Chapter 120
Xiao Ping was preparing dinner in the kitchen when he heard the door to the living room open. Knowing it was Fang Lan, he didn't think too much about it. He stopped chopping vegetables and walked towards the living room with the knife in hand. As he walked, he said, "Did you and Wang Lan have lunch and afternoon tea? Why are you back so late..."
“!”
There were three people standing at the door. Xiao Ping was stunned the moment he saw Gu Cunxi. He looked at Fang Lan in confusion. It was beyond his expectation that she could bring Gu Cunxi back...
"Come in!" Fang Lan took out her slippers and said lightly, then walked towards the living room.
"Come in, girl! Dinner is almost ready, try our home-cooked dishes from the South Bank!" Xiao Ping put his knife-holding hand behind his back and invited Gu Cunxi in.
Gu Cunxi's heart was in a mess from the beginning. Fang Lan would take the initiative to ask her to stay, which made her surprised and happy. She didn't dare to think whether this was a signal that Fang Lan was willing to accept her.
"Sit down first!" Xiao Ping pointed at the sofa and turned to Pei Yin and said, "There's fruit in the refrigerator. Give it to Cunxi!"
Gu Cunxi looked at Fang Lan who was sitting on the sofa, with a faint expression and no emotion. She thought for a moment, turned around and walked over to sit opposite Fang Lan. Pei Yin was cutting fruit in the kitchen while watching the situation in the living room, afraid that her mother would say something unpleasant.
"hiss…"
"You kid! Can't you concentrate when holding a knife? It happened the same way last time!" Xiao Ping looked at Pei Yin's cut index finger. A little blood oozed out of the long, thin incision.
Gu Cunxi heard the noise in the kitchen and immediately went to the kitchen. He grabbed Pei Yin's hand and asked anxiously with a nervous look on his face, "Why are you so careless? Does it hurt?"
"It doesn't hurt! It's just a minor wound, it's okay!" Pei Yin smiled and shook his head.
From time to time, blood oozed out of the wound. Gu Cunxi frowned, lowered his head, held Pei Yin's index finger, and licked it lightly.
"!" Xiao Ping quickly turned his back, unable to bear to watch...
These two people... don't know how to avoid him at all
Perhaps... the person who should be avoided might be himself! Xiao Ping looked at the food in the pot, which still needed to be stewed for a while, and then walked away silently.
Gu Cunxi then remembered that Xiao Ping was still beside him, and he immediately relaxed. His face flushed slightly, and he looked at Xiao Ping's back awkwardly as he left, pouting angrily. Pei Yin saw it, and felt sweet and wanted to laugh. Gu Cunxi was so cute!
"You licked me... My fingers are so itchy! The wound doesn't hurt anymore!" Pei Yin leaned over and whispered in Gu Cunxi's ear.
"!" Gu Cunxi's face flushed instantly. She looked towards the living room, feeling guilty. If Fang Lan heard what she said, she probably wouldn't be able to eat today's meal...
"Ahem..." Gu Cunxi cleared his throat and said, "Do you have iodine and a band-aid?"
"The wound is small, you won't need that!"
"No!" Gu Cunxi frowned and said in a feigned anger, "No matter how small the wound is, it's still a wound. What if it gets infected?"
After that, Gu Cunxi didn't wait for Pei Yin to refuse, turned around and walked towards the living room to ask Xiao Ping for the medicine box. Fang Lan didn't say a word the whole time, but silently observed Gu Cunxi's every move. It can be seen that Gu Cunxi is really good to his daughter. The tension and anxiety in her eyes just now can't be faked.
After bandaging the wound, Gu Cunxi pushed Pei Yin out of the kitchen, washed his hands, cut the remaining fruit, brought it to the living room, and placed it in front of Fang Lan.
Xiao Ping looked at Gu Cunxi with a smile on his face, and he liked this girl more and more. Although he didn't know what happened in the afternoon, the fact that Fang Lan brought her back and was willing to keep her at home for dinner meant that she was probably willing to accept Gu Cunxi!
The stone in my heart gradually fell to the ground. Xiao Ping was in a good mood after seeing such a harmonious scene. He must have a couple of drinks in the evening.
"Cunxi! Have a drink with me tonight?"
"Dad!" Before Gu Cunxi could say anything, Pei Yin stopped him and said, "Cunxi is driving!"
"There are rooms at home, so it's okay to sleep there for one night!" Xiao Ping subconsciously looked at Fang Lan when he said this. Seeing that she was not unhappy and did not refuse, he felt relieved.
It's done!
"Pei Pei, it's okay, I can call a designated driver!" Gu Cunxi smiled.
"Wow!" Xiao Ping slapped his forehead suddenly. Remembering the ribs still stewing in the pot, he hurried to the kitchen, saying as he walked, "My dish!"
Pei Yin hadn't felt such a harmonious and down-to-earth life for a long time. In fact, there had never been such a relaxed atmosphere at home in the past four years. Until Gu Cunxi came back, everything gradually became complete!
Xiao Ping was busy in the kitchen for more than an hour. Pei Yin wanted to help, but she was worried about Gu Cunxi being alone with her mother.
After the dishes were ready, Xiao Ping brought out a bottle of his treasured white wine. The four of them sat down. Fang Lan hadn't said a word since she entered the room. Xiao Ping was the first to speak, breaking the silence and raising his glass, saying, "These dishes are what Pei Yin likes. Try my uncle's cooking and see if they suit your taste."
Gu Cunxi clinked his glasses with Xiao Ping, nodded, and smiled, "Thank you, uncle! I'll be more than welcome then. I've been smelling the delicious food in the living room for a long time, and I'm really hungry!"
"Cunxi! Try this. You don't like greasy food. This dish is fragrant and not greasy! It suits your taste!" Pei Yin picked up a piece of steamed pork ribs and put it in Gu Cunxi's bowl, looking at her and smiling.
"I...I can do it myself! You eat quickly!" Gu Cunxi pursed his lips and looked at Fang Lan and Xiao Ping, feeling a little embarrassed.
Fang Lan watched her daughter's gentle gestures towards Gu Cunxi. A smile spread across her lips, and even her eyes brightened. It seemed she hadn't seen her daughter so happy in a long time...
Following the rules is life, and so is going against the rules! Wang Lan's words kept echoing in her heart, and Fang Lan felt that the scale in her heart was gradually shifting...
One end is worldly, the other end is happiness...
"Eat more!" Pei Yin kept picking up food for Gu Cunxi, and the food on the plate piled up into a small hill.
Fang Lan looked at her daughter, whose heart and eyes were filled with Gu Cunxi, and she sighed while holding her forehead with a look of resignation.
"Miss Gu!"
Fang Lan, who had been sitting opposite without saying anything, suddenly spoke, which made Gu Cunxi stunned.
Fang Lan put down his bowl and chopsticks, took a sip of tea, and said seriously, "You and Pei Yin should be about the same age, right?"
"I'm two years younger than Pei Yin!"
There wasn't much of a difference, especially in age. Fang Lan nodded thoughtfully and asked, "Where are you from? What do your parents do?"
"Mom!" Pei Yin interrupted softly, looking at her mother who was checking the household registration.
"I'm from Nanjiang! My father works in a bank, and my mother is a high school teacher. They're both retired now!" Gu Cunxi paused and continued, "I graduated from Peking University, majoring in finance, and work in Beicheng!"
Speaking of Jingda Fang Lan raised his eyebrows, his eyes lit up
"Peking University is one of the most prestigious universities in the country! It's hard for ordinary people to get in. Not bad!" Xiao Ping took a sip of white wine and nodded with satisfaction.
"You said you are the general manager of Nansheng Group, so you will not stay in Jianghuai City permanently. You will eventually return to Beicheng, right?" Fang Lan asked again.
Gu Cunxi was silent for a while, thought for a moment and said, "Well... I can't decide which city to stay in!"
"???" Fang Lan was stunned for a moment, frowning and asking in confusion: "What do you mean you can't decide?"
"I respect Pei Yin on this matter! If she wants to stay in Jiang Huai, I will focus my work here! Where I stay is up to her!"
Fang Lan understood, what it meant was that Gu Cunxi would follow her daughter wherever she went... Pei Yin sat beside her without saying a word, pursing her lips and curling the corners of her mouth, her heart unable to stop jumping for joy.
"I haven't agreed to your deal yet, and you're saying this as if you're blaming my daughter." Fang Lan curled her lips and said unhappily
"Mom! It's me who's responsible for Gu Cunxi!"
“…”
Gu Cunxi shook Pei Yin's hand under the table, picked up some dishes for her and put them on the plate. He said to Fang Lan, "No one is blaming the other. Pei Yin and I have both firmly chosen each other. I was just telling the truth in response to your question. No matter where Pei Yin likes to stay, I will respect her!"
"Whether it's Jiang Huai, Beicheng, or any other city, I'm willing to follow her. I know that as parents, you and your uncle definitely don't want her to be too far away from you!"
Fang Lan didn't answer, tacitly agreeing with Gu Cunxi's words. She did have concerns in this regard... Accepting her was one thing, but accepting Gu Cunxi taking her daughter to a completely unfamiliar city was another...
Gu Cunxi also saw through Fang Lan's concerns, paused and said, "I own two properties in Beicheng and Jianghuai. I won't let Pei Yin be separated from you just because she chose me. No matter where she chooses, I will leave a place for you and your uncle!"
This was beyond Fang Lan's expectation, and she was so surprised that she was speechless for a moment.
Pei Yin felt warm and touched by these words. Looking at the mountain of food in front of her, her eyes were filled with tears. Gu Cunxi was always like this, silently doing so much for her and giving her love without any worries. She had planned everything for herself, but in comparison, she could give Gu Cunxi so little...
"Ahem!" Fang Lan cleared her throat and pursed her lips, saying, "I'm not saying this to ask you to prepare a property for us! We've lived here all our lives, and no matter how good other cities are, we're not used to them. I just..."
"I know you don't mean that! But this is something I've considered a long time ago! You and your uncle are getting older, and I know that when people reach old age, what they desire most is the company of their children, just like this table of dishes. Each of these dishes is a father's thought for his daughter, so I shouldn't be selfish and ask Pei Yin to leave you too far and for too long just because she chose me! You are Pei Yin's only relatives, an inseparable part of her, and a part that I need to take into consideration! Besides, some things are better than nothing. If you and your uncle want to see Pei Yin in the future, you can stay there for a long time at any time."
Xiao Ping felt at ease after hearing these words. What made him feel at ease was not the property, but Gu Cunxi's sincerity and intentions! This time... he believed that he had not made a mistake!
Thinking of his daughter's unhappy marriage over the years, Xiao Ping's eyes were red. He hoped that from now on Pei Yin's life would be full of sweetness after bitterness!
"Cunxi! Come!" Xiao Ping rubbed his eyes, picked up the wine glass, paused and said: "As Pei Yin's father, I think I need to express my opinion!"
Gu Cunxi picked up the wine glass, held the bottom with one hand, nodded slightly and waited for Xiao Ping to speak.
Fang Lan opened her mouth to say something but hesitated. She could guess what Xiao Ping was going to say next and wanted to stop him, but she didn't say anything...
The wine glasses clinked together, and a crisp sound echoed in the living room. It was particularly pleasant at this moment. Xiao Ping drank it all in one gulp, took a deep breath and said to Pei Yin: "As a father, I taught you how to speak and walk, raised you to adulthood, taught you to be grateful and to love. We chose your life for you, but the result was not satisfactory..."
"You're no longer a child. Your mother and I are old, and we... should let go. You are free to choose whoever you want and love whoever you want. As parents, we shouldn't restrict you from loving whoever you want. If Gu Cunxi is your happiness and joy, then go with her! Dad supports you!"
Xiao Ping's eyes were red as he finished his words calmly. He then poured himself a glass of white wine and drank it all in one gulp. His old face wore a kind and relieved smile, but his eyes were getting redder and redder...
"Dad!" Pei Yin lowered his head and called out with a choked voice. Just as he was about to speak, tears started to flow down his cheeks. His throat was dry and he couldn't make a sound.
Xiao Ping's words made Gu Cunxi feel bitter. From his tone, Gu Cunxi heard the compromise and blessing from his father, the feeling of which was difficult for others to understand...
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