Chapter 232: Every Family Has Its Own Hard-to-Recite Sutra

"Anran's clam pancakes are really good." Gu Jianfa ate two pieces, and when he reached for another, the old lady smacked the back of his hand hard with her long chopsticks.

The old lady snapped, "These aren't for you to eat!"

Gu Jianfa winced in pain; the old lady really laid into him, and she said angrily, "Stingy—if you don't want to eat, then don't."

"Mom, remember, I'm your own son."

"That brat… tch… even if he's closer, he's just a son-in-law."

"I'll say something unpleasant: if you were gone, he'd have to line up last just to smash a pot!"

The old lady trembled with anger.

When others say something unpleasant, they always pick the pleasant way to say it.

This good-for-nothing.

Speaking unpleasantly is truly unpleasant.

If you don't give him something to eat, this good-for-nothing will curse you to death and threaten that if you die, he won't even let you smash a pot.

Gu Jianfa gave a hehe laugh, seeing that he had his mother under his thumb, he looked at Gu Anran, who was busy at the stove wearing an apron, and asked, "Anran, I heard you've been setting up a stall often lately."

"You must have made quite a bit of money, right?"

"Don't say anything—I may have only finished elementary school, but I'm sharp, and I'm keeping track of your accounts."

"Even if it's for your grandma's medicine, there's surely still some left over."

Gu Anran said calmly, "Yes, there is."

Gu Jianfa's fingers unconsciously began to rub together—his usual habit when trying to think of ways to get money from the family—just as he was about to speak, he heard Gu Anran continue, "But I still want to fall in love."

"Dating costs quite a bit of money."

"Uncle, what do you say?"

Gu Jianfa blinked, then shouted, "What money does a girl need for dating? Of course eating, drinking, and having fun are the guy's expense!"

Gu Anran shook her head: "Uncle, you don't understand."

Gu Jianfa raised his voice even more: "How could I not understand!"

"I'm older than you—I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice."

"And you say I don't understand… you…"

Gu Anran said calmly, "But you're a bachelor—you've never dated."

"How would you know dating costs money?"

"……" Gu Jianfa stared wide-eyed, his whole body trembling: "You… you…"

Gu Anran continued, "Grandma said you used to chase girls when you were young, but they didn't like you, and the love letters you sent were thrown into the fire as kindling."

"As for dating, although this is my first time…"

"... I definitely have more say than you do."

Having said that, Gu Anran scrubbed the last bit of dirty water out of the big iron pot with a loofah-scrub, then bent over and ladled clean water into the pot with a scoop.

Even while working, it didn't hinder her performance.

Actually, saying those words didn't make her feel particularly refreshed; instead, she felt annoyed, and with this good-for-nothing uncle, she really couldn't be bothered to say another word.

Saying more would be useless—this person has long been shameless.

Gu Jianfa: "……"

He was left speechless by the retort.

Everyone says first love is hard to forget, but he feels that an unattainable first love is even more etched into the bone. Having his wound ripped open by Gu Anran like this, he knows he can't outtalk this sharp-tongued niece, so he turns to the old lady and cries out in anguish, "Mom, look at your granddaughter—how vicious her mouth is!"

"They say don't hit the face when fighting, don't expose someone's shortcomings, but she deliberately pokes at my sore spot."

"You won't even…"

The old lady chuckled: "You didn't even think—how would she know? I told her."

Gu Jianfa laughed angrily: "Fine, fine, fine—you two are in cahoots, and I'm the outsider!"

"Anran's right—I'm an old bachelor, no wife, no kids."

"So, as for favors and debts, nobody helps me share the burden—I can only rely on my own mother."

The old lady couldn't laugh anymore.

Gu Anran's scrubbing motion also stalled.

The small advantage she gained with her words could only bring fleeting satisfaction; whether life in this household is easy or hard ultimately depends on what Gu Jianfa says—and more precisely, on how much money he owes outside.

What to do?

Gu Jianfa borrows money using the old lady as collateral; when thugs come knocking, he hides and disappears—of course not paying back is not an option.

If the old lady doesn't repay, the clan relatives will also have to step in to "help."

Every time he repays, Gu Jianfa reappears.

The old lady hammered Gu Jianfa hard and demanded, "What wicked deed have you been up to outside this time?"

Fed up with the hammering, Gu Jianfa flung his hand away and walked toward the kitchen exit: "All you do is say I owe money—I've actually been winning money lately!"

"Stop nagging."

"I've been counting money, and it's all because of your nagging."

The old lady felt helpless.

Gu Anran gently patted the old lady's shoulder and helped her sit down.

The old lady wiped her tears: "Anran, Grandma is sorry to you."

"It's Uncle who owes me an apology."

"But he's my son."

"My father is also your son, and I am your granddaughter."

If it weren't for me...

Don't talk nonsense; if you weren't here, I'd have no relatives left in this world.

Even in this situation, Gu Anran was already very calm; such strong emotional management is due partly to her nature and partly to hardship.

The old lady nodded: "Yes, yes, Grandma must hold on; otherwise... otherwise this family might have no place for you."

Gu Anran's eyes dimmed.

She had long heard from the neighbor lady that Gu Jianfa himself owed money and often spent money entertaining guests, all for the homestead, fields, etc., and wondered how the old lady would handle things after her death.

Most likely, she couldn't inherit it.

Her village is unlike the mixed-surname villages next to Xixi Village; this village is basically all Gu surnames, and even the clan wouldn't take a woman like her seriously.

The old lady insisted on meeting Wu An, probably to see if he could be entrusted.

The old lady knew her health was deteriorating day by day, and she couldn't help feeling anxious.

Suddenly.

The phone rang.

Gu Anran picked up the phone and saw it was Wu An calling.

"Hello. Hello."

Hearing Wu An's greeting, a smile appeared on Gu Anran's face: "You're here?"

"I'm on the way; I'll be there in about ten minutes."

"Okay."

Just as Gu Anran put down the phone, Gu Jianfa's head poked in from outside the door, smiling and saying: "That kid's here, right?"

"Alright. Mom, don't go out; just stay home and sit quietly."

"Anran."

"I'll go out alone to greet the guest."

Gu Anran didn't speak.

She made another dish, saw the time was about right, washed her hands while taking off her apron, walked out of the kitchen to the doorway, just as she stood there, she saw Wu An coming by vehicle.

Gu Anran waved her hand.

Gu Jianfa still muttered discontentedly: "Anran, you look worthless."

"Young ladies should be reserved!"

"Let me first see how much gift he brought."

Wu An came by vehicle, saw the disheveled middle-aged man beside Gu Anran, and knew that was the gambling-addicted great-uncle.

Wu An stopped the vehicle, greeted with a smile: "Stubbly beard, hair unwashed for days, face full of wrinkles, looking old; no need to guess, definitely the great-uncle."

"I'm Wu An, Gu Anran's boyfriend."

"As a junior coming to visit, how could I let you come out to the door to greet me?"

Gu Jianfa was dumbfounded.

Wait a minute, handsome.

Your way of judging people, is it a bit problematic?