At this moment, Gu Yanqing and Qiao Wanqing were not around.

Gu Jingzhi and Madam Gu were startled by Kuo Kuo’s actions.

Madam Gu quickly stood up and went over. She knocked on the door and asked, “Sweetie, what’s wrong?”

Unfortunately, the door had good soundproofing, so the child couldn’t hear her.

Madam Gu and Gu Jingzhi exchanged a glance, then grabbed the handle and opened the door.

They found Kuo Kuo standing behind it, using his little body to block the door, crying out, “No, no, Kuo Kuo is scared.”

Probably because of his cold, Kuo Kuo’s usually clear little voice was now hoarse.

His fearful shouting broke his grandparents’ hearts.

Madam Gu held the door, leaving a small gap, and said to Kuo Kuo, who was leaning against the door, “Don’t be afraid, it’s Grandma. What are you scared of?”

“Kuo Kuo doesn’t want, doesn’t want injections.”

Madam Gu and Gu Jingzhi both smiled.

So Kuo Kuo was afraid of injections.

Gu Jingzhi signaled the butler to take Dr. Huang to the side room.

“Sweetie, the doctor was called away by Grandpa. He’s not in the living room anymore. Come and see if you don’t believe me.”

Kuo Kuo indeed stopped blocking the door.

After a while, he cautiously opened it, peeked out to see that Dr. Huang was gone, and then opened the door fully.

He raised his little hand and said, “Grandma, hold me.”

Madam Gu’s heart melted.

She picked him up, kissed his little face, and said, “Are you scared of injections, Kuo Kuo?”

Kuo Kuo nodded, “Injections in the bottom, bad guys.”

“Right, Grandma will have Grandpa deal with the bad guys later.” Madam Gu joined in the effort against the “bad guys.”

“The bad guys, bad guys hit Kuo Kuo’s… bottom!” Kuo Kuo stammered but seriously corrected Madam Gu.

Madam Gu laughed, “It’s the bad guys who are giving Kuo Kuo the injection in his bottom.”

“Yeah.” Kuo Kuo nodded.

“It hurts, doesn’t it?”

“Yes.” Kuo Kuo pouted, looking distressed as if remembering the pain of the injection.

He touched his little bottom and said, “I cried… cried a lot.”

Koukou is still young and doesn’t use “I” to express himself, always referring to himself as Koukou.

Today, when he suddenly said “I,” it made it seem like he was truly upset.

Gu Jingzhi and Madam Gu found it amusing and laughed.

Gu Jingzhi, usually serious, reached out and patted Koukou’s head, saying with a warm smile, “Don’t be afraid, Grandpa is here. Grandpa is scary and won’t let anyone give you an injection. Don’t be scared.”

Koukou, who had been sadly lying in Madam Gu’s arms, brightened up at Gu Jingzhi’s words.

He looked at his usually intimidating grandpa with admiration.

Children have simple minds; if Grandpa is scary to others, they must be scared too.

So Koukou believed Gu Jingzhi’s words without question.

He even reached out and said, “Grandpa, hold me.”

Gu Jingzhi was thrilled.

Koukou had never asked him to hold him before, always wanting his parents, grandmother, or even the butler.

Finally, Gu Jingzhi managed to build a good image in his grandson’s eyes.

He eagerly picked Koukou up and said, “Good boy, Grandpa will protect you.”

Madam Gu remarked, “You’re quite clever, aren’t you?”

Since Koukou was afraid of Dr. Huang, Gu Jingzhi waved his hand and had the butler send Dr. Huang away, bringing in another doctor, Dr. Wang.

Koukou had already recovered from his fever and didn’t need another injection, but he still needed a check-up to ensure there were no major issues.

He had a slight cough, and they were being extra cautious to prevent pneumonia.

Initially, Koukou was wary of Dr. Wang too.

He wasn’t easily fooled, understanding that both doctors were the same.

However, seeing that Dr. Wang didn’t have a needle, Koukou reluctantly cooperated.

Koukou didn’t realize that if Dr. Wang had brought a needle, he wouldn’t be able to escape.

Dr. Wang said there was nothing serious and recommended regular children’s cold medicine.

If Koukou continued coughing, he could drink stewed rock candy and pear soup.

Madam Gu immediately instructed the kitchen to prepare it.

Hearing that Kuo Kuo was doing better, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Kuo Kuo was the family’s little treasure—young and endearingly naïve, bringing laughter wherever he went.

The family cherished him greatly, and even a small cold had prompted Gu Jingzhi and Madam Gu to travel a long distance to visit him.

The rock candy stewed pear, being sweet and refreshing, was enjoyed by Kuo Kuo, who had no appetite for anything else.

He finished a small bowl of the soup and ate half a pear before falling asleep.

After Kuo Kuo fell asleep, Gu Yanqing and Qiao Wanqing returned from their outing.

They had picked up certificates, but not a marriage certificate; instead, they obtained food safety certifications for the fruit and vegetable dried goods sold in Qiao Wanqing’s Taobao store.

As for the marriage certificate, they decided to wait until after New Year’s Day to get it.

When Qiao Wanqing went to check on Kuo Kuo and came out, she saw Madam Gu inviting her to sit.

“What’s up, Mom?”

“I just wanted to ask if it’s convenient for you. Jingzhi and I were planning to visit after New Year’s, but since we’re here now, we might as well go together.”

Qiao Wanqing was surprised that Madam Gu wanted to visit her home.

Madam Gu had been there before, but Gu Jingzhi hadn’t. He hadn’t even been to Gu Yanqing’s house in C City.

When he first arrived, he complained about the decor being too somber and not vibrant enough.

Qiao Wanqing wasn’t sure how he would feel about her own home, which was still quite old-fashioned.

However, since they had offered to visit, Qiao Wanqing felt she couldn’t refuse.

She replied, “Sure, you’re welcome anytime. I’ll let my grandmother and the others know to prepare.”

“Let’s go in a couple of days, when Kuo Kuo is feeling better. It won’t be too much trouble; we just want to visit, see your family, and make sure we follow proper etiquette.”

Qiao Wanqing understood that the purpose of the visit was to meet her family and establish familial ties before her marriage.

“Alright.”

“Also, you need to go to City X for the New Year to deliver red envelopes and gifts to Yanqing’s uncles, aunts, and my maternal family. I’ll have someone prepare the items in advance; you just need to bring them back.”

Qiao Wanqing didn’t know about these customs related to marriage, but since Madam Gu said it was necessary, she agreed, “I’ll let Yanqing know.”

Since she hadn’t experienced marriage herself, and didn’t know the city customs, Qiao Wanqing was mostly confused.

She left everything to Gu Yanqing and just had to organize her bridesmaid team.

Her own family also needed to host a gathering.

Originally, Qiao Wanqing had said she was already married, but after her husband’s infidelity and their subsequent divorce, they were now just “reuniting.”

It didn’t make sense to host a large celebration.

So, she and Gu Yanqing decided to choose a day to invite close friends and relatives to a simple meal at the hotel invested in by Gu Yanqing in the town.

They decided to skip other formalities to avoid rumors and unnecessary gossip from the villagers.

Moreover, Qiao Wanqing didn’t have many acquaintances, so there was no need for a large-scale celebration like in their village, where every household was invited.

In the evening, after dinner, Mrs. Gu continued to feed her beloved grandson with a bowl of food.

Meanwhile, Qiao Wanqing and Gu Yanqing were called by Gu Jingzhi for tea and a lecture.

Qiao Wanqing had noticed this about the old man—although he appeared strict like a school principal, he had a penchant for giving advice and often lectured young people about principles and life.

“Is Wanqing running a farm-to-table restaurant?” Today, Gu Jingzhi’s topic of conversation was directly about her.

“Yes, I opened a vegetarian restaurant because we had surplus vegetables from the farm,” Qiao Wanqing replied.

Gu Jingzhi nodded.

He was aware that Qiao Wanqing’s family grew vegetables.

Last time Madam Gu visited, she brought some back, and they tasted really good, better than any vegetables he had tried before.

The vegetables they ate at home were from a rural supplier, but they didn’t compare to the quality of Qiao Wanqing’s vegetables.

“Speaking of growing vegetables, when I was young, I also grew some with Yapei.” Yapei was Madam Gu’s name, Lu Yapei.

“Really?”

Qiao Wanqing was surprised.

She remembered that the Gu family was a distinguished one, and Gu Jingzhi was definitely from a wealthy background.

It was hard for her to imagine Madam Gu and growing vegetables in the same context.

She glanced at Gu Yanqing, who was calmly sipping his tea, clearly aware of this story.

“At that time, before Yanqing was born, I was in poor health and went to the countryside to recuperate. There was a piece of land in front of the house, so Yapei and I planted a lot of vegetables. Surprisingly, we did quite well, but a boy from the neighboring fish farm kept stealing from us. In the end, we caught him.”

Qiao Wanqing was taken aback.

This was quite an exciting story!

Gu Jingzhi, while recounting these old anecdotes, seemed to forget his usual high-and-mighty demeanor and continued to share his stories.

Qiao Wanqing found it quite interesting and listened attentively.

After Madam Gu finished feeding Koukou, she was drenched in sweat.

She came over and said, “It’s so tough. Nowadays, feeding kids is like begging for ancestors. They even sneak food into the trash can and lie about eating it.”

Koukou, caught out by his grandmother, buried his head in Qiao Wanqing’s arms.

Qiao Wanqing thanked Madam Gu, “Thank you, Mom. It’s been hard.”

Feeding Koukou had been challenging recently due to his poor appetite.

Normally, Qiao Wanqing could get him full in half an hour.

“It’s no trouble. Yanqing was even worse when he was young. I’ve brought that story too.”

“Oh?”

Qiao Wanqing was intrigued when she heard about Gu Yanqing’s mischievous childhood.

Just as she was about to ask more, Gu Yanqing preempted her and said, “Mom, Dad was just talking about your mischief when you were young!”

Gu Jingzhi responded with a look of surprise.

Madam Gu confidently said, “Oh, I wasn’t that mischievous. But let me tell you, when Yanqing was little, he loved snacks and milk. One time, while drinking milk, he suddenly complained that it tasted bad and was bitter. I was so scared I thought the milk had gone bad.”

Qiao Wanqing realized that Koukou’s love for snacks and milk must have come from Gu Yanqing.

Seeing Gu Yanqing’s expression of being caught, she asked Mrs. Gu, “Was there really something wrong with the milk?”

“I thought so too,” Madam Gu replied. “I quickly tasted it myself, and it was just the normal milk flavor, not bitter at all. Yanqing just didn’t want to drink it because he had secretly eaten a piece of cake when the cook wasn’t looking. I didn’t let him eat too many sweets because they affect his appetite. He didn’t want to admit he had eaten the cake, so he said the milk was bitter.”

Qiao Wanqing couldn’t help but laugh.

It was easy to imagine Koukou acting the same way as a child.

She didn’t expect that even Young Master Gu was quite the actor back then.

“And there’s more.”

Madam Gu was enjoying revealing her son’s past antics, but Gu Yanqing, embarrassed, turned to Qiao Wanqing and said, “I heard your computer making a sound. It sounded like a Wangwang message.”

Qiao Wanqing was taken aback.

Although she was curious about more stories from Madam Gu, she had to check the Wangwang message first.

So, she went to her room to respond.

When she came back, Gu Yanqing had successfully redirected Madam Gu’s attention.

Qiao Wanqing didn’t get to hear more of Gu Yanqing’s childhood stories, which was a bit disappointing.

She thought that his childhood probably wasn’t worse than Koukou’s, and might even be more interesting.

Koukou, who was a bit of a drama queen and a foodie, probably inherited these traits from Gu Yanqing.

…

Koukou’s recent illness had been quite serious.

He wasn’t naturally chubby, and being sick made him lose even the little baby fat he had.

His already big eyes looked even larger now.

Even though Koukou looked a bit worn out, somehow his appearance seemed to have improved.

Qiao Wanqing didn’t dare to say this because Madam Gu and the others were so concerned that they were doing everything possible to make delicious food for Koukou.

One big problem was that Koukou refused to take his medicine.

Every time they tried to give it to him, it turned into a battle of wits.

The first two times, they tricked him by saying he needed an injection if he didn’t take the medicine, which made Koukou quickly swallow it.

But the third time, he was too clever for that trick.

He figured it out and refused to be fooled again.

Qiao Wanqing looked for solutions online and found a tip where people used a drink box with a hole in the side to hide the medicine, making the child think it was their favorite drink, so they’d take it willingly.

Koukou’s favorite drink was milk, but Qiao Wanqing had tried putting the medicine in milk bottles before, and Koukou would recognize the trick right away because the milk was white.

However, if it was something he couldn’t see…

She decided to try a different approach.

She had the cook prepare a box of Koukou’s favorite yogurt.

After finishing the yogurt, she cut a hole in the box and put the medicine bottle inside, then inserted a straw.

Perfect.

“Hey Koukou, it’s yogurt time,” Qiao Wanqing called to Koukou, who was playing with his grandpa.

Recently, Koukou, who used to be scared of Gu Jingzhi, had become very close to him and even actively sought his hugs.

Koukou’s appetite had been poor lately, and he only wanted sweet things, showing disdain for anything else, especially meals.

When he heard about the yogurt, he immediately jumped up, adjusted his falling pants, and ran over as if he hadn’t had yogurt in ages.

In reality, he was just a foodie.

He approached food with enthusiasm, but often after a few bites, he’d lose interest.

Qiao Wanqing held him in her arms and didn’t let him touch the yogurt box, only allowing him to drink from the straw.

Koukou took a couple of sips and quickly noticed something was wrong.

The yogurt didn’t taste as good as usual and had a slightly bitter flavor.

Koukou looked confused.

He might have thought that because he was sick, everything tasted bitter, even his favorite yogurt.

He pushed Qiao Wanqing away and said, “I don’t want it.”

Qiao Wanqing looked at his cute, clueless expression and almost couldn’t hold back her laughter.

Gu Yanqing, who was watching, found it a bit funnier and encouraged him, saying, “Have a bit more. Drinking this will help you grow taller, just like Daddy.”

He stood up, towering at over 1.8 meters, which made him seem very tall in front of the little boy.

Kouko hesitated a bit, so Qiao Wanqing continued to coax him, “This is yogurt. Look, it’s your favorite. Isn’t that the little brother on the box?”

Kouko looked at the yogurt box and recognized it as his favorite.

Reluctantly, he took a few more sips and finished the small bottle of medicine.

Qiao Wanqing threw the yogurt box and medicine bottle into the trash and tried hard not to laugh, almost to the point of tears.

Kids are so easy to trick.

Even the clever little Kouko didn’t realize that his beloved yogurt had been swapped with medicine.

He drank it without fuss, even though he usually wouldn’t take a sip of medicine.

Gu Yanqing gave Kouko a small piece of candy he had prepared earlier and patted his head, thinking how silly his son was.

The boy, completely unaware of being tricked, enjoyed the candy and went off to play with his grandparents.