Chapter 180: An Eye-Opener

Seeing Gu Zhang had nothing more to say, Zhang Ze quickly instructed the coachman to carry the things inside.

After they carried the items into the main hall, Zhang Ze took his leave.

The family gathered around the items spread across the table in the main hall, staring in utter amazement.

On the table sat four kinds of pastries and four red-lacquered assortment boxes.

There were also four bolts of silk and four brocade pouches.

Mrs. Chen reached out, her hand trembling, to touch a bolt of cyan, cloud-patterned brocade on the table. "This... this is brocade, isn’t it?"

She pulled her hand back halfway. "My hands are too rough. I’d hate to snag the fabric."

Gu Fei opened a red brocade pouch and found a gold ingot and two silver ingots inside.

The gold ingot was shaped like a small fish and the silver ingots like lotus flowers, symbolizing abundance year after year.

Gu Sanlang, watching from the side, reached out and picked up the small fish. "This is gold? Why’d they make it into a little fish?"

Gu Fei nodded. "This is what wealthy families use to reward people during the New Year, or to give to children as lucky money."

Mrs. Chen took a silver ingot to examine it closely. "This is silver? I never imagined it could be made into a shape like this. What a novelty."

Gu Qing laughed from the side. "Coming to Ping’an City has really opened our eyes. We never knew things like this even existed."

Li Chunhua held Little Cao, stopping her from grabbing the pouches on the table. "Isn’t that the truth. Ever since my sister-in-law came back home, our family’s life has gotten better every single day."

’These days they ate white rice and white-flour cakes every day. She had never even dared to dream of living such a good life.’

’No wonder that passing blind fortune-teller had said when she was a child that she was fated for good things and would marry into a wealthy family.’

Mrs. Chen loved hearing that. She beamed and said, "That’s right. My daughter is truly blessed. If it weren’t for Little Fei’s wine, we never would have received this reward."

She glanced at the cyan brocade. "Husband, this color is lovely. We should have a robe made for you. You’ll look so distinguished in front of everyone."

Gu Zhang waved a hand dismissively. "I’m not wearing something like that. It’s not practical for work."

Gu Fei blinked. "Dad, no one’s saying you should wear it for work. But in the future, when you go out to discuss business, if you’re dressed impressively, people won’t look down on you."

Gu Zhang naturally understood the logic, but he was simply reluctant to use such fine material.

Now that his daughter had put it that way, he rubbed his hands together. "Well then, should we have one made?"

"Yes!" Gu Fei nodded with a grin.

Gu Sanlang handed the gold ingot to Gu Fei, then opened one of the assortment boxes on the table.

It was divided into several small compartments filled with all sorts of dried fruits.

Without a second thought, Gu Sanlang grabbed a peeled longan and popped it into his mouth.

Mrs. Chen immediately slapped his hand. "You bottomless pit! Were you a hungry ghost in your past life? We can’t eat these. They have to be saved for gifts."

With the longan bulging in his cheek, Gu Sanlang mumbled, "Ma, are you silly? The best things should be kept for our own family to eat."

"We can just buy something ordinary for gifts."

Mrs. Chen quickly shut the lid of the assortment box. "Easy for you to say. You think buying things is free?"

Her gaze then fell upon the bolts of brocade. "This peach-pink one is beautiful. We should make an outfit for my daughter."

Lan Zhi quickly chimed in, "Madam, I can make it for Little Fei. I’ll do it in the most fashionable style in Ping’an City."

"I memorized the styles when we went clothes shopping the other day."

She then pointed to another bolt. "This deep purple one, I think it would suit you."

Mrs. Chen shook her head. "Oh, I’m not worthy of wearing something like this."

Gu Fei walked over, picked up the deep purple brocade, and held it up against Mrs. Chen. "Ma, look. This color really brightens your complexion. You should have an outfit made. If you dress up and look sharp, it’ll make Dad happy to see it, too."