Chapter 609: Chapter 525: Moving Away

As Xiao Man helped her grandmother away, she glanced back instinctively. Sun Meirong happened to be staring at her back. Their eyes met. A faint smile touched Sun Meirong’s lips, but the cold indifference on her face and the loathing deep in her eyes were perfectly clear.

Xiao Man couldn’t help but feel indignant. ’So this is how a homewrecker’s brain works. You covet someone else’s boyfriend, and you’re mad that I’m not graciously stepping aside for you?’

She couldn’t resist asking her grandmother, "If a girl got close to you the way Miss Sun gets close to Granny Gu, would you like her?"

"I’m not old and senile, and my eyes still work just fine. Why would a girl ignore her own mother to stick by some old crone’s side, waiting on her hand and foot? That Miss Sun is clearly no simple character; she’s scheming. Several of the Gu family’s grandsons, including the two from their daughters, are still unattached. I just wonder which one she’s targeting!"

Grandma Tang pursed her lips and continued, "You think your Granny Gu can’t see through her? That old woman is as sharp as a tack; she’s just a master of keeping up appearances. I’m not your Granny Gu. If I had that kind of scheming mind and Essence, Qi, and Spirit, I would’ve taken that fake granddaughter under my wing and trained her years ago. But your real grandma here, if I don’t like someone, I don’t like them. No discussion! I’ve had this terrible temper since I was a child, and it’s not changing now. Back when I was young, I used to argue with your grandfather, and he’d call me selfish and narrow-minded. I suppose he might have been right. That’s just who I am. I can’t put on a fake front!"

Xiao Man wrapped her arm around her grandmother’s. "Grandma, I think Grandpa was just saying that. I’m sure he’s just like me and loves you exactly the way you are. Grandpa wanted you to love only him, and I want you to dote on only me, so don’t you go liking anyone else!"

"In your dreams, the both of you! I have my son, and Hao Hao, and the little grandchild in your mother’s belly. I have to dote on them, too!"

"Then just dote on them a little less and dote on me a lot more!" Xiao Man shamelessly vied for affection. Grandma Tang didn’t miss a beat. "Does that even need to be said? Absolutely!"

The Old Tang Family had only gotten one granddaughter in several generations. Who else would they spoil but her?

When they walked over to where Ai Wenli was sitting, she saw the grandmother and granddaughter grinning from ear to ear. She didn’t know what they were so happy about, but she was in a good mood and laughed along with them.

Gu Shaojun was the one who drove the three women back to the Tang residence. To spend more time with Xiao Man, he naturally stayed the night. But he had to leave Beijing the next day, and by four in the morning, he needed to be back at the Gu residence to discuss matters with his grandfather, father, and uncle. He had barely slept a wink, yet he was full of energy, his heart ablaze. ’Little Manman didn’t sleep either. While Uncle Tang was passed out drunk, she snuck up to the third floor. We spent most of the night wrapped in each other’s arms, lost in our own world. I couldn’t bear to leave! If only I could have a mission like this every month, I’d willingly go without sleep for weeks on end.’

Before he left, Gu Shaojun mentioned Lu Jian Country to his father. Having Four Spirit Roots was quite good. He described Lu Jian Country as a steady and grounded man who still possessed a bold, heroic streak. Though he kept a low profile and hid his abilities in the city, he could handle complex networks and relationships. He was a remarkable individual. If the Gu family gave him an opportunity, it would count as repaying a favor Gu Shaojun owed, and it would also give Lu Jian Country a stronger footing in his confrontation with Bai Junfan.

Gu Qiming pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement.

In the current End of Dharma World, Spiritual Energy was scarce, so there were very few people with a Spirit Root suitable for Cultivation. This, of course, excluded special bloodline families like the Gu, Bai, Tang, and Gongsun. Most people could accept the existence of "Special Abilities," but they didn’t believe in Cultivation. They felt it was too fantastical, too unscientific—something simply imagined out of thin air.

The ancestors of the Gu and Bai families had indeed included Cultivators, a fact that was kept within their families and never publicly declared. The inheritance of Ancient Martial Arts, however, was highly esteemed. In the early years, Ancient Martial Arts was used in military training, but the soldiers’ physical constitutions varied greatly. Most were unable to learn it and were weeded out. Those who could persevere and break past the three-level beginner stage were all considered elites in the military.

So, when Gu Qiming approached Lu Jian Country, he would naturally do so under the pretext of teaching him Ancient Martial Arts.

Lu Jian Country had no idea Gu Shaojun had a surprise in store for him. He was too busy secretly celebrating, pumping his fist and cheering himself on for having made another great stride into Yang Liu’er’s heart. After a moment, he calmed down to strategize. He knew Bai Junfan wouldn’t give up so easily. He needed to figure out how to deal with Bai Junfan, and while he was at it, how to take care of Wu Qin as well.

Lu Jian Country didn’t want to go after a woman, but Wu Qin was simply too insidious and vicious. He didn’t care how deep her ties were with the second branch of the Tang family. The Tang family knew she had nearly killed their own granddaughter, yet they still let her run free. But the fact that Wu Qin had dared to use such a malicious move to harm his beloved Liu’er during their last fight—that was something Lu Jian Country would never forgive.

Liu’er had said Manman wanted to leave Wu Qin for now, to make her suffer the bitter taste of losing her future prospects. Lu Jian Country could only shake his head. ’Such a naive girl!’

After Gu Shaojun left, Gu Shaofeng stayed at the family home in Beijing for two days before preparing to take Wu Xiangyun to the Northern Military Region. Pitying her granddaughter-in-law’s frail health, Granny Gu wanted to let her stay at their home in Beijing, where she could either study or work as she pleased. However, Gu Shaofeng politely declined on Xiangyun’s behalf.

Tian Xueqin was dead set against Wu Xiangyun going with her son. After mulling it over, she dragged Gu Qiyuan to state her case before her parents-in-law and husband. She argued that since Wu Xiangyun had studied medicine, she, as the mother-in-law, should personally take her under her wing and nurture her talents. This would also be good for Shaofeng, she claimed. "Shaofeng is young, and this is the prime time for him to make a name for himself and build his career in the army," she said. "Having a frail and sickly dependent follow him to the base would only encumber and distract him!"

Her words sounded quite reasonable, and Granny Gu took them to heart. Grandpa Gu remained silent, leaving the decision up to Gu Shaofeng.

Gu Shaofeng’s decision, of course, was to take his wife with him. He completely ignored Tian Xueqin’s arguments, which made her tremble with rage. Back in the courtyard of their family branch, she tried to snatch Wu Xiangyun’s luggage, but Gu Qiyuan shouted at her to stop. Gu Qiyuan then walked his son and daughter-in-law to their car. He seemed emotional as he offered them some parting advice, telling them that the most precious thing for a married couple is to be of one heart and mind. "You must also walk in step with each other," he said. "Don’t let distance grow between you, and certainly don’t end up on divergent paths. That would be a true tragedy."

Bai Junfan also departed for the Northwest Military Region. His trip back to Beijing had been fruitful, in a sense: under her mother’s persuasion, Jun Ran had agreed to start dating him on a trial basis. If things went well, they would be engaged by October.

This was excellent news for the Bai Family, and Mr. Bai was overjoyed.

Bai Junfan, however, was filled with melancholy and felt listless throughout the journey. ’That day at the hospital, I couldn’t take Liu’er with me.’ He had since found time to visit the Lu family’s courtyard and the clothing company twice, but he hadn’t been able to find her. He knew Liu’er was avoiding him on purpose.

After just a few days apart, he could no longer sense Liu’er. It wasn’t a matter of physical distance, but of the connection between their hearts. Before, no matter where he was, he only had to think of her, and her face and smile would instantly materialize, filling his heart with warmth. But now, no matter how hard he tried, all he could conjure was a hazy, indistinct image—and it was only her back, as if she were walking away from him, getting farther and farther away.

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