Chapter 244: Chapter 224: In a Hurry

With Grandpa and Mo Chengfu busy working at the production team, the family’s apothecary was left entirely in Xiao Man’s care. She dried and processed the herbs, then sorted and stored them properly. Sometimes, when Shaolian insisted, she would go out with her brothers and have a great time. But whenever she asked about Gu Shaojun, Shaolian would no longer discuss his older cousin’s well-being with undivided attention as he used to. Instead, he would say gloomily:

"He’s plenty tough, he’ll be fine! He called me twice again a few days ago, asking about you... I was annoyed and upset, so I didn’t tell him that you’re Hao Hao’s real older sister, that you were swapped at birth. Why should I tell him? I traveled all this way to find a sister, you think that was easy? I wanted to look after you myself, but then he goes and steals you away... I’m so pissed!"

Xiao Man scoffed. "If you want to be pissed, fine, but don’t drag me into it. Am I some kind of object? To be stolen just like that? And another thing, I wasn’t swapped!"

"Being swapped or being taken by mistake—is there a difference?"

Xiao Man: "..."

’There’s a huge difference, okay?’

Zheng Shaolian looked at Xiao Man. "It’s so unfair. My older cousin doesn’t even have to try to steal you. You... you haven’t forgotten, have you?"

"Forgotten what?" Xiao Man played dumb.

Zheng Shaolian grumbled reluctantly, "The marriage arranged by the ancestors of the Tang and Gu Families. You’re a granddaughter of the Tang family, so you’re destined to be betrothed to a grandson of the Gu family. It’s a childhood betrothal! What era are we living in? I can’t believe this is still a thing. I don’t approve at all!"

Xiao Man subconsciously nodded. ’Actually, I don’t approve either.’

’In her past life, she had respected and admired him. She saw herself as lowly as dust, with no right to question or mind his past relationships. Because of his kindness, she had stayed by his side for three years, treating him as her closest family. Even now, in this life, she could still feel the closeness and unspoken understanding between them. She would always consider him family, but when it came to marriage, she was no longer sure!’

’After all, things had changed with her rebirth. She was no longer the naive, clumsy, and tragically fated Mo Xiaoman; she could now control her own destiny. If he was as loyal to the betrothal as he was in their last life, loving his fiancée with all his heart, what right would she have to condemn him? Even though that fiancée was technically her, the substitute, Tang Yaxuan, had captured his heart. People in love are blind to each other’s flaws. Even if Xiao Man’s appearance prevented their marriage, Gu Shaojun might still feel pity for Tang Yaxuan. Just like in their past life, even after Tang Yaxuan abandoned him to marry someone else, he had remained gentle and doting toward her...’

’The world was a big place. Gu Shaojun wasn’t the only man in it, and she wasn’t the only woman. For two people who understood each other to force themselves to adapt and mend a broken relationship seemed far too difficult. So why bother?’

In mid-August, Tang Haocheng left a note for Wu Xiaowen and traveled alone by bus from the provincial city to Gongdao Village. Although he was a prospective university student, he wasn’t even twelve years old yet. In the countryside at that time, such an act was astonishing. Grandma Tang didn’t say much, but Grandpa and Grandma, who had once lost their son, took it very seriously. Grandma clutched Hao Hao’s hand and shed tears, while Grandpa lectured him earnestly over and over, telling him never to do it again. A child shouldn’t travel so far alone; it was always better to be safe than sorry. It made Tang Haocheng’s head spin. He wanted to argue, but when he saw Xiao Man give him a look, he shut his mouth and obediently accepted the lecture.

’Having a sister who studies Chinese medicine is terrifying.’ But after getting through the initial misery, Tang Haocheng had benefited greatly. After spending half a year with his sister in Ping County Town, his physique and strength were now more than ten times better than before. Never mind a few street punks; he could easily handle four or five adults at once. So, the short trip from the provincial city to Gongdao Village was really nothing!

Since she knew Hao Hao had gone to Feng City to see his maternal grandfather, Grandma couldn’t help but ask about him. Hao Hao said that Grandpa Wu had indeed been very ill, but his life had not been in critical danger as his mother had claimed. After emergency treatment, he was now out of danger and gradually getting better.

Seeing that his grandmother and sister didn’t ask anything else, the young boy sighed and said only to Grandma, "Xuanxuan has been with my mom since the break started. She’s in the provincial city now. She probably... won’t be coming back to the countryside for school next semester!"

Grandma was speechless, Grandma Tang let out a cold laugh, and Xiao Man couldn’t have cared less.

At the end of August, Tang Haocheng failed to persuade Xiao Man to return to Beijing with him for school. He could only reluctantly leave with Grandma Tang, Shao Jin, and Shaoyu.

After seeing them off, Xiao Man also had to pack and prepare to return to school and continue her grade-skipping endeavor.

During the crisp golden autumn, on a winding mountain road near the border, a plume of white dust snaked and twisted like a proud dragon emerging from the sea. It moved with astonishing, lightning-like speed. The "dragon’s head" was a military jeep driven by Gu Shaojun. The actual driver had been relegated to the passenger seat, his face a mask of terror, not daring to make a sound.

’A speed like this was unimaginable, something he would never dare to attempt! He knew that with the slightest lapse in concentration, a tiny deviation, they would roll right off the road and plunge into the valley. It would be game over!’

Gu Shaojun’s expression was grim and his gaze was steady, fixed on the road ahead. On the surface, he appeared completely focused on driving—after all, at such a speed, there was no room for even the slightest carelessness.

In reality, his mind was a chaotic mess. One moment, he wanted to grab Zheng Shaolian, string him up, and beat him. The next, he was wallowing in self-recrimination. ’Who can I even blame? Wasn’t it you who thought you were so clever and dug your own grave? Ugh! And you refused to listen to any explanation, refused to call home!’

Staring at a straight stretch of road ahead, Gu Shaojun suddenly lifted his left hand and slapped himself hard on the forehead. The jeep swerved slightly. The soldier in the passenger seat clenched his jaw, desperately suppressing the cry that rose in his throat. ’Please, boss! Can’t you wait until we’re past this section to hit your head? Even though we’ve descended and are away from the cliffs and valleys, look at the raging river on our right! If we go in there, we might not be shattered to pieces, but getting a belly full of water would be no fun either!’

When they returned and parked at the rear base camp, Wei Zhenqing walked up to greet them, glancing at his watch and shaking his head with a smile. "Did you really have to drive like your life depended on it just to get back? In such a hurry to get to the victory celebration in Beijing? This isn’t like you!"

Gu Shaojun gave him a friendly punch. "Cut the crap. Figure this out for me: can you spare me a day and a night to make a trip to Wancheng? I’ll find a way to rush to Beijing after that. Is that possible?"

"Impossible! The trip to Beijing is non-negotiable! And you have to go with the big boss himself! Wancheng isn’t going anywhere, so what’s your hurry?"

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