Gu Nianbin did not expect that Xia Xiaowan would go back to the ancestral house with them. Fang Yaru said that she invited Xia Xiaowan to come, so Gu Nianbin couldn't say anything. He and Xia Xiaowan had nothing to do with each other for a long time, but Xia Xiaowan and her mother became friends, but he couldn't interfere.
As soon as Fang Yaru heard her son express his attitude, she exploded on the spot and scolded Gu Nianbin. If it wasn't for Gu Guangxian's good words to persuade her, she would definitely not give up. With so much hope, she is only one step away from success One step away, how could all previous efforts be wasted? But Gu Nianbin didn't go home very often, she couldn't see anyone, and she couldn't do anything, she talked to Gu Guangxian several times, saying that Gu Nianbin didn't know what to think, such a good girl actually gave up. Gu Guangxian's health was not very good recently, but he didn't express his opinion when he listened to it, and Fang Yaru's talking about it alone was meaningless, and it gradually faded away. But she was disappointed in her heart, she really liked Xia Xiaowan, although Gu Nianbin made it clear, but she still had a little hope in her heart, so when Xia Xiaowan mentioned the ancestral house, she immediately invited her to go with her.
The Gu family's ancestral house is located in Fenglei Town, about a hundred kilometers away from G City. This is an ancient town with a long history, with beautiful mountains and rivers, simple folk customs, and very convenient transportation. It was quite prosperous in the past. increasingly declining. Later, the government allocated funds to rebuild the ancient town and developed it as a tourist attraction, and the town gradually became prosperous again. There are many shops on both sides of the street, and it still maintains the old style. Come back one after another/operate some small businesses related to tourism.
The Gu family's ancestral house is at the southernmost part of the town. Many years ago, the Gu family was the richest man here. More than half of the shops in the town and countless fertile land belonged to the Gu family. The large area of mountains and waters was unmatched at that time, but unfortunately later, the family fell into ruin, and the shops and fertile land were all sold out. Later, the mountains, forests and waters belonged to the government, and only the ancestral house was left intact.
Fang Yaru had no other reason to ask Gu Nianbin to enter the house, but asked him to take Xia Xiaowan around.
When Xia Xiaowan heard this, she quickly shook her head: "No need, I'll just go by myself. How could such a big person get lost?"
"That's not for sure," Fang Yaru said with a smile, "This room is like a maze, let alone you, sometimes I get dizzy myself."
Gu Guangxian also said: "That's right, Nian Bin, Xiao Wan is a guest and it's her first time here, you can show her around."
As a gift for hospitality, there is nothing wrong with leading guests to visit the ancestral house, Gu Nianbin smiled and said to Xia Xiaowan: "Then please, it will take some effort to walk all these houses together."
Seeing what he said, Xia Xiaowan could only smile and nodded, and followed him.
Sitting on the carved mahogany sofa, Fang Yaru looked at the backs of Gu Nianbin and Xia Xiaowan walking out side by side, and couldn't stop the smile on her face.
Gu Wenxian laughed and said, "I think you still don't give up."
"Don't you think so?" Fang Yaru said, "What a good couple. I don't know what Nian Bin thinks. At first, they agreed to go out with each other, but now their attitude has changed. Where can I find such a good girl? She is knowledgeable and sensible. , well-educated, and top-notch in character and knowledge, hey! I'm so worried!"
"Stop worrying about it," Gu Guangxian said, "children and grandchildren have their own blessings."
"My son is thirty-two, don't hurry up, when can I have a grandson!" Fang Yaru sighed again as she spoke.
Gu Guangxian was out of spirits and didn't bother to answer the conversation.
Xia Xiaowan followed Gu Nianbin all the way, and found that this place is indeed like a maze as Fang Yaru said. There are doors everywhere, and all the porches are exactly the same, extending in all directions. If you don't pay attention, you will really get lost.
The antique mansions are all decorated with carved railings and painted buildings. The mahogany lacquered pillars can see people's shadows. The quiet corridors are reflected in the pond in the courtyard. The small stone lions in front of the door are simple and honest, and the stone carvings in the front yard are beautiful Huan, as well as the blue and simple bricks and the cornices stretching under the blue sky, make people feel as if they have entered time and space.
Xia Xiaowan walked all the way, amazed, and said to Gu Nianbin: "I really didn't expect your ancestral house to be so big and so beautiful!"
"It's said that it's a house where the three come out and the three come in," Gu Nianbin said: "Actually, when it's smaller, there are seven houses and eight houses. I heard from my father that when my grandfather was young, every house lived here. People, servants in groups, they all go in and out with eight big sedan chairs, shouting in front and hugging in back, and the neighbors are afraid to avoid them when they encounter them, and the scenery is infinite, but it is a pity that the family's fortunes have fallen, and it has become what it is now."
Xia Xiaowan looked away from a piece of carved window railing, and said with a smile: "It's not bad now, haven't you already carried forward the Gu family?"
"No matter how much money you earn, it will be futile if your ancestors' family business cannot be recovered." Gu Nianbin said with a sigh of relief.
Xia Xiaowan said, "Are you referring to the Gu's century-old building?"
"So you know it too." Gu Nianbin said with a wry smile, "That's my father's heart disease. He always thought that the building could be taken back in his lifetime. It's a pity that he doesn't even know who the owner is now."
"Can't you find out with your relationship?" Xia Xiaowan asked.
Gu Nianbin shook his head: "He is very low-key, and he entrusts a middleman to do it. I have been checking for the past few years, and I know nothing about him except that he is not from G City."
"Why don't I ask my family to ask for help, but you can't find out, so I guess I have nothing to do here."
"No need," Gu Nianbin said, "I'm just talking casually, you don't have to worry about it."
Xia Xiaowan nodded and continued to follow him. Gu Nianbin pushed open a wooden door, pointed to the empty courtyard and said: "This is the place where the family used to hold weddings and set wine. It is said that twenty tables can be set."
This place is big, but can it really hold twenty tables? Xia Xiaowan expressed doubts, and Gu Nianbin saw her confusion, and said, "Of course it's not the big round table like this. In the past, the square table with eight immortals was used, and a table could seat eight people. Look at the square bricks on the ground. When it was built, It was carefully measured according to the size of a banquet."
It was only then that Xia Xiaowan suddenly realized, and sighed, "People in the old days were more particular than modern people. Modern people set up a banquet, hold a dance or something, as long as there is an open space."
"Speaking of the dance," Xia Xiaowan continued, "I saw Du Xiaoxian at my cousin's coming-of-age ceremony last time."
"Oh? Really?" Gu Nianbin's tone was light, obviously not wanting to continue.
Xia Xiaowan didn't seem to notice it, and said: "At first glance, I almost didn't recognize it, it looks like a different person. I really didn't expect her to be dressed up, and she is still a little beauty."
Gu Nianbin hummed twice, "It's so-so."
"Her little boyfriend is also good. He looks very talented. The two of them are a good match when they stand together."
Gu Nianbin raised the corner of his mouth, showing a faint smile, "Do you think they are a good match?"
Xia Xiaowan smiled and said, "Not only do I think so, but their classmates also think so. I heard from my cousin that they haven't had a long time together, but they have a very good relationship, and they often go out together on campus."
"Really?" Gu Nianbin said flatly: "I didn't study hard at such a young age, but I started talking about love. I have to talk to her."
Xia Xiaowan pretended to be surprised: "Why, you don't know at all? I thought she told you!"
"How could she tell me such a thing?" Gu Nianbin stepped on a small stone by the side of the road and said, "If you don't tell me, I don't even know."
"Ah!" Xia Xiaowan stuck out her tongue, "Then I shouldn't have said it, I..."
"It's okay, I still want to thank you for telling me this." Gu Nianbin said, pointing to a door in front and said: "This is the back door. Behind the door is a mountain. In the past, the mountains near here belonged to our family, but they were later blocked by the government. I have taken it back, and now I have bought back the mountain at the back, built a road, built a gazebo, planted some ornamental trees, and the scenery is not bad, do you want to go up for a walk?"
There was a bit of an invitation to ask questions in the words, but her tone was indifferent, Xia Xiaowan said: "You don't need to accompany me, I will go up and take a walk by myself, anyway, it's still early for dinner."
Gu Nianbin nodded and said good, then turned and left. Xia Xiaowan looked at his back, a smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, very gentle and demure, like a rose flower blooming in a dark corner.
Gu Nianbin was sitting on the promenade smoking a cigarette, the reflection of the carved window railing was reflected on the ground, bringing out the warmth and beauty of the old days, he followed the reflection to look at the wooden window railing, on which was carved a crane ring fairy pavilion, a one-legged crane , The pavilions around the clouds are complex, scattered and exquisite. I am afraid that it will take a lot of effort to carve such a window rail! Gu Nianbin stared blankly at the pattern with complicated lines, and suddenly his heart felt like a mess, with thousands of threads, cutting constantly, and the reasoning was still chaotic...
Throwing away the cigarette butt, he sat silently for a while before getting up and going into the hall. Gu Guangxian lay on the mahogany rocking chair with his eyes closed and rested. Seeing him coming back alone, Fang Yaru asked strangely, "Where's Xiaowan?"
"She went up the mountain." Gu Nianbin sat down, took a sip of the tea offered by A Ling, and said, "I'll be back when it's time for dinner."
"Oh!" Fang Yaru exclaimed: "How can you let her go alone? What if something happens? She is a guest and a girl. You should stay with her!"
"The road on the mountain is not complicated, and it's easy to walk. What can happen?" Gu Nianbin lowered his head and drank his tea calmly, ignoring his mother's fuss.
Fang Yaru glared at her son, then looked at Gu Guangxian who was still resting with his eyes closed, afraid of disturbing him, so he didn't say anything.
But until Xiao Bonian said that dinner was ready, Xia Xiaowan still didn't come back, Fang Yaru blamed Gu Nianbin: "What did I say, it's already time and I haven't come back, go find it quickly, Lao Xiao, you also sent someone to go up the mountain Go find it, and nothing really happens."
Gu Nianbin also found it strange, so he hurriedly led people up the mountain to search for it. He walked halfway up the mountain, only to see Xia Xiaowan sitting on the ground with a painful face.