1990s: Spring Water Family

Chapter 197 Only when he understands how good our relationship is will he give up.
"With wine, meat, and good food, let's celebrate the New Year!"

Seeing the fireworks piqued Wu Meng's interest, she magically produced a small bottle of baijiu from her pocket.

"Are you still drinking?"

Lin Xiyu joked with a smile, "Don't cause trouble in the hospital room if you get drunk."

"But my cousin is here."

Wu Meng laughed heartily: "Even if I get drunk, you don't need to worry about me. Let him carry me away."

"sister"

Zhao Yuncheng deliberately joked, "There's something I'm not sure if I should say?"

"What do you want to say?"

Wu Meng knew he wouldn't say anything nice either, and glared at him with displeasure.

"You're too fat, I can't carry you."

Sure enough, Zhao Yuncheng's next words made her furious.

"How dare you call me fat?!"

"Don't shout, this is a hospital room, don't let the nurses hear you."

"You dare say that? I'll beat you to death."

"Hey, help! Sister Xiyu, did you see that? My sister has been beating me like this since I was little!"

The siblings were addicted to bickering and refused to give in to each other. They chased each other around the hospital room, jumping up and down, creating a particularly comical scene.

Lin Xiyu and Gu Bin were of the same mind, silently watching the drama unfold without offering any advice or intervention.

The New Year's Eve dinner was quite enjoyable, thanks to the siblings' playful antics and jokes.

Gu Bin's injuries had not yet healed, and Lin Xiyu did not want him to overexert himself, so she made him lie down and rest early.

The siblings tactfully said goodbye and left.

After they left, Gu Bin shifted his position to make room for his wife to lie down next to him.

Lin Xiyu couldn't argue with him, so she had no choice but to agree.

She stayed in the hospital for several days, and when she was exhausted, she fell asleep almost immediately after closing her eyes.

Gu Bin gently kissed her forehead, his eyes filled with such tenderness that they were almost overflowing with tears.

Lin Xiyu was sleeping soundly, her small mouth slightly open, emitting soft snores.

Gu Bin smiled indulgently, kissed her lips lightly again, and then closed his eyes contentedly, drifting off to sleep with her.

-

Outside the hospital, Zhao Yuncheng hid in a secluded corner and made a phone call to the big boss behind the food order.

"Brother Fan, you can rest assured about my work. Sister Xiyu drank the pigeon soup and ate the sea cucumber. I personally peeled the prawns and put them in her bowl."

"Sister Xiyu looks alright, her complexion is rosy, she's recovering quite well, and she's chatting and laughing with us."

"Thank you, Brother Fan. Happy New Year, Brother Fan! I'd like to wish you a prosperous and lucky new year, with all your wishes coming true."

-

"Well, you little rascal, so that's why you hooked up with that rich guy, paying for your meals. Turns out it's Wang Fan."

As Zhao Yuncheng was bowing and scraping as he spoke, a figure suddenly appeared, startling him so much that he almost died on the spot.

"Oh my god, where did you come from?"

"Tell me honestly, when did you get involved with Wang Fan?"

Instead of answering, Wu Meng asked a question, and while the other person was still in a daze, she snatched the phone away.

"Dudu."

A busy tone came through the receiver, indicating that the other party had ended the call.

"Hey, this kid."

Wu Meng was furious: "They actually hung up the phone as soon as they heard my voice."

"Sis, you're my real sister, okay?"

Zhao Yuncheng pleaded with a bitter face, "Please don't tell Brother Bin about this, otherwise I'll end up with nothing and they'll definitely torture me to death."

"you answer me first"

Wu Meng glared at him with displeasure: "When did you get involved with Wang Fan?"

"Wasn't I the one who got me killed?"

Zhao Yuncheng glared back with a hint of resentment: "If you hadn't made me come to Shanghai, I wouldn't have suffered like this."

Stop complaining and get to the point.

Wu Meng grew impatient and raised her phone to threaten him: "If you dare not tell the truth, I'll smash your phone."

"No, no, no, don't fall."

Zhao Yuncheng turned pale with fright: "I'll talk, I'll talk, okay?"

Wu Meng held her phone in front of his face, ready to let go at any moment.

Zhao Yuncheng was shocked and dared not hide anything any longer: "I'm really damn unlucky. On the very day Sister Xiyu got her marriage certificate, Brother Fan caught her and, without giving her any chance to explain, gave her a beating. After beating her, he wasn't satisfied and wanted to throw me into the Huangpu River to feed the fish."

"You're not serious, are you?"

Wu Meng felt a chill run down her spine: "Wang Fan, this kid, is actually so brutal? He's like a gangster, he doesn't care about human life, he dares to kill someone in broad daylight?"

I don't know if he's a member of the mafia.

Zhao Yuncheng rubbed the goosebumps on his arms, looking horrified: "All I know is that if I hadn't reacted quickly that day and offered to warn him, I would be sunk to the bottom of the water now, becoming fish food."

"You were the one who said you were his mole?"

Wu Meng rolled her eyes at him disdainfully.

"If I don't say it, I'll die."

Zhao Yuncheng complained indignantly, "Do you really have the heart to let me die? I'm your own cousin!"

"What information did you give him? What messages did you send him?"

Wu Meng didn't want to admit that she had such a good-for-nothing cousin.

"I didn't say anything."

Zhao Yuncheng chuckled wryly: "It's just about writing down some of the little things in Sister Xiyu's daily life and reporting them every now and then."

"That's it."

Wu Meng didn't believe it and held up her phone again, pretending to throw it.

"That's all."

Zhao Yuncheng's heart pounded: "That's right."

"Just what?"

Wu Meng persisted relentlessly.

"The fact that Brother Bin bought Sister Xiyu a luxury house."

Forced into a corner by her, Zhao Yuncheng had no choice but to tell her everything: "Brother Fan asked me to deliberately find an opportunity to leak the information to Liu Rushi. As for why I should tell her, I don't know."

"Oh, so it was you who told Liu Rushi?"

Wu Meng angrily slapped his head: "You idiot, don't you understand? He wants to use someone else to do his dirty work, to break up Gu Bin and Xi Yu through Liu Rushi."

"They're doing fine, they haven't been separated."

Zhao Yuncheng shamelessly argued, "And after going through so many ups and downs, our relationship has only gotten better."

How dare you say that?

Wu Meng got so angry that she punched him a few more times.

"Sister, I'm begging you." Zhao Yuncheng grabbed her arm and pleaded with a bitter face: "Please have pity on your little brother and don't tell Brother Bin. If Brother Bin kicks me out, I'll be of no use to Brother Fan. He might throw me into the Huangpu River to feed the fish if he gets upset."

"I can't help you with this."

Wu Meng disdainfully shook off his hand: "You must admit your mistake yourself, kowtow to Gu Bin and Xi Yu to beg for forgiveness. If they are magnanimous enough to forgive you, then you can go back to your hometown and never come back."

"sister"

Zhao Yuncheng still wanted to plead.

I don't want to hear it.

Wu Meng said sternly, "If you know what's good for you, don't say anything more. Come back to the ward with me now, kneel down, kowtow, admit your mistakes, and beg for their forgiveness."

"Ugh."

Seeing that he couldn't persuade her, Zhao Yuncheng lowered his head dejectedly and stopped talking.

-

The sibling rivalry ended with the older sister's victory.

Zhao Yuncheng was dragged upstairs by the ear and knelt down in front of their bed.

Gu Bin, a light sleeper, opened his eyes alertly upon hearing the sudden noise.

Lin Xiyu was extremely tired and slept soundly, completely unaware that the siblings had returned to the ward.

"Brother Bin, it's my fault. I've hurt you and Sister Xiyu. Hit me if you want."

Zhao Yuncheng knelt on the ground and kowtowed several times. The bruises on his forehead looked particularly shocking in the dimly lit ward.

"Get up. From now on, do what you were supposed to do, just like before."

Unexpectedly, Gu Bin did not reprimand him, but only a cold and ambiguous look flashed in his eyes.

With his shrewdness, how could he not see Zhao Yuncheng's unusual behavior? It was just like the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

The information Zhao Yuncheng told Wang Fan in private was all that he wanted Wang Fan to know.

Only by making him clearly understand how much he cherishes Xiyu, how good their relationship is, and that no outsider has any chance to interfere in their relationship, can he give up and stop having any illusions.

"Thank you, Brother Bin, thank you, Brother Bin."

The way Zhao Yuncheng looked at Gu Bin at this moment was as if he were a second parent.

Use your brain next time.

Wu Meng felt ashamed for him, and slapped him on the head a few times in annoyance: "What can you say and what can't you say? Don't you have any self-awareness? If you dare to talk nonsense again and hurt them, I won't let you off the hook."

"I know, I know"

Zhao Yuncheng covered his head and begged for mercy: "Sister, please stop hitting me, or you'll really make me stupid."

"Go out."

Gu Bin didn't want them to disturb Lin Xiyu's rest, so he waved his hand, looking a little tired.

"Ai."

Zhao Yuncheng breathed a sigh of relief, got up from the ground, and quickly rolled away.

"Gu Bin, this is my fault."

Feeling guilty, Wu Meng turned back at the door and said, "It was my fault for not thinking things through. I shouldn't have called this rascal from the countryside."

"This, I guess, is fate."

Gu Bin didn't blame her: "That's how God arranged it, making me repay my sins in this way."

"That doesn't sound like something you'd say."

Wu Meng felt guilty and uneasy, and was quite helpless after being made to believe his charlatan-like words.

"It's late, you should go back and rest too."

Gu Bin didn't want to say anything more. He rubbed his temples and closed his eyes wearily.

"Okay, I'll buy you breakfast tomorrow morning."

Wu Meng sighed helplessly, closed the door, and left the ward.

-

New Year's Day.

Lin Xiyu had a good, restful sleep and felt refreshed when she woke up in the morning.

After a quick wash, she started calling all her relatives and friends to wish them a Happy New Year, from her high school homeroom teacher to her current principal, leaving no one out.

"Grandma, don't worry, I'm doing well in Shanghai. Wu Meng is spending the New Year with me. After I finish my shift at school, I'll definitely be able to go back before the Lantern Festival."

"Mom, please stop worrying. I've already found someone, and I'll bring him home in a couple of days so you can meet him. Really, I'm not lying to you. No, no, no, it's not Wang Fan. Don't get the wrong idea. He already has a son. There's absolutely no chance between us."

"Happy New Year, Grandma Hu! Really? Spring water culture paper-cutting has been selected as the most distinctive folk culture of Jinan? That's wonderful! This is great news. When I get back to Jinan, I must celebrate it properly."

"Aunt, there's no rush about the profit sharing. Let's talk about it when I get back to Jinan. Is Nana here? Let her call me 'cousin.' Oh, that sounds so sweet! When I get back, I'll buy you something delicious. How about White Rabbit milk candy? Sure, Nana loves it. I'll buy you a big bag so you can eat your fill."

-

She made one phone call after another, chatting enthusiastically, while Gu Bin seemed to have been forgotten, lying quietly on the bed alone, showing no intention of catching up with relatives and friends.

Aren't you going to offer New Year's greetings?

Lin Xiyu knew he had a knot in his heart, and he kept the news of his return from the United States a secret. Apart from his sixth grandfather in Beijing, no other relatives knew, including his grandparents and maternal grandmother who had gone to live in Guangdong with his maternal uncle's family.

"You go ahead and fight."

Gu Bin lifted his eyelids and glanced at her, the teasing in his eyes obvious: "You're more suited to giving New Year's greetings. You can talk to adults and children like you're doing a stand-up comedy routine."

"It's a rare occasion to celebrate the Lunar New Year; it only happens once a year."

Lin Xiyu is a cheerful person who never falls silent when talking to herself, which is similar to her cousin. She seems to have inherited her uncle's talent for telling Shandong storytelling.

My arms are a little sore.

Gu Bin rubbed his arm, feigning pain: "I don't know who it was, but they used my arm as a pillow and pressed it down all night."

Lin Xiyu's ears turned red, and she glared at him irritably: "If you're too lazy to talk to me directly, just say so. Don't use this as an excuse."

"I'm sleepy, I'll sleep a little longer."

Gu Bin simply closed his eyes and ignored it.

"This person really knows how to cheat."

Lin Xiyu smiled helplessly, found the contact information in her address book, and began a new round of New Year's greetings.

"Happy New Year, Sixth Grandpa! This is Xiyu. Gu Bin and I wish you a Happy New Year. How are you doing? If you have time, come to Shanghai for a couple of days. We'll show you around the area. There are lots of delicious food and snacks here, we're sure you'll like them."

"Yes, we didn't go back to Jinan. The school teachers had to be on duty, and it just so happened that I was on duty these past few days, so I didn't go back. Gu Bin is also in Shanghai with me. We spent the New Year together. We plan to go back to our hometown before the Lantern Festival."

"It's so great that you can come. Once you've booked your arrival date in Shanghai, please let us know in advance so we can pick you up at the airport. Okay, okay, I'll tell Gu Bin and have him answer the phone."

-

Gu Bin wanted to slack off, but the old man wouldn't allow it. Lin Xiyu slapped his arm a few times to wake him up and put her phone to his ear.

"Sixth Grandpa, you're coming to Shanghai? Which day? Tomorrow? You're coming tomorrow?"

Gu Bin vaguely heard the old man's voice, then suddenly opened his eyes, startled so much that he almost jumped out of bed.

Lin Xiyu was also stunned: "Is Sixth Grandfather coming tomorrow?"

"That's great!"

Gu Bin covered his phone and smiled wryly: "The way you've been doing your New Year's greetings has even attracted the old man."

"Has Sixth Grandfather heard something?"

Lin Xiyu's heart pounded: "I was just saying it casually, just being polite. Who would have thought he would actually come?"

"Forget it, just come."

Gu Bin was only surprised for a second before he quickly came to his senses: "This matter has caused quite a stir, and it can't be hidden anymore. I guess someone heard about it and it reached his ears."