stingy landlady

Chapter 269 Gui Xiang's Wedding (5)

Gui Hong asked Li Shi:

"Mother! Should we inform my eldest uncle and aunt about my eldest sister's wedding so they can come to the celebration?"

Li said bitterly:

"Of course we should invite them. It would be good if they could come and give a gift! Over the years, our family has only been giving money away. We just built a house and your grandmother passed away. Your eldest uncle and his family are in mourning, so they can't come."

Now that the mourning period is over, your eldest uncle has to pay some price!

Guizhi chuckled upon hearing this:

"Mom! My uncles and their families are coming to the banquet. How much money can they give you as a gift? If you want them to come to our house for the feast, then let them all come! Bring my grandfather too!"

"Mom! You sisters should take this opportunity to get together! Don't bring up the matter of giving gifts later! Our family doesn't need their money!"

Li nodded contentedly, while Gui Hong didn't care either; whether they came or not, they were all strangers to her.

The Li family wants to visit Huanghua Village again:

"Guizhi! We're all set now, how about we take a stroll around the village? We should also go see Guiling! Maybe we can ask her for a few days off so she can relax for a bit?"

Guizhi shook her head in disagreement:

"No need to ask for leave, Mother! Guiling should act like a student when she's studying. She can just come back on the day of her eldest sister's wedding, since the wedding procession will be right here in this village! She can continue her studies then!"

"Mom wants to take a walk around the village, so let's go! Just don't meddle, and if you see anything wrong or unpleasant, don't say anything in front of them. Just tell me behind their backs."

Mrs. Li was as happy as a child:

"Alright, alright! We'll do whatever you say! I'll just watch and not say a word!"

As the group strolled slowly past Guizhi's former house, a baby's cry suddenly rang out! Immediately afterward, a familiar voice soothing a child reached their ears.

Li stopped and asked:

"Listen, it's Aunt Lan! Aunt Lan has given birth! Guizhi! Did Aunt Lan have a boy or a girl?"

Guizhi glanced at Li Shi, thinking that there was no way to hide it from her now.

"Mother! Aunt Lan has given birth to a boy. Let her raise him herself! Let's not bother her anymore, Mother! Isn't it better for us to continue living as we always have?"

Li touched her belly, and said with a mixture of envy and regret:

"My belly is so useless, I can't give birth to a son! Aunt Lan is so lucky! She gave birth to a son with her first child!"

"Your dad will be so happy when he finds out!"

Guizhi whispered:

"Mother! My father doesn't know yet! Mother! Are you really willing to raise someone else's son? Aunt Lan doesn't plan to take the child back either; she wants to raise him herself!"

Mother! Why do women have to make things difficult for each other! Just grant her wish, no one will come home to upset you! Even if Mother doesn't have a son in the future, Father will still have a son to continue the bloodline.

"Mom! Can't we just enjoy a comfortable day if we can? Why make ourselves uncomfortable?"

Li stared blankly at Guizhi, unsure how to respond. She muttered to herself:

"Can anyone still live like this? Live however you feel comfortable? Live however you feel at ease? Does that mean you don't need to follow any rules? Does that mean you don't need to worry about what the villagers will say?"

My children! You are still too young to understand the power of gossip! Alas!

Gui Hong gently pulled Li Shi back, preventing her from going into Aunt Lan's courtyard.

“Mother! Third Sister is right! Isn’t our family doing just fine now? We have enough to eat and wear, and we don’t have to create any more trouble for ourselves.”

Regardless of what others say, let's just live our own lives well!

Mother! If you take Aunt Lan and her son back, the concubines in the family will start fighting and fighting again! Don't you feel bad seeing my father doting on them?

Aunt Lan and her child have no worries about food or clothing here, and you don't have to see them or be bothered by it! If others say you don't have a son, you can openly say you do! My father's sons, even those born to concubines, are still their mothers!

Listening to her two daughters' advice, Li couldn't help but say:

"If your father finds out, he'll blame me for not bringing Aunt Lan and her son home."

Guizhi said:

"It's alright, Mom! Just tell them I didn't want you to take them back. What would I do with them? They seem to be doing just fine here!"

"Mother! Let's go see Fourth Sister! We sisters are your real children!"

Li was involuntarily surrounded by Guizhi and Guihong, one on each side, as they walked towards Wanrou's house.

Wanrou warmly welcomed the group, bringing Guiling and Erbao along to reunite them. Guiling was the happiest; Li Shi had acted very normally today. Holding Guiling, Wanrou asked with concern:

"Gui Ling! Are you eating enough? What do you eat every day? Is studying hard?"

Guiling also embraced Li and replied:

"Mom! I can eat my fill! I have meat and vegetables every day, and they're all delicious! Mom! What's so hard about studying! Aren't Erbao and I the same?"

We read and played together every day! Mom! Do you miss me? I miss you so much!

Li kissed Guiling's little face:

"Yes! My dear Siya, how could I not want to! Your eldest sister is getting married, why don't you and Erbao both take leave to go home for the wedding banquet and then come back to study?"

She said gently and softly:

"After the eldest young lady gets married, the fourth young lady and the second young lady can go home for two days before returning. However, after returning home, they cannot just play around; they must study often."

Guiling and Erbao jumped up happily.

Gui Xiang was very happy to see everyone in the village helping with the banquet, and the courtyard was bustling with activity. Suddenly, she saw a familiar figure flash by.

Gui Xiang thought she might be seeing things because she hadn't rested well these past few days. But after rubbing her eyes, she looked again and saw that it was indeed Jiang Xiaoyu. Gui Xiang's heart skipped a beat. Just as she was surprised, Zhao grabbed Jiang Xiaoyu and rushed towards Gui Xiang.

Jiang Xiaoyu's awkwardness was somewhat forced, and Guixiang was also confused and looked uncomfortable.

"Guixiang! This is Dabao's wife, Jiang Xiaoyu. She's wonderful in every way, except she's so shy! Your second aunt has been wanting her to meet you for a long time! But she's been so hesitant and wouldn't come!"

"Well, it's your big wedding day, so as your brother's wife, she has to help with the chores! That's why she had no choice but to come!"

Zhao pulled Jiang Xiaoyu aside and said to her:

"Xiaoyu! This is your sister Guixiang! Call her Big Sister or Sister Guixiang, it's fine! Hurry up and greet her!"

Jiang Xiaoyu blushed and lowered her head, calling out:

"Sister Guixiang!"

Gui Xiang's expression was rather unpleasant. She hummed in agreement and then asked Zhao Shi:

"Second Aunt! When did Da Bao get married? How come I didn't know?"

Zhao pulled Guixiang aside and whispered:

"There was no wedding banquet! Before the engagement, the betrothal gifts were given to Xiaoyu's mother. Her mother said that she and her brother were going to another place and they wouldn't come back after Xiaoyu's wedding."

"We can do whatever we want. Look, Xiaoyu's moved in with us! We were just thinking of throwing a wedding banquet for Dabao and his wife after you and Taozhi get married!"