Chapter 28: Chaos Erupts

  On the second day, as expected, just after noon, someone came to report that Lu Mo and his party had entered the mansion.

  The old lady and her daughter had not seen each other for many years, so they couldn't help but burst into tears.

  The two old masters took Lu Mo with them and first invited him to the outer courtyard's study.

  Madam Gu held Gu Yun and cried for a while, then wanted to see her grandson and granddaughter. Gu Yun quickly called Lu Hanxuan and Lu Yuran to come up and pay their respects to their grandmother.

  The old lady held one in each hand, asking about their well-being and sat down with a satisfied heart.

  Twins Gu Yun and Gu Jin stood by, their faces somewhat uneasy. Gu Qing's expression was even worse, while Gu Yan looked calm with a hint of curiosity in her eyes as she gazed at Lu Yuran. Gu Man observed everyone's reactions, then sat down in the chair below, taking the opportunity to scrutinize Lu Yushu while sipping tea.

  She remembered this Lu Yuran, in her previous life she had been determined to marry her brother with all her heart and soul. From the moment she moved into Mingyue Building, she had brought countless troubles upon herself. She used to think that it was just because she didn't understand things, and she didn't blame Lu Yuran much either.

  But this time she didn't want to get into trouble again, nor did she want an uninvited guest to move into the originally quiet Mingyuelou, so she just quietly drank her own tea and didn't even go up to talk. Anyway, she had given up, no matter how hard she tried to please her, the old lady still didn't like her.

  As expected, it wasn't long before Old Lady Gu turned to Gu Yun and said: "If you hadn't just returned, I would have given Mo Zhi a good scolding. Who knows what he's thinking? He comes back and then goes off to live elsewhere? The Hou estate is so big, do we lack a few rooms for you?"

  "He's always been like that, Mother. Don't mind him. It's just as well I wanted to stay home for a few more days anyway. Who knows if there'll be another chance later..." As she spoke, she couldn't help but start crying again.

  Old Mrs. Gu's face was all scrunched up with anxiety as she hastily said, "Stay here! If he wants to keep his dignity, let him go live outside himself!"

  Lu Yuran hastily stood up and rubbed the old lady's chest, softly advising: "Grandmother, don't worry, Father respects Grandfather and Grandmother the most. When you speak, he dare not disobey. Don't exhaust yourself."

  Before long, Fan Shi and Wang Shi, among others, returned after making arrangements for the family banquet that evening. Seeing this scene, they didn't dare ask any more questions, but instead said some auspicious words to delight Old Lady.

  Lu Hanxuan followed Lu Yuran up to pay respects one by one, with impeccable manners. Although young in age, there was not a hint of impatience or arrogance between his eyebrows and eyes. The several madams all liked him so much that they couldn't help but give him the rewards they had prepared early on.

  Fourth Aunt Fang usually spoke little, but in front of Old Lady she would talk more. At this moment, she smiled and said: "Your nephew is a talented young man, your niece looks like an immortal goddess, you are so blessed!"

  Gu Yun had a few interactions with this fourth sister before she got married, and now she also acknowledged her feelings, smiling: "Don't praise them, others don't know, but I do. Our family's children are really well-educated. Did the boys go to school today?"

  "Isn't that so?" Old Lady Gu took over the conversation, smiling: "Although your nephews are not here, not one of your nieces is missing either. Don't think you can save on the betrothal gifts."

  The old lady took the lead in joking, and the atmosphere of De'anju became more lively than ever. Gu Yun hurriedly smiled and said: "Mother loves to tease me." On the other hand, she beckoned to several girls and Yan Yuese: "All come here to auntie's place."

  Gu Zhao wasn't there, so Gu Qing took the lead. The girls went up one by one to pay their respects. In front of the serious elders, each of the Gu family's daughters was polite and well-mannered. Gu Yun couldn't help but praise them one by one. When it was Gu Man's turn, she smiled and said: "She looks so lovely, I'm so envious! Is this the Eleventh that Second Brother always mentions? Our little Eleventh is really beautiful."

  The house fell silent, and everyone's expressions were different. Gu Qing and the twins looked like they were watching a good show, while Gu Yan, standing next to Gu Man, lowered her head with a terrified look on her face.

  Fan's family was deaf to the ears, only smiling and whispering to the third wife, the fourth wife and the fifth wife exchanged a glance, the corners of their mouths were sarcastically curved, but Wang's family looked at Gu Man with a worried face, afraid that she would cry.

  Who would have thought that the legitimate daughter would stand behind the concubine's daughter? Gu Yun has always disliked Wang Shi, is she using this opportunity to make things difficult for her? This move of hers is really clever.

  The old lady seemed to be asleep, and two little maidservants were kneeling on the ground massaging her legs.

  Gu Man raised his head and smiled at her: "Aunt must not have come back for a long time, can't recognize people. I'll introduce them to Aunt again." After finishing speaking, he didn't wait for her response, and grabbed Gu Qing over, saying to Gu Yun: "Aunt, this is Fourth Sister." Then, one by one, he pulled over Gu Lin and Gu Xin to show to Gu Yun.

  When it was the twins' turn, Gu Man smiled and said: "The 12th sister and the 13th sister look exactly alike, Auntie will probably not be able to tell them apart. The one with the birthmark on her forehead is the 12th sister, and the one without is the 13th sister, can you remember that?" Before she could react, he pointed at himself and smiled: "Auntie, I'm Xiao Jiu, called A Man. This is my younger half-sister, Gu Yan, number eleven."

  Everyone saw that there was not a hint of shame on her face, and they were already somewhat surprised. When they saw her calmly and quietly attribute Gu Yun's provocation to the reason that she had not returned home for too long and was unfamiliar with it, they looked at her with different eyes.

  Gu Yun's face indeed looked a bit unsightly, and the things she was going to do next were all blocked by Gu Man's words, and she was also hinted that she was already a daughter who didn't know her natal family's affairs after getting married. She looked deeply at Gu Man with a gloomy face and said stiffly: "Xiao Jiu is indeed clever and quick-witted."

  "Aunt, you're overpraising me, this is what a niece should do." Gu Man bowed slightly towards her and calmly accepted the pair of glittering agate bangles she handed over, then walked away.

  She glanced at Gu Man, who was observing her with a seemingly unintentional gaze, and her doubts grew. Such things would be unbearable for any girl with some status, let alone Gu Man, who had always held herself in high esteem. She had originally thought Gu Man would cry and make a fuss, but now it seemed she was not affected at all...

  She was lost in thought when she was pulled up by a hand, and Gu Yun smiled at her: "Good girl, Aunt mistakenly blamed you, it's unfair to you. This jade lotus hairpin will be Aunt's apology to you."

  Isn't it supposed to be the legitimate daughter who's wronged? Is this considered a slap in the face?

  Gu Manman smiled indifferently, pretending she hadn't heard, and obediently snuggled up beside Wang Shi.

  Gu Yan didn't want to be used as a gun, her hand shook and the hairpin slid down from her hand and fell onto the ground. Fortunately, the ground was thick with clothes, so the hairpin fell without being damaged.

  The old lady woke up in time, looked around at the people in the room, and said in a low voice to Gu Suo: "Can't even hold onto a hairpin? Hurry up and pick it up!"