Chapter 483: Chapter 483: The Poor Eat Chaff and Wild Greens
Xiao Rui walked away from the crowd with heavy steps. "Great-Aunt, so my fifth aunt’s family really is too poor to put food on the table!"
He and his dozen or so cousins often complained behind the adults’ backs that their fifth aunt just liked to freeload off their families.
’This is so wrong.’ He had to hurry home and set his cousins straight.
"They’re not that poor, are they? Didn’t those aunties just say that the Fu family’s eldest son is a factory director with a high salary?"
Han Jingyi retorted loudly, trying his best to convince his gloomy friend.
"But that woman from the Fu family was just pointing at my fifth aunt and yelling that they had no money for rice!"
"That woman not only doesn’t know how to run a household, but she’s also sharp-tongued, critical, and a nitpicker. Compared to your fifth aunt, she’s a world apart."
"But..."
Gu Jiaojiao cut Xiao Rui off. "Xiao Rui, don’t blame yourself too much. Your fifth aunt’s family isn’t as poor as you imagine.
They may not be as well-off as some, but they’re much better off than others. Compared to most people, the Fu family is doing quite well.
The saying goes, ’Behind vermilion gates, meat and wine go to waste, while on the road people freeze to death.’ That might describe a period in the Tang Dynasty,
but across a thousand years of history, we can still smell the familiar scent of that same reality.
Poverty is the yellowish-brown of a sun-beaten, wind-blasted landscape. It’s like being coated in a shell of mud, polished to a greasy sheen, reeking of earth, sweat, and sourness.
Meanwhile, the rich throw out so much meat and wine that it rots by their doors, going from fragrant to foul, while the poor have nothing but chaff and wild vegetables to eat."
"Yes, the gap between rich and poor has existed in every era," Grandpa Gu chimed in, stroking his chin.
He felt his granddaughter had a clearer perspective on things than he did. ’A genius is truly different. She understands everything.’
"Sigh! Great-Aunt, we’ll drop you off at the Yuetai Restaurant. I need to go home and tell my grandfather what happened today."
"Okay. We can come eat at the restaurant tomorrow anyway," Gu Jiaojiao said nonchalantly.
They arrived shortly after. Gu Jiaojiao and Grandpa Gu got out at the restaurant, while Han Jingyi and Xiao Rui drove back to the compound.
The moment Gu Jiaojiao stepped into the restaurant, she forgot about the recent incident and quickly threw herself into directing the work.
Grandpa Gu, on the other hand, personally took part in cutting red paper window decorations for the staff to put up.
Mr. Gu and Mrs. Gu were also helping out. The restaurant was a joint venture between Gu Jiaojiao and Second Brother Gu.
Gu Jiaojiao had invested two-thirds of the capital, and Second Brother Gu invested one-third. For him, however, it was a massive investment, using up all his savings.
Although the siblings’ investments were unequal, they were splitting the profits fifty-fifty, because Second Brother Gu was in charge of managing the restaurant’s entire operation.
Gu Jiaojiao didn’t have time to manage it; she was purely an investor collecting dividends.
After a long day of hard work, the family and the staff had the restaurant decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, ready for the grand opening the next day.
The Gu Family had dinner at the restaurant. Mr. Gu drove back to the Gu Family home, while Su Shuochi drove Gu Jiaojiao directly to their villa.
「The next day at 8:30 AM.」
Gu Jiaojiao was shaken awake by Su Shuochi. "Wifey, are you going to the restaurant first or the Si Family’s place?"
"Let’s go straight to the Si Family’s. I’ll go to the restaurant after giving Elder Si his acupuncture," Gu Jiaojiao said, her eyes still heavy with sleep.
"Wifey, this is all my fault. I should have arranged this with the Si Family for a different day."
"It’s fine, there’s no conflict. The ribbon-cutting for the restaurant opening isn’t until eleven-thirty."
"If you were going to the Si Family’s the day after tomorrow, you could have slept in," Su Shuochi said guiltily.
’He had kept her up past midnight, and his wifey hadn’t even gotten five hours of sleep!’
Gu Jiaojiao shot the man a reproachful glare. She really had to hand it to him; he was so full of energy, like a hungry wolf every night.
But she didn’t say anything. After all, she hadn’t been able to resist his seductions and had let him have his way with her.
After exchanging a few more words, she was wide awake. She got up, washed, had breakfast, and then Su Shuochi drove her to the gate of the Si Family’s home in the compound.
They arrived at ten o’clock sharp, not a second early or a second late. Since it was the weekend, most of the Si Family was at the gate to welcome them.
As Gu Jiaojiao got out of the car with her long-legged stride, she saw three rows of people standing at the entrance to the Si Family’s courtyard.
The first row consisted of three people: Elder Si and the Si Family Master stood on either side of Grandma Si.
The second row was made up of several women, likely the Si family’s four daughters-in-law and two married daughters.
The third row was filled with young men and women, as well as a few small children—most likely the grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
It was a weekend filled with the rustling of the autumn wind, and the morning sun was bright without being harsh.
It filtered through the soft maple leaves, casting a brilliant golden glow and creating a dazzling patch of light.
A thin layer of dry leaves covered the ground, crunching underfoot. Those leaves had sprouted in spring, only to fall after a short six months.
Their lives were fragile and fleeting, like the common people struggling to survive.
Or like the bonds of family and love, which could dissipate as easily as foam.
Gu Jiaojiao was dressed in a crewneck sweatshirt and jeans, with a long trench coat over them.
Her hair was tied up high, making her look sharp and energetic. She watched the welcoming formation at the Si Family’s gate, the corners of her eyes crinkling with a smile.
Su Shuochi wore a matching couple’s outfit and walked by her side like a devoted guardian.
"Divine Doctor, Comrade Su, you are very punctual. Please, let’s go inside and have a seat."
The Si Family Master let go of his mother’s arm and stepped forward alone to greet them.
Gu Jiaojiao’s face bloomed into a smile. "Yes, of course. Elder Si, Grandma Si, after you."
Grandma Si spoke with a kind smile, "Hello, Divine Doctor. This old woman never imagined the Divine Doctor would be so young."
After speaking, she took her husband’s hand and walked into the main hall of the Si Mansion, as the Divine Doctor had insisted the couple go first.
The Si Family Master walked to Gu Jiaojiao’s left, with Su Shuochi on her right, the three of them forming a row.
The younger generations of the Si Family waited for Gu Jiaojiao’s party to pass before they turned and went inside.
The eyes of the Si family’s grandsons were glued to Gu Jiaojiao, most of them stunned by her beauty—it wasn’t anything more, just simple appreciation for a beautiful "big sister."
Meanwhile, the granddaughters’ gazes kept drifting toward Su Shuochi. ’This man is more handsome than anyone in the Si Family.’
"Divine Doctor, Comrade Su, please sit. Have some tea," Lady Si said hospitably, pouring them tea with a smile.
Grandma Si also smiled and said, "Ah, Divine Doctor, would you like something to eat first?"
Elder Si added cheerfully, "Jiaojiao, try some of our Si Family’s pastries and see if you like them. I’ve heard that Shuo Ci’s cooking is quite incredible, even better than the head chefs at big restaurants."
Gu Jiaojiao smiled. "I should probably take your pulse first, Elder Si. Who did you hear that from, anyway? Shuo Ci’s cooking is good, but it’s just good, that’s all."
"Haha, I heard it from Old Han and Old Guy Geng," Elder Si said, extending his hand for Gu Jiaojiao to take his pulse.
"Elder Si, you haven’t felt any chest tightness or difficulty breathing recently, have you? I’ll give you one more acupuncture session, and then I’ll prescribe some medicine for you."
