Originally, everyone coming to a family gathering is quite normal. But arriving a day early, and with all that luggage, it doesn’t feel as pleasant. Gu Chengyu thought to himself silently, his house definitely couldn’t accommodate everyone.
No matter how much he was complaining inside, he couldn’t skimp on etiquette. Gu Chengyu smiled and stepped forward to greet them, "Aunt, Uncle!" and called the rest of his cousins over.
"Oh! Isn’t this our family’s little scholar? Wow! Xiao Bao is growing up so well! He’s really making our Gu Family proud! Since you were little, Aunt always thought you’d make sothing of yourself, and indeed, here you are!"
Gu Xiu’s eyes lit up upon seeing Gu Chengyu and quickly made her way over, pulling his hands and praising him, while giggling with delight! Occasionally, spittle flew from her mouth, testing Gu Chengyu’s patience.
Gu Chengyu hurriedly pulled his hand back, turning sideways, "Aunt! Let help you with your luggage? After riding the ox cart for several hours, you must be tired!" He said, promptly taking the bundles from Aunt Gu’s shoulders.
"How could I let a scholar carry this? Don’t, I know you care about your aunt!" Aunt Gu patted Gu Chengyu’s hand, refusing to let him carry the bundles, and naturally, Gu Chengyu was happy to be relieved. At least, he wouldn’t have to worry about having his face washed.
Nonetheless, he found Aunt Gu’s enthusiastic chatter quite uncomfortable. He couldn’t help reflecting on how, when he was a child, Aunt Gu would always have her nose in the air and look at him sideways.
The conversation between them now seed perfectly harmonious, as though Aunt Gu had always been like this towards Gu Chengyu; her expressions and gestures seed natural, prompting a feeling from Gu Chengyu that she might be quite the drama expert too!
"Brother Dong, Brother Xi, aren’t you going to call your uncle? This is your scholar uncle! Haven’t you been clamoring at ho just to et him? Now here you are!" Gu Xiu pointed at Gu Chengyu and spoke to the two children behind him, who were about the sa age as Gu Chengyu.
Brother Dong glanced at Gu Chengyu, "Is this the sa kid you said used to fight with when I was little? Or is he the so-called poor scholar I’ve heard people ntion?" Liao Dong, being uneducated, was quite vague on the concept of a scholar, only rembering so sour words he’d heard, like poor scholar.
Brother Xi simply smiled at Gu Chengyu without saying a word, seemingly a shy boy.
"You rascal, how could you say that about your uncle?" Gu Xiu tapped Liao Dong’s shoulder, scolding him with a tone of affection.
Gu Chengyu observed coldly, Aunt still hasn’t changed a bit. Children shouldn’t be spoiled like this; if not properly taught, they’ll inevitably face trouble sooner or later.
"No worries, the nephews are still small! They’ll learn over ti!" Gu Chengyu made up his mind to gross them out a bit; it was uncomfortable for him otherwise. Nine-year-old kids, yet still so clueless.
The won working in the yard laughed at Gu Chengyu’s words. Their curiosity had been piqued by the premature arrival of Gu Xiu’s family, so they had been watching. The incident was witnessed by everyone, and the boy looked just about as old as Gu Chengyu!
Gu Xiu was oblivious to the laughter and continued, "Where’s your mother? It’s such a long ti now, yet she’s nowhere in sight. Is she not ho?"
Gu Xiu kept in mind to add trouble for Mrs. Lv, as the aunt had arrived, but Mrs. Lv remained hidden, neglecting manners.
Mrs. Lv arrived at the door just in ti to hear this, "Oh! It’s Aunt arrived! Xiao Bao, didn’t you say you’d go fetch your aunt tomorrow? Why did you bring her so early today? Bringing her over without giving a heads up! Aunt, please co inside and take a seat!"
Trying to embarrass in front of the villagers, are you? Well, I’ll give you just enough trouble back. Can’t wait to join the feast, it seems? You couldn’t wait and ca over even before fetching you or even with plans to fetch being ntioned; that’s insignificant now.
Gu Xiu was livid, stuck with phlegm in her throat, neither spitting nor swallowing!
Mrs. Lv was thankful that Gu Chengyu shielded things a bit in the courtyard; otherwise, the family’s etiquette might have been trampled by Gu Xiu.
"It’s because I’ve been missing you and my third brother, ca early to see you all."
Gu Chengyu sighed, well, just entered the door and they’re already clashing; imagine how turbulent it’ll be with Gu Xiu around. All drama experts!
Mr. Gu entered carrying a basket from outside; he had been up the mountain gathering pigweed for the pig he was raising.
Seeing Gu Xiu surprised him too, "Sister, Brother-in-law! Why are you here? I expected you tomorrow!"
Mr. Gu couldn’t more tactless, with Gu Xiu’s smile faltering.
Seeing so many people made Mr. Gu uneasy as well; their house couldn’t accommodate them all, especially given the large baggage, two or three days stay wouldn’t need all that.
"What? Don’t want visiting?" Aunt spoke casually with her brother.
"How could it be? But if you’re here, how about the shop?" Gu Xiu often used the busy shop as an excuse; Mr. Gu only asked casually, not expecting such a big reaction from Gu Xiu.
"Xiao Bao has beco a scholar; shouldn’t we hurry here? What’s the shop? After over two hours by ox cart, our bones are about to fall apart without knowing to let us in for a rest." Gu Xiu said, pulling Liao Dong and Liao Xi towards the main room.
"Oh! Is it really sister returned?" Uncle Gu walked in from outside, having heard from the villagers about Gu Xiu’s return, doubting it was early; indeed, she returned, bringing the whole family.
"Brother-in-law, Changqing’s family probably can’t fit everyone, you take so to stay at ours." The Gu Family wasn’t divided before and could still squeeze in, but after the family split, such numbers couldn’t fit. The yard was partitioned, so filled with clutter.
"I see many empty rooms in Changqing’s house though! No worries, a little crowded is just fine." The first brother’s ho isn’t as comfortable as Changqing’s, not to ntion better food there; they’d be foolish to go.
Uncle Gu ant well, didn’t anticipate Gu Xiu’s prompt refusal, creating awkwardness for him.
Gu Chengyu sensed an unease, hoping not to have to share with those unruly kids. That wouldn’t do; he didn’t want to share a room with troublemakers.
"Aunt, you see our house is piled with clutter, how about having so stay at Uncle’s place today and move over when it’s tidied up; the inside is quite ssy, still getting sorted, wouldn’t want to inconvenience the cousins." Direct refusal isn’t an option, but saying it’s being tidied makes apparently forceful staying unreasonable, right?
Aunt Wang, helping in the yard, imdiately grasped the situation, her eyes spinning.
"Xiao Bao, your dad ntioned the rooms being piled with cow dung for field fertilizing, cleaned up yet?"
"Huh?" Gu Chengyu almost wanted to give Aunt Wang a thumbs up, so viciously clever!
Ultimately, Gu Xiu’s eldest, Liao Jin’s family, stayed at Uncle Gu’s house, while daughter Liao Fen with mother and second Liao Yin’s family stayed at Mr. Gu’s house, which made Gu Wan relieved.
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