Chapter 203: Chapter Two-Hundred and Three: Loss of Their Only Child
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Shi Xiu dutifully said to Shi Nian, “Shi Nian, I’ll get your share from Grandpa, too. I’ll give it to Yun Nan.” Shi Nian had always doted on his sister, and it was no different this time. Moreover, she wanted to hand it to Yun Nan, so he naturally supported her.
Hai Hua didn’t expect the Gu and Shi families to have such a relationship. She couldn’t help but ask Shi Xiu, “So, you’ve met Gu Fei? You two—”
Shi Xiu hurriedly interrupted Hai Hua, “Ah! Hold it right there, Hai Hua. Don’t think too much about it; that Gu Fei isn’t my type, but he wants my help. He’s using me as a cover to resist his mother’s control over him.”
Hai Hua seemed relieved and said carefully, “Gu Fei is the only male of his generation in the Gu family, so he’s extremely precious to the family. He also has three older sisters who’ve married very well, and they all treat their younger brother like the apple of their eyes. Gu Fei’s mother, Bai Jie, also has a strong personality. I’m afraid it won’t be easy being the Gu family’s daughter-in-law.”
Shi Xiu’s eyes widened. She looked at Hai Hua and then at Shi Nian and cried,
“Shi Nian, did you hear that? I don’t want to marry him! You have to help me!”
Shi Nian glanced at her and replied, “That depends on your performance.”
Shi Xiu hugged Yun Nan and uttered mournfully, “Yun Nan, save me. You wouldn’t let me marry into such a family to become a baby-making machine and be divorced and sent back to my mother’s house if I didn’t give birth to a boy, would you? Yun Nan, you’re one of my family. You must help me! My brother is useless; I can only rely on you.”
Her antics amused Yun Nan, and she laughed. Shi Nian patted Shi Xiu’s head. “What do you mean I’m useless?” he mock-growled. ‘Why are you begging me if I’m useless?”
Yun Nan’s tense nerves finally relaxed slightly, thanks to the siblings’ tomfoolery. Xiang Yang, Fang Xi, and Ye Kun were busy; they were waiting for the Gu family—Hai Hua’s aunt and uncle—to come while preparing for the cooperation matters they had discussed with the town leaders yesterday.
Ye Kun was silly when it came to relationships, but he was like a different person when he worked. It made Fang Xi look at him in a new light. Xiang Yang was fascinated by the town’s embroidery that had been passed down from generation to generation and planned to cooperate with them in depth. Therefore, everyone was busy going in and out of the noodle shop the entire morning. At the same time, they were nervously looking forward to the Gu family’s arrival.
It was already three in the afternoon when Gu Bei and his wife arrived. Yun Nan had just finished making all kinds of snacks and was a little out of it.
“They’re here! They’re here! They’ve arrived!” Hai Hua jumped up and shouted before rushing out.
Shi Nian quickly held Yun Nan’s wrist and went out together. Yun Nan twisted her hand around to clutch Shi Nian’s hand; her fingers were cold, and her palm was damp. Shi Nian squeezed her hand to comfort her.
The gray-haired Gu Bei got out of the car first, then helped his thin and frail wife down. Hai Hua walked over and greeted them, “Auntie, uncle!”
The couple nodded at Hai Hua; they looked like they had a million questions for her but didn’t know where to start. Hai Hua went to Chen Yao’s unoccupied side and supported her, asking, “Auntie, slow down a little. Are you tired?”
Chen Yao grabbed Hai Hua’s hand and stated, “Take me to that embroidered portrait; I want to see it. Quickly, now, show it to me.”
The old lady seemed especially worked up. Hai Hua glanced at Gu Bei, who was very calm. He was a person who’d been through a lot, after all. He’d accumulated enough disappointment over the years.
Hai Hua supported Chen Yao and advised, “Auntie, please calm down. Let’s—I‘ She fell silent, not knowing how to comfort her.
Chen Yao took a deep breath. “I know, I know.” Although she said that, she still held Hai Hua’s hand tightly.
Hai Hua brought them to the restaurant hall. They’d taken down the embroidered portrait from the wall and placed it on a table in the middle of the room.
Gu Bei and Chen Yao both froze when they saw the portrait. Chen Yao abruptly pushed Hai Hua away, went forward to hold the embroidered picture in her arms, and burst into a flood of tears. Gu Bei also shed tears and was speechless for a long while. He snatched the embroidered portrait from Chen Yao’s hands and looked at it carefully.
“She looks like you, Yao-Yao. She really looks like you. She looks exactly like you!” Gu Bei’s voice trembled as he spoke.
“My child! My daughter!” Chen Yao hugged the portrait and fell to the ground, wailing. Gu Bei also knelt on the floor and hugged his wife and the embroidered picture as tears streamed down his face.
All those around them felt moved and sorry for them, but they didn’t Imow how to comfort them. What a human tragedy this was! The couple finally found their daughter after a lifetime’s searching, but she was already separated from them forever. It was painful for a parent to outlive their child and to find out she’d passed on after they’d been searching for her for so long… No one knew what to say; any words of comfort seemed feeble in the face of such a cruel and unpredictable outcome.
The Gu family’s butler came forward to offer them advice and encouragement in a low voice and finally helped the two of them up. Chen Yao hugged the embroidered portrait and didn’t let go. She reached out toward the figure in the picture but didn’t dare to touch it. Her hands trembled, and tears fell.
She looked up to search for Hai Hua and uttered, “You mentioned… She had a daughter?”
Hai Hua hastily answered, “Yes, she adopted a daughter.” She turned to look for Yun Nan and called her over, “Yun Nan, come here, please.” Yun Nan’s eyes were red and swollen from crying..