Chapter 73: Pan Yue’s Gifts for Everyone
Mother Sheng had already prepared everything and was just waiting for Sheng Wanze and Pan Yue to arrive.
“Good. Make sure we show them the proper respect,” Grandma Sheng said. Seeing that there was nothing left to worry about, she didn’t say much else. As long as Mother Sheng treated both of her children fairly, that was more than enough.
It was already midnight when Sheng Wanze finally made it back to the apartment. He had first escorted Pan Yue’s family to the local state guesthouse, making sure they were fully settled into their rooms before rushing back home.
When Father Sheng heard the heavy footsteps outside and opened the door, he was shocked by his son’s appearance. The young man had finally returned, but why on earth did he look like a homeless vagrant? Sheng Wanze had grown a thick, scruffy beard, and his eyes were so bloodshot it looked as though smoke might start pouring out of them at any second.
“Get inside quickly,” Father Sheng urged.
Hearing the commotion at the door, Mother Sheng hurried out of her bedroom. The moment her eyes fell on her bedraggled son, she rushed straight to the kitchen to light the stove and boil water for noodles.
“Hurry up and eat a hot bowl of noodles to warm yourself up,” she fretted, rushing back with the food. “Why did you have to commute so late into the night? You really had me worried sick.”
Mother Sheng began to nag him out of sheer relief, but Sheng Wanze barely heard her, wolfing down the large bowl of noodles in a matter of seconds.
“Alright, let it go. The boy is exhausted, let him have a bite and get some rest first,” Father Sheng interjected. Watching his son practically inhale the food, he didn’t have the heart to keep scolding him.
“Is that enough? If you’re still hungry, Mom can boil some more for you.” Mother Sheng’s heart ached with sympathy. Looking at his hollow cheeks, she could tell he had endured a grueling, miserable journey.
“It’s plenty, Mom. Thanks. You and Dad should go back to bed and rest.”
Sheng Wanze had originally been scheduled to arrive in the afternoon, but a sudden emergency on the train had halted their transit, delaying them until late evening. By the time he successfully checked the Pan family into the guesthouse, midnight had already slipped past, leaving everyone completely drained.
“Fine, I won’t grill you with questions tonight. Just wash up and go straight to sleep once you finish eating. There’s still hot water left in the pot.”
“Will do.”
Mother Sheng inspected him from head to toe one last time, only returning to her bedroom once she was entirely certain he hadn’t sustained any injuries along the way.
Sheng Wanyan slept soundly through the night. When she stepped out to brush her teeth and wash her face the following morning, she was surprised to find her brother standing in the corridor.
“Brother? When on earth did you get back?”
Sheng Wanze stood leaning against the wall, watching her brush her teeth with a heavily aggrieved expression. How does this little girl have the nerve to act so casual? he thought sourly. Ever since she started dating that brat Gu Tingxiao, she clearly didn’t view him as her precious older brother anymore!
He recalled the packages Gu Tingxiao had received at the base; out of all the homemade provisions she had sent, there hadn’t been a single letter addressed to him. It was only while he was eating the cured meat that he had suddenly remembered his dear younger sister also had a brother serving in the exact same regiment!
“Last night,” he grunted.
Sheng Wanyan shot him a brief, questioning glance. Why was this guy acting so bizarrely hostile first thing in the morning? Was he suffering from pre-marital cold feet?
“Oh.”
Wanyan turned back to the sink, too lazy to entertain his mood. Witnessing her completely indifferent reaction, Sheng Wanze felt an even sharper wave of jealousy wash over him. As expected, a sister completely forgets her brother the moment she secures a boyfriend. No matter how fiercely he had doted on this girl in the past, she had mutated into a heartless, ungrateful little creature. He felt like a deflated balloon, utterly defeated by his own frustration.
“What exactly is going on between you and Gu Tingxiao?” he demanded, finally voicing the question that had been gnawing at him for weeks.
Sheng Wanyan paused, looking at him in utter bewilderment. “Didn’t you two already challenge each other to a fistfight over it? Why are you coming to interrogate me now?”
Sheng Wanze felt a sudden lump form in his chest. Those two scoundrels probably spent half their letters mocking me, he realized grimly.
“How did you two even end up together?” he pressed.
“Brother… please watch your phrasing,” Wanyan countered, setting her toothbrush down. “We are engaged in a perfectly disciplined, serious courtship.”
She truly found his blunt vocabulary hilarious. What did he mean by “ended up together”? He made a proper romance sound like some underhanded conspiracy.
Sheng Wanze simply felt she was fiercely protecting that rascal. He had merely brought Gu Tingxiao home for a casual family dinner a few months ago, yet the man had used the opportunity to ruthlessly steal his sister away. Worse, he hadn’t even realized his sister had been compromised until her massive care package arrived at the base and blew Gu Tingxiao’s cover!
“Well, I haven’t officially given my consent!” he declared, crossing his arms.
“Grandma, Dad, and Mom have all enthusiastically approved,” Wanyan noted serenely.
Therefore, even if he withheld his consent… it was entirely useless!
Sheng Wanze: “…” So I truly was the only member of this family kept completely in the dark.
“Gu Tingxiao possesses an incredibly cold, severe temperament, sister! You need to think this through carefully,” he warned, leaning in. “How are you supposed to navigate a daily routine with a man who acts like a stone wall? What kind of life is it to be chained to an ice cube for the rest of your days?”
“Brother… he isn’t cold to me at all,” Wanyan countered smoothly. “He took me to the cinema, he personally waited at the gates to walk me home from my shifts, and he even mailed me his entire salary registry.”
As Sheng Wanyan calmly listed Gu Tingxiao’s protective, doting actions one by one, Sheng Wanze’s jaw slowly dropped. He felt as though the man his sister was describing was a complete myth, entirely disconnected from the officer he knew.
That bastard Gu Tingxiao… actually acts like a fiercely obedient puppy in front of my sister?
Were they even talking about the same human being? Outside of executing brutal training drills and leading classified deployments with a terrifying, gloomy scowl, Gu Tingxiao spent his entire existence brooding in his quarters or silently eating in the mess hall. Sheng Wanze had never witnessed the man flash a single genuine smile in his entire military career.
This jarring contrast… was absolutely outrageous!
In a split second, the way Sheng Wanze looked at his younger sister shifted, his respect for her climbing significantly higher.
“Still… he requires further investigative screening!” he mumbled stubbornly.
Sheng Wanyan shook her head with a soft smile, too lazy to expose his transparent performance. He had already fought the man, and Gu Tingxiao had clearly thrown the match just to let his future brother-in-law save face. Deep down in his heart, Sheng Wanze had already fully accepted the courtship, yet he was still standing here putting on a dramatic show of brotherly reluctance.
She slipped back into her bedroom to change into her factory uniform. She knew her brother cared for her deeply, and she had zero intention of interfering in the subtle masculine posturing between her boyfriend and her brother. As long as they didn’t break any bones or cause a diplomatic crisis at the base, they could brawl to their hearts’ content.
“Son, make sure you formally invite your future in-laws to our apartment for dinner tonight,” Mother Sheng instructed, entering the living room. She knew the Pan family must be deeply exhausted after surviving the long-distance train route, and since they had traveled all this way with such genuine sincerity, their household had to provide an exceptional, flawless reception.
“Which specific relatives managed to make the journey down from the Capital?”
“Pan Yue’s grandparents, her mother and father, her two older brothers, and her sisters-in-law are all here,” Sheng Wanze detailed, checking his notes. “Her sister couldn’t make the trip, though; the eldest Pan daughter gave birth to a baby just a short while ago. So, the total count is eight adults and three children.”
Because the two elder Pan brothers had no one left back in Kyoto to look after their young children, they had been forced to bring the little ones along. Fortunately, the three kids were past the toddler stage—the youngest was five years old and perfectly capable of handling the train transit—otherwise, the journey would have been impossible.
“Alright, I’ve got the headcount,” Mother Sheng nodded, her mind already organizing the menu.
Sheng Wanze knelt and unbuckled the massive leather suitcase he had carted back from the north. Inside were five heavy packages of premium White Rabbit milk candies, five tins of high-grade canned fruit, and a massive bolt of vibrant red fabric intended to be sewn into a luxury bridal quilt cover. He had also used his military rations to procure premium liquor specifically for Grandpa and Father Sheng.
Furthermore, utilizing his private logistical connections in the Capital, he had purchased two elegant, winter-weight long skirts in a beautiful light-blue hue, selected specifically for Mother Sheng and Sheng Wanyan. The heavy winter coat and matching gloves he had brought for Grandma Sheng were lined with thick, genuine rabbit fur, guaranteed to provide absolute warmth against the damp winter chill.
“Mom, Pan Yue personally picked out this pair of leather shoes from a high-end department store in the Capital for Wanyan,” Sheng Wanze said, lifting a sleek pair of size 36 low-heeled shoes. “She made sure they had a stylish heel.”
Mother Sheng took the shoes, turning them over in her hands with an appreciative hum. She had to admit, the craftsmanship pouring out of the Capital’s top factories carried a distinctly elite finish. As for what exactly made them look so superior, she couldn’t quite find the words to describe it.
“And these two red woolen overcoats were purchased by Pan Yue specifically for you and Grandma,” he continued, pulling out the heavy, tailored garments. “And this is a premium Zhongshan suit she secured for Dad; she noted that the distinguished elders in the Capital absolutely love wearing this cut.”
Staring down at the mountain of luxury goods, Mother Sheng felt a profound sense of warmth and relief. Her future daughter-in-law was exceptionally thoughtful and thorough, ensuring not a single member of the Sheng clan was left out.
“This is wonderful, son, but you must tell Pan Yue not to squander her hard-earned savings like this next time,” Mother Sheng chided gently, though her face was split by a massive smile. “We’re all going to be one family soon; there’s absolutely no need for her to be this extravagant.”
Despite her pragmatic warning, she was utterly delighted, though a small part of her worried the young bride might have completely drained her personal treasury to impress them.
“With a family this large, a person naturally needs to purchase a complete set,” Sheng Wanze laughed, his eyes shining. “Xiaoyue told me that since I’m stationed far away at the base all year round and rarely get to look after you, she wanted to make sure we brought back everything you could possibly need the second we finally had a window to return.”
Sheng Wanze handed the remaining bundles over to his mother. Hearing his words, a deep, content warmth settled into her chest. It truly was a completely different experience when a son married a good woman; a dedicated daughter-in-law possessed a layer of consideration and emotional depth that a rough boy could never manifest on his own.
