Chapter 318: Chapter 318: Arriving in the Imperial City
Seeing how reluctant Mr. Su and Su’s mother were to see them go, Gu Jiaojiao comforted them in a soft, gentle voice.
"Mom, Dad, just pretend we’re leaving right now. We’ll call home when we arrive."
"Alright, Jiaojiao. Call home once you’re settled. If there’s anything you want to eat, just let me know, and I’ll make it and mail it to you," Su’s mother said, her voice full of reluctance.
"Mom, Dad, when I had to leave home for the army, I don’t remember you being this reluctant. You’re just sad to see Jiaojiao go, aren’t you!"
Mr. Su and Su’s mother: ...
"Su Shuochi, what kind of thing is that to say? Mom, Dad, with the sorrow of parting lingering in the air, it’s completely normal to want to say a few more words."
Gu Jiaojiao lightly punched Su Shuochi’s shoulder and gave Mr. Su and Su’s mother a mischievous wink.
Her playful gesture diluted the sadness of their departure for Su’s mother, who reluctantly instructed them.
"It’s getting late. Jiaojiao, Chi, you two should go. It’s dark out, so be careful driving, Jiaojiao."
"Okay, Mom, Dad. We’ll see you again during the New Year." Gu Jiaojiao got into the car with a casual air.
Once the car was out of the mansion gates, he said, "Honey, let me drive. You can sit in the passenger seat and rest for a bit."
"You always tell me to rest, but then you just keep talking to me." Though Gu Jiaojiao said this, she still briskly switched seats.
"Heh heh, it’s a short drive. Besides, you won’t sleep well until you’ve had a shower."
"Su Shuochi, why are we leaving from the new courtyard house?"
"To keep Mom and Dad from getting all teary-eyed in the morning. There’s not much difference between saying goodbye tonight and saying goodbye in the morning."
"That’s true. I’m just worried Mom and Dad won’t sleep well tonight."
"It’s still better than them being teary-eyed first thing in the morning," Su Shuochi said with a grin. ’My wife is so naive,’ he thought. ’The difference is huge.’
’If we slept at their house, I wouldn’t dare make too much noise. My parents would definitely lose sleep, and might even end up waiting outside our door.’
’I only just got to... *indulge* last night. How could I bear not to fool around with my wife? But things are different at the new house.’
’The whole house to ourselves! Ha ha!’ Su Shuochi laughed smugly in his heart.
He had already arranged with Mr. Han for a ten o’clock flight tomorrow morning. That left them plenty of time to mess around.
As Su Shuochi’s spirits soared, the car arrived at the gate of their new courtyard house.
Su Shuochi opened the trunk. "Honey, put all the food Mom made into your space. We can take it out later."
"Shouldn’t we leave some of it out? We can’t exactly board the plane empty-handed and then have luggage when we get off."
Gu Jiaojiao rolled her eyes at him. ’What is he even thinking? Forgetting something so obvious.’
"Oh, right. My wife is always so thoughtful. In that case, let’s leave out the food Mom made for my in-laws’ family. I’ll carry it."
As he spoke, Su Shuochi locked the courtyard gate behind him. "Honey, let’s go soak in the hot spring in your space right now."
He said this right next to Gu Jiaojiao’s ear, and as he spoke, he gently nibbled her earlobe.
The sensation made Gu Jiaojiao’s legs go weak. ’This man... honestly.’
Su Shuochi swept her up in a neat princess carry, his sexy, charming voice whispering in her ear, "An hour of a spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold."
All night long, the new house was filled with endless affection and boundless passion...
The phone in the living room rang, and Su Shuochi slowly stirred awake. Looking at the person sleeping soundly in his arms, he gently moved his arm.
"Hello, this is Su Shuochi."
"Where are you? I’ve been ordered to pick up Comrades Su Shuochi and Gu Jiaojiao. Our plane has already landed at Qingcheng Airport."
"We’ll be there in half an hour. Go ahead and get something to eat at the airport first. Xi Guodong will take you."
Su Shuochi hung up and walked back into the room. "Jiaojiao, I’ll carry you into the space to soak in the hot spring for a bit."
Gu Jiaojiao’s drowsy eyes fluttered open. "Oh my god, it’s half past ten! We’re late for our appointment with Mr. Han."
"They just called. They won’t be here for another half hour. If we wash up now, we’ll get there right on time."
Fortunately, Su Shuochi had arranged last night for Xi Guodong to wait at the airport from ten o’clock this morning to treat their escort to a big meal.
When Su Shuochi and his wife arrived outside the airport, Gu Jiaojiao stored his modified car in her space.
She was pushing Su Shuochi’s wheelchair and carrying a large bag of luggage. As they entered the airport, Xi Guodong and the people he was hosting were just finishing their meal.
The two groups exchanged polite greetings, and Xi Guodong waved a reluctant farewell.
Su Shuochi reminded him again, "If people from Yun City come to negotiate for the medical instruments, sell them at the price we decided on beforehand."
"Okay, Su. You and your wife don’t worry. If anything comes up, I’ll discuss it with Song Zijie and the others. Su, give us a call when you get to the Imperial City."
"I will. I’ve already prepared a house and a phone line in the Imperial City. We just need to go and finalize things. I’ll have the phone number for you by the day after tomorrow at the latest."
"Alright, Su. To you and your wife, have a safe trip." Xi Guodong’s tone was calm, but inwardly he was astounded.
’Su talks about buying a house in the Imperial City as casually as we talk about buying a pack of cigarettes. He’s just too incredible.’
That one casual sentence from Su Shuochi was enough to cement Xi Guodong’s unwavering loyalty to him.
Gu Jiaojiao boarded the plane once more. It wasn’t Su Shuochi’s first time flying either; he had flown several times before on urgent missions.
After settling into his seat, Su Shuochi handed Gu Jiaojiao a warm cup of freshly ground soy milk.
"Here, honey, drink up. We also have the fried dough sticks and buns Mom made yesterday."
Gu Jiaojiao hadn’t eaten since dinner last night, and after a whole night of... exercise, she was indeed hungry.
The couple ate their soy milk, fried dough sticks, and vegetable buns as if no one else was around. The others on the plane had already eaten their fill, so they weren’t tempted by the food.
A few hours later, the plane landed at the Imperial Capital Airport. Su Shuochi was still in his wheelchair.
Just as Gu Jiaojiao was about to push the wheelchair, she saw Xia Qiuming approaching with Second Brother Gu and a few other young men.
"Jiaojiao."
"Master Jiaojiao."
"Comrade Su Shuochi, we’ve been ordered to come and pick you up."
Several voices rang out at once.
"Mm," Su Shuochi replied coolly.
This time, Su Shuochi had been invited to the Imperial City in his capacity as a medical instrument researcher.
Gu Jiaojiao didn’t use her title of Divine Doctor; she was simply Su Shuochi’s wife, so she was just tagging along under his prestige.
However, Xia Qiuming and a young man from the Han family knew her true identity. After all, she was Mr. Han’s sworn younger sister.
Su Shuochi was supposed to report to the research department first, but he couldn’t bear to be separated from his wife.
The afternoon sun hung high in the sky like a blazing parasol, so hot that the fish in the river dared not break the surface.
The flowers on the grass drooped miserably, the birds didn’t dare fly out from the forest, and even the stray dogs on the roadside could only loll their tongues out, panting endlessly.
So, Su Shuochi’s group decided to head to the Gu Family Mansion first. Second Brother Gu had recently started selling savory fried crepes on the streets of the Imperial City and was earning much more than he had in Qing City.
He had even taken on two helpers. In high spirits, he chattered away nonstop the moment he saw Gu Jiaojiao.
Soon, they arrived at the entrance of the Gu Family Mansion. Just as Su Shuochi got out of the car, a shrill voice pierced the air: "So, your family’s son-in-law is a cripple."
