Chapter 481 Pearl
After Nan Zhiyi led Gu Zhao back to the room, she asked for his opinion, "Should we put this locket away or wear it?"
Gu Zhao wrinkled his nose: "...Put it away. A real man doesn't want to wear it."
Nan Zhiyi listened to him and carefully put it away.
Then he was told to wash up and change his clothes.
After the mother and son finished tidying up and were sitting on the sofa reading, Gu Xiao went back to the bedroom, before he could even speak.
There was another noise at the door; it was Gu Yan arriving with Chen Anna.
"Brother, sister-in-law."
Gu Yan handed a long box to Gu Xiao. "It's a Montblanc, a limited edition. I specially chose the nib; it's perfect for the feel of your pen when you're reviewing documents."
Another flat box was handed to Nan Zhiyi, and Chen Anna explained softly from the side: "Sister-in-law, this set of South Sea pearl jewelry has a fairly even luster and the style is also elegant. I thought you might like it."
Nan Zhiyi opened the box, inside was a set of South Sea pearl jewelry including a brooch, earrings, and a necklace. Each pearl was round and large, with iridescent colors, and adorned with diamonds. The jewelry was understated in its brilliance and quite valuable.
She couldn't help but smile, and teased the young couple, "Why are you giving us special treatment? Wasn't the gift we gave you earlier grand enough?"
Gu Yan raised an eyebrow. "What do you think, sister-in-law? The gifts were for them, to show off to Dad. It's all about appearances. We... are family."
Chen Anna also took Nan Zhiyi's arm, her expression much more relaxed than downstairs: "Yes, sister-in-law, Gu Yan and I will be in the south from now on. Although we will be far apart, our relationship can't be distant. Whenever we have time, we should keep in touch and get together more often."
Nan Zhiyi: "Of course. As long as you don't mind me being long-winded, feel free to call anytime."
As she spoke, she turned around and took out a small sandalwood box that had been prepared beforehand from the cabinet. When she opened it, the pair of twin lotus-shaped jade pendants were inside.
"This is something your fifth brother and I picked out from our family's old collection. We originally planned to give it to Gu Yan a couple of days ago, but we were afraid he wouldn't recognize its value and would ruin it. Now it's all right, Anna, you can keep it safe. May you two be of one heart and mind and be happily married forever."
Anna Chen took the pair of jade pendants; they felt warm and smooth to the touch.
Although she came from a wealthy family and had seen many fine things, she also understood that the quality and craftsmanship of this kind of ancient jade could not be measured by money alone, but rather carried profound sentiments and blessings.
She thanked him repeatedly and carefully put the package away.
Gu Yan said solemnly, "Thank you, sister-in-law and brother. We will remember this kindness."
Standing beside Nan Zhiyi, Gu Xiao looked at his younger brother and sister-in-law and said earnestly, "No need for formalities. From now on, you'll be people who are truly starting your own families and careers. You need to know which path to take."
"Brother, I know. Don't worry."
"You two must be exhausted after a long day. Go back to your rooms and rest early. We have to travel tomorrow..."
Gu Yan met his brother's gaze and nodded earnestly. From this day forward, he would be a husband, a future father, and a pillar of another family. He understood this responsibility.
He put his arm around Anna Chen's shoulder and said goodbye before leaving.
Back in the festively decorated new house, Chen Anna carefully examined the pair of jade pendants under the lamp, and sighed softly, "I only heard you say before that your family used to be one of the wealthiest in Jian'an, but I didn't expect them to have such a deep background. To give away such warm jade like this is hard to find on the market these days."
Gu Yanzheng picked up the dried fruits such as red dates and peanuts that were spread all over the wedding bed and put them into a paper bag.
Hearing this, without even looking up, she said, "She's been hiding it, afraid to show off. People from families like hers know best what 'concealing one's talents' and 'keeping a low profile' mean. If it weren't for my wedding, my sister-in-law would probably still be keeping these old things in the storeroom, never seeing the light of day. Besides... she values relationships far more than the value of these things..."
Chen Anna straightened her expression and said, "I understand. I will cherish the affection between my brother and sister-in-law."
Her father and eldest brother had both solemnly advised her that although there were many brothers in the Gu family, only Gu Xiao's branch was truly worth getting to know and would be helpful to her future.
Gu Xiao is not only Gu Yan's biological elder brother, but also a powerful military officer with a promising future. Maintaining a good relationship with his fifth brother and sister-in-law is crucial, both professionally and personally.
Hearing Gu Yan's words, she understood even more that this "relationship" could not be maintained solely by interests, but required genuine sincerity in return.
"Yes, I will get along well with my sister-in-law."
She carefully put away the jade pendant, walked to the bedside, and helped Gu Yan tidy up the dried fruit. Then she asked, "Is your sister-in-law still in school? Peking University, right? After graduation... are you planning to stay at the university as a teacher?"
In her memory, women from good families and who married well usually chose a leisurely and respectable job.
Gu Yan paused for a moment, a proud smile playing on his lips: "A teacher? You really underestimate your sister-in-law."
"Those science fiction novels on my office bookshelf that you flipped through and said were quite interesting? They were all written by my sister-in-law."
Anna Chen's eyes widened, and she almost jumped off the bed. "My God!...Those books, were they written by my sister-in-law?!"
She had always thought that her elder sister-in-law was the kind of gentle, domestic, and well-bred lady who relied on her husband, at most having some artistic interests. She never expected that she was actually a science fiction writer who had received much attention in the literary world in recent years and whose sales were amazing!
Forget about tidying up, she shoved Gu Yan in the face and bombarded him with questions: "Really? Why didn't you tell me sooner! How many books has your sister-in-law written? Which ones have I read? When did she start writing them?..."
Gu Yan found it both amusing and smug, as if he himself were the one being praised.
"Ask slowly, ask slowly..." He lowered his voice, "The soundproofing in the house is not very good, so don't disturb others. Not many people know about this, and Zhiyi has never liked to make a fuss. You can ask her privately, but don't go around telling everyone."
"I know, I know!" Chen Anna nodded repeatedly, her impression of her sister-in-law instantly rising to a whole new level.
It turns out that this gentle and quiet elder sister-in-law is not only from a family with a long tradition of learning, but also a talented and independent modern woman.
This realization made her desire to get closer to Nan Zhiyi even more sincere and fervent.
The night was deep, and all was quiet outside the window.
Although it was their wedding night, both of them knew that the old house was not very soundproof, and they were surrounded by family members, so it was not a time for them to be carefree.
The newlyweds simply lay cuddled in bed, talking softly, their conversation ranging from the sister-in-law's novel to the business at the company in the south, and then to their plans for returning home the next day.
“Xiao Wan will be here this afternoon. Dad specifically asked him to stay so you wouldn’t be too tired from driving all the time.”
Gu Yan closed his eyes and mumbled an "Mmm," his breathing gradually becoming heavier.
Chen Anna was still a little excited, but said regretfully, "I just found out that my sister-in-law is Huaiwei, and I haven't had a chance to chat with her much yet... They're going back to Beijing tomorrow, right?"
Gu Yan hummed in agreement again, already on the verge of falling asleep.
Chen Anna could hear the weariness in his voice, so she stopped asking and tucked the blanket around him.
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