SGEIRS -Chapter 503 Wanwan Follows Him

The Third Bathing Ceremony

Gu Jingxi’s eldest son’s third-bathing ceremony was held, and many guests were invited. Those relatives and friends not in the capital weren’t invited—after all, they couldn’t make it in time—but invitations were sent in advance, asking them to attend the child’s full-month celebration later.

Meng Chengzhang was still at the academy and couldn’t return in time, so Meng Dongyuan could only bring Meng Chengxing to the ceremony. Although his daughter didn’t have a good relationship with him, she had given the Gu family a male heir, which brought her favor in their household. As a father, this gave him some face. When out among others, people naturally treated him with a bit of respect.

After visiting his grandson, Meng Dongyuan chatted with the other guests. Though some looked down on him, since he was Gu Jingxi’s father-in-law, they still offered him some courtesy in conversation.

Meng Chengxing stayed by his father’s side. Seeing that his father wasn’t paying as much attention to him as usual and that the conversation flowed smoothly with others without mentioning him, he could only wait for someone to notice him and direct the topic his way to have a chance to speak and relieve the awkwardness. He was furious inside, yet there was nothing he could do about his father.

Meng Dongyuan said kindly, “Chengxing, your eldest brother-in-law is over there. Go talk to him. Didn’t you say on the way here that you wanted to ask him about learning?”

Hearing this, Meng Chengxing was momentarily stunned. When had he ever said such a thing? Was his father even speaking sensibly? And he didn’t have a good relationship with his eldest brother-in-law anyway.

With outsiders present, Meng Chengxing couldn’t argue and could only nod stiffly, saying “Okay,” and walked toward Gu Jingxi.

Meng Dongyuan smiled at the man in front of him: “My youngest son is a bit shy. Please forgive him.”

The man replied, “Heir Meng is just a little reserved. My boy is the same, not very talkative either.”

Over there, Gu Jingxi was slightly surprised when his young brother-in-law suddenly came over to chat. Seeing Meng Dongyuan not far off, he understood the situation: the young brother-in-law had been sent over by his father-in-law—a subtle form of embarrassment.

Meng Chengxing forced a few words of small talk and, upon seeing some peers he recognized, quickly found an excuse to leave.

Qi Yunwen whispered, “Yaoling, your young brother-in-law seems a little scared of you, yet he forces himself to talk to you. It’s strange—if he’s intimidated by you, why even come over?”

Gu Jingxi pursed his lips and smiled faintly, dodging the deeper question: “Perhaps it’s out of courtesy.”

Weirui Pavilion

Meng Jinyao was observing her confinement in her room and couldn’t meet the guests. Song Xinning came to visit her and, seeing that she looked well, felt reassured.

Meng Jinyao gazed at her swaddled son and sighed lightly. “A-Ning, I thought we might one day become in-laws, but it turns out we had a boy. We’ll just have to let him and your son become good brothers.”

Song Xinning replied, “Then I’ll try harder. Maybe in a couple of years I can have a daughter. If they like each other, then they can become in-laws.”

Meng Jinyao was surprised and puzzled. “A-Ning, childbirth is so agonizing—I felt like I might meet my ancestors these past few days. And you still want to try again?”

Song Xinning paused, then replied, “It’s strange. When I first gave birth, I told my husband I didn’t want another, but now seeing other people’s daughters, I feel envious and want a girl. I suppose I’ve forgotten the pain once it healed.”

Meng Jinyao didn’t understand. She had no desire for a second child. Thinking of the pain of childbirth now, she felt fear. That indescribable agony was something she never wanted to endure again. With her husband having Wanwan as the heir, she didn’t need to have another.

Song Xinning held the little one and asked, “Has he been named yet?”

Meng Jinyao replied, “Not formally. His nickname is Wanwan—‘wan’ as in ‘dinner time.’”

“Wanwan?” Song Xinning was puzzled. “Why that nickname?”

Meng Jinyao smiled: “Because he was born a few days late, which made me anxious for a bit longer, so we call him Wanwan.”

Song Xinning was astonished: “You can do that?”

Meng Jinyao countered: “Why not?” Looking at her son, she felt a bit wistful. “Even before he was born, he was already delaying. Do you think he’ll grow up to procrastinate too?”

Hearing this, Song Xinning recalled her uncle’s words. “If so, he definitely takes after your husband.”

Meng Jinyao asked in surprise, “Why do you say that?”

Song Xinning explained: “I heard my uncle say that when your husband was studying, he always submitted his homework last. Other students handed theirs to the teacher first; he would submit his slowly at the last moment.”

Meng Jinyao: “…So that’s the problem.”

Song Xinning continued: “Whenever my grandmother scolded my uncle for being slow, my uncle would shift the blame to your husband, saying he was even slower but still did better. This would annoy my uncle so much he’d immediately finish his task properly and then brag to my grandmother.”

Pausing, she noticed her friend was silent, and added: “But you don’t need to worry. Your husband is excellent; if Wanwan takes after him, he’ll definitely be a capable child too.”

Meng Jinyao shook her head gently, smiling warmly: “I don’t care if the child is exceptional. As long as he has good character and is healthy, that’s enough. If he becomes successful, that’s a bonus. I just feel that the Gu Jingxi people speak of is very different from the Gu Jingxi I know.”

Song Xinning replied: “That’s because he’s grown since then. Surely he’s different now. Even my husband has changed a lot in the past two years. He was already steady, but now he’s even more mature and reliable.”

Meng Jinyao nodded: “True, age changes both mindset and behavior.”

After the Luncheon

The third-bathing ritual began. The elder ancestors said it both cleansed the child and offered blessings for his future.

After the ritual, guests didn’t leave immediately. They stayed to converse, and after about an hour, they gradually departed.

Once the guests left, Gu Jingxi returned to Weirui Pavilion, finding Meng Jinyao looking at him with a half-smile. He asked, puzzled, “A-Yao, why are you looking at me like that?”

Meng Jinyao replied: “Husband, I think you suit the name Wanwan as well.”

Gu Jingxi looked blank. “How so?”

She laughed and said: “I was puzzled why our child was born a few days late, but after hearing about your past, I realized he inherited your habit from the womb—your love of procrastination.”

Gu Jingxi instinctively protested: “A-Yao, when have I liked to procrastinate? Whenever you asked me to do something, I never delayed.”

Meng Jinyao teased: “Do you dare say that when you were a student, you weren’t the last to finish your homework?”

Hearing this, Gu Jingxi froze. Long-buried memories surged to the surface, and facing A-Yao’s teasing gaze, he slowly muttered two words: “…I don’t dare.”