Chapter 464: Chapter 464: The Sisters-in-Law Meet
Hearing his youngest daughter’s resolute words, Mr. Li asked uncertainly, "Lanlan, are you truly not afraid of hardship?"
"Dad, it’s not that I’m not afraid of hardship. I just love Second Brother Gu for the man he is, so I’m willing to brave the sun and rain with him."
"Well, since you insist on loving him, I have nothing more to say. As long as you can convince your brother, I have no objections."
"Lanlan, Mom was very supportive of you at first, but your older brother won’t agree," Mrs. Li sighed.
In truth, she didn’t really support her youngest daughter marrying a street vendor. She was just desperate to find a match for her.
What she didn’t say aloud was that her daughter was already twenty and still single, and she was afraid the neighbors would gossip.
"Dad, Mom, Big Brother, stop trying to persuade me. I’m in charge of my own life, and I am going to marry Second Brother Gu."
Li Xiulan didn’t say the next part out loud: ’Unless Second Brother Gu is unwilling to marry me.’ She was afraid her older brother would go and threaten him.
After saying her piece, she stomped up the stairs. She had made up her mind: tomorrow, she would "casually" run into her future sister-in-law at the university.
Today was the first time she had seen her future sister-in-law, who was so radiant.
She had stood on stage speaking a foreign language, as smooth and fluent as a native speaker.
She had managed to squeeze her way to her side, but unfortunately, Gu Jiaojiao was surrounded by a crowd, and she never got a chance to say a single word to her.
Li Xiulan was a very smart girl. Anything she could think of, her older brother could surely think of too.
If her brother beat her to it and warned Second Brother Gu, then there would be no chance for them to be together.
So, no matter what, she had to get close to her future sister-in-law tomorrow and make her feelings clear.
Meanwhile, as Li Xiulan’s older brother watched his little sister’s retreating back, he was also thinking that he would go to that kid’s savory crepe stall tomorrow and give him a warning.
And so, early the next morning, Gu Jiaojiao saw a female upperclassman not far from her classroom door.
Gu Jiaojiao could tell at a glance that the upperclassman had dressed up a bit today, wearing an elegant autumn dress under a woolen overcoat.
Seeing Gu Jiaojiao, she reacted as if she’d spotted a long-lost relative, even jogging forward a couple of steps with a radiant smile that startled Gu Jiaojiao.
The upperclassman’s actions completely baffled Gu Jiaojiao, making her extremely curious.
So she stood quietly in front of the upperclassman without saying a word, waiting for her to speak first.
Li Xiulan had come to the university early in the morning. She hadn’t gone to her own classroom but had been waiting for her future sister-in-law the whole time.
Who would have thought her future sister-in-law would arrive just in the nick of time? Li Xiulan had always been a diligent student, never late and never leaving early.
This made her especially nervous, worried she’d be late for her own class and wouldn’t have enough time to explain herself clearly.
’Seeing her future sister-in-law this close,’ she thought, ’she does look a bit like her second brother.’
Her eyelashes were so thick they looked like a clean, delicate line of eyeliner, extending to the slightly upturned corners of her eyes.
It gave her beautiful eyes a complementary mix of playfulness and allure.
Li Xiulan was stunned by Gu Jiaojiao’s beauty. Steeling herself, she closed her eyes and spoke.
"You... you must be Second Brother Gu’s younger sister, Gu Jiaojiao, right? My name is Li Xiulan, and I’ve liked your second brother for a very long time."
’She’s liked my second brother for a very long time!’
’Could she have liked him since they were children?’
’An upperclassman this devoted actually exists?’
’And here I was, just thinking about finding a girlfriend for Second Brother. Could this be what they call a match made in heaven?’
The corner of her mouth twitched, her brain struggling to process the situation. Gu Jiaojiao had lived two lives and had seemingly never encountered something so wild.
She cleared her throat and asked in her clearest, most pleasant voice, "Upperclassman, what year are you?"
"I’m a junior this year, studying accounting. I’ll be graduating next year," Li Xiulan replied, her head lowered like a schoolgirl’s.
"An accounting major, huh? That’s great. My second brother is renovating a restaurant right now, and he plans to open a chain later on. A capable partner like you would be a great help."
"Your... second brother, he’s already opening a restaurant? And a chain of them?" Li Xiulan was stunned.
"I was thinking that after I graduated, I could open a small eatery with him, but he’s already opening a restaurant!"
Li Xiulan’s muttering wasn’t loud, but Gu Jiaojiao heard it clearly. She was quite satisfied with this potential second sister-in-law.
"Your name is Li Xiulan? Did you and your mother visit my family’s home before?"
"Yes. After learning your family had no objections, my mom went home to discuss a date for a formal meeting. But my older brother was dead set against it, so I came to find you today. I’m afraid my brother will go and cause trouble for your second brother."
For the sake of her own happiness, Li Xiulan had thrown caution to the wind. She wasn’t even stuttering anymore.
"So that’s what happened. My mom was just asking me about it. She said your mom had sounded her out a few times, and then after my mom talked it over with my dad and my whole family agreed, your mom just dropped the subject."
The more Gu Jiaojiao looked at her future sister-in-law, the more she liked her, so she didn’t mind elaborating.
"Then... will your family think mine is too much trouble and change your minds?" Li Xiulan asked uneasily.
"If you hadn’t come to tell me this today, my family really might have backed out. But since you came to me, I’ll make a trip back to my parents’ home after class."
"Jiaojiao, is it okay if I call you that?"
"Of course."
"Jiaojiao, does your second brother know about this? Will he agree?"
"You’re an amazing catch. My second brother will definitely agree. Future Sister-in-law, you’re going to be late for class. You should head to your classroom first."
"Hehe... Jiaojiao, I’m off to class then. I’ll be counting on you for this matter with your brother!" With that, Li Xiulan quickly ran off.
Watching her cheerful retreating figure, Gu Jiaojiao thought to herself, ’Are girls these days all so direct and bold?’
’Then again, my second brother is rather shy. Marrying a passionate and bold wife would actually be great for him. Their personalities would complement each other.’
’My second brother is handsome and ambitious, and he respects his family’s opinions. Marrying him, she’s sure to be happy.’
’For someone like Li Xiulan, who so boldly and passionately pursues her own love—if she doesn’t find happiness, who will!’
’So many people have feelings for each other but aren’t brave enough to confess, and they end up missing their chance for a lifetime together.’
’A youthful crush is just like an ephemeral, brilliant firework display. Once they meet someone truly worth loving, the memory slowly fades.’
Only the brave manage to find each other. Just as Gu Jiaojiao was lost in these reflections, she heard Han Jingyi ask her with a grin.
"Great-Aunt, that upperclassman has some good taste, actually wanting to become your second sister-in-law?"
He and Xiao Rui had also been waiting for Gu Jiaojiao at her classroom door, so they had overheard the entire conversation between her and Li Xiulan.
"Hehe, you two are grown men now, and you’re still eavesdropping?"
Gu Jiaojiao teased them with a grin. In truth, she had known they were listening the whole time. Since they were her grandnephews, she hadn’t tried to hide the conversation from them.
"Hehe, we were just waiting for you, Great-Aunt. Who knew that upperclassman was so eager to become your sister-in-law she just started gushing the moment she saw you."
"What were you waiting for me for?" Gu Jiaojiao asked, seeing that class was about to start.
"Our grandfather heard you were the target of an assassination attempt yesterday, so we wanted to come and see if you were hurt."
