Chapter 989: Chapter 989 On the 29th

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

“Guoguo, bring your younger brothers down here,” Gu Chengrui instructed.

“Come greet Uncle Chengen and Grandpa Jiaxi.”

Guoguo promptly led her two younger siblings down from the brick bed.

Gu Chengen waved his hand dismissively. “No need, no need,” he chuckled. “There’s no call for such formality. Just meeting and acknowledging each other is enough.”

He then cast a scrutinizing gaze over the three children. “Guoguo’s already grown so tall! It seems like just yesterday she was still a milk drinker.”

As for the two younger children, this was his first encounter with them. Not only were they striking in appearance, but they also exuded a certain strength. “You can tell at a glance they’ve been well-raised,” he remarked.

“Indeed,” Qian Jiaxi chimed in with a playful grin. “The hesitant one here must be your third brother. His chubby face is as fair as a steamed bun! Such a cutie, I could almost take a bite out of him.”

Third Fatty immediately reacted with a flurry of hand gestures of protest.

Qian Jiaxi, momentarily taken aback, chuckled. “Sharp one, aren’t you?” he said. “Quite aware of your own good looks, I see.”

A smile finally graced Third Fatty’s face.

“Those two little rascals can be quite a handful,” Gu Chengrui admitted with a smile. Following that, he offered a detailed introduction of the children.

Finally, Gu Chengrui turned to Gu Chengen and inquired, “Big Brother, how are things with Eldest Uncle and Eldest Aunt? Are they doing alright?”

“Relatively well, I suppose,” Gu Chengen replied. “They’re getting on in years, of course. With the cold weather setting in, I wouldn’t dare let them venture outside.”

“Taking precautions is wise,” Gu Chengrui agreed. “But with the dry weather today, consider placing a basin of water inside their house to add some humidity.”

“I’ll make sure to do that,” Gu Chengen acknowledged.

After a while of catching up, Gu Chengen rose to leave. “Why don’t you come over for a nice gathering at our house?”

Gu Chengrui shook his head in decline. “Another day, perhaps. We rushed back all the way from the south, and we’re quite fatigued. Let us rest for a couple of days before catching up again.”

“Fair enough. By the way, is there anything you need here? I can have it sent over right away if necessary.”

“No need for that,” Gu Chengrui replied. “We already purchased everything we needed in town on our way back. We do need some extra firewood here, of course.”

“Alright, then,” Gu Chengen said. “I’ll have some carted over later. You can use that.”

After exchanging farewells, Gu Chengen returned a while later, pushing two carts loaded with firewood.

The following morning, the family of five embarked on a visit to both workshops to assess their current operations.

In the afternoon, a gathering was held with everyone from the restaurant, including the managers of the manor and the two workshops. A lively hotpot dinner capped off the evening, with Zhou Ying gifting everyone a red packet containing ten taels of silver.

The next afternoon, after returning home, the family prepared some gifts and took the three children on a visit to the patriarch’s house. While they had noticeably aged, their health remained good, thankfully.

During their visit, Gu Chengrui also learned that the patriarch intended to pass his position on to Gu Chengen on New Year’s Eve, the day of the ancestral worship ceremony.

Leaving the patriarch’s residence, they happened to spot Mr. Gu, Second Uncle Gu, and others entering the village in a carriage. They waited briefly, exchanged pleasantries, and then all retired to their respective homes.

On the morning of the twenty-ninth, Gu Chengsi and his family arrived in a flurry.

Early the next morning, Zhou Ying rose before dawn. After dressing the three children in new clothes, she turned to Guoguo and instructed, “Once we reach the ancestral hall, keep an eye on your younger brothers, especially Third Fatty. Don’t let him run around, causing a scene.”

“I know, Mommy. Don’t worry,” Guoguo promised with a confident pat on her chest.

The family then proceeded to the ancestral hall. The men began preparing incense, joss paper, and other supplies, while the women prepared the offerings and food.

During the busy process, Zhou Ying found that other than the patriarch’s wife, Mrs. Wang, and Sixth Aunt Gu, who could chat a little, the others either did not dare to speak to her or hid far away.

Zhou Ying didn’t say much when she saw this. She only wanted to talk to those who dared to talk to her.