Chapter 742: Chapter 641

"Should we test him?" Xiao Man asked.

"That’s his secret, and it’s better not to call him out on it. He’s just holding a grudge against the past-life me and wants to cause me trouble. He’s just being childish. If we pretend not to notice and just ignore him, he’ll get bored and stop."

As they were speaking, Zhou Hui Lan came over to call them out for breakfast. Xiao Man was about to stand up to check on the twins when Zhou Hui Lan said:

"Little Bo, Xiao Fang, and Shaoying are having a great time playing with game pieces with Grandpa Gu. Your mother just called. She has to go out on some business today and won’t have time to watch the kids. I told her she could just leave them with me, but your grandma is still worried and is going to come over with the nanny in a little while."

Xiao Man laughed. "It’s not that my grandma’s worried. I brought all my little brothers over, so she must be bored stiff at home. That’s why she’s rushing to come over too."

"That’s true. The two little ones are so smart and lively, they’re a joy to be around. Every time they visit and have to go home, Shaoying is on the verge of tears. Grandpa and Granny Gu also sigh, unable to bear seeing them leave. And of course, your own grandparents can’t stand to be apart from them either."

As she spoke, Zhou Hui Lan remembered something and said to Gu Shaojun, "Your father rushed back to the military district directly from the Tang family’s place last night. He called early this morning. He said he’ll be very busy for the next week and probably won’t be able to leave the base. He wants to talk to you. Why don’t you go to the military district and keep your dad company for a couple of days?"

"Okay, I understand."

Gu Shaojun agreed. He took Xiao Man’s hand as they walked out with Zhou Hui Lan, then leaned in and whispered in her ear, "You still have two days of vacation left. How about we go stay at the base for a couple of days? Let’s go today!"

Xiao Man, of course, wanted to be with him, but what if the family elders didn’t approve of her staying overnight somewhere else? She hesitated.

Gu Shaojun said, "Don’t worry, I’ll handle it."

They were still a long way from the dining room when they heard Grandpa Gu and Granny Gu arguing—the playful kind of bickering they indulged in when they were bored. Grandpa Gu’s voice was loud and booming, full of vigor.

"The sun’s high in the sky, and they’re still not out of bed! What kind of behavior is that? The sons of the Gu family absolutely cannot be this lazy! We should have thrown Shaozheng into a military barracks back in the day. Shaolian was in the army for three years; even after getting out, he should maintain the fine traditions of a soldier. How did he become such a lazybones, hmm? It’s simply preposterous!"

"Don’t you know what time Shaozheng and Shaolian got back last night? They were out for work. They’re young, not like you. What’s wrong with them sleeping in a little?" Granny Gu retorted.

"This is all your fault for spoiling them! A doting mother makes for a useless son!"

"Oh, you old coot! How have I ruined them? Fine, I spoil them! So what? Which one of our children or grandchildren has been a failure? Which one hasn’t amounted to anything? You tell me!"

"Hmph! An old coot, am I? If it weren’t for this ’old coot’ keeping things in check, you would have raised this whole house full of children to be crooked!"

"You... you... you..." Granny Gu was so angry she could have stamped her foot.

Gu Qifan and Jiang Yuyan chimed in at the perfect moment. But instead of trying to mediate, they brought up a piece of recent neighborhood gossip. Granny Gu asked a few curious questions and made some comments, and Grandpa Gu chimed in with his agreement. Just like that, the old couple was suddenly of one mind, as if they hadn’t been the ones bickering just a moment ago.

Gu Shaojun and Xiao Man, following Zhou Hui Lan, had reached the covered walkway. Zhou Hui Lan turned back with a smile. "Looks like Grandpa is in a good mood today. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have the spare energy to bicker with your grandma or pay any mind to all this household gossip."

The two exchanged a smile. Since Xiao Man and her brothers had already eaten breakfast at the Tang Mansion, she heard the peals of laughter coming from the living room—knowing Tang Haocheng and Gu Shaoqin were playing with the three little ones—and wanted to go straight over. But Gu Shaojun held her back, refusing to let go. "Hao Hao is rarely home. This is a good chance for him to bond with Little Bo and Xiao Fang. Let’s let them play while we get something to eat."

"But I’m not hungry."

"Then just sit with me."

In truth, Xiao Man didn’t want to be separated from him either, so she readily followed him into the dining room. She had already greeted the elders when she arrived that morning, so now she just called out to them. They were all like one big family, so there was no need for excessive formalities.

Grandpa Gu waved Xiao Man over. "Manman, come, sit with Grandpa."

Granny Gu shot him a look of exasperation. ’This old man is so clueless,’ she thought. ’Our eldest grandson is rarely home, and the young couple can’t get enough of each other. Why does he have to stick his nose in and be a third wheel?’

Grandpa Gu got the message from his wife’s glare and let out an awkward chuckle. "Ah, you two just sit over there. The fish congee is especially fresh today. Hurry and have some while it’s hot!"

Granny Gu said with a warm smile, "Manman has already had breakfast, so she probably doesn’t want to eat much else. I had Aunt Chen specially prepare that sweet lily bulb and lotus seed soup you like. It’ll be a bit hot when it’s brought in, but you two are sitting right by the fan, so you can enjoy it slowly in the breeze. I also had them make a couple of soft pastries. The little ones will surely enjoy a few bites, so we can have the nanny feed them."

Xiao Man said her thanks. Gu Shaojun pulled out a chair for her and they sat down together. Xiao Man then nodded and smiled at Wu Xiangyun, who was eating her breakfast quietly at the table. Wu Xiangyun shot Xiao Man a subtle look. Next to her sat Gu Shaoling. Perhaps intimidated by Grandpa Gu’s authority, Gu Shaoling wasn’t clinging to Granny Gu. Instead, she was pressed right up against Wu Xiangyun, occasionally even placing food on her plate as if the two sisters-in-law were the best of friends. Granny Gu praised her granddaughter a couple of times, and whenever Grandpa Gu’s attention fell on Gu Shaoling, his gaze would also drift to Wu Xiangyun, forcing her to maintain a perfectly ladylike posture until her body was practically rigid.

Xiao Man pretended not to see Gu Shaoling, speaking only to Wu Xiangyun. In any case, Shaoling wasn’t looking at her. Her eyes were fixed on Gu Shaojun, her expression a pouty, frowning mixture of aggrievement and resentment, clearly unhappy that her big brother hadn’t noticed and spoken to her the moment he walked in.

Aunt Chen brought the sweet soup from the kitchen. Since everyone had just finished the fish congee, no one was in the mood for dessert just yet. Zhou Hui Lan told Gu Shaojun to serve a bowl to Xiao Man first. Afraid of scalding his fiancée, Gu Shaojun filled a bowl for her and then began blowing on it to cool it down.

Gu Shaoling’s pout deepened. ’Big Brother can’t even be bothered to acknowledge me, yet he dotes on Tang Manman’s every whim. Why should she get all the attention?’

’She watched as Gu Shaojun slowly stirred the soup with a blue-and-white porcelain spoon. The bowl held only a few plump lotus seeds; the rest was filled with thick, milky-white lily bulbs. That was exactly how she liked it. She hated lotus seeds and only liked the lily bulbs, but Grandma always made her eat a few, saying they helped to "dispel inner heat." She would always have just three or four. When she was little, if the soup was even slightly too hot, her brothers would blow on it to cool it for her. Big Brother and Brother Shaojin were always the most patient. They would even spoon-feed her.’

"Big Brother, Shaoling wants some sweet soup. Hurry up and cool it down for me," Gu Shaoling said, the words slipping out as she was lost in her memories.

All eyes turned to her. Jiang Yuyan said, "Shaoling, you haven’t even finished your congee. And you want dessert already? What a strange craving."

"This fish congee doesn’t taste good. I don’t want it anymore." Gu Shaoling pushed her bowl away.

Granny Gu chided her, "You silly girl. Shaoqin and Hao Hao just brought that dried fish back from the south yesterday. The congee is delicious and fragrant. You’re usually begging for it like a little kitten, so don’t you talk nonsense!"

Zhou Hui Lan said, "We made plenty of the sweet soup, so if you want some, go ahead. It’s fine. There’s only a few bites of congee left anyway. We can give it to the cat."

Grandpa Gu’s face hardened. "Nonsense! She’s not having any sweet soup. Finish the congee first. Let’s see who dares to waste food in this house! I’ll go find a switch and whip her!"

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