novelraw Chapter 432 "Being Old-Fashioned Again, Aren't You?"
Chapter 432 "Being Old-Fashioned Again, Aren't You?"
Chapter 432 "Being Old-Fashioned Again, Aren't You?"
Lin Zhao pursed her lips, "Aren't you afraid your parents will think you're heartless?"
"How could that be?" Gu Chenghuai's eyes were calm. "My parents know I'm busy. Besides, we live so far away. Going back would be a real hassle, and I'm not lying about that."
“I didn’t say you were lying, but I felt… you were so calm, I was worried that my parents would have a problem with you,” Lin Zhao said.
"No." Gu Chenghuai shook his head.
He knows his parents; they won't impose their own sense of right and wrong on their children.
They all knew that he had been extremely kind and righteous to Gu Xing'er.
He paid for her tuition. While other girls didn't have living expenses or new clothes, she did.
If Gu Xing'er hadn't targeted Zhao Zhao, bullied his children, and almost ruined his family, he wouldn't have been so cold-hearted towards her.
Ultimately, that incredibly vivid dream from the past influenced Gu Chenghuai.
In my dream.
His beloved girl is gone.
His wife's children, born after a near-death experience, were all lost one after another, all because Gu Xing'er mistakenly killed his Zhao Zhao.
Five lives.
Including his six lives, which are neither dead nor alive.
Their family's fate.
The scariest thing is...
Gu Chenghuai always felt that all of this had happened.
Therefore, he could no longer treat Gu Xing'er as his beloved little sister.
"Okay, I'll listen to you. Anyway, I don't want to go back." Lin Zhao misses her parents now, and it's much more convenient to just take a car to Haicheng than before.
She hasn't been back to her hometown for a long time.
"Mm," Gu Chenghuai replied.
Lin Zhao then asked, "My sister-in-law said the motor factory is building a branch factory. Have you heard about it before? What's the situation?!"
"I know a little." Gu Chenghuai looked at her. "You remember Tian Ruo and Cheng Xiaoxiao, who left the brigade, right?"
"I remember." Lin Zhao had a deep impression of the unlucky little boy and his mother who died because of Lu Baozhen in the original book.
"Comrade Cheng Li, who came to pick them up, gave one of her technologies to the motor factory. Because of that technology, the motor factory decided to build a branch factory," Gu Chenghuai explained.
"Are there any requirements?" Lin Zhao asked.
Gu Chenghuai gave her a very intelligent look, "Yes, the requirement is to give priority to recruiting people from the Harvest Brigade."
Lin Zhao sighed, "This person is quite kind and righteous. It's good that he doesn't want to be self-employed; he can go to the factory and at least have a decent job to support his family. That's good."
Gu Chenghuai nodded. "Yes."
“There are quite a few educated young men in the village, and they’ve all been arrested. My second brother told me that the brigade leader laughed so hard his jaw dislocated, and he had to get acupuncture for several days,” he added.
Lin Zhao couldn't help but laugh out loud.
After laughing, I remembered the bad news I had just heard from my hometown. It wasn't good to laugh so brightly, so I held back my laughter.
Gu Chenghuai was speechless.
……
After Gu Xing'er was buried, Gu's father learned from his grandson that Zhang Aijun had beaten her and that Zhang's family did not treat her like a human being.
The old man was furious. He led his children and grandchildren to the Zhang family's door and beat the Zhang family men black and blue. Several women who had bullied Gu Xing'er were also scratched and beaten badly by Gu's daughter-in-law.
Cries of agony and pleas for help came from the Zhang family.
The neighbor didn't say a word.
It's really because the Zhang family has terrible character. The kids they raise are always doing petty theft. When they see a pretty girl, their eyes are glued to her and they practically drool. They're as pathetic as can be.
If it weren't for the crackdown, countless girls would have been brought to tears.
"Pah! They've finally gotten their comeuppance!" The old lady next door to the Zhang family felt a sense of satisfaction.
Before the area was open to the public, her family managed to buy a few ounces of meat, which they were stewing. While she went inside to get something, the Zhang family boy stole and ate the meat!
She went to confront Old Lady Zhang, but the woman acted like a thug, refusing to admit anything and even demanding evidence!
Good heavens, is she blind? Can't she see how oily her grandson's mouth is?
From then on, the two families fell out and argued every time they met, each hurling insults at the other.
The daughter-in-law of this family also felt good, "Do they really think we don't have a family of our own? Even if Aijun's wife doesn't get along with her family, they'll still get angry if they know their daughter is being bullied. Look, karma has come!"
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law leaned their heads together, straining to look through the crack in the window at their neighbor's house.
The same goes for the other neighbors.
Old Mrs. Zhang plopped down on the stairwell, crying and shouting.
"Bandits! A bunch of bandits! I need to report this to the police..."
Nobody paid any attention.
Gu's mother scratched Zhang Aijun's shrewish mother's face with her claws, staring at her with murderous eyes.
A verbal warning:
"My daughter is gone. From now on, the Gu family has nothing to do with you! If you dare to use our family's name to deceive people again, you'll regret it!"
After speaking, he called to the others and then left.
As for the child Gu Xing'er gave birth to, they didn't bring it.
The Gu family elders understood perfectly.
They're getting old, and if they take the child back, the eldest and second sons' wives will have to take care of him. Whether they're too strict or too lenient, it'll all cause problems.
The daughter-in-law and Xing'er have a grudge, and even if she takes care of her child, there will inevitably be resentment. It would be better to let them stay in the Zhang family.
After all, they are of the Zhang family bloodline, and their biological father is still alive, so having enough to eat and wear is not a problem.
After that, the eldest and second eldest sons would visit once every six months, and it is believed that the Zhang family would not dare to go too far again.
The elderly couple were thinking this, unaware that the children had developed resentment towards them.
If you're so rich, why don't you take them back and let them live a good life!
Mom was right, there's no good person in the Gu family.
When they grow up and become successful, they will never let the Gu family take advantage of them, and they will avenge their mother.
Gu Yucheng turned around and saw the resentment in his nephews' eyes, and his heart sank.
Oh.
Gu Xing'er, who has grievances against her family, can raise a child with sound values... You're really overthinking it!
He needs to find a way to keep his parents away from these people, so they won't be taken advantage of.
Gu Yucheng was making plans in his mind.
The opportunity came quickly.
The news that Qianbao would be going home for the Chinese New Year reached his family.
Feeling sorry for her grandson, Gu's mother said to Gu's father, "Qianbao is young and it's not easy for him to come back. Why don't we go to the capital to find the third son?"
“The third brother’s family bought a house, and we haven’t been there yet. We don’t even know which way the door opens. What do you think? You’ve been wanting to see the flag-raising ceremony, haven’t you? I’ll go with you.”
The sudden death of Gu Xing'er caused the Gu family's elderly couple the most pain.
They used to say they would pretend they didn't have a daughter, which was a harsh statement. But after the child was gone, a corner of the parents' hearts was empty, and the thought of her caused them pain.
Gu's mother made this suggestion in order to distract the old man.
Before Gu's father could speak, Gu Yucheng's eyes lit up and he said, "Let's go watch the flag-raising ceremony! Isn't it Dad's favorite thing to watch the flag-raising ceremony? Let's go, my older brother and I are at home."
Gu Yuanshan added, "Yes, the third brother's family doesn't need to waste time on the road. Dad and Mom can stay with them for a few more days."
Mr. Gu was deeply moved.
Seeing his wife's red and swollen eyes, he gritted his teeth and said, "Let's go! Let's go to the capital."
After making the decision, Gu Yucheng was afraid that the elderly couple would change their minds, so he immediately called his third brother.
After receiving the news, Gu Chenghuai asked a police officer to help him book tickets. He then told Lin Zhao about it when he got home.
“If you ask me, Mom and Dad shouldn’t go back to their hometown. They should stay in the capital. If they feel uncomfortable living with their daughter-in-law, they can move to a small villa in Haicheng. Big cities have better medical care and are more convenient. Mom and Dad are so old, they should enjoy their retirement,” Lin Zhao said.
Gu Chenghuai looked helpless. "For my parents, it's hard to leave their homeland, so it's not surprising that they don't want to settle in Haicheng."
He wanted to, but he lacked the confidence to persuade his parents.
“You’ll get used to it after a while,” Lin Zhao said. “You’ll definitely feel uncomfortable at first, but once you start to find it interesting, even if you ask your parents to go back, they might not be happy to.”
"What's so interesting about it?" Gu Chenghuai asked.
He was a rigid person with a dull life. After coming to the Capital Military Region, he was busy with affairs and spent most of his time in the military region. It had been a long time since he had gone out to see the world with Lin Zhao.
Lin Zhao was different from him; she was willing to try anything new.
"Arcades, disco dancing in dance halls, watching plays... strolling around the square are all fun!"
"Why did your second son go to Haicheng? It's because Haicheng is so much more fun! Believe it or not, Hengbao and Libao had a blast."
How could Gu Chenghuai not believe it? His second son was like that, curious about everything, just like his mother, and willing to try anything.
He thought about it and came up with an idea.
I took a moment to call my son and give Gu Zhiheng a task.
Hengbao, who was having a great time, was left wondering: "??"
Li Bao also exclaimed: "!!!"
"What should we do?" the latter asked.
Gu Zhiheng rubbed his temples. "Just try your best," he said, shrugging his shoulders.
"If Grandpa and Grandma really don't want to stay, there's nothing we can do but try our best."
This is the first time my parents have asked me to do something, so I'll try my best to get it done, otherwise it will seem like I'm a useless son.
Gu Zhili scratched his head. "Grandpa and Grandma don't like playing video games or dancing... They only like farming. Shall we clear out all the land in our little house and let them farm?"
Gu Zhiheng's expression stiffened, and he told him to take a break.
"Don't give me any ideas, I'll think of something."
Gu Zhili breathed a sigh of relief.
In order to keep Gu's parents in Haicheng, Gu Zhiheng wrote a plan that was several pages long. He even mobilized his maternal grandparents, using all sorts of methods, including provocation and bribery.
The elderly couple from the Gu family are unaware of this yet.
Even though there were pitfalls waiting for them in Haicheng, and they had already bought the tickets, the couple still embarked on their journey.
After the reopening, travel policies were gradually relaxed, and there were always many people on the buses.
Gu's father was literate and bold, and was not afraid to travel far. He would take his wife with him and leave, and Gu Yuanshan would refuse to see him off.
The elderly couple first went to Haicheng to familiarize themselves with the area.
Upon seeing the Western-style house, Gu's mother was speechless with astonishment.
"This yard is so big, is it really ours?!" she asked, her tongue slurring.
Mr. Gu was also startled. He hadn't expected it to be so big. He thought his son was exaggerating, but it really was.
This isn't a small villa, it's a grand villa!
"Yes," Gu Zhiheng replied, leading his grandparents into their room.
"Grandpa, Grandma, this is your room. It's on the first floor, so you don't have to climb stairs. The view is also good. The room has everything you need, so you shouldn't lack anything. If you need anything, just tell me, and Zhili and I will go and buy it. We know Haicheng very well; we can find the place with our eyes closed."
"So amazing!" Gu's mother praised her grandson without thinking. "You two were having too much fun, weren't you?"
Before Gu Zhiheng could answer, Gu's mother took out a handkerchief containing money and was about to give it to her grandson.
"Is your allowance enough? If not, I'll give you some milk. I haven't spent the money you gave me last time, or the retirement money your dad gave me. I'm saving it all for you."
Gu Zhiheng glanced at the passbook; the amount on it was quite substantial, over six thousand.
"You've saved up so much!" he exclaimed in surprise.
He can earn money and spend it, and he can't understand why the older generation can only save and never spend.
“There’s plenty of food in the countryside, and there’s not much to spend money on,” said Gu’s mother.
How can it be?
Gu Zhiheng didn't believe it.
He believed even more that his grandmother was reluctant to spend money.
Gu Zhiheng pushed the passbook back, "I don't want it. I can earn money. I can spend the money for Grandma myself."
“Yes, my third aunt said that knowing how to spend money is a skill,” Gu Zhili added.
Gu's mother couldn't help but laugh.
"Anyone can spend money, what kind of skill is that?"
Gu Zhiheng then countered his grandmother's statement, "Grandma never spends money."
Gu's mother remained silent.
awkward.
Gu's father spoke up for his wife, "Our place is small, and there are few places to spend money. Let's see if your grandmother will be able to afford it after we come to Haicheng."
This answer can be considered falling into the trap set by Gu Zhiheng.
"Grandma, kids your age in Haicheng are all going to disco. Do you want to go check it out?"
Gu's mother was stunned. "What? What's that?"
“Disco, it’s interesting,” Gu Zhiheng said. “It’s hard to explain in words, you’ll see when you come with me.”
He opened the cabinet and took out the clothes he had bought for his grandparents.
"Put on this outfit."
When the elderly Gu couple saw the clothes, they noticed they were very colorful and waved their hands repeatedly.
"These clothes... never mind, we're so old, if we dress like this we'll be laughed at, like old hags," Mr. Gu refused.
Gu Zhiheng said sternly, "You're being old-fashioned again. You said you'd listen to me on the way here!"
Ignoring his grandfather's objections, he looked at Gu's mother and said, "Grandma, my maternal grandparents often go there. They each wear a pair of sunglasses; they're so fashionable."
Upon hearing that her in-laws not only accepted the offer well but were also going, Gu's mother, not wanting to appear timid, said, "Let's go!"
This trip is going to be terrible.
The peaceful life is gone forever. Today it's disco, tomorrow it's a play, the day after tomorrow it's clothing stores, and the day after that it's night market...
Life is colorful, and my clothes and style are becoming more fashionable, making me look ten years younger.
At first, Gu's father was reluctant, but seeing his daughter-in-law getting younger and younger, he couldn't sit still any longer. He actively integrated into and enjoyed life, and then became obsessed with raising birds. After buying a beautiful parrot, he couldn't stop from doing so.
When Old Qiao had free time, he would visit his old friend, and the last bit of regret in Gu's father's heart disappeared.
During the Spring Festival, Gu Yuanshan, who had brought his wife and children to Haicheng to celebrate with his parents, asked them when they would return to their hometown.
The elderly couple felt a great deal of reluctance, only then realizing that they had long been accustomed to the pace of life in Haicheng and hadn't thought about going back after several months.
Gu Yucheng said, "Why go back! Parents might as well stay here and retire. Staying here makes them feel younger. The children all work in big cities, so it's convenient for them to come over during holidays when they miss their grandparents."
He and Gu Yuanshan were reselling vegetables, eggs, and meat. They started locally and over the years, their business expanded to the provincial capital, and the market in Haicheng was growing.
With Changfeng Daily Chemical Factory as their foundation, their starting point was higher than others, making it relatively easy for them to succeed.
People naturally strive for better opportunities; they wanted to settle down in Haicheng.
Gu Chenghuai also said, "I agree with Second Brother's suggestion. Yaobao always says she misses her grandparents. If Mom and Dad were in Haicheng, they could see you more often."
In the hearts of the elderly, their grandchildren are always the most precious. Using their most charming and affectionate little darling as a raft is sure to be useful.
(End of this chapter)