On the way back, Bai Luo Yin turned to Gu Hai, "Does your dad know that the two of us are getting married?"
"I told him already." Gu Hai's complexion sank immediately, "If he wants to attend, he will, and if he doesn't, then forget it. In any case, he has already promised that he will no longer interfere with my business. I really don't have any expectations of him whatsoever. As long as he doesn't cause any problem during our wedding, that would be more than enough."
Bai Luo Yin went silent for a long time before saying indifferently, "Then, shouldn't you visit him before the wedding? If you don't even greet him, he will think that you don't care about him as a father."
"I don't care about him." Gu Hai's face was a bit twisted.
A sense of gloominess settled in Bai Luo Yin's eyes, making it hard to see his true feelings.
After a moment of cold silence, Gu Hai spoke again. "I used to care about him, but now, I am just completely disappointed. I have learned my lessons and will no longer show any warm feelings only to be met with his cold rebuke."
"Actually, I think that he does not know how to express himself and nothing more."
"You don't have to say any good words on his behalf." Gu Hai's tone was very serious, "Have you not learned your lesson after all these years? How have you treated him? And how did he treat you? Even if you didn't enlist in the military, as his stepson, he should have at least taken you into consideration and cared for you, right? But look at his behaviors, he acts like the entire world owes him something."
The more Gu Hai spoke, the angrier he became until he roughly smacked the steering wheel.
Even though Bai Luo Yin did not want to say anything else, there were some words that he had to say.
"Do you wish to not have anyone from your Gu family showing up at your own wedding?"
Gu Hai went quiet.
"If that is the result that you want, then we could have gotten married nine years ago. It wouldn't have mattered if he approved or not, and it wouldn't have mattered if we received his blessings or not either. As long as we were happy and pleased with ourselves, it would have been enough. Do you think it is meaningful to do it this way? If you are really satisfied by going about it this like, then why do we need to get married? Isn't it quite good the way we are living now?"
"What you say makes sense." Gu Hai couldn't help but to admit that his original intention was to receive everyone's blessing, "But unfortunately, someone does not want to accept us, so what can we do? Don't tell me that we have to wait until the day he is ready?"
Bai Luo Yin lowered his eyes, took out a stick of cigarette and lit it up.
When Gu Hai's mood eventually settled down and he turned to look at Bai Luo Yin, he suddenly felt sorry as a twinge of pain tightened up his chest.
"Is this making you sad again?" he asked as he reached his hand out to caress Bai Luo Yin's cheek.
Bai Luo Yin shook his head and answered quietly, "I'm fine."
"Alright, let's not talk about him anymore. The more we talk, the more disappointing it is. Let's talk about a happier topic, have you been to our wedding venue yet?"
"Not yet, I don't even know the exact location."
"Let's go then, I will take you there for a look."
Jiang Yuan was sitting in front of the vanity; after incessantly changing her hairstyle from this to that, she would take a picture and then post it online and then collect her fans' opinions. Nowadays, she was already a Weibo star who was known as the most beautiful wife of a military general. Gu Wei Ting was unaware of all of these, and Jiang Yuan also took great care to protect his identity. Although there were numerous gossips, no one knew exactly who or what kind of person the military general behind Jiang Yuan was.
On a rare occasion, Gu Wei Ting returned home and saw his wife combing her hair flirtatiously in front of the mirror, how could he not be annoyed?
"Tell me, can't you do something a bit more proper?"
Jiang Yuan certainly did not fancy what she had just heard. "What is 'proper'? How can combing my hair not be 'proper'? The rooms have been cleaned, your clothes were washed and neatly folded, and your meal was also made. What else do you want me to do? Can't I have some time to myself?"
"Alright, alright, alright, just take it as I never said anything…" Gu Wei Ting quickly stopped the train before it could continue. He knew that once Jiang Yuan started to prattle away, she would ever stop.
Jiang Yuan continued to fiddle with her hair, but as she moved it up and looked carefully, she saw several strands of white hair.
"What should I do?" she asked, her face riddled with anxiety, "There are more and more white hairs now."
"You should be content with what you have!" Gu Wei Ting sneered coldly from the side, "You know, you're almost fifty and still hope to have a head of only black hair?"
"Come here and sit down, let me see how much white hair you have," Jiang Yuan called Gu Wei Ting over.
Gu Wei Ting did not budge.
Seeing that, Jiang Yuan simply pulled him over and pushed him down to sit on the chair before she started to part his hair and look around.
Tsk, tsk. "Hahaha… you have more white hair than me. I feel a lot better now."
Gu Wei Ting suddenly pulled Jiang Yuan's hand and held it in front of his own eyes while wearing a strange expression.
"What are you looking at?" Jiang Yuan was puzzled, "These hands have been well taken care of. They can definitely be compared to that of a young thirty-year-old wife."
Gu Wei Ting's focus was not on Jiang Yuan's skin, but rather on the ring that was on her ring finger— it was quite familiar.
"Where did you get this ring from?"
Now that that was mentioned, Jiang Yuan's face was that of pride and satisfaction. "Xiao Han gifted it to me a few days ago. He said that from now on, he will recognize me as his mother, and also that he was insensible by not giving me the respect that I deserve before. After he said that I cried so hard. I feel that for this kid, Xiao Hai, to do something like that was really not easy for him."
The expression on Gu Wei Ting's face changed, and as he opened his mouth to say something, nothing came out.
The housekeeper knocked on the bedroom door, "Mrs. Jiang, there is someone looking for you outside."
Jiang Yuan followed the housekeeper out of the villa, only to see Bai Luo Yin standing outside the door while his car was parked to the side.
"Why didn't you just come inside ah?" Jiang Yuan went to pull Bai Luo Yin's hand.
And then she looked at the security guard and said, "Next time you see my son, just let him in. Do you hear me?"
The guard simply grunted in agreement.
Bai Luo Yin and Jiang Yuan walked inside together.
Gu Wei Ting was sitting in the living, and when he saw Jiang Yuan and Bai Luo Yin walking in, he did not say anything at all. In fact, he had already seen Bai Luo Yin's car parked outside a while ago, but he chose not to mention it to Jiang Yuan. He did not want Jiang Yuan to know that his gaze had been shifting to the window from time to time— secretly expecting a certain someone to come.
When Jiang Yuan went to make tea for Bai Luo Yin, Bai Luo Yin went to stand in front of Gu Wei Ting and calmly looked at him with earnest.
"Aside from Gu Yang and you, we have not invited anyone else from the Gu family to attend our wedding ceremony. Also, we did not release this information to the press either. As for the military wise, beside Major General Zhou and a few of my soldiers, we did not inform anyone else of our marriage. Don't worry, this will not create any disturbance in your daily lives."
"Also, the words that you said that day were all true. I am indeed very selfish. All the efforts that I have put forth for the past nine years had been, in essence, for the benefit of my own feelings. When I enlisted in the military back then, it really wasn't to secure your position, but rather for you to give Gu Hai some more freedom. In all these years, I risked my life in order to receive merits which were not purely to uphold your image, but it was so that one day, I could stand shoulder to shoulder with Gu Hai. Afterwards, all the risky and desperate missions I took were entirely to have you accept Gu Hai and I."
"I have the right to defend my feelings, just like how you have the rights to uphold your own principles and position. I should have not demanded for you to respond to my efforts since no one should pay for what someone else chose to do voluntarily. What's more, my self-righteousness has also hurt you. My hard work allowed me to gain this relationship, and I am worthy and well-deserved of it. I received your criticism and opposition for my selfishness, that served me right.
"So, I apologize for all the words that I said that day. I promise that you will never hear those kinds of words ever again."
Even if Bai Luo Yin's tone was very modest, the look in his eyes was nevertheless unbending.
Having said that, Bai Luo Yin turned around and walked away.
At that moment, Jiang Yuan had just finished making the tea and when she saw Bai Luo Yin hurrying to leave, she quickly placed the tea down and chased after him.
"How come you're leaving after you just got here?" Jiang Yuan asked.
Bai Luo Yin gave her a glance and said softly, "Mom, your hairstyle is very nice today."
Jiang Yuan smiled until her white hairs darkened.
"Come back here!" Gu Wei Ting suddenly shouted from behind them.
Hearing the tone of his voice, Jiang Yuan twisted her head around to look at him and angrily asked, "What do you want?"
Gu Wei Ting said gloomily, "I have something to say."
With that, Bai Luo Yin gently removed Jiang Yuan's hand from his shoulder and walked back toward Gu Wei Ting.
"What else do you have to say?"
"What else?" Gu Wei Ting sneered coldly, "Did you even give me a chance to say anything at all from the beginning?"
Bai Luo Yin was in a torpid state, it seems I really didn't…
"Then you can say it now!"
Gu Wei Ting remained expressionless as he spoke, "You've talked for half the day and the first thing I heard you say was that aside from Gu Yang and myself, you guys didn't invite anyone else from the Gu family. Let me ask you now, when did you two ever invited me?"
Bai Luo Yin remained frozen on the spot.
At those words, Jiang Yuan was filled with utter excitement as she repeatedly gave Bai Luo Yin a few meaningful glances. Hurry up and say something ah!
Finally, Bai Luo Yin returned to his senses from that shocking behavior. For someone that was always clever and eloquent in his words, he was unexpectedly a bit tongue-tied then.
"Then… dad, please attend our wedding ceremony."
After he finished the word 'dad', Bai Luo Yin's ears were red from the root.
Gu Wei Ting seemed a bit angry as he looked at him, "Our family Gu has already given your mother a gift, yet I still haven't received anything…"
Bai Luo Yin laughed awkwardly, "I will have it sent in a moment. Why don't you agree first?"
"You want me to agree while you stand there like that?" Gu Wei Ting had a very grave and stern expression in his eyes.
With that, Bai Luo Yin immediately kneeled down on both knees— his eyes, honest and resolute.
The lines on Gu Wei Ting's face softened up instantly before placing his hand on Bai Luo Yin's neck and gripping it firmly.
"If you dare to not live well, I will tear you both apart."
When Bai Luo Yin nodded his head, a drop of tear rolled down his face— catching him off guard.
After Bai Luo Yin left, Jiang Yuan punched Gu Wei Ting.
"When someone else's son gets married, the parents are the ones that send them the gifts. You must be proud of yourself, taking the initiative to openly ask my son for a gift. You really have some guts!!"
Gu Wei Ting argued with courage of his conviction, "I already gave him my son, what else do you want?"
Jiang Yuan snorted, "Look at you! You always think that you're the one losing out the most. Are you saying you gave your son to my son, and I didn't give my son to your son huh?!"
Gu Wei Ting narrowed his eyes and looked at Jiang Yuan up and down with a thick sense of danger crowding his eyes.
"Have I not satisfied you recently? Is that why your skin is all sensitive again?"
Jiang Yuan's smile was very graceful and charming, "I, your old lady, have been sensitive all over. If you have the skills, come and take care of me! Let me tell you, I am actually afraid that you can't satisfy me!!"
The veins on Gu Wei Ting's arms protruded as he exposed his fangs and put forth the most authoritative outburst.
"I can't satisfy you?"
Before his hands reached Jiang Yuan's body, the doorbell sounded.
When he opened the front door, a young military delivery man stood outside.
"General, this is the gift of twenty pounds of sheep kidneys[1] that Bai Tuzhang requested to be sent to you! He wishes you eternal youth and power!!"
Gu Wei Ting, "…"
Translator's Note:
[1] sheep/lamb/goat kidneys – Inorder to increase your kidney yang, you sometimes have to eat the kidney of another animal. Lamb kidneys have tons of protein and vitamins needed to get the blood flowing. In China, men who are impotent believe eating lamb kidney will restore their virility. Lamb supposedly warms the joints and strengthens the lower back and legs, increasing your sexual ability.