Shanmoi and several others watched as their master sat by the table with her hair down; they exchanged glances before finally looking for help from Nanny Chang.
Nanny Chang, with her eyes lowered, directed the young maidservants to set the dishes without even glancing at them.
Shanmoi then shook her head at Hailan, indicating that if the nanny said nothing, then everything was fine.
Seeing their master’s mood was not good, they naturally did not want to worsen it. Just as Lin Youning picked up her chopsticks, she heard the young maidservant outside greeting Gu Er.
Her hand holding the chopsticks paused slightly. Sensing Nanny Chang’s gaze towards her, Lin Youning pretended not to notice, put down her chopsticks, while Gu Er, dressed in a blue-green robe, strode in.
"You don’t need to stand up, just sit." Gu Er waved his hand to keep Lin Youning, who was about to stand up and salute, seated and sat down on the empty chair by the table, "I thought it might be dull for you to eat hotpot alone, so I ca to join you."
Earlier, the mont Gu Er ntioned eating here, Nanny Chang had already instructed the young maidservants to add more cutlery upon seeing him.
Lin Youning, disliking interacting with him, smiled on the surface, "I understand how well Second Brother treats , but De and Sister Yue shouldn’t be left with no one to accompany them either. Besides, I’m not a child; it’s just a al, nothing boring about it."
"I usually spend plenty of ti with them." Gu Er waved his large hand, signaling all the servants in the room to leave. Once they were gone, leaving just the two of them, he said, "Today, you were wronged."
Lin Youning was slightly stunned but then understood; Gu Er had learned that earlier, Mrs. Kong had embarrassed her.
She then smiled faintly. Despite the shallowness of her smile, it brought warmth, her eyes twinkling, "Second Brother overthinks. We’re one family; there’s nothing more to it than that."
Gu Er gazed at the beauty before him, who just yesterday seed to be nursed in his arms, but today had turned into an enchanting young lady impossible to look away from.
Thinking about what Mrs. Kong did, and comparing it to the present, how could they even compare?
"You’re right, I am overthinking. Go ahead and eat." Gu Er stopped speaking further and began to place at into Lin Youning’s bowl.
Since growing up, Lin Youning rarely dined with Gu Er, especially in situations like currently where Gu Er was eating in her courtyard.
They mostly t over at Shi’an Garden, so seeing Gu Er suddenly co over today left Lin Youning sowhat bewildered.
While dining together, every ti she noticed Gu Er staring at her absently, Lin Youning felt uneasy the entire al.
In her past life, because of her and Gu Chaoxuan’s incident, Gu Er detested her. Her beauty made him suspect she wasn’t a serious person.
But in this life, with no such occurrence, Gu Er frequently stared at her face in a daze, which seed normal enough.
Over at Jinghe Courtyard, Mrs. Kong, upon hearing from the servants that Gu Er had dined at Tingxue Hall, angrily shattered the teacup in her hand, "Not even married yet, and she’s already set her sights high, what a little temptress. I knew from the start she wasn’t a good thing, now she’s seducing our n."
Panchun waved away the young maidservants, leaving Nanny Guan to comfort her, and then she herself retreated.
"Miss had already thought it through; why let unworthy people harm her body? The Second Young Master is just pursuing novelty; once that fades, his heart will still be with Madam."
"I am not petty, but him acting like this today is essentially slapping in the face before everyone, isn’t it? Just said a few words, and he was displeased, if they do say a few words over there, how will I live? Kong Tianru’s anger abated slightly, "I know they are angry about Sister Yue vying for favor, but she’s the legitimate granddaughter of the old lady, it makes no sense for her to prefer soone brought in from outside. I wonder how long the old lady will stay muddled."
"Madam must speak with caution, it took so many years to coax the Second Young Master back, if we push him away again, it will not be easy to coax him back." Nanny Guan was anxious, wondering why Madam was losing her composure over sothing so trivial like a al?
Kong Tianru’s expression stiffened, finally silenced, biting her lips after so ti, "Didn’t my mother send over a bolt of cloth? Take it to Tingxue Hall later, saying I thought the color was nice and it suited the young lady."
Today, she’s the young lady, tomorrow she’d beco a woman sharing a husband with her, yet Kong Tianru was forced to smile and coax her.
However... she’d like to see who laughs last.
Nanny Guan breathed a sigh of relief, agreeing as she withdrew.
As long as the young lady can endure, then the efforts of all these years won’t be in vain.
In Woodland Pavilion, upon seeing Li Si enter, Gu Yifeng raised his eyes slightly, and Li Si respectfully reported, "Master, the Second Young Master went to Tingxue Hall to have dinner with Miss Lin. After dinner, he left the mansion again, and I’m having soone tail him."
Gu Yifeng gently nodded, and only then did Li Si quietly retreat.
After Winter Solstice, Mrs. Gu Sr.’s health showed no apparent issues, but her energy wasn’t as before, leading Lin Youning to visit her daily for conversation.
Between words, Mrs. Gu Sr. expressed concerns that she feared her health might delay Lin Youning’s marriage.
After all, if Mrs. Gu Sr. were to pass, Lin Youning would have to observe a three-year mourning period.
Lin Youning could only console her with words; only after several tis of crying did Mrs. Gu Sr. stop bringing it up.
As the snow began to fall more heavily, each family started busying themselves roasting venison while enjoying the snow.
Each year, the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion would receive invitations, and now the young ladies of the family had all grown up, it was ti for marriage considerations, yet with Mrs. Gu Sr.’s health not in the best state, Mrs. Dong, after much deliberation, decided to accept the invitations.
Given that she currently only had Sister Hui, how could she not be ticulous in selecting a good match?
All while secretly taking herbal dicine, hoping that with the Marquis now back, she could bear a legitimate son.
Lin Youning also received an invitation from the Xu Mansion. Given previous incidents there, without hesitating, she declined, citing her need to look after Mrs. Gu Sr.
Even after Mrs. Gu Sr. learned of this, Lin Youning had Shanmoi reject the nanny sent by the Xu Mansion with the invitation, knowing it was irrevocable.
The next day, without sending an invitation, Mrs. Xu Sr. ca to the mansion using the pretense of visiting the sick.
Accompanying Mrs. Xu Sr. was Xu Yuxian. During that ti, Lin Youning was chatting with Mrs. Gu Sr. and was inford by the servants that Mrs. Xu Sr. had entered Tingxue Hall.
To reach Shi’an Garden from here, one must pass through the West Corner Gate of the Marquis Mansion’s main courtyard and then Tingxue Hall.
It wouldn’t be long before they arrived.
With an outsider visiting, Lin Youning thought about avoiding them but found no feasible way, but Mrs. Gu Sr. wasn’t concerned, "Our two families are old friends, don’t worry about such formalities."
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