novelraw Chapter 1270: 1269: First Meeting Gifts
Chapter 1270: 1269: First Meeting Gifts
Chapter 1270: Chapter 1269: First Meeting Gifts
The Lady of the Gu Family raised an eyebrow, feeling both amused and helpless.
What’s happened to her mother-in-law? Isn’t this just causing trouble? Who makes an adoption proposal at first sight?
Before she could open her mouth, Yang Zongbao quickly said, “Little Ren is too ashamed to accept! Rescuing others was just a matter of convenience, and my sister has given me much! Not to mention Yongzhu has saved my life too, it’s just Yongzhu and my sister took pity on my solitary existence and recognized me as their brother and uncle.”
“In truth, Little Ren dares not presume, it is just that I have been alone for far too long, unwilling to let go of this affection, so I shamelessly made the bond, how could I have the face to become the Old Madam’s adopted son?”
It turned out to be a refusal.
The Lady of the Gu Family let out a sigh of relief.
If it were any ordinary person, hearing that the Old Lady Gu wanted to adopt them, who would not agree? Everyone knows there are many outside who wish to have connections with the Gu Family.
People even wish to claim that one person working in the Gu Family means the entire family is working there.
Not to mention those relatives who have no real relationship but still use the Gu family’s name.
Now, to see Yang Zongbao resolutely refuse, regardless of the reason, made others look at him with respect.
In order to divert the Old Lady Gu’s intention, she hurriedly changed the subject, “Is this Jinhoo? Poor thing, how did he become so thin?”
Jinhoo, upon entering the room, felt everything was indescribably beautiful and dazzling, with the fragrance filling the air.
Not to mention the atmosphere, even the great uncle was about to kneel and offer respect, which made him extremely nervous, not knowing what to do with his hands and feet.
Suddenly hearing the Lady of the Gu Family question him, his mind blanked, he swallowed hard, and tried hard to recall the etiquette Wang Yongzhu had taught him along the way. Almost matching his hands and feet, he walked up to the mat, and with a thud, kneeled down, making everyone in the room feel like their knees hurt.
“Jinhoo offers greetings to Great Grandma, and respectfully greets Great Aunt.” Then he knocked his head crisply and forcefully several times.
With such a straightforward manner, and the speed of his bow, by the time the Lady of the Gu Family reacted and saw Jinhoo being helped up, his head had already swelled from the kowtowing.
The Old Lady Gu saw Jinhoo’s sincere actions and looked at him with more appreciation, quickly ordering boiled eggs to be brought in to massage him.
Then she asked him to take a seat.
Guests and hosts sat down, serving tea and snacks.
Jinhoo felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles, his bottom barely touching the edge of the chair.
Even with tea and snacks served, he dared not reach out to take them, just sat there, not daring to even lift his head.
The chair looked luxurious; even the cushion on it, Lord knows what it was made of, had exquisitely embroidered patterns that glittered. He feared dirtying it.
The Old Lady Gu saw Jinhoo’s restraint and hesitated to ask more, but she found Yang Zongbao pleasing to the eye, noticing his respectful conduct and eloquent speech, she started to converse with him.
Yang Zongbao answered every question, not hiding anything, except the hardships and grievances suffered then, which he merely mentioned lightly.
Even so, it moved the Old Lady Gu, drawing a few tears.
The Lady of the Gu Family noticed the situation and tried to lighten the mood with a smile, “Yang Brothers, do forgive us. Our old lady is getting on in years, and her heart is growing softer, she cannot bear to hear of others’ suffering, so it might have made our Yang Brothers laugh.”
Yang Zongbao immediately waved his hand, “No, no! The Old Madam’s compassion is admirable, touched by the story of a humble person’s life, I am too moved to be offended!”
The Old Lady Gu shed two tears, becoming even more sympathetic towards Yang Zongbao, repeatedly instructing that the meeting gift be presented.
What was prepared for Yang Zongbao was a box, containing several silver notes and a property deed.
This was something the Old Lady Gu had prepared earlier; a small courtyard, five hundred silver taels, considered as a reward for Yang Zongbao saving a life, they were even planning, if Yang Zongbao proved decent, to pair him with a maid of appropriate age from their side and help him build a family, which would surely be worthy of this life-saving grace.
But after seeing Yang Zongbao in person, the Old Lady Gu felt that this child was deserving of love, looking again at the property deed and silver notes, alongside her earlier intentions, she felt they were insulting to Yang Zongbao.
So she simply waved her hand, telling them to fetch another box.
Inside was a Jade Pendant, which the Old Lady Gu took out and personally handed to Yang Zongbao, “This Jade Pendant was worn by the old master in his youth, it suits you well.”
Such a generous gift, Yang Zongbao couldn’t possibly accept it, he immediately refused, looking towards Old Granny Zhang.
The Lady of the Gu Family was on the verge of madness, thinking that her mother-in-law today truly had whims out of nowhere; regardless of how much she favored Yang Zongbao, surely gifting this Jade Pendant seemed somewhat inappropriate?
But considering there were outsiders present, she couldn’t say anything, only smilingly observing.
Old Granny Zhang didn’t think much of it; she felt close to Yang Zongbao, not treating him as an outsider, naturally feeling the Jade Pendant was no problem, and nodded to signal Yang Zongbao to accept.
Yang Zongbao could only thank and collect the Jade Pendant.
Then came the meeting gift for Jinhoo.
Jinhoo, being still young and unmarried, although it was their first meeting, there was precedent to follow; it was a pouch containing auspicious golden nuggets symbolizing prosperity and peace.
Jinhoo dared not accept it, only looking at Wang Yongzhu.
Upon Wang Yongzhu indicating consent, he kowtowed in thanks, trembling as he accepted the pouch, feeling its heavy weight press into his palms.
The pouch was so full that it stretched its drawstring opening a bit, just one glance showed a dazzling gold, making Jinhoo feel as if the pouch weighed a thousand pounds.
Having given out the meeting gifts, the Lady of the Gu Family naturally couldn’t fall behind, conventionally speaking, young boys like Jinhoo should be given stationery and writing supplies at meetings.
But knowing Jinhoo’s limited background, allegedly literate in a few words and capable of accounting yet no scholar, giving such items would be pointless, so she followed the Old Madam’s example and gave a pouch filled with Silver Ingots, and that was that.
Jinhoo looked at the pouch of gold, then silver, his eyes wide.
All he could think was, am I rich now? How much is this worth? With such money, could I be robbed upon leaving? Where could I hide it safely upon returning? Would it attract thieves?
Old Granny Zhang saw Jinhoo’s lack of composure, unable to resist raising a brow and coughing.
Jinhoo instantly regained alertness, no longer dazzled by the gold and silver, decisively stuffed them toward Wang Yongzhu, “Aunt, please keep it for me!”
Out of sight, out of mind!
Wang Yongzhu, half-amused and half-annoyed, asked Gu Yu to keep them.
Seeing it was still early, with a while before Gu Changqing could return home after court with the youngsters, she thought for a moment and asked Jinhoo to continue the storytelling of the caravan’s journey from yesterday, which he hadn’t finished.
Talking about this, Jinhoo brightened up.
Initially he was somewhat reserved, but as he spoke, he loosened up, vividly using gestures to describe.
Not just the maids and grannies in the room listened intently, even the Old Lady Gu and the Lady of the Gu Family were absorbed.
They were official ladies, maneuvering around the restricted domestic quarters year after year, even though the Capital City was more open, it was just outings, perhaps leisure at a rural estate.
When had they ever heard such strange tales?
Their exclamations followed Jinhoo’s narrative.
Gu Changqing, after finishing court, brought his son, nephews, and son-in-law back home. They arrived outside the Old Lady’s courtyard to hear the occasional exclamations coming from inside.
The maids and grannies serving at the door had long been entranced, sneaking inside to listen to the tales, leaving no one to hold up the curtain.
So it was Gu Changqing who lifted the curtain himself. Upon entering the room, he directly met Yang Zongbao’s gaze, immediately freezing in place.