Gu Ying stroked her pregnant belly and smiled slightly, "Auntie Zhao, don't cry anymore. Little Sister is fine, she only has some superficial skin injuries."
Aunt Zhao wiped her tears and carefully asked, "Ying... What exactly happened last night? Tell me quickly..."
Qin quickly pulled Aunt Zhao to sit in a chair, and briefly recounted what happened last night.
Aunt Zhao listened with fear and trepidation. When she heard that Gu Shuang's chastity was still intact, her heart that was suspended high finally settled down to earth.
It wasn't anything else. She was just worried that the marriage with the Fu family would lead her daughter into an inescapable abyss.
She had been a concubine in her life, and had finally obtained the status of a legal wife. She didn't want her daughter to be stared at when it came to marriage in the future. Her daughter would only be able to become a concubine for a vulgar man, and would never be able to lift her head high.
"But..." Her face turned pale as she worriedly said, "Although it's good that Shuang'er is still chaste, being abducted like this doesn't sound good no matter how you look at it. I wonder if the Fu family will mind..."
Gu Ying smiled and said, "Don't worry about this. Thanks to my aunt's arrangement this time, letting us take the national duke's carriage from the Ye family manor outside the city all the way back magnificently to Beijing, we deliberately got off to buy some things to show our faces along the way. Those who watched the fun saw that we were both safe and sound, accompanied by the prince and cousin, surrounded by a group of guards and maids. Naturally, they dispelled last night's rumors of abduction. Moreover, the prince and cousin have already spread the word that after my little sister and I left the palace yesterday, we went straight to the Ye family manor to stay for a few days. We wanted to stay for two or three days, but when we heard the rumors, we came back to reassure the Fu family."
She used a handkerchief to wipe away Aunt Zhao's tears, "So don't worry, auntie. As long as those of us who know the truth don't talk, and Master Fu doesn't talk, my little sister will be fine."
Aunt Zhao breathed a sigh of relief in her throat, and held her daughter's little hand distressedly, "I'm really grateful to the prince and Master Ye this time, and to the princess for her arrangements as well."
Qin quickly laughed and said, "What's there to be polite about? Aren't we addressing each other as sisters now? Shuang'er's affairs are my affairs."
Gu Ying added, "However, we still need to be more careful with the Fu family. Fortunately, the only person who saw little sister last night was Master Fu. As long as things go well on his side, no one else is a problem."
Although this was said, everyone present knew that although Gu Shuang was still a virgin, Fu Xunzhi, who was usually honest, had seen her disheveled appearance in another man's room.
He had always been proper and conservative. No one knew if there would be any grievances in his heart.
Aunt Zhao hesitated and said, "Will Fu Xunzhi accept my Shuang'er? The Fu family has always looked down on Shuang’er’s background. I'm afraid this scandal is just right for Old Madam Fu."
Qin said loudly, "What's so difficult about this? I've always wanted a daughter. This is a good opportunity!"
Aunt Zhao was flattered, but also felt embarrassed. She was afraid that Qin thought she was an unscrupulous social climber. She quickly said, "Princess, please... I really don't mean that."
But Qin said briskly, "I already know your personality. I know what you mean. Old Ye, what do you say?"
Ye Zhuohua's handsome face was still stern without much expression. But his tone revealed joy, "For important matters in the household, listen to me. For trivial things like this, listen to you. You always wanted a daughter. I think the fourth girl is very good. In the future, she will be A'Chi’s little sister."
Gu Shuang's clear eyes lit up.
She really liked Qin and her cheerful and generous personality, as well as her magnanimity and lack of pretentiousness, which was completely different from other noblewomen in Beijing. If she could become her goddaughter, her relationship with her second sister would become closer and closer. By then, Ye Qingchi would no longer just frown at her all the time as an outsider. Being his little sister would be better than being a stranger.
Then she would fear him a little less.
Ye Qingchi silently glared at his mother. His eyebrows were tightly furrowed, "Mother, what nonsense are you talking about? I don't think this is appropriate."
It was rare for the eldest young master Ye to lose his temper with his mother. Zhao Changdu's mouth hooked slightly as she silently sipped her tea.
Gu Ying and the prince looked at each other with a smile as they watched the show.
Hearing Ye Qingchi’s displeased tone, eyebrows furrowed and a somewhat frightening expression, Gu Shuang cowered like a rabbit, "I also think... maybe we shouldn't... do it..."
Qin pulled Gu Shuang over and glared at her son, "Don't be afraid, Shuang. He can't decide this."
"Mother--"
"You don't need to say anything else. I've decided to take her as my goddaughter today." Qin had a strong personality. She didn't understand her son's actions today at all, "Unless you can give me a reason to convince me otherwise, why can't Shuang'er be my daughter?"
Ye Qingchi's eyebrows were still furrowed as he looked at Gu Shuang's timid and tender little face. His thin lips parted slightly, but all words were stuck in his throat.
"What, nothing else to say? Isn't Shuang'er a nice girl? It will be good for you to have another little sister." Qin looked at Gu Shuang with a smile, "The more I look at this girl, the more I like her. When she gets married, I will have to prepare some dowry for her!"
Gu Shuang blushed while Ye Qingchi scowled.
Aunt Zhao had noticed Ye Qingchi’s expression. She smiled and said, "Princess, please don't say that. Just being able to become a goddaughter of the Ye family is already a blessing cultivated over eight lifetimes for Shuang'er. Please do not prepare any dowry!"
Aunt Zhao already understood Qin's personality thoroughly.
A simple person like her would just act on what she thought. So Aunt Zhao knew that she sincerely cared for Shuang'er. Thus, she also didn't intend to take advantage of the Ye family at all. Being sisters with someone like Qin was also a blessing for her.
She secretly swore in her heart that she would be even nicer to Qin in the future to repay today's favor.
With Gu Shuang as the Ye family's goddaughter, the Fu family wouldn't dare say anything.
Although seemingly insensitive in human interactions, Qin was actually very skilled. She just disdained pretentiousness with others.
The matter of recognizing Gu Shuang as goddaughter was settled.
Ye Qingchi was unhappy, his handsome face dark as the bottom of a pot. He left the hall silently.
Gu Shuang watched the man’s departing figure, hesitant to speak up.
Gu Ying walked over to Gu Shuang with a smile and gently asked, "Still not happy?"
Gu Shuang was somewhat disappointed. "Sister, I always feel that Master Ye doesn't like me very much."
Gu Ying smiled and asked meaningfully, "Is that really the case?"
Gu Shuang asked blankly, "Isn't it?"
Gu Ying smiled mysteriously, "Previously I also felt that cousin didn't like you, but now it seems that's not necessarily the case."
