"Little girl, what's the matter with you?" Old Master Ye stretched out his rough, big hand and stroked Gu Ying's chin playfully, as if teasing a kitten. "Why do you look like you've been crying? Did someone bully our little girl?"
Gu Ying was startled out of her reminiscence and couldn't help letting the tears fall. She threw herself into her grandfather's arms with red eyes.
"Grandpa, I miss you so much."
Old Master Ye hugged his little granddaughter's back and choked out a sob. "You still remember your grandpa. Why didn't you come to Haizhou to see this old man?"
Gu Ying looked up at her grandfather's loving face with tears streaming down her face. "I wanted to come. After I give birth, I will definitely go to Haizhou to live with Grandpa."
Old Master Ye smiled benevolently and stroked Gu Ying's head. "Ying is such a good child, truly a bright one."
With that, he suddenly leaned in and whispered in Gu Ying's ear, "Ying, don't worry. Grandpa didn't come just for your brother Qingchi. This time Grandpa came specifically to see you."
Ye Qingchi couldn't pretend not to hear. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly. "Grandfather, today is my wedding day."
Old Master Ye glanced at him. "What's wrong with indulging your little sister?"
Ye Qingchi coughed lightly. "Alright, alright. Whatever you say, sir."
Gu Ying chuckled. In the Ye family hall, it was filled with Ye family members.
The old gentleman's double standard was something everyone was used to. They all pretended not to know.
Gu Ying's mother, Ye Zhuoning, was the most favored pearl in the Ye family. If it hadn't been for her taking a liking to Gu Boqing, with the Gu family status, they probably couldn't even touch the stone lions at the Ye family gate.
After looking over Gu Ying, Old Master Ye called Gu Ning over.
Seeing the child's face that closely resembled his daughter's, the old gentleman suddenly felt sad and his eyes turned red. He held the boy's hand and cried without manners, "Leave Ning's legs to my second brother's family. You must cure him. If he can't stand and walk properly in the future, be careful I'll skin you."
Second Master Ye was Old Master Ye's brother. He had three sons and two daughters. His youngest son Ye Zhuojiang was a famous divine doctor in Haizhou.
Ye Zhuojiang came over and squeezed Gu Ning's good leg, looking thoughtful with a faint smile.
"Eldest brother, don't worry. I can cure this leg."
Gu Ning was taken aback, suddenly feeling embarrassed in front of this group of people.
Old Master Ye hurriedly added, "Ning, don't take it to heart. Your uncle didn't mean it. I was just worried."
Ye Zhuojiang's face soured. "Eldest brother, please don't call me that. Sister Ying will think I'm very young."
Old Master Ye raised his brows. "You are young. You just have seniority. Ying is not your sister. Are you confused, boy?"
The 18-year-old Ye Zhuojiang's mouth twitched. "It's all because my father is so old yet still asked my mother to give birth. It's not good for a woman's health!"
Second Master Ye's white brows shot up high. "Your mother and I got carried away in passion. You're too young to understand anything! Besides, without your father's moment of recklessness, where would an ungrateful brat like you come from?"
Ye Zhuojiang's brow twitched in anger. "Today is Qingchi's big day. Father, watch your language."
Ye Guanlan smiled faintly. "Second uncle does have a point."
Ye Zhuojiang whipped his head indignantly. "Third Aunt, please discipline your grandson!"
Third Aunt Ye grinned mischievously. "I can't control him!"
Ye Qingchi said seriously, "Hurry up and bicker more. I'm eager to fetch my bride."
Ye Zhuojiang's face turned red. "Qingchi, you should be helping your uncle here!"
Ye Qingchi glanced at him. "Remember, I'm older than you."
Ye Zhuojiang, the family's punching bag, ran to Gu Ying with a grieved look. "A bunch of nasty men, so unpleasant. Ying, I still have you!"
Gu Ying had been chatting with the other Ye aunts and sisters. Hearing her grandfathers' words, she couldn't help smiling gently.
The Ye family was not what she had imagined.
She had thought the prestigious scholarly family would speak in a pretentious and righteous manner. But in fact, they were all down-to-earth and humorous.
Although they were bickering, the affection in their tones was undeniable.
She was not familiar with her maternal grandfather. Her mother had passed away early.
In her previous life, she was not close to the Ye family. And in this life, she hadn't had a chance to visit them in Haizhou yet. Now seeing them, she realized her mother must have liked her father's vivacious personality that resembled the Ye family.
It was quite noisy in the hall. The groom Ye Qingchi was eager to see his young wife, so he bid farewell to Old Master Ye and headed out.
The younger generation busily and excitedly followed him out, calling him "big brother" respectfully.
The young men in their embroidered robes were going to fetch their brides on horseback, with flowers sprinkled along the long street and red envelopes everywhere. They had to make a grand scene for their future sister-in-law!
"Ying, are you going?" Although Ye Zhuojiang was only a year or two older than Gu Ying, he immediately liked this niece. The intimacy came from their blood ties.
"Yes."
"But be careful since you're pregnant."
"Don't worry, uncle. Nian is very well-behaved."
"Uncle will give you some medicinal pills to protect your body and ensure your child will be born healthy. Nian, that's your child's name? As your uncle, will your child have to call me granduncle? Heavens, I'm going to be a granduncle at 18?"
Gu Ying looked back at Ye Zhuojiang scratching his head in distress in the morning light, feeling a softness in her heart.
It was so nice. Thank heaven for giving her this chance to be reborn.
Having family around, no matter how noisy, was bliss.
Gu Ying tilted her head, gently caressing her bulging belly. Her moon-white embroidered long skirt shone brightly in the dawn. "Uncle, shall we go?"
"Let's go! I'll sneak Qingchi an invigorating pill tonight!"
"Does cousin need an invigorating pill too?"
"That kid looks weak." Ye Zhuojiang pretended to be mature. "Overwork damages the health. How can he continue the Ye family line without taking care of his body?"
Gu Ying's mouth curved up in a faint smile. "Be careful if cousin hears you say that, he'll smack your bottom."
Ye Zhuojiang's face stiffened.
...
After the youngsters left, only Old Master Ye and several elders remained in the hall.
Old Master Ye's benevolent smile vanished, replaced by a cold sneer. His deep, icy gaze swept over his brothers below. It was as if he had become a different person from before.
"Ying and Ning have been in Bianjing for a long time. I didn't ask about their matters in the Gu family, afraid to hurt the children. But I can see they did not have a good time with the Gu family. Ying even said Ning was nearly crippled and no one taught him to read and write, which shows the Gu family's negligence toward my Ye children. This is unforgivable."
"Little girl, what's the matter with you?" Old Master Ye stretched out his rough, big hand and stroked Gu Ying's chin playfully, as if teasing a kitten. "Why do you look like you've been crying? Did someone bully our little girl?"
Gu Ying was startled out of her reminiscence and couldn't help letting the tears fall. She threw herself into her grandfather's arms with red eyes.
"Grandpa, I miss you so much."
Old Master Ye hugged his little granddaughter's back and choked out a sob. "You still remember your grandpa. Why didn't you come to Haizhou to see this old man?"
Gu Ying looked up at her grandfather's loving face with tears streaming down her face. "I wanted to come. After I give birth, I will definitely go to Haizhou to live with Grandpa."
Old Master Ye smiled benevolently and stroked Gu Ying's head. "Ying is such a good child, truly a bright one."
With that, he suddenly leaned in and whispered in Gu Ying's ear, "Ying, don't worry. Grandpa didn't come just for your brother Qingchi. This time Grandpa came specifically to see you."
Ye Qingchi couldn't pretend not to hear. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly. "Grandfather, today is my wedding day."
Old Master Ye glanced at him. "What's wrong with indulging your little sister?"
Ye Qingchi coughed lightly. "Alright, alright. Whatever you say, sir."
Gu Ying chuckled. In the Ye family hall, it was filled with Ye family members.
The old gentleman's double standard was something everyone was used to. They all pretended not to know.
Gu Ying's mother, Ye Zhuoning, was the most favored pearl in the Ye family. If it hadn't been for her taking a liking to Gu Boqing, with the Gu family status, they probably couldn't even touch the stone lions at the Ye family gate.
After looking over Gu Ying, Old Master Ye called Gu Ning over.
Seeing the child's face that closely resembled his daughter's, the old gentleman suddenly felt sad and his eyes turned red. He held the boy's hand and cried without manners, "Leave Ning's legs to my second brother's family. You must cure him. If he can't stand and walk properly in the future, be careful I'll skin you."
Second Master Ye was Old Master Ye's brother. He had three sons and two daughters. His youngest son Ye Zhuojiang was a famous divine doctor in Haizhou.
Ye Zhuojiang came over and squeezed Gu Ning's good leg, looking thoughtful with a faint smile.
"Eldest brother, don't worry. I can cure this leg."
Gu Ning was taken aback, suddenly feeling embarrassed in front of this group of people.
Old Master Ye hurriedly added, "Ning, don't take it to heart. Your uncle didn't mean it. I was just worried."
Ye Zhuojiang's face soured. "Eldest brother, please don't call me that. Sister Ying will think I'm very young."
Old Master Ye raised his brows. "You are young. You just have seniority. Ying is not your sister. Are you confused, boy?"
The 18-year-old Ye Zhuojiang's mouth twitched. "It's all because my father is so old yet still asked my mother to give birth. It's not good for a woman's health!"
Second Master Ye's white brows shot up high. "Your mother and I got carried away in passion. You're too young to understand anything! Besides, without your father's moment of recklessness, where would an ungrateful brat like you come from?"
Ye Zhuojiang's brow twitched in anger. "Today is Qingchi's big day. Father, watch your language."
Ye Guanlan smiled faintly. "Second uncle does have a point."
Ye Zhuojiang whipped his head indignantly. "Third Aunt, please discipline your grandson!"
Third Aunt Ye grinned mischievously. "I can't control him!"
Ye Qingchi said seriously, "Hurry up and bicker more. I'm eager to fetch my bride."
Ye Zhuojiang's face turned red. "Qingchi, you should be helping your uncle here!"
Ye Qingchi glanced at him. "Remember, I'm older than you."
Ye Zhuojiang, the family's punching bag, ran to Gu Ying with a grieved look. "A bunch of nasty men, so unpleasant. Ying, I still have you!"
Gu Ying had been chatting with the other Ye aunts and sisters. Hearing her grandfathers' words, she couldn't help smiling gently.
The Ye family was not what she had imagined.
She had thought the prestigious scholarly family would speak in a pretentious and righteous manner. But in fact, they were all down-to-earth and humorous.
Although they were bickering, the affection in their tones was undeniable.
She was not familiar with her maternal grandfather. Her mother had passed away early.
In her previous life, she was not close to the Ye family. And in this life, she hadn't had a chance to visit them in Haizhou yet. Now seeing them, she realized her mother must have liked her father's vivacious personality that resembled the Ye family.
It was quite noisy in the hall. The groom Ye Qingchi was eager to see his young wife, so he bid farewell to Old Master Ye and headed out.
The younger generation busily and excitedly followed him out, calling him "big brother" respectfully.
The young men in their embroidered robes were going to fetch their brides on horseback, with flowers sprinkled along the long street and red envelopes everywhere. They had to make a grand scene for their future sister-in-law!
"Ying, are you going?" Although Ye Zhuojiang was only a year or two older than Gu Ying, he immediately liked this niece. The intimacy came from their blood ties.
"Yes."
"But be careful since you're pregnant."
"Don't worry, uncle. Nian is very well-behaved."
"Uncle will give you some medicinal pills to protect your body and ensure your child will be born healthy. Nian, that's your child's name? As your uncle, will your child have to call me granduncle? Heavens, I'm going to be a granduncle at 18?"
Gu Ying looked back at Ye Zhuojiang scratching his head in distress in the morning light, feeling a softness in her heart.
It was so nice. Thank heaven for giving her this chance to be reborn.
Having family around, no matter how noisy, was bliss.
Gu Ying tilted her head, gently caressing her bulging belly. Her moon-white embroidered long skirt shone brightly in the dawn. "Uncle, shall we go?"
"Let's go! I'll sneak Qingchi an invigorating pill tonight!"
"Does cousin need an invigorating pill too?"
"That kid looks weak." Ye Zhuojiang pretended to be mature. "Overwork damages the health. How can he continue the Ye family line without taking care of his body?"
Gu Ying's mouth curved up in a faint smile. "Be careful if cousin hears you say that, he'll smack your bottom."
Ye Zhuojiang's face stiffened.
...
After the youngsters left, only Old Master Ye and several elders remained in the hall.
Old Master Ye's benevolent smile vanished, replaced by a cold sneer. His deep, icy gaze swept over his brothers below. It was as if he had become a different person from before.
"Ying and Ning have been in Bianjing for a long time. I didn't ask about their matters in the Gu family, afraid to hurt the children. But I can see they did not have a good time with the Gu family. Ying even said Ning was nearly crippled and no one taught him to read and write, which shows the Gu family's negligence toward my Ye children. This is unforgivable."
