Chapter 570: Chapter 570: Disgust
Luo Huiniang also felt that Gu Jinli was right and kept nodding her head. This Master Xia was really picky, how could one be so meticulous in the countryside, and besides, what was he even talking about, she couldn’t understand at all.
Master Xia, upon hearing this, turned around, glared at Gu Jinli, and also gave Luo Huiniang an eye roll, then picked up the teacup and sipped elegantly, resuming the demeanor of a refined scholar, leaving Luo Huiniang dumbfounded.
...The townspeople all said that this mansion was haunted, but Master Xia seemed like a charming troublemaker, so living in a haunted house surely wouldn’t bother him, no wonder he wasn’t afraid of ghosts, Luo Huiniang thought to herself.
Gu Jin’an was someone who couldn’t sit still, going to help Master Xia organize books and scrolls.
Gu Jinli also dragged Luo Huiniang to help, and while she watched Gu Jin’an work, she suddenly exclaimed, "Brother, your movements have become more graceful."
Like he had specially learned it, not just busy as usual, but busy with a cultured air, his movements neither too fast nor too slow, as graceful and elegant as flowing clouds and water.
Gu Jin’an laughed and said, "While in Jinling Prefecture, I studied etiquette for a while under Master Xia."
In the six arts of a gentleman, etiquette isn’t just about formalities, but also about demeanor.
Although Scholar Shang’s etiquette was good, he was not born in a noble family; he had the form but not the essence. Scholar Shang, having met Master Xia, was very impressed and happily agreed when he knew that Master Xia was willing to teach Gu Jin’an.
Gu Jinli hurriedly asked, "Will elder brother still go to study at Uncle Shang’s house? Uncle Shang has been so kind to us."
If not, Uncle Shang would definitely be sad.
Gu Jin’an respected Scholar Shang from the bottom of his heart, treating him like an elder. Upon hearing this, he said, "I’ll still go as usual, but from now on, I’ll need to come and study under Master Xia for a few days each month."
Hearing this, Gu Jinli was relieved.
Luo Huiniang needed to head back to the shop to help out; after toiling for half an hour, she bid goodbye. As she left, she murmured, "Had I known, I wouldn’t have come; it’s not fun and lively, and I still had to work."
When she returned to the shop, she was scolded by Ms. Chu, who criticized her for running off again, causing the family to worry.
Meanwhile, the Gu siblings continued to help tidy up at Master Xia’s place, and only after a lengthy four hours did they manage to roughly sort things out.
Tired from the effort, they sat down beside Master Xia, enjoying the tea and pastries served by the servants. Master Xia watched Gu Jinli’s way of eating, frowned slightly, but didn’t say anything.
After a short while, a servant came to report: "Master, there is a father and son surnamed Gu asking to see you outside, they said they are here looking for Brother Gu Jia’an."
Upon hearing this, Gu Jinli said, "It’s our father and younger brother; they must have come to pick us up, we will take our leave now."
Master Xia said, "No rush, there’s still some time before sunset."
Then, he instructed the servant, "Please invite the Gu family father and son inside, and serve some fresh tea and snacks."
"Yes," the servant responded, bowed, and left. Before long, he brought in Gu Dashan and Gu Jincheng.
Seeing Gu Jin’an, Gu Jincheng immediately rushed over, "Big brother, big brother, you are finally back, Brother Cheng missed you so much... wuu wuu wuu, you weren’t at home, Brother Cheng had to sleep alone, I was scared."
The news of Gu Jin’an returning with a team of mule carts spread quickly throughout the town, and the people from Gu’s Restaurant and the marinade shop learned about it and went back to inform Gu Dashan.
Upon hearing the news, Gu Dashan quickly drove the mule cart to pick up his eldest son, Brother Cheng was very attached to Brother An, it had been a long time since he’d seen Brother An, and he deeply missed his brother, so Gu Dashan brought him along as well.
Gu Jin’an hugged Brother Cheng and said with a smile, "Don’t be afraid, big brother is back, I’ll stay with you tonight."
Gu Jinli teased him, "You’re almost five years old, such an old child, not a three-year-old baby. Seeing your own elder brother and still crying, it’s embarrassing."
After hearing this, Gu Jincheng glared at Gu Jinli, then burrowed into Brother An’s arms, saying, "Big brother, Second Sister is bullying me again, you have to help me."
Gu Jin’an couldn’t help but laugh, "You’re tattling on your Second Sister again, be careful she might not make you delicious food in the future."
Gu Dashan looked at his three children chatting and laughing, very pleased.
However, Master Xia frowned slightly. This Gu Jincheng, at nearly five years old, was still so clingy to his elder brother, burrowing into his brother’s arms, what kind of behavior was this? Where is the demeanor befitting a child from a noble family? How could he become the heir!
Then he looked at Gu Dashan, who was wearing a brown short coat and a farmer’s straw hat on his head, with shoes covered in mud, and felt a surge of disgust in his heart, almost on the verge of vomiting.
Master Xia couldn’t help but his eyes red, Mrs. Cui had actually married such a man. Although his appearance was decent, look at his attire, his family background, it’s simply disgraceful!
It is said that he is a good-for-nothing, without any real abilities, relying on his second daughter’s family to live a better life.
Such a coarse and reckless country man, how is he worthy of Mrs. Cui!
If he had found Mrs. Cui ten years earlier, Gu Dashan definitely wouldn’t have survived, he would have died, and he would have died miserably! And then Mrs. Cui would have remarried into a high-class family.
But now, everything is too late, there are already four children, and Mrs. Cui has achieved nothing in this life, nothing but a farmer’s wife, she is thoroughly ruined, it’s pointless to try and make arrangements for her now.
Now, all that’s left is to look at these four children.
Gu Jin’an, though intelligent, is already fifteen, tainted with years of rural habits, no matter how much education, it seems too late, and being the eldest, he is expected to carry on the Gu Family lineage, so their focus is on Gu Jincheng.
Mrs. Cui’s legitimate younger son, young and impressionable. Since the elder brother will carry on the family lineage, it doesn’t matter if Gu Jincheng keeps the Gu surname or not.
While Gu Jinli was playing with Brother Cheng, she caught a glimpse of disdain in Master Xia’s eyes looking at Gu Dashan, she paused, although Master Xia disguised it quickly, she was sure she saw it.
"Dad," Gu Jin’an put Gu Jincheng down, walked up to Gu Dashan, and said, "Son has been away from home for so long, I’ve worried you."
Gu Dashan cheerfully said, "It’s nothing, it’s good for you to go out and gain some experience, don’t worry about home."
Even though the family has not seen him for a long time, missing him dearly.
Gu Jin’an laughed and introduced Master Xia to Gu Dashan.
Upon hearing that Master Xia was a scholar, Gu Dashan was startled and wanted to pay his respects, but Master Xia stopped him, "Brother Gu there’s no need, since Brother An calls me a teacher, our families should treat each other as close friends, no need for such formalities."
After hearing this, Gu Dashan looked again at Master Xia, who carried himself with an air of dignity, was quite delighted, and since Master Xia was a learned man, they chatted for an hour. Master Xia’s knowledge impressed Gu Dashan greatly.
In the end, Master Xia called over Brother Cheng and smiled at him, "So, you are Brother Cheng, I’ve heard you’ve started to recognize characters, what can you write? Show me some of your writing."
Brother Cheng, being a good child in front of his elders, paid his respects to Master Xia before replying, "I’ve learned some characters, but I don’t write very well, my brother taught me, he is really amazing."
He did not forget to praise Gu Jin’an, making him laugh.
Master Xia smiled and asked a servant to bring ink, brush, and paper, and said to Brother Cheng, "Grind the ink yourself, and write down the characters you know for me to see."