Chapter 248 Bitter Melon Tastes Bitter
Gu Yuexuan stared at Tu Subo in amazement and took a deep breath. Her eyes were filled with disbelief, astonishment and unconcealable pain, as if she could not accept that he had put herself in such a predicament.
Tu Subo tried his best to hold back his smile, forced himself to turn his head slightly, stroked his lips and coughed, then said: "Grandfather, you once said that Xuanxuan has extraordinary talents, right?"
"She rarely has free time at home, yet she still has to worry about those tedious account books. Why not let her receive your guidance in chess? This can be considered a way to cultivate her body and mind."
The old grandfather was indeed a little physically exhausted due to his long-term illness. At first glance, Tu Subo's words seemed to make some sense.
He turned around, his eyes fixed on the expressionless Gu Yuexuan, and said in a serious tone: "Xuanxuan, come with grandpa, I will teach you."
Gu Yuexuan's face was as pale as paper and her body was trembling slightly.
Seeing this, Mrs. Li hurriedly turned around and called out, "Yanting, come and get Grandpa's chessboard out and put it in the yard so Grandpa and Sister-in-law can play a game!"
As soon as they heard that Gu Yuexuan was going to the chess table, Tu Su Minyang and Tu Su Minxu, two young men who were usually as lazy as moles, stopped digging holes and excitedly brought their small stools out to watch.
Beside the chess table, Gu Yuexuan held a box of round wooden chess pieces, and smiled bitterly with a hint of helplessness: "Grandfather, please. Show mercy."
My grandfather had two major hobbies in his life. One was being well versed in military tactics and strategies, and the other was playing chess, which was irreplaceable.
The grandfather, who has been obsessed with chess for half his life, has extraordinary chess skills and can be called a master among masters. However, Gu Yuexuan, a beginner who is trembling with the chess box in his hands, is far from him.
To be fair, the grandfather's preference for Gu Yuexuan, the eldest grandson's wife, even exceeds that for Tu Subo now, and it is even more difficult for other younger generations to compare.
However, once they sat down in front of the chessboard, the old grandfather's attitude towards her was no longer as gentle and loving as before. He played chess with harsh and ruthless tactics, like autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves.
After a few days of discipline, Gu Yuexuan became as wilted as a frost-bitten eggplant, with a gloomy look on her forehead, clearly reflecting the words "afraid of losing", which caused a lot of laughter at home. She racked her brains to avoid her grandfather's awe-inspiring edge.
However, her escape did not last long.
The old grandfather's condition worsened again.
The old grandfather's low and dull cough was heard from inside the house. Tu Subo, Tu Suminyang and others were waiting inside.
Gu Yuexuan personally saw the doctor off as he walked out of the mansion. The doctor's familiar words filled her ears, and her brows were twisted into a knot of worry.
"Doctor, my grandfather used to be in great spirits. According to you, he just had a cold. How could he be so ill that he couldn't even get out of bed?"
The doctor was clearly accustomed to such questions. He simply waved his hand and replied calmly, "Diseases are like a tiger descending a mountain, while recovery is like a silkworm spinning silk. After all, the old man is old, and his health is getting worse day by day. How can he compare to his prime? There's no need to worry too much. Just take good care of him."
Gu Yuexuan forced a smile and lowered her head slightly to show her understanding. Then her eyes fell on the medicine stove in the specially built small kitchen, from which wisps of white smoke were rising. Her heart became heavier.
My grandfather has been bedridden for more than ten days.
Unlike the mild cough before, his spirit became increasingly weak. Yesterday, he coughed up a lot of blood and fainted.
As the grandfather's condition worsened, Tu Subo and Tu Suting continued to invite more than a dozen doctors to come for diagnosis. Even Tu Su Minfei, who was far away in the county town, specially invited back a doctor with a great reputation.
However, every doctor who came to the house was unable to give a definitive diagnosis. They just vaguely attributed the illness to a cold and recommended rest.
Is the wind chill really that serious?
Why does the condition continue to worsen despite taking such a large amount of medicinal herbs?
Gu Yuexuan felt an inexplicable uneasiness in her heart. She rubbed the corners of her clothes anxiously, trying to appear relaxed, and then walked into the main room.
The old grandfather's condition is obviously not optimistic. The work at home has come to an end recently, and the younger generations in the family take turns guarding his bedside day and night.
The eyes of several young people were also red and swollen.
Gu Yuexuan pretended not to notice any of this. She walked over and gently shook Tu Subo's hand, then pulled a stool over and sat down beside the bed. She looked at her grandfather with a smile on her face and said, "Grandfather, didn't you say a few days ago that you felt very comfortable after eating the Sichuan Fritillary Pear stew I made? I'll stew another one for you today. Is that okay with you?"
The old grandfather's face was already shrouded in the shadow of a long illness, and there was an ominous gloom between his brows. When Gu Yuexuan's words reached his ears, he struggled to pull the corners of his lips and forced a bitter smile.
"You are a clever child. You are so good at everything you do."
Gu Yuexuan blinked quickly, trying to hide the tears in her eyes, and then playfully teased her grandfather to win his favor: "Grandpa always knows how to make me happy."
"Now you only praise everything I do, but why haven't you tasted the licorice bitter melon I stewed for you a few days ago?"
Tu Su Minxu couldn't understand the lingering worry in his grandfather's eyes. He lay on the bed, tightly holding his grandfather's increasingly thin fingers, and said innocently, "Because bitter melon tastes bitter!"
"Grandfather doesn't like to taste bitter things!"
Tu Su Yunxi also frowned slightly and muttered, "Bitter things really don't taste good!"
"Since Yunxi doesn't want to eat it, Grandfather naturally won't eat it either!"
Gu Yuexuan nudged Tu Subo's arm, raised an eyebrow, and asked jokingly, "So, if you don't eat anything, are you willing to try it?"
"If you don't eat, won't all my work be in vain?"
Tu Subo actually doesn't like bitter melon.
However, he still tried hard to smile, with an indescribable softness between his brows: "Okay, I'm willing to try."
Seeing that his face, which had been solemn for many days, finally showed a smile, Gu Yuexuan breathed a sigh of relief silently.
The old grandfather is not only the backbone and spiritual support of the Tu Su family, but also an elder whom Tu Subo respects and cherishes very much.
Since Tu Subo was less than two years old, his grandfather held him in his arms and raised him personally.
He had very few opportunities to meet his father and was raised by his grandfather, who held him in his lap and taught him step by step.
Among the many descendants of the Tu Su family, Tu Subo has the deepest affection for his grandfather.
Gu Yuexuan took a deep breath, tried to put the worries in her heart behind her, teased her grandfather for a few more words, then gently rolled up her sleeves and left.
In the kitchen, just as the steamer of Sichuan Fritillary Pears began to emit steam, the half-closed door was gently pushed open.
Tu Su Minfei walked in covered in dust, followed by a strange doctor.
As he stepped over the threshold, he was instantly enveloped by the strong smell of medicine that filled the yard. His brows furrowed, and he asked breathlessly, "Sister-in-law, has Grandfather's condition improved?"
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