Chapter Twenty-Six: Calculations

  Thank you for the reward from Tingyuan after the rain.

  The voice was filled with deep longing and a timid expression that yearned for closeness yet feared rejection, which Gu Qingjin could vividly depict without even looking.

  Gu Qingjin thought that she should probably go in, but destroying someone's ancestral worship would bring curses and gossip behind her back. Thinking this way, her feet still didn't move, and she remained standing quietly.

  Then came Grandma Shen's voice with a faint smile: "Yao, you're also a lovely girl, and in the future, you must get along well with your sisters."

  "Yes, Grandmother." The clear and sweet voice was filled with the joy of being recognized. Qing Jin's mouth corners slightly curved up, followed by the low male voice speaking again: "Your son's daughter-in-law will definitely be filial to you this time she returns home, making up for over ten years of unfulfilled filial piety."

  "The old master said that mother should not despise her daughter-in-law's clumsiness." This time it was the woman's gentle and humble voice.

  "My son is quite clever and the third child in our family has always been filial and virtuous, how could he be clumsy? Every day, accompanying me to chat, and occasionally playing cards during leisure time, that's all."

  "Mother, son and third brother still have things to attend to, let Xin Yue and third sister keep you company for a while." This time it was Gu Qingjin's father, Gu Huaili.

  "Go, go, official business is urgent."

  "She has been away from Beijing for decades and there may be some imperfections, I hope elder sister can forgive her." The low male voice sounded again.

  "Third Brother is worrying too much, what else can we sisters-in-law say?" This time it was the voice of Jun Shi, the one most familiar to Qing Jin.

  Then there was the sound of footsteps walking outwards, and Gu Qingjin stood under the corridor without hiding or avoiding the sound.

  Looking at the robust and steady middle-aged man who walked out first, Qing Jin knew that this was her third uncle, Gu Huaiyi.

  When Gu Huaiyi lifted the curtain and came out, she saw a girl wearing a strange red dress standing quietly on the opposite side with a maid-like little servant girl. This kind of bright and bold red should be the daughter of her elder brother who was said to be very "talented". Her appearance wasn't bad, but looking at the girl's all-red outfit, it was too gorgeous and overbearing. Her eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and she thought that girls should be like her own Y'ao, sweet and lovely. Just look at the girl's sleeves, they were almost dragging on the ground.

  At this time, Gu Huai Li also came out and saw Gu Qing Jin standing outside. "Jin Er, why are you standing here? I heard that you were ill recently, have you recovered?"

  Looking at the slender and elegant figure of her father, Gu Fu, walking out of her grandmother's house, Qing Jin heard Gu Huai Li's question and replied respectfully: "Thank you, Father, for your concern. I've fully recovered. I learned from the servants that Third Uncle, Third Aunt, and Fourth Sister have arrived today, so I thought everyone would be at Grandmother's place. That's why I came over. As soon as I arrived, I heard footsteps coming out, so I waited here to avoid disturbing anyone."

  Gu Huai Li heard Qing Jin's words and nodded in satisfaction, pointing to Gu Huai Yi beside him: "This is your Third Uncle. Jin Er probably hasn't met your Third Uncle before, come quickly and pay your respects to your Third Uncle!"

  Gu Qingjin nodded, of course she had seen him before and was quite familiar with him in her past life. However, she pretended to be seeing him for the first time and shifted her gaze to Gu Huaiyi beside him, then politely greeted him, "Third Uncle, niece Qingjin greets you."

  "Are you indeed Eldest Brother's legitimate daughter Qing Jin?"

  "Yes, Third Uncle." Gu Qingjin replied calmly with a faint smile.

  Gu Huaiyi looked at the girl in front of her, who was about the same size as his daughter, and saw that she was not intimidated by the aura emanating from him. She replied calmly and composedly, without showing any signs of fear or respect. For some reason, Gu Huaiyi saw a haughty and condescending air about the girl, which stirred up memories he had long buried deep within himself. His eyes softened, "Qing Jin, no need to be so polite, I am your Third Uncle. You have come to pay respects to your grandmother?"

  "Yes."

  "I heard that the Flowing Cloud Pavilion, which is very popular in the capital, was founded by Qingjin's niece. Big brother really taught a good girl, unlike my family's Qingyao, who is clearly of similar age to Qingjin but acts like a little kid all day." The words clearly contain praise for Qingjin.

  "She's just a little kid, what's the big deal, it's just luck, Third Brother shouldn't praise her too much, and Qingyao's niece is also very likable." Gu Huaiyi heard Gu Huaili's words and waved his hand nonchalantly, but the triumphant smile at the corner of his eyebrow revealed his true thoughts.

  "Third brother is telling the truth, by the way, Qingjin's niece hurry up and go inside, your third aunt and fourth sister are both in there, Third Uncle and your father had something to attend to and left first."

  "Father, slow down! Third Uncle, slow down!" Qing Jin watched as Gu Huai Li and Gu Huai Yi walked out of the Chao Xia courtyard. Just now, when Third Uncle came out of Grandmother's house, he looked at her with an expression that was clearly not pleased, but later his words were obviously praising her. Was this what they meant by a man's mind being hard to guess?

  Gu Qingjin stood there for a moment, still unable to understand why Third Uncle had suddenly changed his attitude. After thinking about it without result, she didn't think about it anymore, shook her head and turned around to enter the house.

  "Second sister, wait for me." A female voice came from behind.

  Gu Qingjin's foot paused in mid-air and he turned his head around, "Gu Qingxia?"

  "Is that my sister, Second Sister has just arrived too? By the way, why hasn't Second Sister been coming to Mr.'s place for lessons recently?" Gu Qingxia walked up to Gu Qingjian's side and asked doubtfully. The tutors who specialized in teaching young ladies how to read and write were all invited by Gu Qingjian after begging their mother, Madame Gu. Gu Qingjian used to come very diligently, so why hadn't she been coming lately?

  "It's nothing, just recently I've been learning household chores from my mother." Gu Qingjin said straightforwardly.

  Gu Qingxia heard Gu Qingjin's words with a look of sudden realization, but her eyes hid an uncontrollable jealousy and resentment. Thinking of her aunt's previous words, Gu Qingxia suppressed her hidden jealousy and spoke again: "Second sister, how did you suddenly learn all these things? Second sister used to hate these the most, right? The teacher has been praising your handwriting progress recently! It's such a pity that sister didn't go!"

  "Oh."

  When Gu Qingyan heard this simple word, Gu Qingxia, who was deliberately showing off, felt a little lost. In the past, Mr. always praised Gu Qingyan, and Gu Qingyan also had a high self-esteem. Now that Mr. finally praised her, she took the opportunity to show off and say that Mr. also praised her. According to Gu Qingyan's usual unyielding temperament, she would definitely retort and mock her, and then she could use this as an excuse to loudly argue with Gu Qingyan for a few sentences.

  Today, Third Uncle and Third Aunt just returned. At this moment, Third Aunt should be in Grandma's room. If she argues with Gu Qingjin, she can naturally make a scene in front of Grandma and tell her that Gu Qingjin bullied her younger sister, also leaving a bad impression on Gu Qingjin for Third Aunt. Today is the first day Third Aunt returned to see Grandma, she must have left a bad impression on Gu Qingjin. However, unexpectedly, the thing she deliberately took out to show off, Gu Qingjin simply responded with just one word and then remained silent.

  This is completely different from what Auntie expected. Gu Qingjin didn't argue with her or mock her, how could this be?