Not long after Liu and Old Lady You recognized each other, the Gu family began to prepare a banquet to welcome Gu Yanran who had just returned from the Buddhist temple.
Gu Yanran is the fourth daughter of the Marquis's Mansion. Her father died in the battlefield a few years ago. His integrity of not dying on the battlefield has always been praised by people. The fourth wife, Yu, has been a widow since her husband's death, but she has remained loyal to her husband. She even went to the Buddhist temple in person to pray for Old Madam Xu.
Because of the kindness of Yu's mother and daughter, Old Madam Xu was particularly concerned. As soon as she learned that Gu Yanran was coming back from the Buddhist temple, she began to arrange a family dinner.
After Shen Qingqiu washed up, Jin Cai helped her comb her hair.
While looking at the bronze mirror, she threw a grape into her mouth.
"Hello Jincai, I never see you dress me up like this on weekdays, what's wrong with you today?"
Soon, Jin Cai's deft hands braided the two strands of hair behind Shen Qingqiu's ears into a beautiful pigtail, which fell in front of Shen Qingqiu, making him look even more obedient and adorable.
Jin Cai pulled Shen Qingqiu's pigtail unhappily and snorted, "Why, young lady, do you think Jin Cai treats you badly on weekdays?"
She took the wooden comb and combed Shen Qingqiu's hair at the back, pouting and mumbling, "I heard from the housekeeper that Miss Yanran from the fourth room has returned from the Buddhist temple. The old lady is very concerned about her. Not only is she planning to hold a family banquet to welcome Miss Yanran, she is also planning to send her to the palace to choose a study partner!"
"There's more?" Shen Qingqiu smiled and said, "How old is Miss Yanran? How come I've never seen her in the Marquis' Mansion before?"
"She is of the same generation as you, but she has been praying in the temple with Yu before, and she just returned home today." Jin Cai put down the wooden comb, looked at Shen Qingqiu and smiled, "Mother Chen asked me to go to the street to buy some trivial items later. Miss, do you want me to bring back a bunch of candied haws?"
“Yes, yes, yes!” When Shen Qingqiu smiled, his eyes curved into crescent shapes. “I was just thinking of eating something to satisfy my craving. Candied haws are sour and sweet. Please bring me a few more.”
Jin Cai did not refuse, and snorted coldly: "Are you not feeling sick of the food this time? You little heartless person, do you still think I treated you unfairly?"
Shen Qingqiu touched his deflated belly and said, "Go quickly and bring back some candied haws. Look, my belly is starting to protest."
Jin Cai then turned around and walked out the door. Shen Qingqiu picked a few more grapes from the fruit plate and put them in his mouth. Thinking of the family dinner that Jin Cai had just mentioned, he found it quite interesting.
I don't know what kind of person Gu Yanran is, but in the final analysis, Yu brought Gu Yanran to the Buddhist temple to pray for Old Lady Xu and the Gu family. Just this point alone is hard to find fault with.
Shen Qingqiu stretched himself and looked at the comfortable sunshine outside, so he simply walked out of the yard, walked along the cobblestone path by the lake, and then crossed the stone bridge, thinking of sitting in the pavilion over there.
The pavilion was very elegant. On weekdays, when she had nothing to do, she liked to ask Jin Cai to accompany her for a walk by the lake. Next to the pavilion was a long corridor that led directly to the main hall, which was very convenient.
Shen Qingqiu paused and narrowed his eyes.
In the pavilion sat a girl in a plain dress, with a maid beside her holding a few books for her. She stood there with her head lowered and her face submissive. No one knew what the girl was saying, but from the look on her face, it seemed as if she was scolding someone.
She looks unfamiliar and I think it must be the Fourth Miss Gu Yanran who just returned home.
As if she noticed Shen Qingqiu was looking at her, Gu Yanran stopped lecturing the maid and looked in the direction of Shen Qingqiu.
Shen Qingqiu didn't feel embarrassed and walked over with a smile.
Gu Yanran looked at the visitor with lively eyes and a pretty and well-behaved appearance, and she couldn't help but feel a little jealous.
"Are you the daughter that Uncle Jiu brought back?" Gu Yanran called her, but her tone was a little indulgent, as if she didn't take her seriously.
Shen Qingqiu didn't really care. Gu Yanran had just returned to Gu's house and hadn't gotten to know the place well yet. No matter how high or low he looked at her, she wouldn't lose a piece of meat either way. She would still live a happy life anyway.
Shen Qingqiu just smiled coldly, "So you are the orphan who came back from the Buddhist temple?" A person whose father died is not an orphan? She doesn't like to talk nonsense, but it doesn't mean she can't do it.
Gu Yanran looked at her deeply, and said with a fake smile: "I am praying for the old lady in the Buddhist temple and copying Buddhist scriptures for the Gu family. I have serious things to do. I am not like some people..."
"What about your Buddhist scriptures?"
Gu Yanran had scolded the maid before, but she didn't even bring back a few more Buddhist scriptures she had copied by herself. You have to know that this was her bargaining chip to win the attention of Old Lady Xu. She really had no tact at all! But Gu Yanran would never say this, she just smiled and said, "You haven't read books, you won't understand even if I tell you."
Shen Qingqiu just found it funny.
Never read a book?
She never thought that one day someone would say that she "had never been to school". It made sense, as Liu had always been taking care of the textile factory's business and had never thought about her going to school at her age.
Thinking she had Shen Qingqiu under control, Gu Yanran sneered in her heart and asked her jokingly, "I heard that before your mother married into the Marquis's Mansion, she was not the legal wife of the Shen family and was even always ignored. Even you haven't read any books or learned any words yet, right?"
"I don't know how your mother brought you to marry into the Marquis's mansion, but marrying into a wealthy family is better than being a widow. At least you will have no worries about food and clothing for the rest of your life, don't you think?"
Gu Yanran doesn't have a nice mouth. Every word she says is full of thorns, making people uncomfortable.
This was a roundabout way of calling her a burden! Shen Qingqiu understood what he heard, and immediately raised the corner of his mouth, "A waste will naturally see everything as waste, you are useless just think that everyone else is useless." He was too lazy to argue with her, "The Buddhist temple is a place that can calm people's minds. If you have time, you should go back and copy Buddhist scriptures and pray for blessings, so that you won't be so impatient."
"You!" Gu Yanran was so angry that she couldn't help but speak out, but her voice became gentle again the next second.
"So you are the daughter that Uncle Jiu brought back. When I first came back home, I kept hearing people praise you for being well-behaved and cute. Now that I see you, you are really lovable!"
As she said this, Gu Yanran suddenly reached out her hand and held hers, as if to say something affectionate: "I haven't been back to the Marquis' Mansion for several years, why don't you take me around for a walk!"
Shen Qingqiu was still wondering why Gu Yanran's attitude changed so quickly when he heard the sound of a cane behind him. He turned around and saw that it was Old Madam Xu and Madam Liu coming over.
"Miss Yanran is becoming more and more beautiful. Come to the old lady and let me take a good look at her." Old Lady Xu smiled and waved at Gu Yanran. Seeing how affectionate Gu Yanran was towards Shen Qingqiu, she was naturally relieved. She was originally worried that these young people would not be able to play together.
Gu Yanran's hand was still holding Shen Qingqiu's. When she heard what Old Lady Xu said, she immediately replied, "Old Lady, I haven't come back to visit you for a long time. I've been thinking about you. I'll follow Qingqiu here now."
Little did she know that Gu Yanran secretly exerted force and pinched Shen Qingqiu from behind, with just enough force for Shen Qingqiu to suddenly shake her hand off. At this time, she pretended to be surprised and looked at Shen Qingqiu innocently.
"Qingqiu, did I just say something you don't like? If you don't like it, just tell me directly. Why are you so angry?"
Hearing this, Old Lady Xu and Madam Liu both looked at Shen Qingqiu with some reproach, which made her seem petty.
Shen Qingqiu rubbed his hands. Gu Yanran's use of force was very clever, and not even a red mark was left. Even if she spoke at this time, she couldn't explain it. She could only swallow this loss in silence, and it would also leave a bad impression in front of Old Madam Xu.
This Gu Yanran is really not a pushover! "My palms were just a little sweaty, and I was afraid you would dislike it, so I let go. I didn't expect that I used too much force and made you misunderstand me." Shen Qingqiu said slowly, and then took Gu Yanran's hand, "Then I will not let go from now on."
Gu Yanran's expression suddenly changed. It was really because Shen Qingqiu's grip was too strong and it hurt.
How could Liu not know her daughter's temperament? She looked at Yanran's face again, afraid that she would make too much trouble, and quickly separated their hands: "Qiu'er is a thoughtful child, Yanran, don't take it to heart. The old lady held a family banquet specially for you. Since you have come back from the Buddhist temple, of course, we have to welcome you well."
Gu Yanran looked at the mother and daughter singing the same tune and could only smile and agree.
She took a hand-copied Buddhist scripture from the maid, walked up to Old Madam Xu, raised her face and smiled as sweetly as she could, and handed the hand-copied Buddhist scripture to the old madam to read.
"Old Madam, Yanran brought you a gift this time!"
Old Lady Xu was already half buried in the ground, but she felt very tender about this kind of family affection. She was happy to play with her grandchildren. She immediately opened the booklet and saw the beautiful handwriting on it, every word of which was copied from the Buddhist scriptures for blessing. She immediately liked her granddaughter even more and touched her head with a smile.
"Did you copy this booklet yourself? Then the old lady must hide it like a treasure."
Gu Yanran lowered her head and smiled shyly: "These are all from Yanran's heart. I just hope that the old lady is in good health and everything goes well."
Liu, who was standing by, had gentle eyes and eyebrows, and said with a smile: "Yanran is really thoughtful."
She said to Mother Chen, "Mother Chen, go get some candied fruits and the like. Girls all like to eat these snacks."
After receiving the instructions, Mother Chen went downstairs. When she came back, she had brought a fruit plate and candied fruits and placed them on the table in the pavilion.
Gu Yanran was chatting with Old Madam Xu about family matters when she saw the candied fruit plate on the table and suddenly fell silent.
When Old Lady Xu saw her, she immediately asked her, "Yanran, what's wrong with you?"
She forced a smile and then said slowly, "My mother and I usually eat vegetarian food and chant in the temple. How can we have these candied fruits to enjoy every day? In front of the Buddha, you must be calm and sincere, and only in this way can you pray for the health of the old lady."
After hearing this, Old Lady Xu's eyes were filled with heartache.
"You've really suffered, kid. Now that you've returned to the Gu family, just stay here peacefully and talk to an old lady like me from time to time."
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