Chapter 492: Chapter 492: Troubled Eldest Brother Gu
"Old Li, do you have to be in such a hurry?" The other old men looked at him with disdain, but inwardly, they were incredibly envious.
"That kid is so young, yet he’s managing such a big restaurant all by himself. From now on, when I bring those other old codgers here to eat, I can get a twenty percent discount, haha..."
"Hmph, what’s there to be so smug about? Jiaojiao already said we all get a twenty percent discount when we come here to eat." Mr. Han was a little peeved since he hadn’t managed to snag a grandson-in-law.
"Exactly. We get twenty percent off even when we bring friends," Elder Xiao added, also a bit jealous of Mr. Li.
Old Mu and Elder Geng didn’t have granddaughters, so their moods weren’t affected. They sat happily at the table, watching the others bicker.
"You have to strike while the iron is hot with good things like this. I heard Old Xiao and Old Mu are about to become in-laws. Why don’t we keep it in the family and make a few more matches? My eldest grandson is a great catch, too."
Mr. Li energetically promoted his eldest grandson, Li Xiaoliang.
"That’s their parents’ business. I can’t be bothered with them." Elder Xiao had suffered from an arranged marriage himself and didn’t want to meddle in the marital affairs of his children and grandchildren.
"Jiaojiao, your..." Grandma Si wanted to ask about Eldest Brother Gu’s situation but was nudged in the arm by her husband.
They had been married for decades and were childhood sweethearts. Before Grandma Si could even open her mouth, Elder Si knew what she was about to say.
Likewise, Grandma Si knew her husband very well; a single glance was all it took for her to understand his meaning.
Grandma Si had a sudden realization. No one in the private room had mentioned the Gu family’s eldest son. ’He must not be very outstanding.’
As the saying goes, a dragon has nine sons, and each is different. For example, her family’s Little Eight was a good-for-nothing.
"Eldest Sister-in-law, if you have something to say, just say it. I’m not one to hold a grudge. Let the past be swept away with the wind."
Gu Jiaojiao assumed Grandma Si was hesitating because she wanted to apologize for Si Yan’s actions but found it difficult to bring up.
Though she spoke as if she didn’t mind, she inwardly despised Si Yan. ’No matter the era, university students are the future of the nation.’
’The future holds infinite possibilities, but that girl from the Si family is caught up in petty romance.’
’She knew the man was already married, yet she still refused to give up. With Si Yan’s warped values, she isn’t a qualified university student.’
’She isn’t even a qualified person. Even if I don’t make things difficult for her, it will be hard for Si Yan to achieve anything.’
"Sigh! Jiaojiao, I’m so sorry. It’s my fault for not managing the family properly. I used to think that because Little Eight has a maternal grandfather with exquisite medical skills, her personality was just a bit more domineering than my other granddaughters. Who knew she was such a good-for-nothing!"
"She’s just young and ignorant, I don’t mind. Elder Si, Eldest Sister-in-law, please don’t take it to heart."
Elder Si and Grandma Si were speechless.
’Just young and ignorant!’
’Isn’t Little Eight two years older than Jiaojiao?!’
The other old men understood in an instant. The Si family also had a girl who was lusting after Comrade Xiao Su!
This pair of lovebirds was simply too stunning and brilliant, attracting the admiration of their grandsons and granddaughters.
The grandsons secretly adored Jiaojiao, but being boys with proper values, they knew how to exercise restraint and wouldn’t let others easily find out.
It wasn’t that the girls had warped values; most of them also knew restraint. It was just that a few individuals were shameless.
They thought that with their family’s protection, they could have whatever and whoever they wanted, and insisted on making a scene for everyone to see!
Su Shuochi sat beside Gu Jiaojiao, diligently pouring wine and serving food for everyone. He had more or less figured out what the old men were thinking.
But he wouldn’t say it out loud. He would never speak unless it was his place to do so.
Hearing Grandma Si’s apology, he shot a heated glance at his wife. ’Thank goodness she held me back then.’
’I couldn’t beat her up in public, but I can always throw a sack over her head later, right?’
’Anyone who dares to curse my wife needs to be taught a lesson, and daring to lust after me is even more deserving of death.’
He lowered his head and took a sip of passion fruit wine, hiding his eyes, which were as deep as an abyss.
"Xiao’s granddaughter and Mu’s grandson are having their engagement party at Yuetai Restaurant next week. Why don’t Gu’s grandson hold his at the same time?"
Mr. Geng saw that his good friend looked quite awkward, so he casually said it just to change the subject.
"Yes, yes! You old coot, that’s a brilliant idea! Let’s go, Gu! We’ll take Gu Er to propose a marriage right now."
Mr. Li was delighted to see this happen. His future fruit wine and restaurant discounts all depended on that grandniece.
"Wonderful! I’ll go tell my son and daughter-in-law to get ready," Grandpa Gu said, grinning from ear to ear.
"We’ll go too," Elder Si said. His eldest grandson was the direct superior of the Li family’s boy.
Their going along to watch the fun was a way of giving the Li family a great deal of face.
And so, the group of bigwigs set off for the Li family’s home in a grand procession, making Second Brother Gu’s day one of immense prestige.
Meanwhile, Eldest Brother Gu, the one Grandma Si had been thinking about, was extremely anxious. He didn’t have a single cent on him.
Every month on payday, his adopted sister would appear at his workplace entrance right on time to wait for him. It was like this every single time.
What made him despair the most was that Sheng Yueyue had found out exactly how much money he made each month.
When Eldest Brother Gu first came to Qing City, it was summer, and he had only brought summer clothes. The previous winter, his family had still been raising pigs in the countryside.
So, he hadn’t bought any winter clothes at all. Now, he had no choice but to wear his work uniform both on and off duty.
Because when he got his first month’s salary, Sheng Yueyue had seen him and said tearfully,
"Eldest Brother, your workplace provides food, lodging, daily necessities, and even a work uniform, so you don’t need to keep any money on you, right?"
It was still summer back then, and he had other clothes he’d brought to change into, so he readily agreed.
Now that the weather had turned cold, he had no warm clothes to change into, but his adopted sister didn’t mention it at all!
When Sheng Yueyue showed up on time at the entrance of Eldest Brother Gu’s workplace, he said awkwardly, "Yueyue, my colleague treated me to a movie last time. I’d like to keep a little money to treat him back."
"Eldest Brother, how many colleagues are you going with? A movie ticket is ten cents. I’ll let you keep fifty cents. It’s no fun if too many people go anyway."
Eldest Brother Gu was speechless.
Fifty cents was only enough to treat four people. The problem was, his colleague had never treated him to a movie.
His colleagues all knew he was a cheapskate, so no one hung out with him!
He just wanted to buy a set of winter clothes to wear after work. ’Sigh, now I’ll have to wait until next month’s payday to bring it up again!’
Right now, he was nominally earning his own money to spend as he wished, but he had no freedom to actually control it.
He even had to make up excuses just to buy a set of clothes. He was less free now than when he was raising pigs in the countryside.
His colleagues had made fun of him several times, and some even gossiped behind his back that he had a weird quirk and was obsessed with wearing his work uniform.
But he had no money to buy clothes.
Eldest Brother Gu clutched the fifty cents, watching in frustration as his adopted sister took his salary and left without so much as a backward glance.
"Gu Jinghua, it’s payday. We’re going to the movies, you in?" a colleague asked him, as was custom.
"Yeah, I’ll..." Eldest Brother Gu wanted to say he would treat them, but when he saw there were more than five colleagues across from him, he clamped his mouth shut!
