The Cui Residence was celebrating the high school graduation of the Cui Family’s children. Naturally, the unconventional couple, Cui Yuanbin and his wife, had to return home to join in the celebration.
Cui Yanjin came back home carrying a brocade box to find Cui Yuanbin and Liao Yuying. He handed over the box to Liao Yuying after shouting, "Mother, father," and said, "This is yours."
Liao Yuying caught it, "What is this?"
Cui Yanjin replied, "Your finest sword."
Liao Yuying was shocked, "You raided my private warehouse again?"
"Yes."
"What did you need my sword for? Giving gifts again?" Liao Yuying regretted giving her son a key to her warehouse, unsure if it was too late to take it back now.
"Yes, but I didn’t manage to gift it." Cui Yanjin said seriously: "Your sword was returned to me." He turned his head towards Cui Yuanbin, "But father, some of your things were accepted."
Upon hearing this, Liao Yuying was unsure if she should be happy or not, so she looked at Cui Yuanbin.
Cui Yuanbin was flabbergasted and glared, "You little brat, what did you take from my private collection?"
"Just some of the most interesting things." Cui Yanjin replied.
"Who did you give them to? Did you give them to the Princess again?" Cui Yuanbin grumbled, "Didn’t you not like them the last time?"
"No, I gave them as apology gifts to my cousin." Cui Yanjin still looked displeased, "Although they’re merely trifling toys, my cousin is always so busy that he might enjoy playing with them during his scarce free moments."
Cui Yuanbin: "..."
He was shocked, "You gave them to Zhou Gu? Why?"
Didn’t his son and Zhou Gu disagree for quite some time? What else had happened that he didn’t know about?
"Anyway, I gave them to my cousin. He said he forgives me and accepted the gifts." With that said, Cui Yanjin turned and ran. He needed to quickly go back and change clothes as it was time for the banquet.
Cui Yuanbin stood there confused, and asked Liao Yuying, "Do you know what happened?"
Liao Yuying naturally didn’t know, but she seemed pleased, "So he gave them to Zhou Gu. That’s fine then. As long as those two boys have made peace."
"It’s just as well it wasn’t your things that were given away." Cui Yuanbin said, displeased.
"It wouldn’t matter if they had been my things." Holding the brocade box, Liao Yuying gave it to the housekeeper next to her and instructed, "Help me send this back to the warehouse. If that stinking boy wants to take something again, immediately send someone to inform me."
The housekeeper quickly agreed.
Cui Yuanbin was heartbroken, "Ouch, my precious things... he didn’t clarify how many were taken."
The housekeeper was very clear on this matter and stepped in, "Young Master Cui chose seven items."
Cui Yuanbin: "..."
Could he go and ask Zhou Gu to return them? Those were his treasured items. Giving them to a busybody like Zhou Gu, wasn’t that a waste?
"Let’s go, husband. It’s fine because they weren’t given to someone else." Liao Yuying jovially hooked her arm around Cui Yuanbin’s, "I smell allure wine."
Cui Yuanbin was annoyed, "That rascal, I’m going to change the locks on my warehouse."
"Change them, change them." Liao Yuying approved.
When Su Rong returned to Feng Hall, she saw an array of items on the table and curiously asked, "What are these?" Picking up one, she said, "Toys? Or are they educational? Oh, this is fun."
Zhou Gu nodded, "They are apology gifts from Cui Yanjin."
Su Rong blinked.
That was all Zhou Gu had to say. He continued reading his book, clearly more interested in it than the pile of items.
But Su Rong was different; she preferred playing to reading.
She sat down and toyed with an item for a while, commenting with amusement, "This is really exquisite. It’s my first time seeing a puppet show like this. Such a small item, yet it stages a grand spectacle. Fascinating."
Zhou Gu looked up at her, "They’re all yours."
"Oh?" Su Rong was surprised, "Last time, my younger cousin gave me a bracelet and a fan, and you got jealous for days. How are you being so generous now?"
"Was I jealous about the items? No, it was his ass-kissing attitude toward you."
Su Rong laughed, looking at him, "Really, all for me?"
Zhou Gu nodded, "Don’t you love toys?"
"Yes." Su Rong admitted, "Then I won’t hold back."
Putting down the item in her hands, she picked up another one. After playing with it for a while, she curiously asked, "Why did he suddenly give you apology gifts? What did you do to make my younger cousin submit to you?"
"I did nothing." Zhou Gu shook his head.
Su Rong didn’t believe him.
Zhou Gu simply explained, "Our maternal grandfather told him to stop upsetting me."
Su Rong cleverly thought that Mister Cui must have said more than just that. But it seemed Cui Yanjin trusted his words and really did as told. She inwardly felt it was a good thing. At least they weren’t arguing anymore and she didn’t have to mediate. After all, her younger cousin was rather adorable and her own fiancé also needed love and care.
While Zhou Gu continued reading his book and Su Rong played with her toys, Zhou Gu put his book down. Seeing her having fun, he couldn’t help but smile, "Is it really that fun?"
"Yes, it is."
Zhou Gu replied, "These are items from my fourth uncle’s private collection. At first, I didn’t want to accept any, but I thought you might like them, so I did. He must be aching for them now." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺
Su Rong burst out laughing, "No wonder I wasn’t able to find such exquisite toys on the market."
Zhou Gu looked at her, "Did you go argue with your father?"
The phrase ’argue with’ was indeed an accurate description.
Su Rong couldn’t help but burst out laughing, "Yes, I argued with him for a long time until he was out of words."
After saying that, she glared at him, "My father, he really adores you. He’s probably still bitter about things not working out with my mother, so he’s anxious about us being happily together for life. Seeing me grind ink for someone else, he reacted as if he was facing a great enemy."
Zhou Gu propped his chin and looked at her, "Your father is indeed overthinking. How could he forget that you had once given up Ye Guixue just for me? What does Nangong Che amount to?"
Su Rong was amused by his remark, she put down the toy, got up and hugged him, kissing him, "That’s the right mindset. Don’t learn from him. I have you and that’s enough for me. I’m not a fickle person."
"Mhm." Zhou Gu smiled, pulling her into his arms, he lowered his head to kiss her.
His lady, he knew her better than anyone. He knew what she had given up for him. If that wasn’t enough to earn his trust, then he didn’t know what else he could trust in this world.
Besides, a good prince consort naturally loves and appreciates talent, and there’s nothing wrong in befriending scholars.
The best way to win over someone is to make them willingly submit, have heavy trust, owe you respect, and be willing to lay their life down for you.
After some time, Su Rong melted into Zhou Gu’s arms. Her eyes glistening, she whispered, "Today the sky is still light. There’s nothing else to do. We should rest early!"
The implication of her words was clear. Even if they made love or played around, they would still get up tomorrow since they were retiring early.
Zhou Gu glanced at the sky outside. It was just getting dark. He nodded, drew the curtains, scooped her up in his arms and hoarsely said, "As you wish."
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