Grandma Gu's funeral went very smoothly without any major setbacks.
With his son and daughter both present, all Gu Ze and his grandchildren could do was cooperate.
When Grandpa Gu passed away, Gu Ze missed the ceremony because he was on the bus. This time, despite rushing as fast as he could, he still couldn't see Grandma one last time.
After being discharged from the hospital following her stroke, the old lady had already made arrangements for her funeral. She didn't want a grand affair; a simple ceremony would suffice.
She didn't have any family heirlooms, just two pieces of jewelry she wore close to her body, which weren't worth much. The rest was the small amount of savings the old couple had accumulated while Grandpa Gu was still alive, not much at all. The old lady left the jewelry to her daughter and the money to her two sons.
This time, the grandchildren received nothing; even her most beloved grandson, Gu Feng, didn't get anything.
Gu Ye and Gu Ze had no objections to any of this; it was the old lady's own decision, and they wouldn't care who got her things. They were content to give her a proper burial and fulfill their duty, leaving no cause for gossip.
The old lady has passed away, and the house in the retirement home will be vacant soon, so Gu Xiangdong will have to move back to his family compound.
Gu Ye and Gu Ze didn't care about these things. Gu Feng's wife and Gu Xiaogu were cleaning up the things left by the old lady, while Bao Ni and Gu Dasao didn't get involved.
Bao Ni and Sister-in-law Gu attended the funeral with their children. After seeing the old lady off, the two sisters-in-law left first with their children. Liu Jiu and Xuan Yi were about to apply for college, and they couldn't afford to delay.
Gu Ye and Gu Ze didn't inquire about Gu Xiangdong's whereabouts. The two drove away from the retirement home and wouldn't come back unless there was something urgent. The next time they came back would probably be when they themselves retired.
At home, Sister Xiang had already prepared the meal, and the children had changed their clothes; they had to go to school tomorrow.
"Wash your hands and eat. Gu Ye, take your older brother to wash his hands. Sister Xiang has been busy all morning, and the children are hungry."
Bonnie set the bowls and chopsticks down and urged Gu Ye to hurry up, as she was also hungry.
"Okay, you guys eat first, don't wait for us, we've been hungry all morning."
Gu Ye and Gu Ze went to wash their hands, while Bao Ni and Gu Da Sao led the children to sit down first.
"Here, eat."
Gu Ze and Gu Ye sat down at the table, picked up their chopsticks and started eating, and the children followed suit.
After finishing a bowl of rice, my hunger was finally relieved, and I stopped eating so quickly.
"Xuanyi, Liu Jiu wants to apply to the Air Force Academy and become a pilot. What about you? We've asked you before, but you keep changing your mind and don't have a clear goal."
Gu Ze looked at his second son. It had been almost a year since he last saw him, and the boy had grown taller again.
"Yes, Xuanyi, you'll be filling out your college application soon. Have you thought it through? This is a matter that will affect your whole life."
Sister-in-law Gu was also anxious, as she was about to submit her college application. Xuan Yi, however, was still clueless and didn't know what he wanted.
This child couldn't endure hardship when she was little, but these past few years with Bonnie and the others have helped her improve considerably. She can now take care of herself and has kept up her morning exercise routine. She is truly grateful to Bonnie.
"I want to be a fashion designer."
Gu Xuanyi looked at his parents, his second uncle and aunt, his brothers and sisters, all waiting for his answer, before he mustered up the courage to speak his mind.
"Fashion designer? What does that do? Do they make clothes?"
Gu Ye didn't know much about it, and he didn't read magazines, except for military magazines.
"No, it's about designing clothing styles. Why do you want to become a fashion designer? Do you know what that industry is like? When did you first have this idea?"
Gu Ze had been living in the south for several years, and he knew a fair bit about the various magazines that came from Hong Kong.
“I understand. I saw some foreign fashion magazines when I was in the south, and I found them amazing. Their clothes were like that, while our clothes are like this, with obvious differences.”
I'm particularly interested in ancient clothing. Different dynasties had different clothing styles, and different occasions required different attire. I also enjoy designing clothes based on my own imagination; I really love it.
When Gu Xuanyi talked about the things he liked, his eyes practically lit up.
After having this idea, he was actually quite hesitant. What could a fashion designer do for the family? Just make clothes?
The eldest brother is clearly destined for politics, Liu Jiu will join the military, Sanqi might become a diplomat, and Xuanhao is still young; it's unclear what he'll be capable of. However, he doesn't want to join the military or go into politics.
"That sounds good, but are there any universities that teach this now? I still need to go to university; a degree will be very useful later."
Gu Ye didn't understand what Xuan Yi was saying. He wore military uniform all year round and didn't know much about clothing. For him, clothing was just for keeping warm and covering up.
“I checked, and Tsinghua University has a fashion design major, which belongs to the Academy of Fine Arts. Other schools also have related majors, but they are not called by this name.”
Gu Xuanyi explained the information he had gathered to his family, showing that he had truly put a lot of effort into collecting data.
"Xuanyi, have you thought it through? Fashion design is still a relatively untapped field in China because the styles of clothing produced by various garment factories are all fixed."
Sister-in-law Gu was more concerned about employment after graduation. What would she do if she couldn't find a job after graduating from university?
"Mom, you've been in the south for so long, haven't you felt the changes of the times? The old garment factories will be eliminated sooner or later. They're stuck in the old ways, and their clothes are outdated and uncompetitive."
As living conditions improve, people's pursuit of beauty will also increase, making fashion designers highly sought after.
Gu Xuanyi had studied it carefully, especially since he and his brother had visited the places where they sourced their goods every time they went to the south. Those who did wholesale all wanted to find clothes that looked good and fit well.
Are your grades good enough for Tsinghua University?
Gu Ze did not object to Gu Xuanyi's idea. The child had grown up and was able to take some responsibility for his own life.
"It shouldn't be a problem. The main advantage is my English, so my score will be higher than average. Mom and Dad, Uncle and Aunt, do you agree?"
"I think you should figure this out yourself. As parents, we just want you to be happy. We won't impose our will on you. We're just offering suggestions, not making decisions."
Bonnie believes that life is short, and doing what you love is a happy and joyful thing.
“Your second aunt is right. Have you thought it through? You’re seventeen now, not a child anymore. Now that you’ve made your choice, don’t regret it later.”
Sister-in-law Gu didn't really want Xuan Yi to study this; there were too many uncertainties ahead. They wouldn't be able to help him much in that field; he'd have to rely on himself.
“Mom, I’ve thought it through. I know I have to walk this path on my own. But I’m confident, I’m not afraid, and I will never be a deserter.”
Gu Xuanyi understood his mother's concern: having connections in government offices makes things easier. In the field of fashion design, his family had no connections; he had to figure everything out on his own.
Gu Xuanyi smiled. He was determined to get into Tsinghua University, a place many students dreamed of attending.
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