Chapter 132 The Old Hospital (ETL) Part 1
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Chapter 132 A Hundred Ghosts Watching – So Exciting!
Gu Ye and Yu Ze bought some things and went home for dinner that evening.
Today was the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, which is considered the Little New Year in northern China. It just so happened that all the children were on holiday, and the older sisters were all free, so they all took their children back to their parents’ homes. This time, Gu Ye was able to have a family reunion dinner.
Gu Ye was conflicted the whole way. It hadn’t been long, and he was already becoming part of the Yu family’s life. The children called him ‘Uncle’ and he wondered if he should give them a red envelope or something.
Seeing Gu Ye’s expression, Yu Ze comforted him, “You’ve already met my eldest and third sisters. My second sister is even easier to get along with than the other two, don’t worry.”
Gu Ye knew that the eldest sister of the Yu family was a typical strong woman with an assertive personality. However, she was a rational and reasonable person too. Her husband was quite straightforward, as could be seen from Zhao Pengyu, whose personality resembled his father’s more.
The third sister was a jewelry designer, and her husband was in the same field; both of them were quite famous internationally. He was eloquent and had high emotional intelligence, which was how he won her over.
Gu Ye had never met the second sister’s family and didn’t know what they were like. He only heard they had a daughter. Their daughter was the only little girl in the Yu family’s grandchildren’s generation; practically a little princess in the family.
Gu Ye thought for a moment before asking, “What does the little girl like? For our first meeting, let’s buy her a gift.”
Yu Ze said seriously, “Books?”
Hearing that answer, Gu Ye thought of the (revision) books his older brothers had bought him, and felt a pang of bitterness. He asked helplessly, “Come on, what child likes books?”
Yu Ze laughed, “You’ll know when you meet her.”
As soon as Gu Ye entered the Yu family’s courtyard, two little ones ran out. One went to each side and immediately hugged his legs. Gu Ye turned to look at the one clinging to him, chubby and round. Before the children could speak, he was able to differentiate them. “Hao Hao has grown taller! And how come you are more handsome?”
Ling Zihao bounced around excitedly at the compliment. Gu Ye bent down and picked him up; he couldn’t lift both of the twins at the same time, but he could lift just one high. “Aiya, I can’t lift you anymore! You’ve grown into a big boy in just 6 months!”
Ling Zihao’s eyes crinkled into crescent moons with delight. Yu Ze asked seriously, “Why have you gotten fatter?”
Ling Zihao’s smile froze instantly. He puffed out his cheeks and mumbled softly, “No, I didn’t.”
Yu Ze said seriously, “Your belly’s gotten bigger.”
Ling Zihao secretly touched his little belly, then turned his face away angrily. “Hmph, I’m not playing with Uncle anymore!”
Seeing the interaction, Gu Ye glared at Yu Ze helplessly. Why was he speaking such blunt truths? He just kept saying things the child didn’t want to hear. “Our Hao Hao is the cutest like this. Don’t listen to your uncle, our Hao Hao isn’t fat at all.”
Ling Zihao immediately became happy, “Auntie is right!”
Gu Ye corrected the child, “Call me Uncle.”
The little rascal quickly changed his address, cupping Gu Ye’s face and exaggeratedly imitating Gu Ye’s tone, asking, “Uncle, how come you are more handsome?”
Gu Ye laughed heartily, “You little rascal, any family with a daughter will have to be wary of you in the future.”
At the other side, Ling Zijun saw Gu Ye holding his younger brother. Although his little face was tense, his eyes still revealed longing. After all, he was still a child. He wanted to be held but was too shy to say so. Hence, he just looked up at Yu Ze without speaking.
Gu Ye noticed this and signaled to Yu Ze with his eyes. The meaning in his gaze was ‘Hold the child. The child is looking at you with pleading eyes. How can you remain indifferent?’
Yu Ze looked down at the child and reluctantly gave him one finger (to hold on).
Gu Ye helplessly put Ling Zihao down and picked up Ling Zijun, “Aiya, our Jun Jun is too thin. Later at the dining table, come and sit next to this uncle, and I’ll give you all the good food.”
Ling Zijun pursed his lips, wanting to laugh but too shy. He hugged Gu Ye’s neck and said proudly, “I’m not thin, I’m of average build.”
“Okay, average little Ling Zijun, uncle will hold you a little longer. Otherwise, when you get a bit bigger, I won’t be able to carry you anymore.” Gu Ye smiled and rubbed the child’s forehead. This child wasn’t talkative, not as good at being affectionate as his younger brother, and was very proud. Adults often overlooked him because of his sensible nature. But in the end, he was still a child.
Gu Ye carried Ling Zijun as they walked. Behind him, Ling Zihao, unhappy that his uncle had called him fat, refused to hold the finger his uncle offered him. But Yu Ze was unaware of what the child was thinking and simply strode off, abandoning the child. This infuriated Ling Zihao, whose cheeks puffed out like a pufferfish.
Feeling helpless, Gu Ye walked back to Ling Zihao. Yu Ze turned around, puzzled, and saw Gu Ye put Ling Zijun down and hold one of them by the hand. Yu Ze clicked his tongue, his eyes filled with even more disdain.
Inside, Gu Ye was once again thankful that they didn’t have children. Otherwise, Yu Ze might have lost them in just a day, or perhaps he(YZ) himself might run away from home in anger.
As soon as Gu Ye entered the house, Yu Ze’s third sister saw him and smiled. She said, “They’ve been waiting for you! They’ve been talking about you all day. If you hadn’t come, they would have come to your house looking for you.”
Gu Ye smiled and said, “I was busy during the day. Next time, if no one can take care of them, they can come to me.”
“No, they’re too noisy.”
As they spoke, a beautiful woman in a light blue cheongsam lifted the curtain and walked in from behind. She smiled slightly when she saw Gu Ye. The third sister introduced her, “This is the second sister.”
Gu Ye quickly said, “Hello, second sister.”
The second sister smiled slightly. She was slender, her elegant cheongsam accentuating her slim figure. Unlike the gentle, watery temperament of women from the Jiangnan water towns, even in her thinness, she possessed a strength that emanated from her very bones. This kind of refined, ink-wash-like quality was elegant and ethereal, yet not as cold and austere as Yu Ze’s. Gu Ye thought for a moment, and the best way to describe this quality was with the image of verdant bamboo in a landscape painting.
Such charm could not be expressed without profound learning.
Gu Ye immediately realized that the one who had inherited Old Master Yu’s literary talent was the second sister.
“Don’t be so polite, please sit down. I should have looked for an opportunity to see you a long time ago, but I haven’t had the time. I’m so glad I have the chance today,” the second sister said with a smile. “Xiao Yu, come and greet your uncle.”
A girl of about 12 or 13 years old came out following behind Old Master Yu. The child had long hair that fell obediently over her shoulders. She wore a white dress and exuded a scholarly air. Even at such a young age, she possessed the elegance and manners typical of a scholarly family. “Hello, Uncle.”
Gu Ye smiled and said, “Hello. I didn’t know what you liked, so I didn’t buy you a gift. I’ll make it up to you next time.”
The little girl said obediently, “Thank you, Uncle.”
From reading her face, Gu Ye could tell that this little girl was destined for greatness; her tastes might truly be different from other children.
After exchanging a few words, Gu Ye felt relieved. Yu Ze’s second sister wasn’t difficult to get along with. The twins clung to him, trying to get him to play with them. The eldest sister, seeing this, asked, “Where’s Pengyu? Why isn’t he watching the children?”
The third sister sighed, “He went shopping with my husband. He doesn’t like watching kids.”
The eldest sister then looked at Wang Yushu. The little girl blinked and ran off before the adults could say anything.
Gu Ye chuckled. This girl was clever, very good.
A moment later, familiar voices could be heard outside. Before Zhao Pengyu even entered, he called out, “Grandpa! Uncle! Second Aunt! Little Aunt! We’re back!” Zhao Pengyu was carrying a lot of things. As soon as he entered and saw Gu Ye, he added, “Little Aunt! I’m back!”1
Gu Ye took the things from Zhap Pengyu in disdain. “Put the things down, you can leave now.”
“Eh, no! In the future, when I visit my uncle, you can’t just accept the gifts and not the person who delivers them! We’re family, after all.”
The whole family laughed. Zhao Pengyu’s return made things much livelier.
Gu Ye had met the 3 brothers-in-law, and the people who could take care of the children had also returned. Hence, finding the situation too chaotic, Yu Ze beckoned to Gu Ye with a finger. Thinking something was wrong, Gu Ye went over, but Yu Ze grabbed his hand and pulled him away.
Gu Ye asked, puzzled, “What’s wrong?”
“It’s too noisy. I’m taking you away for a while.”
Gu Ye glanced back; the two children had gone to find their eldest cousin (ZPY). He smiled, “Let’s go.”
The second and third sisters stood by the window. They witnessed Yu Ze luring Gu Ye away, and noticed a slight hint of disdain in Yu Ze’s eyes.
The third sister said to the second, “That’s a classic case of the big bad wolf deceiving the little white rabbit. Gu Ye’s smile could charm countless young girls, and he’s still so young! He couldn’t even give any girls a chance before our little brother tricked him into marrying him. No, Gu Ye was only 19 when he tricked him; Gu Ye hadn’t even had a chance to meet any good girls yet.”
The second sister said indulgently, “This is the first time I’ve seen Yu Ze care about someone so much. If Gu Ye didn’t have a bit of cunning, he couldn’t possibly have him so completely under his thumb.” She smiled and said with satisfaction, “It’s good that he’s cunning. A relationship isn’t just about one-sided giving; it also needs protection. Everyone wants to be Mrs. Yu. How can you guarantee that even without children, you can maintain the same loving relationship forever without some means? Gu Ye has shown interest, which means he’s truly in love. That’s good.”
Gu Ye and Yu Ze hid in the side guest room. Finally, the surroundings quieted down. Yu Ze announced coldly, “I want to run away from home.”
Gu Ye knew Yu Ze liked quiet. With a child around, there was bound to be some chatter. He coaxed, “Just bear with it a little longer. We’ll leave after dinner.”
Yu Ze sighed, “Thank goodness we don’t have kids.”
Gu Ye also felt fortunate, “Yes, otherwise, the children would be driven crazy by you.”
Yu Ze raised an eyebrow, looking at Gu Ye with displeasure, clearly a little annoyed.
Suppressing a laugh, Gu Ye pinched Yu Ze’s cheek and kissed him, “Kids aren’t as sensible as I am. You can just raise me, that’s enough.”
Being coaxed like that, Yu Ze forgot what he wanted to say. He looked at Gu Ye’s smiling face and felt that whatever Gu Ye said was right.
Just then, the melodious sound of a guzheng drifted down from upstairs. Gu Ye asked curiously, “Is that the little girl?”
“She’s been learning guzheng since she was little. I heard she’s going to take an exam soon, so she practices everywhere she goes.”
Gu Ye tilted his head and listened to the music for a while. Then he decided to lie down, resting his head on Yu Ze’s lap, and smiled with his eyes closed. “The atmosphere is so beautiful, so clean and comfortable.”
During the meal, Gu Ye sat next to 2 children, effectively squeezing Yu Ze to the side. Throughout the meal, Yu Ze stared at the children with a cold expression. Unfortunately, the children were too young to understand Yu Ze’s gaze. Ling Zihao thought his uncle was unhappy about not getting any food, so he dutifully offered him the green beans from his bowl.
Yu Ze only stared at the Ling Zihao blankly, before stuffing the green beans the child didn’t like into his(LZH) mouth. Seeing Ling Zihao frowning but not daring to spit them out, Yu Ze’s lips twitched, and his mood improved slightly.
At the side, Gu Ye didn’t see his nephew being mistreated. He looked at the third sister’s expression and asked with a smile, “Third sister, shall I take your pulse after dinner?”
Hearing that, the third sister asked in surprise, “You know Traditional Chinese Medicine? I really haven’t been feeling well these past few days. It’s from staying up late lately; my health is not in the best state.”
Gu Ye smiled, “No, you’re fine. You seem to be pregnant.”
That caused the whole family to be stunned. They all looked at the third sister with surprise, “Really?”
The third sister was even more bewildered than her family, “I didn’t know.”
Everyone then looked at Gu Ye, “Really?”
Gu Ye nodded, “Most likely. I’ll confirm it with a pulse check. It shouldn’t be more than a month.”
The third brother-in-law couldn’t sit still any longer. He grabbed his wife’s hand anxiously and asked Gu Ye, “Please take her pulse first. Otherwise, I won’t be able to eat peacefully.”
Gu Ye helplessly felt the third sister’s pulse, “Congratulations, judging from the reading of your faces, Old Third is another boy.”
The couple’s joyful expressions immediately froze, “Not a girl?”
Gu Ye shook his head.
“Sigh!”
“Sigh!”
The couple both sighed, their appetites gone.
Puzzledly, Gu Ye looked at Yu Ze. Had he said something wrong? Why were they both sighing?
The eldest sister comforted, “A boy is good too. It’s still a happy occasion, eat more.”
But the third sister looked at Gu Ye seriously, “When you two get married, I don’t have anything to give you as a wedding gift.”
Gu Ye quickly swallowed the food in his mouth. Just as he was about to say that he didn’t want anything, he heard the third sister continue earnestly, “So I’m giving you all three of my sons. Don’t send them back. I don’t want any of them.”
Gu Ye: “…”
The third sister’s husband had the same expression, “They are too much trouble, we don’t want any of them.”
The parents were a typical loving couple, and all the children were an unexpected surprise. The parents on the husband’s side were busy, and there was no one to take care of the children; the old couple genuinely didn’t want to raise the kids either. They had wanted a daughter, but instead had a son. The couple was desperate. “Three of them, you can have them all.”
Yu Ze said disdainfully, “No, we are not taking even a single one.”
Ling Zihao looked at Gu Ye, “Uncle, do you want me?”
Before Gu Ye could speak, Yu Ze interjected, “No.” Yu Ze did the math for Gu Ye, “You’d need to raise him for 18 years before you could kick him out of the house. Then you’d have to put in the effort to raise him. Even if you ended up raising him wrongly, you can’t just reset/format him.”
Gu Ye thought about it, and it made perfect sense.
The twins watched the adults pass the buck without getting annoyed. Their parents were busy, and their grandparents were sometimes away for over a month at a time, so they often stayed at their maternal grandparents’ house. In their eyes, the question of who would take them in was simply a question of where they would sleep that night. The two brothers ate and drank as usual, finally wiping their mouths, and asked, “Have you guys decided where we’re sleeping tonight?”
Gu Ye: …
Free-range children are sure different; they’re so carefree!
Despite the slight disdain for the baby boy in her belly, the third sister still paid attention to her meals. She stopped eating crabs and set aside the hawthorn jelly2. Her husband was even more careful, handing her the soup spoon to her hand. After the meal, he called the doctor for various examinations.
Seeing the ongoing process of examinations, Gu Ye regretfully told the 2 children, “You two should sleep at Grandpa’s tonight.”
Ling Zihao looked at Gu Ye ingratiatingly, “I want to sleep together with you.”
Yu Ze interrupted the child, “No, even crying won’t do. Shut your mouth.”
Gu Ye saw the child’s grievance and wanted to comfort him, but Yu Ze forcefully pulled him away.
Old Master Yu held one child in each hand, saying, “You’ve both made something of yourselves[1]. If you don’t want them, I will. I’ll raise them for you until they both grow up plump and healthy.”
…
Raw word count: 6584 (whole chapter)
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[1] The translation is not accurate but Banana cannot find the exact word for it.
The raw was 郁老一手领着一个，“你们都出息了，你们都不要，我要。我给你们养，都养的白胖白胖的。”
The word ‘出息’ somewhat means grown up/gained achievement depending on context but Banana can’t even figure out who was Old Master Yu referring too ^^;;