Little Pink Starfish

The Gu Family’s “Burden”

“Whose troops were they?” Gu Xingnuo’s originally pale face flushed red with rage. He roared at Old Wu, “Are the people at Wangxiang Pass all dead? They just stood there and watched the estate get destroyed?!”

Gu Xingyan let out a cold snort. “Big brother, you still don’t get it? When the wall falls, everyone pushes. At that time, people thought our Gu family was doomed—executed to the ninth degree. Who’d dare meddle in our affairs?”

“Nonsense!” Gu Xingnuo snapped, turning sharply toward his younger brother. “This is meddling?!”

Gu Xingyan said bluntly, “Brother, what are you yelling at me for? I was in prison with you at the time.”

“What do you mean?” Gu Xingnuo narrowed his eyes. “You’re blaming me and Xinglang for dragging you into jail?”

Gu Xingyan was stunned. “Wha—?”

Gu Xingnuo sneered. “Second Young Master Gu, do you want me to apologize?”

“No!” Gu Xingyan practically jumped up. “When did I ever say that? Big brother, don’t wrong me!”

“Then explain yourself—how is this some ‘minor matter’?” Gu Xingnuo’s voice was rising again, sharp and unrelenting.

Gu Xingyan felt wronged and tongue-tied. He had just said it casually—why was his brother reacting like he’d struck a nerve?

“Speak!” Gu Xingnuo barked.

“What do you want me to say?!” Gu Xingyan snapped, now sounding truly aggrieved. Did I do something wrong here?

“If you don’t know how to speak properly, then shut up!” Gu Xingnuo exploded. All the pent-up anger he’d carried throughout the day suddenly came crashing down on his second brother. “Old Wu and the others have been here for half a day, and they’re still dressed like this?! While I’m gone, you couldn’t even make arrangements? Have they eaten? Had water? Tell me! Why are they still in this state? Are you incapable of managing anything without me? Are you still a child—are you younger than Xinglang?!”

Gu Xingyan was dumbstruck by the outburst.

Even Old Wu and his fellow veterans were shocked—they’d never seen the composed eldest Gu son fly into such a rage.

Gu Xingnuo stared at his second brother, his heart tightening. In that moment, he had already made peace with the worst-case scenario: if both he and Xinglang died, it would fall on Gu Xingyan alone to carry the burden of the Gu family. Could he handle it? Even now, he didn’t seem as steady or dependable as the younger Xinglang. How could Gu Xingnuo be at ease?

“Useless!” Gu Xingnuo turned and kicked the wooden divan hard.

The loud crash startled everyone in the room, even the old master.

Gu Xingyan cautiously stepped forward. “Brother… you’re still injured, don’t—”

“I’m not dead yet,” Gu Xingnuo said coldly, his back to him. “But you better pray I stay alive. Because if I don’t—let’s see what you’ll do then!”

“Big brother,” Gu Xingyan muttered, “Why are you saying such things…”

“Yanruo!” the old master finally intervened. “What’s gotten into you?”

Gu Xingnuo held his forehead, trying to calm himself.

The veterans exchanged looks. Old Wu stepped forward carefully and said, “Young master, this wasn’t Second Young Master’s fault. We only arrived about half an hour ago. We were talking to the old marshal and Second Master, and didn’t get around to anything else.”

Gu Xingyan pursed his lips but dared not speak another word under the weight of his brother’s fury.

Slowly, Gu Xingnuo turned back around and offered the veterans an apologetic smile. “I lost my temper. Please, sit. No need to stand.”

The old soldiers quickly waved their hands, saying they didn’t dare.

Gu Xingnuo motioned again. “Xingyan, are you still standing there?”

Gu Xingyan, flustered, grabbed stools and handed them to the old soldiers one by one.

“Sit,” Gu Xingnuo said again, settling himself back on the divan he had just kicked. “Let’s talk.”

The old soldiers glanced at the old master.

The old master nodded, and they gingerly perched on the edges of the stools, barely sitting.

Gu Xingyan remained standing, obedient as a child who had just been scolded.

Gu Xingnuo’s chest still ached. His arm was in a sling and the internal injuries throbbed with each breath. He had a mouthful of blood stuck in his throat—unable to spit it out or swallow it down. The frustration made him feel suffocated. After taking several deep breaths, he finally managed to calm himself and said to the old soldiers, “It was my fault. I didn’t send anyone to check on you after we got out. It must’ve been a rough journey to the capital.”

The veterans were honest, straightforward men. Hearing the eldest young master apologize to them only made them more flustered. They all shook their heads and waved their hands, murmuring that they didn’t deserve it.

Gu Xingnuo studied them—no need to ask, it was clear they had begged their way to the capital.

“Go to the kitchens and tell them to prepare food and heat water,” he told Gu Xingyan.

“Grandfather already ordered it,” Gu Xingyan replied.

Only then did Gu Xingnuo nod. But if Gu Xingyan was hoping for an apology from his brother for that earlier scolding, he’d better give up now—that would never happen.

Old Wu lowered his head, guilt washing over his face. “Young master, we’ve all left the army. We shouldn’t have come.” They had taken their discharge pensions. Why should the Gu family still feed and shelter them? The family had done more than enough already. It wasn’t something they were owed.

Old Master Gu let out a long sigh. Military and family matters had long been handed to Gu Xingnuo. To interfere now would only undercut his authority.

“You fought and bled for the Gu family,” Gu Xingnuo said softly. “You grew old, you were wounded. If we just abandoned you now, how could we live with ourselves? Don’t ever say such things again.”

Foot soldiers weren’t like officers. After discharge, their payout barely covered the journey home—if that. The court offered little support. How they fared afterward depended on whether their commanding general had any conscience. The Gu family had borne that burden willingly for generations. Gu Xingnuo would not be the one to break the chain.

But his words only made the veterans more ashamed. They even began to regret coming to the capital in the first place.

“Tell me,” Gu Xingnuo said. “You came to the capital—but what about the others? Did they go back to Wangxiang, or somewhere else?”