1990s: Spring Water Family

Chapter 111 The moment I saw you, I already accepted you.

Chapter 111 The moment I saw you, I already accepted you.
A smile that could launch a thousand ships, a beauty as graceful as jade!

The old man's pupils contracted, and he remained stunned for a long time.

The girl before him gradually merged with the beautiful figure deep in his memory, a figure that had passed away many years ago but had never been forgotten.

"Sixth Grandfather, you're back."

A clear, cheerful voice interrupted the young girl's enjoyment of reading and also pulled the old man back from his past memories.

"Xi Yu, come here and greet Sixth Grandfather."

Gu Bin lifted the curtain and came out of the living room, giving Lin Xiyu a knowing look.

"Hello, Sixth Grandfather."

Lin Xiyu got up from the stone bench, came to Gu Bin's side, bowed, and gave a respectful bow.

"Sixth Grandfather".

Gu Bin reached out and firmly grasped her hand: "She is the Lin Xiyu I told you about, my girlfriend."

"Come with me to the study."

The old man's gaze fell on the two men's clasped hands, his eyes narrowing and revealing a hint of coldness.

"it is good."

Gu Bin was fearless and readily agreed.

The old man walked towards the study, and Lin Xiyu felt a little nervous.

"Peace of mind."

Gu Bin patted the back of her hand to comfort her: "Keep reading and wait for me to come out."

"Ah."

Lin Xiyu understood his deeper meaning, let go of his hand, and returned to sit down on the stone bench by the fish pond.

The story was so interesting that she soon became engrossed in the book again, forgetting all about the old man.

Unbeknownst to her, the curtains in the study were open, and the old man stood by the window, observing her every move through the crack.

"She's a calm and collected girl, and it's rare to find someone who can remain calm and composed in the face of adversity. However, judging from her appearance, she seems to lack a bit of good fortune."

"My birth chart is strong."

Gu Bin's gaze was firm: "I'll protect her."

"You kid."

The old man laughed in exasperation: "My second brother called me not long ago, asking me to choose a marriage partner you like, and here you are pulling this stunt."

"Actually, Grandpa has already accepted Xiyu."

Gu Bin revealed the truth: "Grandma is still not giving up. With my mother's encouragement, she wants to trip me up again and force me to give in."

"Forcing you?"

The old man seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, and laughed out loud from the bottom of his heart: "My second sister-in-law is still too foolish. She doesn't understand her own grandson. Do you think you are the kind of person who will easily give in?"

"Of course not."

Gu Bin smiled jokingly: "That's why I came here to cut off their supply lines and leave them with no way to fight back."

"you boy"

The old man revealed an expression that said, "I knew it. He must have ulterior motives for coming to Beijing at this critical juncture."

"This is just one of them."

Gu Bin looked at him honestly: "Also, two friends came with me. They are my childhood friends and want to stay in Beijing. My sixth grandfather likes to mentor the younger generation, so I asked them to come and visit you."

Are you talking about Qu Peng and Li Liang?

The old man had already gotten a general idea of the two men's personalities from their phone conversations.

"Yes, it's the two of them."

Gu Bin nodded: "There's also Wang Fan. His family is in business. We get along quite well, and we plan to go to Shanghai together."

"You really don't want to come to Beijing?"

The old man sighed, a hint of regret in his eyes.

"After that incident at the dragon bed."

Gu Bin told the truth: "My grandfather also gave up on the idea and stopped forcing me to go into politics, allowing me to develop freely."

The old man's eyes were cold: "The matter of the dragon bed is not your fault; it was Zhang's own doing."

"That's right."

Gu Bin smiled jokingly: "Grandpa thinks I'm too smart, a bit too clever. He's afraid that if I go into politics, I'll become unruly and cause trouble."

"Ugh."

The old man sighed deeply: "Among the grandchildren of the Gu family, you are the one I have the most faith in. The children and grandchildren of the other brothers are all mediocre, none of them can achieve great things."

"Actually I think"

Gu Bin bluntly stated: "In officialdom, it's better to be mediocre and not stand out; you'll live longer if you don't take the lead or stand out."

"You."

The old man looked at him intently, remained silent for a long time, and then smiled with relief: "Alright, since my elder brother has agreed, I won't say anything more. We're all getting old, and the future belongs to you young people. Do whatever you want!"

"The sky is high enough for birds to fly, and the sea is wide enough for fish to leap. As long as you have the ability, you can succeed no matter what you do. Your sixth grandfather believes in you. Even if you don't go into politics, you will still be the most outstanding among the Gu family's children and grandchildren."

"Thank you, Sixth Grandpa."

Gu Bin was extremely grateful and opened his arms to give the old man a warm hug.

"How many days do you plan to stay in Beijing?"

Looking at his favorite junior, the old man's coldness vanished, and he transformed from a fearsome superior into a kind and gentle old man.

"Check the situation carefully."

Gu Bin didn't rule out any possibility: "The TV station hasn't given any notice yet. If you're not in a hurry to go back, you can stay a few more days."

"Just stay at home."

The old man smiled kindly: "It's a rare treat to come all this way, so play a few more games of chess with Sixth Grandpa."

Has your chess skill improved?

Gu Bin feigned distress: "I hope I'm not like Grandpa, still a terrible chess player after all these years?"

"Don't compare me to him."

The old man retorted, "Let's play a couple of rounds right now. Sixth Grandpa will definitely show you my true skills."

"The old man has quite a temper, just like when he was young."

Gu Bin spoke casually to the old man: "Let's make it clear first, it's a three-game match, no more than three games. No cheating if you lose, it'll never end once you start."

"Three rounds it is."

The old man didn't take offense at his disrespect; instead, he laughed heartily.

"Xi Yu, go to the kitchen and make a pot of tea."

Gu Bin followed him out of the house and came to the fish pond: "I'm going to play a game of chess with my sixth grandfather."

"okay."

Seeing that the two of them were smiling and relaxed, Lin Xiyu breathed a sigh of relief.

An old man and a child sat down at a stone table beside the fish pond.

Aunt Li, the caregiver who was in charge of taking care of the elderly man's daily life, thoughtfully brought over a chess set.

Seeing that they had finished discussing business, Qu Peng gave Li Liang a wink, and the two of them came out of the house and gathered around the stone table.

Lin Xiyu brewed the tea, carried the teapot to the stone table, and poured a cup for each of them.

"Stop busying yourself, sit down too."

Gu Bin wanted her to gain favor with Sixth Grandfather.

Lin Xiyu was perceptive and naturally understood his good intentions. Instead of sitting next to Gu Bin, she sat down next to the old man.

It is said that one should not speak while watching a game of chess, but she did the opposite.

Helping the old man cheat by deliberately taking back his moves and letting him win, he won three games in a row, which indeed made the old man very happy.

"Xi Yu." After placing the last piece, the old man looked at her with a noticeable change in his gaze: "If Xiao Bin bullies you in the future, tell your sixth grandfather, and he will stand up for you and teach him a lesson."

Gu Bin's eyes lit up upon hearing this. Looking at the old man and the young man chatting happily, the corners of his lips curled up slightly, revealing a triumphant smile.

This trip to Beijing was definitely worthwhile.

With his words, no one can separate them anymore.

Even his biological mother wouldn't do.

While the three of them were playing chess, Wang Fan was not idle either. He wandered into the kitchen and chatted enthusiastically with Aunt Li.

Aunt Li is a native of Beijing, with a standard Beijing accent, and she's very talkative and chatty.

Wang Fan took the opportunity to ask her about the local home renovation market, and unexpectedly, he found the right person to ask.

Aunt Li's son works in the renovation industry and knows a lot about it.

When Wang Fan heard the price, he couldn't help but gasp in astonishment.

The price for renovating a 70-square-meter two-bedroom apartment in Beijing is more than double that in Jinan, leaving a huge profit margin.

A money-making idea quickly popped into his mind. He couldn't be satisfied with the status quo; he had to expand the market, recruit people in Jinan, and open a branch in Beijing.

The dinner was a great success, thanks to the efforts of several young people who tried to liven up the atmosphere.

The old man got drunk and, with the help of Gu Bin and Aunt Li, went back to his bedroom to rest.

Only now did Lin Xiyu, who had been anxious all afternoon, truly relax and be in a good mood to chat and laugh with Gu Bin.

The two left the courtyard and strolled through the winding, secluded old Beijing alleyways under the night sky to digest their food.

"Can you tell me now? What do I need to do next? How can I pass your sixth grandfather's test?"

"Don't worry anymore."

Gu Bin smiled meaningfully: "Your performance was very good, and you have already gained Sixth Grandfather's approval."

"what?"

Lin Xiyu didn't believe it: "That's all? Just that simple? You think a few sweet words during the chess game are enough? Your sixth grandfather doesn't seem like such a person without principles, does he? You don't just accept someone after hearing a few flattering words?"

Gu Bin smiled and said, "Sixth Grandfather already approved of you the moment he first saw you."

"how do you know?"

Lin Xiyu was completely bewildered: "Could it be that you're a mind reader, able to see right through him?"

"His attitude says it all."

Gu Bin made a startling statement: "Someone like him, who has been in officialdom for many years, has encountered all sorts of things. How could he not be wary of a strange young girl appearing in his house for no reason? Even if he didn't kick her out, he would at least interrogate her a few times."

"But he didn't. He acknowledged your existence, and his gaze towards you was full of meaning, as if he was recalling someone through your image. At that moment, I knew that I had made the right bet. Not only would he not separate us, but he would also take you under his wing and protect you as much as possible."

"bet?"

Lin Xiyu astutely grasped the key point: "What are you betting on? Why are you betting?"

"I didn't say it outright before because I was afraid you'd feel nervous or uncomfortable if you knew."

Gu Bin said carefully, "Now that Sixth Grandfather has accepted you, I have no more reservations. Since you will have to face other members of the Gu family in the future, once you understand the inside story, with Sixth Grandfather protecting you, you will be able to get along with them more easily and with ease."

"Whom did your sixth grandfather think of when he saw my silhouette?"

Lin Xiyu found it increasingly strange: "What makes you so sure he'll stand up for me and protect me? Could it be his first love from when he was young, the one he couldn't have?"

"clever."

Gu Bin's eyes lit up, and he gave her an approving look.

"Really?"

Lin Xiyu couldn't believe it: "His first love looks a lot like me?"

"That's not true."

At this point, Gu Bin saw no need to hide it any longer and revealed the truth: "Actually, it's not that you and that person look alike, but that you are similar in age and temperament."

"See the orchids in the yard? Those flowers were planted by my sixth grandfather to remember someone he loved. The person he loved was named Liu Lan. My sixth grandfather would look at anything with orchids with special regard, not just flowers, but people too."

"orchid?"

Lin Xiyu lowered her head, looking at her white dress with orchids, and suddenly realized: "No wonder you insisted on buying me this dress that day. It turns out you had planned it all along, so that I would wear it for your sixth grandfather to see."

"This dress is a coincidence."

Gu Bin did not deny it: "I didn't expect that Wu Meng's family would have such a dress. I originally wanted to buy you a similar cheongsam, but with this dress, you don't need a cheongsam."

"Where are the jade ornaments with icy blue flowers?"

Lin Xiyu raised her snow-white wrist and waved it in front of him: "You didn't buy this just so your sixth grandfather could remember you, did you?"

"Cough cough."

Gu Bin coughed twice, but did not deny it.

"That's really true!"

Lin Xiyu laughed in exasperation: "Your ability to manipulate people is truly admirable. You even fooled me. I thought you were deeply in love with me and wholeheartedly devoted to me, which is why you were willing to buy such expensive jewelry."

“Deep-rooted affection is a must.”

Gu Bin quickly retorted, "Although there was an excuse to fool Sixth Grandfather, the main point is that it's for you. Other women might want me to buy it for them, but I won't. Only you deserve my true feelings."

"Tch, that sounds nice."

Lin Xiyu said she was disgusted, but she was secretly delighted.

Gu Bin glanced at her haughty little face, smiled teasingly, and deliberately threw out bait: "Want to know the story of Sixth Grandpa and his white moonlight?"

"think."

Lin Xiyu perked up immediately, her gossipy eyes sparkling.

"Kiss."

Gu Bin pointed to his cheek.

"Why are you kissing like that? What if someone sees?"

Lin Xiyu glanced around and heard a few barks coming from the courtyard wall not far away, which startled her.

"I won't say anything unless we're intimate."

Gu Bin smiled slyly and continued to tease her: "I risked being scolded by Sixth Grandfather for revealing his secret, so I can't leave without any benefit."

"You really are a scheming person."

Lin Xiyu ground her back teeth, feeling an urge to bite him.

"I don't want to hear it, I'm leaving."

Gu Bin released her hand and pretended to turn back.

Lin Xiyu was already aroused and couldn't resist the urge to kiss him. Helpless, she could only stand on tiptoe and kiss him on the cheek.

"And here."

Gu Bin smiled slyly and pointed to his lips.

"Don't push yourself too far."

Lin Xiyu was furious and stomped on his instep.

"Oh my god!"

To match her skirt well, she specifically wore six-inch high sandals.

The stiletto heels on the instep feel incredibly sore and uncomfortable.