Chapter 407: Chapter 407: Jiang Ruyan Takes Charge of the Fu Family
"Shu Ci and Song Zijie talk on the phone every day. Song Zijie is very busy lately; he’s in charge of procurement and managing the workers."
Gu Jiaojiao found herself rather liking Xi Li’s personality. There were no fake pretenses with her.
"He’s so busy. Can his body handle it?" Xi Li asked, her face full of worry.
"He’s already fully recovered. He’s no different from a normal person, so there’s nothing he can’t handle."
Gu Jiaojiao’s words made the worried Xi Li ecstatic. Someone who’d had a heart condition since childhood was now completely healthy, just like a normal person.
An overjoyed Xi Li started chattering away, "Oh my god, that Divine Doctor Su Gu is just too amazing! I heard people from the class next door talking about the Divine Doctor today. Not only are his medical skills superb, but he’s also very fashionable..."
"Yes, the Divine Doctor is a little amazing." ’Fashionable, though? Let’s not go that far.’ Gu Jiaojiao awkwardly cut off Xi Li’s praise.
Xi Li, not knowing Gu Jiaojiao was the Divine Doctor, corrected her, "The Divine Doctor isn’t ’a little’ amazing, he’s super amazing."
Gu Jiaojiao was about to be modest again when she heard Han Jingyi say very seriously from a short distance away, "This upperclassman is right. The Divine Doctor is amazing."
"I heard yesterday’s surgery is going to be on TV. I’m going to sit right next to the television tonight to catch a glimpse of the Divine Doctor," Xi Li said, her face full of admiration.
"You’re not from Beijing, and the school doesn’t have TVs, does it? Where are you going to watch TV?" Xiao Rui asked bluntly.
"My dad has several old army buddies in the Imperial City. I usually go to their places for meals and to watch TV during the holidays."
Xi Li trusted Gu Jiaojiao a lot, and by extension, had a good impression of her companions. Xi Siya didn’t have any relatives in the Imperial City, but that didn’t mean Xi Li didn’t.
Seeing that the lunch break was almost over, the two boys decided to just walk with Gu Jiaojiao back toward the classrooms.
They chattered nonstop beside Gu Jiaojiao, one moment reminding her about a rock on the path, the next telling her to watch the steps.
Their fawning manner was like that of the eunuchs guiding an ancient queen.
Xi Li found it ridiculously amusing, but she could only pretend not to see it.
As they neared a fork in the path, Gu Jiaojiao said, "Xi Li, let’s meet here every Wednesday at noon from now on. If there’s an emergency, you can call me."
Gu Jiaojiao wrote down her home phone number for Xi Li. In this era, there were no cell phones, only landlines.
She didn’t invite Xi Li to her home because she and Su Shuochi were often followed by spies, and she didn’t want to involve an innocent person.
Jiang Ruyan ran out of the school gates in a single breath and hailed a motorcycle taxi back to the Fu family’s compound.
"Ru Yan, you’re out of school so early today?" Mr. Fu had just finished a game of chess with an old friend outside and was coming home for lunch.
"Dad, I was bullied by my classmates at school. They all laughed at me for marrying an old man... wah..."
Aunt Fu had just walked in the door after getting off work.
’What’s there to be upset about? You did marry an old man!’
Seeing this daughter-in-law of his eldest son, who was two years younger than his own grandson, crying her eyes out, Mr. Fu didn’t know what to say.
So he said to Xiao Yuling, "Fourth’s wife, go and comfort your sister-in-law."
"Sister-in-law, please stop crying. When Big Brother comes back, he’ll think we were bullying you!"
Xiao Yuling felt very uncomfortable. This Jiang Ruyan was only two years older than her own son, yet she had to call her ’Sister-in-law’.
"Wah... Sister-in-law... you don’t like me either? I was bullied at school, can’t I even cry a little when I get home? Wah..."
"Sister-in-law, after your newlywed period is over, you will be in charge of the Fu family. You’ll be the matriarch of the Fu family. If you keep crying like this, what will Jun Yuan and the others think if they see you?"
Aunt Fu suppressed her simmering rage and comforted Jiang Ruyan gently, but inwardly, she looked down on this petty sister-in-law even more.
Jiang Ruyan’s only goal was to stop going to school. Since these clueless people weren’t getting the hint, she could only cry even louder.
’As for managing the Fu family, that was a done deal. She was the eldest son’s wife, so she wasn’t afraid this younger sister-in-law would steal it from her.’
Seeing her sister-in-law crying even louder, Aunt Fu said, her anger flaring, "Sister-in-law, why don’t you just take over the Fu family tomorrow and stop going to school?"
Jiang Ruyan stopped as if someone had hit a pause button. She lifted her tear-stained face and looked at Mr. Fu with hope.
But Mr. Fu didn’t say he would let his daughter-in-law quit school. In his heart, nothing was more important than education.
He said domineeringly, "Ru Yan, you tell Dad which classmates bullied you. I’ll go to the school tomorrow and have them expelled."
"Dad, it was the Xiao Family’s grandson Xiao Rui and the Han family..."
"What? Sister-in-law, how did you manage to offend the grandchildren of the Han and Xiao families? Your fourth brother and I don’t even dare to provoke them!"
Xiao Yuling’s shrill voice echoed through the Fu family’s main hall. She had finally lost her temper.
It was true she was from the Xiao Family, but neither she nor her husband dared to provoke her nephews, especially Xiao Rui and Xiao Xiaoxuan.
Not to mention the Han family’s grandchildren. If this really blew up, their Fu family would be finished.
Aunt Fu’s eyes darted about as her mind raced. The Fu family’s eldest grandson, Fu Junyuan, had already moved out with his sister. The second son of the eldest branch was never home.
She and her husband had also bought property elsewhere and usually lived in their own home. Her children boarded at school and only came home on weekends.
So, in the entire Fu family, only Mr. Fu and Big Brother lived at home year-round, along with some servants.
’She had managed the Fu family for so many years without gaining any personal benefits. In fact, all the health supplements her own family sent her during the holidays ended up being used for the Fu family.’
’Let’s see how this stupid sister-in-law manages the household.’ And so, Aunt Fu said with an air of magnanimous righteousness.
"Dad, you don’t need to go to the school tomorrow either. Just have Big Brother handle the withdrawal procedures for Sister-in-law directly. I’ll hand over the management of the household to her right now."
’In truth, Mr. Fu looked down on this young daughter-in-law from the bottom of his heart. If she were in charge, would they even have rice to celebrate the New Year?’
’The fourth son’s wife had already offered to let her take over, so it wouldn’t be right for him to disagree. If she were a sensible person, she wouldn’t accept. Living a life of leisure is so much more comfortable.’
The Fu family didn’t have any businesses anymore anyway. So, he asked cautiously, "Eldest’s wife, are you willing to take charge of the Fu family?"
"I... I’ll listen to Dad and Sister-in-law," Jiang Ruyan said, sniffling.
’She wasn’t an idiot. How could she not accept such a good offer?’
’The matriarch of the Fu family! What a noble status! What reason did she have to refuse?’
"Does that mean you agree with the fourth son’s wife’s suggestion? You should think it over carefully. Do you want to wait for Ming Yuan to come back so you two can discuss it?"
Jiang Ruyan knew her husband wouldn’t agree. She had subtly brought it up on their wedding day.
Although he doted on her and complied with her every wish, when it came to managing the household, he had said she was still young and should learn from her fourth sister-in-law for a few more years.
So she said frantically, "Dad, this is your and Fourth Sister-in-law’s decision. Ming Yuan will agree."
"Dad, Sister-in-law is right. She was always meant to be the matriarch of our Fu family. Big Brother will definitely agree."
