Rebirth in the 50s: The Couple with the Hidden Space novel Chapter 461

Chapter 461: Chapter 350: Gu Family Ancestral Residence

After being forced to rest at home for a day by Zhou Xiaozheng, Zhou Jiao once again accompanied her family and relatives on their journey.

Two days and one night later, the group finally arrived at the old residence of the Jiangnan Gu Family.

Stone lions, vermilion gates, curved eaves and ridges, shadow walls, and brick carvings on the walls, this courtyard, despite the wear and tear of time, still reveals its past grandeur.

Garden rockeries, pavilions and terraces, winding corridors, deep courtyards of unfathomable depth, immersing oneself feels like a return to ancient times, transcending the wrong time and space.

Accompanied by staff, the two families listened to Old Mrs. Cheng’s nostalgic descriptions, with no one making a sound the entire time. As she reminisced, scene after scene of past events was vividly engraved in everyone’s mind.

The ancestral home, still the ancestral home of a big family, the ancient architecture where ancestors of the Gu Family lived for generations. Bereft of liveliness, the massive courtyards, overshadowed by century-old trees and rockeries, appear eerily silent.

Zhou Xiaozheng stood in the main hall, gazing outside, and sighed deeply.

"Aunt, it’s been such a burden for you all these years."

He couldn’t bring himself to say more. The old residence should have been completely looted by the clan back then; much of what is displayed now are repaired furnishings. Over the decades, the vast repair and maintenance costs have been astronomical, not to mention the effort expended by the Cheng Family. Without Old Mrs. Cheng, this ancient residence couldn’t have been preserved so perfectly.

"What burden? This is my family’s home, where I grew up," said Old Mrs. Cheng, in a low tone.

Eversince entering the mansion, she had taken medicine once. Mr. Cheng watched her anxiously, afraid she might get too emotional. At this moment, after barely visiting the main courtyard, he hesitated whether to continue touring the side courtyard.

After resting awhile, Mr. Cheng quietly consulted with his wife, "Let’s first prepare to pay respects to your parents, and let Xiao Zheng take the children to explore here, okay?"

Upon hearing this, Old Mrs. Cheng looked at Zhou Xiaozheng and saw him nod, "If you have any questions, ask Doorkeeper Old Gu. He used to be a help for our family. He knows many things."

Zhou Xiaozheng nodded. Though referred to as help, he was actually a family servant. His mother, Gu Mingzhu, saved his life as an orphan, and later he ran errands for her father. He is well-versed in the affairs of the Gu Family.

He had previously investigated Old Gu. This man, over eighty years old, steadfastly remains in the old residence, just to help his mother Gu Mingzhu guard the family. He is a good person.

Despite now having many children and grandchildren, he still firmly believes that his young mistress and her husband will surely return. When he learned of their deaths and about their missing child, he steadfastly remained in the old residence, secretly helping Old Mrs. Cheng investigate the whereabouts of the child.

In the morning, upon meeting Zhou Jiao, Old Gu was limping, crying in pain over the leg broken by Gu Family members, lamenting over his inability to safeguard things, all being stolen. He warned the young mistress to be wary of those people.

His eldest grandson hurriedly followed, explaining that the old man was somewhat muddled with age. He hadn’t seen Gu Mingzhu, so how could he know that, even muddled, Gu Mingzhu always remained in his heart. Zhou Jiao, looking just like a grandmother, was recognized not only by Old Gu but also by the elderly people they encountered along the way, who cried out her name.

Faced with such loyalty, Zhou Jiao was in tears. The investigation reports on paper felt weightless, but seeing the old man, her heart was pierced sharply.

Having sent off the Cheng Family, Zhou Xiaozheng agreed on a time with the accompanying staff and watched them leave happily with a knowing smile.

Zhou Xiaozheng ceased paying attention to others’ thoughts. Since they, father and daughter, had agreed to sign and pledge to lend, they would not let people down. Just based on the department’s agreement to list it as a memorial tourist spot, maintaining the original state of the ancient residence, he would agree. Moreover, with only a short ten-year lease, it might always remain a tourist destination.

"Dad, shall we proceed according to plan?" Seeing everyone had left and only the three of them remained, Zhou Jiao quickly asked.

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