Chapter 208: 1990: A Family by the Spring, Chapter 208: Relatives Reunited, Grandmother Returns

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"No need to mind them."

Guben remained calm: "The more you mind them, the more they act up; who knows what nasty things they say behind your back."

"You can endure it, but I can't."

Wu Meng wasn't supporting him just because he was her patron this time; she was truly angry: "Are those people ever going to stop? Your mom's thing was years ago, and they still won't let it go, saying such nasty things. Even if not for you, then for Xiyu—I can't let them slander and smear her. Xiyu is my good sister; whoever dares bully her, I'll tear their mouth apart..."

She said this deliberately loud, with plenty of momentum, shocking quite a few people; the gossipy old women saw they couldn't win the argument and closed their mouths, slinking away dejectedly.

"You're something."

Guben gave her an appreciative look: "Xiyu hasn't made a friend like you in vain; I thank you on her behalf."

"How much longer are you staying here?"

Wu Meng worried for them: "Those people are too hateful; gossip will sooner or later reach Xiyu's ears. I'm afraid she'll feel bad hearing it. If there's nothing urgent, you should just go back to Shanghai—out of sight, out of mind. No need to get worked up over unrelated people."

"We won't be leaving for now."

Guben had his own plans: "Xiyu just came back; let her stay a few more days. Once school starts, she won't be able to come back for several months. Her grandmother is old; let her stay by her side for a few days to wait on her and show some filial piety to her old lady."

"You're kind-hearted..."

Wu Meng teased him with a smile: "The mother-in-law hasn't even let you in the door yet, and you're already rushing to cozy up."

"I've always been fairly rational."

Guben smiled good-naturedly, not taking her disrespect to heart: "The mother-in-law and the grandmother can be treated separately; they won't be lumped together."

"You two have had quite a rollercoaster..."

Wu Meng sighed dramatically, seizing the chance to boost her own presence: "Luckily I, your good sister, have spared no effort helping you two, or you'd have missed each other and regretted it for life."

"Your contribution is the greatest..."

Guben gave her face by backing her up: "I must admit this much: you and your cousin both have the potential to be double agents."

"Spy? What does that mean?"

Although Wu Meng didn't understand, she could tell from his expression that it was probably not a good word.

"You don't even get that?"

Guben teased with a smile: "Your English isn't great, huh. You work at a foreign company and don't even know such a simple word?"

"I do accounting at the foreign company."

Wu Meng had her own reasons: "The colleagues around me are all Chinese; no need to speak foreign languages all day."

"The executives are Chinese too?"

Guben teased jokingly: "No wonder you've been stuck at the bottom and can't get promoted. Others are always hovering around the supervisor, while you just circle your own desk. Which supervisor would remember you? They probably can't even match the name to the person..."

"I don't care to suck up to him."

Wu Meng felt deep hatred for her current supervisor: "Such a despicable and shameless person—I feel nauseous just looking at him one more time."

"That's a dangerous way of thinking..."

Guben laughed teasingly: "Careful you get fired; foreign companies aren't that easy to get by in."

"Fire me then fire me; I don't want to work there anyway."

Wu Meng rolled her eyes, going along with his words to volunteer herself: "By the way, I was just going to ask you—after you quit, do you have any plans? Want to start your own business? If so, count me in. I can be your accountant, and I guarantee I'll be more loyal and reliable than anyone hired from outside."

"You?"

Guben glanced at her doubtfully: "Your loyalty is questionable, and you jump jobs too frequently..."

"That's because the supervisor was bad; you can't blame me."

Wu Meng quickly declared herself: "You're different. I believe you won't have so many shady dealings, messing around with women and making the company reek, annoying people."

Guben understood: "So your standard for judging a boss is whether he's philandering?"

"Isn't that normal?"

Wu Meng spoke righteously: "A man who can't control his zipper surely isn't much of a person. Following someone like that, what good can come of it? Either you get framed by him, or you drag yourself into a pit."

"You make sense."

Guben nodded, giving her face to show agreement.

"You agree with me, so that means you agree..."

Wu Meng smiled with narrowed eyes: "From now on I'll follow you. When I go back to Shanghai, I'll quit and throw my resignation letter in the supervisor's face."

"You're moving too fast, aren't you?"

Guben laughed helplessly: "I haven't even decided what to do yet, and you've already quit."

"I believe in you."

Wu Meng clenched her fist to cheer him on: "As long as you want to, there's nothing you can't do. Boss, go for it!"

"You're glomming onto me?"

Guben was quite speechless: "Let's get this straight first—my standards are high. Starting a business is tough; overtime and all-nighters are inevitable. If you can't take the hardship, don't start now, so you don't give up halfway, feel wronged, and then Liangzi ends up blaming me."

"No, I guarantee none of those things you mentioned will happen..."

Wu Meng raised her hand to swear: "I'm not such an ungrateful person. As long as you give me a chance, I'll work uncomplainingly and diligently, do my job well, and hand you a satisfactory report."

"But just doing your job won't be enough..."

Guben thought for a moment, then gave her a preventive shot: "Our small company doesn't hire idlers. When it gets busy, one person might have to do several jobs—odd jobs, errands, answering phones..."

"No problem; I can do all of that."

Wu Meng didn't wait for him to finish, patting her chest to guarantee it.

"You'd better remember clearly......"

Guben flashed a hint of helplessness in his eyes: "Company employee rule number one: no interrupting the boss while speaking."

"Uh."

Wu Meng was flustered for only a second, then came back to herself, excitedly saluting: "Understood, Boss, I'll perform well."

"Not too stupid."

Seeing her quick reaction, Guben nodded in satisfaction.

"Hehe, Boss, why are you holding a piece of glass?"

Wu Meng got her wish, her identity changed very quickly, immediately activating lackey mode, flattering: "Is it heavy? Want me to hold it for you?"

"No need."

Guben almost couldn't hold back, laughing out loud on the spot.

"Boss doesn't need to be polite with me."

Wu Meng reached out to grab it, Guben wouldn't let her, and the two tugged and pulled into the alley.

——

Outside the large iron gate at the end of the alley, with peeling paint and somewhat mottled, stood two people.

Hearing the commotion, both turned back at the same time, looking toward the alley entrance.

Guben saw one of them, a figure with white hair, his footsteps paused, and his eye sockets instantly turned red.

"Xiao Bin?!"

The other person saw it was him, also extremely surprised and delighted, crying out with a choked voice.

"Grandma!"

Guben was so excited he couldn't control himself, his arm loosened, and the glass almost fell to the ground.

Fortunately Wu Meng reacted with godly speed, nimbly catching it, so it didn't shatter all over the ground.

"Xiao Bin."

Grandpa Gu excitedly walked forward a few steps, his foot tripped, and he almost fell.

"Grandma, be careful......"

Guben hurriedly ran over and supported her.

"Xiao Bin, these years have been hard on you......"

Grandpa Gu tremblingly reached out a hand, touching his face, tears falling uncontrollably.

"Grandma......"

Guben felt guilty and uneasy: "I'm sorry to you, I couldn't take good care of my mom."

"Your mom's matter isn't your fault......"

Grandpa Gu couldn't bear to blame him, making excuses for him: "It was she herself who couldn't see things clearly, didn't cherish life, didn't cherish your sacrifice of giving up everything for her, and even after dying, she still caused you trouble."

"Grandma, you know my mom she is......"

Guben choked up and couldn't speak, the two words "suicide" were like steel needles pricking his heart, hurting so much he couldn't breathe.

"I know."

Grandpa Gu felt both heartache and annoyance: "Your Eldest Uncle told me, this child is too selfish, she freed herself, left all the pain for you, making you bear everything for her."

"My mom she, was also to not implicate me......"

Guben still couldn't let go of his mother's death to this day.

"Mom, Xiao Bin, don't stand outside."

Eldest Uncle warily looked around, quietly reminding: "Whatever you have to say, say it after going inside."

"Right right right......"

Wu Meng glanced at the luggage on the ground, also following to persuade: "Grandma flew all the way from Guangzhou, must be very tired, go back to the room to rest first."

"Who are you?"

Eldest Uncle had never met Lin Xiyu, mistaking him for his niece's wife: "Xiao Bin's......."

"I am his classmate and subordinate."

Wu Meng took the opportunity to brush up goodwill in front of the boss's relative: "My family lives at No. 1 Courtyard, Xi Gengdao Street, very close to here, just now we met on the road, so I helped him bring the glass back."

Guben looked at her rather speechlessly.

Considering she had caught the glass just now and it hadn't broken, he tacitly accepted her explanation.

"Oh."

Eldest Uncle glanced away somewhat disappointedly.

He had said it, his niece's wife was said to be quite pretty, how could she be a somewhat dumb cute little chubby girl?

"Actually I'm not fat......"

His expression of dislike was too obvious, Wu Meng felt a bit hurt, thinking it necessary to defend herself: "I'm just a bit plump."

"Cough cough."

Eldest Uncle was embarrassed, his old face turned red.

"Grandma, let's go home."

Guben took the opportunity to change the topic, supporting Grandma into the door.

"Old man, five years, I've finally come back again......."

Grandpa Gu entered the small courtyard, moved by the scene, and felt sentimental once again.

"Grandma, the pomegranate tree you like is still there......"

Guben deliberately changed the subject to ease her grief: "The grape vine is still alive too; it hasn't withered."

"There are still pomegranates hanging on the pomegranate tree."

Eldest Uncle also used the pomegranates to make conversation, clicking his tongue in wonder: "It's already the first month of the year, and there are still pomegranates. This shows our luck is good, we have a taste of good fortune, and we've come back at just the right time."

"Yesterday I picked one with Xiyu, tasted it, and it was quite sweet. It's still edible, just the skin is a bit dry and hard to peel..."

Guben deliberately tried to please Grandma: "Grandma wants to eat one; I'll pick another."

"It's too high; you can't reach it, right?"

Grandma Gu was a bit tempted, looking at the pomegranate, unable to take her eyes off it.

Guben put it very nicely: "Grandma wants to eat one; no matter how high, it must be picked down."

Grandma Gu was indeed very happy to hear this; the sadness from when she first entered the door vanished completely.

"Is there a stool?"

Wu Meng took the opportunity to interject: "It'll be easier to pick if you stand on it."

"No need."

Guben stepped back a few paces, preparing to run up and jump.

"Be careful..."

Grandma Gu looked at the unmelted snow on the ground, her eyes showing concern: "There's snow on the ground, it's very slippery, don't fall."

"Pfft."

Guben heard the words "there's snow," and a scene from yesterday involuntarily surfaced in his brain. Thinking of Lin Xiyu holding a pomegranate, disheveled in the wind, he couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"You child..."

Grandma Gu, not knowing the inside story, laughed and scolded: "I told you to be careful, what are you giggling about?"

"Nothing."

In front of outsiders, Guben chose to cherish the beautiful memory in his own heart.

"I'll still get you a stool."

Wu Meng was very perceptive, put down the glass, ran into the living room, and soon carried out a stool, handing it to Guben.

"Thanks."

Guben did not refuse her kindness, stood on the stool, and tentatively reached out his hand.

The pomegranate hung on the topmost tree branch, still a bit of a distance from his fingertips.

"Use a fire hook."

Grandma Gu had a sudden idea and directed her son to work: "Go get the fire hook from the kitchen for Little Bin."

"I'll go."

Wu Meng spoke up eagerly, made another quick trip, and handed the fire hook to Guben.

With the fire hook, it was indeed much more convenient. Guben hooked the tree branch and pulled down hard.

Eldest Uncle, relying on his height, reached out, grabbed the pomegranate, and pulled it down along with the withered branches and leaves.

"There are two more; pull them all down together."

Guben thought Lin Xiyu and Little Ruirui also liked to eat them, so he hooked another tree branch.

All three pomegranates were picked down. Grandma Gu held them in her hands, smiling very happily.

—

The glass in the living room was broken. Guben didn't have time to catch up with Grandma; after picking the pomegranates, he first fixed the glass.

He wedged a nail into the window frame, fixed the glass in place, then evenly applied a layer of putty around the window frame. A brand new pane of glass was installed.

Wu Meng waited on him hand and foot, helping him with a lot of work. After installing the glass, he retired with his task accomplished and, being very perceptive, took his leave and departed.

After Wu Meng left, Guben finally had the leisure to tell Grandma everything that had happened in the United States, in detail.

Grandma Gu heard the details of her daughter's suicide and cried with snot and tears, nearly fainting.

Guben, fearing the old woman would be too sad, deliberately changed the subject again, telling her that Eldest Brother had entrusted his son to him, and they would live together with him and his wife from now on.

When Grandma Gu first heard this, she was so shocked she forgot to cry. It took a long while for her to come to her senses; the joy of soon meeting her great-grandson diluted the grief of losing her daughter.

—

Lin Xiyu took Little Ruirui to play at Hu Nainai's house for a whole morning. Seeing it was time for a meal, she should go home to make lunch, so she reluctantly said goodbye and left.

Before leaving, Hu Nainai forcibly stuffed one hundred yuan in New Year's money into Little Ruirui's hands. Lin Xiyu couldn't decline, so she accepted it on his behalf.

Little Ruirui liked Hu Nainai very much and asked if he wanted to come again in the future. The little one nodded repeatedly, making Hu Nainai smile with joy.

Leaving Hu Nainai's house, the aunt and nephew strolled along Furong Street for a while, buying a braised chicken and six freshly baked pepper-salt baked cakes.