Gu Nuan hadn’t heard her parents ntion that the two elderly folks back in their hotown were preparing for a long trip. All that could be said is that the elderly couple didn’t inform her mom and dad about this journey.
The middle-aged woman accompanying Grandma Gu and Grandpa Gu was soone Gu Nuan rembered—she’s the wife of her father’s brother, her Second Uncle’s wife, the one Gu Nuan calls Second Aunt.
Second Aunt was neatly dressed, her hair styled fashionably and dyed an attractive color, resembling the look of a South Korean housewife.
Gu Nuan recalled that her mom, who had just visited her hotown, ntioned that their Second Uncle’s family had recently connected with so decent in-laws.
Apart from her younger brother Gu Sheng, Gu Nuan had nurous cousins, mostly from her father’s side. However, just like how she wasn’t close to Qiu Jiali, the daughter of Aunt Qiu, Gu Nuan was not particularly close to these maternal cousins either. It wasn’t always the young people’s fault for the distance between them. The influence of parental nagging at ho during one’s upbringing could not be overlooked.
Everyone in the family knew about Gu Nuan’s deafness. Those cousins who wanted to get closer to her probably felt it would be troubleso. Moreover, her parents had been in debt in the past. It had only been a few years since the family had repaid all their loans. Most relatives feared getting involved with Gu Nuan’s family due to the possibility of being asked for loans.
Second Aunt’s daughter was a bit older than Gu Nuan, maybe by two years, and also considered past the usual age for marriage. Now, it was said that she had found a good man while working outside.
According to the elders of the Gu Family, this was considered a late blessing, not knowing how much better off she was than Gu Nuan. Back then, Gu Nuan had found a boyfriend early, who was always talking about marriage, but now that plan had blown over, hadn’t it? Her parents were now unable to lift their heads in front of the elderly over it.
"What’s the use of all that studying, huh?" Every ti Grandma Gu talked about how her parents, despite having debts to other relatives, supported their daughter’s education, she was infuriated. "Look now, she studied so much, the man’s gone, lured away by soone else. Honestly, if she focused on being a good homaker, would this have happened? Education has only made it harder for her to get married."
Listening to the elderly bicker, Second Aunt remained silent. But what was certain was that her daughter, with just a technical secondary education, had found a man who was no less than Wa Zicong. And as for the daughters of other siblings in the Gu family, none of them seed to have studied as high as Gu Nuan, but each one had married well.
Studying led to arrogance and restlessness, a lack of satisfaction; on this point, Second Aunt really couldn’t say Grandma Gu was wrong. Just look at how seldom Gu Nuan returned ho after getting educated. Every ti her grandparents fell ill, her mother would always say it was hard for her daughter to visit ho from her studies.
Gu Nuan, from a distance, heard Grandma Gu grumbling, taking the chance to scold her and her parents. She then turned around and quietly prepared to leave.
For the young to argue with the elderly was a loss for the young. The conventions of society required respect for the elderly and care for the young; regrettably, none called for respect for the youth.
A few steps into her turn, her husband, like a dog sniffing around for her whereabouts, appeared upfront. She quickly quickened her pace to et him and pulled the big white dog back to their soft sleeper compartnt.
"What’s wrong?" The big white dog’s sense of sll was sharp, imdiately noticing sothing amiss.
"Nothing much, I was just looking for water, now that I’ve got it, of course, I’m heading back," said Gu Nuan.
After Xiao Yebai’s piercing gaze swept slowly across the opposite compartnt, he turned around, wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and affectionately nuzzled her face, saying, "If you wanted water, I could have just had soone pour it for you."
User Comments
0 comments from readers