Chapter 321: Chapter 321: Crazy for Money
Second Brother Gu had accidentally overeaten. "Jiaojiao, if you’re done eating, I’ll take you to see your room."
"Okay. I’ll take our laundry to the room. Su Shuochi, can you hand out the gifts Mom prepared for Grandpa and everyone?"
’Mm.’ Su Shuochi wasn’t in a hurry to see the room. ’We’re only staying for one night, anyway. If it’s really not to our liking, we can always stay in the space.’
"Jiaojiao, let me get that." Second Brother Gu snatched the canvas bag from Gu Jiaojiao’s hands and led the way.
The room the Gu Family prepared for Gu Jiaojiao was on the second floor of the main building, next to Mr. and Mrs. Gu’s room.
"Jiaojiao, take a look. What do you think? I decorated this room specially for you."
"The room is decorated so beautifully. Don’t tell me you designed it for us, Second Brother?"
Gu Jiaojiao asked because the room looked identical to the one they had decorated in the courtyard home they’d recently bought in Qing City.
"Heh heh... I can’t design anything. Eldest Brother designed it himself. It’s pretty much the same as the room in your new courtyard, right?"
Second Brother Gu was boasting on his older brother’s behalf. What he didn’t tell Gu Jiaojiao, however, was that Eldest Brother Gu had also specially designed a room for Sheng Yueyue.
But their grandfather, their father, and Second Brother Gu himself had all been unwilling to pay for the materials. Eldest Brother Gu had no money of his own, so he had to drop the idea.
That room was right next to Eldest Brother Gu’s. Now, its walls were simply painted white, with a bed placed inside to serve as a guest room.
"Yes, I like it a lot. My two brothers have gone to so much trouble," Gu Jiaojiao said with heartfelt thanks.
’I just took a good look,’ she thought. ’On this entire floor, there’s just my and Su Shuochi’s room, my parents’ room, and a large living room between them.’
’There’s a study on either side, but not a single guest room on the second floor.’ This made Gu Jiaojiao very satisfied.
"You’re my little sister. Decorating a room for you is nothing. When I make the big bucks, it’d be only natural for me to buy you a whole courtyard house."
Second Brother Gu declared heroically. He had always thought this way, since every cent he was earning now came from methods his sister had taught him.
"Alright, then I’ll have to thank you in advance, Second Brother..."
"AHEM... AHEM..." A faint cough interrupted the brother and sister’s conversation.
"Whoa, Eldest Brother, you came too?" Second Brother Gu asked, surprised to see Gu Jinghua had followed them.
"Heh..." Eldest Brother Gu smiled. "Jiaojiao, you must be tired from the journey. Do you want to rest now or go out for a stroll?"
"Let’s go for a walk now. I want to see the night market in the Imperial City and check on Second Brother’s stall while we’re at it," Gu Jiaojiao said, smiling.
This was her first time in the Imperial City in this lifetime, so she was filled with a sense of novelty and interest in the old capital of this era.
"Alright, let’s all go out." Seeing that his sister was willing to speak to him, Gu Jinghua smiled happily.
"Eldest Brother, you should smile more. Xia Qiuming said there’s nothing seriously wrong with you, just that you’re suffering from a persistent gloom. What are you brooding about all day?"
Gu Jiaojiao hadn’t wanted to pay him any mind, but seeing his listless, sickly appearance, she couldn’t stop herself from saying something.
"My job transfer is still in process. My health isn’t good enough for military service anymore, so I can only switch to a corresponding civilian post."
"There’s nothing wrong with a desk job. You can pick one you like. If you’re in better spirits, your health will improve too."
"Jiaojiao, Eldest Brother is obsessed with money. He thinks a desk job won’t pay as well as his old salary."
Hearing her second brother say that their eldest brother was obsessed with money, Gu Jiaojiao had a good idea why. She couldn’t be bothered to dwell on it, though, so she just spoke off the cuff.
"Is Eldest Brother trying to save up to get married? Do you have someone in mind? If you don’t have enough to get settled, Second Brother and I can help you out."
Second Brother Gu grew anxious when he heard his sister offer their eldest brother money.
But he didn’t dare say anything. He knew that if Eldest Brother Gu got his hands on some money, he would just want to help Sheng Yueyue decorate her room. If Jiaojiao got angry about it, she might not stay with them.
When Gu Jinghua saw the anxious look on his younger brother’s face at the mention of money, he quickly demurred. "I’m not looking to get married yet, and I’m not short on cash."
’In truth, I’m desperate for money. I don’t understand why my family has become so stingy!’
’When they were renovating the rooms, I just casually mentioned wanting to help Yueyue decorate one.’
’Grandpa, Mom, Dad, and my second brother immediately said they had no money. They even told me that from now on, the cost of my medicine would be deducted from my salary.’
’Before, when I was recuperating at Jiaojiao’s place, she paid for everything, so I had no idea how expensive medicine could be.’
’Ever since then, the cost of my prescriptions has been deducted from my pay, not even counting doctor’s visits.’
’Just following the prescription Jiaojiao wrote, my entire monthly salary isn’t even enough to cover the medicine, let alone food.’
’I said I wanted to go sell savory crepes with my second brother, but he flatly refused, saying my health was too poor and I needed to rest.’
’I’m not an idiot. I know Grandpa, my parents, and my second brother are all on guard against me. That’s why this gloom won’t lift, and my condition keeps relapsing.’
When Jiaojiao arrived, she’d immediately asked about his condition. Her expression had soured the moment she learned about his persistent gloom.
’It made me too embarrassed to even speak to her. But it turns out my little sister is still willing to give me money... How can I not be happy about that!’
"Since you’re not short on money for now, Eldest Brother, just wait patiently for your new job assignment. Let’s go check out Second Brother’s savory crepe stall."
Gu Jiaojiao had already made up her mind. ’I’m not going to help my eldest brother get rich. I’ll just let him work his job, collect a salary, and live a quiet, ordinary life.’
’That way, he won’t make a fortune one day and start stirring up trouble for Sheng Yueyue again!’
"Alright, let’s go take a look," Eldest Brother Gu agreed, his mood visibly lifting.
And so, the group drove off, heading straight for the busiest food street in the Imperial City.
The buildings lining the streets still had a distinct period charm, and the pedestrians weren’t rushing about with the same hurried expressions as they would in later years.
Instead, they pedaled their bicycles, laughing and chatting, the very picture of happiness.
There were very few cars on the road back then, and even motorcycles were a rare sight. What you did see were large groups of cyclists.
The TING-A-LING of bicycle bells was crisp and pleasant, mingling with the cyclists’ cheerful chatter and laughter.
In this era, owning a bicycle was a source of great pride and happiness.
This was true even in a major city like the Imperial City.
Having witnessed the endless traffic of the future, Gu Jiaojiao knew that the Imperial City of today was still in a phase of recovery, waiting to be rebuilt.
It couldn’t truly be called prosperous or bustling, but it was many times more vibrant than it had been in the preceding years.
Once they were near the night market, the young man from the Xiao Family parked the car on the side of the road. They proceeded on foot. The market was already quite crowded.
Vendors of all kinds were energetically hawking their wares. The crowd consisted mostly of young men and women, full of energy and eager to spend.
"Jiaojiao, feel like some roast duck? I can buy one for everyone to share."
"Yes, Second Brother. Let’s get one for all of us to share." Gu Jiaojiao was actually quite curious to taste the roast duck from this era.
