Chapter 154

Chapter 154: Especially Cute

Gu Yuan Jia lifted his hand to tease Nian’er and said casually: “If money can solve it, why waste words with her.”

Five hundred taels was nothing to Young Master Gu, who came from a famous family. But to Yu Zhu, it was the kind of money you worked a whole life to earn.

Young Master Gu had been born above others. No matter what he did, he barely had to try. A single word from him could settle things. Fetching Nian’er from the Ji household was the same.

Yu Zhu knew he was capable, and she knew they were not the same kind of people. But letting Gu Yuan Jia see what happened to her after she left the Gu Family, seeing her stuck in the mud and struggling to live, felt too shameful. [The last thing I want is for him to see me like this.] She had even dreamed, again and again, of the question he once asked her: [“You insisted on leaving the Gu Family and leaving me, just to live like this?”] She least wanted him to see this, yet he saw every bit of it.

Gu Yuan Jia noticed her lowered eyes and felt she disliked him using money to settle things.

Mother Ji was still talking outside the carriage when Gu Yuan Jia told the coachman: “Return to the Prince of Chang’an Manor.”

“Yes,” answered the coachman as he turned the horses and left Qingyi Lane.

After playing in Gu Yuan Jia’s arms for a while, Nian’er reached toward Yu Zhu for a hug. Seeing Yu Zhu quiet and downcast, Gu Yuan Jia handed the child over.

“Ah… A’Niang…” Nian’er called for her mother in a soft, mushy voice.

Yu Zhu came back to herself at once and took Nian’er. With her daughter in her arms calling “A’Niang, A’Niang,” Yu Zhu’s heart melted. No matter what, it was good that Nian’er could be by her side every day from now on. She bent and rubbed her cheek against her daughter’s small head, and most of the gloom in her heart lifted at once.

Gu Yuan Jia watched Yu Zhu hold Nian’er, even her gaze turning gentle. The little miss who used to stay by his side had become the young mother of a little miss.

On the way back to the Prince of Chang’an Manor, Yu Zhu still didn’t talk much with Gu Yuan Jia. But with Nian’er there, the mood was much better than on the trip out.

Gu Yuan Jia truly liked Nian’er. Worried she might be too hot in the carriage, he opened his folding fan and fanned her. Nian’er reached out for the pretty fan, and when she grabbed for it, he didn’t mind. He closed the fan and handed it to her to play with.

Nian’er didn’t understand anything about value. No matter how rare or costly Young Master Gu’s fan was, she grabbed it and tried to stuff it into her mouth.

“Nian’er, you can’t eat the fan,” said Yu Zhu as she quickly took the folding fan away and handed it back to Young Master Gu: “It’s expensive. Young Master Gu, you should hold on to it.”

Gu Yuan Jia was glad Yu Zhu spoke to him first at last, so he didn’t take the fan and said with a smile: “It’s not all that precious. If Nian’er wants to play with it, let her play.”

“She still shouldn’t chew on it,” said Yu Zhu, and she insisted on pushing the fan back into his hand. Their fingers brushed by accident. Gu Yuan Jia’s fingers closed slightly around the fan, and a smile touched his lips without him noticing.

The carriage went through one long street after another and stopped before the gate of the Prince of Chang’an Manor. The coachman looked back and said: “Young Master Gu, Miss Yu Zhu, we have arrived.”

Yu Zhu was holding Nian’er and couldn’t lift the curtain, so Gu Yuan Jia stood first and lifted it with the tip of the folding fan. Yu Zhu glanced at him, stepped down with Nian’er, and he followed.

They entered the manor together. After crossing the covered corridor, one of them headed to the back courtyard, and the other toward the study.

Yu Zhu stopped, bowed with Nian’er in her arms, and said: “Thank you for today, Young Master Gu.”

No matter how Gu Yuan Jia had gotten Nian’er out of the Ji household, she should thank him. Yu Zhu didn’t want him to give money to Mother Ji, but for someone like him, wrangling with a person like Mother Ji would be a waste of time and a drop in status. It was faster and easier to pay and settle it. Even Yu Zhu herself had once given silver to Mother Ji, hoping she would treat Nian’er better. What right did Yu Zhu have to say Young Master Gu shouldn’t do the same?

“No need to be polite,” said Gu Yuan Jia as he returned her bow and lifted his hand in a light supporting gesture: “The prince gave the order. I only followed it.”

While they were speaking, Qing Ye came with two little maids to greet them: “Yu Zhu, you’re back. Is this your daughter? She’s so pretty, like a round pink dumpling.” She reached to take Nian’er, but Nian’er tucked her head shyly against Yu Zhu’s chest, not at all like she had been when Gu Yuan Jia held her before.

Unable to get a hold of Nian’er, and seeing Gu Yuan Jia was present, Qing Ye and the maids curtseyed: “Greetings, Young Master Gu.” Gu Yuan Jia nodded and turned toward the study.

Watching him go, Qing Ye asked Yu Zhu: “Did Young Master Gu go with you to fetch your daughter?”

Yu Zhu nodded: “He said when Princess Consort spoke to the prince about it, he happened to be there, so the prince sent him.”

Qing Ye didn’t press. Seeing how cute Nian’er was, she couldn’t help reaching out to touch her. Nian’er dodged left and right, and after a bit of play the big one and the little one both laughed.

With a hint of envy, Qing Ye said: “Yu Zhu, you’re beautiful, and your daughter is especially cute. I hope I can have a daughter this cute someday.”

The maid who came along teased with a smile: “Sister Qing Ye, you’re not even engaged yet and you’re already thinking about a daughter. Isn’t that a bit early?”

Qing Ye blushed and waved it off: “Enough, enough. Princess Consort is waiting for Yu Zhu. Let’s go.”

“Let’s go,” said Yu Zhu, and she went to the main house with Qing Ye while holding Nian’er.

Chun Zhi was on the soft couch playing with Little Xing Hui, who was squeezing his favorite tiger-head doll again and again. Qing Ye stepped in first to report: “Princess Consort, Yu Zhu is back.”

“Did she bring her daughter?” asked Chun Zhi. She looked up and saw Yu Zhu carry in a little miss like a pink dumpling.

Walking in with Nian’er, Yu Zhu answered right away: “Sister Chun Zhi, I brought Nian’er back.”

“This child looks so good,” said Chun Zhi as she sat up: “Come, let me hold her.”

Maybe because Chun Zhi smelled of milk, Nian’er wasn’t afraid at all. She put her arms around Chun Zhi’s neck.

Holding Nian’er, Chun Zhi couldn’t help saying: “She looks like a soft pink dumpling. Why is she lighter than Little Xing Hui?”

Yu Zhu didn’t want to mention Mother Ji’s harsh treatment of Nian’er, so she only said: “I’ll keep her by my side and raise her myself for a while.”

Chun Zhi heard what Yu Zhu did not say. She set Nian’er on the soft couch so the two children could play together.

Little Xing Hui, who was always with his parents and the maids and the wet nurse, saw for the first time a little person almost his size. All at once, it felt new and exciting. He puffed and huffed as he crawled toward Nian’er.