Back To The 80s-Chapter 557 - 549: Acceptance_1

Xu Yanhong was slightly unnerved by Mo Wang’s relentless gaze. Children, when expressing their doubts, do not know how to conceal their emotions. Their eyes are particularly persistent in staring at people and things they are interested in.

"Mo Wang, what are you looking at?" Xu Yanhong sighed inwardly, bent over, and greeted Mo Wang with a smile.

Mo Wang moved behind Gu Xiaobei, turning his face away.

Xu Yanhong felt helpless. Despite her efforts, the child was still on his guard.

"Mommy, let’s go home, I want to go home!" Mo Wang insisted, pushing Gu Xiaobei from behind.

Gu Xiaobei could only take Mo Wang upstairs, a decision she didn’t mind since she didn’t like Xu Yanhong much either.

Watching Gu Xiaobei and Mo Wang enter the building, Xu Yanhong felt frustrated and sighed lightly.

Lu Zhanguo appeared emotionless while enduring the mockery of his comrades. All those bandages around his chin were making a futile attempt to hide his injuries.

However, this incident changed many people’s perception of Lu Zhanguo. They found him more approachable, even somewhat friendly. He even seemed to have a childish, adorable side.

Once they were inside, Gu Xiaobei asked Mo Wang, "Why do you hate Auntie so much? She’s not the villain you see on TV."

Mo Wang struggled to express himself, but eventually asked, "Mom, can I dislike her?"

"Of course, you have the right to like or dislike anyone. I was just asking. I’m not telling you to like her." Gu Xiaobei stroked Mo Wang’s cheek. She had never forced him to be a so-called "polite child," greeting every adult with a hello.

She believed children have their dignity and preferences. Why should they be forced to behave as obedient children in the eyes of others?

Mo Wang, a mature child for his age, nodded, "Mom, I don’t like her. She smells like a bad person."

Gu Xiaobei could not understand what was going on in Mo Wang’s mind. Sometimes the three-year-old boy would speak like a five or six-year-old.

...

After the Mid-Autumn Festival, Gu Xiaobei found time on a Sunday, leaving Lu Zhanguo to look after the children at home, to talk to Jiujiu.

She had promised Ou Ruoshui that she would speak to Jiujiu, but when she saw the child, she felt unable to begin the conversation.

Ou Ruoshui gestured Gu Xiaobei to take Jiujiu to the bedroom for a private chat. Her attitude these past few days had discouraged Ou Ruoshui, causing her to hesitate.

The moment Jiujiu entered the room with Gu Xiaobei, she asked directly, "Auntie, are you here to convince me to agree with my mom’s marriage?"

Gu Xiaobei was taken aback. She sat on the bed, idly turning the pages of Jiujiu’s notebook, trying to hide her awkwardness.

Jiujiu sat down next to Gu Xiaobei, her eyes welling up with tears. "My mom said that after she gets married, I will live with her. Dad is already gone, and Uncle is gone too, if I also leave, what will become of my grandparents?"

"Jiujiu, I think you might be misunderstanding. Your mom surely won’t abandon your grandparents." Gu Xiaobei hurriedly comforted.

Jiujiu lowered her head, and her tears started to fall.

Gu Xiaobei’s heart ached even more and she refrained from speaking. Given Jiujiu’s circumstances, her thoughts were understandably delicate.

After a long while, Jiujiu finally raised her head, "My mom took me to meet that Uncle. I didn’t like him. He talked about moving in with him after getting married, and he would buy a house and build a villa in the western part of the city. My mom agreed to it. Isn’t that the same as abandoning my grandparents? If that’s the case, I can live without my mom, but I cannot live without my grandparents."

Gu Xiaobei held Jiujiu’s shoulder while pondering in her heart. Finally, she said, "Jiujiu, you can have a good talk with your mom. And tell her what you think."

Jiujiu shook her head, sobbing, "I also don’t want to make mom sad. She has had it tough. I don’t know what to do."

"Don’t cry, Jiujiu. It’s still early days, things are always changing. Until the last moment, no one knows what the outcome will be. Don’t be sad." Gu Xiaobei held Jiujiu close and comforted her.

Outside the door, Ou Ruoshui listened to Jiujiu and Gu Xiaobei’s conversation, tears falling. Her heart was in torment. She badly wanted to open the door and tell Jiujiu that she would never abandon her and her grandparents, but she thought of the burdens she had to shoulder.

In Nanhai City, a stranger approached her, telling her that Jin Jiadong’s death might have other underlying reasons. Later, Shen Heng also found her and mentioned that Ou Tiannan may not only be guilty of stealing government artifacts, but could also possibly be involved in treason, which was related to the failure of Jin Jiadong’s mission. Now they just lacked evidence and hoped Ou Ruoshui would cooperate with them.

Sometimes Ou Tiannan didn’t trust anyone, and Ou Ruoshui was the only one who had been with him for all these years who had gained his trust.

Zhuang Shuxian, sitting in the living room, saw Ou Ruoshui crying endlessly and started crying as well. If Ou Ruoshui really took Jiujiu away, wouldn’t it be the equivalent of taking their lives?

Gu Xiaobei comforted Jiujiu for a while. At first, she thought it was Jiujiu who objected to Ou Ruoshui’s marriage. Now, seeing this situation, the child indeed had a tough choice to make.

Once Jiujiu stopped crying, Gu Xiaobei asked her to wash her face and comb her hair.

Once Jiujiu left, Ruoshui came in and, smiling at Gu Xiaobei, said, "Thank you!"

Gu Xiaobei looked at Ruoshui’s reddened eyes and reluctantly smiled. Shaking her head, she said, "I didn’t do anything. I think, maybe we should respect the child’s opinion?"

Ou Ruoshui sighed, "I won’t make things difficult for her. It’s just that Jiujiu tends to overthink things."

"Take it slow, things will get better." Gu Xiaobei concurred.

Gu Xiaobei left the Jin Family’s house, walking alongside her bicycle. She felt puzzled. Judging from her recent interactions with Ou Ruoshui, she seemed like a person who would give up her happiness for her daughter’s sake. So why was she so persistent?

After cycling around the store, she noticed Ma De’s shop opposite was also closed. Puzzled, she asked Qin Li, "Is he also shutting down his business?"

Qin Li shrugged, "I don’t know, his shop was closed yesterday and today. I didn’t see any goods being moved either."

Gu Xiaobei thought it odd. The business across the street had been fine lately; it didn’t seem likely that they couldn’t sustain it.

"How was it at Aunt Jin’s place?" Qin Li was curious.

"It’s the same, I can’t be of much help. All I can do is comfort everyone." Gu Xiaobei responded.

"Why would Sister Xuerong want to marry that man? Besides, she doesn’t seem happy at all. I went there once and saw Sister Xuerong crying behind the fake rockery in the housing complex."

This made Gu Xiaobei even more suspicious. What could be the issue?

Qin Li sighed, "Aunt Jin supports Sister Xuerong’s decision to marry, but insists on not taking Jiujiu along. She even said this to me once, telling me that I should also find a family." The last sentence was spoken in a dry voice, making anyone who heard it feel heartache.

Gu Xiaobei sat next to Qin Li, holding her hand, "It’s too hard for you. We all feel for you."

Qin Li blinked back her tears, "How can you all feel it’s hard? If they really want to harm me, they would make me get married."

Gu Xiaobei squeezed Qin Li’s hand tightly without uttering a word.

"Sister Xiaobei, do you know who dug up the jujube tree?" Qin Li asked.