Chapter 174: Family Reunion

Gu Family inner courtyard.

A somewhat secluded small courtyard.

This place originally belonged to Gu Han's residence.

But after Gu Han moved out, Gu Ren ordered the courtyard to be rebuilt.

Since then, it has become the residence of Xu Xin Zhu and her family.

Xu Xin Zhu and Gu Pan, mother and daughter, do not have a particularly close relationship with the other main branch members of the Gu Family.

This secluded small courtyard exactly meets their needs.

After becoming the main branch, Xu Xin Zhu's status in the Gu Family also rose greatly.

She could completely have the servants wash her change of clothes.

But Xu Xin Zhu still insisted on going to the riverside to chat with her old friends.

But after they learned that Xu Xin Zhu had become the head of the Gu Family, and after Gu Han had achieved fame on the front lines...

Their chats with Xu Xin Zhu then gained a more flattering tone.

No longer did they talk about whatever came to mind, holding nothing back.

They all hoped to use their connection with Xu Xin Zhu to help their juniors climb onto Gu Han, this big tree.

Xu Xin Zhu knew this was only natural.

But she still felt a pang of sadness.

"Mom, when will big brother come back?"

Gu Pan had already finished her morning training.

At this moment she was helping Xu Xin Zhu pick vegetables in the courtyard, preparing today's lunch.

"After half a year of military service, there will be a week's family-visit leave."

Xu Xin Zhu wiped her sweat and smiled indulgently,

"There should still be two months before your brother returns."

Gu Pan pouted,

"I heard that big brother could become a Bijang; he must have gone through many dangers."

"If only I could grow up quickly, then I could go to the front to help big brother and share some of his burden."

"What's wrong with a girl thinking about joining the army at the front?"

Xu Xin Zhu, who always doted on Gu Pan, suddenly hardened her face and spoke in a low voice,

"The front lines are a battlefield where soldiers slaughter each other, extremely dangerous. Moreover, in combat men are naturally stronger than women."

"Mom, everyone says women can hold up half the sky; my dad and brother are soldiers, so I can go too!"

"Pan'er, listen to me: first train hard in martial arts; we'll talk about the later things when you're older, okay?"

Xu Xin Zhu sighed helplessly.

This wasn't the first time Gu Pan had proposed the idea of going to the front lines.

Since hearing that Gu Han had become a Bijang on the front lines, Gu Pan has repeatedly suggested joining the army.

Gu Leng Shan and Gu Han have both experienced military life; they can be said to have fought their way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Xu Xin Zhu naturally knows that the battlefield doesn't care whether you're male or female.

For both men and women, the danger is the same.

But physiological differences are predetermined; even if they are equally strong cultivators,

men are generally stronger and better adapted to harsh environments.

Most importantly, even if a male martial practitioner is captured, at worst he will be persuaded to surrender or executed.

But if a female martial practitioner is captured on the battlefield, execution might be a luxury!

She cannot bear to let her daughter face such a dangerous environment.

"I don't care; I will definitely go to the front to help my brother."

Gu Pan is now at a rebellious age; seeing that Xu Xin Zhu never gives a direct reply, Gu Pan also starts to loudly rebut.

However, just then, a familiar yet unfamiliar voice came from outside the courtyard,

"Panpan, how can you speak to your mother like that?"

Hearing that voice, Gu Pan's face showed strong surprise.

Xu Xin Zhu also stared blankly for a moment, but then her eyes instantly filled with tears.

Xu Xin Zhu and Gu Pan hurriedly ran toward the gate.

The courtyard gate opened, and the figure they had been longing for day and night walked in from outside.

Gu Han looked at the two with moist eyes, and his own eye sockets unconsciously grew moist,

"Mom, Panpan."

After coming to this world, he had never seen Xu Xin Zhu and Gu Pan.

He originally thought that seeing them might feel somewhat distant or unfamiliar.

But Gu Han didn't expect that his familiarity with them would feel as if it came from deep within the soul.

It was as if they truly were his family.

"Xiao Han!"

"Big brother!"

Gu Pan quickened her steps, running straight into Gu Han's embrace.

Xu Xin Zhu walked up to Gu Han, intending to reach out and touch his face, which had become more angular than before.

But her hand stopped there; she unconsciously pulled it back and wiped it on her apron.

It seemed she was afraid that her hands, which had just picked vegetables, would dirty Gu Han's face.

But Gu Han grabbed Xu Xin Zhu's hand and pulled her hand onto his face.

"Mom."

Gu Han's shouted "Mom" with a smile instantly melted Xu Xin Zhu's heart.

The three embraced in the courtyard, unable to stop crying.

Gu Feng stood very self-consciously outside the courtyard, not disturbing this warm scene.

At the same time, Gu Ren and the other elders also received the news of Gu Han's return and rushed over immediately.

Seeing this, they all tacitly turned and left.

No matter what, family reunion is the most important thing.

After a long while, the three finally composed their emotions.

Gu Han nodded at Gu Feng outside the courtyard, and Gu Feng then bade farewell and left.

Xu Xin Zhu pulled Gu Han into the courtyard.

Meanwhile, Gu Pan had already run into the courtyard first and brought over a stool,

"Brother, sit here."

Gu Han affectionately ruffled Gu Pan's head, messing up her neatly braided hair into a tangled mess.

Gu Pan immediately pursed her lips,

"My hair is all messed up."

"Xiao Han, you've only been at the front line for over four months; how did you come back so quickly?"

Xu Xin Zhu said worriedly,

"Could something have happened at the front line?"

Since Gu Han went to the front line, Xu Xin Zhu has been worrying day and night for these four months.

Even now that Gu Han has returned, Xu Xin Zhu still worries that something might have happened.

Gu Han chuckled and shook his head,

"Nothing's wrong; we just earned merit earlier, and General Guan granted us an early one-month leave."

As the saying goes, report good news, not worries.

Gu Han did not mention that they might soon launch an attack on Dan Ren Cheng, lest his mother worry.

Hearing Gu Han say that, the perpetually worried Xu Xin Zhu finally relaxed a little.

"These four months, your life at the front line must have been very hard, right?"

Gu Han shook his head,

"The training wasn't that hard; only when Dan Ren Cheng attacked did it become a bit dangerous, but that's all over now."

Although Gu Han spoke lightly, Xu Xin Zhu still sensed great danger from his words and couldn't help feeling a lingering fear.

But as a mother, she could do nothing to help, only able to say anxiously,

"For the coming month, you don't need to do anything; just rest well at home."

Letting Gu Han rest properly this month is one of the few things Xu Xin Zhu can do.

Gu Han nodded heavily, looking at Gu Pan, who still stood with arms crossed, sulking.

Gu Pan pursed her lips,

"Mom, look, you previously said not to let me help Brother share some pressure."

"Brother is so dangerous at the front line, yet he can only bear it alone."

Xu Xin Zhu glared at Gu Pan and said irritably,

"Your Gu Qian Yue brother and Gu Chen brother are both Xiao Han's right and left hands."

"How could it be your turn to worry, a little girl who hasn't even reached the rank of Martial Apprentice?"