The two guards continued to silently stare at the ceiling beams, afraid they might accidentally see something they shouldn't and risk being silenced forever.
Xiao Jin Yu finally gained some inspiration from the guards' sky-gazing posture and hurriedly said, "This junior... has brought the betrothal gifts."
Chu Chu's father clapped his hands delightedly, "Excellent! Chu girl's dowry is all packed and ready. We can hold the wedding anytime!"
Xiao Jin Yu nearly fainted. He had only sent the letter the night before last, and in just one day... the dowry was already prepared? And they said they could hold the wedding immediately!
Before he could panic, Grandpa Chu swung his cane and knocked it against Chu Chu's father's head with a "thump." "What's your rush! The New Year is just a few days away. They should at least spend the holiday here with the family! This young man's home is in the capital, so far away. Once Chu girl marries him and leaves, when will she ever get to come back for New Year's again..."
Upon hearing this, Grandma Chu's eyes reddened, and she pulled Chu Chu closer into her embrace, as if afraid someone might snatch her away.
Chu He bit his lip and looked at Chu Chu with reluctance, while Chu Chu's father stood there dumbfounded, holding his head, his smile frozen on his face.
For a moment, the room fell into complete silence.
Xiao Jin Yu suddenly felt as if he had committed some irreparable grave sin. Watching Chu Chu nestled pitifully in Grandma Chu's embrace, his heart grew flustered, and he blurted out, "I'll bring her back every year..."
The entire family turned to look at him in unison, "Really?"
Xiao Jin Yu was startled by their reaction, "Re... really."
He'd already called them father and mother—what else could be fake?
Grandpa Chu stroked his beard and nodded approvingly.
Chu He grinned foolishly, "You really are a good person!"
Chu Chu's father beamed, his eyes nearly disappearing into his smile, "Spending New Year's at home is wonderful, wonderful! We have plenty of room here—you can all stay!"
Grandma Chu cheerfully grabbed his hand and patted it, "What a dear child... Look how thin you are. Running a big business must be exhausting. Grandma will cook you some delicious food to nourish you properly."
Chu Chu's father nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, yes! I'll go to the back mountain to collect a body for a family and come back to cook you all pork rib soup. These two big brothers can join us too!"
"No, no, no... We wouldn't dare!"
"We're all family now, no need for formalities!"
"..."
Even after the Chu family had dispersed to attend to their tasks and Chu Chu had pushed him into a small room, Xiao Jin Yu's face remained flushed bright red. Chu Chu looked at him with a giggle, and before long, she couldn't resist wrapping her arms around his neck, giving him a kiss on the cheek, and whispering in his ear, "Wang Ye, you're so wonderful!"
Xiao Jin Yu felt like crying. In all his life, he had never been so humiliated in front of others, and with two subordinates watching and listening—he truly had no face left to show anyone...
He pulled Chu Chu up, his expression a mix of embarrassment and annoyance. No matter how stern he tried to look, he still resembled a wronged young bride. "What's so wonderful... You just stood there watching me make a fool of myself?"
Chu Chu looked at him seriously, "You didn't make a fool of yourself at all. You spoke wonderfully—they all praised you!"
Xiao Jin Yu felt too defeated even to cry, slumping weakly against the back of his chair.
Well, at least such things only happen once in a lifetime...
Xiao Jin Yu sighed softly and gazed at Chu Chu, whose eyes were curved into happy crescents. "I've met your family... Would you be willing to come with me to meet one of my relatives?"
Chu Chu's eyes widened in surprise, "You have relatives in Chu Shui Town?"“In Zizhu County, not far from here.”
“Great! I definitely won’t embarrass you!”
“...”
☆、44 Four Happiness Meatballs (Part Three)
After boarding the carriage from Fragrance Adding Teahouse, Chu Chu couldn’t resist asking Xiao Jin Yu as soon as she got inside, “Wang Ye, which relative of yours are we going to see?”
“The eldest son of my third brother.”
“So your nephew?”
Xiao Jin Yu nodded absentmindedly, “Mm...”
“Are there any other people in his household?”
“No.”
Chu Chu breathed a sigh of relief and blinked, “What’s his name?”
“Xiao Jue.”
Chu Chu made an “oh” sound and muttered, “Why isn’t it a fish this time...”
“...”
Chu Chu had assumed the place where Wang Ye’s relative lived would be a large estate like Prince An Manor, where one could easily get lost if not careful. But when she stepped out of the carriage, she discovered it was actually a secluded little courtyard tucked away at the end of an alley.
The courtyard gate was tightly shut, its faded green-painted wooden door secured by a large rust-covered lock. A thick layer of withered branches and fallen leaves had accumulated in front of the entrance, making it look as if it had been abandoned for many years.
Frowning at the gate, Chu Chu moved closer to Xiao Jin Yu and asked quietly, “Wang Ye, did you remember wrong?”
Xiao Jin Yu also furrowed his brows slightly. The residences of imperial clan members were all recorded in the capital, so the location couldn’t be wrong, but judging by the appearance...
A guard circled around the courtyard wall and reported, “Wang Ye, there’s a small door at the back. It’s bolted from the inside. I knocked, but no one answered.”
Seeing Xiao Jin Yu’s tightly knitted brows, Chu Chu hopped up on her toes. Unfortunately, she was too short to even see over the top of the wall and could only guess randomly, “Maybe he’s out... It’s almost New Year’s—perhaps he went out to buy supplies?”
“Unlikely... You two, break the door open.”
One guard drew his sword and chopped off the large lock, while the other raised his hand and snapped the door bolt. The two dilapidated doors couldn’t withstand the force and fell straight from their frame, crashing with a loud “bang” into the courtyard.
Before the sound faded, an angry, aged voice came cursing from inside, “Where did these brats come from this time... I tolerated you once or twice, and now you’re pushing your luck! If I catch you... if I catch you, I...”
The old man tottered to the entrance, his face still flushed with fury, but the moment he caught sight of Xiao Jin Yu sitting solemnly by the door, he froze as if struck by a brick to the back of his head. Then, with a “thud,” he dropped to his knees and began wailing like a child who had suffered a grave injustice.
Watching this old man, who had to be at least in his late sixties, cry so pitifully, the two guards stood frozen in place, staring blankly at the fallen doors. Surely it couldn’t be because of these two shabby doors...
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