Gu Xiyan's eyelids were drooped, and her long eyelashes like crow feathers cast thick shadows, making her eyebrows appear gentler and harmless: "I like the name Xiyan more and more. Even after all these years, I still miss you."
Mother and daughter gave me the gift of their name. Besides, Liu Shuzheng, if he hadn’t wanted to drive me out of the house back then, how would I have had the chance to be raised under the name of the Marquis?"
The sun was shining brightly outside the window, and the golden sunlight penetrated through the gaps in the window edges, sparsely falling on Gu Xiyan. Her tiny eyes seemed to be filled with thousands of stars, so warm and bright that Liu Chaoyan was frightened.
In her perception, Gu Xiyan should be humble, cowardly, silent, and soundless, instead of being as warm and tough as she is now, like a willow tree, delicate and weak, but unable to break no matter what.
Liu Chaoyan was suddenly afraid of Gu Xiyan like this, but he didn't know what he was afraid of.
"Finally, to His Highness King Qin, I also want to thank you for helping me cut off the ties between His Highness King Qin and me. There is a poem that goes like this, whoever abandons me cannot stay the same as yesterday. Liu Chaoyan, you got it
Things may not be precious. However, I wish you get what you want."
Liu Chaoyan's expression changed rapidly. How could she not hear the disapproval in Gu Xiyan's tone: "You, you mean that brother A Xing may not be precious?!"
Obviously Zhou Xing is everything to Gu Xiyan. Without Zhou Xing, Gu Xiyan will definitely wither and wither.
But why is Gu Xiyan becoming more and more dazzling?
Gu Xiyan stepped forward and gently pulled Liu Chaoyan's twisted cheek, her almond-shaped eyes were as gentle as water: "You must always remember that Liu Chaoyan is an innocent, lively and kind-hearted noblewoman. Her ferocious expression does not match the temperament you have set.
In the future, you will be the noble consort of Princess Qin."
Liu Chaoyan instantly became angry from embarrassment. She waved Gu Xiyan's hand away and swung it at Gu Xiyan.
Gu Xiyan could have avoided it, but the moment she saw the corner of the old lady's clothes, she endured the slap.
The old lady never expected that Liu Chaoyan, who she regarded as well-behaved, intelligent, lively and kind-hearted, would lose his temper like this.
She asked in a deep voice: "Sister Chao, how can you slap your sister?!"
Gu Xiyan's recent performance was very popular with her. She once felt that if Gu Xiyan could behave like a legitimate daughter earlier, marrying the King of Qin might be able to restrain the King of Qin one or two.
It was a pity that the King of Qin broke off the engagement and proposed marriage to Sister Chao. He could only blame Gu Xiyan for her poor fate.
It's just that Liu Chaoyan, who was usually the most considerate and sensible person, has now become hateful, something she didn't expect.
After Liu Chaoyan was initially stunned, she quickly regained her senses, tears gathering in her eyes, "Grandma..."
"To answer my grandmother, it's my fault as a sister. What my sister just said is indeed the truth. I have no father or mother. I'm just living in the Marquis Mansion. I should be informed. I should take a detour when I see my sister in the future.
"Gu Xiyan's eyes turned red as she spoke, and she raised her head to push back the tears in her eyes.
She was forbearing and pretending to be strong, which made the old lady feel uncomfortable.
Yes, this child was supposed to be the eldest daughter of the Hou Mansion. Her mother died young and she was abandoned by her father. Her surname was obviously Liu, but in the end she took her mother's surname. It was said that she was raised in the Hou Mansion, but she really was under someone else's care.
"No, no, I didn't say that..." Liu Chaoyan was silenced by Gu Xiyan for the first time in his life.
"The second girl said this without a pang of conscience? How many times has the second girl ridiculed the eldest girl? Now even the eldest girl's marriage has been robbed by the second girl. Can't the second girl let the eldest girl go?!" Qiushi hit her in time.
Duan Liu Chaoyan’s defense.
"Sister Chao, you are going to the ancestral hall to kneel as punishment. You cannot get up without my order." The old lady has also heard of these things.
In the past, Gu Xiyan would only give in. In recent years, she had become more and more disappointed with this girl. As time passed, she gave up on Gu Xiyan. But no matter how bad Gu Xiyan was, she was also the eldest daughter of Wanqing Hou Mansion.
.
Liu Chaoyan's face was pale and she had a hard time defending her words, but when she saw the old lady's solemn expression, she knew she couldn't avoid it this time.
She shed a few tears and choked: "It's Chaoyan's fault. Grandma shouldn't be so angry. Tomorrow is my grandma's birthday. If there's anything good for grandma..."
"Grandma is strong and will live a long life." Gu Xiyan interrupted Liu Chaoyan.
Liu Chaoyan's expression changed again: "I, I'm not cursing my grandmother..."
When she saw the old lady's ugly face again, she knew that she had said something wrong again, so she had no choice but to bow down and go to the ancestral hall to receive her punishment.
As soon as Liu Chaoyan left, the old lady took Gu Xiyan's hand and sat down: "Sister Xi, you have been wronged."
Gu Xiyan shook her head silently, even her grievances were silent.
"When I live to my grandmother's age, I just hope that my family's home will be safe and that the Marquis's residence will get better and better."
Gu Xiyan could hear the knocking meaning in the old lady's words.
"That's what grandma said. My granddaughter only hopes to marry a loyal and honest man in the future and live a smooth life." Gu Xiyan replied softly.
This is also to appease the old lady, she does not hate Liu Xiyan for marrying into Prince Qin's palace.
The old lady felt that Gu Xiyan didn't seem to be lying, so she became calm.
After that, Zaohui Hall sent ointment, and Gu Xiyan applied it on her face. Although it had some effect, the swelling was not completely reduced.
"What should we do? Tomorrow is the old lady's birthday party. How can the girl see people with her face so swollen?" Chunhua said in surprise.
Gu Xiyan felt sorry for herself, but she was very satisfied with her face.
Liu Chaoyan's palm not only made the old lady face her existence again, but also made Zhou Xing see her take a detour tomorrow, killing two birds with one stone.
The next day.
The swelling on Gu Xiyan's face had not gone away, so she put on a vulgar make-up and specially changed into old-fashioned clothes.
Chunhua and Qiushi were very dissatisfied that Gu Xiyan deliberately vilified herself, but in the end they couldn't resist Gu Xiyan's persistence.
The birthday banquet had already begun, and Gu Xiyan planned to show her face and then go back to Xiyuan.
From a distance, she could see several girls from Wanqinghou Mansion surrounding the old lady. It was very lively, but Liu Chaoyan was missing.
Gu Xiyan didn't want to bring trouble to herself and ruin the atmosphere, so she let Chunhua and Qiushi go about their business while she went to a place with few people.
Coincidentally, she just walked to the flower hall and saw a maid throwing herself into Zhou Xing's arms.
When Zhou Xing saw a woman suddenly throwing herself into his arms, a look of disgust flashed in his eyes. He pushed the woman away and out of the corner of his eye saw a familiar girl turning around and trying to leave.
He recognized it at a glance, it was Gu Xiyan.
It had been half a month since the last time he saw Gu Xiyan.
"Xiyan, come here!" Zhou Xingyang shouted.
Gu Xiyan didn't want to meet Zhou Xing, so she pretended not to hear and walked forward quickly.
Unexpectedly, Zhou Xing caught up with her and blocked her way: "I called you, didn't you hear me?"
With a dull look on her face, she bowed to Zhou Xing and said, "Daughter of the people, I would like to extend my sincere greetings to Your Highness. Wish you all the best!"
