1990s: Spring Water Family

Chapter 95 She is your future granddaughter-in-law
"This is... Miscellaneous Poems of Jinan?!"

Director Du was so excited that his grandfather wrote three poems about the old city of Jinan, which surprised him so much that he almost knelt down on the spot.

"Since you say this is a collection of miscellaneous poems from Jinan..."

Grandpa put down his pen and tested them on the spot: "Do you know their origins?"

"Uh."

Director Du was dumbfounded; his tears of gratitude instantly turned into cold sweat.

"Does anyone know?"

Old Gu's sharp gaze swept over each and every person present.

There was a moment of silence by the lotus pond.

Li Yan and the others all lowered their heads, not daring to meet his gaze.

"I know"

Lin Xiyu tentatively raised her hand, breaking the silence.

"You tell me."

Old Master Gu's eyes lit up, and his scrutinizing gaze fell on her, a glint of shrewdness flashing within them.

"The first poem, 'Talent overflows like three springs, words flow like pearls from a pool of water,' comes from the contemporary poet Xu Beiwen's 'Jinan Bamboo Branch Songs.'"

"The second poem, 'Miscellaneous Poems of Jinan,' describes the scene as a golden land in Jiangnan, where only the sound of flower vendors is heard on the streets. It was written by Dong Yuandu, a poet of the Qing Dynasty."

"The third poem, 'Day after day, I drift in a small boat amidst the lotus blossoms, longing to remain a Jinan resident,' and the poem 'A cup of wine on Daming Lake, yesterday's embroidered red eyebrows and eyelashes' are both by the same person, Yuan Haowen, a poet from the Jin Dynasty."

-

"That's a very correct answer."

Grandpa put his hands behind his back and nodded with satisfaction: "The young lady is quite talented, she's a gifted girl."

"Xi Yu".

Director Du kept giving Lin Xiyu meaningful glances: "Hurry up! Thank you, Elder Gu. With Elder Gu's words, your reputation as a talented woman is truly well-deserved."

"Thank you, Mr. Gu."

Lin Xiyu was poised and generous, and readily expressed her gratitude to Director Du, going along with his wishes.

"You're Lin Xiyu?"

Old Gu gave her a meaningful look: "The little girl who saved people in the moat?"

"It's her."

Director Du couldn't contain his excitement and started answering questions quickly.

Li Yan couldn't bear to watch, so she quietly tugged at his clothes.

"Talented and courageous, a commendable child."

Old Master Gu ignored his chatter and looked at Lin Xiyu with admiration.

"Such a wonderful girl."

Gu Bin suddenly spoke, uttering a startling question: "Would you be willing to be your granddaughter-in-law?"

"hiss."

Director Du was shocked by his audacity and took a deep breath.

"You little brat, you've been waiting for me here."

Grandpa laughed in exasperation, but in front of the outsiders, he managed to restrain himself from hitting him.

"Just tell me if you're willing or not."

Gu Bin did not back down, meeting his gaze firmly.

"Did you plan this all along, deliberately arranging for me to meet her?"

"No, Director Du just had a sudden idea and wanted to ask you to come out of retirement."

"He doesn't have the guts; you must have set him up."

"That was necessary for filming; otherwise, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to make that suggestion."

"Didn't you conspire beforehand and team up with that girl to plot against me?"

"Don't you know whether it's true or not? Even if I'm incredibly clever and resourceful, I couldn't have predicted that you would write a poem on the spot to test me. How can you say we colluded?"

The grandfather and grandson exchanged barbs, their words laced with hidden meaning, leaving Director Du drenched in cold sweat.

"Old Gu, please listen to my excuses—no, not excuses."

Fearing he might anger the old man and affect the filming of the documentary, he braced himself and tried to explain.

"Director Du, please don't interrupt."

"This is a matter between my grandson and me."

The grandfather and grandson spoke at the same time, interrupting him.

"Uh."

Director Du blushed and awkwardly shut his mouth.

"Alright, since you like her and have decided she's the one, Grandpa will grant your wish. As for the future, you're both still young and have a long road ahead of you. Whether you can withstand the test of time is up to you."

The confrontation between the grandfather and grandson ended with the grandson emerging victorious.

Grandpa doted on his grandson from the bottom of his heart and didn't want outsiders to laugh at him, so he had no choice but to compromise.

"Xi Yu, come here."

Gu Bin had anticipated this outcome and gave Lin Xiyu a knowing smile.

"what?"

Lin Xiyu was caught off guard by his sudden outburst in front of everyone, and felt flustered and at a loss.

"Don't be afraid."

Gu Bin firmly reached out his hand to her, offering encouragement in his own way.

Lin Xiyu felt a little relieved and extended her hand, placing it in his palm.

"Grandpa, please allow me to formally introduce you."

Gu Bin squeezed her hand, his brows relaxed, and his eyes showed affection: "She is the girl I like, Lin Xiyu, your future granddaughter-in-law."

"A son is no longer under his mother's control once he grows up."

Grandpa was both annoyed and amused when his grandson outmaneuvered him.

"Xiyu, call him Grandpa."

Gu Bin did not give the old man a chance to express his feelings.

"Hello, Grandpa."

Lin Xiyu's trembling voice betrayed her nervousness.

"The old man is a man of his word; he always keeps his promises."

Gu Bin chuckled and teased, easing her embarrassment: "With his words, you are the rightful granddaughter-in-law of the Gu family, and no one dares to question it."

"Humph."

Grandpa could see through his little scheme, and he chuckled and scolded him, "You don't need to go to such lengths to flatter Grandpa."

"Where can I have it?"

Gu Bin gave Director Du a wink: "Grandpa has always been a man of integrity, the most trustworthy person. Director Du, don't you think so?"

"Absolutely."

Director Du finally had a chance to shine, and he smoothly replied, "When Elder Gu was in office, he did a lot of practical things for the people. The people's eyes are discerning; when they mention you, everyone gives you a thumbs up and praises you."

"Alright, stop bragging. You're going to blow your own horn out of proportion."

Grandpa smiled and pointed at him, interrupting the nonsensical praise.

"hey-hey."

Director Du chuckled to himself, touching his nose.

"Mr. Gu, about the demolition of the old city area."

Seizing the opportunity, Li Yan used the interview to give everyone a way out: "Some people don't understand and have a lot of criticism. What's your opinion on this matter?"

"I've heard about it."

When the topic turned to serious matters, Grandpa's smile vanished, replaced by a serious expression: "The municipal planning aims to protect historical relics, preserve the ancient buildings and famous springs in the old city, reorganize and renovate them, and develop the tourism economy."

"These measures are very important for the future development of Jinan City, and they are beneficial without any drawbacks. As an elderly person who has lived in Jinan for decades, I sincerely hope that this city will become better and better."

“We firmly support the municipal government’s decision. If they want us to demolish, we will; if they don’t want us to, we won’t. Our family has no objections.”

-

The interview ended, and Director Du personally drove Grandpa home. Lin Xiyu watched as the minibus drove into the crowded avenue and disappeared from sight before she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

As her tense nerves relaxed, she felt a momentary dizziness, and recalling what had just happened, a sense of unreality welled up within her.

"This matter is finally resolved."

Gu Bin's mood was completely opposite to hers: "Now I can finally give your grandmother an explanation."

"You didn't even tell me beforehand."

Lin Xiyu shook off his hand, her voice tinged with resentment: "Do you know how nervous I was just now, going against your grandfather in front of so many people? My heart almost stopped beating."

“Grandpa won’t compromise easily if we don’t do it this way.”

Gu Bin didn't take it to heart: "Of course, it's also because you did well. If you hadn't lived up to your expectations and earned Grandpa's praise, he wouldn't have been so easily persuaded by me."

"I was just lucky."

Lin Xiyu patted her chest, still shaken: "If I had known you were trying to use this as an excuse, I wouldn't have been so stupid as to jump out myself."

"As it turns out, you did it."

Gu Bin's eyes softened: "Make Grandpa acknowledge your excellence and accept you from the bottom of his heart."

"Did your grandfather really agree to us being together?"

Lin Xiyu was still a little dazed, unable to believe that everything that had just happened was real: "Why don't you let me pinch you and see if it hurts?"

Gu Bin's expression changed, and just as he was about to dodge to the side, the soft flesh of his waist was pinched hard.

"hiss."

His brow twitched slightly in pain, and he gasped for breath.

“It seems to be true.”

Lin Xiyu suppressed a laugh and clapped her hands contentedly.

"You're just taking advantage of my feelings for you; go ahead and act all you want."

Gu Bin chuckled, flicking her forehead with his finger. His tone seemed to be scolding, but it was actually full of doting affection.

"Tsk tsk, youth is truly wonderful."

Li Yan watched with envy, her stomach churning with jealousy.

"My waist is right here, you can pinch it however you want."

The cameraman pointed to his waist, making a rare moment of humor.

"Go to hell, you old pervert."

Li Yan rolled her eyes at him disdainfully.

"I'll give you a massage, but you won't take it."

The two had worked together for many years and had a great understanding of each other. The cameraman immediately saw through her thoughts: "What kind of person are you looking for? Could it be that you've really taken a fancy to Xiaobin's older brother?"

"Sigh, I'd like to."

Li Yan laughed self-deprecatingly: "I might be interested in him, but he might not be interested in me. I wouldn't dare to presume to be Gu Lao's grandson."

"You're already discouraged?"

The cameraman scolded her with exasperation: "Look at Xi Yu, she's much braver than you. Why worry so much? If you like someone, don't overthink it. Just go for it! Who dares to stop you? Kill them all!"

"I'll kill you first."

Li Yan was so angry she was speechless, her beautiful eyes blazing with fury.

"Oh my gosh."

The cameraman feigned fear: "A woman this fierce, who but me would dare to marry her?"

"How dare you say that!"

Li Yan threw a straight punch, hitting him in the chin.

"hiss."

The cameraman was in so much pain he was gasping for breath, his face contorted in agony.

"So you can take advantage of me."

Li Yan clapped her hands, feeling much better after her outburst.

Her smug and arrogant demeanor was exactly the same as Lin Xiyu's just now.

Gu Bin took a step back and looked at the cameraman with great sympathy.

The cameraman seemed to have a telepathic connection, and at that moment he also looked at him.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing an indescribable bittersweet feeling in each other's eyes.

I'll tolerate it because it's the woman I love!

-

Lin Xiyu was away from home for two days, and her cousin's business plummeted. Without her younger sister as a living advertisement for her, very few customers visited her stall.

My cousin was very upset and felt frustrated for two days. Finally, her money tree returned. Before she was supposed to get off work, she secretly slipped home and prepared dinner in advance.

Lin Xiyu was exhausted after a day of filming. When she got home, she couldn't resist her cousin's nagging and agreed to go with her to the night market to sell clothes.

My cousin was overjoyed. After finishing her meal, she quickly washed the dishes, grabbed her younger sister, and rushed out of the house like a whirlwind.

The uncle still rode his electric tricycle, first taking the two sisters to their classmate's house to choose clothes, and then going to the night market to set up his stall after preparing the goods.

After the special program "Spring Water Family" aired, Lin Xiyu became famous. Anyone who watched the series was deeply impressed by the pure and sweet girl who looked like the girl next door.

Lin Xiyu returned to the night market after a two-day absence, and not only the onlookers but even Liu Ye's gaze towards her changed.

"Tsk tsk, Brother Bin, you've really struck gold! Your wife is so beautiful, a lot of people will be envious if you take her out."

The way she called him "sister-in-law" pleased Gu Bin, and he found her slightly more agreeable.

"Brother Bin, has that plan about starting a company together been finalized?"

Taking the opportunity to ingratiate himself, Liu Ye said, "I brought the money, 100,000 yuan, not a penny less. As long as you agree, I'll handle the preliminary procedures. My uncle works at the Industry and Commerce Bureau, so it'll be easier to get the certificates done through him."

"I've said it before, I don't get involved in business matters."

Gu Bin kept his eyes on the door and had no interest in paying attention to him: "Go find Wang Fan and discuss it with him."

"to make."

Liu Ye took it as a yes and grinned from ear to ear.

"You're pretty quick."

Wang Fan couldn't stand his sycophantic behavior, so he deliberately mocked him: "Looks like 100,000 is still too little. We should squeeze you out a little more."

"Brother, you're my real brother, okay?"

Liu Ye stopped laughing and moved closer to Wang Fan to flatter him: "I finally managed to scrape together this. To show my sincerity, I'll treat you to supper tonight. Let's go to a bar and have a good drink, the three of us."

"Come on."

Ever since Wang Fan learned that Grandpa Gu had agreed to Gu Bin and Lin Xiyu's relationship, he felt a pang of jealousy: "Look at Gu Bin, does he look like the kind of person who would go to a bar?"

"If he won't go, the two of us will."

Liu Ye chuckled inwardly at his sour face: "Brother, I'll find you a few stunning beauties, I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

"You said it yourself."

Wang Fan narrowed his eyes slightly, just about to give him a "you know what's good for you" look, when a jarring commotion suddenly erupted outside the shop.

-

Just as my cousin predicted, with a cash cow in hand, the clothes sold out again.

Customers who came to patronize the business because of the beautiful women were as excited as if they had been injected with chicken blood.

Just like a dressing-up show where they're obsessed with interacting with beautiful women, every time Lin Xiyu changes into a new outfit, they rush to buy it.

In less than an hour, all the clothes I brought were sold out.

Even so, customers who didn't manage to snag any clothes remained enthusiastic, lingering around the stall and reluctant to leave.

"Thank you everyone for your support. There will be more tomorrow, so please come again."

My cousin was counting money until her hands were sore and she was very happy when five women squeezed in from outside the crowd and rushed towards Lin Xiyu like fierce demons.

"Shameless bitch, with a foxy face, seducing other people's husbands."

"Don't be fooled by her. She's no good person, just a shameless mistress who breaks up other people's families and climbs the social ladder by relying on men."

The five men had ill intentions and beat and verbally abused the victim.

"Pah! You're the mistresses, you lowlifes! How dare you slander my sister! I'll beat you to death!"

An uncle might tolerate being bullied by his own sister, but an aunt would not!

My cousin got angry and rushed over without thinking, grabbed a woman by the hair, and started fighting with her.

(End of this chapter)