As a result, the Gu family treated Sheng Zexi and his grandparents, Grandpa Sang and Grandma Sang, with even more warmth.

Grandpa Sang and Grandma Sang were also delighted. The Gu family was good, and the people were clearly honest and sincere. They felt that they could get along well with this in-law family.

They thought that perhaps when Sheng Zexi chose the girl named Ningning, the Gu family had also played a role in his decision.

In fact, this was indeed the case.

Perhaps after his mother passed away and his father remarried, Sheng Zexi no longer felt care and warmth at home.

However, during the time he stayed with the Gu family to recover from his injuries, the Gu family treated him very well. Although he wasn’t staying there for free—he had paid and also helped with work—he could still tell whether people were flattering him for money or genuinely caring for him.

The Gu family was kind, tolerant, and sincere, without any hidden agendas.

Such a family made Sheng Zexi feel warm.

Perhaps only such a family could raise someone like Gu Jianing—innocent, delicate, and a bit spoiled—because she knew that her family would always have her back, shield her from storms, and give her unconditional support.

Sheng Zexi also felt a bit envious of that silly girl. Gu Jianing’s carefree nature was something he wanted to protect.

“By the way, Auntie, where is Ningning?” Sheng Zexi looked around but didn’t see Gu Jianing.

“Ningning will be here soon,” Yao Chunhua gave her daughter-in-law a look.

Yang Manman nodded, knocked on Gu Jianing’s door, and brought her out.

Gu Jianing loved dressing up on ordinary days, so naturally, she wanted to look her best on such an important occasion.

As soon as she appeared, everyone’s eyes lit up.

When she was introduced to Grandpa Sang and Grandma Sang, Grandma Sang was so moved that she took Gu Jianing’s hand, her eyes misty with tears. “Good, good. You look like such a good child, so beautiful, like a fairy. It’s my little Xi’s good fortune to marry you.”

Gu Jianing’s face flushed red, and she shyly lowered her head, not daring to look at Sheng Zexi.

Grandma Sang gave her a warm feeling, just like her own grandmother.

“Little Xi, where’s that small box of mine?”

At Grandma Sang’s call, Sheng Zexi brought over a wooden box, about 20 centimeters in size, which looked rather plain, and handed it to Gu Jianing.

“Ningning, this is from Grandpa and Grandma. You should take it.”

Gu Jianing, now holding the box, was a bit confused and instinctively looked at Sheng Zexi. What is this?

Yao Chunhua thought that this must be something the elderly couple had prepared for Ningning themselves, which showed their affection for her.

“Grandma Sang, isn’t this too precious? It might not be appropriate to give it to Ningning.”

Grandma Sang waved her hand. “It’s nothing too valuable. It’s just a little something from me and the old man. Some of it was left by Little Xi’s mother, so it’s like a greeting gift from my daughter to Ningning.”

Since Grandma Sang put it that way, Yao Chunhua didn’t stop her daughter from accepting it.

Sheng Zexi also nodded to Gu Jianing, “Take it.”

Alright, then she would accept it.

Gu Jianing carried the wooden box to her room and placed it on the bed before coming out again. After all, the box had some weight to it, and she couldn’t just keep holding it.

Although she was curious about what was inside, now wasn’t the time to open it. She would take a look later when she had time.

By the time Sheng Zexi and his grandparents left, half an hour had passed.

After all, it was the dowry presentation. According to the customs of Huaihua Village, the groom and his family shouldn’t stay too long at the bride’s house after the dowry was presented.

The jeep started again and headed towards Zhaoyang County, and the commotion in front of the Gu family’s house gradually died down.

Now, Gu Jianing finally had time to return to her room. Filled with curiosity, she opened the wooden box.

As soon as the box opened, a dazzling array of colors greeted her eyes.

There were blues, reds, yellows, and greens—it was a collection of jewelry. Jade bracelets, gemstone rings, gemstone necklaces, and more filled most of the box. Some of the pieces were even part of matching sets. Beside the jewelry were a few pieces of paper. Moving the jewelry aside, she found a layer of small gold bars covering the bottom of the box—ten in total.

Gu Jianing knew that these small gold bars were extremely valuable, both now and in the future.

As for the jewelry, although it might not seem as valuable now, in the future, its worth would skyrocket. A single piece of jewelry could potentially be exchanged for a house.

And those pieces of paper…

If they were placed alongside the jewelry and gold bars, they couldn’t be ordinary papers.

When she picked them up and opened them, her hands trembled slightly.

She had guessed correctly. These weren’t just papers—they were property deeds. One was for a courtyard house in Beijing, located not far from the Forbidden City, likely within the first or second ring road. Eight were for a row of connected shops on a street in Beijing. The last one was for a small Western-style house in Shanghai.

Gu Jianing’s hands shook, and her breathing became slightly uneven.

“Grandpa and Grandma Sang are so generous. How can this not be considered precious?”

To be honest, Gu Jianing wasn’t a perfect person. She loved beauty and had a bit of greed. When she picked up the severely injured Sheng Zexi, wasn’t it because she saw potential benefits in his military uniform?

The jewelry was beautiful, and every piece appealed to her. She felt that she would look stunning wearing any of them.

She also knew the immense value of the contents of this box. For a moment, she thought that since it was given to her, she should just keep it.

But soon, she came to her senses.

She called out loudly, “Mom, come here.”

At her call, Yao Chunhua arrived, and Gu Jianing quickly showed her the contents of the wooden box.

“My goodness!” Yao Chunhua clutched her chest, overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of what she saw. It took her a while to recover.

After calming down, she took Gu Jianing’s hand and said solemnly, “My dear, these things are too precious. We didn’t know what was inside earlier, but now that we do, we can’t just accept them without a second thought.”

Gu Jianing nodded in agreement. “Mom, I think so too. I plan to tell Brother Sheng about the contents of this box the next time I see him. It’s best to return these things to his grandparents.”

“Yes, we should ask, and we should do this.” Yao Chunhua gently stroked Gu Jianing’s soft hair, her face filled with affection and pride. “My dear, some things we can keep if they’re meant for us, but what’s not ours should be returned.”

“Alright, close the box and put it away safely for now. Go to the old house and bring your grandmother here. We’ll have lunch together.”

“Okay. By the way, Mom, among the gifts Brother Sheng brought today, you and Dad should keep some. Also, share some with the family and my aunts. Oh, and give the two cans of milk powder to Second Sister-in-law. Zhuangzhuang can drink it.” Although Gu Jianing could be a bit spoiled and had once taken advantage of her family for Wen Zhuqing’s sake, she wasn’t greedy when it came to her family. She was willing to share and knew what was right.