Chapter 170 - 169: A Belated Visit (Part 1)
The preliminary exam ended quickly.
In the midst of everyone’s eagerness, Gu Xiaoqing steadily scored 393 points, ranking first in the class and second in the entire grade. The first place was a boy named Wu Zhihao from Class 3, who reportedly scored 394 points, just one point short of winning the top spot.
Gu Xiaoqing’s homeroom teacher felt regretful for a while, but it was only one point, and it didn’t mean much.
However, the name Gu Xiaoqing quickly became known to everyone in Class 1.
People also quickly dug into Gu Xiaoqing’s background.
Everyone learned that Gu Xiaoqing was a student who came from a small village even less developed than a small county town, yet was a complete top student.
But people have different perspectives. Some value one’s academic ability, believing you have a promising future, while others care more about your background.
So, some people in Class 1 got along well with Gu Xiaoqing, occasionally asking for help with homework and playing together after class.
Some people, on the other hand, completely ignored Gu Xiaoqing, acting as if he didn’t exist and never speaking to him.
Gu Xiaoqing, however, wasn’t angry.
No matter the time, there are always people who look down on others, and there are plenty of kind-hearted people. He would not let these people affect his mood.
Gu Xiaoqing knew what he was pursuing and what he wanted.
The bleak ending of the previous life and the surprising new beginning of this life gave him a chance to start over.
So, he must seize everything this time to live up to this new life.
He must live a different life.
One that is free, unbound, without suffering, a blissful life without tragedy.
Thus, life at school became easy and enjoyable for Gu Xiaoqing.
On Fridays, Gu Xiaoqing would take the bus to go home.
This Friday, Fang Shaonan and Bai Zhongyuan had already told Gu Xiaoqing that their families would go to Gu Family Spicy Hot Pot for dinner the next day.
Gu Xiaoqing also informed his parents in advance to reserve a private room.
Currently, Gu Family Spicy Hot Pot was so popular that it was hard to get a seat.
If you didn’t reserve in advance, there was no way to get a seat, and people were still willing to wait an hour in line. What more could you do?
Gu Ruhai and Li Xuemei were both delighted by the booming business and worried about the shop’s size.
If they had known earlier, they should have converted the adjacent room into the hotpot restaurant. This could relieve some of the space burden they currently face.
But it was too late to say anything now.
The thing that made Gu Ruhai most pleased was that the hotpot restaurant had been open for three months and made a profit of 200,000 yuan in total.
Every night, lying on their wooden bed, Gu Ruhai and Li Xuemei would repeatedly check if the number on their passbook was right.
It was indeed 200,000 yuan.
The couple was nearly sleepless from excitement.
From 10,000, 20,000 to now 200,000, the progress was too rapid.
The couple couldn’t sleep for a long time.
This was a fortune they could never have imagined having in their lifetime.
How could it not be intimidating?
After learning about this, Gu Xiaoqing teased his parents for a long time.
If they knew his plan was to turn the hotpot restaurant into a chain, would they faint?
Gu Xiaoqing felt that now was the time to spread his wings, as his unique advantage would help him seize the opportunity.
Gu Xiaoqing never aimed for great ambitions, just wanted to create a small chain of hotpot restaurants, establish a brand, and let it become a deep-rooted name in people’s memories. The subsequent effects of this brand would be enough to ensure the whole family lived a leisurely life.
At least, when faced with something they wanted to buy, they wouldn’t have to worry about lacking money in their pockets.
This kind of life was good.
Of course, financial abundance would allow Gu Xiaoqing and his family to do many things they wanted to do.
On Saturday noon, Fang Shaonan and Bai Zhongyuan’s families indeed showed up.
The military district car brought them over.
They knew the location and it should be easy to find as long as they searched by name.
He Cui thought to herself that Gu Ruhai’s family restaurant was probably just a regular small restaurant because Gu Ruhai and Li Xuemei seemed like illiterate farmers, with limited knowledge of concepts, and their attire back when they came to the city indicated they lived a life typical of ordinary farmers.
He Cui didn’t look down on farmers, but she mentally categorized Gu Ruhai’s family.
She didn’t attend the opening because He Cui felt she had already helped with the storefront as a favor. It wasn’t like anyone asked her for a favor; she was willing to help voluntarily.
It was also a token of appreciation for Gu Xiaoqing’s life-saving effort for Fang Shaonan.
He Cui didn’t want to be constantly asked for help after doing a favor. People can be opportunistic and greedy.
Although Gu Ruhai and Li Xuemei seemed honest and decent, people’s hearts can change.
Especially in a bustling city, He Cui had seen many people become obsessed with money.
Therefore, He Cui decisively didn’t attend, sending a distant signal, hoping Gu Xiaoqing would understand.
He Cui believed Gu Xiaoqing, being such a smart child, would understand.
After the continued silence and not being disturbed by the Gu Family, He Cui knew that Gu Xiaoqing understood her message.
This meal was strongly advocated by Fang Shaonan, and Bai Zhongyuan also insisted on seeing what Gu Xiaoqing’s family’s restaurant was like.
He Cui couldn’t insist on being stubborn, so she came along with the Bai couple.
Bai Zhongyuan’s father, Bai Jianzhong, was the new head of the military district, and his mother, Xiao Shufen, was the head of the military song and dance troupe. Both were comrades from the same trench as He Cui and Fang Jianguo, and their families were close, so they came together.
When they arrived at the entrance of Gu Family Spicy Hot Pot, they were a bit surprised.
Especially He Cui.
The success of Gu Ruhai’s business was beyond her expectations.
After all, in He Cui’s mind, a rural man without vision opening a small restaurant was already overestimating him.
But seeing this impressive establishment, the restaurant’s popularity, and its obvious quality, it was evidently a well-cared-for restaurant.
It truly exceeded expectations.
This made He Cui look at them in a new light. (To be continued. If you enjoyed this work, please visit qidian.com to vote for recommendation and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)