Chapter 423 The Past
In the past two years, Commander Gu's health has deteriorated. Not only are his legs and feet weak, but his voice has also become feeble and listless.
Dad is getting old, but he still cares about his son's marriage. During the Spring Festival, he even took out his retirement money in advance and gave it to Gu Yan, so that Gu Yan could find a wife as soon as possible and he could die in peace.
Gu Yan stared at his father's trembling hand, feeling sad. He reached out to support Commander Gu's other arm. "Dad, please sit down. Let's talk this out slowly."
"Okay, good." Commander Gu smiled.
When Gu Yan helped his father sit down, the arm bone he touched felt like a withered branch.
His throat tightened, but his face showed the same playful expression as always.
“Dad, Anna is not only my girlfriend, but also your future daughter-in-law. We came back specifically to discuss the wedding, so we can get married soon and give you a big, healthy grandson, and then you can enjoy being a grandparent.”
Anna Chen's ears turned red, she lowered her head, and twisted the ribbon on her skirt with her fingers.
Nan Zhiyi stepped forward at the right moment and said gently, "Anna, would you like to go check the kitchen? Aunt Wu has specially learned how to make Cantonese soup and is keeping an eye on the heat."
Chen Anna felt as if she had been granted a pardon and quickly stood up. "Uncle Gu, I'll go help in the kitchen first." She then turned back and added softly, "Uncle, is there anything you'd like to eat? I'll have Aunt Wu add it."
Commander Gu nodded: "Good boy, go ahead. If there's anything you want to eat, just tell Aunt Wu."
Chen Anna took Nan Zhiyi's arm and said, "Okay, thank you, Uncle." She winked at Gu Yan before pulling Nan Zhiyi toward the kitchen.
Nan Zhiyi turned around and called her son to leave together.
Only the father and son remained in the living room.
Commander Gu then asked softly, "When exactly do you plan to hold the wedding?"
He is now very old and increasingly worried about his youngest son who has been unmarried for so long... Now, he hopes that his son can get married and have children as soon as possible, as long as the girl is from a respectable family.
Moreover, Gu Yan had called and told me in detail about the girl. She came from a wealthy family in Hong Kong and was a simple and kind person, so she was not a bad match for him.
Gu Yan took out the cigarette case and put it back, replying, "It's tentatively scheduled for before the Spring Festival. Anna's family hopes to follow the old customs of the Three Letters and Six Rites. It just so happens that my elder brother should be on vacation by then. You must take good care of yourself, as you will be receiving such a high-ranking ceremony at that time."
“Alright…” Commander Gu pondered for a while, his tone slow, “The Chen family of Hong Kong… Your mother often said that merchants value integrity. Since they have entrusted you with such a large sum of money, you must treat them with care.”
Gu Yan stared at his father's bare scalp beneath his sparse white hair. He remembered the year his brother got married, when his father could beat him so badly that he could run all over the yard with his bare hands, but now he even needed help to serve tea.
He got up and walked to the entrance, took out two brocade boxes from the gift bag. One box contained an old ginseng root with its hair and beard intact, while the other box contained wild mountain royal jelly wrapped in gold foil.
"Anna specially picked out this ginseng for you, saying that you should suck on two slices regularly."
Commander Gu rubbed his withered fingers on his knee. "My body is like a leaky wooden bucket; no matter how many tonics you pour in, it's all in vain."
"Zhiyi and your brother keep sending these things too. The cordyceps they sent last month are still lying in the cupboard... They're urging me to go to the sanatorium in Beijing... Sigh, what's the point of going? Can they really make my eighty-year-old body look like I'm fifty?"
Dust motes swirled slowly in the sunlight, and Commander Gu's voice gradually lowered: "Back then, I would take your mother on horseback patrols, covering three outposts a day..."
Gu Yan grasped his father's bony wrists with both hands: "My dear father, you can't admit you're getting old! When spring comes, I'll take you to Huacheng to soak in the hot springs. Anna's family has a garden connected to a geothermal spring. When I have a son next year, I'll let him ride on your shoulders. I guarantee it'll be more fun than riding a horse."
Commander Gu grabbed his youngest son's hand, his brown age spots contrasting against his tanned skin: "Alright... now that you've met such a wonderful girl like Anna, I finally..."
Before she could finish speaking, Gu Yan interrupted her: "Wait until you hold your grandson before you start reminiscing! You need to think of a name first, don't end up like Gu Zhao, only slowly coming up with one after Zhiyi is born... And besides, you need to think of a better name for my son..."
Commander Gu finally smiled slightly, "You little rascal, you're better at clowning than your brother."
Not long after.
Anna Chen peeked out of the kitchen carrying a bowl of sweet and sour pork ribs: "Uncle Gu, Gu Yan, dinner's ready."
Gu Yan took his father's arm and said, "Dad, let me help you wash your hands."
Commander Gu used his strength to get up, "I've come to appreciate your filial piety... It's rare."
“I’ve been very filial to you all these years,” Gu Yan said, raising his voice as if feigning grievance. “The bird’s nest I asked someone to bring me last time was given to my old comrades at the sanatorium right away.”
Commander Gu feigned deep thought: "Is that so? I can't recall..."
Gu Yan feigned a choking expression, steadily supporting his father's elbow. Gu Zhao ran over and grabbed his grandfather's other hand: "Let me help Grandpa wash his hands!"
Commander Gu smiled kindly at Gu Zhao: "Our Gu Zhao is truly my good grandson."
Feeling neglected, Gu Yan sighed deeply and deliberately made his footsteps loud.
At the lunch table, steaming chicken in a clay pot was rising from the center of the round table. Gu Yangang picked up the serving chopsticks, but Commander Gu raised his hand to stop him: "Let Xiao Li do it. It's not time to be fed yet."
Commander Gu turned and nodded to Xiao Li, who was sitting beside him. Xiao Li skillfully ladled out half a bowl of chicken soup and carefully skimmed off the surface oil.
Xiao Li used to always eat with Wu Ma and the others in the kitchen, but now that Commander Gu has difficulty moving around, Xiao Li eats with him and occasionally helps him...
Gu Yan noticed that his father's left hand was trembling slightly under the table, but he insisted on taking the porcelain spoon himself. He sighed inwardly, thinking that his father was still so strong-willed.
"Everyone, start eating." Commander Gu scooped up a spoonful of tofu. "The fourth brother's family is coming over this afternoon, so you should all go and take a nap first."
Nan Zhiyi removed the fish bones from Gu Zhao's fish and looked up at Chen Anna, saying, "Anna, Gu Yan's room is all tidied up. If you need anything, just let me know."
Chen Anna smiled sweetly at Nan Zhiyi: "Okay, thank you, sister-in-law. I won't stand on ceremony with you."
After the meal.
Xiao Li helped Commander Gu back to his room for a nap.
Gu Yan and Chen Anna were having their meal with Gu Zhao in the courtyard when Nan Zhiyi came out of the kitchen looking for her son. Gu Yan was standing on the veranda smoking.
Upon seeing Nan Zhiyi, Gu Yan stubbed out his cigarette and started a conversation, "Zhiyi, how's my brother doing lately?"
Nan Zhiyi smiled and said, "You still care about your brother? He's doing well, he's just too busy. Otherwise, he would definitely come back to see you and Dad."
Gu Yan turned his gaze to Chen Anna in front of the flower bushes.
After a while, he added, "Dad's hands are shaking worse than last year..."
Nan Zhiyi felt a pang of sadness thinking about this: "Xiao Li told me that Dr. Qin came to see me last week and said it was a neurodegenerative disease..."
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