45: Chapter 45 Defend What’s Yours
45 -45 Defend What’s Yours
“Yes!” Gu Youyou nodded embarrassingly, “He brings home a chicken or a rabbit every day, and it’s not even enough for me alone, let alone grandpa bringing me sweet potatoes, right?”
“…”
Gu Youyou pinched her own cheeks and forced a silly smile towards Huang Xiangwen, saying, “Auntie, have you noticed that I’ve gained a little weight during the past month?”
Weight gain?
It was more than just a little.
Compared to a month ago, she had gained way too much.
Huang Xiangwen nodded with an ugly expression, realizing that Gu Youyou’s rapid weight gain was all due to consuming a chicken or rabbit each day.
The Gu Family couldn’t afford to feed someone with such an appetite.
But recalling the old master of the Gu Family’s partiality, if he knew that Gu Youyou could get well by eating a chicken a day, he’d certainly go to the lengths of selling the cooking pots and iron to provide for her daily chicken.
Previously, they had refrained from letting Gu Youyou out because of a prophecy left by the Great Fairy, but now that she had been out for quite some time without issue, even if she returned to the Gu Family, she definitely wouldn’t be locked up out of sight of the old master every day.
Thus, the idea of making up illnesses to exploit her willingness to write would no longer be possible in the little dark room.
Weighing the pros and cons, Huang Xiangwen felt that they shouldn’t jump to conclusions so soon and needed to plan for the long term.
She tugged at the sleeve of the elder Mrs.
Huang and whispered, “Mom, didn’t you say you just came to see Youyou today?
Now that we’ve seen her, why don’t we head back first?”
“What?
Go back?
But…
but…” The elder Mrs.
Huang was reluctant to just leave like that.
If they didn’t take the sweet potatoes back, no big deal, a few lousy sweet potatoes weren’t worth much money, but those three big trunks…
Huang Xiangwen hurriedly said, “We should still discuss this with dad when we get back.
Youyou has only been married for a month; there’s a long life ahead.
Mom, there’s plenty of time…”
Huang Xiangwen squeezed her eyebrows and made signs at the elder Mrs.
Huang in alarm.
The elder Mrs.
Huang also knew that taking things away today would be a bit improper, so with a heavy heart, she eventually gave in.
She gave those three trunks several lingering looks before she finally left with great reluctance.
Huang Xiangwen didn’t forget to remind her, “Youyou, take good care of yourself.
Eat as much as you can, and getting your health back is what’s most important.”
Gu Youyou: “…”
It’s only because she’s not eating their food that they are so generous, encouraging her to eat to her heart’s content.
If she were eating from their food, their eyes would probably pop out.
This was the second time Gu Youyou had defended her belongings, and she stared blankly at the three big trunks.
Her health wasn’t good, and struggling with them over this was real, even if she could keep her things, it was draining.
Continuing like this was no good; she had to deal with it quickly to avoid being constantly targeted.
…
Jin Zijin had been busy all day, returning covered in dust, and Gu Youyou inexplicably felt a bit of heartache for him.
This man, who looked like a country fellow, no matter his true identity or his purpose in coming to this small mountain village, his care for her over the past month had been real.
In her two lifetimes, aside from her two grandfathers, he should be the best person to her.
This man got up before dawn to hustle, prepared breakfast for her, the sickling, then shouldered his tools to go hunting in the mountains, returning when it was nearly dark.
He’d even take the time before nightfall to tidy up the vegetable patch in the yard, do the housework, make dinner, and wait on Gu Youyou to go to bed before he could rest.
Let alone the fact that Gu Youyou hadn’t done any of these chores in both her lives put together, she felt exhausted just watching.