’t entirely understand why his wife was so fond of buying courtyards and storefronts, but since it made her happy, he would do whatever it took to find them for her.
“This property belongs to an elderly gentleman,” Gu Tingxiao continued. “He’s preparing to move to Hong Kong with his son, so he’s looking for a quick sale.”
“How much is he asking?” Sheng Wanyan knew that finding a courtyard of this caliber must have taken an immense amount of effort. He likely had to look at dozens of properties before filtering out the perfect one.
“Because the courtyard is large and in excellent condition, the owner wants ten thousand yuan.”
Sheng Wanyan nodded. Ten thousand yuan was an incredibly fair price. In a few decades, a property in this location would be absolutely priceless. It was an exceptionally rare find, especially given its pristine condition.
“When can we do the paperwork to transfer the deed?”
Seeing her eager expression, Gu Tingxiao knew his wife had completely fallen in love with the place. He chuckled softly and said, “Just wait here a moment. I’ll go fetch the owner so you can finalize everything.”
Sheng Wanyan beamed and began wandering around the grounds, her mind already buzzing with design ideas. She wanted to preserve the elegant, ancient architectural style of the courtyard, and once she accumulated more capital, she could meticulously restore it to its historic glory. After she graduated from university, the whole family could move in.
“What are you waiting for? Go quickly!” she urged him impatiently. Unable to bear seeing his wife anxious, Gu Tingxiao quickly left to find the homeowner.
The old gentleman hadn’t actually expected Gu Tingxiao to return so soon. He had assumed that very few families would be able to afford his asking price on such short notice. He had already resolved that if he couldn’t sell it, he would simply lock the gates and keep it as a place to stay whenever he visited the Capital in the future.
“Are you truly ready to buy it?” the old man asked.
“Yes. My wife likes it very much,” Gu Tingxiao replied smoothly.
He spoke of Sheng Wanyan with such tenderness that the old man, who had noticed his dedication from their very first meeting, became deeply curious. He wanted to see exactly what kind of remarkable woman could command such devotion from a man. When he finally met Sheng Wanyan and witnessed her refined elegance and impeccable manners, he understood completely.
“I originally thought that if it didn’t sell, I would just leave it be,” the old man said with a warm smile. “My son and I are flying out to Hong Kong tomorrow, so this timing is a wonderful coincidence. I’m firm on the price of ten thousand yuan—no bargaining. If you agree, we can head over to the Housing Authority to transfer the ownership this afternoon.”
The old man laid out his terms clearly. He was financially secure, so he didn’t need to desperately slash prices like other desperate sellers.
“That works for us. We will go withdraw the funds from the bank now and meet you at the Housing Authority at two o’clock this afternoon,” Sheng Wanyan stated. With Gu Tingxiao offering no objections, the deal was struck.
Sheng Wanyan hurried home to grab her savings passbook and head to the bank. By the time they finished the paperwork that afternoon and the courtyard was officially hers, she couldn’t stop smiling. Gu Tingxiao found her sheer joy incredibly endearing; his wife looked exactly like a clever little mouse that had successfully snuck away with a prize.
She stood on the sidewalk, looking down at the newly stamped property deed in her hands, her eyes sparkling. Even though the deed was just a formal piece of paper for now, she clutched it like treasure.
Her radiant beauty made several male passersby slow down, their eyes lighting up as they stared at her. Noticing the lingering glances, Gu Tingxiao smoothly stepped in to block their view with his broad frame. He took Sheng Wanyan’s hand, guided her into the car, and drove them home.
The moment they crossed the threshold of their house, Sheng Wanyan safely stashed the priceless deed away into her dimensional space for safekeeping.
“By the way,” she asked, “have the occupants of the other courtyards near the university moved out yet?”
“Yes, everyone has vacated the premises. The new furniture should arrive in two days.”
Sheng Wanyan nodded, calculating the timeline. “Perfect. That leaves us exactly half a month to get the houses in order. Tomorrow, could you find some workers to patch up and paint the walls of the properties near Peking University? Some of them have noticeable holes that need to be filled.”
“Consider it done.”
Gu Tingxiao’s connections allowed him to handle these logistics with incredible speed. Not only had he smoothly cleared out the tenants from the properties near Peking University, but he had also quietly hired workers to renovate the courtyards near Renmin University, as well as the two properties belonging to Sheng Wanyan’s parents. He handled all of this silently, sparing her any logistical headaches.
The second courtyard, in particular, had been left in a terrible state by the previous tenants, with potholes marring the walls. It required a thorough, professional renovation before it would be fit for habitation.
Sheng Wanyan quickly sketched a blueprint. She intended to completely remodel the second courtyard over the next few months while Gu Tingxiao was stationed in the Capital. That way, whenever she visited on weekends during the school semester, she would have a comfortable place to stay.
“We don’t need too many individual rooms in this second courtyard,” she explained, showing him her sketches. “We’ll just keep ten rooms for our family. We can always build extensions later if necessary. Let’s install a heating system in the front hall, plant some fruit trees and vegetables in the backyard, and leave the front yard open for storing bicycles and giving Yi Yi a spacious area to run around and play. Oh, and let’s add a small flower garden and a fully equipped kitchen in the backyard as well.”
Sheng Wanyan talked animatedly about her vision for the space. She wasn’t altering the fundamental structure of the compound; she simply wanted to maximize the potential of the five-hundred-square-meter property. While the first courtyard only needed minor preservation work, several poorly constructed partitions in the inner courtyards needed to be demolished entirely.
“For the fruit trees, I’ll need to source them from a village that specializes in horticulture,” Gu Tingxiao noted, wanting to manage her expectations. “The varieties might be limited to just apples and pears for now.”
Sheng Wanyan nodded understandingly; she had already anticipated this. “That’s perfectly fine. Growing our own fruit is much better than buying it anyway—fresh fruit is quite expensive these days!”
Chapter 475: Visiting the Savior
“Then everyone in the family can have a share, and everyone will get plenty of nutrition.”
Gu Tingxiao nodded. The next day, he went out to find a construction team to begin renovating the second courtyard according to her drawings. He supervised the project daily and paid the workers strictly according to market rates.
Whenever Sheng Wanyan had some free time, she would take Yi Yi along to check on the progress. It was Yi Yi’s first time seeing a construction site, and she was full of curiosity.
“Mommy, where is this?”
“This will be our home from now on. We’ll stay here on weekends.”
“Our home?”
“That’s right. Mommy starts university next month, so we’ll live in the courtyard near the campus. Then on weekends, we’ll come back here to stay with Grandpa and Grandma.”
Yi Yi nodded. She had already been told that Sheng Wanyan was going to school. Her parents had made sure to prepare her mentally in advance so she wouldn’t feel abandoned when the time came.
“When that time comes, Daddy will stay to look after us for a couple of months before he has to go back to work.”
Yi Yi looked up at her. Is Daddy going to be separated from me and Mommy?
“I don’t want us to be apart,” she whimpered, a little unhappy. She loved having both her parents by her side and didn’t want either of them to leave.
“It’s not a real separation, sweetheart. Daddy just has to go to work for a while, and then he’ll come right back.”
“To work?”
“Yeah. Daddy will just be going to work, so we aren’t separating.”
Yi Yi nodded understandingly. After all, back in Bing City, Gu Tingxiao would frequently go away on military missions, so this was a concept she could accept.
“So, Daddy has to go to work, and Mommy has to go to school,” she mused. “My brothers and sisters have to go to school too, and Grandpa and Grandma have to go to work. Only Yi Yi has nothing to do.”
She pouted, suddenly feeling left out. “Mommy, Yi Yi wants to go to school too!”
Sheng Wanyan had been waiting for her to say exactly that, and she was thrilled.
“Oh? But if you go to school, you’ll only get to see Mommy and Daddy in the mornings and evenings. Won’t our Yi Yi cry?”
Yi Yi froze. Not being able to see her parents for a whole day at school was a daunting prospect.
“There will be lots of other children at school, and the teachers will play games with all of you,” Sheng Wanyan coaxed gently. “And the moment Mommy finishes her classes, she’ll come pick you up so we can walk home together. We can go to school at the same time. Yi Yi, do you want to go to school with Mommy?”
“Yes!”
Yi Yi fell for the trap completely. Hearing that she could go to school alongside her mother, she was incredibly excited.
Sheng Wanyan smiled victoriously. Gu Tingxiao, who had been standing by quietly listening to his wife smooth-talk their two-and-a-half-year-old child, could only twitch the corner of his mouth. If their daughter had a bit more education and worldly experience, she wouldn’t have been swindled so easily by his wife.
Later, Sheng Wanyan and Gu Tingxiao took Yi Yi out to eat Peking duck. On their way back, they packed an extra duck to take home and bought a whole crate of soda to share with the construction workers.
“Did you go buy roast duck?”
The moment Mother Gu saw the package, she recognized it as the famous roast duck from the Capital Hotel—after all, no one else packaged it quite like that.
“Yes, I took Yi Yi out today and brought some back for everyone,” Sheng Wanyan replied.
“How are things looking? Is the courtyard near Peking University all cleaned up?” Mother Gu asked. She didn’t expect her son to know the details, so she turned directly to Sheng Wanyan. “You’ve bought so many properties and put so much into renovating and decorating them. Your father and I will cover the cost of the furniture, so don’t worry about hiring craftsmen to make it.”
Although Mother Gu didn’t know the exact state of the couple’s finances, she knew that executing such massive renovations across multiple properties must have drained a significant amount of cash. Her third son’s family had so many expenses on the horizon; Sheng Wanyan was starting university, and higher education was never cheap. Plus, there would be Yi Yi’s tuition and daily household costs to consider—it all added up.
She couldn’t quite fathom how her third son had managed to purchase so many courtyards in such a short span of time, but since they were earning their own money, she didn’t feel it was her place to pry. Even if she had hidden reservations, she knew her third son was a man of firm convictions, and she had no right to dictate his choices. She assumed he was largely relying on his wife’s financial backing, and that these courtyards and their decorations had probably swallowed up the bulk of his savings.
Mother Gu’s assumptions were actually quite close to the mark. Gu Tingxiao and Sheng Wanyan had indeed spent most of the funds they received from the family asset division, excluding the two courtyards near Peking University that she intended to use as income-generating properties. The rest of the initial real estate costs had been covered by Gu Tingxiao’s salary and his share of the family split, ensuring the man wouldn’t feel like his own money was being sidelined.
Though she wasn’t entirely sure what the final renovation bill for the current project would be, Gu Tingxiao still had about eight thousand yuan left in his accounts. After paying for the laborers and materials, they would still need to cover the furniture and miscellaneous household items for the second courtyard. Even so, they would likely preserve three to four thousand yuan as a cushion, which was more than enough for the family to live comfortably.
“Mom, we still have plenty of money,” Sheng Wanyan reassured her with a smile. “Besides, we’ve already arranged to ship all our furniture over from Bing City. It should arrive the day after tomorrow.”
“But aren’t you planning to stay in the courtyard in the city sometimes? How are you and your daughter going to live there comfortably without any furniture?” Mother Gu countered, her mind already buzzing with household logistics. “You’ll need beds, quilts, pots, pans, and a hundred other small items. Don’t tell me those don’t need preparing? Each piece might seem trivial on its own, but when you look at the total sum, it’s quite a hefty expense.”
Mother Gu was an expert at managing a household. She knew these small necessities added up to a considerable amount of money.
“Mom, we really have it covered. Please don’t worry.”
Despite Sheng Wanyan’s reassurances, Mother Gu remained unconvinced, her thoughts already racing ten steps ahead. The very next day, she quietly went out to commission a local craftsman to build a suite of furniture, keeping the project entirely a secret. Sheng Wanyan only found out about it when the finished pieces were delivered straight to the second courtyard.
True to their timeline, the furniture shipped from Bing City arrived within two days. Gu Tingxiao headed out early in the morning to retrieve it from the station.
With some free time on her hands, Sheng Wanyan decided to look into childcare options near Peking University. There was a local nursery in the nearby village, but the Capital University also operated a specialized nursery for the families of faculty and staff, which was significantly cleaner and more secure.
Upon inquiring, Sheng Wanyan learned that the tuition was five yuan per semester. Parents were required to pack three meals a day for their children, and the staff would help heat the food up at mealtimes. To put it bluntly, the facility was essentially a play center; the children didn’t follow a strict curriculum, and since most of them were only three or four years old, the rooms were prone to sudden choruses of crying. Sheng Wanyan worried that if Yi Yi stayed in such an environment for too long, she would lose interest in school entirely, making it nearly impossible to get her back through the door.
She decided she would let Yi Yi try it out for a few days to see how she adjusted. If it didn’t work out, she would have to ask Grandpa and Grandma Sheng to help look after her during the week.
“Wife, I can guarantee you our daughter won’t last more than a few days there,” Gu Tingxiao noted, seeing right through the situation.
Sheng Wanyan shot him a sharp glare. “Do you think I don’t know that? She knows her own mind.”
Yi Yi was a child who naturally craved a quiet, orderly environment; she simply couldn’t tolerate chaotic, noisy surroundings for long. “She’s exactly like you,” Sheng Wanyan added huffily.
Gu Tingxiao rubbed his nose, looking thoroughly aggrieved but choosing not to argue.
“By the way,” Sheng Wanyan continued, her tone softening, “now that the rush has died down and we have a few free days, we should go visit the veterans who saved your life.”
There were three elderly saviors in total, all residing right here in the Capital. Failing to pay them a proper visit during the holidays would be incredibly disrespectful, and her conscience wouldn’t allow it.
Gu Tingxiao nodded firmly. “Alright, let’s do that.”
Chapter 476: Visiting the Savior — Part 2
“One of the old professors lives in the staff quarters of the medical school,” Gu Tingxiao explained, checking their schedule. “The other couple lives in the family quarters of the Capital University. We’ll take Yi Yi to visit them over the next two days.”
Sheng Wanyan nodded in agreement, then headed straight to the Overseas Chinese Store to gather gifts. This was a monumental matter of gratitude, and it had to be treated with the utmost respect.
When Mother Gu learned that they were preparing to visit the benefactors who had saved her son’s life, she immediately took a day off from work to help pack the offerings. It was a delicate balance; bringing too much would place an uncomfortable psychological burden on the elderly recipients, especially since the Gu family had already repaid the initial favor by pulling strings to arrange their official return to the city, alongside a generous sum of money and supply coupons. Yet, bringing too little would make the family look insincere. After all, this was a debt for a life saved.
“Pack two tins of premium tea, two tins of malted milk, two pounds of assorted pastries, a bag of White Rabbit milk candies, and two pounds of fresh meat,” Mother Gu instructed thoughtfully. “If you overdo it, they might feel overwhelmed. As long as your sincerity is there, this is more than enough.”
Sheng Wanyan followed her mother-in-law’s advice to the letter, carefully dividing the items into two identical, neat packages.
The next morning, right after breakfast, the little family gathered the gifts and set out, making the medical school their first stop.
As they walked, Gu Tingxiao quietly shared the background of his savior. “The old professor was the one who stumbled across me on the mountain back then. He’s currently living in the staff quarters with his eldest son’s family. The old man is a master of traditional Chinese medicine, but his own son-in-law reported him during the turbulent years. Later, when the old man was cleared and returned to the city, that son-in-law had the audacity to come sniffing around for money, but the old man’s sons thoroughly beat him back and chased him off.”
He paused, a flicker of respect in his eyes. “Fortunately, his sons are genuinely filial. Even though they were forced to publicly sever ties with him back then to avoid being implicated, it was all a private agreement they had discussed beforehand. They never actually abandoned their father; they constantly risked themselves to smuggle food and supplies to him in the countryside every single month.”
Yi Yi skipped happily ahead of her parents, happily munching on a small pastry as she listened to the low rumble of her father’s voice. As they drew closer to the staff quarters, Sheng Wanyan gently wiped the crumbs from her daughter’s sticky hands and took her fingers, falling into step just behind Gu Tingxiao.
The family of three walked into a quiet, tidy little courtyard. The property originally belonged to the old professor and had recently been officially restored to him by the state.
Knock, knock, knock…
“Who is it?” a weathered, ancient voice called out from within.
Moments later, the heavy wooden door swung open to reveal an elderly gentleman dressed in a crisp, clean Zhongshan suit. He possessed a deeply kind, intelligent face.
“Professor Ming, it’s me,” Gu Tingxiao said, stepping forward.
Old Master Ming stared at him, momentarily blinking in disbelief. When his mind finally registered the familiar face, a bright warmth flooded his features and he quickly ushered them inside. “Xiao Gu! Come in, come in quickly. Sit down.”
The old man pulled him into the house, his eyes instantly crinkling into deep, joyous crays when he spotted the beautiful wife and adorable little girl following closely behind.
“It is an honor to meet you, Professor Ming,” Sheng Wanyan said gracefully.
“Hello, Grandpa Ming!” Yi Yi chimed in obediently, her wide, watery eyes blinking with pure toddler curiosity.
“Good, good. Come inside and make yourselves comfortable,” the old man beamed.
As the family of three took their seats, they noticed the room was filled with the earthy scent of drying herbs. Professor Ming had been passing his days quietly sorting his medicinal stock, waiting for the university semester to officially commence the following month so he could resume teaching.
“I don’t have much luxury to offer in this old house, so I hope you don’t mind a simple cup of tea,” Professor Ming said, pouring out two steaming cups.
Gu Tingxiao quickly stood up to accept them respectfully. “Professor Ming, please don’t speak like that. It is a privilege just to sit with you.”
Old Master Ming chuckled softly, but the moment his gaze landed on the heavy packages they had set on the table, his smile vanished into a look of stern disapproval. “Take those things right back outside. I have absolutely no need for them. Besides, I’m returning to my official post next month and will be drawing a full state salary.”
The old man stubbornly refused to accept the gifts. Caught in a stalemate, Gu Tingxiao shot a helpless look at Sheng Wanyan, silently pleading for his wife to intervene.
“Professor Ming, please look at these merely as a small token of our family’s deep respect,” Sheng Wanyan said, her tone gentle yet firm. “They aren’t overly extravagant, just everyday items. If it weren’t for your profound kindness on that mountain, my daughter and I would likely be left to fend for ourselves today. It isn’t much, so please accept it for our peace of mind.”
Hearing her earnest words, Professor Ming let out a long, emotional sigh. He was a physician at heart; there was no universe in which he would have simply stood by and watched a young man die. Furthermore, the Gu family had already gone above and beyond back then, funding their release back to the city and leaving them with a massive sum of money that had guaranteed their survival in the countryside during those final months. Now that the nation required his expertise once more, he felt the debt had long been paid. If it hadn’t been for the Gu family’s timely intervention, many of the old scholars might not have possessed the strength to survive until the dawn of their rehabilitation.
“You truly are an exceptionally eloquent young woman, my dear,” Professor Ming murmured, shaking his head with a bittersweet smile. “No wonder this rascal of a boy fought so hard to keep one foot out of the grave when he was hovering in the underworld. Alright, I will accept them this once. But mind you, do not bring a single thing next time, or I simply won’t open the door for you.”
Sheng Wanyan nodded with a warm smile, settling back into her seat as the conversation flowed into easy pleasantries. Yi Yi sat perfectly behaved in Gu Tingxiao’s lap, her quiet gaze tracking the old professor’s animated gestures.
“And is this your daughter? She is an absolute darling,” Professor Ming noted, his eyes softening.
“Yes, Professor. Her full name is Gu Jinsheng, but we call her Yi Yi at home.”
“A beautiful name for a strong, healthy child,” the old man praised. Like most individuals of the older generation, nothing brought him more joy than the sight of a vibrant child. He reached into a drawer, pulled out a handful of white rabbit milk candies, and offered them to the little girl.
Instead of snatching them up, Yi Yi immediately looked up at Sheng Wanyan, refusing to accept the treat without permission. It wasn’t until Sheng Wanyan offered a small, approving nod that the little girl carefully reached out with both hands.
“Thank you, Grandpa Ming!”
“What a good, polite girl,” Professor Ming praised, thoroughly charmed by her impeccable manners. Everyone naturally adored a child who was well-behaved. He turned to Gu Tingxiao, nodding in approval. “You’ve raised her beautifully. You are an incredibly fortunate young man.”
Gu Tingxiao nodded without a hint of hesitation, his chest swelling with quiet pride. “I agree entirely, Professor. Though truth be told, the credit belongs entirely to my wife; she handles her education.”
Hearing the younger man unashamedly praise his wife at every turn, Professor Ming burst into a hearty laugh. “You absolute brat… look at you, a total romantic.”
The old man shook his head, the remaining stiffness melting away as he chatted with them with the casual warmth of a loving family elder. When noon arrived, Professor Ming adamantly refused to let them leave without staying for lunch. He even playfully threatened to throw their gifts straight out into the street if they dared to decline. Faced with the old man’s stubborn hospitality, the couple could only comply with a smile.
Knowing they still had to visit the other two elderly benefactors, Professor Ming didn’t keep them too late into the afternoon.
“Be careful on the roads, and make sure you keep a tight grip on this little girl,” Professor Ming advised as he escorted them to the gate, looking down at Yi Yi. The child was so fair, plump, and undeniably precious that he worried some scoundrel might try to steal her away.
“Grandpa Ming, you must stay strong and healthy!” Yi Yi chirped happily, waving her hands. “We’ll come back to visit you very soon!”
Her sweet, affectionate send-off made Professor Ming throw his head back, his deep laughter echoing brightly across the entire courtyard. “Hahaha! Splendid! I shall be counting down the days until your next visit, little one.”
Yi Yi nodded with utmost gravity, earnestly promising that once she grew a little bigger, she would walk over to visit him all by herself. And next time, she would make sure to bring Grandpa Ming his absolute favorite pastries.
“It’s a deal!”
With her promises happily secured, the little girl turned and obediently followed her parents, waving her tiny hand until they cleared the alleyway. “Goodbye, Grandpa Ming!”
Skipping along between her mother and father, Yi Yi happily led the way as they turned their steps toward the Capital University.
The family of three soon arrived at the campus grounds, where Sheng Wanyan was introduced to the remaining two benefactors—an elderly married couple. One was a distinguished professor of foreign languages at the Capital University, while the other was a renowned dance instructor from the Peking Dance Academy. Sadly, the old couple had very little family left to speak of. During the years of upheaval, their own daughter-in-law had reported them to the authorities, and their son had chosen to side with his wife’s family, effectively severing all ties. Now, the son refused to acknowledge them entirely, leaving the old couple to rely solely on one another.
Fortunately, both elders were deeply revered by their respective academic circles. They passed their days comfortably, surrounded by dedicated students whom they mentored, finding solace and purpose within the familiar rhythm of the university.
The unexpected sight of Gu Tingxiao and his family appearing at their doorstep brought a wave of profound, overwhelming joy to the lonely old couple’s hearts.
