The Gu family of three returned to their room on the second floor. Liu Jiu was tired from playing and fell asleep soon after.
“Gu Ye, I’ve discovered that the person who has the hardest time accepting your grandfather’s retirement is your grandmother.”
“After Grandpa retired, many things changed, and life changed too. Although the retirement home provides enough to eat and drink and there are people to take care of you, it can’t compare to now! Besides, it won’t be easy for Gu Feng to rely on Grandpa’s help in the future. Can she be willing to accept that?”
Lin Baoni believes that favoritism is a kind of illness, an incurable one.
Meanwhile, things weren't peaceful in Gu Feng's room either.
"Grandpa has retired, what size house can we apply for?"
"The best we could hope for is a two-bedroom apartment, but we have virtually no chance. Besides, we won't be able to live in this family compound anymore; we'll have to go to the one next door, but my rank isn't high enough."
Gu Feng's wife stroked her belly, feeling resentful. Her son's birth hadn't meant she could enjoy a comfortable life. What would she do? She had to raise the child herself and work; how was she going to survive?
It's easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality!
Gu Feng was also considering what his grandfather had said; he was in the military in Beijing, which put him at a disadvantage.
Those around his age either came from similar family backgrounds and had similar educational backgrounds, or they had no family connections and had earned their success through hard work and real battles—something he couldn't compare to. Unlike Gu Ye, he wasn't always on the front lines and had countless achievements.
But he didn't want to go to Gu Ye's territory; he didn't want to be constantly compared to others.
The couple, each lost in their own thoughts, lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.
Grandpa Gu downstairs was also awake; he was feeling very bad.
The Gu family members are not united and each has their own agenda. He can no longer control them; they've all become too ambitious!
"Gu Ye is already barbaric enough, but his wife is even more barbaric than him. It's true that birds of a feather flock together; they're both equally detestable!"
Grandma Gu felt a lump in her throat, unable to breathe, and it was incredibly painful.
"Can you just shut up already? You've ruined this family, and you don't even know how to reflect on your actions?"
"What do you mean I've ruined the family? What does it have to do with me if they don't listen to me? A father has to watch his son's face. Gu Ze and Gu Ye did the right thing. Xu Ning has been dead for so long, why can't we get over this?"
Grandma Gu disliked Gu Ye's mother; she never had. If her eldest son had married the girl she had chosen back then, none of this would have happened, turning them into a rifty father-son relationship!
Grandma Gu never felt that there was anything wrong with her eldest son getting together with Xu Fang. Xu Ning herself was in poor health, so she couldn't let her eldest son stay with her forever.
Grandma Gu should live in ancient times; she would be a qualified matriarch with harmonious relationships between her wives and concubines.
Grandpa Gu didn't want to say any more. Some people, once they've made up their minds, just can't change them.
Gu Lan sat on the bed, her heart also in turmoil. After seeing her father and Aunt Xu's behavior, there was nothing she didn't understand. Aunt Xu said she treated her like her own daughter, but it was all just talk; when it came to actually doing it, she wouldn't listen.
However, she was not close to her two older brothers since childhood, especially her second brother, who wanted to beat her every time he saw her and disliked her from a young age.
Gu Lan actually remembered some scenes: whenever her mother tried to get close to her, she was inexplicably afraid and wanted to hide. Back then, the way her second brother, still a teenager, looked at her was terrifying!
She knew that her mother had left some things behind. Her two older brothers wouldn't be greedy, but they also wouldn't give them all to her at once, for fear that she wouldn't be able to keep them.
I'm not going to think about it anymore. I'm over twenty now. I'll be more careful in the future and not get sold out and then help count the money.
Xu Fang and Gu Xiangdong were still awake. She was still thinking about what dowry to prepare for Gu Lan, and she felt so sorry for her.
"Xiangdong, what do you think is an appropriate amount of dowry for Gu Lan?"
"Just prepare according to the current market situation. We'll prepare the same things as everyone else. Give her a full set of furniture, clothes, bedding, everything she needs."
Gu Xiangdong never cared about family matters; Xu Fang handled everything, and he had no idea what to prepare.
"We don't have that much money—a full set of furniture, clothes, bedding, and all the money we've saved up."
"How can we not have money? Over the years, our family hasn't had any major expenses, and my salary has always been quite high. Where is the money?"
Even though Gu Xiangdong no longer interferes in affairs, he still knows how much salary he earns. He didn't contribute a single penny to Gu Ze and Gu Ye's weddings, so over the years, he must have saved several thousand yuan. And Xu Fang also has a salary, so how could she not have money?
"We have a lot of kids, so we spend a lot of money, don't we?"
Xu Fang had money of her own. Although she had given a lot to her family, as Gu Xiangdong said, they didn't have many expenses, so they still had some savings. But she couldn't bear to give it to Gu Lan; she had three children of her own!
Especially Gu Bei, he's only a teenager. By the time he gets married and has children, Gu Xiangdong will be almost retired. How much help can he provide? He should save more money just in case!
"We only have four children in our family. Gu Ze and Gu Ye haven't used a single penny of my money. You didn't use it all to subsidize your family, did you?"
"No, I didn't. I was just thinking of saving some money for Gu Bei. We're getting old, and the kids are still young, so we need to have some backup plans, right?"
Gu Xiangdong, who was told he was too old, felt like a million horses were galloping through his mind...
"Stop saying those useless things. Gu Lan is my child. You can decide what to do yourself. If you can't, just give me the bankbook."
Gu Xiangdong said a few words and went to sleep, leaving Xu Fang furious but helpless.
Gu Lan's wedding arrived as scheduled. The groom's betrothal gifts included a bicycle, a sewing machine, and 88 yuan. The Gu family kept none of these and gave them to Gu Lan to take with her.
In addition, Gu Xiangdong prepared furniture, a radio, two sets of bedding, and two new outfits as dowry. Gu Ze and Gu Ye gave red envelopes as gifts. As for the things left by his mother, they were not given to Gu Lan yet; for now, it was best to keep a low profile.
The groom's relatives and friends arrived on bicycles to pick up the bride. After arriving at the new house, everyone had a lively chat before heading to the canteen.
The wedding banquet was held in the canteen of the groom's father's factory; there were only a few tables, and they were all close relatives. Bonnie watched as the wedding, with its distinctively contemporary elements—reading the Little Red Book, singing revolutionary songs, and bowing to portraits of great leaders—concluded the ceremony.
The wedding ended after a simple meal without any alcohol.
As Gu Lan watched her departing relatives, she began to truly grasp the meaning of marriage. From now on, when she returned home, it would be to visit her parents.
Three days after returning to her parents' home, Bao Ni sensed that Gu Lan was somewhat different. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but perhaps it was because she was married, living her own life, and had grown up.
Grandpa Gu was quite happy. Isn't the point of life to have your descendants carry on the legacy?
Gu Lan's wedding is over, and Bao Ni and the others will be heading back soon. She's still thinking about her seaweed seedlings!
Grandpa Gu and the others have almost finished packing their things and will be moving in the next few days. New people will be moving in, and a new generation will replace the old!
Grandpa Gu has survived a life-threatening ordeal, so he doesn't have high material demands. However, he inevitably feels a sense of loss and will truly need to enjoy a comfortable retirement from now on!
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