Accidentally Married to the Big Shot-Chapter 364: Another Show-Off
As soon as Xi Huarong arrived, all the locals came out to welcome him.
Some called him "Second Brother-in-law", some called him Uncle, and others called him Second Master. π³ππ²ππ¨ππ―πππ§ππΉ.π°πΌπ
At the ancestral hall, Su Meixi met her biological grandparents.
The elderly couple, both over 70, looked at Xi Huarongβs family with kindness.
But Grandpa Xi soon asked: "Eh, whereβs Linlin? Why hasnβt she come back?"
Xi Huarong and his wife couldnβt help but pause.
"Dad, didnβt I tell you? Xiao Xi is my real daughter, your biological granddaughter." Xi Huarong introduced Su Meixi to Grandpa Xi.
Su Meixi called out, "Grandpa."
Grandpa Xi just glanced at her and then said, "She looks good, quite like her mother."
Su Meixi clearly felt unwelcomed.
Indeed, previously Xi Wanlin was very sociable, always sending gifts to Grandpa Xi and Grandma Xi every year and often calling them.
Suddenly taking Xi Wanlinβs place, no wonder the two elders were unhappy.
Gu Wei followed behind and brought out the gifts he prepared for the grandparents, "Grandpa, Grandma, these are from Ah Xi for you."
Grandpa nodded: "Put them there."
"Okay." Gu Wei felt the alienation and spontaneously hugged Su Meixi.
Xi Huarong said to Grandpa Xi, "Arenβt you going to open your granddaughterβs gifts to see?"
Grandpa Xi replied, "Seeing or not, itβs all the same."
"Dad, saying that makes it look like youβre just being difficult. Xiao Xi hasnβt eaten our rice or spent our money, and now she brings gifts to see you, and you still wonβt appreciate it?"
In front of their son, Grandpa Xi and Grandma Xi dared not contradict him, but it was clear they hadnβt really accepted Su Meixi.
However, the village banquet was quite impressive.
Now pregnant, Su Meixi found the village banquet very intriguing; the pig trotters were stewed tender and even had sour buckwheat in them, very appetizing.
The pork belly was also fatty but not greasy; the skin was crispy and crunchy when bitten into.
After eating for a while, some villagers came over to offer toasts.
However, the toasts were all for the men; women didnβt need to get up, and Xiao Fen didnβt stand either.
Later, a group of women came over, mainly to toast to Li Shirui, and incidentally to Su Meixi and Xi Wanfen.
They had all heard about Su Meixiβs story and wanted to see what kind of person she was.
"So youβre the biological elder daughter? Iβm your aunt-by-marriage. I see you look quite fetching. Can you drink alcohol?"
Su Meixi shook her head: "No, I canβt."
"Why not? Linlin used to drink a lot with us whenever she came back."
Su Meixi said, "Iβm pregnant, canβt drink alcohol, sorry."
"Oh, I see youβre pregnant. Well, that explains it, no need to drink then, you can have a soft drink instead."
Gu Wei swapped a beverage for Su Meixi.
Just as Su Meixi was about to drink, the aunt-by-marriage said, "You really are blessed, just like those TV shows where they find each other after thirty years, and your dad turns out to be an official. When you recognized each other, did you cry your heart out?"
Su Meixi: "..."
Li Shirui shielded Su Meixi behind her and said with a smile, "Auntie, what youβre saying isnβt quite right. Xiao Xi never sought us out; we found her by chance. It is our honor to have Xiao Xi as our daughter."
The aunt replied, "Thatβs not just an honor, I dare say, 99% of people in the country would want to be your daughter."
"You make it sound like weβre the Jade Emperor and the Queen; there are plenty of excellent parents out there."
The aunt continued, "How great it would be if my two rascals could recognize you as their godparents."
"We are all relatives, we are family, why bring up godmothers and godfathers? Arenβt you afraid others will laugh their heads off hearing this?"
...
After sitting down again, Su Meixi said to Gu Wei, "Gu Wei, I want to go back to Yun City."
Gu Wei knew her grievance; her return this time felt just like being an outsider.
He couldnβt help but say, "Alright, weβll drive back after dinner."
When Xi Wanfen heard Su Meixi was leaving, she couldnβt help but say, "Sister, why donβt you stay here for the night? We can leave together tomorrow. Itβs already dark and cold."
Su Meixi thought it over and felt that Xiao Fen made sense.
She couldnβt let her impulsiveness trouble Gu Wei; the drive would take five or six hours, certainly tough.
However, Gu Wei began toasting Grandpa Xi with a cup of alcohol.
"Grandpa, it was an intrusion for Xiao Xi and me to come this time. I toast to you with tea instead of wine!"
Grandpa Xi was still putting on airs, feeling that Gu Wei must have had an ulterior motive, trying to ingratiate himself.
Ever since his son became a high-ranking official, many people were keen to curry favor with him, but he refused all of them. He couldnβt trouble his son, and the cityβs party committee had even done ideological work with him, insisting he resist temptations and reject any bribes to prevent ruining his sonβs life.
Thus, over the years, he had refused anyone who came to flatter him or ask for help, whether it was about finding jobs for their children or connections for relatives. He himself also avoided going to the city, so as not to affect his son.
So, he didnβt regard Gu Wei highly.
"Iβll replace wine with tea as well," said Grandpa Xi.
Having finished his tea, Gu Wei then said to Grandpa Xi, "Itβs too late now, and itβs not good for Xiao Xi and me to stay too long. She is not used to living in the countryside, so we will head back first."
"Not used to the countryside? Every time Linlin came, she stayed here,"
Gu Wei had a smile on his face, but his tone was firm: "Others are others, Xiao Xi is Xiao Xi, goodbye Grandpa."
After paying respect to a few more elders in the clan, Gu Wei then told Su Meixi, "Ah Xi, we can go now."
Su Meixi felt warmed inside.
In the past, watching TV dramas, she often heard this line: My true prince will come for me riding on a colorful auspicious cloud.
Gu Wei was that prince!
She smiled, bade farewell to the people at her table, and then got into the car with Gu Wei.
Grandpa Xiβs face looked rather unpleasant.
As soon as Gu Weiβs car had left, he complained to Xi Huarong, "These young people are too impolite, leaving right after eating?"
Xi Huarong countered, "When they were here, you didnβt treat them well, keeping up your pretenses. Now that theyβve left, youβre criticizing them for being rude. What do you expect them to do?"
Grandpa Xi said, "Iβm an elder; whatβs wrong with asserting some authority?"
"They werenβt asking for your help, what authority are you trying to assert?"
"How can you say they werenβt asking? Isnβt their job because of your help? Without you, could Gu Wei even be in your department?"
"Gu Weiβs job wasnβt found by me; he is a top talent that several provinces are trying to attract. Do you know his family background? His family is wealthy. Their visit is a favor to me!"
