Chapter Ninety-One: Favoring Wealth Over Poverty

For these past few days, Gu Qingyang had been taking Lin'er out to play, visiting almost every county surrounding Mingyang County. It was only on the day of the Mid-Yuan Festival that they returned to the Gu family estate. No sooner had they stepped into the courtyard than they heard laughter echoing from the main hall; they had no idea the estate would be so lively today.

Uncle Yang caught sight of Gu Qingyang and hurried forward to bow. "Second Young Master, Miss Lin'er, you’ve returned."

Gu Qingyang nodded and asked, "Uncle Yang, why is it so lively today? Did I come back too late and miss out on some happy occasion?"

"Second Young Master, you haven't missed anything. The Princess's father, the Prince of Zhennan, has arrived. The Princess even made a type of pastry we’ve never seen before, called mooncakes; they are quite delicious."

"Oh? Is that so? I must go have a taste." Upon hearing the mention of food, Gu Qingyang's eyes lit up. He took Lin'er by the hand and headed toward the hall.

Lin'er didn't expect him to hold her hand right in front of Uncle Yang, and her small face flushed with embarrassment. Uncle Yang glanced at their interlaced fingers and understood immediately; it seemed their relationship had made significant progress over these past few days.

As Gu Qingyang entered the hall, he spotted a man in his thirties—the Prince of Zhennan. Gu Qingyang had never met the Prince before. Even though he was Zhan Yan’s senior fellow apprentice and they addressed each other as siblings, the man who had previously occupied the position of the Prince of Zhennan was an imposter named Yan Kuan. Zhan Yan had never been close to him and thus had never mentioned her apprenticeship, let alone her senior brother.

Zhan Yan spotted Gu Qingyang and Lin'er walking in, and she certainly didn't miss their joined hands. A hint of a smile flashed in her eyes as she said gently, "Second Brother, Lin'er, you finally decided to come back."

"Little Sister, Uncle Yang said you made some mooncakes that are delicious. Let your Second Brother have a taste; I’ve been traveling all day and I’m starving," Gu Qingyang said boisterously.

Gu Yan was pleased to see his disciple back, but he retorted, "You brat, all you think about upon returning is food. Don't you see we have a guest? Come over and pay your respects to the Prince of Zhennan; this is your sister's father."

Gu Qingyang walked up to the Prince, performed a respectful junior’s bow, and scrutinized him for a moment before saying, "Prince of Zhennan, this is the real you this time, right? Please don't bring out another imposter, or you’ll end up bringing home a stepmother to torment my little sister again."

Zhan Tianyi coughed awkwardly and replied, "Rest assured, Young Master Qingyang, I am the genuine Prince of Zhennan."

Hearing his disciple’s impudent remark, Gu Yan flew into a rage. "You brat, where are your manners? Is this how I taught you to speak?"

"I was just joking, Grandfather. You really have no sense of humor. If you won't play along, don't just stand there yelling—it’s so dull." Gu Qingyang shook his head, spotted a mooncake on a plate, grabbed it, broke it in half, handed one piece to Zhan Yan, and stuffed the other into his own mouth. After one bite, he sighed—it was truly a delicacy. After finishing the first half, he clamored for more, and Zhan Yan had another plate brought out for him to enjoy to his heart's content.

Everyone was accustomed to the bickering between this master and his disciple.

This Mid-Yuan Festival was the liveliest Zhan Yan had experienced since coming to this world. They played until late at night before finally parting ways.

When Zhongli Yu and Zhan Yan returned to Lixiang Pavilion, it was already midnight. The moon hung high in the sky, bright and clear.

"Husband, carry me up to the roof to watch the moon," Zhan Yan said to Zhongli Yu. In previous years, she would jump onto the roof alone, gazing at the full moon while missing her unreachable family. Now, with him by her side, she was no longer lonely. She wanted to experience what it felt like to watch the moon with him.

"Are you not tired, Yan'er?" Usually, she would have been asleep by now, as she often felt drowsy during her pregnancy. It was rare for her to be so energetic tonight.

"I'm not tired. Quickly, carry me up."

"Alright." Zhongli Yu spoke tenderly, lifted her gently into his arms, and leaped onto the roof.

Zhongli Yu also had a habit of climbing to the roof to watch the moonlight. In the past, it was because of his profound loneliness; whenever he felt troubled, he would go to the roof to look at the vast sky and the stars, letting his worries drift away with the wind.

However, ever since he had Zhan Yan, he hadn't climbed to the roof in a long time. He wanted to spend every possible moment looking at her; why would he ever look at the stars instead?

The sky tonight was exceptionally beautiful—cloudless, with the moon hanging high. Everything seemed cloaked in a faint mist, beautiful to the point of unreality.

Zhan Yan leaned her head gently on Zhongli Yu's shoulder, watching the exceptionally round and bright moon, and asked softly, "Husband, did you know? There are people who can go up to the moon."

Zhongli Yu replied skeptically, "Yan'er, don't tease me. The moon is so far from the earth; how could people possibly get there?"

"I'm not teasing you; it's true."

"You've seen someone go up there?" Zhongli Yu asked in shock.

Zhan Yan nodded. "Husband, do you believe in past and future lives? Do you believe one can remember things from a previous life?"

"Yan'er, what are you trying to say?"

"If I told you I remember my past life, what would you do?" Zhan Yan asked, looking at the distant moon, her entire presence seeming ethereal.

"Yan'er, no matter what happened in your past life, in this life, you are my wife. I will not allow you to leave me, do you hear?" Zhongli Yu held her tightly, his hands trembling slightly.

"Silly, I can never go back. It's all in the past, and I will never see them again." Zhan Yan sighed. She wondered if the Mid-Autumn Festival in her modern world fell on the same day as this Mid-Yuan Festival, and if her parents were also looking at the moon, missing her.

"Yan'er, did you... have someone you couldn't let go of in your past life?" Zhongli Yu asked cautiously. What he really wanted to ask was whether she had a lover in her past life whom she still missed.

"I did. There has never been a moment where I forgot the people I care about." Zhan Yan sighed softly. Sometimes, the memory brought sharp pain to her heart. Thinking of her parents, who had raised her with such hardship only to have to bury their child, her heart tightened painfully.

"Yan'er, you said you loved me," Zhongli Yu said quietly, feeling the ache spread through his chest.

"Yes, I love you. I love you very much," Zhan Yan said tenderly.

"Then please, stop thinking about others, alright?" He asked, his tone almost pleading.

"But they raised me for twenty-four years. I truly cannot forget them. They are my beloved parents; I cannot help but miss them." Zhan Yan said helplessly, feeling that her husband was quite petty—he was even jealous of her missing her parents.

What? Zhongli Yu took a moment to process this. The person his wife would always miss was her parents? "Did you have a husband in your past life?" he asked tentatively.

At the mention of this, Zhan Yan felt annoyed. "What husband? I hadn't even been in a single relationship before I inexplicably arrived here as a newborn." The more she thought about it, the more depressed she became. Her aunt had been too cruel, hitting her with a car. She had been in the prime of her youth with a limitless future!

Zhongli Yu laughed, feeling a surge of ecstasy. So, he really was the only one she loved. His previous gloom vanished, and he felt as though he were floating.

"What's this? You're happy?" Zhan Yan asked, noticing his joyful expression.

"Hehe, it's nothing." Zhongli Yu rubbed his nose to hide the laughter in his eyes.

"Do you know? My parents only had me as a daughter. I don't know how they are doing now that I'm gone." Zhan Yan said wistfully, feeling a sense of loss.

Seeing her saddened state, Zhongli Yu set aside his joy. His heart ached, and he pulled her into an embrace. "Yan'er, don't be sad. That is all in the past. Now, we are going to have our own child. In the future, we will live our lives happily as a family, won't we?"

"Yes, you're right." Zhan Yan caressed her slightly protruding belly, her gaze softening.

Zhongli Yu looked at her gentle, water-like expression, and his eyes clouded over with a dark, deepening desire. He couldn't resist any longer; he pulled her into his arms and kissed her lips deeply. Ever since they learned of the pregnancy, they hadn't been intimate. A single kiss was enough to ignite their passion. Zhan Yan responded eagerly, and her response drove him to the brink of madness. Struggling for control, he pulled away and said, "Yan'er, it seems I have to go take another cold shower." He picked her up gently and descended from the roof. He placed her on the bed and said, "You sleep first; I'll be back after a bath."

Zhan Yan quickly grabbed his hand and said shyly, "Silly, the baby is three months old now. My health is fine. As long as you are gentle... it's possible." She didn't need to say what was possible.

Hearing this, his breathing grew heavy. He asked, still disbelieving, "Yan'er, is that true?"

Zhan Yan nodded shyly and kissed his lips. As if released from a cage, he joyfully claimed his long-awaited reward.

The night was long, and this Mid-Yuan Festival was destined to be a beautiful occasion of reunion.

The next day, Zhan Yan slept in late. Zhongli Yu had already gone out on business. Just as she finished washing up, Uncle Yang hurried over, saying that Lin'er's father had come to find her.

Zhan Yan rose and headed to the front hall. Before she even entered, she heard an old man shouting: "Lin'er, how could you do this? Leaving without a word—are you trying to kill your father?"

"Father, I don't want to marry the son of Master Zhen. The person I love is Gu Qingyang."

"What's wrong with Master Zhen's son? He has power and wealth. Why must you insist on that poor wretch Gu Qingyang?"

"That’s right, Miss Lin'er, just marry me. I’ll treat you well," a young man's voice chimed in, sounding somewhat frail.

Zhan Yan walked in and saw an old man of about forty, of medium build, with short, straight eyebrows, narrow eyes, and a slightly flat nose—the very definition of an average face that would fade into a crowd. This was Lin'er's father, Jiang Qihong. The man sitting beside him looked more memorable, though only because he was fat and greasy, looking at Lin'er with a lecherous gaze. He was clearly the son of Master Zhen.

Zhan Yan sat down beside Lin'er, picked up a cup of tea, and looked the two men over. "What brings you here?" her voice carried an air of authority.

The two men were stunned when they saw Zhan Yan. They were merely wealthy folk from a small town; they had never seen a woman so noble and beautiful. If someone had told them she was a celestial being descended to earth, they would have believed it.

"Who... who are you?" Lin Dahu, the son of Master Zhen, asked first.

"I am the mistress of this estate. Does that qualify me to speak with you?" Zhan Yan said, enunciating every word.

The two men exchanged glances, unsure of what to say. They had already seen the estate upon entering; it was at least ten times larger than their own home, and everything inside was resplendent. They had never seen such a place in their lives. It was obvious the owner was incredibly wealthy.

Jiang Qihong, being older, regained his composure after a moment. "My lady, I have come to find my daughter. The girl is mischievous and ran away two months ago. After much searching, I found she was in your care. Thank you for looking after her; I will take her home now." Seeing Zhan Yan’s married hairstyle and her opulent clothing, he addressed her with forced politeness.

"Lin'er is my future second sister-in-law. It was only right that I took her in. There is no need for thanks," Zhan Yan said coolly.

"Your future second sister-in-law? Might you explain?" Jiang Qihong asked, keeping his temper in check only because of Zhan Yan’s obvious status.

"My dear sir, what is there to explain? Lin'er and my second brother are in love and have pledged their lives to one another. It is that simple."

"Who is your second brother? Lin'er, didn't you say you liked Gu Qingyang? How did he become this lady's second brother?" Jiang Qihong had never imagined that Gu Qingyang was the "second brother" Zhan Yan spoke of, as he had appeared to be nothing more than a wandering martial artist when he arrived in Jiangnan.

"Gu Qingyang is Sister Yan's second brother," Lin'er whispered, answering her father’s confusion.

"What? Isn't Gu Qingyang a poor boy? How could he have..." Jiang Qihong realized his slip of the tongue and stopped.

Zhan Yan looked at him with disdain. The old man was clearly a snob who valued wealth over all else, trying to marry Lin'er off to Master Zhen's son just for money. How laughable! Her second brother’s assets far exceeded those of the Zhen family. Gu Qingyang had been doing business since he was ten; his industries spanned several provinces. He was no "poor boy." This old man was blinded by greed.

"Lin'er, I brought back the jewelry I ordered for you. The craftsman did a good job; I think it looks quite nice. Try it on and see if it fits." Gu Qingyang walked in, swinging a brocade box, speaking gently to Lin'er while completely ignoring the two men in the hall. He had already heard Jiang Qihong’s words from outside; his future father-in-law looked down on him for being poor. He deliberately ignored him, focusing only on Lin'er.

"Really? Didn't they say it would take three days? Why is it ready on the second?" Lin'er asked happily, for every girl loves beautiful things.

"I told the shopkeeper to hurry. I wanted to see how you looked in it. Take a look—if you don't like it, we can go buy something else," Gu Qingyang said dotingly.

Lin'er opened the box, nearly dazzled by the sight. The entire set was made of pure gold and inlaid with precious gems. This single set was worth more than a normal person would earn in a lifetime.

"Gu Qingyang, this must be very expensive. Didn't we only order a hairpin yesterday? How did it become a whole set?" Lin'er asked, puzzled. Had she known, she would never have agreed. A single hairpin was already hundreds of taels!

"The shopkeeper said it would look better as a set, so I had him finish the whole thing."

"But this costs so much money," Lin'er said, feeling the pinch.

"This is just pocket change. As long as you like it, I could buy the whole shop," Gu Qingyang said dismissively. So you value wealth? I’ll flaunt it right in front of you and see if you still look down on people.

The two ignored men stared at the glittering jewelry, stunned into silence. Jiang Qihong, in particular, felt he had made a grave mistake, abandoning a wealthy and handsome catch for Master Zhen’s ugly, incompetent son. He was filled with regret.

"Young Master Gu, so you are the Second Young Master of the Gu family? Why didn't you say so earlier?" Jiang Qihong asked with a sheepish smile.

"My good sir, do you know me? Have we met? You look somewhat familiar," Gu Qingyang said coolly.

"Young Master Gu, don't you recognize me? I am Lin'er's father."

"Ah? Master Jiang? What brings you here?" Gu Qingyang asked, acting as if he had just noticed the man’s existence.

Zhan Yan’s mouth twitched—her second brother was truly a master actor. He had ignored the man for half a day, and now he was pretending not to know him at all.