bookrandom Chapter 152 Think it over carefully
Chapter 152 Think it over carefully
A handsome young man in a blue robe walked towards them. Gu Lin looked up and, upon seeing a familiar face, his face lit up with surprise: "Xiao An."
Gu An walked towards Gu Lin and saw that the other man was being supported by two young men. Only then did he notice that the young man's face was slightly pale.
He frowned slightly, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes, and then Gu An reached out his hands to help the other person up.
The two boys supporting Gu Lin, seeing that their husbands made no move to them, did not stop the boy from approaching and handed their husbands over to the other boy.
Seeing that someone had come to pick up Zheng Hao and Gu Lin, Peng Zhizhi did not linger. Before leaving, he glanced at the young man not far away, then bid farewell to Zheng Hao and left with his servants.
There are some things he needs to tell his parents as soon as possible. Now that he holds an official position, he is no longer the boy who could only rely on his parents and brothers.
Supporting Uncle Gu, Gu An sensed the man's weakness in his limbs. He lowered his eyes slightly and looked at the young man, asking, "Uncle Gu, can you still walk? If you don't have the strength, I'll have someone bring the carriage over."
Gu Lin shook his head slightly, waving his hand as he said to Gu An, "I was just a little seasick, but I'm fine now."
After taking a few steps closer, Zheng Hao came to the other side of the young man, raised his hand to support the other man's other arm, and then he slightly raised his eyes to meet the gaze of the dark-eyed boy standing on the other side of the young man.
Zheng Hao said, "Have someone bring the carriage over. I'll take care of Uncle Gu here."
Half a year later, Gu An was much more composed and mature, unlike his previous stubbornness when facing Zheng Hao. He glanced sideways and saw the weariness between Gu Lin's brows, so he stopped helping him up and turned to leave.
Just like when they disembarked, Zheng Hao helped Gu Lin walk in the middle, with several servants clearing the way ahead, and Zheng Hao protecting Gu Lin as they walked forward.
A moment later, passing through the crowd, Gu Lin slightly raised his eyes and saw Gu An and the carriage approaching from not far away.
The carriage arrived in front of the two, and Zheng Hao helped Gu Lin into the carriage.
Only after sitting in the carriage and leaning against the wall did Gu Lin exhale and feel as if he had come back to life.
"Uncle Gu, have some tea."
Once aboard the carriage, Zheng Hao did not rest. He picked up the tea that had been prepared on the tea table in front of him, then leaned slightly to the side and spoke to the young man who was resting with his eyes closed.
Gu Lin opened his eyes, a hint of drowsiness in them. Zheng Hao asked in a low voice, "Is your chest tightness still there? Drink some tea to rinse your mouth and refresh yourself."
Sitting up, Gu Lin took the tea from the other person's hand, lowered his head and sipped a few mouthfuls. Instantly, the stuffiness from days of boating disappeared, and his confused and dizzy mind cleared up a lot.
Gu Lin looked up, his light brown eyes meeting Zheng Hao's. Seeing the dark circles under Zheng Hao's eyes from taking care of him for so many days, he said, "I'm fine now. Have some tea. You've been so busy taking care of me these past few days that you haven't had a proper rest yourself."
As he spoke, his gaze fell on the other person's slightly dry and chapped lips, and a hint of heartache flashed in his eyes.
Zheng Hao took Gu Lin's teacup and placed it on the coffee table. Then, he picked up his own teacup and began to drink the tea.
After Zheng Hao and Gu Lin got into the car, Gu An took in their every word and action. At his age, he was no child who knew nothing.
Gu An frowned slightly. Since Zheng Hao and Uncle Gu returned from the capital, they seemed to be even closer than before.
At this moment, Gu Lin regained his composure and was able to speak with Gu An.
He turned his head and looked at the young man opposite him, whom he hadn't seen for half a year. He had matured a lot and seemed to have been reborn.
"If you hadn't called me Uncle Gu first, I wouldn't have recognized you on the street."
"We were overjoyed to receive your letter in the capital after you passed the county-level imperial examination. Unfortunately, the distance is too great to return in time to celebrate with you. However, I have prepared many novelties and books for your courtyard in my residence in the capital. You will be able to see them when we enter the capital."
At this point, Gu Lin paused, looking at the boy sitting opposite him. The boy was listening to him patiently, without any intention of interrupting him.
However, Gu Lin felt that he had done something wrong. He had made the decision for Gu An before even asking if she was willing to come to the capital with them.
Just as Gu Lin was about to explain, Gu Anqing smiled and said, "Thank you for considering my situation, Uncle Gu."
Seeing this, Gu Lin's brows relaxed slightly, knowing that the other party had agreed to go to the capital with them.
He replied gently, "There's no need for thanks among family members."
Upon returning home, Zheng Hao instructed Da Zhuo to take the servants to stay at Haoyunlou. Then, the three of them stepped over the threshold and entered the house.
After receiving the letter and learning that Gu Lin and Zheng Hao had recently returned to their hometown to visit relatives, Sister Zhao had been eagerly anticipating their arrival. When Gu An went to pick them up, she stood guard by the gate, glancing outside every now and then. It wasn't until dark that she had to retreat back to the main hall. However, she still stood at the entrance of the main hall, looking towards the gate, hoping to see Gu Lin and Zheng Hao as soon as they returned.
When the previously closed gate in the courtyard was pushed open, Sister Zhao immediately perked up.
When she saw the three figures entering from outside, Sister Zhao's face immediately lit up with joy.
As she turned back into the lobby, she called out loudly, "Lin-ge'er and the others are back!"
Turning around, Zhao's wife took a few steps forward and jogged towards Gu Lin's direction.
Before Gu Lin could even call out "Sister-in-law Zhao" as soon as they got close, she pulled him into her arms.
While embracing him, Zhao's wife used the dim moonlight to examine the man's condition.
Upon inspection, Zhao's wife was shocked. She said with heartache, "How did you lose so much weight? Your face was so chubby when you left, and now your chin is so sharp!"
As she spoke, she said, "Is it because you've been picky about food outside, refusing to eat this or that, that you've become so hungry? I see that Xiao Hao is much healthier."
Helpless, Gu Lin couldn't speak while being held in someone's arms. He pleaded with Sister Zhao, "Sister-in-law, please let me go first."
Upon hearing this, Sister Zhao released the other person.
Having regained his freedom, Gu Lin was able to organize his thoughts. He looked at Sister Zhao and explained, "Xiao Hao exercises every day, and because he puts in a lot of effort, he naturally eats a lot, and his body becomes stronger as a result. How can I compare to him? However, Sister Zhao, if you say I've lost weight, you're really wronging me. I eat delicacies every day in the capital, and I don't know how many supplements I've taken in. How could I possibly have lost weight?"
Zhao's sister-in-law didn't believe it. Seeing this, Gu Lin had no choice but to turn to Zheng Hao for help.
Upon receiving Uncle Gu's signal, Zheng Hao remained calm and said, "It's chilly outside, let's go inside first."
The group entered the lobby.
With the candlelight shining through, unlike the complete darkness outside, Zhao's wife was finally able to see Gu Lin's appearance clearly.
For a moment, she fell silent.
The young man before him was by no means thin. Firstly, while his chin wasn't exactly round, it wasn't sharp either. In fact, his somewhat slender frame from before leaving the prefectural city had gained a little weight, making his cheeks plump and giving him a rounded, pleasing appearance, but not quite fat.
The reason why Sister Zhao thought Gu Lin looked thinner was because he had been suffering from seasickness for several days, and also because the moonlight was not bright enough.
Of course, not only did Sister Zhao think that Gu Lin looked rosy-cheeked and had changed a lot, but even Gu Lin felt that they had changed a lot.
Inside the lobby, not only were Sister-in-law Zhao and Brother Zhao present, but also Brother Yu's family of three, Xiao Cui and Lin Xiaoyao. They had all come to welcome Gu Lin and Zheng Hao back after hearing that they had returned.
Upon seeing Gu Lin, Lin Xiaoyao and Xiao Cui couldn't contain their excitement: "Master!"
Gu Lin noticed the complete transformation in the two of them, both of them were full of energy and in excellent condition. Among them, Xiao Cui's change was the most significant. She used to look worried, but now she had a determined smile on her face.
Gu Lin raised his hand to stop the continuous chatter. He smiled and said, "This time we're back, we have plenty of time to catch up. Let's eat first, and talk while we eat."
Sister-in-law Zhao nodded in agreement: "Brother Lin is right. Let's eat and catch up while we eat, so the food doesn't get cold."
The group walked toward the dining table in a lively atmosphere.
When they arrived at the dinner table, instead of taking their usual seats, everyone involuntarily turned their gaze to Gu Lin... the handsome young man behind him.
Following the gazes of the crowd, Gu Lin instantly understood their thoughts.
At this moment, Sister Zhao couldn't help but speak up: "Now that Xiao Hao is an official appointed by the imperial court, according to the rules he should sit in the main seat. What do you all think, Lin-ge'er?"
Gu Lin fell silent for a moment upon hearing this, without immediately replying.
It wasn't that he was upset by what Sister Zhao said. As she said, Zheng Hao's status was no longer what it used to be. Although he used to sit in the main seat at home, he would definitely have to make changes as he lived in the capital for the long term.
Gu Lin turned his head slightly and said to the handsome young man behind him, "Xiao Hao, please take the seat of honor."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Hao remained expressionless. He parted his lips slightly and said to Gu Lin, "No matter what official position I attain, Uncle Gu will always be the head of the family, and the main seat in the house will still be occupied by Uncle Gu."
Gu Lin's lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something.
Zheng Hao said, “Our dynasty values filial piety, especially for officials. I already have elders at home, yet I am sitting in the main seat. If the censors find out, I will surely be demoted.”
Having said that, Gu Lin couldn't refuse any longer.
Seeing that Zheng Hao treated Lin Ge'er with the same filial piety and care as always, Zhao Saozi was finally relieved.
The two men had awkward social statuses and were close in age, which always worried her.
Fearing that Zheng Hao, like other men, would become displeased with his elderly parents after achieving success in the imperial examinations and want to take over the family business himself.
Lin Ge'er is not yet considered the other party's real father.
Fortunately, it seems that nothing has changed between the two of them.
Putting aside the little incident, the group sat down and began to eat dinner amidst laughter and cheerful conversation.
After the meal, knowing that they had traveled a long way, no one disturbed them and urged the two to go back to their room to rest.
The following day, Zheng Hao told Gu Lin that he was going to attend the banquet held by Prefect Zhen for the newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) and then left.
Gu Lin then called Zhao's wife and her group over and explained his future plans to them.
"After my trip back to my hometown with Xiao Hao is over, we will be heading to the capital and won't be coming back often. I've set up a business in the capital, and it's all going well. Anyone who wants to come with me, don't worry about not having anything to do; I'm short of people to manage things there."
When they heard that Gu Lin wanted to take them to the capital, Zhao's wife and her group were overjoyed.
That's right under the emperor's nose!
Yu Ge'er hesitated slightly before asking, "Lin Ge'er, what will happen to Haoyunlou and Xingfuju if we all leave Yuemingfu?"
Gu Lin turned his gaze to Yu Ge'er and said, "The people below are all capable of handling things on their own now. Even if you leave, they can still manage the restaurant and Xingfuju in an orderly manner."
After speaking, Gu Lin did not ask them to make a decision immediately.
He said, "Xiao Hao and I are going back to Xiahe Village. You have several days to think it over. You don't need to make a decision right away. Whether you stay or leave, I will respect your wishes. There are Haoyunlou and Xingfuju in the city. You won't be sad even if you stay. Everyone can think it over carefully."
After finishing his explanation, Gu Lin told everyone to disperse and go about their own business.
He boarded a carriage, arrived at Fumanlou Restaurant, went up the stairs, and came to a private room on the second floor. He did not knock on the door, but pushed it open and went in.
Upon seeing the two figures sitting inside the private room, he called out, "Yun-ge'er, Qing-qing."
Upon hearing his voice, Zhen Yun and Zhen Qingqing turned around, their expressions showing surprise and delight.
After the three sat down and reminisced, Zhen Yun hesitated for a long time, her brow furrowed with some hesitation.
Seeing this, Gu Lin asked, "Yun-ge'er, what's wrong?"
Zhen Yun looked up at Gu Lin, hesitated for a moment, and finally asked, "Brother Lin, do you know why my elder brother requested to be transferred to a post outside the capital?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Lin shook his head slightly, his face showing apology: "Yun-ge'er, I'm sorry, I really didn't know."
Having already given up hope, Zhen Yun wasn't too disappointed upon hearing Gu Lin's answer.
However, a hint of worry appeared between his usually aloof brows: "In a few days, Father will be returning to the capital to report on his duties. My elder brother has been forced to stay in the capital by our paternal grandfather, who is waiting for Father to return to persuade him to change his mind."
Even the carefree Zhen Qingqing couldn't help but worry: "I heard from Madam that the eldest son's appointment has been made. Even if Master returns to the capital and successfully wins the eldest son back, will the eldest son still be able to stay in the capital?"
Zhen Yun shook her head slightly, it was unclear whether she meant she could not or did not know.
Seeing the two looking worried, Gu Lin didn't want to say anything else. However, he really didn't know why Zhen Cheng had gone to Youzhou Prefecture.
On his way back home, he asked Zheng Hao, but the latter shook his head and said he didn't know.
Gu Lin comforted the two people in front of him, saying, "Zhen Cheng doesn't seem like someone who doesn't have his own ideas. Since he has made a decision, he must have thought it through carefully. You don't need to worry."
Gu Lin's words of comfort seemed dry, but they were very helpful to Zhen Qingqing.
If it were the second young master who was unwilling to stay in the capital and requested to be transferred to Youzhou Prefecture, Zhen Qingqing would definitely think that the other party was unreliable. However, if it were the eldest young master who requested to be transferred, Zhen Qingqing pondered for a moment and realized that there must be a reason that they did not know.
As if sharing the same thought as Zhen Qingqing, the worry on Zhen Yun's face gradually disappeared, and a thoughtful look crossed her brows.
Gu Lin didn't know how Zhen Yun and Zhen Qingqing had come to their senses, but seeing the faint smiles on their faces, he felt relieved.
The three of them then chatted happily again.