Third Brother Gu (Gu Laosan)
At noon, as the matriarch of the Zhan family, Zhu Jiaorong prepared a large meal to entertain both of her daughters and their husbands. Zhan Bo was in a good mood and brought out two bottles of fine liquor to drink with his two sons-in-law.
Zhan Mingkang, however, remained in his room and refused to come out. Zhu Jiaorong prepared a separate meal for him, knocked on his door, and left the food outside.
This time, Zhan Mingkang lacked the usual stubbornness. As soon as Zhu Jiaorong left, he eagerly opened the door and brought the large bowl of food inside. He picked up his chopsticks and quickly wolfed down a few mouthfuls.
With his hunger temporarily relieved, Zhan Mingkang’s mind cleared. He looked toward the door and then crept over to it, pressing his ear against the wooden panel to eavesdrop on the sounds outside.
He heard the warm sounds of family gathering, along with the occasional laughter of children. What stung him the most was his father, Zhan Bo’s, hearty laughter and words like “good grandson” and “my dear son-in-law.”
Zhan Mingkang let out a cold, bitter laugh. He stepped out of his room, intent on causing chaos and overturning the table. If he couldn’t eat, he didn’t want anyone else to enjoy the meal either.
Zhan Mingkang strode into the dining room. The family stopped what they were doing, except for the two toddlers. Zhu Jiaorong looked at him with delight, “Xiaokang, come join us for the meal.”
But Zhan Mingkang, ignoring her, threw a book from his hand toward the table, aiming to knock over the food and drinks.
Zhu Jiaorong was startled by his actions. As Zhan Mingkang threw the book, he felt a sense of satisfaction, thinking, If I can’t eat, neither should you! I’ll ruin everything!
However, the book never hit its mark. Gu Sheng, quick on his feet, grabbed the platter of fish and threw it at the book, knocking it down. Fish sauce spilled everywhere, and some splashed onto Zhan Mingkang’s face. A dead fish even hit him squarely on the face before falling to the floor.
Everyone else was shocked by the sudden turn of events.
Gu Sheng stood up, rolled up his sleeves, revealing his muscular arms, and took a few steps forward, towering over Zhan Mingkang. Coldly, he asked, “What do you think you’re doing?”
Under Gu Sheng’s imposing figure, even in broad daylight, Zhan Mingkang felt a chilling cold. Gu Sheng’s back was turned to the others, and his handsome face bore no warmth—only fierce anger. His icy gaze was like a sharp blade cutting into Zhan Mingkang.
Terrified, Zhan Mingkang didn’t dare move. He feared that Gu Sheng might hit him at any moment.
He swallowed nervously and took a step back.
At this point, Zhan Bo, furious, picked up the book from the floor and slapped it across Zhan Mingkang’s face. A loud “smack” echoed, and a stinging pain flared across Zhan Mingkang’s cheek.
In the next moment, he heard his father angrily shouting at Zhu Jiaorong, “Why haven’t you sent him back to his room? How much longer are we going to be embarrassed by him?”
Zhan Bo was livid. The table had his precious Mao-tai liquor, which he had stored for years. If Zhan Mingkang had knocked it over, Zhan Bo would’ve been enraged enough to strangle him.
Zhu Jiaorong, panicked, hurried over to Zhan Mingkang, signalling desperately with her eyes, “Go back, go back.”
Zhan Mingkang’s legs felt weak. He didn’t dare cause any more trouble because, aside from Zhu Jiaorong, no one at the table truly cared about him. Zhan Bo had more than just him as a son and daughter. Now, Zhan Bo also had his beloved grandchildren.
Zhan Mingkang’s face turned cold. Though he still wanted to stir up trouble, the sight of his brother-in-law Gu Sheng stopped him in his tracks. Remembering the expression on Gu Sheng’s face earlier, he felt a shiver run down his spine.
This man would not show him any mercy.
Stiffly, Zhan Mingkang followed his mother back to his room. His room was a complete mess, with barely any space to walk. Zhu Jiaorong started cleaning it up, but Zhan Mingkang, suddenly furious, slapped her across the face, leaving her stunned.
Zhan Mingkang threw the food she had just brought him onto the ground.
Only in front of Zhu Jiaorong did he dare to act so recklessly. He knew deep down that no matter what, this woman would always tolerate him.
Tears welled up in Zhu Jiaorong’s eyes. She could hardly believe that her own son would hit her without hesitation and look at her with such disdain and contempt.
Zhan Mingkang spat, “Why are you so useless? You have no standing in this family at all.”
Zhu Jiaorong’s mind buzzed with confusion. She didn’t know how to respond, but just then, Zhan Bo’s voice came from outside: “Zhu Jiaorong, stop fussing with that child. Come out here and clean up.”
Flustered, Zhu Jiaorong quickly responded. She didn’t dare look at her son and rushed out of the room, not forgetting to close the door behind her.
Zhan Mingkang watched her leave in a hurry and felt a fresh wave of humiliation and anger. He picked up the bowls and chopsticks that had fallen to the floor and smashed them again, shattering them into pieces.
But just then, his stomach growled loudly. The few bites of food he had eaten earlier weren’t enough to satisfy his hunger.
Looking at the food he had thrown on the floor, the aroma of the still-warm dishes wafted up, teasing his appetite.
Zhan Mingkang swallowed hard. He was so hungry that he felt an irrational urge to pick up the food from the floor.
When he realized he had already grabbed a rib from the ground, Zhan Mingkang was startled. He quickly threw the rib away, his hands covered in greasy sauce. At first, he thought about wiping his hands on his clothes, but instead, he instinctively licked his hand.
As he looked more closely, he saw that the oil on his hand was mixed with dirt and grime.
Zhan Mingkang’s face turned pale with disgust. He stood there, torn between going out to eat and picking up the food from the floor.
The little pride he had left wouldn’t let him open the door and go outside. But the idea of eating food that had fallen on the ground was unthinkable.
In the past, Zhan Bo often lectured him about not wasting food, but Zhan Mingkang had never taken it seriously.
He had never truly known hunger.
As the youngest in the family, even during the hardest times, he was never left hungry. He enjoyed the best food, while his sister and brother ate the leftovers—he ate white bread while they ate coarse bread, he ate meat while they drank broth and gnawed on bones.
Zhan Mingkang had never developed a sense of hardship, nor had he realized that not only had his siblings grown up, but he had too.
He could no longer enjoy the special privileges he once had in the family.
Meanwhile, outside, Zhu Jiaorong cleaned up the mess. The rest of the family quickly resumed their lively meal, and the little incident hadn’t dampened Zhan Bo’s good mood. He wasn’t thinking about his youngest son at all but was more concerned about not losing face in front of his two sons-in-law.
“Let’s keep eating and drinking. Don’t worry about the child. I’ll deal with him later. It’s all his mother’s fault for spoiling him,” Zhan Bo said with a smile, taking a sip of his liquor and putting the unpleasantness behind him.
Zhan Bo was very pleased with his son-in-law, Gu Sheng. Whenever he saw Zhan Aiping, he couldn’t help but think of Ai Feihong, his first wife, and the memories of his younger days flooded back.
Though he had often complained about his wife while she was alive, now that many years had passed, he could only remember the best parts of her.
Zhan Aiping was his first daughter, the child he cared most deeply for. She was his first experience as a father… and now, she was married with children of her own. Zhan Bo was filled with emotion.
At fifty, he didn’t have many hopes left, but Zhan Aiping had married Gu Sheng and become the deputy director of a hospital. Zhan Bo no longer worried about her future. Although Zhan Aijia wasn’t his biological daughter and had become a stepmother, she had married a promising man. With two good sons-in-law, Zhan Bo felt proud, even if his son was a disappointment. At least others would look at him with respect when he walked outside.
Ever since his wife passed away, Zhan Bo had experienced his share of hardships. But now, the way people looked at him had changed. Even though some mocked his younger daughter for becoming a stepmother, Zhan Bo knew it was out of jealousy. Though it angered him, he also felt a sense of pride.
Not only had his daughters married well, but his eldest son, Zhan Mingzhao, had joined the performing arts troupe and was selected to perform in the capital for the New Year, even getting a role in a movie. It made Zhan Bo beam with pride.
Zhan Bo was the type of person who valued those who brought him face and respect.
People used to mock Zhan Bo, calling him useless and saying he was inferior to his wife, Ai Feihong. They would laugh at him, claiming he was dependent on her, and those words weighed heavily on his mind. Later, when he married Zhu Jiaorong, who treated him like her world, Zhan Bo finally felt a sense of pride. He leaned into his masculinity, showing off his newfound authority.
Unfortunately, Zhu Jiaorong couldn’t help him much in his career. When Ai Feihong was alive, no one dared to sabotage him because of her presence. Now that Ai Feihong was gone, people no longer mocked him for being dependent, but he lacked the ability to advance in his career, and was instead oppressed at work. His only outlet was to assert his authority at home.
Having faced so many setbacks in recent years, Zhan Bo began to miss Ai Feihong’s good qualities. If she were still around, would he really be in this situation?
What was the point of exerting power at home? True glory came from being admired and envied outside the home. That was what truly brought honour to a person.
What bothered Zhan Bo most these days was his inability to command respect among his colleagues. Having a dutiful wife at home didn’t make people envy or admire him. They wouldn’t fawn over him because of that. But with two capable sons-in-law and accomplished children, people would start to admire and envy him, and that made Zhan Bo feel very satisfied.
His two daughters and eldest son brought him pride, making his youngest son, Zhan Mingkang, seem insignificant by comparison. Zhan Mingkang was unreliable and might embarrass him in the future.
People naturally gravitate toward benefits and avoid harm, so Zhan Bo subconsciously favoured his two daughters and eldest son.
He cared less and less about Zhu Jiaorong and her son.
“Jiajia, eat more. You and Lin Gang should live a good life together.” Though he outwardly acted dismissive of Zhan Aijia for marrying a man with children from previous marriages, deep down, Zhan Bo was still quite pleased.
Ignoring Lin Gang’s age and his two previous wives, Lin Gang was still a rare, good match.
Hearing her stepfather’s warm tone, Zhan Aijia felt a wave of satisfaction. She believed she had made the right choice in marriage. She was no longer the stepdaughter living under someone else’s roof. Zhan Bo’s tone said it all.
Being able to hold her head high in front of Zhan Bo brought her more joy than any moment of showing off in front of Zhan Aiping.
For her, Zhan Aiping was just an unfamiliar sister she barely knew. Though she envied her, Zhan Aiping didn’t hold much weight in her mind.
The grievances she had endured over the years were all tied to her mother, Zhu Jiaorong, her brother, Zhan Mingkang, and her stepfather, who looked down on her and only showed off his power at home.
Being able to assert herself in front of the Zhan family was a far greater joy than competing with Zhan Aiping.
Zhan Aijia’s mood was excellent. She glanced smugly at Zhu Jiaorong, feeling even more satisfied when she saw her mother’s unhappy expression.
Covering her mouth with a smile, Zhan Aijia thought to herself: I’ll show my mother that Zhan Mingkang, that useless brat, can’t be relied on. If she wants someone to take care of her in her old age, she’d better count on me.
She hoped her mother would quickly realize this and start catering to her.
“Dad, let’s have a couple of drinks together today,” Zhan Aijia said, in high spirits, and even drank two cups herself.
Zhu Jiaorong, however, was in no mood. She barely touched her food, reluctantly picking at a few dishes.
Zhan Aiping didn’t drink. She focused on feeding the two young children, while Gu Sheng and Lin Gang, as brothers-in-law, drank with Zhan Bo. Zhan Bo was eager to keep the drinks flowing, determined to have a good time.
Gu Sheng could hold his liquor well, so Zhan Aiping wasn’t worried. She finished her meal quickly and helped feed the children.
Around the table, everyone had different thoughts.
Zhan Aiping and her husband weren’t exactly happy or unhappy; they were just going through the motions. The two toddlers ate obediently while chatting with their mother. Zhan Aijia and Zhan Bo, the non-biological father and daughter, were in the best spirits. The worst off were Zhu Jiaorong and her son-in-law, Lin Gang.
Zhu Jiaorong was worried about her son, unable to enjoy her meal, while Lin Gang was uncomfortable with Zhan Bo’s attitude.
Though both were Zhan Bo’s sons-in-law, it was clear he favoured Gu Sheng, calling him “good son-in-law” repeatedly, while Lin Gang was left out in the cold.
Lin Gang, who had worked his way up to his current position, wasn’t used to being treated this way. His previous two fathers-in-law had always been polite to him, never like Zhan Bo.
Adding to his frustration, Gu Sheng was seven or eight years younger than him—on paper, at least, but in reality, Gu Sheng was even younger than that. Lin Gang felt embarrassed.
Although Gu Sheng was the “big brother-in-law,” Lin Gang, being older, felt he deserved more respect.
Even though Lin Gang wanted to get along with Gu Sheng, he still wanted to assert his dominance as the more experienced “older brother.”
Lin Gang had seen and experienced more in life, while Gu Sheng was just a book-smart man from a good family. Lin Gang had already been married three times, while Gu Sheng had only been married for two years.
Lin Gang wanted to play the role of the wise elder brother. He wanted Gu Sheng to look up to him, admire him, and seek his advice as an experienced man.
After a few too many drinks, Lin Gang’s mouth started to run. He bragged in front of Gu Sheng, “Even though you’re the big brother-in-law, when it comes to women and children, you’ll have to learn from me.”
Gu Sheng smiled and replied, “I don’t have much experience.”
Lin Gang, now talking loudly, said, “A woman has to be controlled. Back in my hometown, if a woman doesn’t behave, you just give her a beating.”
His voice was so loud that everyone in the room heard him. Lin Gang, intoxicated, didn’t realize the impact of his words. Zhan Aiping glanced at him and then looked at Zhan Aijia, who gave a slight grimace. Zhu Jiaorong stayed silent.
Zhan Bo poured himself another drink without saying a word, not even interested in chiming in.
Beat a woman? His daughter, Zhan Aiping, was not one to suffer in silence. If Gu Sheng dared to mistreat her, he wouldn’t get away with it—his daughter would fight back fiercely.
Zhan Bo had no concerns. His daughter had twins, and her in-laws adored her. There was nothing to worry about.
As for Zhan Aijia, she had chosen her own life, and Zhan Bo had nothing to say as long as they didn’t divorce.
“Isn’t that right, big brother-in-law?” Lin Gang said, grinning at Gu Sheng. He was using the alcohol to stir up trouble between the couple.
If Gu Sheng said he wouldn’t dare to hit his wife, Lin Gang would mock him as weak and unmanly, claiming that young men could never match up to the older generation. But if Gu Sheng got upset with Zhan Aiping, Lin Gang would claim it was just a drunken joke and that young people couldn’t take a joke.
Lin Gang wanted to disrupt their harmony.
But to his surprise, Gu Sheng calmly replied, “I couldn’t beat her.”
Lin Gang was caught off guard by the unexpected answer. For a moment, he didn’t know how to react. Couldn’t beat her?
He had never expected to hear, “I couldn’t beat her,” from someone in response to the question of hitting their wife.
Lin Gang: “…”
Zhan Aijia: “…”
Zhan Bo took a sip of his drink without reacting. After all, his daughter was known for being fierce. She once sent Gu Sheng to the emergency room.
…It was no surprise that Gu Sheng was afraid of her. Back when Gu Sheng married Zhan Aiping, Zhan Bo had found it hard to believe.
Perhaps Zhan Aiping had a bad temper in front of her husband, bullying Gu Sheng at home until he was too angry to speak—just like Ai Feihong used to do.
Like mother, like daughter.
Zhan Bo had suffered under Ai Feihong, and he understood what it felt like to be humiliated. The image of Ai Feihong became clearer in his mind as he looked at Zhan Aiping, who resembled her mother more and more.
Yesterday, Gu Sheng even mentioned that he did the cooking at home…
Zhan Bo began to pity Gu Sheng, thinking that his son-in-law must be suffering the same way he had once suffered. He both sympathized with and liked Gu Sheng, feeling a sense of satisfaction knowing that Gu Sheng was also afraid of his wife. The more afraid Gu Sheng was, the more comforted Zhan Bo felt.
“‘I couldn’t beat her’?” Lin Gang forced a smile, thinking that his brother-in-law must be joking. He had never met a man like this before.
Glancing at Gu Sheng’s physique and then at the petite and beautiful Zhan Aiping, Lin Gang found the situation amusing. When Gu Sheng had rolled up his sleeves earlier, revealing his strong muscles and the aura around him, even if he tried to hide it, he couldn’t.
Even Lin Gang suspected that he wouldn’t be able to defeat Gu Sheng in a fight. Yet, here was Gu Sheng, claiming he was afraid of his wife and saying “I couldn’t beat her.”
This brother-in-law was certainly interesting.
“‘Brother-in-law,’ you must be joking,” Lin Gang said, addressing him with a hint of mockery.
Gu Sheng replied seriously, “I’m not joking. Brother-in-law, you have no idea. My wife is a retired soldier, and her combat skills are impressive. If we were to fight, I’d be the one running away.”
Lin Gang: “…”
Lin Gang thought this was getting more and more absurd.
This “big brother-in-law” really had the nerve to call him “brother-in-law” back.
Lin Gang shook his head, “I don’t believe it. Sister, is this true?”
He looked at Zhan Aiping with amusement. Though she was holding little Xiaotangyuan, she smiled provocatively and said, “What’s the matter, brother-in-law? You don’t believe me? How about we spar a little?”
Zhan Aiping sized up Lin Gang, estimating that his fighting skills had long since faded over the years. At nearly forty, he was far from being a young man.
Lin Gang was dumbfounded. First Gu Sheng’s answer had thrown him off, and now Zhan Aiping’s challenge left him even more stunned. Were they both joking with him?
Zhan Aiping continued with a sharp tone, “Brother-in-law, don’t tell me you’re afraid to fight me.”
She had long been annoyed by him and was now openly mocking him.
Lin Gang said, “Why would I be afraid? I just don’t want to hurt you, big sister.”
Zhan Aiping replied, “Here’s the deal: you’ve had some drinks today, so I won’t take advantage of that. Let’s wait until tomorrow when you’ve sobered up, and we’ll spar. I’ll show you what it means for women to be equal to men.”
“Fine,” Lin Gang thought to himself, amused by her words. She must be joking and purposely delaying until tomorrow because she didn’t actually want to fight him.
He decided he would seize the chance to humiliate her. “Big sister, I’m going to take you seriously. Jiajia, make sure you remember this. If your sister doesn’t show up tomorrow, we’ll mock her every time we see her.”
Zhan Aijia giggled, “Sister Pingping, you’re so skilled, you won’t back down, right?”
Zhan Aiping didn’t even raise her head. “I just hope, Jiajia, that you won’t feel sorry for your husband when he loses.”
“If my brother-in-law wants to marry my sister, he’ll have to get through me first.”
The next morning, after Lin Gang had sobered up from the alcohol he drank at lunch the day before, he brought up the topic. Lin Gang asked provocatively, “Big sister, were you serious about what you said yesterday?”
If she said she was serious, he planned to teach her a lesson. Fighting with a delicate young woman like her would give him a chance to show off. After all, in a fight between a man and a woman, the man rarely loses out.
But if she said it was a joke, he would mock the couple for being cowards.
Zhan Aiping raised an eyebrow and said, “Of course I was serious. I’m just worried you’ll back out, brother-in-law.”
She put on an old military uniform, tied her hair back in a braid, and headed outside with Lin Gang to spar. Gu Sheng brought the two kids along to watch, as he didn’t feel comfortable leaving them. He wanted to stay close to his wife and children.
Zhan Aijia was thrilled, eager to see how things would unfold.
When the family stepped outside, they quickly attracted the attention of the neighbourhood. People gathered around, whispering among themselves, “The older sister is going to spar with her brother-in-law.”
“That’s Zhan Aiping! She’s become so beautiful, and she’s a mother now.”
“…”
Zhan Aiping stretched her wrists. “Brother-in-law, I’m not going to hold back. If you want to marry my sister, you’ll have to get through me first.”
With that, she charged at Lin Gang. She hadn’t sparred in a long time, and most of her recent fights had been defensive. But now, sparring with a grown man like Lin Gang, she didn’t need to hold back.
In her younger years, Zhan Aiping didn’t fight with much strategy. But over time, she became an expert in medicine, bones, and acupuncture points, and she knew exactly where a person’s weak spots were.
Though her strength wasn’t great, she was quick and agile, and her attacks were precise and fast.
Right from the start, Zhan Aiping feinted, catching Lin Gang off guard and landing a kick on him. He stumbled back a few steps and said, “Big sister, you’re really not holding back, but now I’m serious—”
Before he could finish his sentence, Zhan Aiping was already pressing her advantage. She wasn’t the type to be polite; she was intent on teaching him a lesson. She knew that when you had the upper hand, you shouldn’t give your opponent time to recover. It was like the saying she’d learned from watching TV dramas: villains lose because they talk too much.
So she didn’t give Lin Gang any time to react.
She wanted to capitalize on Lin Gang’s carelessness and completely overwhelm him. If he didn’t accept the loss, she’d mock him for being a sore loser.
Playing mind games? I can do that too.
Zhan Aiping fought fiercely, leaving the onlookers stunned. After finishing, she deliberately said in front of everyone, “With me as her sister, you’d better think twice before bullying my little sister.”
The crowd clapped enthusiastically, cheering:
“Well done! Well done!”
“That’s right, no one can bully the girls from our compound.”
“A true heroine!”
…
“Zhan Aijia, you’ve got a great sister!”
Zhan Aijia’s face turned pale. She couldn’t bring herself to smile in the face of everyone’s congratulations. Lin Gang had lost face in front of Zhan Aiping, and she knew he’d take it out on her later. How could Zhan Aiping ever back her up?
When Lin Gang was upset, it was her who suffered.
Forcing a weak smile, Zhan Aijia tried to appease him. “It’s just that my Lin Gang let my big sister win, right, Lin Gang? It’s not easy for you to marry me… I know you care so much about me…”
Her words tumbled out clumsily, while Lin Gang’s face grew darker and darker.
Gu Sheng then chuckled, “Now you see that my wife is no pushover, huh?”
Lin Gang forced a smile and said, “I just wasn’t expecting Big Sister not to go easy on me.”
Zhan Aiping smiled faintly, pretending to be mysterious, without saying another word. She didn’t need to speak now; the onlookers, enjoying the spectacle, weren’t letting up with their teasing comments:
“Maybe you’re just too old for this, huh?”
“Yeah, age is catching up, losing your touch…”
“He’s already on his third marriage, isn’t he?”
…
Both Zhan Aijia and Lin Gang’s faces turned sour. Meanwhile, Zhan Bo was in high spirits, laughing and saying, “My Aiping is just like her mother when she was young.”
Hearing him mention Ai Feihong, Zhan Aiping let out a silent, cold laugh.
Zhu Jiaorong, feeling uncomfortable, turned her gaze toward her son’s window.
Zhan Aijia, filled with frustration, inwardly cursed Zhan Aiping. She thought, That “big sister” of mine will grow old and lose her looks sooner or later.
Women always age faster than men.
Gu Sheng was only two years older than Zhan Aiping. Now that she had children, she’d soon grow old, exhausted from raising them, her beauty fading with each passing day. And by then, Gu Sheng would still be a handsome man. How could he not start looking elsewhere?
Men always prefer younger, prettier women. Even Lin Gang, at his age, had still managed to marry her, a young and beautiful woman.
Men are all the same, she thought, Gu Sheng will be no different. Zhan Aiping’s kids will end up with a stepmother eventually, just wait and see.
But as for Lin Gang, who was more than ten years older than her, Zhan Aijia didn’t worry about him straying anymore. He was too old to cause trouble, and she was the young and attractive wife.
What Zhan Aijia was thinking, her husband Lin Gang had no clue. At that moment, Lin Gang was filled with regret for marrying into a family like hers. Between her stepfather, her biological mother, her younger brother, and her “big sister” and brother-in-law, none of them were easy to deal with.
This visit to her family had really opened his eyes.
Unbelievable!
After an early lunch around 11 a.m., Zhan Aiping and her family were ready to leave. They had train tickets and still needed to visit Gu Sheng’s parents, Gu Ze’an and his wife. Gu Xiangyi had already returned.
Gu Sheng grabbed their luggage while Zhan Aiping held the two kids. “Say goodbye to your grandpa.”
Guobaorou and Xiaotangyuan obediently repeated, like little parrots, “Goodbye, Grandpa.”
“Come visit often!” Zhan Bo laughed, clearly fond of his two little grandchildren.
Zhu Jiaorong breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to herself that this troublesome family had finally left, and peace could return to her home.
Children are burdens, and she quickly wanted to get rid of this other burden, Zhan Aijia, so she wouldn’t keep coming back to bother them.
Zhan Aijia had no desire to stay any longer either. After a short while, she and Lin Gang left together as well.
Back on the train, Zhan Aiping’s family had a short journey, and they would arrive by the evening. She felt relieved, knowing that the trip back wouldn’t be too difficult.
They had bought sleeper tickets, so she played with the two kids on the hard sleeper for a bit. The siblings soon drifted off to sleep, leaning against each other as they napped.
Zhan Aiping, propping her chin in her hand, gazed out the window, watching the passing scenery. Reflecting on the past few days at her family’s home, she felt a wave of nostalgia.
Her father, Zhan Bo, had aged. Zhan Mingkang had grown up, and even Zhan Aijia was married. In time, her brother Zhan Mingzhao would probably get married too…
Gu Sheng softly asked, “What are you thinking about?”
Zhan Aiping smiled at him, “I’m thinking about visiting your ‘boudoir.’”
Gu Sheng’s lips curled into a smile. “Are you looking for your diary?”
“I’m looking for those love letters you wrote to me back when you had a crush on me,” Zhan Aiping teased.
Gu Sheng looked out at the fields rushing by the window, listening to the rhythmic clatter of the train on the tracks. His eyes softened as he said, “When we arrive, you can take all the time you need to find them.”
He was bringing his wife and kids home to meet his parents.
Gu Xiangyi had arrived at the family home before Gu Sheng and his family. When she got there, she was surprised to find her third brother, Gu Laosan, at home. He was in the navy and rarely came home, spending most of his time at sea. His base was on an island, and while he was out at sea, he was practically unreachable, so seeing him was quite a rare occurrence for Gu Xiangyi.
“Well, well, look who’s here! Laosan has come back too.”
Gu Laosan glared at her. “Can you not speak properly? Calling me Laosan like that? You should call me Third Brother.”
Guo Xiangyi responded with just three words: “Bleh, bleh, bleh.”
Guo Laosan: “…”
“You’ll never get married.”
Gu Xiangyi laughed. “Whether I get married or not has nothing to do with you.”
“True enough,” Gu Laosan said with disdain. “Even Zhan Daping managed to get married, so I’m sure you’ll find someone too, as long as you meet a guy dumb enough.”
“Old Five might be tall and good-looking, but he’s just a tall fool. He’s been clueless since he was a kid. Stubborn as an ox.”
Gu Xiangyi smirked, “Yeah? And who was the one always getting tricked and played around by our eldest brother growing up?”
“My eldest brother might be clueless, but there are some people even worse.”
“Like fish in the water—look smart and slippery but are actually incredibly dumb. All it takes is a simple net, and they’re caught.”
Gu Laosan shook his head. “He’s the kind of guy who’d marry someone like Zhan Aiping. How smart can he be?”
Gu Laosan still remembered how Zhan Aiping had once sent Gu Sheng to the hospital in critical condition. If it were him, he’d never dare marry such a dangerous woman.
His brother, Gu Sheng, must be a “tough guy” to handle that.
Apparently, their marriage had even been out of spite at the beginning.
Living overseas, Gu Laosan had no idea how this mismatched couple had ended up together. Out of pity, he’d even sent Gu Sheng some “gifts,” shedding a few crocodile tears over his brother’s miserable married life.
But to his surprise, the pair ended up having a set of twins.
No matter how hard he tried, Gu Laosan couldn’t wrap his head around it. When he heard that Old Five and his family were coming back, he took leave and rushed home to witness it all first-hand.
“Don’t underestimate them. My brother and sister-in-law get along wonderfully. They’re as close as can be,” Gu Xiangyi said, firmly defending her brother.
Gu Laosan scoffed, “That might fool our parents, but it won’t fool me. If they’re really as close as you say, I’ll cut my head off and kick it like a soccer ball.”
“You told one lie, and now you’re covering it up with a thousand more. Our parents aren’t home, so just tell me the truth.”
Gu Laosan didn’t believe in the so-called “deep affection” between Gu Sheng and Zhan Aiping. He was sure they were spinning lies to appease their parents. Old Five was a fool, walking right into a trap, while their parents were gullible, completely entranced by Old Five’s act.
In front of their parents, Gu Laosan hadn’t exposed the lie. Now that the couple was coming back, he was curious to see how they’d keep up the charade.
Gu Xiangyi looked at him as if he were an idiot. “Third Brother, I think my little brother is the smartest in the family, and you’re the one who’s clueless.”
Her brother’s life was wonderful—he had married his childhood sweetheart, had a warm home with a wife and kids, and was living the good life. Meanwhile, her third brother, drifting at sea, still thought Old Five was a fool.
In her mind, he was the real fool.
Gu Laosan retorted, “With a sister like you, how could I be the clueless one?”
He pitied his little sister, thinking she was just as gullible as their parents, likely being played by Gu Sheng and Zhan Aiping as well.
With a sigh of pity, he said, “Little Sister, you’re as dumb as a piglet. Even if Old Five and his wife sold you off, you’d happily help them count the money.”
“You’re just aiding and abetting them in deceiving our parents, thinking you’re smart and righteous. Isn’t that ridiculous?”
“And childhood sweethearts? Please. Old Five, in love with Zhan Aiping? The sun would rise in the west before that happens.”
“Go ahead, keep spinning your stories. I came back just to see how far you’ll take it. You’re better at making up stories than a novelist.”
“If we didn’t all grow up together, I might’ve been fooled, too.”
Gu Xiangyi said, “Third Brother, you’re the real donkey here. You’re just a stubborn old fool. Haven’t you learned anything? Why are you always looking at things from the past? You need to have a more progressive way of thinking.”
Gu Laosan responded, “Nonsense.”
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