Chapter 704 - 607
"He did something stupid. He knows his injury is serious and could affect his ability to have children, but he’s too scared and embarrassed to go back to Beijing for treatment. So, he latched onto Wei Zhenling and demanded the best military doctor. Plus, I have Repair Pills, so it shouldn’t be too bad. I have to leave on the second day of the New Year, but he can stay a few more days. Find a chance to take his pulse and see if anything can be done," Gu Shaojun said.
"What do you mean, ’if anything can be done’? What if nothing can be done?"
"Then what can we do? He brought this on himself. Who’s to blame?"
The two were being all sweet and romantic in the room, completely losing track of time. Downstairs, the Spring Festival Gala on TV reached its climax. As the New Year’s bells chimed, dazzling fireworks bloomed across the sky again and again. Gu Shaoqin, Da Zhi, and Dapeng finally lit the string of firecrackers they had hung from the eaves.
Amid the festive crackle of firecrackers, Xiao Man jumped up from the bed, held out her hand to Gu Shaojun, and shouted, "Happy New Year! Now, where’s my red envelope!"
As if he had been prepared all along, Gu Shaojun unhurriedly pulled over his small travel bag, took an envelope out of a side pocket, and placed it in Xiao Man’s hand. He then took the opportunity to plant a loud kiss on her cheek. "Grow up big and strong, baby!"
Xiao Man shook the envelope, smiling as she reached inside. When she pulled out a passbook, she couldn’t help but shoot him a speechless, sidelong glance. ’A passbook again? What kind of red envelope is this?’
Over the past few years, Gu Shaojun had given her at least six or seven passbooks from all sorts of banks, even foreign ones. ’I’ve become a passbook collector.’
Gu Shaojun patted her head dotingly and smiled. "In our home, you’re in charge of the finances. This is the dividend Shaozheng just gave me. It’s all for your red envelope."
Xiao Man carefully counted the zeros after the number, then put the passbook away with a grin. She took a stack of prepared red envelopes from the nightstand drawer and handed them to Gu Shaojun. "I’m still a student, but you have a job, so you have to hand out red envelopes on New Year’s Day. Remember to put these in your pocket when you go downstairs tomorrow morning. Pay attention to the labels: these two are for Grandpa and Grandma, and these two are for Uncle Jiaobao and his wife. These are for Da Zhi, Dapeng, Qiuyan, and Shaoqin. As for these smaller ones, when the neighborhood kids come over to wish you a Happy New Year tomorrow, give one to each of them."
Gu Shaojun opened one of the small, exquisitely folded red envelopes. Inside was a crisp two-yuan bill. He couldn’t help but chuckle. "Isn’t this a little too little?"
"This isn’t Beijing. Here in the countryside, it’s all about the good luck and festive spirit. I asked Xinghua. The year Jiang Junlin first came, he gave the kids one yuan. Prices have gone up a bit this year, so he’s giving two yuan. We should follow his lead and give two yuan as well. Nobody gives three or four yuan, and five would be way more than him, which wouldn’t be good. The small red envelopes from Grandma and Uncle Jiaobao’s wife only have five jiao, and the ones Qiuyan gets from other houses have one or two jiao."
"Alright, I’ll do whatever my wife says!"
Gu Shaojun pulled Xiao Man into his arms and lay down. "Let’s sleep now. We’ll get up at four o’clock sharp to go up the mountain for Cultivation. We’ll take a walk around the herb garden, check on the guards and the military dogs, and give them our New Year’s greetings!"
"Didn’t you say you were going to fetch water to fill the vats before dawn?"
"Let Jiang Junlin do it. Wouldn’t he feel awkward with nothing to do? He’s a new son-in-law, too. Me, the other new son-in-law, will be patrolling the mountain on New Year’s Day. That’s just as meritorious!"
Xiao Man: "..."
’To think I went to all the trouble of altering a local custom, changing it from the new bride having to fetch water on New Year’s morning to the new son-in-law, and this guy didn’t even fall for it.’
The next morning, around seven, Grandpa, Grandma, and the others were a bit stunned to see Gu Shaojun and Xiao Man walking in through the iron gate. When they learned the two had gone out before dawn to patrol the mountain, Grandpa and Mo Jiabao were indeed very pleased. They repeatedly praised Gu Shaojun for being so thoughtful. Gu Shaojun raised an eyebrow at Xiao Man, who pursed her lips and smiled.
Jiang Junlin, however, walked over to chat with Gu Shaojun. One asked about the conditions on the mountain, while the other asked, "Did you go fetch water this morning?"
Xiao Man quickly turned and slipped into the kitchen. Seeing Yu Wumei and her daughter Xinghua making sweet rice balls, she immediately washed her hands and joined in.
After eating the sweet rice balls, it was time to hand out red envelopes, creating a happy and lively scene. Grandpa, Grandma, and Uncle Jiaobao and his wife cheerfully accepted the New Year’s money from Gu Shaojun and Jiang Junlin, but then gave them red envelopes in return—and these were even thicker and heavier than the ones the young men had given them!
This made Gu Shaojun a little embarrassed, but Jiang Junlin seemed used to it.
Many children ran into the courtyard to play. They were full of sweet words, and, knowing the routine, they surrounded Jiang Junlin first to get a round of red envelopes. After hearing Qiuyan and Jiang Xuehua call out "Brother-in-law Gu," the children also ran over to surround Gu Shaojun, shouting, "Happy New Year, Brother-in-law Gu! Wishing you prosperity, Brother-in-law Gu!" Delighted, Gu Shaojun pulled the small red envelopes from his pocket and started handing them out. Thankfully, Xiao Man had prepared plenty, and there were enough to go around.
After the red envelopes were distributed, the children decided that Gu Shaojun was actually approachable. Although he was in casual clothes today, everyone knew he was an imposing soldier. They all started talking at once, asking him questions about the army, guns, and battles on the field—things they had only seen in movies and on TV, which filled them with curiosity and confusion. Gu Shaojun answered with great patience, causing the children, especially the boys, to crowd even more tightly around him, their eyes filled with pure admiration and worship.
Gu Shaojun felt a little smug. ’In these little ones’ eyes, my image as "Brother-in-law Gu" must be sufficiently grand now. I’m a perfect match for their Sister Xiao Man!’
His good mood didn’t last long. Gu Shaozhen suddenly walked out of the house, ostentatiously flicking a thick stack of crisp new bills. They were all five-yuan notes; he had originally wanted to take out ten-yuan notes but had been stopped by Grandma.
Gu Shaozhen said with a grin, "Hey, little ones, let me hear you call me Boss Gu! Boss Gu is about to hand out some lucky money!"
Instantly, the children all scrambled over each other to run toward Gu Shaozhen, shouting excitedly as they ran, "Boss Gu! Happy New Year, Boss Gu! Wishing you great prosperity, Boss Gu!"
Gu Shaozhen picked at his ear. "I can’t hear you!"
"Happy New Year, Boss Gu! Wishing you great prosperity, Boss Gu!"
"A little louder!"
"Happy New Year, Boss Gu! Wishing you great prosperity, Boss Gu!"
Gu Shaozhen laughed heartily. "Line up, line up! When your boss here makes another fortune this year, I’ll come back and give you even bigger red envelopes!"
"WOOHOO! YEAH! You have to get super rich, Boss Gu! We’ll be waiting for you!"
"You know it! Just wait, I won’t let you down! Do you guys love me or what?"
"You’re the best, Boss Gu! We love you the most!"
"Hahahaha... Come on, come on! The rule is three! Everyone gets three bills!"
Grandma had just reached the doorway when she heard this, and she was both exasperated and amused. ’This boy is so flashy. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have stopped him. I should have just let him hand out the ten-yuan bills!’
Standing under the pear tree, Xiao Man, Gu Shaoqin, Da Zhi, Jiang Junlin, Xinghua, and the others were all collectively speechless. ’Just last night at the dinner table, Grandpa told us that even if we have some money, we need to be humble and not seem too flashy. That it’s always right to be down-to-earth and reserved. His words are still ringing in our ears, and yet the family’s already produced a nouveau riche.’
Gu Shaojun shot a cold glare at Gu Shaozhen, wanting nothing more than to kick the brat back to Beijing and let the old man discipline him with the family rules.
’He nearly lost his life on that expedition, and the military doctor said there might be some lingering side effects. I refuse to believe it. Were all those good things from the Storage Ring fed to him for nothing? I’m really starting to suspect that Wei Zhenling brought back a fake brother.’