The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 859 - 859 393 Spring Stirrings (Third Update)

Chapter 859: 393 Spring Stirrings (Third Update) Chapter 859: 393 Spring Stirrings (Third Update) “Big cousin!” Yao Xin stood up with a horrified look on her face.

Gu Jiao had just thrown the He Family out of her front door.

“Ouch—” The He Family member stumbled and fell to the ground, landing face first.

“Mother!” Yao Xin, holding up the hem of her dress, stepped over the threshold to help the He Family member up from the ground.

Enraged, the He Family member got up, dusting off her dress, and glared viciously at Gu Jiao. “You little bitch—”

Before she could finish, she met Gu Jiao’s deathly stare. A shiver went down her spine, and her scalp suddenly went numb.

Gu Jiao knocked on the doorframe, not hiding the chill in her eyes. “Don’t ever come back here, or I’ll break your bones.”

The He Family member wanted to say, “You wouldn’t dare,” but meeting those icy-cold eyes, she couldn’t utter a word.

The He Family member was able to make a scene in front of the Yao Family because she knew that at most they would ignore her, but never hurt her. However, she had a strange feeling that this girl really could kill her…

Pale-faced, the He Family member said, “You, you’re not afraid… if this gets out… it will… it will ruin your reputation…”

Her words had little confidence.

“Is that so?” Gu Jiao suddenly raised her hand.

“Ah—” The He Family member was so frightened that she ran away, even forgetting about Yao Xin!

Yao Xin, however, saw that Gu Jiao was merely dusting off her sleeve.

With her own mother having run off, Yao Xin had no face to stay any longer. “Mother, wait for me!”

Inside the house, Gu Jinyu was apologizing to the Yao Family. “…Mother, I’m sorry, I didn’t know things would turn out like this. Auntie didn’t tell me; she’s just too worried about you, and also concerned about how she mistreated sister before, so she insisted on coming over to make amends. I thought since it was about making amends to sister, I would… I took it upon myself to bring her over.”

The Yao Family closed their eyes, feeling a headache coming on. “Don’t do this kind of thing again.”

Gu Jinyu quietly replied, “I understand, Mother.”

The Yao Family furrowed their brows. “How did they find out about Liulang’s issue?”

Gu Jinyu pondered for a moment, then said, “Auntie asked about my brother-in-law, and I simply said that he and my sister were married in the countryside, that he had studied at the Guozijian, and is now serving in the Hanlin Academy. I didn’t say anything else.”

The Yao Family looked at Gu Jinyu. “You didn’t mention his leg?”

Gu Jinyu lowered her head. “Auntie asked, so I mentioned it briefly, but I didn’t say my brother-in-law was crippled. I wouldn’t speak about him like that… He simply has trouble walking.”

Gu Jinyu wouldn’t speak crudely; she never casually mentioned the word “crippled,” but the He Family had no such reservations when it came to offensive talk.

The Yao Family felt extremely uncomfortable – they didn’t know whether they were more angry with the He Family or with Gu Jinyu. All they knew was that they didn’t want to see anyone from either side at that moment.

Pressing her forehead, the Yao Family sighed. “You should go back home too, you’ll soon be married off. Don’t keep running about outside.”

“…Yes.”

Gu Jinyu left the Yao Family’s room and encountered Gu Jiao and Xiao Liulang, who were feeding the chicks, Xiaoba, and Xiaojiu.

Gu Jinyu first looked at Gu Jiao. “Sister.”

Gu Jiao replied with a cold attitude, “Don’t call me that, we’re not related.”

Gu Jinyu’s lips quivered with hurt, then she turned to Xiao Liulang. “Brother-in-law.”

Xiao Liulang didn’t respond.

He focused on feeding the birds and chickens, treating Gu Jinyu as if she were thin air.

Feeling aggrieved, Gu Jinyu left Bishui Alley; her carriage had just turned the corner when it was stopped by the waiting He Family on Chang’an Avenue.

The coachman brought the carriage to a halt.

Gu Jinyu thought the He Family had come to bid her farewell, but to her surprise, they had come to demand an explanation, “Jin Yu, why didn’t you speak up for your aunt just now?”

Gu Jinyu was utterly astonished by the He Family’s audacity; hadn’t she spoken up for them? She had smoothed things over so much on their behalf!

With a huff, the He Family said, “That’s where you’re wrong. Look how much your aunt dotes on you—she always ensures the best for Yanyan and you. She hasn’t even treated her own niece as well as she has you!”

Having already faced rejection from the Yao Family, Gu Jiao, and Xiao Liulang, Gu Jinyu was feeling depressed, and the criticism from the He Family only added fuel to her ire, “Didn’t Aunt say she was just here to apologize to my sister today? How come I never heard a word of apology throughout the whole visit?”

The He Family’s eyes flickered, and they stammered, “It’s just that…I didn’t get the chance to say it, right? Ah, that girl, she’s been raised in the countryside with no proper upbringing!”

Gu Jinyu retorted, displeased, “If Aunt has nothing else, I’ll be leaving first!”

“Ah—Jin Yu—,” the He Family clung to the carriage window, smiling, “That… could you help out with your cousin’s situation?”

“How can I help?” asked Gu Jinyu, her expression less than pleased.

The He Family said, “Don’t pretend your aunt doesn’t know; aren’t you engaged to Prince An? The Zhuang family has even more influence than the Marquis Residence. Go and talk to your future husband, and get him to help your cousin!”

Gu Jinyu was not so naive; this marriage was already her reaching higher than her station, and roping in disreputable relatives would only make the Zhuang family look down on her even more.

“I can’t help,” she flatly refused.

The He Family became angry, “You…”

Yao Xin said, “Cousin Jin Yu, please don’t be upset. Today my mother was at fault. She didn’t have any bad intentions; she’s just too worried about me and my brother. It’s also my fault for being too stupid—if I were half as smart as you, I wouldn’t have caused my mother so much concern.”

The He Family glared at her daughter, “What nonsense are you talking about? You’re smart too! It’s just that you haven’t had the chance to attend that… what’s it called… yes, the Girls’ School!”

At that thought, the He Family’s mind perked up again. They looked at Gu Jinyu with a beaming smile, “Fine, fine, fine, let’s not talk about your cousin’s matter for now. Just help your cousin get into the Girls’ School! Look, you managed to snag such a good catch only after attending the Girls’ School. Your cousin’s conditions are no worse than yours—you are an adopted daughter, and she’s the legitimate daughter of the Yao Family…”

Gu Jinyu felt so enraged her face turned green. What did they say about shooting oneself in the foot? This was it!

She clenched her handkerchief tightly, “Let’s go!”

Having received the order, the coachman didn’t even care that the He Family was still holding onto the carriage; he cracked his whip, and the horse, in pain, started to gallop fiercely.

“Ouch—” The He Family stumbled, almost falling to the ground.

“Mom, are you okay?” Yao Xin supported her.

The He Family spat on the ground, “Pah! A country bumpkin mixed up at birth thinks she’s all that!”

“Mom—”

The He Family said, “Xin’er, don’t be afraid. If your two cousins, one adopted and the other with a scarred face, can find good matrimonial matches, I refuse to believe you can’t! Rest assured, I will find you the perfect husband!”

When the term ‘perfect husband’ was mentioned, Yao Xin’s mind suddenly flashed with the image of a youth with exquisite features, elegant and reserved, cold and indifferent, yet possessing an inexplicably strong allure and charm.

Yao Xin… Yao Xin’s heart skipped a beat.