Chapter 613 - 615: How Could You Forget This?

Chapter 613: Chapter 615: How Could You Forget This?

Li Cuicui walked over and stood by the kang bed. With a single motion, she moved the small table to the corner.

"What suffering could he be enduring? He has food, drink, and people to wait on him. It takes lifetimes of good karma to earn such a comfortable life. He’s thrilled deep down."

Gu Dashishi gritted his teeth and turned his head away. ’This old hag is getting more outrageous by the day. I’m stuck lying on this bed, yet she still dolls herself up so gaudily all day long. Doesn’t she find all that gold jewelry on her head pulling at her scalp?’

Li Cuicui deliberately swayed in front of him a few times. "It’s perfect timing. Your grandson is back, and you’re bored lying on this bed all day. Let him tell you about the splendors of Shangjing. It’ll save you from always thinking I’m exaggerating."

As she spoke, she glanced at his legs with pity. "You’ll probably never make it there in this lifetime. It’s good enough just to hear about it. You can imagine it when you sleep. Who knows, maybe you’ll see it in your dreams."

"You..." He was about to let loose a string of curses, but he truly didn’t want to endure those unpalatable meals again, so he just turned his head away.

Gu Lehuan noticed that the two pretty maidservants who had been standing by Li Cuicui’s side now brought him a cup of tea and stood beside the kang bed.

He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but he saw his grandfather’s eyes were now squeezed shut.

"If you’re not tired, stay and chat with your grandfather for a while. He’s cooped up in this room all day and must be terribly bored." With that, Li Cuicui started to walk out. "You just got back today, so your parents must be eager to have you. This old woman won’t keep you for dinner."

Gu Dashishi’s face contorted. ’As if I couldn’t tell. She put so much emphasis on the word ’dinner.’ It was a warning.’

"There’s nothing to talk about here. You should go!" Gu Dashishi said in a hoarse voice. "But let me give you a piece of advice: don’t trust your grandmother too much. That woman is ruthless."

Gu Lehuan said, "...My father is still outside chatting with my uncles. I’ll keep you company here.

You must have misunderstood. Look how well Grandmother has arranged everything here.

Even though you can’t walk, you still have my father and his brothers, plus us grandsons. We definitely won’t let you suffer.

Grandmother said you like hearing about Shangjing. Why don’t I tell you about it?"

Gu Dashishi said, "...Well then, is your Seventh Uncle’s courtyard in the Capital big?"

"It’s big, but it feels a little empty. With no master living in it right now, it feels like something’s missing." As Gu Lehuan spoke, he glanced at his grandfather’s legs with pity. "The Capital City is much more prosperous than our town. What aspect are you interested in? I can tell you all about it..."

Outside the courtyard gate, Gu Yuanjin and the others had been straining their ears to hear what was going on inside. When Li Cuicui appeared at the door, they quickly sat up straight.

"You lot don’t need to stand guard here. Your father wants to hear about the glamorous life in Shangjing, so let Le Huan keep him company for a bit.

You all know your father isn’t in good health right now, so we won’t be having a big family gathering at home. You all can make your own arrangements."

Gu Yuanjin and the others were already mentally prepared for this. Ever since their father had been unable to walk, the house had never been lively.

They guessed this was because Li Cuicui was unwilling, so they naturally wouldn’t insist.

"Then everyone come to my place tomorrow," said Gu Yuanmu. He knew everyone had gathered this time for Le Huan’s wedding, so it was naturally his place to take the lead.

"That way, we can see what else needs to be done. And don’t be a stranger. Our families haven’t had a get-together in a long time. Let’s take this chance to have some fun."

Li Cuicui’s lips curved into a smirk. "It’s about time for a lively celebration, to wash away the bad luck."

None of the brothers dared to think too deeply about what "bad luck" she was referring to.

Unexpectedly, while they were outside discussing preparations for the wedding banquet, Gu Lehuan came out.

"Grandfather fell asleep," Gu Lehuan could only say timidly, seeing so many people staring at him.

’I don’t get it. My stories can’t be that boring, can they? How could he fall asleep after just a few opening sentences?’

Li Cuicui sneered. Seeing her sons with the same knowing looks on their faces, she lamented internally how much of a failure Gu Dashishi was. His sons all knew exactly what kind of person he was.

"It’s fine. If you want to talk to your grandfather, come over early tomorrow morning. We’ll have someone carry him into the courtyard to get some sun. He’ll be in better spirits then, and you can tell him more."

The Gu brothers: "..." ’So faking sleep wouldn’t get him out of it after all.’

Gu Lehuan, however, felt the atmosphere was a bit strange, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what was wrong.

Suddenly, he remembered an important piece of news he hadn’t shared. He quickly called out to Li Cuicui, who was about to walk away, "Grandma, I forgot to tell you all! Seventh Uncle is returning to the Capital in a few days."

Li Cuicui stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him. "What did you just say? I don’t think I heard you clearly."

Gu Lehuan repeated himself. Fearing his grandmother would worry, he gave a more detailed explanation this time. "Seventh Uncle’s term is up. He’s returning to the Capital to report on his duties.

I heard a lot of rumors. Seventh Uncle is going to be promoted again this time."

Gu Yuanjin was so happy he spun around on the spot. "Excellent, excellent..."

Gu Yuanmu said, "You brat, why didn’t you say so earlier? If we hadn’t stayed here a little longer, when were you planning on telling us?"

Gu Lehuan replied, "I was just too excited to see so many relatives at once. I told you all the moment I remembered."

Gu Yuanshui slapped him hard on the shoulder. "You kid, you need to learn to prioritize. You should have told us the moment you got to the village."

Gu Lehuan felt a sharp pain in his shoulder but gritted his teeth and didn’t dare cry out. "I’ll be sure to remember next time."

"You want there to be a next time!?" Gu Yuanhuo and Gu Yuantu both glared at him, scaring him into quickly shaking his head.

In the end, it was the old madam who felt some pity for her grandson. "Alright, this is good news. It’s only a matter of us finding out a moment or two later.

I wonder if Seventh will have time to come home for a visit this time. It’s been a long time since he’s been back."

Gu Yuanjin and the other brothers remained silent. Over the past few years, they had also thought about visiting Lu City, but for one reason or another, the trip never happened.

"After he reports on his duties, he should receive a new assignment. I wonder where Seventh will be posted this time." Gu Yuanshui had put in a lot of effort to inquire about these things over the years, so he knew more about official matters than his other brothers.

"Mother, don’t worry. Seventh is a filial son. If he has time, he’ll definitely come back for a visit." Gu Yuanmu glanced past Li Cuicui toward the main house behind her. After their old man got sick, Seventh had sent a whole cart of gifts back.

"Seventh is filial, of course," Li Cuicui said. She didn’t know what to say about her son, Gu Yuanmu. He’d been simple and straightforward his whole life, completely unable to read the mood.

’If it weren’t for his brothers helping him out, how could he live so comfortably as a wealthy man?’

"Alright, don’t just stand there," Li Cuicui said, staring at Gu Yuanmu. "Go back and tell your wife to hurry up and start preparing the banquet. It’s about time we properly host Miss Xu."