Chapter 534 | Chapter 535 | Chapter 536
Chapter 534: Sheng Wanyan’s Generosity
After learning the situation, Mother Gu began making arrangements; the capabilities of a matriarch were not to be underestimated.
“We have 5,000 yuan in our hands.”
“Dad and I don’t have any money left now, and we have to reserve funds for Xiaotong’s upcoming medical and related expenses.”
“We need to keep at least 2,000 for Xiaotong’s side. The medical bills, hospitalization fees, and living expenses for the next month will all cost money.”
“Even after she’s discharged, she’ll need to continue recuperating. We have to set that money aside first.”
Mother Gu was willing to help the Ning family, but she had to ensure her sister-in-law’s health was secure first. She was helping the Ning family out of consideration for her sister-in-law, not to let her sister-in-law struggle to find funds for her own medical, dietary, and nutritional needs.
Father Gu listened to everything Mother Gu said and naturally had no objections; his own sister was the top priority.
“The eldest daughter-in-law is due in two months, and Wanyan has two babies in her belly. There are endless places where we’ll need money.”
“This still isn’t enough…”
Mother Gu started to fret as she did the math. She had to save at least 1,000 yuan for emergencies to cover the three babies in her two daughters-in-law’s bellies.
“Mom, Nazhen and I still have quite a bit of money.”
Eldest Brother Gu spoke up. The money they received when the family assets were divided had been left untouched; they intended to save it for the children’s future.
“No, Jinfang is already 11. As parents, you cannot shortchange your child.”
Mother Gu flatly refused. She knew Eldest Brother Gu’s situation better than anyone; Gu Jinfang ate much more than an average child, and the couple hadn’t managed to save much money to begin with.
Now that they had a second child on the way, expenses would only increase. Mother Gu knew that Eldest Brother Gu and his wife were reluctant to spend their inheritance money specifically so they could set it aside for their children’s future.
Sheng Wanyan knew the family’s situation, and she had long been prepared. Before Father Gu even returned, she had gone upstairs to grab her savings passbook.
She still remembered that it was because of Gu Tong that she and Gu Tingxiao were able to be together. She kept that gratitude in her heart. Furthermore, Gu Tong shared a close relationship with Mother Sheng; back when Mother Sheng was still in Rongcheng, the two often made plans to go shopping together.
Once Mother Sheng learned of Gu Tong’s hospitalization, she would sit on the bus for three hours to visit her whenever she had a free moment. That kind of bond… if Sheng Wanyan didn’t offer help, Mother Sheng might just beat her to death.
Sheng Wanyan took out the savings passbook she had prepared and placed it before Mother Gu.
“Mom, Dad, take this money for the emergency.”
Mother Gu hurriedly tried to push it back. How could she possibly take her third daughter-in-law’s money?
Old Third’s household had massive expenses, not to mention the payroll for so many employees; they needed money in endless places.
“Mom, my shop business is doing well, and I have some spare cash on hand.”
Sheng Wanyan didn’t give Mother Gu a chance to speak, continuing to persuade her.
“The money I saved from my translation work still has a lot left, enough to cover Yi Yi and the two babies in my belly.”
“Besides, Tingxiao also has his salary.”
Mother Gu remained firmly opposed to the idea. In her eyes, Old Third’s household was the one most in need of money; she was terrified that Sheng Wanyan’s shop would operate at a loss and she would end up having to pay out of pocket later.
Sheng Wanyan knew what Mother Gu was thinking, so she opened the passbook on the table and let Mother Gu see the amount clearly.
The Gu family had always treated her well, and since Wang Chunmei—the one she disliked most—was gone, there was no need for her to remain so low-key.
Mother Gu’s eyes widened in disbelief as she counted the zeros.
“Twenty thousand?”
“Yes, business at the clothing store and the general store was quite good last month.”
The Gu family didn’t know exactly how much she made each month, though they knew it was profitable. In their minds, earning ten or twenty thousand last month was already a staggering amount. After all, who in this era could earn that much in a single month?
“Keep this money for Yi Yi as her dowry in the future.”
Mother Gu’s heart was still tethered to the children of the house; she understood that while she had favorites, she still had to be fair.
“Yi Yi is still young, there’s no rush for that.”
“We have Tingxiao’s salary and the money from my translation work. We’ve saved quite a bit over the past few years.”
Mother Gu’s resolve clearly wavered upon hearing this, and Sheng Wanyan saw her chance to increase the dosage of her persuasion.
“The family’s savings are even higher than this. You can rest assured.”
After Sheng Wanyan said this and tapped the passbook on the table, Mother Gu was finally completely reassured.
“I was only able to be with Tingxiao because Aunt helped us out back then.”
“We aren’t short on funds at home. Mom, just take it and use it to help Auntie out with the emergency first.”
Mother Gu confirmed it with her several times over, and only after being certain that the family still had a substantial amount of savings left did she finally accept it.
“I will accept this on your aunt’s behalf. Once your aunt’s family is in a better position, she will pay you back.”
“When that time comes, I’ll have your aunt and uncle write you an IOU.”
Sheng Wanyan wasn’t in a hurry for the money and trusted the Ning family. Back then, Father Ning and Gu Tong had taken great care of her family; there was really no need to write a formal IOU, as it might actually hurt their relationship.
“No need, I trust Aunt and Uncle.”
With this money, the Ning family could breathe a huge sigh of relief, and Father and Mother Gu wouldn’t have to borrow money elsewhere.
To put it plainly, Sheng Wanyan had her own private motives: firstly, to repay a past kindness, and secondly, to ensure Father and Mother Gu could have some money on hand. She didn’t want to see the family scrimping and saving, fearing that the elders might end up suffering or falling ill from cutting too many corners.
The very next day, Mother Gu went to the hospital and expressed Sheng Wanyan’s gesture of lending the money and her gratitude toward the Ning family in the most heartfelt way.
Gu Tong was incredibly moved upon hearing it, feeling immense gratitude toward Sheng Wanyan for extending a helping hand to her family.
When the eldest Ning daughter-in-law heard it was Sheng Wanyan helping out, she was filled with gratitude; with this money, their family could finally take a break from their heavy worries for a good while.
“Please thank Wanyan for me. I’ll write Wanyan an IOU, otherwise, I won’t feel right about it.”
Gu Tong insisted on writing Sheng Wanyan an IOU. This was, after all, a significant sum of money. Since her niece-in-law had lent it to them without hesitation, they couldn’t just accept it as a matter of course. Reciprocity was the key to maintaining relationships.
Mother Gu couldn’t dissuade her, though deep down, she actually hoped for an IOU as well, as it would provide a layer of evidence if anything were to change in the future. Fortunately, her sister-in-law took the initiative to do this, putting her mind at ease; otherwise, if there were any real issues later, she would be caught between a rock and a hard place.
When Mother Gu returned, she handed the IOU to Sheng Wanyan. Sheng Wanyan wasn’t foolish—since the document had been delivered right to her, how could she refuse?
With the money, the concerns about lack of funds for Old Master Ning were gone. As long as there was hope, the Ning family wouldn’t give up.
Time passed quickly, and mid-July arrived—the date for Sheng Wanyan’s prenatal checkup.
Mother Gu took the day off to accompany her to the hospital. Everything looked perfectly fine, which helped Mother Gu finally breathe a sigh of relief.
However, Sheng Wanyan’s belly was noticeably much larger than it had been the previous month. At four months, her belly looked more like a seven-month pregnancy, causing Mother Gu no end of worry.
When they returned to Peking University, Sheng Wanyan didn’t plan on taking a leave of absence from her classes, intending to attend school as normal. How on earth would that work out?
Chapter 535: Father Sheng Resigns and Comes to the Capital!
However, the eldest daughter-in-law was due in September, so Mother Gu couldn’t go help her. As for the parents-in-law on the other side, they also had to look after their own pregnant daughter-in-law and couldn’t assist Sheng Wanyan’s side either.
Mother Gu was worried sick. She had no appetite for quite some time, until a week later, when Father Sheng arrived.
The moment Father Sheng learned that Sheng Wanyan was pregnant with twins, he could no longer sit still. Amidst everyone’s incredulous stares, he went and submitted his resignation.
No matter how great or important things were, nothing was as important as his daughter and future grandchildren.
Father Sheng was a man of foresight who had read plenty of books. Seeing the current development of the country, he knew what was what. Private enterprise held great prospects, and he was going to help his daughter get rich!
Back in Rongcheng, vendors were starting to set up stalls on the streets. There would always be someone who dared to be the first to eat crab. The country was becoming increasingly open and was now accepting foreign capital investment; those with foresight and courage could indeed seize these opportunities.
After Father Sheng arrived in the Capital and saw the state of the general store and the clothing store, his heart was itching with excitement. Seeing business doing so well, he knew his resignation had been the right move—he hadn’t made a loss!
After resting for two days, he and Mother Sheng went to visit Grandfather Gu and Grandma Gu, bringing along quite a bit of mountain produce they had gathered from the countryside in Rongcheng.
Grandfather Gu and Father Gu had always been fond of these things. Mountain produce was highly sought after in the Capital and incredibly hard to buy. In the past, whenever Grandfather Gu and Father Gu wanted some, they could only wait for their former subordinates or Father and Mother Sheng to mail them some to satisfy their cravings.
Today was the weekend, and since everyone was at home, Father Gu had been watching the doorway in the living room, knowing his in-laws were coming.
The in-laws from Old Third’s side were his favorite to talk to; they spoke with a polished, scholarly flair, handled matters with meticulous care, and always mailed him so much mountain produce. The moment he saw his wife holding a package mailed from Rongcheng, he knew he was in for a culinary treat.
Seeing Father Sheng walk in carrying the mountain produce, Father Gu stood up with great enthusiasm.
“In-law!”
Father Gu’s voice was robust and hearty. The moment Father Sheng stepped through the door, he couldn’t help but falter for a second.
“Haha… In-law.”
Father Sheng smiled. Father Gu stepped forward to take the mountain produce from his hands, all while being polite.
“Why go through the trouble of bringing so much stuff?”
“Oh! Is this wild boar meat?”
Father Gu had a sharp eye and instantly recognized the difference in the meat. After Father and Mother Sheng greeted the two elders, they explained it to Father Gu.
“Yes, your eyes are sharp, In-law.”
The wild boar meat Father Sheng brought weighed a full ten catties, and he also had two wild pheasants, two wild rabbits, and a bear paw!
Even Grandfather Gu was astonished at the sight of the bear paw. This was a premier tonic!
“This is a bear paw!?”
Father Gu asked, still unsure. Father Sheng nodded with a smile, confirming it was indeed a bear paw.
“Yes, the village discovered a black bear, so the men went up the mountain to catch it.”
“Since they caught it, I went and bought the bear paw.”
Father Sheng’s household registration wasn’t in the village, so he couldn’t get a share of the village’s catch. However, their ancestral home and house were still there, so the uncles in the village who had been close to Father Sheng in his youth would let him know whenever they had something good.
Father Sheng was the only university student to ever come out of that village, so everyone wanted to maintain a good relationship with him.
During this trip back to the village, everyone learned that Sheng Wanyan had actually gotten into university—and Peking University at that!
It had truly astonished everyone. When the village chief found out, he even went to pay his respects to their ancestors. Since everyone in the village was interconnected through kinship, they were all distant relatives, tracing back to the same ancestor a hundred years ago.
Sheng Wanyan getting into university was a matter of bringing honor to the village, so the village chief threw a celebratory banquet!
As the father of a university student, Father Sheng drank the celebratory wine brought by his own daughter, feeling prouder than ever. The villagers who had once looked down on him for letting his daughter go to school, thinking he was wasting money, were now just as envious that he had raised such a capable daughter.
Grandfather Sheng felt happy knowing his younger brother’s granddaughter was so accomplished; it was a matter of bringing glory to their ancestors.
When Sheng Xiu-ying heard the news that Sheng Wanyan had been admitted to university, she was completely stunned. Even now, she couldn’t understand why Sheng Wanyan, who had once been easily manipulated by her, could now be so accomplished.
If… if I had treated Sheng Wanyan properly as a sister back then, would my life be a little better now?
Sheng Xiu-ying regretted it. She regretted exploiting Sheng Wanyan and regretted marrying the wrong person just to live a “good life.” If she hadn’t broken ties with Sheng Wanyan, perhaps one of Sheng Wanyan’s university classmates could have been her husband. Perhaps, she could have possessed a better future… and become the wife of an official.
When Grandma Sheng heard the news about Sheng Wanyan’s university admission, her face looked as ugly as if she had eaten excrement. How could none of her own many grandsons pass the exam, yet the granddaughter-in-law of her husband’s younger brother succeeded!
Grandma Sheng felt as though she were chewing on wax as she ate her meal, but deep down, she knew clearly that the gap between her household and the households of the younger brother was widening. That gap was no longer something within reach; it was something one could only look up to.
Grandma Sheng regretted it in her heart. Why hadn’t she shown a kinder face when they came back to visit relatives?
Regardless of everyone’s private thoughts, Father Sheng had enjoyed the celebratory wine. Before he left, he dropped a bombshell.
“My daughter-in-law also got into university—Tsinghua!”
The villagers: “……”
Until Father Sheng had left the village, no one had reacted. It took quite a while before they finally snapped out of it.
The entire family… were all university students???
The whole village was in an uproar, but since the main figures were already gone, everyone could only go to congratulate Grandfather Sheng’s family.
Grandma Sheng: “……” Furious!
Father Sheng had spent a significant amount of money to buy that bear paw; it was an entire, intact bear paw, including the complete leg joint.
He brought it to the Gu family with his family’s unanimous agreement. To put it plainly, he, as a father, had come to give it to his daughter so she could nourish her body.
“It’s just right for the in-law grandparents to use to nourish their bodies.”
Father Sheng said it was for the two elders on the surface, but everyone knew exactly what was going on. It was because he was a father, and for the sake of Sheng Wanyan, that he gave this rare bear paw to the Gu family. Everyone understood this sentiment.
Especially with Sheng Wanyan pregnant with twins, she needed the Gu family’s care, and when it came time to give birth, the Gu family would also need to arrange for the best doctors.
Father Sheng knew his own capabilities and connections were limited, especially in the Capital, where he had zero connections. He couldn’t go and trouble the Pan family for his daughter’s sake, after all, Pan Yue was also pregnant.
Everyone was happy that his daughter was pregnant with twins, but while he and his wife were happy, they were even more worried. He worried that some accident might occur during the birth; giving birth to twins was an incredibly dangerous affair.
Chapter 536: Father Sheng Gets Given a Big Pie
The Gu family had to pay extra attention, arrange for an excellent doctor to help deliver the babies, and provide a prime environment for the delivery, so that his daughter’s life could be preserved!
“You’ve shown such consideration, in-laws. It just so happens you should stay for dinner tonight.”
Grandfather Gu made a decision in his heart as he looked at the bear paw.
“Take this bear paw to the military region hospital’s director tomorrow and have him help process it properly.”
“When the time comes for Wanyan to do her post-partum recovery, it can be used to nourish her body.”
Grandfather Gu instructed Father Gu, who nodded and set the bear paw aside securely, intending to take it to the hospital director tomorrow.
Hearing this, Father and Mother Sheng let out a sigh of relief. With such a premium tonic to nourish their daughter’s body, she would be able to recover well after giving birth.
Mother Gu pulled Mother Sheng over to chat. Seeing that Father Sheng had arrived in the Capital, Sheng Wanyan wanted to speak with her parents alone.
“The flowers in the backyard are blooming. Do you want to go take a look with Wanyan and our in-law brother?”
Mother Gu grew quite a few flowers, and with the lovely weather lately, many of them had bloomed. Usually, Sheng Wanyan would stroll into the backyard after meals to admire Mother Gu’s flowers.
Seeing Sheng Wanyan’s expression, Mother Gu knew she wanted some private time with her parents, so she readily provided an excuse for them to be alone.
“Really? Then I must take a good look.”
Mother Sheng replied with a smile. With the elders around, they had felt awkward leaving on their own, but now, with her counterpart’s invitation, she could finally speak with her daughter.
“Of course, Wanyan usually loves them.”
Hearing this, Mother Sheng became even more interested. She would definitely be able to appreciate her daughter’s taste.
“Dad, Mom, let me take you to see them.”
Sheng Wanyan supported her waist as she stood up. Seeing how large her belly was, Mother Sheng quickly held onto her.
“Careful.”
Father and Mother Sheng followed Sheng Wanyan into the backyard. Yi Yi had run off somewhere to play wildly again, and Father Sheng was currently scanning around for her.
“Yi Yi went out with her brother and sister to play with the kids in the compound. She’ll be back at dinner time.”
Hearing this, Father Sheng retracted his gaze. He shared an excellent relationship with Yi Yi, and not seeing her for so long naturally made him miss her intensely.
“It’s good to go out and make friends.”
Father Sheng felt deeply comforted. Over the past two days since arriving in the Capital, he had heard plenty about Yi Yi from Mother Sheng. Dancing at such a young age, working incredibly hard, and constantly buzzing around like a little bee to help sell things at the shop—she was exceptionally sweet and thoughtful at such a young age, which made Father Sheng’s heart itch with affection even more.
“Dad, you resigned?”
Sheng Wanyan was surprised by Father Sheng’s arrival. A few months ago, he had been resolutely opposed to resigning.
“I did.”
Father Sheng spoke with absolute calmness, appearing as though he didn’t care in the slightest.
However, Sheng Wanyan knew her parents inside out. Father Sheng was simply consumed by the joy of reunion at the moment, leaving him no time to feel regret. She intended to make Father Sheng busy immediately, giving him no opportunity to feel remorse down the line.
“Dad, then why don’t you go help out at the general store?”
“The general store gets plenty of customers every day. Once you’re there, Mom can occasionally head over to the workshop to keep an eye on things for me.”
“Sure.”
Father Sheng had come to help his daughter in the first place, so he naturally agreed without a second thought.
“Your salary will be the same as Mom’s.”
Hearing this, Father Sheng tried to refuse immediately, but Sheng Wanyan began to paint a massive, alluring pie for him, leaving him feeling quite lightheaded as he listened.
“Dad, don’t refuse just yet.”
“I’ve looked into it. The country needs to develop, so I plan to open a branch of the general store in the city in the future.”
“When that time comes, you’ll be running between both locations, which will require a lot of effort.”
Father Sheng had originally managed a workshop floor, so managing a general store would naturally be no issue for him now. Moreover, Father Sheng was truly capable; he had simply been suppressed by the social climate in the past, unable to utilize his remaining potential. Among the university students from decades ago, not a single one lacked grand ambitions.
“Why do we need to open another one in the city?”
Mother Sheng, who had been admiring the flowers, stopped looking at them the moment she heard Sheng Wanyan’s words and immediately inquired.
“Mom, once I graduate, I will definitely bring Yi Yi to live in the city.”
“The educational resources in the city are better. If my work keeps me too busy to look after the child, I can also send her to the military compound.”
Mother Sheng nodded upon hearing this. That was true; the city’s educational resources were bound to be excellent.
“Besides, when Huzi attends elementary and middle school down the line, don’t you plan on having him study in the city too?”
“When that time comes, you and Dad can work at the general store in the city. For the one near Peking University, we can just hire employees and drop by to audit the accounts every now and then.”
Initially, Mother Sheng had been disapproving, but the moment the education of her grandson was brought up, she instantly agreed.
“Dad can look around for a shop space and a courtyard house in the city, and once we buy them, we can open the second branch.”
“Deal!”
Father Sheng thoroughly agreed with Sheng Wanyan’s arrangements. He believed his daughter’s idea was excellent; the city was full of wealthy households who would be far more willing to spend money than the villagers.
With both father and daughter in agreement and looking highly enthusiastic, Mother Sheng didn’t want to throw cold water on them either. Her daughter was exceptionally strong-willed; even if she spoke up, her daughter would only pay lip service on the surface while secretly carrying out her own ideas anyway. Speaking up would be futile.
Father Sheng was filled with immense drive, and his entire energy and spirit looked completely different.
By dinner time, the children of the house had all returned. The moment Yi Yi stepped inside and saw her maternal grandfather, she couldn’t quite believe her eyes.
After rubbing her eyes, she opened her arms wide and dashed toward Father Sheng.
“Grandpa~”
“Yi Yi, Grandpa’s darling.”
Father Sheng scooped her up and swung her around in the air. Yi Yi laughed joyfully, her giggles filling the entire house.
“Hahahahaha~”
“Grandpa~ I missed you so much.”
Yi Yi cuddled with Father Sheng affectionately for a long while. When it was time for Father and Mother Sheng to leave, her eyes filled with tears, and she wished nothing more than to follow them out. Only after Father and Mother Sheng promised to visit her in a few days did the little girl stop sniffing back tears.
Upon returning, Father Sheng spent every single day strolling around the city to inquire about courtyard houses and shop spaces. However, after over ten days of searching, he hadn’t found a single trace of an opportunity. Seeing this, Mother Sheng let out a cold snort.
“Tomorrow I’m going to the city with you.”
Once Mother Sheng spoke, Father Sheng couldn’t refuse even if he wanted to. But after witnessing Mother Sheng’s ability to gather information, his heart was filled with nothing but admiration.
Mother Sheng sat beneath the shade of a tree chatting with the elderly grandpas and grandmas, coaxing them into non-stop laughter.
“Sigh~”
“Child, why are you sighing?”
Hearing the old grandmas’ concern, Mother Sheng poured out the grievances in her heart.
“It’s just that frustrating business at home.”
“My husband and I followed our children to the Capital to spend our retirement, but the two of us can’t help out with anything at all.”
“We’re also disrupting the younger generation’s lives, so we thought about buying a small courtyard house to live in by ourselves, so as not to trouble them.”
“But my husband and I have been looking for over half a month now, and we haven’t even found a trace of one.”
Hearing this, the old grandmas felt a pang of sympathy, taking Mother Sheng’s hand to comfort her.
“When children grow up, it’s inevitable that it’s a bit hard to get along with their elders.”
“Moving out to live on your own is wonderful; you can do whatever you like, and everyone will feel much more at ease that way.”
