The weather gradually got warmer after Gu Sui’er’s parents left for the countryside. Little Ah Chen, who couldn’t tolerate heat but loved to move around, also began wearing thin and light garments instead of thick winter clothing. At only seven months, he was already able to crawl and sit up, and could even stand up on his own for a very short moment.
He looked especially dazzling while wearing a little blue muslin bellyband and soft silk trousers today. Taking advantage of Gu Sui’er’s momentary inattention, he stood up stealthily.
His little feet couldn’t properly support the weight of his chubby little body so his short arms flailed in the air while he swayed back and forth. Finally, he fell on the ground with a plop, sprawled out on his back and his limbs in all four directions.
Fortunately, the bed was soft and the floor was covered with a thick carpet. The carpet was a tribute from Persia. The Emperor bestowed it upon Gu Sui’er so that little Ah Chen, his little grandson, could use it.
As the one who fell down, Ah Chen did not cry. Instead, he turned over noisily and sat up before crawling toward the puppy sleeping by the side.
The tiny puppy that Xiao Heng brought back had now grown up and was named White Furball.
White Furball was still covered with white fur. As if sensing something, it awakened with a start. Noticing little Ah Chen, it shrunk its neck and was about to flee with its tail tucked between its legs.
Little Ah Chen had the temperament of a devil incarnate now. He was very fond of bullying the little furball.
Unfortunately, the little furball’s response was a bit slow. Little Ah Chen had already reached the little furball, grabbed its long white fur, and crawled onto its back, blabbering noisily.
“Awoo——” The dog plopped down on its belly and howling aggrievedly.
“Yi ya ya ya… wa wa wa wa…” He valiantly rode on the little furball’s back like that of a great general leading the soldiers to some battlefield.
He waved his small fist, all kind of excited blabbering coming out of his mouth.
Finally, the puppy couldn’t put up with the bullying anymore and jumped forward to get rid of little Ah Chen.
Losing his mount so suddenly, Little Ah Chen’s plump little body moved backward and he was made to face the sky yet again.
Even after the fall this time, his two chubby feet were still stuck upright firmly.
This scene was now performed in Tingzhu Courtyard every day. Gu Sui’er and Nanny An laughed heartily, went over to pet the poor little furball and pick up little Ah Chen.
“Mom mom mom…” Little Ah Chen yelled indistinctly and rubbed his little head into Gu Sui’er’s arms, looking very aggrieved, helpless and dejected.
Gu Sui’er was about to comfort him when a servant came to report that something happened to Xiao Jin and that Gu Sui’er was summoned to her yard.
She was a little puzzled: “I’m summoned there?”
Nanny An immediately realized and said in a low voice, “Didn’t eldest Young Miss attempt to commit suicide by swallowing gold last night? The imperial physician was called in the middle of the night, so she was somehow saved. I’m afraid Young Mistress is being summoned because of this matter. But I do not understand, why is Young Mistress being called for after the eldest Young Miss did such a foolish thing?”
Gu Sui’er was also baffled. However, it was not a good idea to delay since she has been called. She asked Nanny An to take care of little Ah Chen and rushed to Xiao Jin’s yard after fixing her dress slightly.
As soon as she entered, she realized the heavy atmosphere. Sitting on a chair, the calm and stern Madam’s eyes were red and her usually meticulous hair was a little out of place. She looked totally exhausted as she sat there with her forehead resting on her hands.
Gu Sui’er greeted her respectfully: “Madam, were you looking for me?”
The Madam raised her face and motioned Gu Sui’er to sit down: “I called you here because I wanted to ask you something.”
Gu Sui’er hurriedly replied: “Please ask, Madam.”
The Madam sighed: “Sui’er, do you still remember that when you were pregnant last year, Ah Jin went to the Guiyuan with you and Ah Heng? At that time, did you feel anything strange about her?”
Gu Sui’er was stunned. For a while, she tried hard to recall if she did feel something amiss but failed. So she shook her head: “I didn’t find anything strange.”
“Then… Was she with you and Ah Heng all the time?”
“No.” Gu Sui’er remembered: “At that time, the eldest Young Miss said that she was going to meet her friend. She parted with us and went on her way with Guard Jiang and a maid.”
“Guard Jiang?” The Madam’s expression changed a little: “How long had they been out alone?”
“About a shichen or two.” Gu Sui’er remembered that after they separated from Xiao Jin, she and Xiao Heng met that princess, and then she took a nap for roughly a shichen or two.
The Madam sighed and then frowned silently.
Seeing her getting tensed, Gu Sui’er couldn’t prevent herself from reaching out: “How is the eldest girl? Is she okay now?”
The Madam almost burst into tears when she heard Gu Sui’er’s question.
“Why do I have such a foolish daughter? She is so foolish. Did I raise her all these years just for her to do such a ridiculous thing?!” She turned her body, wiped her tears, but asked: “Sui’er, let me ask you something. You don’t think Jiang Zheng and Ah Jin did something improper, do you?”
As soon as these words were uttered, Gu Sui’er was startled.
“Madam, I don’t know anything about this. I have told you all that I know, including the handkerchief incident. I told the third Master and he told you. Except for that, I don’t know anything else ah!”
She recalled Xiao Jin’s suicide attempt and wondered if she was no longer pure.
But how would she know whether Xiao Jin was pure or not!
The Madam spoke out hastily: “Sui’er, don’t think too much. I was just asking, it’s really not—”
She let out a long sigh before going on.
It turned out that after Xiao Jin was rescued last night, she yelled that she wanted to die, that she had no face to continue living and that as the eldest Young Miss of the Ruiding family, she had completely disgraced them with Jiang Zheng.
Inevitably, everyone started guessing if she said such a thing because the two did something improper or not.
Gu Sui’er’s heart tightened as she listened, but she could only say: “Did you ask Guard Jiang then?”
The Madam nodded: “Yes, I did. I have already asked him. Unexpectedly, his mouth was harder than a clamshell; he didn’t say a word at all. Ah Heng also has not returned yet, so I can only wait for him and ask him to question Jiang Zheng about it.”
Xiao Heng happened to have gone outside Yanjing City to do some business but he would be back the next day.
Seeing this, Gu Sui’er could only say: “Yes, what the Madam said is right.”
Bidding farewell to the Madam and stepping outside, she couldn’t help but feel a little rueful at the thought that Jiang Zheng might have gotten involved with the eldest Young Miss despite looking so honest and upright.
Xiao Jin was straightforward. She had been pampered since childhood so she didn’t care about the severity of issues, but Jiang Zheng ought to know that she was betrothed to someone else, hence her reputation must not be tarnished by rumors.
As she was walking, she suddenly saw a person with loose hair and crumpled clothes coming toward her.
Gu Sui’er was taken aback. After a closer look, she realized that it was Xiao Jin.
Before she could react, Xiao Jin rushed into the room and yelled at the Madam, “Do you want me to die? If you want me to die, I will die right now! If you want me to live, withdraw the betrothal. I will not marry anyone other than Jiang Zheng!”
The Madam was so angry that her hands trembled: “Y-yo-you unfilial daughter!”
Gu Sui’er originally wanted to leave, but seeing the Madam become this angry, she had no choice but to get back inside quickly, try to calm her down and serve her some tea.
Her maid was clever; she hurried out to call the two Young Madams.
“I don’t want to marry, I don’t want to marry! You all forced this marriage on me. I like Jiang Zheng, I just want to marry Jiang Zheng! To tell you the truth, I have already given my body to Jiang Zheng. I will be his both in life and death. Do you dare to let me get married now?”
“Y-you shameless thing!” The Madam gritted her teeth in anger. Her face turned pale and her legs trembled so that she was unable to stand still.
“Madam, please don’t be angry. Sit down first…” While speaking, Gu Sui’er hurriedly helped her to the couch on the side.
“I am not shameless. Why would I be so? Didn’t Gu Sui’er, the person beside you, already get pregnant by third Brother before coming to this residence? Didn’t she get accepted just fine? Don’t you all hold her in high regard and do things as she wants?!”
Gu Sui’er was startled. She couldn’t understand why she had to get implicated in this matter.
Anyhow, before she could understand what was going on, the Madam broke free from her hand, rushed over, and slapped Xiao Jin hard twice.
These two slaps were so strong that Xiao Jin directly fell to the ground.
“Xiao Jin, get out of here. Starting today, I don’t have a daughter like you. Get out of this house!”
Collapsed on the floor, Xiao Jin’s face swelled and reddened, and her gaze turned bewildered. She froze for a moment, and then suddenly cried out loudly: “I will not marry, I will just not marry!”
Just at this time, two Young Madams arrived. Seeing this scene, one went to persuade Xiao Jin, and the other went to help the Madam with Gu Sui’er. After much persuasion and consolation, Xiao Jin finally went back to her room, and the Madam gradually calmed down.
“Let her marry whoever she likes. Tell the outsiders that the eldest Young Miss of our family died of illness.” The Madam murmured, her gaze slowly turning blank.
The two Young Madams looked at each other.
After staying with her for a while, Gu Sui’er took her leave saying that it was time to breastfeed Ah Chen.
Unexpectedly, she saw Xiao Heng playing with Ah Chen upon her return.
At this time, the tall and cold man was hugging the soft and squishy little Ah Chen with a warm gaze.
Xiao Heng could actually be regarded as a loving father; he had always been patient with Ah Chen.
“Eh, didn’t you say you will be returning tomorrow?” Gu Sui’er went over and asked him with a smile, motioning to take Ah Chen from his arms.
“The matter was resolved early so I came back ahead of schedule.” Xiao Heng stretched out his arms to hand Ah Chen over to Gu Sui’er, but the little one surprisingly didn’t want to.
He turned his head and buried his little head in his father’s arms, refusing to move.
“This… you don’t want Mom anymore?” Gu Sui’er couldn’t help laughing, “It turns out that our family’s Ah Chen misses Dad.”
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