novelraw Chapter 566: Uncle Comes to Visit
Chapter 566: Uncle Comes to Visit
"Ni Zi, can we talk?"
Although Gong Ruini has been in a state of coma for the past few days, which means she shouldn’t be worried about sleep, she somehow feels uncomfortable, perhaps from sleeping too much.
Cai Meina, knowing she doesn’t feel well, urged her to rest and forbade her from reading, which made Gong Ruini rather frustrated.
Her parents believe that since the pressure is already high, there is no need to keep reading and adding more stress.
Just as Gong Ruini was thinking about whether to continue resting, Cai Ming called her.
Gong Ruini was shocked. Ever since she and Zhao Xuran analyzed that Cai Ming might have overheard their previous conversation, she doesn’t know how to face her uncle.
"Uncle, what do we need to talk about?" Gong Ruini wanted to apologize first to her uncle but held back after thinking it over. If she just apologized like that, and it turned out he hadn’t overheard, she’d feel foolish.
"Let’s talk about what you discussed with Xuran that day." Cai Ming had considered how to chat with Gong Ruini, but seeing her expression change, he realized she might have guessed something.
Since Gong Ruini had already considered this, Cai Ming decided not to beat around the bush with her.
He wouldn’t mind going in circles with someone else, but facing Gong Ruini, he chose to be straightforward.
Ah, no way, he really did overhear. But why didn’t he tell Cai Meina and instead told her? That’s just like him, so earnest. Yet, Cai Meina is a patient too, not just a pregnant woman; hasn’t anyone noticed how much she’s deteriorated? "Uncle, I’m really sorry."
No matter what, it was wrong of them to do that. "I shouldn’t have talked to Xuran without your consent."
Did she discuss it with Xuran? Cai Ming noticed his nephew looking at him with a bit of avoidance, and given Gong Ruini and her brother’s relationship, it’s likely she’d inform him too.
"Well, when I talked to my brother, Guangran and the others overheard." Seeing her uncle’s enigmatic expression, she felt like kneeling in apology.
It’s not that Gong Ruini wanted to be honest, but Cai Ming’s expression left her with no choice but to tell the truth.
Sigh, she considers herself foolish, knowing this was her uncle’s private matter, something embarrassing, yet she spoke out. Gong Ruini really felt like slapping herself.
"Uncle, I apologize. I really didn’t mean to let Zhao Guangran know." Besides continuously apologizing, Gong Ruini really didn’t know what else to do.
Oh dear, the whole family probably knows by now. Although Cai Ming felt rather embarrassed for a moment, he was also somewhat relieved, thinking at least he wouldn’t have to explain later.
"Uncle is kind of useless, not even knowing she got married."
Useless? "How could you be useless, Uncle? You just didn’t expect it."
No one really expected it. Many thought that after struggling through tough times, they were finally about to see the dawn, how could one just give up?
"Let it be, she has helped me a lot. Even if we were just regular classmates, knowing she was preparing for college, we would share our review materials with her, too."
"And Ni Zi, don’t worry too much. Uncle really apologizes." Cai Ming had just looked for Zhuge Zhi to ask about Gong Ruini’s health condition.
If it were just a common illness, it wouldn’t have caused her to lose so much weight in such a short span. But it turned out Gong Ruini became so gaunt in just a few days, suggesting the illness was quite serious.
Cai Ming didn’t believe that any so-called bet would bring Gong Ruini down; in the end, it still related to his matter, which made Cai Ming feel all kinds of embarrassment.
Apologize? "This has nothing to do with you, Uncle." Gong Ruini didn’t want Cai Ming to bear too much, as it really wasn’t much related to him.
"I’ve just thought a lot." She hesitated before telling Cai Ming about Zhuge Mingshan’s matter.
Although Zhuge Zhi’s words made Gong Ruini feel a bit alarmist, being a famous doctor, there was no need for him to hide anything, so Gong Ruini analyzed the encounters and people involved, hoping to find a different way to resolve the issue.
No way, Cai Ming was stunned. Though he hadn’t met Zhuge Mingshan, last time when his sister returned home huffing about Zhuge Mingshan’s remarks, Cai Ming thought it was unlikely that such a young child could do all those things. Yet his sister had no reason to lie.
Unexpectedly hearing her name again this week made him realize how terrifying she was. "Although I know she’s done bad things before, she is still just a child."
Some children, due to poor parental guidance, might indeed do extreme things, but Cai Ming thought with Zhuge family’s upbringing, it shouldn’t be this malicious.
A child, yes, in age, she is a child, but the environment she was exposed to was not. "Uncle, don’t you remember the Red Guards from years ago?"
"Many of them were just children, but look at the things they did." Sigh, the fierce nature of it all, those impressions of the Red Guards Gong Ruini encountered a few times have lingered to this day.
If it were anyone else, Cai Ming would argue, but mention the Red Guards, and he had no words, remembering the crazed scenes from those years that many still recall. "Sigh, indeed, they were quite wild, if she’s really like that, you must distance yourself."
Of course, Gong Ruini didn’t want to confront Zhuge Mingshan, this local girl full of schemes, just a child. Imagining her growing up further, who knows what terrifying existence she might become.
"As far as she’s concerned, I doubt she truly likes Xuran. After all, in many eyes, Xuran is just a boarder. Even though Brother Zhao Gang is a college student, being from Zhuge family, she would have high expectations." Kids from such big families usually have a very high criteria, right?
Offsprings of the Zhuge family, that depends on which descendant we’re talking about. If it’s someone like Zhuge Ming or Zhuge Zhi’s descendants, they have both connections and wealth. Other so-called Zhuge descendants only have the semblance of status.
"I know you’re not convinced, but they are at least Uncle Zhuge’s descendants. Some things can be judged or dissatisfied with, but we as outsiders shouldn’t get involved." After all, family is family; despite any dissatisfaction, they are still Zhuge Zhi’s brother’s progeny.
Does Zhuge Zhi really care about these things? Gong Ruini’s observations over the days led her to believe the likelihood was low, but seeing her uncle’s serious demeanor, fine, she’d listen, anyway, there wasn’t much to lose.
Refraining from gossip is indeed what a lady should do.
"As for Yan Nan and me, Ni Zi, you should talk to your brother. I’m worried he might have thoughts." This time with Ni Zi being sick, that kid probably already harbors various grievances against him.
Cai Ming felt genuinely apologetic and hadn’t expected things to escalate to such a point.