After finishing their meal, everyone moved to the living room to drink tea.
Xu Fang looked around and said, "Gu Ze, what do you think about Gu Lan's dowry?"
Sister-in-law Gu and Bao Ni exchanged a meaningful glance and smiled knowingly.
"Shouldn't Gu Lan's dowry be the responsibility of her parents? My mother passed away, but I still have my father!"
“The principle is right, but we just don’t have the means. Over the years, your father and I haven’t saved any money to raise so many children… Sigh, I was thinking that my sister should at least leave a dowry for Gu Lan, so that Gu Lan wouldn’t be wronged.”
Xu Fang is quite something; she can cry so easily that anyone who doesn't know them would think they're sisters with a deep bond.
"Who are you calling 'sister'? Don't insult that word. Don't mention my mother with your filthy mouth anymore. You don't deserve to. Why have so many children if you can't afford to raise them? Now Gu Lan is treated like your own daughter. Aren't you good to her and put her first in everything?"
"Waaah... Gu Ye, I know you hate me, but I know I did something wrong, and I sincerely repent. Can't you forgive me?"
The woman in her thirties, so delicate and frail, wept so bitterly that it broke Gu Xiangdong's heart.
"Gu Ye, what exactly do you want? Do you want us to kneel down and beg for mercy before you'll let this go?"
"Kneel down and beg Yao, can you bring my mother back to life?"
Now, when facing them, Gu Ye can control his emotions and is no longer agitated.
“Gu Ye, that’s your father. You’ve even disowned your father because of your dead mother. Besides, your mother was seriously ill at the time and didn’t have much time left, so you can’t blame your father entirely.”
Grandma Gu's pent-up anger finally erupted when she saw her eldest son being pressured like this by her grandson.
“Grandma, that’s not how it works. My mother was quite ill at the time, but she could have passed away peacefully. She felt that even if her child lost his mother, he would still have his father and other relatives to take care of him.”
Gu Ze looked at his grandmother and spoke calmly.
"But the truth is, she witnessed her husband's betrayal and knew what kind of situation her child would face after she left. My mother left with worries about her young child; her soul could never find peace!"
"Why can't she find peace? Aren't you all doing well? Have I ever mistreated you? Gu Ze, aren't you being ungrateful for saying that?"
Grandma Gu felt that she had taken care of the brothers with great care and hardship, but hadn't received a single word of thanks in return; they were truly ungrateful.
“There was no abuse, but there was differential treatment! When Gu Ye and Gu Feng and Gu Yuan had conflicts, you always criticized Gu Ye, regardless of who was right or wrong.”
“What’s wrong with a few criticisms? Your second uncle sacrificed himself, leaving behind only these two children. What’s wrong with me taking care of them?”
Grandma Gu felt she hadn't done anything wrong, and she had always believed that.
“Did my second uncle sacrifice himself because of us? Why should we, who just lost our mother, bear all this and make unconditional concessions? What difference would it make if our father hadn’t sacrificed himself?”
Bonnie felt that what Brother Gu was trying to say was, "It would have been better if he hadn't sacrificed himself!"
"What are you trying to achieve by saying all this now? Are you trying to settle accounts with us now that your grandfather has retired and lost his power, asking how we have mistreated you all these years?"
Grandma Gu started acting like she was old and entitled. How was Brother Gu supposed to respond to that? What a biased old lady.
"Grandma, you..."
Gu Ye stood up abruptly, his facial muscles twitching!
"Grandma, you're quite something. You treat the same grandsons differently. Isn't Gu Ye your grandson? Isn't he the child of your beloved eldest son? Were you trying to ruin Gu Ye and your eldest brother's reputation with your words? To make them look ungrateful and kick their grandparents when they're down? So what if Grandpa retired? We don't see any difference. It's you who can't let go!"
“You all enjoy the good life with your grandfather, living in a big house and being taken care of. My Gu Ye has been fighting in the army since he was fifteen, escaping death countless times. He has never enjoyed any of this.”
"What, does having a dead father mean you get preferential treatment? Is it his fault that Gu Ye didn't lose his father?!"
"How dare you speak to me like that?"
Grandma Gu and Gu Feng stood up together, glaring at Bao Ni.
Gu Ye stood up again and ran towards Gu Feng, but was pulled back and pressed down by Bao Ni.
"Oh, you can't sit still this time. I thought you were going to hide behind your dear grandma and let her fight for you while you reaped the benefits!"
Lin Baoni not only had no rivals in fights on the island, but she also never lost an argument, inheriting her mother's excellent genes.
"Lin Baoni, let me tell you, I, Gu Feng, have never said that I don't hit women."
"Damn it, try moving!"
Gu Ye got up again, only said one sentence, and was pressed down by Bao Ni again.
Lin Baoni was thrilled. No one on the island dared to challenge her; she had been lonely for a long time.
"Really? I don't say I don't hit men. How about we have a match?"
Gu Feng was so angry that his face turned red and his neck bulged; he didn't know what to do next.
"Alright, everyone sit down."
Grandpa Gu watched the commotion for a while, and only when he had had enough did he speak up to stop it.
Bonnie thought to herself, "What are you trying to do, old man?"
"You've said everything, haven't you? All the resentment, bitterness, grievances, and dissatisfaction you've harbored over the years have been expressed. From now on, let's not hold grudges. Even if we can't treat each other as family, we can't treat each other as enemies, giving outsiders a chance to target our Gu family."
Grandpa Gu always thought about maximizing the family's interests, but he failed to restrain those around him and treated them differently. How could he expect everyone to be of one mind?
Neither Gu Ye nor his brother responded. Grandpa Gu sighed deeply and understood.
The most promising member of the Gu family is Gu Ze, followed by Gu Ye. Gu Ye has many military achievements, and once he reaches the appropriate age, a promotion is a certainty.
Grandpa Gu glanced at his eldest son, who was comforting his wife, and his third son, who seemed indifferent and detached, and who was raised by his grandmother…
Forget it, they've worked hard their whole lives; let them walk their own path from now on. They're practically half-buried in the ground anyway. The government takes care of them; they don't need their children to take responsibility. Let them take care of themselves.
The discussion was originally about Gu Lan's dowry, but the topic veered off course. Grandpa Gu concluded by saying that Gu Lan's wedding shouldn't involve dowry anymore, and that it shouldn't be a big affair; everything should be kept low-key.
Grandma and I will give you a red envelope; every one of your children gets one for their wedding. As for you, it's up to you; I won't force you.
“Boss, Gu Lan is your daughter, it’s your responsibility, not Gu Ze’s or Gu Ye’s. If you can afford to give birth to her, you have to be able to raise her. Don’t let people say that Gu Lan and the others have a stepmother and a stepfather. You can decide how to prepare yourself.”
"Okay, Dad."
"Alright, everyone disperse. Take care of yourselves from now on, but don't let me hear you fighting amongst yourselves. Don't blame me for being ruthless then. I'm retired, but I'm not dead yet. I can still clean house if I want."
Grandpa Gu pulled the reluctant Grandma Gu away and back into the house.
The remaining people in the living room, except for the children who didn't understand, were all preoccupied with their own thoughts and had lost the desire to talk, so they dispersed.
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