1990s: Spring Water Family

Chapter 136 A Flower on West Street of the Prince's Mansion Pond
Lin Xiyu blinked but didn't say anything.

"I've already told them about the engagement."

Gu Bin was full of confidence: "They all agreed, otherwise how would Sixth Grandfather have known about this and rushed over from Beijing to attend the engagement banquet?"

Lin Xiyu hesitated before asking, "Did your maternal grandparents agree to it because of your sixth grandfather?"

"Yes and no."

Gu Bin explained with a smile, "Grandma has completely given up, and it's true that Sixth Grandpa was partly to blame, but Grandpa, you'd never guess."

"What reason?"

Lin Xiyu's curiosity was piqued by him.

The reason, of course, is related to the imperial bed, but there are too many inside stories involved to be revealed openly.

Gu Bin, agreeing with her wishes, readily agreed: "After Zhang Xiaoqian's father's accident, Grandpa also realized the risks of being an official. He was no longer as insistent on me entering politics as before. If I don't pursue a career in government, there's no need for a marriage alliance. Rather than taking the risk, it's better to marry a daughter from a respectable family, someone from a humble background. A harmonious and peaceful marriage is worse than anything else."

"Is that really what your grandfather thought?"

Lin Xiyu believed him, and her eyes lit up instantly.

"real."

Gu Bin nodded seriously: "More real than gold."

"That's great, I feel relieved."

Lin Xiyu was overjoyed and returned his smiley face.

"Can you go now?"

Gu Bin extended his hand, gesturing for him to proceed.

"Are you sure you don't need to buy any gifts or something?"

Lin Xiyu still had some reservations.

"No need really."

Gu Bin glanced at his watch again, then grabbed the person and left.

"Hey, slow down! I haven't figured out what to say when we meet yet."

Lin Xiyu's protests were ineffective, and soon he was dragged into a neighboring alley and disappeared from sight.

-

Wangfuchizi West Street and Xigengdao Street are not far apart, just a few minutes' walk apart.

Gu Bin's maternal grandfather's house was right next to Wangfu Pond. From inside the courtyard wall, one could see the clear, clean pond water.

Lin Xiyu followed Gu Bin to her maternal grandfather's house and observed the location of his house up close for the first time.

Standing on the wall and looking back, a sudden thought struck him: "No wonder you know so much about our swimming; you could see us from the yard."

"Don't make me sound like a voyeur."

Gu Bin tapped her forehead: "Why would I watch you swim? You'd be better off doing a few more practice tests."

"You really haven't seen it?"

Lin Xiyu narrowed her eyes and looked at him suspiciously.

His courtyard wall isn't high; someone his height could see it by standing on tiptoe.

She simply couldn't believe that he could have remained so detached and unaffected by external temptations all these years living at his maternal grandfather's house.

"You really want me to watch you swim?"

Seeing that she wouldn't let go, Gu Bin's cunning side kicked in, and he decided to tease her again.

"Pooh."

Lin Xiyu's ears turned red, and she spat at him: "Who wants you to see this?"

Your ears are red.

Gu Bin smiled jokingly: "Why would you feel guilty if you didn't?"

“Who’s guilty?”

Lin Xiyu's eyes flickered slightly as she avoided his gaze.

"Really do not have?"

Gu Bin smiled and moved closer, bending down until his nose was almost touching hers.

Lin Xiyu was furious and about to yell at him when a soft cough suddenly came from behind them.

Hearing the familiar voice, Gu Bin turned around abruptly and met his grandfather's teasing smile.

"Hey kid, what are you doing here instead of going home for lunch at this hour?"

Grandpa was wearing his martial arts uniform and holding a long sword; he looked like he had just returned from his morning exercise at Liberation Pavilion.

"Grandpa, why are you only coming back now?"

Gu Bin's surprise lasted only a second before he put on a fearless expression.

"What a lucky day!"

Grandpa pretended not to see the people hiding behind him and chatted with him with a smile: "A few old friends came all the way from the western suburbs to Jiefang Pavilion to play chess with me. I was so happy that I played a few more games with them."

"No wonder you're so late today. Turns out an old acquaintance came."

In front of his grandfather, Gu Bin held Lin Xiyu's hand and gave her a reassuring look.

Lin Xiyu's ears burned, and she instinctively wanted to shake him off.

Gu Bin didn't loosen his grip, but instead tightened it even more.

Lin Xiyu panicked and stomped on his foot hard.

"Ouch."

Gu Bin cried out in pain and almost jumped up from the ground.

Why are you shouting so loudly?

Lin Xiyu was so startled by him that her heart skipped a beat, and her face turned from red to black.

"It really hurts."

Gu Bin protested with a bitter face, "You stepped on my toe! I just touched it yesterday, and you stepped on it again. It's probably going to swell up."

"Hahaha."

Grandpa found it amusing and came to his grandson's rescue: "Xiyu is here! You're a rare guest, it's not often you come to our house."

"Hello grandpa."

Lin Xiyu was surprised that her grandfather would greet her first, and her heart skipped a beat.

"Why call him Grandpa? Call him Grandpa."

Gu Bin chuckled and joked, "Once you're in my house, you'll have to call me that too."

"Your foot doesn't hurt anymore, right?"

Lin Xiyu was both embarrassed and angry, and pretended to step on him again.

"pain."

Gu Bin immediately chickened out, pretending to be in a lot of pain, hopping a few times on one leg, and keeping a safe distance.

"Hahaha."

Grandpa watched his two children interacting intimately and smiled happily: "This kid is a mischievous monkey, very unruly. Now it's all good, finally someone can keep him in check."

"Who's out there?"

The courtyard gate creaked open from the inside, and Grandma, hearing laughter and chatter, peeked out from the crack in the door.

"Your granddaughter-in-law is here."

In front of his grandmother, Gu Bin affectionately put his arm around Lin Xiyu's shoulder.

"Hey, you brat, you brought him back without telling me beforehand."

Grandma was very concerned about her appearance. She glanced at the artificial cotton jacket she was wearing, slammed the door shut, and hurriedly went back inside to change her clothes.

"I'll just say it."

Lin Xiyu was extremely embarrassed: "It's not appropriate to come here so suddenly."

Haha, it's okay.

Grandpa smiled indifferently and pushed the door open again: "The old lady is so old, what's there to care about? I think she looks fine, she dresses casually at home, and she looks pleasing to the eye."

My maternal grandmother also wears a cotton outfit at home.

Lin Xiyu continued, following her grandfather's words, "Clothes made of rayon are especially comfortable to wear."

"These days, money can't buy comfort."

Gu Bin smiled and agreed, responding smoothly.

"Ah."

Grandpa chuckled and teased him with a laugh, "I think you're really enjoying yourself." He's even learned to flatter his wife now.

He was interrupted by his beloved grandson before he could finish the sentence.

"That's always been my way."

Gu Bin blinked, deliberately misinterpreting his meaning: "They'll find their own fun, and they'll do whatever makes them comfortable."

"you boy"

Grandpa laughed in exasperation and gave him a sharp rap on the head: "Stop trying to fool me. Don't think Grandpa doesn't know what you're up to."

"I'm innocent!"

Fearing that Lin Xiyu might misunderstand, Gu Bin quickly declared, "I have always been a model citizen and have never had any other thoughts."

"Your yard wall isn't very high."

Lin Xiyu suppressed a laugh and pointed to the outer wall next to the Prince's Mansion Pond.

"It's not very high."

Grandpa didn't think much of it and casually said, "Xiao Bin is tall enough that he can see outside without standing on tiptoe."

"I think so too"

Lin Xiyu glanced at Gu Bin and smiled in a particularly meaningful way.

Gu Bin: "."

Being shot innocently is really not a good feeling.

Can we please let this matter rest and not bring it up again?

-

While the three men were talking and entering the courtyard, Gu Bin's maternal grandmother had already quickly changed her clothes.

The old lady was a pillar of the military arts troupe when she was young, and she hasn't changed much in her old age; she is still outstanding in appearance and has a great temperament.

"Are you going to a dinner party? Why are you dressed so formally?"

When Grandpa saw Grandma with her hair up and wearing a lake-green cheongsam, his right eyelid twitched involuntarily: "There's no need to be so formal when receiving guests at home."

"What do you know?"

Grandma held her head high and gave a different reason: "I dressed up specifically for people to see. She's a celebrity now, stealing the spotlight. How can I, as an elder, let people look down on me?"

What are we having for lunch?

Grandpa chuckled and teased his wife, "Why does it smell a bit sour?"

"Jealous."

Grandma rolled her eyes at him: "Old vinegar, it'll make you sour."

"hehe."

Gu Bin couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"You still have the nerve to laugh?"

Grandma glared at him and turned her attention to him again: "You brought him here without even telling me beforehand. Did you want to make a fool of Grandma?"

"Grandma, you're wronging me."

Gu Bin quickly explained, "I was just passing by the door and didn't want to come in. It would be impolite to ask her to greet my parents."

"Besides, Grandma has been beautiful from youth to old age, and everyone in the neighborhood knows that. She doesn't need to dress up to be the most beautiful flower on Wangfuchi West Street. What she wears is really not important to her. Even if she wears synthetic cotton, her temperament is still impeccable, and no one can compare to her."

"Humph"

Grandma was secretly delighted, but she still wouldn't let him off the hook: "You little rascal, all you do is talk a good game and fool people with sweet words."

I think so too.

Grandpa chuckled and chimed in, "You're praising your grandma like she's a flower, so tell me, is your grandma prettier or your girlfriend?"

Grandpa deliberately set a trap for him.

This is a potentially disastrous question; if you answer incorrectly, you'll offend both sides.

Gu Bin met his grandfather's teasing gaze, his mind racing: "We both have such good taste, they have to be beautiful."

"Hahaha."

These words really struck a chord with Grandpa, and the old man grinned broadly, smiling broadly.

"I knew it, he's a little rascal."

Grandma smiled too, seemingly scolding, but actually full of doting: "Don't try to get a single truth out of him."

"He is telling the truth."

Lin Xiyu suddenly spoke up, smiling as she echoed, "I can tell he genuinely believes that Grandma's beauty is undeniable. With the passage of time, that elegant and noble air is something not just anyone can imitate. I hadn't met Grandma before, and after meeting her, I felt even more regretful. The 'Spring Water Family' program missed out on a person with such depth and a story."

-

There was a moment of silence in the courtyard.

Grandma listened intently, and was momentarily stunned.

"Hahaha."

Upon hearing these words, Grandpa couldn't help but recall the little girl's outstanding performance when he set the exam questions at Daming Lake.

He was quite accurate in judging people.

This girl is quite capable of winning Xiaobin's heart.

"Grandma, do you believe what I said now?"

Gu Bin secretly gave Lin Xiyu a thumbs up: "Xiyu doesn't often praise people. Only you can get her to say the highest praise of elegance and nobility."

"Let's do it."

Grandma let the two of them sing in unison, praising them a little too much: "Seeing how sincere you two are, Grandma will believe you this once."

"Alright, old woman, stop being so pretentious."

Grandpa chuckled and asked, "What's for lunch? Is the food ready yet?"

"No."

Grandma got annoyed when she heard him being coy, and glared at him, saying, "You've been having so much fun, and you haven't come back even at midday. How am I supposed to know if you've eaten out?"

"It's alright if it's not ready, let's go out to eat."

Gu Bin defended his grandfather: "Grandma rarely dresses up so beautifully, it would be a shame not to go out for a stroll. We must let everyone see the true charm of our Wangfu Pond West Street's most beautiful flower."

Do you think Grandma is just a pretty face?

Grandpa was amused and grinned from ear to ear.

"Grandma is much more charming than a vase."

Gu Bin and the old man were singing in unison.

"You two are just trying to annoy me."

Grandma laughed in exasperation, and threw a rag at each of them, slapping it on their faces.

"Cough cough."

The old man pulled the rag off his face and shamelessly flattered her, "After all these years, your grandmother still likes to hit me with a rag."

"Spare the rod and spoil the child."

Gu Bin quickly caught up with the rhythm: "What's rare is the accuracy; every shot hits its mark."

"Xiao Lin, you've made a fool of yourself."

Grandma didn't want to talk to them. She turned to Lin Xiyu and scolded her with a smile, "That's just how these two are. They can't be nice to you. They're never serious and always make me angry."

"So fine."

Lin Xiyu suppressed a laugh and said seriously, "With two lively characters joking and teasing each other, the house is quite lively, and Grandma is definitely not bored."

"You are such a lovable child."

Grandma was delighted to hear this. The way she looked at her now was completely different from when she first came in. It was as if she had become a different person, and her eyes were full of love: "She is much better than that mayor's daughter. Xiaobin has good taste. He is very good at judging people."

"Grandma."

Gu Bin stopped laughing, his eyes showing surprise: "You've met Zhang Xiaoqian?"

"Hehe, you wouldn't know that, would you?"

Grandma raised her eyebrows smugly, deliberately keeping everyone in suspense.

"When did it happen?"

Gu Bin was genuinely confused this time: "I don't remember her coming to my house. How did you see her?"

"When you're making a documentary."

Grandma rarely saw her grandson's surprised expression, and she smiled leisurely: "She was making a scene in that alley next to Furong Street, and she even broke the camera. I was there at the time, in your Grandma Liu's yard, and I saw it all clearly. That girl's temper, even your Grandma Liu kept shaking her head."