Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside Chapter 1264: The Plan

The artwork depicted more than half of a person, showing the body but lacking a face. Despite this, based on the attire, Brother Cheng already surmised that his elder brother’s painting might be of Third Sister.

Wuwuwu, his elder brother truly cherished Third Sister; how could he bear to leave him with such a regret?

Brother Cheng felt a deep unhappiness. To him, his elder brother was the most significant person in their entire family, and he desperately wished to prevent his elder brother from living with a lifelong regret... As Second Sister once remarked, not being with the one you love is one of the most agonizing experiences in this world.

Hmm, this particular agony felt akin to being sent to reside with the elder Gu Family.

Heavens, that prospect was too terrifying!

Merely contemplating it brought tears to Brother Cheng’s eyes.

"What are you lost in thought about? Did you even hear what I said? Cease discussing this matter, lest it accidentally slips out and causes trouble for Third Miss." Gu Jin’an carefully rolled up the painting and placed it inside a vase on the treasure shelf. He then turned, picked up a book, and lightly knocked Brother Cheng on the head: "It’s late. Stop your rambling here and go to sleep."

"I refuse to sleep; I’m not tired." How could Brother Cheng possibly sleep? He was nearly consumed by worry: "Uncle Da Liang’s wife claims our Gu family has poor luck in marriage. Eldest Sister was engaged late, and Elder Brother remains unmarried at his age. They all mock Elder Brother, saying it’s pointless for him to become a scholar if he still hasn’t wed. It makes me furious!"

He felt as though he were about to explode from sheer anger.

Gu Jin’an chuckled, pondered for a moment, and then stated, "What they said is, in fact, quite true. The young men and women of our family do tend to marry late... Hmm, with the exception of your Second Sister."

That spirited young lady, whom everyone assumed would struggle to find a match, was swiftly courted by San Lang.

Brother Cheng was so incensed he almost cried out: "Elder Brother, how can you still laugh? They are making a mockery of you!"

He was practically on the verge of tears from frustration. Why wasn’t his elder brother getting angry?

He then added, "If this continues, Elder Brother’s reputation will be utterly ruined."

Gu Jin’an replied, "I am a man and a scholar. Any family of standing will not consider it improper for me to remain unmarried past twenty. My own teacher did not wed until his later twenties and had Yuanyuan in his thirties. I am truly not in a rush."

"Elder Brother isn't in a hurry, but Third Sister cannot wait that long," Brother Cheng contended. "Third Sister is already sixteen. She must become engaged this year or next. What if Third Sister gets married?"

Then, his elder brother would be overcome with sadness for the rest of his life.

Gu Jin’an’s countenance darkened considerably upon hearing this, and he rebuked, "How many times must I tell you, do not speak of me and Third Miss in the same breath. It is I who holds feelings for her; it has nothing to do with her. If you persist in saying such things, it could permanently tarnish Third Miss’s reputation!"

"But I don’t want Elder Brother to be sad~" Brother Cheng wailed, throwing himself into Gu Jin’an’s arms.

Gu Jin’an swiftly grasped him by the scruff of his collar, lifted him, and set him aside. "Do not act this way with me. How old are you to still be crying? This is my own affair; if I am not crying, why are you? Are you worried about the continuation of our family line? We still have you. Marry early and have many children, and our family’s lineage will not end."

Brother Cheng stood there, stunned... So, his elder brother cherished Third Sister so profoundly that he had resolved to remain unmarried his entire life, choosing a solitary existence!

Gu Jin’an gazed at his bewildered expression, a headache beginning to form. "What sort of nonsensical ideas are you conjuring now? I really should not have allowed you to play with Xiao Yu so much; you’ve learned all her bad habits. You always manage to complicate the simplest matters."

Brother Cheng wiped his tears, stating, "I simply do not wish for Elder Brother to experience sadness... Do not worry, Elder Brother. Should you remain unwed, I shall personally care for you in your old age and even adopt a son to ensure the family’s continuation."

Gu Jin’an felt an urge to curse. What on earth was he babbling about now? Taking care of him in old age and adopting someone – he couldn’t even discern if his brother cared for him or was cursing him!

With a sharp rap, he struck Brother Cheng’s head, directly escorted him out, and deposited him outside the door. "Hurry and go to sleep. If you dare to act foolishly again, I will administer a beating."

He added sternly, "Keep your mouth shut and do not utter anything that could potentially ruin Third Miss’s reputation."

With that, he firmly shut the door. However, he did not immediately extinguish the lamp. He stood by the window, waiting until the little one had safely returned to the right-wing room across the way. Only then did he finally feel at ease, blowing out the oil lamp before retiring to bed.

Yet, Gu Jin’an remained unaware that his well-taught younger brother had already begun to formulate a daring scheme after glimpsing his painting.

...

Before the crack of dawn the following day, the edge of the village was abuzz with activity. Third Grandpa and Third Grandma, as the sole elders of the Gu Family, awoke before sunrise to assist at Gu Dafu’s residence.

Gu Dashan and Mrs. Cui were also up and about, accompanied by Tong Dayu’s family, Old Zhu’s family, Wang Yongfu’s wife Ms. Wang Ma, and Ms. Xu Wang, all heading to Gu Dafu’s residence to lend a hand.

Before their departure, instructions were given to Da Tuan, who was on gate duty: "No need to wake Brother An just yet. He’s been traveling and is likely exhausted; let him sleep in until he’s ready. Keep an eye on Brother Cheng, ensure he practices his boxing, and eats breakfast once he’s awake. Make sure he doesn’t disturb Brother An."

Brother Cheng resided in the same courtyard as Brother An and had a particular fondness for his company. There was concern that he might impulsively wander into Brother An’s room and cause a ruckus.

"Understood, Madam Dong Family," Da Tuan replied, then saw Gu Dashan and Mrs. Cui out the door.

Gu Dafu’s house was already a hive of activity, with numerous villagers from the far end of the settlement arriving to offer their assistance.

Upon seeing Mrs. Cui and her group, Mrs. Chen promptly greeted them, saying, "Sister-in-law Dashan, you’ve finally arrived. Old Zhu’s wife, you and Sister-in-law from the Wang family, please help tidy up the inside and outside of the house to make it presentable."

She then called out to Zhu Chahua: "Cha Hua, and Xu Qing’s mom, the two of you come with me to the kitchen. We need to help Sister Daya and Girl Le prepare some celebratory dishes to be sent to the Xu family along with the betrothal gifts."

In the Great Chu region, it was customary for the groom's family to present six auspicious dishes as part of the betrothal gifts to the bride's family, mirroring the tradition of nine sweet gifts, all symbolizing a future filled with prosperity and freedom from worry.

"Certainly," Ms. Wang Ma responded, taking Ms. Xu Wang’s arm and heading toward Gu Dafu’s kitchen to join the preparations.

Ms. Xu Wang kept her gaze lowered, hesitant to meet anyone’s eyes. This marked her first visit to Gu Dafu’s new home in many years. Due to a past misunderstanding with Gu Yumei concerning her involvement with Gu Dafu, and even after Gu Yumei’s passing, she had been too apprehensive to set foot in Gu Dafu’s house. It had taken several years before she felt emboldened to formally enter his residence.

Gu Dafu was overjoyed on this particular day. His only son's engagement was a significant milestone, with marriage on the horizon. Once Brother Xing was wed and had children, his own life's major responsibilities would be fulfilled, leaving him with no pressing concerns.

"Third Uncle, Third Aunt, Dashan, my dear wife, welcome. Thank you for your hard work. There is some food prepared at home; please have a bite to eat. When the auspicious time arrives, I will trouble you all to help carry the betrothal gifts to the Xu family," Gu Dafu said with a broad smile, addressing Gu Dashan and the others. Though he appeared relaxed, a undercurrent of anxiety coursed through him, fearing any mishap with the betrothal gifts or any social misstep that might bring ridicule from the Xu family's relatives.