Resplendent – Chapter 419

Chapter 419 – Bitter Weeping

The quiet and obedient Chu Mushan stepped forward, took Gu Xiao’s arm, and whispered, “Grandpa Gu, did you come to see me? I’ve missed you!”

When the Chu family suffered that disaster, Chu Mushan was only two or three years old. During those ten years of exile to the frontier, he was practically raised on Grandpa Gu’s back, and his affection for the old man ran the deepest.

Gu Xiao patted Chu Mushan on the shoulder. Looking into the boy’s eyes—which were almost identical to his granddaughter’s—he felt a complicated mix of emotions. 

When he first saw Gu Ye back in Qingshan Village, emaciated down to a skeleton, he felt pity but also a strange sense of familiarity. How had he never connected her to the Chu family back then?

In truth, it wasn’t really his fault.  

Everyone in Qingshan Village believed Gu Ye was Gu Qiao’s biological daughter, and after her stepmother came, her ‘stepfather’ simply took over. Moreover, most families in the village valued boys over girls, so no one thought that Gu Ye wasn’t the Gu family’s biological child.

Having settled back in his hometown, Gu Xiao naturally never suspected any connection between her and the Chu family’s lost daughter!

“Grandpa!” Gu Ye’s eyes glistened with affection as she ran up to him, clutching his arm and refusing to let go. 

If she hadn’t been adopted by Grandpa Gu, all her skills and abilities might never have been put to use, staying in that other household. Who knew what more vicious schemes that cruel Mrs. Liu might have hatched, possibly even teaming up with Gu Qiao to harm her?

During the three years by Grandpa’s side, no matter what she did, he and her brothers had always trusted and supported her unconditionally. They allowed her to fully exercise her abilities and run the pharmaceutical operations efficiently and successfully. The distillery on the outskirts of Yan City was almost entirely managed by him, requiring not the slightest effort from her.

He treated her even more affectionately than if she were his biological granddaughter. The thought that she might soon be separated from him made tears well up uncontrollably. She threw herself into his arms and began to cry loudly, “Wuwuwu!”

In Gu Xiao’s eyes, his granddaughter had always been strong. Over the years, no matter what difficulties or setbacks she faced, she had always faced them with a smile. He had never seen her cry like this before—wailing uncontrollably. At this moment, he realized that his granddaughter was still just a child, a child who clung to family!

Gu Xiao felt a pang in his heart. He gently patted her back and softly comforted her, “Ye’er, don’t cry. Grandpa is here.”

“Grandpa—I can’t bear to be away from Grandpa. I don’t want to leave you, wah—” Gu Ye’s tears quickly soaked Gu Xiao’s clothes, the warmth of them sending a shiver through his heart.

Gu Xiao’s eyes reddened, his voice choked with emotion, “Grandpa won’t leave you! Wherever Ye’er is, Grandpa will be there! My house is very close to the Zhenguo Manor—that’s also your home, and you’re welcome to come back anytime. Grandpa will also come to see you often…”

Gu Ming stood aside, tears streaming down his face. His little sister—his sweet, understanding, and obedient little sister—would no longer belong to him alone. Before, when the annoying Jun Qicheng and the big-tailed wolf Brother Ling tried to compete with him for his sister, he could still confront them boldly and argue his case.

But now, the six brothers of the Chu family were truly his sister’s blood relatives. He, in contrast, had become the extra one. Just thinking about it made his chest ache, leaving him almost unable to breathe.

He regretted not persuading his sister to stay at the East District courtyard to rest for a day, or to go to his Grandpa’s house in the West District to take care of the moving arrangements. 

Why did he have to take her out shopping on the street? Why did they have to quarrel with the Huang Sect and those scoundrels in the jewelry shop…

If the timing had been different, would they have avoided meeting Chu Mushan? And would his sister then have…

Gu Ming looked at his sister, a pang of guilt rising in his heart. He had been too selfish. It was a fact that his sister was the legitimate daughter of the Chu family. Being in the same capital, it was inevitable they would cross paths. He had seen how everyone at the Zhenguo Manor treated his sister. 

With the backing of the Zhenguo Manor, her path ahead would be much smoother, and her future marriage prospects would be much more secure. Although his younger sister had been taken away, he still hoped that she could live a better life. Because his sister deserved better!

Chu Bufan and the five Chu brothers looked at Gu Ye, who was in pain and at a loss for words, feeling an indescribable heartache. Chu Bufan hurried to his daughter’s side and clumsily wiped her tears with a handkerchief, saying, “Bao’er, be good, don’t cry, don’t cry! Uncle Gu isn’t a stranger; he’s like family to our manor.” 

Gu Ye lifted her little face, enjoying the treatment of having her tears wiped by her biological father, and sobbed as she asked, “Grandpa is part of our family? Then can Grandpa live with us?”

“Of course!” Seeing her little rabbit-like red eyes, Chu Bufan answered firmly, “Back when Uncle Gu resigned from his post to return to his hometown, I tried to persuade him to stay many times. The outer courtyard even prepared a separate residence for him.”

Over the years, Gu Xiao had been following Old General Chu and had neither married nor had children. Chu Bufan had originally intended to keep him at the mansion to care for him in his old age. But because Gu Xiao insisted on living in his hometown for a few years, he hadn’t stopped him. 

Chu Bufan was extremely grateful that he hadn’t forcibly prevented it back then; otherwise, the reunion with his little daughter would have been delayed indefinitely!

“Grandpa, stay here with me. I can’t be without you!” Gu Ye pleaded, tears welling in her eyes. Even the hardest-hearted person would find it impossible to refuse, let alone Gu Xiao, who had no limits when it came to doting on his granddaughter.

“All right! I will stay at the Duke’s Manor to be with Ye’er!” Gu Xiao didn’t hesitate for a moment and made the promise. In a noble household like theirs, rules were strict, and his granddaughter was destined for great things. If anyone tried to hinder her, he would be her strongest support. 

From now on, any errands or tasks that couldn’t be entrusted to others would be his responsibility! After all, he didn’t care what others thought. He would throw his old face on the line without fear!

“Brother isn’t leaving either!” Gu Ye reached out her small hand, clutching Gu Ming’s sleeve tightly. At this moment, she didn’t want to hold back; she let herself express her feelings freely. After all, she was only thirteen, and she had the right to be willful!

Gu Ming wiped his tears with his sleeve and nodded firmly. “Where you and Grandpa are, that’s where I’ll be! We’ll never be apart!” 

Gu Ye’s tears turned into laughter, a satisfied smile lighting up her face. The five Chu brothers looked at how much she depended on her foster brother. Though it made them feel a little wistful, seeing her smile made it easier to accept that there was now one more person competing for their little sister’s attention. So long as their little sister was happy!

Chu Bufan held his daughter’s small hand and smiled at Gu Xiao. “Uncle Gu hasn’t eaten yet, right? Come, let’s have a simple family reunion meal together. In a few days, we’ll pick a good day and hold a proper ceremony so that our Ye’er can formally recognize her family.”

“Dad…” Gu Ye groaned at the thought of all her distant relatives coming to meet her, her head starting to ache. She quickly found an excuse: “I have the Pharmacist Assessment in just over ten days. I need to focus on studying during this time, so… can we cancel the formal recognition banquet?”