The Prime Minister's Darling -
Chapter 994 - 994 469 Little Fanboy (Second Update)
Chapter 994: 469 Little Fanboy (Second Update) Chapter 994: 469 Little Fanboy (Second Update) In the west chamber, Xiao Hen was organizing the chaos that Little Jingkong had created. Ever since he mentioned that he had an even bigger surprise for Gu Jiao, the little guy was convinced that his surprise was hidden within the room.
The little guy had rummaged through boxes and cabinets, flipping them inside out, but never putting anything back himself.
This habit had been pointed out several times by the family, and of course, he always responded well verbally, but would either forget as soon as he turned his head or, if he didn’t forget, his efforts at tidying up were as good as nothing.
It always ended up being either Xiao Hen or Gu Jiao who had to reorganize everything all over again.
Absorbed in cleaning, Xiao Hen was unaware that Marquis Gu had come to the house and was even less aware that Marquis Gu had been bullied by his own chickens.
“Brother-in-law.”
A soft, cautious, and slightly cheerful call suddenly came from the doorway.
Xiao Hen had just picked up Little Jingkong’s abacus and turned around upon hearing the voice, asking, “Is that you, Ayan? What is it?”
Today there were no classes at Qinghe Academy, and Gu Xiaoshun had gone to Master Lu and Madam Nanxiang’s house, while Gu Yan had excused himself to stay behind, claiming he felt unwell.
Gu Yan stood at the entrance, hands clasped behind his back, looking a bit constrained.
Ever since Gu Yan arrived home, this was the first time he showed this kind of… well, shyness was the word Xiao Hen was about to use, but it felt unlikely given Gu Yan’s nature to be so thin-skinned.
Besides, what was there for him to be shy about with Xiao Hen?
After all, it wasn’t their first day of acquaintance.
“May I come in?” Gu Yan asked.
Even the tone of his voice turned excessively cautious.
Had the change in attitude been too drastic?
Xiao Hen glanced at Gu Yan weirdly and said, “It’s fine, come in. Is it that you can’t do your homework?”
Among the three young boys at home, Xiao Hen interacted most with Little Jingkong for three reasons: first, the two of them shared a room; second, Little Jingkong was more talkative; and third, Little Jingkong had the most homework and tutorials.
Compared to Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun, he had less communication with them; typically, they came over at this time only to ask about their studies.
Gu Yan’s answer was, however, unexpected. He shook his head and said, “I have something I want to show you, brother-in-law.”
“What is it?” Xiao Hen inquired.
Gu Yan approached Xiao Hen, hesitated for a moment, and then unfolded his clenched fist behind his back to reveal a jade thumb ring with a warm quality.
If Gu Jiao were here, she would definitely recognize it as the jade thumb ring that accidentally slipped into her sleeve the first time she rescued Gu Yan.
Gu Yan had cherished this thumb ring very much, not allowing anyone to touch it; Gu Jinyu had accidentally touched it once and was met with a big outburst from Gu Yan.
Only Gu Jiao was an exception; if Gu Jiao touched it, it was as good as him touching it, which Gu Yan didn’t mind.
Xiao Hen, looking at the jade thumb ring in his palm, was momentarily uncertain of Gu Yan’s intention.
Gu Yan saw his expression and felt a flicker of disappointment, dropping his gaze and murmuring with a hint of grievance, “You really don’t remember.”
“I remember that it’s your jade thumb ring,” Xiao Hen said, unsure if he was correct.
“No, it’s yours,” Gu Yan replied sullenly.
“Mine?” Xiao Hen was surprised.
This statement could have two meanings: either the thumb ring had originally belonged to him, or Gu Yan intended to give him the thumb ring.
Considering all the changes in Gu Yan’s behavior after entering the room, Xiao Hen thought the second option was unlikely.
Otherwise, Gu Yan wouldn’t have said, “You really don’t remember.”
“Was it a gift to you?” Xiao Hen asked, pausing before adding, “From when I was a child?”
Since becoming Xiao Liulang, he didn’t recall ever giving Gu Yan any piece of jewelry. So it could only be from before both had left Zhaodu.
If he remembered correctly, Gu Yan had been sent to the hot spring villa in Youzhou at the age of four.
“It was before I went to the hot spring villa,” Gu Yan said gloomily. “The other brothers in the house wouldn’t play with me, so I ran out of the Marquis Residence by myself.”
It was by ditching the servants and squeezing through a doghole that he’d left the residence.
Embarrassed by this method of leave-taking, Gu Yan skipped over the details.
“I got lost, and then I met you.”
Getting lost was his impression at the time, but looking back, he didn’t really consider it getting lost since he hadn’t even left the back alley of the Marquis Residence.
Xiao Hen pointed to the jade thumb ring in his palm, “And then, did I give you this?”
Gu Yan shook his head and said softly, “You didn’t give it to me; I asked for it.”
Xiao Hen: “…”
Hard to tell that when you were young, you’d also ask strangers for things.
Gu Yan explained, “I sneaked out of the residence, couldn’t find my way back, and was crying loudly when you passed by. Your servant stopped the horse carriage. You said that the child was cute and joked about taking me back with you to be your younger brother.”
Xiao Hen: No, that sounds like you’re exposing your embarrassing past, how did it become a story about my own dark history?
“I’m not in the habit of kidnapping children, don’t talk nonsense!”
Xiao Hen cleared his throat lightly, “I was just joking, wasn’t I?”
Gu Yan continued solemnly, “Then your servant took me away.”
Xiao Hen: “…”
Xiao Hen, feeling awkward, “You must have been very scared at that time, right?”
Gu Yan shook his head, “No, I was quite happy, but then you regretted it after a short while, saying I wasn’t fun and sent me back.”
Xiao Hen: “…”
Xiao Hen had no memory of this incident at all.
That year, Xiao Hen was only seven years old. Though old enough to remember, taking Gu Yan was just a whim and not something he truly cared about.
He met so many people every day. How could he possibly remember a child who he had only played with for a short while?
It was different for Gu Yan. He had been frail since childhood, and the Yao Family and his father raised him very cautiously, never allowing him to leave the Marquis Residence. The number of children he had seen could be counted on one hand.
Xiao Hen gave him candy, toys, and even a beautiful jade thumb ring. Naturally, he remembered him vividly.
The only thing was, after so many years, his young mind couldn’t retain the features and appearance of the other, only that his name was Xiao Hen and he was the young master of the Zhaodu.
It was only thanks to Xiao Hen’s fame that he often heard about him from servants’ conversations, indirectly refreshing his memory of those past events.
Xiao Hen truly had no idea that there had been such an episode between him and Gu Yan. Even as one who didn’t believe in fate, he couldn’t help feeling that destiny was indeed an indescribable thing.
Their conversation was interrupted by the chaos coming from the Courtyard. Pushing open the window to look, they realized that the Marquis had arrived, and he was getting into a tussle with one of their dogs, seven chickens, and a Hai Dongqing.
The Marquis was a martial artist and could certainly handle a dog and a few chickens, but the dog was his son’s pet, the chickens were poultry that Yao Family fed every day. He had no qualms about the bird, but that bird could fly too well for him to catch…
Xiao Hen and Gu Yan went to the Courtyard and managed to stop the chaos. By that time, the Marquis was covered in chicken feathers!
The Marquis was so furious in his heart that he wished he could kill those damned chickens!
Especially the smallest one!
It had dropped several blobs of Chicken Dung on him!
Seeing his own father in such a disheveled state, Gu Yan suddenly couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing.
The Marquis: “…”
Little scoundrel, do you still remember I’m your dear father?
Gu Yan’s laughter continued until the Yao Family returned. Yao Family was due to give birth next month, and Gu Jiao had calculated the due date to be the first day of next month, which was about half a month away.
Her limbs were showing slight swelling, making her seem a bit clumsy in her movements.
Immediately forgetting about Gu Yan, the Marquis stepped forward to help her, “Why did you go out again? How is Mu-ma looking after you? Be careful!”
The way Yao Family stepped over the threshold had indeed frightened him.
Are pregnant women supposed to move so vigorously?! Little Ling’s wife back then would never dare to do such a thing!
Actually, Yao Family herself felt that this pregnancy was easier than the first one. If it weren’t for her age, she probably could handle it with ease.
She had seen farmwives in the village work in the fields with their bellies, and compared to them, she was quite delicate. But compared to the ladies and young misses from prominent families, she was still much tougher.
“Marquis, how did you end up like this?” Yao Family looked at him in astonishment.
The old Marquis couldn’t just say he was bullied by some chickens. He couldn’t lose face in front of his wife like that, so with a light cough, he said, “It’s nothing. The chickens got out, and I was just catching them.”
Yao Family said, “It was I who let them out, to catch insects in the pickled vegetables.”
Other people’s chickens occasionally eat vegetable leaves, but theirs didn’t; they only ate insects and were particularly well-behaved.
The Marquis sheepishly said, “Then, then I’ll let them out again for you later.”
Seeing their small vegetable patch, Yao Family said, “No need today. They’ve caught enough insects. Marquis, you’d better go change your clothes first.”
The Marquis went to the carriage to change into spare clothes and then went to the Backyard to talk with Yao Family.
His visit today was first to see Yao Family, and second, to announce the good news to her, “Our son-in-law has been promoted.”
Yao Family’s eyes brightened, unconsciously turning to look at Xiao Liulang who was chopping wood with Gu Yan at the kitchen doorway, “Liulang, did you get a promotion?”
Xiao Liulang had only received the official document that afternoon and hadn’t had the chance to discuss it with the family yet.
“Brother-in-law, you got promoted?” Gu Yan asked excitedly, looking at Xiao Liulang.
“Hmm,” said Xiao Liulang, nodding his head as he held the chopping axe.
“What position? What position?” Gu Yan, the adoring little brother, asked eagerly.
“A reader at the Hanlin Academy,” Xiao Liulang replied.
“Huh,” the Marquis scoffed disdainfully, “I thought it was something impressive. Just a reader at the Hanlin Academy. The Prince of An will soon enter the cabinet as an adviser.”
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