Chapter 490: Chapter 490: Happy Gathering
Dining in such an atmosphere, it wasn’t just the guests; even the servers seemed exceptionally energetic.
A dining hall wasn’t like a workplace. Most of the time, everyone was too busy with their jobs to enjoy life.
During a meal, a few good friends could bring their own companions and chat about their hobbies, which might even strike a chord with a stranger.
The great families had each booked their own private rooms, but several of the elders, finding their conversation more and more engaging, stood in the main dining hall, unwilling to part ways.
So, Elder Si suggested, "How about us old-timers take one private room, and let the middle-aged folks and the grandchildren’s generation take separate ones?"
The other elders agreed with a nod, not even having to think about it. And just like that, the private room arrangements were happily settled.
The elders ended up in the same private room as Gu Jiaojiao and her husband, giving them a chance to chat more.
Many of the sons from the various families were serving in the military, so one private room was enough to seat those present.
They often attended banquets together anyway, so they treated this as a small get-together.
The grandchildren’s generation, however, had to be split into three private rooms to fit everyone. The Xiao Family’s eldest grandson suggested one room for the men, one for the girls, and one for the younger boys.
But Si Jinghao had a different idea. "Let’s not split by gender. Let’s have those who are working sit together, the university students together, and the middle and elementary schoolers together."
He was afraid there would be friction if all the girls sat together. His eighth cousin’s behavior today had completely shattered his worldview.
He never knew a woman could become so crazed when she met a man she liked!
Taking their cue from the eldest among their generation, the younger members of the families cheerfully split themselves into three groups.
Everyone found their way to their respective reserved rooms and began to enjoy the delicious spread.
"What do you all think will happen after those elders finish their dinner tonight?"
A woman in fine clothes, possessing a graceful and noble air, asked the man beside her with a gentle smile.
"We all live in the same large compound, and they see each other all the time. What could possibly happen?" the middle-aged man beside her asked his wife, a smile on his face.
"Haha, Si Family Master, you and your wife have such a wonderful relationship. To be grandparents for so many years at your age... we truly envy you."
"That’s right. Uncle Si and his wife also share a deep bond. Four generations of the Si Family living together in such harmony is truly admirable."
"Hahaha... Come, let’s have a toast! To the harmony between all our families," the Si Family Master said, awkwardly raising his glass.
If the incident with Si Yan hadn’t happened, he would have accepted everyone’s envious remarks with grace.
But after the crazy outburst from his third sister-in-law and her daughter, he felt a little insecure in the face of such praise.
’I wonder if the kids will gossip about it,’ he thought. ’This whole thing is just too embarrassing.’
So, after many rounds of toasts, the conversation shifted to other pleasant topics. The middle-aged crowd mostly chatted about the elders and children in their families.
They also shared amusing anecdotes from work, keeping the bitter struggles of life buried deep in their hearts.
The older students sat down and dug in, only starting to chat after they’d had their fill. The topic, of course, was their grand-aunt, Gu Jiaojiao.
A boy from the Si Family asked in amazement, "Whoa, you guys actually call the Divine Doctor ’Grand-aunt’?"
"The Divine Doctor is our grandfather’s sworn sister, so of course we call her Grand-aunt. Isn’t that normal?"
a sixteen-year-old boy from the Han family said proudly. They all felt that having a grand-aunt who was like an immortal was a great source of pride.
The boy from the Si Family glanced at his cousins around him, then looked toward the members of the other families.
Unable to contain his curiosity, he asked, "How did your grandfather meet the Divine Doctor? It would be amazing if our grandfather could become her sworn brother, too."
"Because the Divine Doctor saved our grandfather’s life, they became sworn siblings."
"The Divine Doctor saved our grandfather’s life too! Do you think she might become sworn siblings with our grandfather as well?"
"Ninth Sister, don’t even think about it. After the shameless thing our eighth cousin did, do you really think the Divine Doctor would still acknowledge our grandpa?"
Si Shisan muttered his rebuke to his ninth sister, but in his heart, he was blaming their eighth sister.
’If she hadn’t tried to become the Divine Doctor’s husband’s mistress, our dream might have actually come true.’
The Si Family’s ninth sister shrank back, saying dejectedly, "Okay, fine. I was just daydreaming."
It wasn’t just her; several of the young Si boys and girls were all internally thinking how awful their eighth sister had been.
"Si Yan?" Xiao Rui’s eyes lit up with curiosity. "Isn’t that the woman who’s always trailing after our eighth brother? Quick, tell us what she did!"
"Ugh, it’s too embarrassing. I don’t want to talk about it," Si Shisan said, covering his mouth and feigning a look of agony.
Xiao Rui frowned. "What sordid thing did she do? Come on, tell us."
The ninth Si sister pouted. Looking thoroughly disappointed, she said, "We’re too ashamed to say it."
"It’s not like you did anything wrong. What’s there to be embarrassed about? Just tell us already, don’t keep me in suspense," Han Jingyi urged.
"Stop pushing them," Xiao Rui said, joking casually. "It’s not like Si Yan coveted our grand-uncle and tried to push out our grand-aunt, right?"
Si Shisan abruptly shot to his feet, looking utterly stunned. "You... How did you know?"
"What?! It’s actually true?"
"Yeah... it’s true."
The teenagers’ private room was plunged into silence...
Meanwhile, the elders’ room was incredibly lively. They were reminiscing about their time on the battlefield, and they noticed Gu Jiaojiao was listening with rapt attention.
At that, the elders began to vie with one another, each eager to share his own experiences. Even the usually stoic Elder Geng couldn’t help himself.
For the first time, he spoke at length about his past, even recounting how he met and fell in love with his wife.
After reminiscing about the past, the conversation turned to future developments, covering everything from medical equipment to consumer goods and the path forward.
This was where Su Shuochi and Gu Jiaojiao truly shone. The insights from the two young people gave the elders boundless hope for the future.
Grandma Si listened intently. She had said very little all evening, feeling too ashamed to face Gu Jiaojiao and her husband.
She stole a furtive glance at Gu Jiaojiao, who was seated beside Mr. Han, and met a pair of strikingly clear eyes.
They were pure and flawless, like a piece of perfectly clear ice jade.
Yet they also seemed like a bottomless lake, making one yearn to explore the true mysteries held within.
Gu Jiaojiao, however, simply offered a serene smile and raised her glass. "Grandma Si, I’d like to propose a toast to you and Elder Si."
"Heh heh... Jiaojiao, dear," she said, her eyes crinkling into a smile. "You call that old Han fellow and the others ’Big Brother’, yet you call me ’Grandma’."
Hearing this, Elder Si frowned slightly but didn’t intervene, simply downing the wine in his cup in one gulp.
Weighed down by his gloomy mood, Elder Si expected the wine to taste bitter, but to his surprise, it was sweet.
"What is it?" Grandma Si asked, looking at her husband in confusion.
Elder Si was silent for a moment before speaking slowly. "Jiaojiao, what is this wine? It’s so fragrant and sweet."
