The Prime Minister's Darling

Chapter 319: 173 Sister Complex (First Update)

Gu Chengfeng stumbledand fell out, landing in the snow right at Gu Changqing’s feet!

Gu Changqing: “…”

Gu Chengfeng: “…”

Gu Chengfeng was caught off guard. He didn’t expect the girl to be so despicable, not only accepting his IOU but also booting him out in the end!

Gu Changqing frowned, and looked at his brother lying on the ground in bewilderment: “What are you doing?”

Just as he finished speaking, Gu Jiao stepped out of the little wooden house.

The look on Gu Changqing’s face was even more baffled now.

Gu Chengfeng had never been so outwitted and humiliated before in his life.

Was this girl… getting revenge for him trying to outsmart her that day?

Angry and ashamed, Gu Chengfeng got up from the snow, glanced at Gu Jiao, and bitterly said: “Nothing. I just tripped by accident.”

Gu Changqing asked: “How did you two end up here?”

Gu Chengfeng replied: “I came to pick fruits for our third brother.”

Indeed, there were a basket and scattered red fruits all over the ground. These were Gu Chenglin’s favorites, which Gu Changqing had also picked for him before.

Gu Changqing then looked at Gu Jiao: “And you?”

“I was just passing by,” Gu Jiao said.

Just passing by? Gu Changqing, seeing what looked like signs of a struggle in the snow, thought that the two of them might have fought.

But soon he felt this suspicion was unlikely.

He had seen Gu Jiao’s skill, she could easily beat up the weak and scholarly Gu Chengfeng.

So, if she had indeed moved her hands, Gu Chengfeng would probably be half-dead by now.

“Did you see any other people here?” Gu Changqing still thought some expert might have been here.

Gu Chengfeng denied firmly: “No!”

Gu Jiao had made her way to the Chinese Parasol tree. She slowly reached out for the hidden weapon on the tree and smirked maliciously.

Gu Chengfeng felt a sudden jolt in his chest: “One thousand tael!”

Gu Changqing frowned and looked at his own brother: “What did you just say? What about one thousand taels?”

Gu Chengfeng was breaking out in cold sweat. He reined in his gaze, composed himself, and told his older brother: “I, I have my sights set on something worth one thousand taels.”

“What on earth is that expensive?” Gu Changqing asked.

They weren’t short of silver at home. He was not frugal when it came to his younger brothers’ food and clothing, but there had to be a limit to everything. Overspending was not allowed.

Composing his face into a normal expression, Gu Chengfeng opened and closed his mouth, then said: “It’s an antique painting.”

Gu Jiao took down the hidden weapon and put it into her pocket.

Soon after, she turned her gaze to the second hidden weapon and smirked evilly once again.

Gu Chengfeng was completely flustered: “Add, add another thousand taels!”

Concerned that his younger brother had ingested some wrong medicine, Gu Changqing reached out to feel his forehead.

No fever.

Just a cold sweat.

“I… I misremembered! The asking price was two thousand taels!” Gu Chengfeng tried to cover his tracks. “I just thought, could you lend me some silver, brother?”

Gu Changqing strictly refused: “No, you are not allowed to buy such expensive things!”

Gu Chengfeng: “Oh.”

Gu Jiao took down the second hidden weapon, put it in her pocket, took out her little notebook and charcoal pencil, and approached Gu Chengfeng: “My education is limited, there are a few words I can’t write. Could you help me write them, Second Young Master?”

Teeth clenched, Gu Chengfeng took the notebook.

Gu Changqing’s brows knitted tighter.

Gu Chengfeng quickly wrote out the IOU and handed the notebook and pencil back to Gu Jiao.

Gu Jiao put away the notebook, satisfied.

Just then, Gu Jinyu found them.

“Sister! Big Brother? Second Brother?” She acknowledged them with a surprised look, seemingly unaware that the two brothers were present.

The two brothers seemed rather displeased.

Gu Chengfeng was upset about being bilked out of three thousand taels of silver.

Gu Changqing didn’t seem to know why he was upset.

The two of them left without speaking a word to Gu Jinyu.

Gu Changqing had almost brushed past Gu Jiao, but paused, turned around, and said to Gu Jiao: “I…I’m also educated!”

Gu Jiao: “…”

After the two brothers left, Gu Jinyu came up to her, excitement dancing in her eyes as she asked: “Sister, why are you here? What did Big Brother and Second Brother say to you? It looked like Second Brother was writing something for you. What was it?”

“Nothing,” Gu Jiao tied the drawstring of her pouch.

Gu Jinyu wrung her hands. Following the shattered vase incident, the three brothers in the family hadn’t spoken to her for a long time. Yet just now, she saw Big Brother and Second Brother talking with Gu Jiao for quite a while.

She held her hankerchief tightly, and softly said to Gu Jiao: “Sister, mother doesn’t like us associating with our three brothers. You shouldn’t talk to them in the future, or take the initiative to approach them. Mother would be unhappy.”

“Let’s head back.” Gu Jiao didn’t take up on her words and turned towards the direction of Plum Garden to leave.

Watching her brisk and cool little figure, Gu Jinyu’s face darkened with distaste.

“Big Brother.” Gu Chengfeng, who was halfway on the road, suddenly opened his mouth, “Have you seen that girl before? You didn’t ask her who she was just now.”

Although that girl had visited the Marquis Residence a few times, she only visited the Yao Family. She never went to pay her respects to the Old Madam and their elder brothers.

He had seen her, but only because Gu Jinyu and Ling Shuixian had broken Big Brother’s porcelain bottle, and she came with the Yao Family to the courtyard to pick up Gu Jinyu.

But at that time, Big Brother was practicing sword in the Back Mountain.

By the time Big Brother returned to the courtyard, she had already left the residence.

Could it be that during that time, the two of them had recognized each other and instantly turned from enemies to allies?

He didn’t sense any hint of rejection from Big Brother towards that girl today.

Gu Changqing paused, then said, “I’ve met her.”

Gu Chengfeng asked, “When?”

Gu Changqing responded, “Why are you asking this? I haven’t even asked you yet, how did you end up with her on the Back Mountain? Were you two fighting in the room?”

Gu Chengfeng cleared his throat, “How could I fight with her? After all, I’m her brother. How could I bully her?”

However, if she isn’t my sister, that’s another story.

Afterward, the two brothers remained silent.

Gu Chengfeng’s courtyard was nearer, so he arrived first.

In the moment he crossed the threshold, he suddenly turned around and looked at Gu Changqing with profound meaning, “Big Brother, you didn’t mention that we only have one younger brother, not a sister.”

Gu Changqing’s pupils contracted.

Gu Chengfeng smirked coldly, “Big Brother, have you forgotten how our mother died?”

Gu Changqing opened his mouth, hesitated, and then closed it again.

Gu Chengfeng let out a cold snort, turned around, and entered his chamber.

Gu Chenglin was asleep on Chengfeng’s bed, apparently bored of waiting for fruits and had fallen asleep. @@novelbin@@

Gu Chengfeng looked at him with a complex expression, walked over, and covered him with a blanket.

Soon, a servant reported that Concubine Ling had arrived.

Since the passing of their late mother, Concubine Ling had been caring for the three brothers all these years. Gu Changqing, being more independent and often following the Old Marquis, wasn’t as close to Concubine Ling as the two brothers were.

Concubine Ling entered the room with a food box in hand, a gentle smile on her face.

Upon seeing Gu Chenglin on the bed, she exclaimed with surprise, “Oh, how did Lin’er fall asleep?”

Gu Chengfeng led her to sit at the table, “It’s so cold today, why did you come over?”

Concubine Ling answered with a warm smile, “The kitchen cooked deer meat. I brought some for you. By the way, you didn’t look good before. Were you thinking of your mother? Your sister’s memorial day is coming soon. I’ve been thinking of when to bring you three to the graveyard to pay respects.”

Gu Chengfeng nodded, “We will follow your arrangement.”

When Concubine Ling first entered the Marquis Residence, the three brothers were somewhat prejudiced against her. However, Concubine Ling told them, “I didn’t come here to replace your mother, but to look after you on her behalf. From now on, I’ll treat you as my own, and I won’t give birth to any bothersome siblings. I only have three children, and that’s you.”

Concubine Ling did what she promised.

Over the years, she took care of them with all her heart, even more motherly than their biological mother.

However, because their mother’s place was already in their hearts, they couldn’t treat Concubine Ling as their real mother. At the same time, this guilt led them to want to compensate Concubine Ling in other ways.

Gu Chengfeng once asked Concubine Ling what she wanted.

At that time, as long as Concubine Ling spoke, even if it was the position of legal wife, he would acquire it for her.

But Concubine Ling shook her head, gently caressed his head and said, “I don’t want anything. As long as you three are well, I’ll be satisfied.”

Such a selfless and kind woman was far better than the poisonous Yao.

The Yao Family killed their mother, stole their father, and even gave birth to a disgusting sister and brother.

Their father no longer had eyes for them after that.

There is a saying that where there is a stepmother, there’s a stepfather.

Whenever Gu Yan had a disagreement with them, regardless of whose fault it was, the father would only punish them.

The father never dared to harm a hair on Gu Yan’s head.

When their mother was alive, she once said she loved plum blossoms the most.

The father found it troublesome and just let it go in one ear and out the other.

When the Yao Family entered the residence and showed a bit more interest in a plum blossom, the father made a Plum Garden specifically for the Yao Family.

Gu Chengfeng was both jealous and resentful toward the Yao Family and their children.

However, it seemed that the father did not like the Yao Family’s biological daughter, but doted more on Gu Jinyu, who was raised by his side.

How interesting.

“Feng’er, Feng’er!” Concubine Ling called him.

“Ah?” Gu Chengfeng was brought back to his senses.

Concubine Ling smiled, “Do you have any objections to what I just said?”

Gu Chengfeng firmly said, “No, aunt has always been competent. Let’s just follow her plan.”

Concubine Ling stood up, and gently said, “Alright, I will go and prepare the sacrificial offerings.”

This is a great opportunity to reclaim their lost honor, and she will surely make it perfect!