CHAPTER 762: CHAPTER 762: SUSPICION

Granny Gu was startled, her eyes slightly askance, and seeing Elder Gu with a stern look, she knew he was truly angry. With a quick thought, she immediately softened her tone: "Alright, alright, you are the head of the family. I will listen to you."

After finishing, she turned to Gu Youfu’s family: "Youfu, take your wife and children to wish Lord Lai a happy New Year. But as a younger brother, you must follow your elder brother in everything. He holds an official position, speaks well, and can converse amicably with Lord Lai. Lord Lai is a man of principles; if you, as a younger brother, try to outshine your elder brother, Lord Lai will think you lack propriety, and he will not consider you for any promising prospects in the future."

Gu Rong chuckled coldly upon hearing this. Going to wish Lord Lai a Happy New Year was an attempt to secure future prospects, how could they earn anything without making their presence known?

Gu Youfu was quite pleased, a smile spreading across his face as he quickly nodded and said: "Mother, don’t worry, we will definitely listen to Big Brother. We’ll always be one step behind him and we won’t outshine him so Lord Lai wouldn’t think I lack manners."

Ever since the family became wealthy, Mother rearranged the hierarchy at home, excluding Gu Dashan from the ranking, and made Gu Youwen from second brother to eldest brother, also proclaiming Gu Dashan’s family must have died already, and including him in aging order would bring bad luck to their family.

Gu Chengli was also very pleased, laughing heartily: "Thank you, Granny. Granny is really kind to our family."

With those words, Granny Gu smiled on the surface, but in her heart, she wished she could slaughter Gu Chengli.

"Alright, you may leave now," Granny Gu waved, sending them off.

"Yes, Father and Mother, please rest at home, we will be leaving now," said Gu Youwen, his voice polite as he led his family members away.

Inside the house, Elder Gu still had a cold expression, asking Granny Gu: "Why don’t you like Youfu? Youfu is a simple and honest person. Although Cheng Hua is dead and Cheng Li is disabled, making the prospects of his household not so great, he’s still our son and looks the most like me. If you don’t care for him, is it because you despise me?"

Granny Gu felt alarmed, thinking how this old man used to be so easily fooled back in the old home, but now he’s somehow become perceptive?

She sniffed, wiping tears and choked up: "After I was widowed, quite a few matchmakers came proposing matches. Scholar Xiong from Xiong Family Gully and Manager Gao from Yin Mountain Town both asked for my hand, but I refused them all, thinking only of your help and your kindness towards Jinzhi, deciding to solely dedicate myself to you, waiting for you to marry me as your concubine."

"I was even willing to be your concubine, all because of your kindness towards Jinzhi and me. If you still suspect me despite this, then I have nothing more to say."

After saying this, she began to sob while covering her face.

Upon hearing this, Elder Gu recalled the kindness and the admiration that Granny Gu showed to him in their youth, something he couldn’t find with Mrs. Fei... Seeing Granny Gu crying so miserably and remembering rumors about Mrs. Fei from those years, he finally held Granny Gu’s hand gently and said: "Lady Shuang, don’t cry. I was just speaking thoughtlessly; I did not suspect you."

Though Granny Gu had a face full of wrinkles now, she still had a name that could incite a protective instinct in men—Pan Shuangniang.

Granny Gu quickly forgave Elder Gu, chiding him with a laugh: "Alright, no need to apologize, we’ve been together for so many years, don’t I know your temper? You are just not skilled in sweet talk, but in your heart, you care for me."

This statement made Elder Gu laugh: "Indeed, I’ve always been straightforward, and you have had a hard time these years."

Granny Gu laughed: "What hardship? You are my man, serving you is just right."

In truth, marrying Elder Gu was utterly distressing for her. If there had been any other option back then, she would never have been with Elder Gu. Thinking about this smelly peasant and then recalling her former young master truly felt like a comparison between heaven and earth.

But now is a crucial moment for Youwen and Youlu to secure their future, and she can’t afford to fall out with Elder Gu yet, so she has to continue pampering the old fool.

"Are you hungry? I’ll go make breakfast. Let’s eat first, and perhaps we can have dinner at Lord Lai’s place tonight." Granny Gu got up and went to the small kitchen of the courtyard to cook.

Inside, however, she felt quite uneasy, wondering when Lord Lai would compensate her with servants?

Because of the journey, the servants who used to attend her and the children weren’t brought along but were instead purchased directly, since official Lai said people in He’an Prefecture were cheap, and it was more cost-effective to buy servants after arriving here.

Cost-effective my foot, having a great merit-holder of the Lai Family cook her own meals, no amount of savings could justify that.

Elder Gu felt honored seeing Granny Gu preparing breakfast for him, quite pleased... Although it was the Pan Family who had favors from Lord Lai, now it was their Gu Family reaping the benefits!

...

Inside the main courtyard of the Vice Magistrate’s residence, Zhuang Ying stopped Gu Youwen and his group, whispering to them: "Elder Wen, the lord hasn’t woken up yet. Please, wait for a while."

Lord Lai had stayed up all night taking care of Lai Yan, only falling asleep at dawn after drinking a bowl of cubilose.

Gu Youwen felt somewhat displeased upon hearing this. They too had barely managed to sleep just before dawn last night, and yet they had come early in the morning to extend new year’s greetings, only to be kept waiting.

But Zhuang Ying, Housekeeper Lai, Zhu Wu, and Steward Yue were Lord Lai’s confidants and held significant sway in the Lai Family, so Gu Youwen dared not complain. He could only smile and say, "Then we shall trouble Housekeeper Lai to lead us to the side room to wait."

"Alright." Zhuang Ying responded and personally led them to the right side room. After having the servants serve them some tea and snacks, he left to continue attending to Lord Lai.

Gu Chengzhi was particularly fond of eating; previously starved during his time as a refugee, he now stuffed whatever food he saw into his mouth, regardless of others. He quickly devoured several plates of snacks and then complained, "Why are there only a few plates of snacks? There are so many of us, how is this enough?"

The Maid explained, "Young Master Chengzhi, we’ve just arrived, and the kitchen is still in disarray and hasn’t started the fire. These pastries were bought from a restaurant. There’s not much left in the lord’s courtyard; please make do with these."

The lady’s side and Third Young Master’s side both required an allocation too, so to have a few plates available for them from the Old Gu Family was quite a feat. Don’t be too greedy.

But Gu Chengzhi was just the type to always want more, and upon hearing this, he was ready to burst into tears. At the crucial moment, Ms. Zheng covered his mouth, preventing him from crying out. He could only muffle his displeasure.

Ms. Zheng said to the Maid, "That’s enough, you may leave. Chengzhi is a good boy; he was just speaking his mind."

The Maid smiled meaningfully and left with the other two maids.

Gu Chengzhi was furious, glaring at Ms. Zheng with muffled sounds of protest.

Ms. Zheng quickly soothed him, "Good boy, Brother Zhi, we are here to extend New Year greetings to Lord Lai, you mustn’t cry. Your granny said if you dare to cry, you’ll be punished with no meat for three days. But if you behave, not only will you have meat and sweets every day, but you will also get a generous amount of New Year’s money."