novelraw Chapter 473 "The Best at Balancing Things"
Chapter 473 "The Best at Balancing Things"
Chapter 473 "The Best at Balancing Things"
"Should I be nice to the person who wants to take my daughter away?" Gu Chenghuai asked calmly, not feeling that he had gone too far. He was just a little cold and didn't say anything harsh, so his attitude was already very good.
"You are free to react however you like," Lin Zhao shrugged.
As they were talking, Gu Zhili and his newlywed wife came forward to offer a toast.
"Mengmeng, this is your third uncle and third aunt," he introduced to his wife.
Han Meng obediently changed her address, her eyes shining as she looked at the two elders her husband often mentioned.
Gu Zhili then said to Lin Zhao and his wife, "Third Uncle, Third Aunt, this is my wife, Han Meng."
"Mengmeng," Lin Zhao called out to her nephew, praising, "What a beautiful girl."
She took out the gift and handed it to the bride.
"A gift for changing one's address."
Han Meng looked at Gu Zhili, who nodded. She took the gift and said gratefully, "Thank you, Third Aunt."
She felt the packaging box looked familiar; it seemed to be from a famous foreign jewelry brand. A single item was ridiculously expensive, but her aunt seemed to have given her the whole set.
Han Meng couldn't deny that she was very happy.
"Now that you've married Zhili, we're family. There's no need for formalities among family." Lin Zhao waved her hand, as she had plenty of nice things in her hands.
Lin's relatives would give her all sorts of nice things during every New Year and festival.
This is especially true on her birthday every year.
Lin Zhao later learned that it was Lin Heling's order. He felt that his daughter had suffered in the first twenty years of her life, so the whole family had to spoil her and give her all the good things they could to make her happy.
Lin Heling was the youngest son of Lin Fu and his wife Zhang Yun. He was already the only one they loved, and after he was lost for a few years, the old couple felt even more sorry for him. He was of a high generation, and the Lin family regarded his words as gospel.
Over the years, every year on Lin Zhao's birthday, people would shower her with gifts; this had almost become a fixed custom in the Lin family.
What will happen in the future is unclear, but as long as Lin Fu, the pillar of the Lin family, is still alive, no one else dares to disobey him.
Given Lin Fu's current physical condition, living for another ten or twenty years shouldn't be a problem.
Thinking of his grandfather's various health preservation methods, Lin Zhao couldn't help but marvel.
The newlyweds left and went to another table to offer toasts.
Lin Zhao looked at the well-matched figures and smiled slightly.
"It's so good to be young."
Gu Chenghuai paused for a moment, then said, "You're young too."
"I'm over forty, not young anymore." Although she's not young anymore, her parents are still alive and her grandparents are in good health, so Lin Zhao sometimes still feels like a young girl.
She couldn't help but laugh.
"You must be laughing at yourself now," Gu Chenghuai said, amused.
"What do you mean you're not young anymore? You look no different from someone in their twenties." Chief Gu knew that his wife loved beauty and would get upset even if a small pimple appeared on her face. Every time she lamented the passing of time, he would shower her with praise.
Lin Zhao was smug.
She diligently maintains her skincare routine day after day, using the same anti-aging products she won in a raffle – of course she looks young!
After toasting, Gu Zhili returned to the stage, raised her glass, and smiled as she thanked all the guests for coming.
I'll also take this opportunity to promote my brother's hotel.
Gu Zhiheng was taken aback for a moment, then smiled helplessly, "You say I'm obsessed with money, but I think Gu Zhili is the one who's obsessed with money."
Gu Zhiyu glanced at him. "Zhili is helping you with publicity."
"Okay, I won't say anything more."
Jin Lixin burst out laughing.
Gu Zhiheng looked at him, "If you laugh again, your bonus will be deducted."
Assistant Kim immediately suppressed a laugh.
He was still quite pragmatic when it came to the prize money.
Gu Zhiheng was pleased.
Gu Zhiyao sat with her partner, their heads close together, whispering in each other's ears, "Second Brother even threatened to deduct bonuses from people, how despicable."
Ning Xiao squeezed his girlfriend's fingers and lowered his voice, "Keep your voice down, or Zhiheng will hold a grudge against you."
Gu Zhiyao shook her partner's hand and said softly, "I'm not afraid. I have you. You'll protect me, right?"
“That’s for sure,” Ning Xiao said confidently.
“However…” he changed the subject, “I haven’t been officially hired yet, so I can’t be too arrogant, otherwise what if he tries to trip me up?”
Gu Zhiyao smiled, "It's okay, I'm on your side."
"Yeah, I'm on your side too."
Two sticky, childish kids were chattering away beside me.
Gu Zhiyu heard it clearly, and his feelings were so complicated that words could hardly describe them.
How could his brilliant and valiant comrade-in-arms have become like this? It's unbearable to look at.
On stage, Gu Zhili was still speaking.
After introducing and promoting his hotel, he expressed his gratitude.
I thanked my grandparents and parents, and especially thanked my aunt Lin Zhao.
"...My third aunt took me on my first train ride, she invited me to the port city for the first time, she accompanied me to the capital for the first time, I drank coffee for the first time, and ate cake for the first time... Many of my first experiences in life were with my third aunt. I will have the same experiences as Zhiyu and Zhiheng. Today is the day I am about to embark on a new stage in my life. I would like to thank my third uncle and third aunt for their love and care for me."
These words were spoken sincerely, and Gu Zhili's eyes were filled with gratitude.
Lin Zhao and Gu Chenghuai were surprised that he had made this preparation.
"Silly boy, why did you pull this stunt?" Gu Chenghuai said.
"Yeah, what you said really made me feel down." Lin Zhao had mixed feelings.
That dark-skinned, skinny, and honest little guy has grown into a young man with his own little family...
Time flies like a dream.
Gu Zhili continued, "...Mengmeng always says that she feels at ease when she sees me. She thinks my confidence is the most dazzling thing about me. I want to say that my confidence comes from my family, the love of my grandparents, the open-mindedness of my parents, and the silent support of other relatives. My family never demands that I do anything. They only tell me, 'Do what you want to do. How will you know if you can succeed if you don't try? Don't be afraid. If all else fails, you can always come home. There will always be food and a bed for you at home...'"
He paused here, his eyes already moist.
The older Gu Zhili got and the more people she met, the more she realized how lucky she was to be born into the Gu family and have such relatives.
He is grateful at all times.
The applause of the audience was thunderous.
At this moment, everyone could see the groom's true feelings.
Gu Zhiheng clapped his hands so hard that his palms turned red.
"Why is this guy suddenly getting so sentimental? It's making me almost pee my eyes."
Gu Zhiyao's eyes were also red. Upon hearing this, she glared at him and said, "Second brother! You speak so rudely! You just don't want us to eat in peace!"
"Nonsense." Gu Zhiheng muttered to himself as he watched his increasingly unruly sister.
But he didn't say anything more.
At a table not far away, Huang Xiulan couldn't stop her tears from flowing.
Zhao Liuniang patted her shoulder, "Sister-in-law, you shouldn't cry like this on such a joyous occasion. Zhili is so sensible, you should be happy. I really envy you for having such a thoughtful son. These words are so comforting. My few good-for-nothings... well, never mind, just stop dreaming. I'm glad you don't criticize me."
Huang Xiulan wiped away her tears. “Oh dear, I’m suddenly getting sentimental. I’m so sorry. I don’t know why, but seeing Zhili like this reminds me of something from many years ago… Back then, we couldn’t even get enough to eat. We were hungry, and the children were hungry too. If it weren’t for my third sister-in-law always giving Zhili and the others special meals, they wouldn’t have grown so tall and so energetic.”
“It’s only right that Zhili thanks his third aunt.” She looked at Lin Zhao gratefully. “Third sister-in-law, taking young Zhili out to see the world has made him a lot of progress every time he comes back. Third sister-in-law, Zhili is where he is today thanks to you. His father and I should toast you.”
Huang Xiulan picked up her wine glass, insisting on toasting Lin Zhao. "Why are you being so serious?" Lin Zhao chided. "They're all my own children. Zhili, Zhiyu, and Zhiheng are about the same age. The three of them grew up together, so I only take extra care of him. In my heart, I treat Alan and the others the same. They're all my nephews and nieces. How could I possibly favor one over the other?"
"I didn't say that." Huang Xiulan smiled brightly. Her son, whom she had worried about the most, was getting married. Today, she was radiant and full of joy.
"Everyone knows that my third sister-in-law is the best at handling things. Every child in the family speaks highly of her."
Lin Zhao: That doesn't sound like a nice thing to say.
Zhao Liuniang also said, "That's right. My Yuyu always talks about me with my third sister-in-law. She always says, 'If it were my third aunt, she definitely wouldn't say anything to me. Mom, you're just prejudiced against me.'"
That's true.
The children of the Gu family are all close to Lin Zhao. They want to share their happy moments with her and are the most attentive to the third branch of the family during holidays.
This made Huang Xiulan and Zhao Liuniang envious.
Neither of them were jealous, since they both knew that Lin Zhao was good to the children.
"Then Second Sister-in-law, stop nagging Yu Yu and let her happily do what she likes," Lin Zhao advised.
"What does she like?" Zhao Liuniang shook her head. "She likes racing. Can I indulge her? That thing is so dangerous. What would her father and I do if something bad happened to her? No way, don't even think about it."
Lin Zhao understood both sides, and she fell silent, unsure of what to say.
“If this matter cannot be tolerated, then Second Sister-in-law, you should also refrain from saying ‘no’ or ‘forbid’ on other matters that do not endanger her safety, otherwise how will the child become close to you?”
Seeing that Gu Yu was unhappy and had a melancholy look between her brows, unlike the other children, she wanted to persuade Zhao Liuniang not to keep such a close watch on the child.
“Yu Yu is in her mid-twenties, a fully capable adult with all civil capacity. Second sister-in-law, don’t always treat her like a child who doesn’t understand anything. She can walk without your help.”
Zhao Liuniang was stunned.
"...Am I really meddling too much?" she asked uncertainly.
Before Lin Zhao could answer, Huang Xiulan nodded, "There are quite a lot. I noticed that Yu Yu was looking downcast, and I think it's because you're too strict with her."
Seeing Gu Yu's condition, she felt sorry for the child.
My second sister-in-law is a very good mother, that's for sure, but she really interferes too much in her daughter Gu Yu's life.
Yu Yu used to be so lively and lovable, but she's become more and more silent these days.
"Is it annoying?" Zhao Liuniang asked expectantly.
Huang Xiulan rolled her eyes at her. "What do you think? If someone is constantly controlling you, forbidding you from doing this or that, would you be happy?"
“Of course not!” Zhao Liuniang immediately replied.
"You still know that?"
Zhao Liuniang also noticed that her daughter was talking to her less and less, which made her very anxious. Taking advantage of the opportunity to get together, she asked her two sisters-in-law for advice.
"What should I do?" she asked anxiously. "Yu Yu hardly talks to me anymore, I really..."
Nobody's saying anything?
Is it that serious?!
Lin Zhao became serious. "Let Yu Yu move out."
"Move out?" Zhao Liuniang looked reluctant. "Who will cook and do her laundry? What if she, a young woman, gets into danger?"
"Then let her go to the villa to live with her parents. Don't go there every day, just once every two weeks or once a month, give her some freedom," Lin Zhao said.
Huang Xiulan nodded in agreement, "That's a good idea."
She looked at Zhao Liuniang and said, "Second sister-in-law, if you don't want Yuyu to become completely estranged from you, you really have to let go."
She has a good relationship with Alan and her daughter now, isn't it because she listened to her third sister-in-law and didn't interfere too much?
Children are growing up and need their own space.
As elders, we must learn to let go.
Huang Xiulan was glad that she had learned it.
Zhao Liuniang gritted her teeth and said, "Fine."
After the wedding banquet, she immediately told her daughter the news.
Gu Yu's eyes lit up, her gaze earnest, "Really?"
Seeing the expectant smile on her face, Zhao Liuniang smiled bitterly. She was such a failure as a mother. She claimed to love her daughter, but she didn't even understand Yuyu's thoughts.
"Really," Zhao Liuniang said. "From now on, you can do whatever you want, just be careful and don't make your father and me worry."
Gu Yu tentatively asked, "Then... I want to form a band?"
"can."
"I want to buy a motorcycle," Gu Yu continued.
“…Okay.” Zhao Liuniang bit the meat in her mouth. “Drive slowly, and be sure to pay attention to safety.”
Gu Yu's face was full of surprise.
She looked at Huang Xiulan and Lin Zhao in disbelief.
"Aunt, Third Aunt, what did you say to my mother? She seems like a completely different person."
Lin Zhao ruffled her niece's cool, short, granny-gray hair and smiled, "Your mother's love for you has never changed. She's so strict with you because she's worried about you, so don't resent her."
"I don't resent it. I know my mother did it for my own good." Gu Yu hugged Zhao Liuniang, nuzzling her shoulder with her head, acting coquettishly like when she was a child.
She didn't complain, she was just unhappy.
Zhao Liuniang, who hadn't been close to her daughter in a long time, almost burst into tears.
"Alright, that's so cheesy. Get up now, I need to go back and pack your luggage. You're staying here long-term, so you'll need to bring a lot of things."
After only a few seconds of reflection, Zhao Liuniang returned to her usual energetic self.
"I'm with my mom."
Seeing this, Gu Yucheng's worries disappeared, and he followed with light steps.
"I'll go get the car."
The second wife also bought a car, but it wasn't a sedan; it was a delivery vehicle that could carry people without any problem. Gu Yucheng got his driver's license.
After a busy day, everyone said goodbye and went home.
When the Han family returned home, they opened the gift from their new son-in-law and discovered that it was a cell phone that was very popular on TV.
Considering the price of the phone, none of the family dared to touch it.
"Why did they even give us a cell phone? Aren't these things supposed to be hard to buy? How did my son-in-law manage to get one?" Han Meng's mother said with a grin.
She caught a glimpse of her daughter-in-law out of the corner of her eye, and felt a surge of joy.
How could she not know that this person was petty and had spoken ill of Mengmeng? She had tried to teach her, but it was no use. If she weren't her grandson's biological mother, she would have been so angry that she almost made her son divorce her.
The son-in-law displayed his immense wealth, and this woman was thoroughly humiliated. Let's see what she has to say next.
Old Han said, "When Mengmeng returns home after her wedding, let her take the phone back with her."
Han Meng's sister-in-law's expression changed slightly, and she pinched her husband's arm, causing Han Meng's brother to hiss in pain.
"Why are you pinching me? You're eyeing my sister's things again. How can you be so greedy? You bully my sister like that, and you still want her things. How can you have the nerve to do that!"
Han Meng's sister-in-law's face turned pale and then red, and she started making a scene, "Who am I doing this for? I'm doing it all for you, for this family..."
Han Meng's brother interrupted her spellcasting, "Alright, you're all fox spirits, why are you still acting out a ghost story? Do you think I don't know who you are? Stop howling, aren't you ashamed?"
The Han couple didn't try to stop the fight; they took their phones and went back inside.
"Do you think my son-in-law did this on purpose?" Old Han sensed something was wrong and tugged at his wife's arm.
"...No, no way."
Gu Zhili sneezed after entering the bridal chamber, keeping her good deed hidden.
He bullied his wife, and he thought he could let her get away with it?
(End of this chapter)