1990s: Spring Water Family

Chapter 190 Years of effort still succumbed to youthful infatuation.
"His good qualities are his own business."

Lin Xiyu frowned, a hint of impatience rising in her eyes: "I'll say it again, I have absolutely no relationship with your son, please don't bother me anymore."

"Are you trying to kick me out?"

The middle-aged woman's face turned ashen: "How could someone be so ill-mannered? You speak rudely and disrespectfully to your elders. I really don't know what my son saw in you?"

"you can go now."

Lin Xiyu completely lost her patience and slammed the door shut.

The middle-aged woman was unable to dodge in time and almost hit her nose.

"You ill-mannered woman, my son must be blind to have fallen for you."

She was furious and started banging on the door, cursing.

"what's up?"

"What's the fuss about?"

"It's the middle of the day, can't a person get a rest?"

“My grandson is small, and this scared him.”

The noise outside disturbed the neighbors. The door next door opened, and an elderly woman with white hair and temples came out unhappily.

"Grandma Liu, I'm so sorry, I disturbed your grandson's sleep."

Left with no other choice, Lin Xiyu could only open the door again and apologize to the old lady.

"Who is she?"

Grandma Liu glared at the middle-aged woman with displeasure.

"She is my colleague's mother."

Lin Xiyu gave a somewhat embarrassed explanation.

I've come to tell her...

The middle-aged woman distorted the facts and maliciously slandered him: "Don't rely on your looks to cling to my son like a vixen."

"Xiaolin, is what she said true?"

Grandma Liu was not quite convinced and looked at Lin Xiyu with a questioning gaze.

"No."

Lin Xiyu firmly denied it: "I'm already engaged and have a fiancé. It's his son who's unwilling to accept it and keeps pestering me."

She's lying.

The middle-aged woman didn't believe it: "She's always been single and has never had a fiancé. My son is her colleague, how could he not know?"

"Who said she doesn't have a fiancé?"

The bathroom door opened, and Gu Bin walked out dressed in casual home clothes, looking refreshed.

His hair was still wet, and he had dried it halfway with a towel. The loose, wispy strands of hair hanging down his forehead made him look a bit childish, like a college student still in school.

"Who...who are you?"

The middle-aged woman was clearly taken aback when she saw Gu Bin, and a look of disdain and curiosity flashed in her eyes.

"I am her fiancé."

Gu Bin put his arm around Lin Xiyu's shoulder, asserting his ownership.

"Hey, young man, is that you?"

Grandma Liu's eyes lit up, and she took two steps forward to examine him carefully.

"Hello grandma."

Gu Bin greeted Grandma Liu very familiarly.

"Do you know?"

Lin Xiyu was stunned by the sudden turn of events and was clearly taken aback.

"We met once during my morning exercise."

Gu Bin explained with a smile, "Grandma Liu's grandson is very cute, chubby and fair-skinned, a very lovable child."

"I should thank you, in a way."

Grandma Liu expressed her heartfelt gratitude: "My little rascal is so naughty. If you hadn't caught him, he would have fallen out of the stroller."

"should"

Gu Bin smiled modestly: "Anyone who happened to see this would do the same."

"Kobayashi"

Grandma Liu looked at the two of them with loving eyes: "Your partner is a good one, someone I can entrust my life to. Grandma has high hopes for you two. When you get married, be sure to tell Grandma, okay?"

"Uh."

Lin Xiyu hadn't expected Grandma Liu's mind to work so quickly; she was already thinking about marriage the moment they met, and her smile became a little stiff.

"necessary."

Gu Bin answered for her, "We're getting our marriage certificate soon, and we'll send you wedding candy after that."

"Getting a marriage certificate is good; it saves people from gossip."

Grandma Liu beamed, "Grandma is waiting for your wedding candy."

"Auntie, you saw it too."

After exchanging pleasantries with Grandma Liu, Gu Bin turned to look at Ge Jie's mother, his expression instantly changing, his eyes turning icy cold: "Xi Yu and I are in love and will be getting married soon. Please stop harassing her. As for your son, I also advise you not to harbor any ill intentions and covet my wife."

"My son would never like a woman of questionable character."

Upon hearing the word "auntie," the middle-aged woman nearly had a heart attack: "Living together before marriage? This kind of lowlife isn't even worthy of carrying my Ge Jie's shoes."

"Who are you calling a slut?!"

Gu Bin's eyes were cold, and his right fist was clenched so tightly it cracked.

"You, you, you."

The middle-aged woman trembled at his intimidating aura and shrank back fearfully: "Do you still want to hit a woman?"

"Don't interfere, let me handle this."

Lin Xiyu forcefully pushed Gu Bin behind her.

"Alright, I'll do as you say, Madam."

Gu Bin gave her a deep look, the corners of his lips slightly turned up, and the murderous aura around him vanished in an instant.

"Ma'am, I think you don't understand something yet."

Lin Xiyu returned his smile with a sweet one, then turned back to the middle-aged woman and launched into a full-blown attack: "You came here today to humiliate yourself, I don't care what your purpose is."

"Whether you wanted to show off your Shanghai local superiority or give me a hard time, you've achieved your goal. Your son and I will never cross paths again in this lifetime."

Whether he's sad, upset, or contemplates suicide, drowns his sorrows in alcohol, or becomes despondent, it has nothing to do with me. The stairwell is over there; goodbye.

"Oh!"

Before she could finish speaking, she waved her hand dismissively and closed the door again, giving the middle-aged woman no chance to object.

The middle-aged woman suffered a heart attack from the shock and nearly fainted.

Lin Xiyu clapped her hands contentedly, pretending not to have seen it.

"It's been years since I last saw you, and your tongue has become even more eloquent."

Gu Bin watched her slightly childish behavior with amusement, his eyes filled with doting affection.

"Who is your wife?"

Lin Xiyu smiled and gave him a reproachful look.

"What you say is true, Madam. Indeed, there are many suitors."

Gu Bin didn't take it to heart and joked with a smile, "It seems I need to work even harder and go to the school more often to make some people give up."

"You still want to go to school?"

Lin Xiyu's heart trembled wildly.

"We have no choice but to go; so many people covet your beauty."

Gu Bin said meaningfully, "As the rightful fiancé, I have to assert my ownership."

Lin Xiyu was utterly speechless: "When did you become so legitimate?"

"Come back to the hotel with me this afternoon."

Gu Bin didn't give her a chance to refute: "Sign the prenuptial agreement first, then go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to complete the formalities."

"Go to the Civil Affairs Bureau today?"

Lin Xiyu was a little reluctant and looked down at her ankle.

She didn't want the people at the Civil Affairs Bureau to laugh at her, making it seem like she was desperate to get married, limping along and eager to get her marriage certificate.

Gu Bin coaxed with a smile, "Grandma Liu is waiting for us to bring her wedding candy."

"They were just saying it."

Lin Xiyu rolled her eyes: "You actually took it seriously?"

"Isn't it you who's in a hurry to get a house?"

Gu Bin changed tactics and hit her sore spot again: "This is the last batch of subsidized housing allocated by the school. If you don't apply quickly, someone else will get it first."

"Okay, go ahead."

Lin Xiyu gave up struggling and was completely defeated.

-

Gu Bin had just returned from the United States and hadn't yet rented an apartment, so his luggage was temporarily stored at the hotel.

In the afternoon, Lin Xiyu went back to the hotel with him to change her clothes, signed a prenuptial agreement, and then went to the Civil Affairs Bureau to complete the marriage registration procedures.

Both of them are very good-looking, and the combination of a handsome man and a beautiful woman is refreshing.

The staff member in charge of taking photos probably hadn't seen such a good-looking newlywed couple in a long time, and they were striving for perfection while taking pictures, pressing the shutter button non-stop.

The photos turned out surprisingly well after they were retrieved.

The man was handsome and refined, and the woman was graceful and charming; anyone who saw them would praise them as a perfect match.

The staff at the Civil Affairs Bureau were clearly satisfied, handing the stamped marriage certificate to the couple and offering their heartfelt blessings.

-

"Xi Yu, I've finally married you."

As Gu Bin stepped out of the Civil Affairs Bureau, he was overwhelmed with emotion. He reached out his hand with utmost tenderness, wanting to pull his beloved woman into his arms.

A Ferrari roared up and sped up, stopping right in front of the two of them.

"I've only been abroad for a few days and you've already married someone else. In your eyes, what the hell am I? Not even as good as one of Wu Meng's cousins?"

A figure angrily got out of the car and pulled Lin Xiyu aside.

"Let her go!"

Gu Bin's expression changed, his eyes turning cold.

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

Wang Fan cursed loudly, but when he turned around and saw who it was, he froze, his eyes widening in astonishment.

"Wang Fan, it's been a long time."

Gu Bin met his gaze, a meaningful glint flashing in his eyes.

"I've watched over her for five years, why should you take her away as soon as you come back?"

Wang Fan felt very uncomfortable and, still angry, rushed over and punched him in the face.

"Wang Fan, stop!" Lin Xiyu gasped for breath and instinctively stepped forward to block the two of them.

Have I been bad to you all these years?

Wang Fan gripped her shoulders tightly and demanded sharply, "Why can he do it, but I can't?"

"You've been very good to me, I admit it."

Lin Xiyu felt a sharp pain in her shoulder, and tears blurred her vision: "Everyone has a heart, I don't want to lie to you. I did waver, I wanted to give myself a chance, to try to accept you."

"But when I saw Li Qing standing in front of me with her child, do you know how heartbreaking it is to be deceived?"

"That's when I found out that she was pregnant before we broke up, and gave birth to the child alone in Germany. You already have a child together, what more do you want from me?"

-

Wang Fan's face turned ashen: "When did she come looking for you?"

"Two weeks ago, just one week before you left the country."

Lin Xiyu didn't give him a chance to refute: "You went to Germany this time because of that child, right? Have you already confirmed that he is your biological son?"

She kept it from me.

A hint of panic flashed in Wang Fan's eyes: "I had no idea that child existed before."

"Even if you didn't know, the child was still born."

Lin Xiyu gave a bitter smile: "I've seen that child. He looks a lot like you. You can tell at a glance that they are father and son. He's already four years old, sensible, and very attached to his mother. You don't want me to be that child's stepmother and separate the mother and son, do you?"

I never intended for you to be my stepmother.

Wang Fan instinctively defended himself: "I will not acknowledge that child, much less marry Li Qing for him."

"let it go."

Lin Xiyu's voice choked with sobs: "If it weren't for that child, perhaps everything would be different. But I can't lie to myself. When that child doesn't exist, he's like a thorn stuck in my heart, constantly mocking my foolishness for actually believing that you would change for me."

"Li Qing and I were there before we were pursuing you."

Wang Fan was unwilling to accept it: "Since I confessed my feelings to you, I haven't touched another woman. Don't you know how I've treated you all these years? For you, I've been ascetic like a monk, aren't you satisfied? Just because of the mistakes I made in the past, you're so easily sentencing me to death?"

"Stop talking, I don't want to hear it."

Lin Xiyu was in a state of turmoil. She forcefully slapped his hand away and broke free from his grasp.

"Why? Why are you being so cruel to me?"

Wang Fan found it hard to accept, her eyes reddened, and she painfully lowered her eyelids.

I still stand by what I said.

Lin Xiyu forced herself to harden her heart and pretended not to see: "I can't pretend that child doesn't exist. Go away and don't bother me anymore. We're over."

"grass!"

Enraged and with nowhere to vent his anger, Wang Fan kicked his own sports car.

The sports car was caught in the crossfire, its siren blaring incessantly.

"I'm tired, I want to go home."

Not wanting to be laughed at by outsiders, Lin Xiyu rubbed her temples wearily and turned to leave.

"I see you off"

Gu Bin wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, waved his hand, and hailed a taxi.

The two got into the car, and the windows slowly rolled up, blocking the view of outsiders.

Wang Fan closed his eyes in despair. Years of effort had ultimately been defeated by youthful frivolity.

-

Five years ago, after the Gu family suffered a misfortune, Gu Bin did not want to let down his grandfather's wishes, so he chose the most difficult path, giving up his studies and accompanying his mother to the United States for medical treatment.

His departure plunged Lin Xiyu into a great predicament, but it also gave Wang Fan hope, and he began to pursue her again.

When the school heartthrob, who had been abused by Gu Bin, took advantage of her vulnerability and was rejected, he became furious and mocked Lin Xiyu as a discarded flower that Gu Bin had already used. It was he who arrived in time, punched her to the ground, and stood up for her in front of everyone.

When Lin Xiyu returned home for the Lunar New Year and had to deal with her mother meeting her blind date, and was ridiculed by those who knew the inside story, he appeared in time to help her out of the predicament as a suitor.

He thought he would have a chance to win her heart.

However, he overlooked the most important point: Gu Bin had always deeply loved Lin Xiyu and never thought of giving up.

His departure without saying goodbye five years ago wasn't because he didn't want to, but because he didn't dare.

He feared that if he saw her, he would lose his mind and find it difficult to leave her.

His mother received treatment abroad and recovered as hoped, but fate played another cruel joke on him.

After regaining consciousness, the mother learned that her grandfather had died of a heart attack without cause. Overwhelmed with guilt and not wanting to burden her son any further, she attempted suicide by cutting her wrists.

Gu Bin felt he had failed his grandfather's entrustment and had not been able to take good care of his mother. He once fell into despair and became depressed and despondent.

It was a letter Lin Xiyu sent to the United States that saved him.

The letter was sent to the sanatorium shortly after they arrived in the United States. Lin Xiyu vomited blood and fainted. When she woke up in the hospital, she tearfully begged Wang Fan to help her find out the whereabouts of her and her son.

Left with no other option, Wang Fan used various connections to find out the address of the sanatorium.

The letter arrived at the sanatorium without Gu Bin's knowledge. His mentally unstable mother carelessly tossed it aside, and it fell into a crack in the bed.

While sorting through his mother's belongings, Gu Bin discovered that Lin Xiyu had sent him a letter in which she clearly stated that she would not accept a one-sided breakup and would wait for him to come back.

This letter rekindled his hope and helped him to cheer up again.

In order to return to her side as soon as possible, he worked illegal jobs while studying day and night.

Completing all studies within five years, obtaining dual doctorates in computer science and law, and becoming an internationally renowned lawyer—the hardships involved are unimaginable to most people.

While striving for his career, he was also secretly making plans and keeping a close eye on her.

That's why he was able to return in time and appear before her when she wanted to enter into a contract marriage with someone else.

Li Qing's sudden return to China disrupted Wang Fan's plans to propose, and this was also his doing.

-

"Five years, a lot has happened. I can't pretend that nothing happened and trust you without reservation like before."

"I'm tired. You can leave now. I want to be alone for a while."

The taxi stopped downstairs at the staff dormitory building. This time, Lin Xiyu was adamant and refused to let Gu Bin take her upstairs again.

"Okay, you should rest first."

Gu Bin smiled wryly and could only go along with her, watching her limp into the stairwell and up the stairs until he heard the door close on the fifth floor before turning away.

-

A coffee shop in Lujiazui, Pudong.

"Tsk tsk, that was a pretty hard punch."

Looking at Gu Bin's bruised lips, Wu Meng laughed heartlessly: "I knew you'd get a beating when you came back, but I didn't expect the retribution to come so quickly."

"Thank you for taking care of Xiyu all these years."

Gu Bin smiled good-naturedly, ignoring her provocation.

"What are you thanking me for?"

Wu Meng glared at him with dissatisfaction: "I'm not doing this for you. Even if you hadn't said anything, I would have done everything I could to help her. Otherwise, she's just too pitiful, being let down by you and being deceived by that big bad wolf Wang Fan."

"Anyway, thank you."

Gu Bin's attitude was very sincere: "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to find out the inside story and rush back in time."

"We need to make this agreement."

Wu Meng felt a little guilty: "You absolutely can't tell anyone. I've been the one tipping you off all these years, especially Wang Fan. If he finds out, he'll want to strangle me."

"And Xiyu, we can't let her know either. If she thinks I betrayed her by not telling her the truth, and that we two good sisters are estranged, I won't forgive you. And if you ever want me to help you again, that's absolutely impossible."

-

"will not."

Gu Bin solemnly assured him, "I will keep this to myself and will not tell anyone."

"Okay, I'm relieved with your words."

Wu Meng breathed a sigh of relief and didn't linger: "You've just returned, you must have a lot to do, so I won't bother you any longer. We can contact each other if needed. As long as it's good for Xi Yu, I'll do my duty and be there whenever you call."

"I've arranged a job for your cousin."

Gu Bin felt it necessary to make things clear to Wu Meng first: "Have him come to my law firm and be my personal assistant."

"what?"

Wu Meng looked incredulous: "You want him to be your personal assistant? He's ignorant about the law, what can he do? He probably doesn't even know what a lawyer is?"

"Personal assistants don't need to know the law."

Gu Bin had his own plans: "I just returned to China and don't have a domestic driver's license. I need a driver. Let him drive for me first. Other business isn't urgent. We can take it slowly. As long as he's not too stupid, he'll learn sooner or later."

"This guy really got incredibly lucky."

Wu Meng complained: "He's only fit to be a driver, running errands and doing odd jobs. How can he earn an annual salary of 100,000? Do you have too much money and nowhere to spend it? How about this, you give me the money and I'll be your secretary. That way, I won't have to work myself to death in a foreign company and have to put up with foreigners all the time."

"I wouldn't dare hire you as my secretary."

Gu Bin joked with a smile, "I'm afraid Li Liang will beat me up, and I'm even more afraid Xi Yu will misunderstand."

"What's there to misunderstanding between them?"

Wu Meng didn't take it seriously: "Others might have ulterior motives and have an affair with their secretaries, but you definitely wouldn't. You're a rare romantic in this world. Others may not know, but I know you too well. You'd do anything for Xi Yu. I don't trust others, but I trust you."

"Thanks for your trust."

Gu Bin smiled and said, "As a token of my gratitude, I will take good care of your cousin so that he can have a decent job and not be unable to make a living in Shanghai."

"Cut~~"

Wu Meng's eyes showed resentment: "That kid got the benefit. Why should I put in the effort and he get the benefit? He should be the one to give me a thank-you gift. If it weren't for Xi Yu needing people, I wouldn't care about him no matter what he did."

A gift is offered.

Gu Bin was prepared and took out an envelope to hand to her: "Yours, I definitely won't forget it."

"Really?"

Wu Meng picked up the envelope and saw a bank card inside. She was somewhat alarmed: "Is this really for me? Could it contain a lot of money? I dare not accept it."

"Not much, just fifty thousand."

Gu Binyi said succinctly, "You've helped me a lot over the years, and this is what you deserve."

"fifty thousand?"

Wu Meng's hand trembled, and the envelope almost fell to the ground.

"Right now, there's something else I'd like to ask for your help with."

Gu Bin pretended not to see it, giving her some time to process the indescribable shock.

"what's up?"

Wu Meng held the envelope, which was a little hot to the touch, but she perked up as soon as she heard that something was wrong.

"Xi Yu twisted her ankle last night and is home alone with no one to take care of her. I'm worried about her."

Gu Bin hadn't even clearly expressed his request when Wu Meng swiftly interrupted him.

"I understand. You don't need to say anything more. I'll go to her house right now and take care of her for you. Don't worry, I'll definitely pass on your message and tell her that you asked me to go. I'll make her grateful to you, and next time you go, she won't turn you away."

"Cough cough."

Gu Bin coughed awkwardly twice when he heard the words "turned away".

"Hahaha."

Wu Meng raised an eyebrow with a hint of smugness: "Was I right? You got beaten up and then ran into a wall, locked out by Xi Yu?"

Gu Bin remained silent, which was taken as tacit agreement with her words.