Chapter 468| Chapter 469| Chapter 470
Chapter 468: Go Get It Back
The moment Gu Jinmin heard that the other children wouldn’t want to play with him anymore, he burst into tears. Sheng Wanyan, however, had absolutely no intention of coddling him.
“Go on,” she said, giving Yi Yi a gentle nudge on the back. “Go get it back.”
Hearing her mother’s encouragement, Yi Yi stepped forward and quickly snatched her toy back.
Gu Jinmin refused to let go, gripping the toy tightly while throwing a screaming tantrum and hurling insults at her. “You stinky girl! Why are you stealing my things?!”
As Gu Jinmin’s curses filled the room, the family elders all looked incredibly displeased. Gu Tingxiao, in particular, shot Gu Tinghao a look that was freezing cold.
Sheng Wanyan was ready to step in herself, mindful of the fact that Yi Yi’s hand was still injured, but the little girl held her ground.
“Great-Grandpa made this for me!” Yi Yi shouted back, her confidence soaring. “I’m never lending you my toys again! And I’m not a stinky girl—I’m my parents’ treasure!”
With her eyes rimmed with red, Yi Yi clutched her toy and ran straight to Gu Tingxiao for comfort. He scooped her up into his arms immediately.
“No one is allowed to take your things,” he said firmly.
Hearing her father’s reassurance, Yi Yi’s throat tightened with emotion, and she buried her little face deep into his shoulder. “Thank you, Daddy…”
Meanwhile, Father Gu marched over, grabbed Grandpa Gu’s walking stick, and brought it down hard on Gu Tinghao’s back. The sudden crack made Gu Jinmin instantly choke back his tears.
“If you don’t know how to raise your own son, then I’ll teach him for you!” Father Gu roared. “Listen to the foul language coming out of his mouth! Who taught him to speak like that?”
Father Gu glared furiously at Gu Jinmin. Trembling with fear, the boy shrank back and tried to hide behind Wang Chunmei.
“Dad… the boy is still young, he doesn’t know any better,” Wang Chunmei pleaded, terrified that Father Gu might strike out again.
“He doesn’t know any better? Isn’t Yi Yi younger than him?” Father Gu barked. “He keeps calling her a stinky girl. I think he’s the one who’s a stinky brat! Speak up! Who taught you those words?”
The person Gu Jinmin feared most was his grandfather, who historically showed absolutely no mercy to the boys in the family. When it came to discipline, Father Gu would hand out a beating regardless of how old they were.
“M-Mom taught me…” Gu Jinmin whimpered.
Wang Chunmei frantically tried to cover her son’s mouth, but it was already too late.
“Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!” Father Gu sneered, his voice dripping with rage. “You’ve done a magnificent job raising him, Wang Chunmei. Old Four, the Gu family can no longer afford to keep a daughter-in-law like this. If you still want her, then get out of this house along with her!”
Gu Tinghao kept his mouth shut, offering no defense. He knew perfectly well that the Gu family had reached their limit with Wang Chunmei. Ever since Grandpa Gu had intercepted his third sister-in-law’s university admission letter, plans had already been set in motion.
“The way she teaches them,” Father Gu added disgustedly, “they don’t look like children of the Gu family at all!”
Wang Chunmei’s legs turned to jelly. A cold dread washed over her. Could Father Gu know about what I did? No, it was impossible. She had done it so covertly; there was no way they could have found out.
“Get out!”
Terrified that someone would notice the sheer guilt written all over her face, Wang Chunmei quickly grabbed her son and scrambled out the door.
Sheng Wanyan watched them flee, her brows furrowing slightly, though she kept her thoughts to herself. In her past life, she had studied metaphysics under her grandfather, and she had seen something amiss the very first time she laid eyes on Gu Jinmin. However, this was a matter concerning the fourth branch of the family, and it wasn’t her place to interfere. If she spoke up without concrete evidence, it would only cause unnecessary friction within the household.
Sheng Wanyan and Gu Tingxiao carried Yi Yi back up to their room. It took a while of being held by her parents before the little girl finally calmed down.
“Yi Yi, you have the right to make your own decisions regarding your belongings,” Sheng Wanyan explained gently. “If you don’t want to give or borrow something, you are completely allowed to say no.”
“But… Yi Yi wants to have good friends,” the little girl whispered, sounding deeply aggrieved. At her age, her biggest desire was to make friends, and she was constantly terrified that the other children wouldn’t like her.
“Good friends share and help one another; they don’t bully you,” Sheng Wanyan reassured her. “If someone treats you poorly, you don’t have to be friends with them. You should only be friends with people you like, people who make you happy.”
Yi Yi looked up at her nervously. “Mommy won’t scold me? For not being generous?”
Sheng Wanyan wrapped her arms around her. “Of course not. Yi Yi, Mommy only has one rule for you in life: as long as you don’t do anything illegal, you can do whatever makes you happy.”
Yi Yi nodded obediently, curling up tightly in her mother’s embrace as she drifted off to sleep, finally feeling secure.
Once the little girl was asleep, Sheng Wanyan’s warm expression vanished the moment she looked at Gu Tingxiao. “If your younger brother’s family keeps spoiling Jinmin like that, he’s going to turn into a tyrant sooner or later.”
“Don’t worry,” Gu Tingxiao replied smoothly, looking entirely unbothered. “Gu Jinmin won’t dare act like that ever again.”
“And how can you be so sure?” Sheng Wanyan asked, eyeing him suspiciously. Gu Tingxiao just gave her a knowing, confident look and said nothing more.
It wasn’t until later that she found out exactly why he was so certain.
This ruthless man had gone straight over to Gu Tinghao’s house and given his younger brother a thorough thrashing right in front of Gu Jinmin. From that day on, whenever Gu Jinmin saw his third uncle, he trembled with fear and never dared to cross Yi Yi again.
Children recover their energy incredibly fast. By the second day of the Chinese New Year, Yi Yi was back to her vibrant, bubbly self. Second Sister Gu came over to visit her parents’ home that day, and the family enjoyed another spectacular feast together.
Mother Gu had already prepared holiday care packages for her three daughters-in-law to take to their respective maiden families the night before. Since Sheng Wanyan’s parents were far away, she had arranged to mail her package back to Bing City.
After lunch, Eldest Sister-in-law Gu and Brother Gu took their children to visit her side of the family, while Gu Tinghao took Gu Jingjing to visit Wang Chunmei’s parents.
“Yan’er, when you mail the package, make sure to include my warmest regards to your mother,” Mother Gu instructed gently.
Sheng Wanyan nodded. “I will, Mom.” She added the greetings to the letter she had written and prepared to head out to the post office.
Seeing her mother getting ready to leave, Yi Yi immediately wanted to tag along. Noting her eager expression, Sheng Wanyan decided to take her with them.
“Grandma, Yi Yi wants to send something to Grandma too!” the little girl chimed in.
She carefully pulled out some of her own holiday pastries and tucked them into the package. Sheng Wanyan’s heart melted at the sight. “Grandma is going to be so happy when she receives this.”
“Yes!”
Yi Yi skipped happily out of the house between her parents. On their way back from the post office, the couple decided to take her to visit Tiananmen Square.
“Daddy, Mommy, who is dat?” Yi Yi asked, pointing her tiny finger toward the massive portrait hanging on the wall of Tiananmen Square.
Gu Tingxiao immediately offered a solemn, respectful military salute. “Yi Yi, that is a great leader of our nation—a truly remarkable grandfather. Because of him, we are able to live the peaceful life we have today.”
Sheng Wanyan began explaining to the little girl the historic achievements of Comrade Mao, speaking of his monumental struggles, his sense of justice, and the immense love he held for his country and its people. His life had been so vast and profoundly impactful that words could barely do it justice.
“Mommy, I want to be just as great as Chairman Mao when I grow up!” Yi Yi declared, staring up at the portrait with immense awe and adoration shining in her eyes.
“Mommy just wants you to grow up healthy and safe,” Sheng Wanyan replied softly, looking down at her with a gentle smile. Yet Yi Yi’s gaze remained completely fixed on the image of the great leader.
Sheng Wanyan couldn’t help but smile at her daughter’s reaction. When she was a child, she had felt that exact same overwhelming sense of awe and reverence when reading about Comrade Mao’s life in history books, a feeling that had stayed with her for a very long time. Even though this was a parallel world, his legacy remained just as deeply respected.
As the family strolled around the square, Yi Yi spotted a vendor selling candied haws, and her mouth instantly began to water.
“Mommy, can I please have one?” she asked, tugging at Sheng Wanyan’s hand and looking up with pleading eyes. “My brothers and sisters got to have them too.”
Sheng Wanyan chuckled softly, reaching down to affectionately pat her little head.
Chapter 469: Gu Tong’s Family Returns to the Capital
“Sure,” Sheng Wanyan replied with a smile. She turned to the vendor. “Please give me four strings.”
“Alright, that will be one yuan.”
The entrance to Tiananmen Square wasn’t just occupied by snack vendors; a few locals had also brought out small carts to sell home-grown vegetables and grains. Although private trading was officially permitted now, very few people actually had the courage to take action. The lingering fear and resistance toward running a private business still ran deep. There were only two or three vendors in the entire square, and these individuals were truly ahead of their time.
Yi Yi had Gu Tingxiao hold the four strings of candied haws while she pointed her chubby little fingers at them, carefully assigning each string to its rightful owner.
“This one is for Big Brother, this one is for Second Sister…” She paused, her little lips puckering as she thought of Gu Jinmin. She still remembered how he had aggressively snatched her toy the day before. “Mommy… I don’t want to give one to Third Brother.”
“Why is that?” Sheng Wanyan asked.
She and Gu Tingxiao stood on either side of their daughter, looking down at her patiently without any hint of judgment.
“Is it because your brother took your toy yesterday?”
Yi Yi nodded firmly. She didn’t like her Fourth Aunt, who always defended Gu Jinmin even when he did something wrong, and her cousin had never even apologized.
“Yi Yi has every right to dislike anyone she chooses,” Sheng Wanyan said gently.
The little girl nodded, feeling a wave of relief. She knew her mother would never force her into doing something she hated.
Sheng Wanyan patted her head and knelt down so they were at eye level. “But sometimes, Yi Yi, we need to look at the bigger picture and not let ourselves get stuck on one bad moment. If we hold onto grudges, it only makes things harder for ourselves. We shouldn’t let minor disagreements ruin the family peace. Besides, our Yi Yi is a clever girl with a big heart, right?”
Yi Yi nodded slowly. Though she didn’t fully grasp the deeper meaning of her mother’s words, she took them to heart. She understood that being overly petty wasn’t a good thing. Her mother was always right, and all she needed to do was listen.
“Yi Yi understands now!” she chirped. “I’ll give Third Brother a string of candied haws. I don’t want Grandpa and Nana to be unhappy.”
“Good girl.” Sheng Wanyan kissed her cheek, adjusted her scarf and mittens, and took her hand to head home.
When they arrived back at the house, the elders were deeply touched to see that little Yi Yi had thoughtfully brought back treats for her brothers and sisters.
“Dad,” Father Gu said, turning to Grandpa Gu, “I heard that Xiaotong is supposed to arrive today, though I’m not entirely sure of their schedule.”
Ever since Gu Tong had married and relocated to Rong City, she had rarely been able to visit the Capital. Grandpa and Grandma Gu had been anxiously counting down the days until she could finally take some time off. She was their only daughter, and because she lived so far away in Chengdu, they missed her terribly.
“She should be here soon,” Grandma Gu said, her eyes fixed wistfully on the front door.
Mother Gu smiled, fondly recalling her sister-in-law’s virtues. “Come to think of it, Tingxiao was only able to marry Yan’er because of Xiaotong’s help as a matchmaker.”
“You’re absolutely right,” Grandma Gu agreed. “Fate works in mysterious ways. Rong City is such a massive city, yet our two families still managed to become relatives through her.”
Reflecting on the past, Grandma Gu felt that Sheng Wanyan was truly destined to be a part of their family. Despite all the initial twists and turns, she had proven to be a wonderful addition. Mother Gu nodded in total agreement, knowing her third son owed his marital happiness to his aunt. Gu Tong had frequently visited the Sheng family back then to sing Gu Tingxiao’s praises, putting her parents’ minds at ease about handing their daughter over to him. If it hadn’t been for her sister-in-law’s meddling, there was no telling who Yan’er might have married. Having such an exceptional daughter-in-law was a blessing, and she felt she owed Gu Tong a massive debt of gratitude.
Just as the words left her mouth, the rumble of a car engine sounded outside. Grandma Gu hurried to the door, and her face lit up—it was indeed Gu Tong’s family!
“Xiaotong!”
“Mom! Dad!”
The moment Gu Tong stepped out of the vehicle and saw her elderly parents, her eyes welled with tears and she rushed into their arms.
“It is so good to have you home. Come here, let me look at you,” Grandma Gu choked out, holding her daughter close. Seeing that she looked healthy and well, a profound sense of relief washed over the old matriarch.
“Mom, Dad, Big Brother, Sister-in-law,” Father Ning (Ning Weiguo) greeted his in-laws warmly. Grandpa Gu nodded back in approval. As fellow military men, they shared a quiet, respectful understanding that didn’t require many words.
“Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, Aunt,” another chorus of voices called out.
Gu Tong and her husband hadn’t traveled alone; their eldest son and his family had accompanied them.
“Xiao Lin, come over here and let Grandma get a look at you. Quick, come here,” Grandma Gu called out happily.
Gu Tong had two sons, both of whom served in the military stationed in Chengdu: the eldest, Ning Junlin, and the younger, Ning Junsen. Both had already established their own families and had children of their own. Ning Junlin had two sons and a daughter—the eldest was eight, his daughter was five, and his youngest boy was three. Ning Junsen had a four-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter.
This time, Ning Junsen’s family hadn’t made the trip because their children were simply too small to endure such a long, grueling car ride.
As Ning Junlin brought his wife and children over to greet Grandma Gu, the old lady looked at the beautiful great-grandchildren and beamed with pure joy.
“Tingxiao, Yan’er,” Gu Tong called out affectionately. Seeing Sheng Wanyan brought a rush of pride; she hadn’t expected her matchmaking skills to be so successful that her nephew now had a beautiful child of his own.
“Aunt,” the couple greeted her.
“Yi Yi, this is your Great-Aunt,” Sheng Wanyan introduced gently.
“Hello, Great-Aunt!” Yi Yi chirped.
“Oh, what a darling! Come here, let me look at you. You are absolutely beautiful,” Gu Tong gushed. Seeing how fair, chubby, and healthy Yi Yi was made her incredibly happy. The little girl looked so much like her third nephew.
“Hurry inside, let’s not stand out here in the cold,” Mother Gu urged, worried the raw winter wind might cause the elderly grandparents to catch a chill.
“Sister-in-law, it’s been a few years since we last met, but you look younger and more beautiful than ever,” Gu Tong teased as they walked in.
Mother Gu burst into laughter, thoroughly amused. After all these years, her sister-in-law hadn’t lost her silver tongue. “Nonsense, you’re the one who seems to be aging backward.”
Mother Gu led Gu Tong into the house. Though the sisters-in-law hadn’t seen each other in years, their bond remained as close and warm as ever.
Sheng Wanyan poured a round of hot water for everyone to warm up before heading into the kitchen to prepare the evening meal. Gu Tingxiao quietly followed her in to help. Welcoming their guests properly was of the utmost importance, especially since Gu Tong had played such a pivotal role in their relationship. If it hadn’t been for her aunt, she might never have fallen for Gu Tingxiao in the first place.
“Sister-in-law, you really are blessed,” Gu Tong remarked to Mother Gu, watching Sheng Wanyan quietly slip into the kitchen. She was deeply touched by how thoughtful the young woman was; to ensure the elders could catch up without distraction, she had taken it upon herself to handle dinner. “Look at how filial and considerate Yan’er is. And Tingxiao has learned to be quite attentive, too.”
“Listen to you,” Mother Gu smiled warmly. “It’s all thanks to your matchmaking back then. Without you, I would never have been blessed with such a wonderful daughter-in-law.” Talking about Sheng Wanyan always brought a look of immense pride to Mother Gu’s face, and seeing this, Gu Tong knew her sister-in-law was living a very content life.
“How long is your leave this time?” Mother Gu asked.
“Three months. It’s rare for Old Ning to get an extended vacation, so we plan to stay in the Capital for a good while.”
“That’s wonderful! You can all stay over at my courtyard. Knowing you were coming back, I’ve already aired out the rooms and tidied everything up.”
Mother Gu graciously laid out the living arrangements, and Gu Tong didn’t stand on ceremony, accepting the hospitality with a smile. “Then we’ll be troubling you, Sister-in-law.”
“Don’t speak like an outsider,” Mother Gu scolded gently. “We’re all one family.”
Chapter 470: Gu Tong Is Sick
Mother Gu took Yi Yi’s hand and led her over to sit beside Grandpa Gu. The little girl looked around at her new aunts, uncles, and cousins with bright, curious eyes.
Ning Junlin’s children stared back at her, their eyes full of awe. Isn’t she afraid of Great-Grandpa at all?
To them, Great-Grandpa looked as fierce as Lord Guan standing guard at a temple door, and they didn’t even dare to speak above a whisper in his presence. Yet here was their little cousin, completely at ease, practically climbing onto Great-Grandpa’s lap. She was incredibly brave; they couldn’t help but admire her.
“Xiaoqing, go into the kitchen and help Yan’er with dinner,” Gu Tong instructed her eldest daughter-in-law.
Mother Gu quickly reached out to stop her, insisting that it made no sense to put their guests to work. “No, no, absolutely not. You’ve all been traveling for days. Sit down and rest.”
“There will be plenty of time for that later, Aunt,” Xiaoqing replied with a warm smile. “I’ll go give her a hand. You should sit and catch up with Great-Grandmother. Even though Grandma and Grandpa haven’t said it out loud these past few years, they’ve missed you terribly.”
Gu Tong smiled and nodded, though a wave of sorrow hit her heart. Living so far away meant she couldn’t fulfill her filial duties to her parents, a fact that often left her carrying a heavy weight of guilt.
“Mom, Dad, have you both been keeping well?”
“Yes, yes, we’re perfectly fine. Don’t you worry about us,” Grandma Gu said, squeezing her daughter’s hand. She urged her to stop fretting over the old couple and focus on her own life. “Your father and I don’t even suffer from aches and pains in our joints anymore. Your eldest sister-in-law takes wonderful care of us.”
Grandma Gu then shot a look toward her husband. “Though your father takes Yi Yi out to visit relatives every single day, and he’s even been teaching her how to fight! It gives me a headache just watching them. Who raises a little girl like that?”
Finding an outlet for her grievances, Grandma Gu kept complaining about Grandpa Gu to her daughter, unable to stop.
“Wait, what happened to Yi Yi’s hand?” Gu Tong asked, her gaze falling on the little girl’s fingers. The child was fair and chubby everywhere else, but her hands were wrapped up like thick little dumplings.
“She’s a child of the Gu family. What do you think?” Grandma Gu sighed.
Gu Tong understood immediately. Every child born into the Gu family possessed an unyielding streak, but she was still surprised. Could this soft, delicate little bun actually fight? “Even if it was a fight, how did she get hurt this badly? The poor thing must have suffered so much.”
As a grandmother herself with two sons and several grandchildren, Gu Tong knew exactly how difficult it was when children got hurt.
“How could she not? It was all because of the one from the fourth branch—” Grandma Gu started, but then caught herself. “Ah, let’s not mention it. It’s all in the past now. Tell me about your life in Rong City instead. I want to hear all about it.”
Gu Tong patiently shared stories of their time in Chengdu, painting a picture of comfort and peace while keeping any hardships to herself. Truthfully, life was stable; they had plenty of food and clothing, their household was financially secure, and her marriage was harmonious. However, as the matriarch of a large family, she had endless matters to worry over, and the growing number of grandchildren only added to her mental burden.
“Children are simply debts we owe from a past life,” Grandma Gu sighed, recognizing her daughter’s restless, anxious nature. “If you’re tired, you need to learn to let go. Xiao Lin and Xiao Sen are grown men now. Can’t they look after their own children? You are simply addicted to hard work.”
“Exactly, Great-Grandmother! Please lecture my mom for me,” Ning Junlin chimed in quickly, seizing the opportunity. “No one can get her to slow down. She works herself to the point of dizziness and still insists on stressing over every little thing.”
He lowered his voice slightly, his expression turning serious. “Last time, she was so exhausted she actually fainted. Even after she woke up and hadn’t fully recovered, she immediately started worrying about the grandchildren’s schooling again.”
“She fainted?!” Grandma Gu’s voice spiked with panic.
Grandpa Gu and Father Gu both frowned deeply, turning their gazes toward Ning Weiguo. The poor man looked utterly helpless under their scrutiny. He would never dare to cross his wife. He had been at work when it happened and had been scared out of his wits upon hearing she had collapsed. But his wife was simply incapable of resting; she was constantly terrified that they weren’t doing enough and that the children wouldn’t have a secure future if anything went wrong.
“Dad, Brother, it’s my fault. I haven’t taken good enough care of Xiaotong,” Ning Weiguo stated firmly. He knew better than to make excuses in front of his father-in-law and brother-in-law. A daughter would always be the apple of her parents’ eye, and it was far better to accept their reprimand with grace than to try and argue.
“The doctor said it wasn’t anything severe, just extreme exhaustion from worrying too much,” Gu Tong interjected hastily, defending her husband.
Grandpa Gu kept his face dark, silently staring at his daughter. Sensing the tension, Grandma Gu quickly pulled Gu Tong out of the room. “Come with me to the bedroom. Let’s talk in private.”
Once they were alone, Grandma Gu noticed the silver strands glittering in her daughter’s hair and sighed softly. Her own child had already entered middle age.
“Children and grandchildren will find their own blessings, Xiaotong. You went to school for all those years, yet you seem to have forgotten that simple truth,” Grandma Gu chided gently. “What does it matter if you stress yourself to the bone or leave behind a massive fortune? When you’re gone, your descendants will burn paper money, gold, and silver treasures for you at the bank of heaven, but what will you actually have left? In the end, isn’t it all nothing?”
Gu Tong lowered her head, unable to find the words to argue, her heart heavy with emotion.
“When you reach my age, you’ll finally understand that health is the only wealth that matters,” Grandma Gu continued, her voice softening. “If your body isn’t well, life only becomes an endless, exhausting drag.”
She sighed deeply. Having not seen her daughter in years, she found her trapped in an unhealthy cycle of anxiety, and it worried her. “You should take a page out of your eldest sister-in-law’s book. Learn to step back and let your children live their own lives. Otherwise, you’re just burning yourself out for a thankless task.”
Gu Tong nodded silently, her eyes rimmed with red as she looked at her mother.
“Xiaotong, look at me and tell me the truth,” Grandma Gu demanded, her maternal instincts flaring. She could feel that her daughter was holding something back. “Is there something you aren’t telling me?”
Gu Tong sniffled, shaking her head quickly. “No, everything is fine…”
“Xiaotong! Do you really think your own mother doesn’t know you?” Grandma Gu pressed, her anxiety spiking. “Why would you be this frantic if nothing was wrong? Why are you in such a desperate rush to pave the way for Xiao Lin and Xiao Sen? Tell me the truth!”
Looking at the raw panic in her mother’s eyes, Gu Tong broke down, covering her face as the tears finally spilled over. “Mom… I’m sick.”
“What… What did you say?” Grandma Gu’s heart dropped, and she fiercely gripped her daughter’s hands. “Tell me right now!”
“Mom… the doctors in Rong City found a growth in my stomach,” Gu Tong sobbed. “They told me the medical facilities there couldn’t handle the surgery, and they couldn’t even determine the exact cause. They told me I needed to come to the Capital for a proper evaluation.”
Gu Tong nodded miserably. Beyond visiting family, the primary reason for their journey across the country this year was to seek medical attention. Ning Weiguo had used up every bit of his accumulated leave and gathered all the family’s savings, determined to get her treated even if it meant losing everything they owned. Because Gu Tong had mentioned how deeply she missed her parents, he had used the opportunity to bring her back to the Capital, hoping that seeing her family would offer her some peace of mind before the ordeal.
Tears streamed down Grandma Gu’s face as she listened. How could her precious daughter be facing such a cruel trial? Her daughter had been incredibly bright since childhood, so how could she have let herself become so swallowed by worry? It turned out she was carrying the weight of a severe illness all along.
“We will get you checked,” Grandma Gu declared fiercely, wiping away her tears. “Mom will take you to the hospital first thing tomorrow morning. I know the director of the military hospital personally. We will get a thorough examination done.”
She pulled her daughter into a tight embrace, rubbing her back soothingly. “Xiaotong, don’t be afraid. Don’t scare yourself. It might just be a minor issue that can be easily fixed. Mom is here.”
