Cinderella Innocent and Boss Charming - Chapter 173

Chapter 173 No One Else But You Can Be the Daughter-in-Law of the Gu Family
The phone rang for a long time and no one answered. It was already half past nine. In normal cases, Gu Nianbin would have been home now. A long beep came from her phone. Hearing that, Du Xiaoxian panicked, but she didn’t want others to see it. So she hid it behind a smile and said, “Perhaps the road is slippery because of the snow. So, he will be back late.”

This was the only reason she could think of. Ah Ling looked at Du Huayue and said, “Yes, it should be because of the slippery road. After all, it is night and the road is slippery. He would be back late. Let’s go inside and warm up. Why don’t we eat while waiting?”

Du Huayue hesitated. “I might as well go first. You girls go inside. There aren’t many people around here. Don’t come out again.”

“Brother Ah Yue, don’t leave.” Du Xiaoxian said, “The buses are out of service now, and there are only a few taxis. You can stay here for one night and wait until tomorrow morning to leave.”

“That’s right. Don’t leave. Young Master hasn’t returned yet. There are only the two of us left in such a big house. It’s scary. Don’t leave.”

Du Huayue didn’t want to stay here, but hearing what Ah Ling said, it was hard for him to say no. He nodded and pushed Du Xiaoxian to go into the room. “We’ve been out for too long. Let’s go inside and warm up.”

Ah Ling served the previously prepared fruit on the tea table. The three of them watched TV while eating. Du Xiaoxian occasionally looked at the big clock on the wall. Ah Ling and Du Huayue exchanged glances. They did not know how to comfort her, so they could only remain silent.

A short sketch was ongoing on TV, performed by some new young stars who just became famous in the past few years. Everyone laughed heartily at their jokes that are given one after another. Ah Ling and Du Huayue were completely attracted by the short sketch. They laughed their heads off. Although Du Xiaoxian was also staring at the TV, she was absent-minded. Suddenly, Du Xiaoxian was startled to tremble all over by a loud sound of thud. It was the big clock striking. She raised her eyes and saw that the shining copper needle was pointing at eleven o’clock.

She was stunned for a moment and whispered, “It’s already so late.”

Ah Ling glanced at her. “Xiaoxian, the weather is not good today. Maybe Young Master won’t come back. Don’t wait for him. It’s the same that we stay up all night with you on New Year’s Eve!”

“He said he would come back.” Du Xiaoxian picked up her phone and began to call him again. This time, there was an automatic female voice repeating Chinese and English mechanically on the phone. “Sorry, the number you dialed has been switched off! Please try again later.”

“How could this be?” Du Xiaoxian looked at Du Huayue and said, “Why did he switch off his phone? Did something happen to him on the way?”

“It can’t be. Don’t scare yourself.” Du Huayue said, “It’s New Year’s Eve, after all. Maybe his parents made him stay. Or maybe he’s drunk and they wouldn’t let him go.”

“But if he was not coming back, why didn’t he call me?” Du Xiaoxian was very anxious. “He would never be like this. Something must have happened!”

“Don’t worry. Let me check.” Du Huayue surfed the Internet with his phone and searched if there was any accident on the expressway to Fenglei Town. There was a case indeed, but it was just a small accident between two cars. It wasn’t serious, and it wasn’t Gu Nianbin’s car either.

Du Xiaoxian was a little relieved. “As long as nothing bad happened, that’s good. Perhaps he indeed drank too much and couldn’t drive, so he didn’t come back. We don’t need to wait for him.”

Ah Ling said, “Anyway, we’ll have to stay up for the new year’s eve and set off fireworks at twelve o’clock. Let’s go to bed after twelve o’clock.”

“Alright.” Du Huayue patted Du Xiaoxian’s shoulder and said with a smile, “If you are sleepy, go to bed now. But when the time comes, you’ll be awakened by the fireworks. Don’t blame us then.”

“I will also wait until twelve o’clock.” Du Xiaoxian leaned back on the sofa as she spoke. Her tiny body sank into the sofa and she looked at the TV blankly, showing some loneliness.

Du Huayue purposely teased her, “What, you can’t fall asleep without your brother Gu?”

As expected, Du Xiaoxian blushed and reached out to hit Du Huayue, “Brother Ah Yue, don’t embarrass me!”

“How did I embarrass you?” Du Huayue smiled and said, “Look, you are so depressed because your brother Gu isn’t back. As your elder brother for over ten years, I’m sad to know that!”

“Who says that I’m depressed?” Du Xiaoxian stood up and looked out of the window. “Let’s go out and set off the fireworks for a while longer. There are still a lot of fireworks!”

“Let’s go then. Anyway, we’ll need to set off the firecrackers at twelve o’clock after a while.” Du Huayue said to Ah Ling, “You should come with us. Let’s set up a few firecrackers and set them off together. That will be beautiful.”

While Du Xiaoxian was setting off the fireworks, Gu Nianbin was drinking with Xia Nanze. He wanted to leave after dinner, but he never had the chance to say that. First, Gu Guangxian and Xia Deren asked him something about the company, then they talked about some visions for the future, and even talked about buying back the Centennial Building of the Gu Group. It took him a lot of efforts to end the conversation with them.

Then, Fang Yaru and Mrs. Xia told him how hard it had been for Xia Xiaowan to stay abroad these past few years. They only hoped that she could enjoy a smooth and peaceful life after coming back. Mrs. Xia earnestly asked him to take care of Xia Xiaowan. They were all close friends and relatives of him. Gu Nianbin really didn’t want to show his hand on the New Year’s Eve, so he promised with a force smile.

Before he could find an excuse to leave, Gu Shanshan, Xia Nanze and Xia Xiaowan also came over and surrounded him. Gu Shanshan was chattering as usual. Xia Nanze held a glass of wine and wanted to drink with him. Perhaps driven by the alcohol, even though they obviously had no contact for quite a few years, Xia Nanze was unusually enthusiastic about reminiscing about their past friendship. Xia Xiaowan didn’t talk much, but her gaze contained too many emotions, making it difficult for him to ignore. All of a sudden, he realized that everything of tonight was for him. His parents knew what he was thinking, and Gu Shanshan knew as well. Perhaps Xia Xiaowan also knew. Therefore, when he came back today, they didn’t intend to let him go, unless he fell out and parted with them on bad terms. They believed that he wouldn’t leave. Because today was the New Year’s Eve, the day of family reunion, and the day of laughter and songs. If he had to fall out with his family on such a day, he just didn’t have the heart to be so ruthless because his father wouldn’t be able to take it, not to mention what it would look like to others. In this world, there was not only affection between lovers, but also family affection. He was a person with the utmost affection and filial piety. If that was the case, he really couldn’t let himself do that.

Feeling annoyed, he drank a lot naturally. Gu Shanshan was also exceptionally obedient tonight, occasionally leaning against him or holding his arm and acting like a spoiled child. He knew that she was trying to distract him. His heart was indeed in a bit of a mess.

In the end, he was finally drunk. Xia Nanze and Xiao Bonian helped him to go to his room. Seeing his back that was staggering away, Gu Shanshan finally relieved and said to Fang Yaru, “Finally it’s settled.”

Fang Yaru shook her head. “Do you think he doesn’t know? He just doesn’t want to offend us openly tonight.”

“What kind of overpowering drug has that Du Xiaoxian fed him?” Gu Shanshan said angrily, “It was acceptable that they were together when Xiaowan was abroad. Now she’s back, but he no longer has feelings for her in his heart.”

“After the New Year’s Eve, I’ll go to meet that girl,” said Fang Yaru. “Although we didn’t get along for a long time, I can tell that she’s not a bad person. I can make sense to her. As long as she chooses to disappear, Nianbin will return to Xiaowan. No matter what, the Gu family can’t have a maid marry into the house.”

“Mom, don’t worry.” Gu Shanshan said resolutely, “I’m on your side this time. We can definitely pull brother back.”

“I hope so.” Fang Yaru sighed and said, “Has your Uncle Xia and his families returned to their rooms?”

“Aunt Xia is back in her room. Uncle Xia is talking with Dad. Xiaowan is in my room. She sleeps with me tonight.”

Fang Yaru nodded and asked, “Where is your brother’s phone?”

“I turned his phone off and secretly put it back.” Gu Shanshan couldn’t help but laugh when she talked about it.

“How can you laugh about it.” Fang Yaru poked her forehead. “When he wakes up tomorrow morning, he’ll be furious.”

“I won’t admit it. I’ll tell him that he was drunk and turned off his phone himself. I have nothing to do with it.”

“What a smart girl.” Fang Yaru laughed and poked her again, pretending to be angry.

“Come on, Mom, stop poking me. I’m not a child anymore.” Gu Shanshan pouted and said, “I’m a hostess now!”

“Hostess, are you coming back to your room?” Xia Xiaowan popped her head in.

Gu Shanshan smiled and got up. “Mom, I’m going back to my room.”

“Go. You girls go back to your room and talk. I also need to rest.”

Gu Shanshan held Xia Xiaowan’s arm and crossed the corridor. There were bright red lanterns that were hung along the way. The wind stopped, and the red lanterns were hung there quietly, lighting the house up with red light. Although it was late at night, there was still a hint of color. Xia Xiaowan smiled and said, “When I was young, I watched the film Raise the Red Lantern. The scene was like this at the beginning of the film. I was wondering if the film was shot in your ancestral house.”

“Do you like it?” Gu Shanshan teased her, “When you and my brother get married, let’s hold the wedding here. I’ll hang red lanterns and make you happy. How is that?”

“Come on, what are you talking about? I just mentioned it causally. You are taking it seriously.” Xia Xiaowan took a deep breath of cold air and said, “Nianbin seemed a little strange tonight. Was he unhappy to see me?”

“No,” said Gu Shanshan, “he was so happy to see you that he seemed a little dumb.”

“I think he was absent-minded.” Xia Xiaowan looked at the red lanterns along the way and asked, “Was it because of the maid you told me about…”

“What does it have anything to do with her?” Gu Shanshan said disapprovingly, “She’s just a maid. You’re unparalleled in my brother’s heart.”

Xia Xiaowan laughed. “In that case, I still have a chance.”

“Of course, no one else but you can be the daughter-in-law of the Gu family.” Gu Shanshan nodded confidently and then suddenly frowned, “But how did you suddenly straighten out your thinking? You and Jiang Kaiwei…”

Xia Xiaowan’s expression changed slightly and she quickly smiled softly, as if she was mocking herself, “The relationship between him and me ended five years ago. It was just my wishful thinking. Since he was heartless, why should I get so attached to him?”

She was walking past under the lanterns, which cast a bright red light in her eyes. It was like a tiny streak of light that instantly disappeared and could not be seen clearly.

“That’s good.” Gu Shanshan said, “Over the years, my brother competed with Jiang Kaiwei on a lot of things because of you. I don’t understand why you liked that kind of a domineering young master like him back then.”

Xia Xiaowan chuckled. “As you said, it was back then. I was young and ignorant at that time. When you were young, you’d always make a fool of yourself.”

Gu Shanshan opened the door and said, “It doesn’t matter if you make mistakes. The important thing is to correct the mistake immediately. Now that you’re with my brother, just prepare to be the happiest woman in the world!”

Xia Xiaowan entered the warm room, but she shivered for no reason. “Ah, it’s so cold outside. I’m sleepy. Let’s go to bed.”

Gu Shanshan didn’t want to let her go to sleep. “Let’s talk for a while longer. You will be woken up by the firecrackers that Uncle Xiao will set off later anyway.”