Chapter 732: Chapter 631: Good News

It wasn’t that Xiao Man didn’t want to go South with Tang Haocheng and Gu Shaoqin. The truth was, the traditional Chinese medicine research group at the Medical College had been incredibly busy lately. Their work on an antiviral drug had reached a critical stage, and it would be irresponsible for her to leave now. Her supervisor would probably jump up and curse her out.

She had called her Grandpa and Grandma a few days ago to tell them she might not be able to come back for the summer vacation, or that she might be late. The two elders told her to focus on her studies and work. They weren’t going anywhere; they’d be right there at home, so she could come back whenever she wanted.

Listening to her grandma’s gentle words, Xiao Man’s heart ached with a bittersweet feeling. It was probably for the best that Tang Haocheng and Gu Shaoqin went ahead. With them, Da Zhi, and Dapeng around, things would be lively, and her Grandpa and Grandma would surely be very happy.

Since they had held an engagement ceremony last year, Xiao Man didn’t want to make a big deal out of her birthday this year. Citing her busy schedule, she declined the suggestion to throw a large birthday party for all their friends and family. Instead, Grandma Tang and Mrs. Hao decided to just have a few tables for a banquet at home on the day itself, so the young and old of both families could get together and have a good time. Her grandfather and father both said they would go along with whatever Xiao Man wanted; they had no objections.

Tang Qingyun, however, had remembered the date. He called and asked again and again how Manman was planning to celebrate her birthday, adding apologetically that he probably couldn’t make it back in time. He assured her, though, that her gift was already prepared and would be mailed to arrive on time.

As for Hao Hao and Shaoqin, the two of them were reportedly eating, drinking, and gallivanting through the mountains and rivers of Southern Gongdao Village. They were having so much fun they’d forgotten all about coming home. However, they would still rush back for Xiao Man’s birthday. Besides celebrating his sister’s birthday, Hao Hao also had some unfinished business in Beijing. Half the vacation was already over, so he needed to get a move on.

Even though they had managed to secure the engagement, her future parents-in-law, Mr. Gu and Mrs. Zhou, still placed great importance on her birthday. ’If not for that troublesome Tang Qingshan, they could have welcomed their daughter-in-law into the family this year, held the wedding for their eldest son, and maybe even be holding a plump, fair-skinned grandson by next year.’

The birthday gift had been prepared long ago. Mrs. Zhou mentioned that the Number One Department Store had just gotten a new shipment of women’s summer clothes—the styles were new, beautiful, fashionable, and elegant. She dragged Mr. Gu, who had finally gotten half a day off, to the mall. The couple wanted to pick out new clothes and shoes for their precious daughter-in-law.

What else could they do? Their eldest son was now hailed as an all-around talent in the military, juggling work on multiple fronts. He was so busy he’d probably forgotten his own name, so how could he possibly have time to buy clothes for his fiancée? It was up to them, his parents, to handle it on his behalf. They could have just given their daughter-in-law money to buy things herself, but that wouldn’t seem sincere enough. Just look at the two brothers, Shaolian and Shao Jin—one in the country and one abroad, they teamed up every year to have clothes, shoes, hats, bags, and even handkerchiefs custom-made for Xiao Man!

The two nephews were her sworn brothers; otherwise, with such grand gestures, one might suspect they had ulterior motives. Were they trying to steal her away?

Xiao Man’s birthday was still two days away, so the two families had a normal get-together, this time at the Gu Mansion. Several people had come home for the occasion: Gu Shaofeng and Wu Xiangyun, Gu Shaozhen, and Zheng Shaolian. Because the young couple Gu Shaofeng and his wife were back, Gu Qiyuan and Tian Xueqin naturally brought Gu Shaoling over for the reunion as well.

The rift between that couple seemed to be growing ever wider. They had actually arrived in two separate cars. When they got out at the entrance, Gu Qiyuan strode directly through the main gate with long steps. His expression was calm, and he even had a faint smile on his face, but he never once looked back at his wife following behind him. Tian Xueqin’s face was full of grievance and her gaze was resentful, but she still managed to maintain her dignified and graceful composure, holding Gu Shaoling’s hand as she walked in with her head held high.

At the beginning of the year, Gu Qiyuan, citing the convenience of caring for the elders and his work, had Tian Xueqin transferred back to a Navy Hospital in Beijing. He himself, however, remained in Lian City. This move had truly brought to life what Gu Shaoling had shrieked during one of her tantrums: her parents were now living in two different places.

Who knew which family’s "elders" Gu Qiyuan was referring to? In any case, the two Gu elders had no need for Tian Xueqin’s care. Ever since Granny Gu had been thoroughly provoked that one time, she had never relented and allowed the couple to move back into the old family mansion. Tian Xueqin was now living with Gu Shaoling in the military district compound. It wasn’t that the old woman disliked her son or granddaughter, but rather this daughter-in-law. She had never liked her from the start. But her son had pleaded relentlessly, forcing her to accept the woman for over twenty years. Just when she had gotten used to it and finally accepted her as one of their own, who would have thought that at her age, the woman would start stirring up trouble and disrupting the peace of the household. It was truly infuriating.

Her grandma, mother, and two younger brothers had arrived first. Her grandpa and father had their own arrangements for when they would arrive. Grandpa Gu had sent a guard to pick Xiao Man up. Just at the main gate, she happened to run into Gu Qiyuan’s family. She decided to lie low, stealthily following them in before taking a different path to the inner courtyard hall to avoid an encounter. It would be too awkward to greet them in a situation like this. Besides, she didn’t get along with Tian Xueqin and her daughter, and Gu Shaoling lost all composure the moment she saw her. It was better to just not meet and avoid any unexpected trouble.

However, by the rockery and fish pond in the central courtyard, she ran into Grandpa Gu, Gu Shaoying, Tang Haobo, and Tang Haofang. The old man and the three little ones were cautiously trying to catch a dragonfly. The moment Xiao Man appeared, Shaoying jumped up and shrieked with joy. The dragonfly flew away. Grandpa Gu, who had almost caught it, huffed and glared, but then immediately burst out laughing. ’The kids who lost the dragonfly didn’t even say anything, so why was he, the helper, getting so worked up about it?’

Grandpa Gu smiled and waved at Xiao Man. "Girlie, Grandpa has some happy news for you: Shaojun will be home today or tomorrow!"

Although Xiao Man had a faint suspicion, hearing the definite news still made her overjoyed. "Really? Grandpa, why didn’t you tell me sooner?"

"Aiya, it wasn’t confirmed before. When Grandpa tells you something, it has to be certain. I don’t like to be vague."

Xiao Man pouted. "Fine. But doesn’t Shaojun know himself? He didn’t even call to say anything. By the way, Grandpa, he hasn’t called me in a long time, and it’s made me worry about him. Grandpa, you have to scold him for that!"

Grandpa Gu cleared his throat, intending to defend his grandson for a moment, but then his eyes darted around and he changed his mind. He put on a stern face and said, "Alright! Leave it to Grandpa. That rascal dares not to call our Manman? When he gets back, Grandpa will definitely teach him a lesson! Girlie, you just wait and see!"

Xiao Man: "..."

’What a sly old man Grandpa Gu is. I just tattled on him, and now I’ll have to be the one to take it back. Could I really bear to watch Shaojun get a talking-to?’

Gu Shaozhen and Zheng Shaolian emerged from behind another rockery. Seeing Xiao Man, they both scrambled to greet her. Zheng Shaolian shouted as he walked, "Sis, I brought you something good..."

Gu Shaozhen reached out, grabbed him, and yanked him back. "Look at you, you’re regressing," he said with disgust. "Acting like a country bumpkin! In a family like ours, who hasn’t seen all sorts of good things?"

"Get lost! You’re the country bumpkin!" Zheng Shaolian, furious at being passed by Gu Shaozhen, started wrestling with him. They ended up in a tangled heap, unable to move.

Xiao Man was speechless. The first time she met these two, this was exactly how they acted. Years had passed, and they hadn’t changed one bit.

Grandpa Gu glared at them, but the three little ones thought their big brothers were playing a game. They excitedly clapped their hands and shouted, "Go, go, go!"

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