novelraw Chapter 187 Second-rate? What rate are you?
Chapter 187 Second-rate? What rate are you?
Chapter 187 Second-rate? What rate are you?
The grandfather and grandson worked quickly, and in less than half an hour, they had finished making all thirty pancakes.
Third Uncle found some oil paper and first wrapped ten fried dough cakes and six eggs for Gu Tang in case she got hungry on the way.
Then he wrapped two more fried dough sticks and an egg, which were for the driver, hoping he would take good care of Gu Tang on the journey.
As for Grandpa Gu and Gu Liansheng, the Third Uncle hesitated for a moment, but still took out four fried dough sticks and two eggs and put them aside, hoping that they would be "indebted to him for his kindness" and not have any bad intentions on the way.
Gu Ping'an originally disagreed with giving the money to the father and son, but his third uncle said that since the driver had already been given money, it would be a loss if the father and son took their anger out on Gu Tang on the way.
"It's better to offend a gentleman than a petty person. It's just four fried pancakes and two eggs. If it can keep them in line, then we'll give them to them. Your second sister's safety is the most important thing."
Hearing this, Gu Ping'an said nothing more, but secretly replaced the eggs with the smallest ones.
We agreed to depart at the beginning of Chenshi (7-9 AM), so we need to get up and get everything ready before then.
Last night, Gu Tang was afraid she wouldn't be able to get up, so she specifically checked the sign-in board and found it.
I found an alarm clock function and set it to 6 o'clock to avoid oversleeping.
At six o'clock sharp, the alarm clock rang on time, the system panel popped up automatically, and the whole interface was shaking, making a buzzing sound as if hundreds of millions of mosquitoes had entered the room!
Startled, Gu Tang immediately sat up and saw the system panel acting strangely. She was so frightened that she quickly turned off the "alarm clock" function.
This is too scary!
I lay back in bed to calm myself down, lingered in bed for a while, and then got up to get dressed.
As I came out of the house, I saw white steam rising continuously from the kitchen, which meant someone was cooking.
Gu Tang jogged over and saw her third uncle and Gu Ping'an eating in the kitchen. She was surprised.
"Sir, why are you and Ping An eating so early today?"
“You’re going to Beian City today, how can I not trust you? That’s why I got up early to cook you rice and even packed an extra portion for you to eat on the way.”
Third Uncle put down his chopsticks and handed her the packaged pancakes and eggs, and then served her a bowl of porridge.
"You can't bring the porridge, so just eat it at home. You can take the fried dough and eggs with you."
Gu Tang happily accepted it, weighed it in her hand, and felt it was too much: "Sir, how much did you pack for me? It's so heavy! I can't eat too much."
"It's cold, so you need to eat more to stay warm."
Gu Tang paused for a moment, then said, "Alright, this is the old man's kind gesture, it wouldn't be good to refuse."
"Then so be it. It's fine to sit on the oxcart anyway. I'll eat slowly."
Just treat it as a snack.
"That's right! It's a blessing for a girl to be able to eat. Don't be like those girls outside who are all about being petite and thin. A girl who is plump and round is a sign of good fortune!"
In Uncle San's opinion, a plump girl is a symbol of good health.
Gu Tang completely agreed with this. In her previous life, she was round and fleshy, which is why she had plenty of energy and blood, and could overpower those girls who were not very heavy when fighting or arguing.
And those skinny male colleagues were the same; they were all her defeated opponents!
Gu Tang's goal in this life remains to be plump and round, and preferably taller than her predecessor. If she could grow to 1.7 meters, that would be fantastic! Her weight can be controlled at 130 jin (65 kg).
He's got muscle, so he'll have more strength when he beats someone up!
After finishing the large bowl of rice porridge that his third uncle had served, Gu Tang went and got another bowl for himself, which he quickly finished as well. Finally, he stuffed two eggs into his stomach.
To gain weight, you need to eat a lot. Of course, that's not enough; you also need to exercise so that the weight you gain can be converted into strength.
After finishing his meal, Gu Tang put the fried dough and eggs that his third uncle had packed into the bundle he had prepared the day before. Then he carried the bundle on his back and went to the main room to wait for Old Master Gu and Gu Liansheng.
They waited for almost half an hour.
Gu Tang impatiently summoned the system panel. It was already eight o'clock. Had the father and son overslept?!
If she doesn't come soon, she'll refuse to go at all!
The idea had barely formed when a commotion came from outside the courtyard, and soon the half-closed gate was pushed open.
"Siya! Siya! Why is there no sound? Could she have frozen to death?!"
Gu Liansheng shouted impatiently as he walked into the courtyard.
Gu Tang, her face dark, lifted the curtain and came out, angrily snapping, "What are you yelling about so early in the morning! If you can't speak properly, then shut up!"
Gu Liansheng's face turned ashen, and he was about to retort.
Just then, Old Master Gu, who was a few steps behind him, quickly chimed in, "Eldest son, why are you arguing with your niece? She's a junior and doesn't know any better. As an elder, you should be more accommodating. How can you argue with your niece like that!"
At this moment, Third Uncle also came out of the house, carrying two packages of fried dough cakes and eggs. He overheard everything and his expression turned rather unpleasant.
Gu Tang suddenly laughed and said to her third uncle as if no one else was around, "You see, what I said yesterday was right, wasn't it? As long as there are outsiders around, no matter how much someone hates me in their heart, they have to pretend to be a decent person in front of these outsiders."
Upon hearing this, Old Master Gu's expression changed, and he glared at Gu Tang with great hostility.
Gu Tang, unfazed, returned the same look.
Third Uncle patted her arm, signaling her to restrain herself, and stood in front of her, returning Old Master Gu's words to her.
"Second brother is right. The younger generation is indeed ignorant. They don't even know how to knock before entering, just pushing the door open as if they were walking into their own yard. This person didn't even greet me, an elder. Where did all those years of schooling go? Fortunately, I am a tolerant elder, so I won't hold it against him."
These words turned the father and son pale, and they glared at each other angrily.
But what the man said was not wrong. Gu Liansheng was indeed a junior to the Third Uncle, and Gu Liansheng did not knock on the door or greet the person after seeing them.
After giving the father and son a piece of his mind, the third uncle ignored them and led Gu Tang outside. They saw an oxcart outside the courtyard, driven by Li Shunzi.
"Uncle Cheng!" Li Shunzi called out to his third uncle with a grin, looking quite honest.
However, his third uncle did not like him very much, especially after the last time he took Gu Lai'an to the Zhu family, he got drunk on his own.
This shows that this person lacks discretion in their actions and conduct, and is not someone who can be trusted. But it's no use disliking them now.
The third uncle, his expression unchanged, handed over a packet of fried dough cakes and eggs: "You're an experienced driver, so I'm at ease with you around. It's just that your niece is young and has no one to look after her, so I'm a little worried about her on the road. For my sake, please help take good care of her..."
The oil paper wasn't wrapped very tightly, and the aroma of the fried dough cakes could be faintly smelled out, making Li Shunzi's mouth water.
Seeing a rare opportunity to make money, he didn't even bother with polite words, taking the food without hesitation and uttering something that could choke someone to death.
"Uncle, don't worry! This isn't an outsider. I will definitely deliver my niece to Bei'an City safely and bring her back safely. You can rest assured. Besides, Uncle Jin (Old Master Gu Wanjin) and Brother Liansheng are here. My niece is perfectly safe!"
The warmth on Third Uncle's face froze instantly.
Was this intentional? Or was he just genuinely stupid?
The whole village knew that Lian Shan's branch of the family was not accepted by the Gu family, and the girls and boys in the family suffered a lot, especially after the adoption, the father and son who came after the adoption treated Lian Shan's family even more coldly.
The main reason he said that was because he was worried about the father and son, fearing they might harm Gu Tang on the way.
Good grief, you accepted the benefits, and now you're spouting this nonsense. It makes one wonder if you did this on purpose!
Third Uncle twitched the corner of his mouth and simply told him directly: "Because of the adoption, your Uncle Jin has been angry with your Lian Shan brother, and even the girls and boys in his house have been implicated."
Uncle, I'm not afraid of anything else, but I'm worried that your Uncle Jin might make things difficult for your niece on the road or in Beian City. If your Uncle Jin really does that, please help persuade him and protect your niece from being wronged.
Before Li Shunzi could speak, Old Master Gu, who had come out of the courtyard, immediately cried out in a sad voice.
"Third brother, Siya is my own granddaughter! Although she came under your name along with her father, the blood flowing in her veins is still mine! No matter how angry I am, I will never make things difficult for my own granddaughter outside!"
Third Uncle calmly retorted: "Lianshan is still your own son. You schemed to make him leave with nothing and separate from the family, yet you still wanted him to continue to pay for your and the eldest son's family. In the end, you forced him to have no choice but to come up with the idea of adoption."
"You're so ruthless to your own sons, how could you possibly treat a granddaughter from another generation, a granddaughter you've always disliked and who you beat and abuse every day, without taking advantage of her? Nonsense! You can be so cruel to your own sons, let alone a granddaughter!"
These words put Old Master Gu in an awkward position, and he could no longer pretend to be sad. He glared at his third uncle with a gloomy look in his eyes.
Li Shunzi, sitting on the oxcart, looked as if he had finally remembered the discord between Gu Lianshan's family and Old Master Gu, and hurriedly tried to smooth things over with a smile.
“We’re all family, bound by blood ties, why be so serious? Uncle Cheng, I know what you’re worried about. Don’t worry, with me here, my niece will definitely go and come back safely! Nothing will happen!”
That sounds like something a human would say.
Third Uncle's expression softened.
Grandpa Gu was unhappy, but because he was proud, he couldn't make a scene, so he could only swallow his anger and get on the oxcart without saying a word.
Gu Liansheng followed closely behind and boarded the oxcart together, with the father and son taking the best seats.
Third Uncle frowned as he watched.
At this moment, Gu Ping'an came over carrying a thin quilt and handed it to Gu Tang, saying it was for her to keep warm.
Grandpa Gu and Gu Liansheng also brought bedding and occupied good spots, leaving only the back of the car as the remaining space.
This is not a good spot. Gu Ping'an wanted to ask the father and son to make room for him, but Gu Tang stopped him.
"It's just at the back of the car. I'd love to have someone blocking the wind in front!" Gu Tang nimbly climbed into the car, wrapped the bedding around himself, and ignored the glares that the father and son were giving him.
Seeing that everyone was on the cart, Li Shunzi dared not delay any longer, fearing that they would start arguing again. He quickly cracked his whip and drove the oxcart eastward.
Third Uncle and Gu Ping'an followed a few steps, their eyes fixed on Gu Tang with concern. Gu Tang even waved to them.
Once the oxcart was out of sight and only a blurry black dot remained, the grandfather and grandson walked home with worried expressions.
Only then did the third uncle realize that he had forgotten to hand the wrapped fried dough and eggs to Old Master Gu!
The grandfather and grandson looked at each other, their worries growing stronger!
……
On the oxcart that had already gone far away, Grandpa Gu was still unaware of the fried dough and eggs. Li Shunzi had just taken the things and put them directly into his pocket, so Grandpa Gu neither saw them nor smelled them.
Li Shunzi was craving the fried dough in his arms, but the cold wind on the road made it inconvenient to take it out to eat. He could only drive the oxcart faster, hoping to reach Beian City as soon as possible.
As the oxcart sped up, Gu Tang, sitting at the back, suffered terribly from the bumpy ride.
But she remained silent, equally hoping to reach Beian City as soon as possible.
Neither Grandpa Gu nor Gu Liansheng spoke in the car. The father and son were huddled under the covers, probably too cold to talk.
They thought they would arrive in Bei'an City in silence, but just as the oxcart turned onto the official road, Old Master Gu suddenly started talking to Li Shunzi.
"I'm sorry to have made you laugh today. There are many people and many things to deal with in the family, and your uncle here doesn't have any great abilities. Just by gritting my teeth and supporting your brother Lian Sheng's education, I've already emptied the family's savings. I never expected that it would make the second son's family hate me!"
“Brother Lianshan is stuck in a rut and doesn’t understand your intention for the time being. Don’t be sad. Just talk to someone about it later and clear things up.”
"If only my second son were as sensible as you. You see, he himself has no talent for studying, and neither does his son. I can only support my eldest son and his father. Once they pass the imperial examinations and become officials, he, as the elder brother, will have no shortage of money, wealth, and honor. But I just can't understand him!"
Hearing this, Gu Tang was displeased and directly exposed the old man's lie: "Ping An is going to Changshan Academy to audit classes next spring. Is this what you mean by not having a talent for studying? Your precious son does have a talent for studying. Do you think Changshan Academy will accept him if he goes to audit classes?"
The atmosphere changed instantly after those words were spoken.
Gu Liansheng was furious and turned around to scold, "A third-rate auditor, and you even paid your way in! What are you showing off for! Anyone who didn't know better would think that brat had actually gotten into Changshan Academy!"
“Every year in Bei’an City, countless people try to bribe their way into attending classes, but those who actually manage to get that status can be counted on one hand. If that’s considered second-rate, then what about you? You’ve been studying for decades, taking the imperial examinations every year, and failing every year. What class do you belong to?”
"You despicable brat!" Gu Liansheng lost his mind from the shock and reached out to push Gu Tang, trying to push her off the car.
"Boss!" Old Master Gu stopped him and reprimanded him sternly.
Having been stopped, Gu Liansheng barely regained his senses and knew that with outsiders present, he could not make a move against Gu Tang.