Chapter 138: The Show-Off Mother Gu
Seeing the layout of her choices, Sheng Wanyan reached over and added two more pairs of socks for Father Gu.
She also selected three complete outfits for Gu Tingxiao. He didn’t possess many clothes, typically cycling through the exact same few sets over and over. As for Mother Gu, Wanyan planned to gift her a wristwatch.
When Gu Tingxiao had originally purchased a sewing machine for the wedding, he had discussed with Grandma Sheng the idea of adding a watch to help elevate the household assets.
“Mom, look at this one,” Sheng Wanyan said, picking up a sleek, newly released model and holding it out for Mother Gu to see. “Try it on and see if you like how it looks.”
“Oh, no, no. This is far too extravagant. Mom can’t accept this,” Mother Gu replied hurriedly, waving her hands in a flat refusal. Her third son had only just wed, and with a major relocation to a northern regiment on the immediate horizon, the young couple would face countless expenses.
They had already purchased more than a dozen sets of clothing today, depleting nearly two hundred yuan from their funds. If she allowed Wanyan to buy a luxury watch on top of that, her third daughter-in-law’s wedding savings would likely be entirely wiped out.
“Mom already has a reliable watch,” she insisted. “Just buying a simple set of clothes for me is more than enough.”
Wanyan, naturally, had zero intention of taking Mother Gu’s polite refusal at face value. She was well aware that her mother-in-law was simply worried about the financial strain on the newlyweds before they joined the army.
“Mom, this matches your style beautifully,” Wanyan countered smoothly, fastening the strap. “It elevates your entire look.”
Hearing the sweet praise, Mother Gu’s eyes sparkled. After all, what woman didn’t appreciate a genuine compliment? “Does it really look that nice?”
“Absolutely.” Wanyan offered the compliment with total sincerity; Mother Gu possessed a remarkably elegant bearing, and the observation came straight from the heart. Anchored by a refined piece of jewelry, her appearance instantly climbed several levels higher.
“In that case, I’ll pay for it myself,” Mother Gu relented, reaching into her purse for her wallet. But Wanyan swiftly reached out to stay her hand.
“Mom, let me purchase it using Tingxiao’s savings,” Wanyan whispered playfully. “Otherwise, he’ll just spend his time plotting how to hoard the cash.”
Hearing this, Mother Gu found the logic entirely sound. After all, what man didn’t harbor a secret urge to establish a private stash of pocket money? It was better to systematically strip the third brother of his excess funds now and force him to abandon the notion entirely.
To secure the watch for her mother-in-law, Wanyan had completely sacrificed Gu Tingxiao’s upright reputation.
Standing right behind them and catching every single syllable clearly, Gu Tingxiao could only stand in silent resignation. …She truly is a devoted wife, he thought dryly.
“Alright, let’s do it that way,” Mother Gu agreed promptly, a knowing smile playing on her lips. At her age, there was very little she didn’t understand. She knew her third daughter-in-law simply wanted to honor her with a grand gift, and using Tingxiao as an excuse was just a clever bit of tact.
Ultimately, her third son was thoroughly useless on his own; she had never once witnessed him take the initiative to purchase a fine timepiece for his biological mother. When all was said and done, a mother still had to rely on the thoughtfulness of a daughter-in-law.
The designated tool man, Gu Tingxiao, remained entirely silent.
The premium watch carried a price tag of 150 yuan, requiring a substantial allocation of exclusive Overseas Chinese Store coupons to finalize. Mother Gu happily unfastened her old watch, replacing it on the spot with the pristine new one gifted by Wanyan.
“Let’s head home,” Mother Gu announced with a newfound, domineering stride, handing the mountain of shopping parcels over to their designated coolie, Gu Tingxiao.
As they walked down the lane, her eyes constantly drifted back to her wrist, her heart swelling with pure delight. This was the very first time she had received such a lavish, premium token from a daughter-in-law. She resolved right then and there to wear it to the office every single day—purely to show it off.
The trio navigated back into the elite military compound, laden with bags of every shape and size. Before long, several acquaintances crossing the lane stopped to offer a greeting.
“Lianghui, is this your new third daughter-in-law?”
Mother Gu’s formal name was Wen Lianghui. A middle-aged woman approaching from the opposite direction halted, her eyes wide with curiosity.
“Yes, indeed! This is our Wanyan, my third daughter-in-law,” Mother Gu beamed. She immediately launched into formal introductions, eager to help Wanyan establish a strong network within the military district. “Wanyan, this is Aunt Liang from next door.”
The Liang family occupied the plot directly adjacent to the Gu estate, and Old Master Liang was a decorated, lifelong wartime comrade of Grandpa Gu. The two clans shared a deep, historic bond, always rushing to support one another whenever a domestic crisis arose.
Most critically for Wanyan’s future, Aunt Liang served as the sitting deputy director of the municipal Education Bureau, meaning she was always the very first to intercept any institutional news regarding national academic quotas or school policies.
“Hello, Aunt Liang. I am Sheng Wanyan,” she greeted her with a warm, polished smile.
Aunt Liang’s expression softened into deep approval, charmed by the girl’s impeccable manners. It was instantly clear to her that the Gu family’s third son hadn’t been as blindly reckless as the fourth brother when selecting a bride.
“Wonderful, wonderful. Your third daughter-in-law is truly breathtaking, Lianghui, and she possesses a magnificent aura.”
“Of course she does,” Mother Gu cheered proudly, gently locking her arm with Wanyan’s. “I am absolutely enamored with this third daughter-in-law of mine.”
As she spoke, Mother Gu deliberately raised her left hand, executing a slow, dramatic gesture to smooth her hair.
Aunt Liang’s eyes locked onto the movement instantly. It was the absolute latest imported timepiece from the Overseas Chinese Store display cases. She had actually admired the exact same model a few days prior but had ultimately passed it up, unwilling to cede the steep cash requirement.
“My word, Lianghui… that watch is absolutely stunning.”
Mother Gu offered a brilliantly modest, slightly bashful smile, capturing Wanyan’s hand as she dove straight into her bragging routine. “Oh, this? Our Wanyan insisted on purchasing it for me the literal second we entered the store. I told her up and down that I didn’t require it, but the child simply refused to listen. Really, she’s far too stubborn…”
Aunt Liang felt a sudden surge of intense envy. Her own daughters-in-law had all been raised within the pampered circles of the elite compound, yet not a single one of them had ever thought to present her with a luxury token of that caliber. Looking at the Gu family’s new bride, she had demonstrated absolute, fierce filial devotion to her mother-in-law from the very first day of her marriage.
“You are going to be thoroughly spoiled in your twilight years, Lianghui.”
“Absolutely. This child is incredibly filial,” Mother Gu gushed, her pride mounting with every sentence. “She even went ahead and purchased three or four complete sets of high-grade clothing and shoes for both of the elders at home and my husband, along with a massive haul of premium nutritional supplements—all using her own independent savings ledger.”
Mother Gu was floating on air, systematically inserting a glowing praise for her third daughter-in-law into every pocket of the conversation.
“You have truly secured a spectacular prize for your third branch,” Aunt Liang sighed, entirely covetous. She couldn’t help but wonder why a daughter-in-law this magnificent hadn’t manifested within her own household; her own daughters-in-law spent every waking hour bickering over domestic slights. It appeared the children raised right here in the compound weren’t nearly as sensible or grounded as the girls coming out of the city.
Aside from a few quiet sighs of resignation, Aunt Liang harbored zero ill will; after all, the Gu lineage historically outpaced her own family in virtually every arena. It was simply a reality one couldn’t afford to envy. Having been neighbors with Mother Gu for decades, she was genuinely happy to witness her friend’s good fortune.
As the chatter lingered in the lane, a small crowd of neighboring women began to cluster around the group, their faces tightening with a mixture of resentment and dismay as Mother Gu’s glowing review reached their ears.
This was particularly true for the factions who maintained a hostile, competitive relationship with the Gu household. The daughter-in-law of the Huang family, who had been locked in a bitter, passive-aggressive rivalry with Mother Gu for years, immediately stepped forward to cut through the praise.
“Hmph. She’s certainly pouring all her resources into pleasing her husband’s family,” she sneered, her voice dripping with faux concern. “But did she bother to purchase a single thing for her own natal household? A girl shouldn’t completely cast aside her own flesh and blood the second she marries up, should she?”
The surrounding women shifted their gazes toward Wanyan, their expressions turning slightly judgmental. Rumors had already swept the compound that the third son’s bride was a common city girl from a working-class background. If she had managed to leap into a powerful military lineage only to instantly look down on her own maiden family, it would speak terribly of her character. There were plenty of opportunistic climbers within their social circle who executed that exact brand of betrayal the moment they secured an elite match.
Faced with the calculated attack, Mother Gu’s smile vanished, her protective maternal instincts flaring instantly. She had zero intention of tolerating their malice.
“My third daughter-in-law has already procured multiple sets of premium tailored suits, shoes, and luxury items for both her grandparents and her parents,” Mother Gu countered sharply, her voice ringing across the lane. “She even secured several tins of elite nutritional imports for them. This child balances her devotion flawlessly across both households.”
Mother Gu’s absolute validation elevated Wanyan’s reputation to an unassailable height. Realizing the girl had looked after both sides of the ledger with equal, flawless generosity, the gossips were left entirely stripped of ammunition.
The Huang daughter-in-law’s face contorted with suppressed rage. What on earth is there to brag about? she fumed silently. She acts as though her family is the only one capable of sourcing luxury goods!
Mother Gu executed a flawless, elegant roll of her eyes. If the toxic Huang clan ever managed to secure a daughter-in-law this magnificent, she would gladly wash her hair upside down while balanced on her hands! The women married into the Huang estate were infinitely more loud and calculated than her own youngest daughter-in-law, Wang Chunmei.
“Oh, look at the time—I won’t keep you any longer, ladies,” Mother Gu announced breezily, breaking off the interaction. “I need to hurry back and enjoy a proper lunch alongside my precious third daughter-in-law.”
Capturing Wanyan’s arm, she steered her away from the nest of gossips, tossing a sharp directive over her shoulder to her son. “Hurry your pace, Third Brother! We can’t have your wife walking around on an empty stomach.”
“Mhm,” Gu Tingxiao complied, stepping quickly to keep stride.
