Chapter 237: Gu Tingying’s Blind Date
Mother Gu didn’t care about spending money when it came to her children, especially since this was Gu Tingxiao’s first child. Back when the eldest sister-in-law and even Wang Chunmei had given birth, Mother Gu had contributed both her wealth and her energy. There was absolutely no reason for her to treat Sheng Wanyan any differently.
She personally selected a high-quality bottle for the baby. Then, keeping in mind that the child would be born in the dead of summer, she picked out five complete sets of infant clothing. She also added two cozy quilts, along with five pairs each of tiny socks and shoes.
Mother Gu had purchased the exact same amount for her other grandchildren over the years, refusing to favor one over the other. She deliberately chose soft shades of yellow and white so that the items would suit either a boy or a girl.
Since Wanyan’s due date was at the end of August, the newborn would likely face the sweltering heat, making them susceptible to prickly heat rash. With that in mind, Mother Gu planned to buy a few tins of medicated powder to send over later, followed by warmer clothes once winter approached.
While Mother Gu took charge of the essentials, Wanyan drifted over to look at the infant toys. Gu Tingxiao kept a protective hand on her waist, guiding her through the aisles. Wanyan picked up a tiny rattle bell, a small brass gong, and a plush, gray little rabbit.
“I’d actually prefer a white one,” Wanyan murmured, checking the shelves. “That way, it works perfectly whether it’s a boy or a girl.”
Wanyan had plenty of ways to determine the baby’s gender if she really wanted to, but she chose not to. She preferred to let nature take its course and enjoy the pure surprise when the time came.
Gu Tingxiao nodded in agreement, holding the tiny plush toy. It looked absurdly small in his large, calloused hand. He couldn’t help but wonder if his own child would look just like the newborn in Sheng Wanze’s house—so tiny, delicate, and incredibly fragile.
Once the baby’s nursery supplies were fully secured, Wanyan initiated her own grand shopping spree. She picked out a premium outfit for every single elder in the Gu household, making sure to include identical sets for her own parents and grandparents back in Chengdu.
For the grandfathers, she selected crisp, classic Zhongshan suits. For Grandma Gu and the two mothers, she chose elegant, structured winter coats, while the two fathers received sets of premium daily wear.
When it came to Gu Tingxiao, she completely overhauled his casual wardrobe, buying several high-quality pieces. Because of her rapidly changing silhouette, most of the tailored women’s apparel didn’t fit her properly, so she restricted herself to three sets of loose, comfortable base layers.
“Wanyan, come look at this coat. Try it on,” Mother Gu called out. Seeing her daughter-in-law focus entirely on everyone else, she felt deeply touched by her filial piety, but she also felt a pang of sympathy that the girl wasn’t pampering herself.
“It’s alright, Mom,” Wanyan smiled, shaking her head. “If I buy a structured coat now while I’m pregnant, I won’t be able to wear it for very long anyway.”
Mother Gu realized she was right, and reluctantly set down the elegant brown coat she had been admiring. Wanyan possessed such a graceful, refined demeanor; that coat would have looked absolutely stunning on her. What a pity.
Hearing their exchange, Gu Tingxiao looked over. His wife had always loved beautiful things, yet ever since she became pregnant, she hadn’t bought a single piece of fine clothing for herself. He scanned the racks carefully until his eyes landed on a loose, flowing, long-sleeved red dress.
“Honey, let’s get this one,” he said, pulling it from the rack.
Wanyan looked over, and she had to admit her heart skipped a beat. The design was beautiful—a simple, elegant round neckline accented by delicate, cascading ruffles along the bodice. It was modest yet deeply distinctive.
“Let’s not,” she murmured, though her eyes lingered on the fabric. “I won’t get much use out of it right now.”
“Buy it,” Gu Tingxiao insisted, his gaze incredibly intense and steady. “It will look beautiful on you.”
Wanyan would be lying if she said she wasn’t deeply moved. Even though her secret spatial dimension held an endless archive of modern, beautiful dresses, what woman would ever complain about having one more beautiful piece in her closet?
“Really?” she asked softly.
“Really,” he confirmed.
Thanks to Gu Tingxiao’s stubborn insistence, Wanyan finally walked away with the dress she adored.
Next, she moved to the skincare counter. Imported skincare products had been popular overseas for years, formulated with highly effective, natural botanical ingredients. She systematically selected premium creams for Mother Gu, her own mother, and the eldest sister-in-law, while purchasing a classic face cream for the old matriarch.
During their stay at the capital estate, the eldest brother and sister-in-law had spent a significant amount of money hosting them. Although Wanyan and Gu Tingxiao had brought their own official military food rations, living under the same roof meant Liang Zhenna had to manage a thousand domestic details to keep them comfortable. Wanyan kept a strict ledger of such kindnesses in her heart.
Mother Gu and Liang Zhenna assumed that since the shopping bags were overflowing, it was finally time to head home. Instead, Wanyan marched straight over to the luxury watch counter, selecting a matching pair of classic timepieces for herself and Gu Tingxiao. Naturally, she intended to purchase sets for the family elders as well.
The sheer scale of her generosity gave Mother Gu a fright. “Oh, absolutely not, child! Your father and I already possess several functional watches. You and Tingxiao should focus on yourselves. Your grandparents have plenty of timepieces as well.”
Seeing her mother-in-law’s genuine insistence, Wanyan relented, restricting the purchase to the classic, timeless models for herself and her husband. In her mind, the older and more iconic the watch design, the higher its antique value would climb in the future. Items with genuine historical value operated on an entirely different economic scale.
Liang Zhenna subtly cut her eyes toward Gu Tingxiao, privately worrying that her third brother might feel some underlying resentment at seeing his wife spend money so fluidly. To her amazement, Gu Tingxiao was merely staring down at Wanyan with a deeply tender, adoration-filled expression, the pure indulgence in his eyes practically overflowing.
Liang Zhenna smiled to herself. She had clearly been overthinking.
By the time they finally exited the department store, Wanyan had cleanly liquidated every single foreign exchange certificate in her purse. This excursion gave Mother Gu a true demonstration of Wanyan’s purchasing power. She had initially written her third daughter-in-law off as a sensible, modest spender, but it turned out the grandest consumer in the entire Gu clan had been hiding right beneath her nose.
By her mental calculations, Wanyan had spent nearly a thousand yuan in a single afternoon, selecting only the highest-tier, luxury goods available. That sum represented an entire year of Gu Tingxiao’s military salary. Yet the vast majority of those purchases were destined for the family; Wanyan had only walked away with a single dress, a watch, and a few pairs of socks for herself.
Her heart was entirely oriented around the clan. This child possessed a profound level of filial devotion.
Mother Gu felt both deeply relieved and incredibly protective. As a mother-in-law, she was thrilled to see such a generous spirit, but as an elder who cherished the girl, she felt a pang of sympathy over her selflessness. It truly left her at a loss for words.
The moment they rumbled back into the driveway, Wanyan systematically distributed the premium gifts to the elders. The patriarchs and matriarchs were so thoroughly delighted that their faces broke into endless, radiant smiles.
“This silly child is far too extravagant with her money,” Grandma Gu chided gently, though her eyes sparkled with joy as she ran her fingers over the fabric. She could tell at a single glance that every item had been meticulously tailored to suit the specific tastes of the household. Wanyan was an exceptionally observant, thoughtful girl.
Grandma Gu pulled Mother Gu aside later that evening, instructing her to prepare an even grander cache of capital and premium provisions for the couple to carry back when their military leave expired. Mother Gu nodded in rapid succession; she didn’t need the old matriarch to spell it out, as her thoughts perfectly aligned with the command.
She had completely abandoned all expectations regarding the fourth son’s wife, which meant she had to invest twice as much care into nurturing her relationships with her eldest and third daughters-in-law. As the old proverb dictated: the first ten years depend on the mother-in-law, the last ten years depend on the daughter-in-law.
When her bones eventually grew old and frail, she would be lucky if Wang Chunmei didn’t actively unplug her oxygen tank to save a yuan. Expecting that woman to provide genuine, tender elder care was a joke; Mother Gu would consider it a miracle if Wang Chunmei didn’t actively pray for her swift demise.
Therefore, Mother Gu understood the social landscape with absolute clarity: her long-term future stability rested entirely on the shoulders of Liang Zhenna and Sheng Wanyan. Down the line, the two sisters-in-law would be able to support one another, share the administrative burdens of the clan, and maintain the harmony of the estate.
Before long, the official holiday concluded, and the working adults of the household reported back to their respective government offices. Suddenly, the sprawling villa grew quiet, leaving only Wanyan, Gu Tingxiao, the two elderly grandparents, and little Gu Jingjing behind.
The little girl remained completely absorbed in her weekend watercolor projects. Meanwhile, the second uncle’s branch had delayed their return journey to the coastal city of Hai City, because today marked the official date of Gu Tingying’s high-stakes blind date.
To say Gu Tingying was a nervous wreck would be a massive understatement; after all, this was the absolute first formal introduction of her life.
The match had been arranged to take place right inside the main living room of the Gu villa, and the family had invited Commissar Zhao’s wife—the compound’s most notorious, celebrated romantic matchmaker—to oversee the initial introductions.
Gu Tingying had bolted out of bed at the crack of dawn, her heart hammering as she spent her morning nervously peeking around the doors, waiting for the suitors to arrive.
