Chapter Fourteen: Gu Ning Xuan

  "Shall I pack up my things over the next two days and then head to Banruo Temple? What do you think, Grandmother?" Qingjin continued, seeking her approval after hearing her grandmother's agreement.

  Shen's family heard Qingjin's request and thought for a moment before speaking: "Since you asked your grandmother, I'll tell you two things. If you want to go pray for blessings, it's generally best to go at the beginning of the month. Now that it's already the end of the month, just wait until next month to go and also ask for a divination stick for our Anji Hou Mansion. By the way, I remember that the peach blossoms at Banruo Temple are also open around this time. When you go, don't just focus on praying for blessings, take a look at the peach blossoms... Invite your aunt's family, Huixiang and Minmei, as well as Qingxia to go with you!"

  "Yes, Qingjin will listen to her grandmother. Qingjin will go back and send the invitations to her cousins Hui and Min right away." Gu Qingxia replied respectfully to Shen Shi's words.

  "Grandma, don't be deceived by her, maybe she just wants to go out and have fun!" Hearing Shen's words, Gu Ningxuan, who had been staring at Qingjin with a sharp gaze, reluctantly spoke up.

  "Who is she? She's your elder sister, Qingjin. Just now, your grandmother was testing whether your sister has become sensible or not, that's why she let you off without making you pay respects to her. But Ningxuan, you must remember that you are the legitimate son of the Anji Marquis Manor and will be the one to support our manor in the future. You can't be as ignorant of etiquette as you were today. Now, go and properly ask for your sister's blessing." Madam Shen spoke sternly to Gu Ningxuan.

  Gu Ningxuan heard her grandmother's words, feeling a bit wronged and was about to retort that she wasn't her sister. However, seeing her grandmother's stern gaze, she reluctantly got down from the couch and bowed to Qingjin, "Second Sister is well!"

  Gu Qingjin looked at Gu Ningxuan, who didn't want to pay his respects to her but was intimidated by his grandmother's authority and reluctantly paid his respects. She saw the little boy saying "Second Sister is good" with a mouthful of words, but his eyes flickered with angry resentment.

  Suddenly, a subtle and inexplicable thought arose, and with a serious expression, she spoke to Gu Ningxuan who was bowing to her, "No need for the formalities, little brother." As expected, after saying this, Gu Ningxuan's fiery eyes lifted, and he saw that his grandmother was staring at him intensely. Gu Qingjin felt a bit embarrassed and smiled awkwardly at Shen Shi.

  Shen received her smile, averted her eyes, "Alright, I'm a bit tired, you all go back to your own places!"

  Gu Qingjin, Gu Qingxia and Gu Ningxuan bowed to Shen after hearing her words, then left Shen's room with their respective maids or servants.

  After leaving Shen's room, Qingjin took Yuanyang and walked towards her own courtyard without stopping.

  "Hey, hey......" came the loud shout from behind Gu Ningxuan, Qingjin didn't even turn her head and continued walking forward, who was being called? Anyway, it wasn't her.

  "Gu Qingjin, stop right there! Gu Qingjin——" Seeing Qingjin seemingly ignoring him despite clearly hearing his voice, and continuing to walk forward with her maid, Gu Ningxuan's face turned red with rage as he directly shouted out Qingjin's name.

  Gu Qingjin heard Gu Ningxuan shouting her name in a flustered tone behind her, and she quickened her pace to leave, not wanting to bother with such an impolite person.

  Seeing Gu Qingjin quicken his pace after shouting out his name, Gu Ningxuan became enraged. He ignored the nurse and maidservant's attempts to stop him and ran in front of Gu Qingjin, blocking his path. In a fit of anger, he shouted at Gu Qingjin, "Gu Qingjin, are you deaf? Young Master just called you, what...

  "You're so ugly!" Qing Jin said disdainfully, looking at Gu Ning Xuan's distorted handsome face due to his anger.

  Gu Ningxuan hadn't finished speaking when Gu Qingjin's sentence thoroughly ignited his anger, he jumped up excitedly, "You're the ugly one, Gu Qingjin you ugly girl, saying I'm ugly, but you're still my older sister, dare to say I'm ugly, you're the biggest ugly freak!" After shouting, he felt something was off and blinked in confusion.

  Qing Jin heard his words and slowly opened her mouth, "You're ugly, I'm your own sister, am I even uglier?"

  "Of course!" Upon hearing Qing Jin's words, Gu Ning Xuan was over the moon, but after a brief moment, he suddenly realized something was off and immediately became flustered again. "Gu Qing Jin, you little scoundrel! How dare you trick me into acknowledging you as my sister? You're dreaming!"

  "Oh, I'm not... your sister?" Qing Jin asked slowly and lazily. Gu Ning Xuan nodded eagerly with a smug expression, wanting to say "of course", but before he could speak, Gu Qing Jin continued firmly, "You're ugly!"

  Gu Ningxuan heard these three words and couldn't help but burst into flames, "You're the ugly one!" Don't think that kids don't understand beauty or ugliness, kids also love beauty.

  "I'm not your sister, what's the relationship between your ugliness and me?" Qing Jin replied calmly.

  Originally, Gu Ningxuan was already puzzled by the completely different appearance of Gu Qingjin today. At this moment, he was even more stunned by Gu Qingjin's calm and composed demeanor. He didn't know what to say, and could only point at Gu Qingjin in frustration, "You, you..."

  Gu Qingjin gazed at Gu Ningxuan with a stern expression, causing Gu Ningxuan to feel somewhat flustered under her gaze. He wanted to say something to salvage the situation, but his mind went blank as he looked into Qingjin's eyes. He let out a "humph" and turned to run away. The servant girls who had been standing nearby quickly curtsied to Qingjin before hurrying after him.

  Until Gu Ningxuan's figure was out of sight, Qingjin withdrew her gaze and only then did she realize what childish thing she had just done. Alas, wasn't it already decided to get along well with her younger brother? But as soon as she saw that little scamp's arrogant appearance and provocative eyes, she couldn't help but tease him, wanting to take him down a peg. Some things really can't be helped for the time being; never mind, I'll change slowly from now on!

  "Miss, young master is still a child." Yuanyang said to Qingjin, implying that Miss should give way to the child.

  Qing Jin heard Yuanyang's words and felt a bit embarrassed, "That, I'll try next time, really!"

  Yuanyang looked at Qingjin in disbelief, and when she felt Yuanyang's gaze, Qingjin turned around and said, "What's wrong? Is there something dirty on my face?"

  "No, Miss's face is very clean, I'm glad, Miss you finally understand, before Yuanyang said so, you all said Yuanyang was talking nonsense."

  "Is that so? Wasn't I young and foolish back then? Now that I've grown up, besides, Ning Xuan is my own biological younger brother after all. I still have some sense of propriety."

  "It's good that you have some restraint, Miss. In the past, whenever you and Young Master met, you would argue incessantly after just a few words, which worried me. When you were young, it was still okay to behave like this, but if you continue to quarrel like this as you grow up, what will happen when you get married and your relationship with Young Master is still so bad?"