Read Novel Full CHAPTER 50 PART2
CHAPTER 50 PART2
Old Master Yin was just as surprised. But then his smile grew wider and wider, spreading from his lips to his eyes—he looked as though he had suddenly grown younger by a decade.
He was clearly pleased with Gu Feichi’s sincerity.
Though the engagement had already been granted by imperial decree and was practically set in stone, the fact that Gu Feichi still came in person to formally propose showed just how seriously he took the match.
This heir to the Duke of Wei wasn’t at all like the rumors suggested. Far from being arrogant and willful, his every word and gesture brimmed with genuine intent.
Xiao Yanfei blinked again, finally finding her voice. A playful dimple appeared on her cheek as she teased, “Came to propose while I wasn’t around?”
Gu Feichi smiled faintly. “Gandfather agreed.”
He didn’t hold back, directly addressing Old Master Yin as “Grandfather,” making up a lie with a straight face—clearly confident that the old man wouldn’t contradict him.
This grandson-in-law is quite something, Old Master Yin thought, growing more amused by the second. With no one looking, he sneakily nudged one of his misplaced white stones to the side.
Xiao Yanfei noticed her grandfather’s little trick and quickly reached out to take the teacup from Gu Feichi. Her wide sleeve fell just right, subtly blocking his view of the board to cover for Old Master Yin.
The pair of grandfather and granddaughter were perfectly in sync—while Gu Feichi pretended not to notice.
He picked up another black stone, paused midair, and said with a hint of surprise,
“Hmm? Wasn’t that last move over here?”
“Yes, yes, that’s right!” Old Master Yin responded immediately, without missing a beat.
“Yes, yes, yes.” Xiao Yanfei nodded rapidly, her large, sincere eyes shining with innocence—she couldn’t have looked more adorable.
Gu Feichi stifled a laugh and calmly placed his piece on the board.
The crisp click of the stone hitting the board echoed his good mood.
Seeing where he played, Xiao Yanfei’s eyes lit up. She quickly called out, “Grandfather, hurry—seventeen stars, three!”
“Got it!” Of course, Old Master Yin listened to his beloved granddaughter. Without hesitation, he followed her instructions.
“Twelve moons, five,” Xiao Yanfei then turned to Gu Feichi and said, “Your move goes there.”
Gu Feichi: “…”
The young girl showed no sign of guilt, tilting her head with a bright smile, her eyes clear as spring water and her lips rosy against pearl-white teeth.
With just a light glance from her, Gu Feichi obediently placed his black stone exactly where she pointed.
Old Master Yin instantly caught on. With a relaxed air and a wise, immortal-like demeanor, he resumed playing at ease.
Xiao Yanfei continued directing Gu Feichi:
“Fourteen pheasant, five.”
“Thirteen intercalary, seven.”
“…”
After several such exchanges, the black side inevitably fell behind and eventually conceded.
“Grandfather, you won!” Xiao Yanfei beamed at Old Master Yin and clapped her hands lightly.
At the same time, she snuck a side glance at Gu Feichi, her face radiant with joy, like a blossoming summer flower.
Old Master Yin twirled his beard and chuckled, looking positively rejuvenated.
It had been decades since he’d won a game of chess. Even his wife had stopped playing with him, calling him a hopeless case.
So what if he was terrible at chess? Even a hopeless case could win sometimes.
High on victory, Old Master Yin’s competitive spirit was reignited. He laughed and said, “Come on, one more game!”
Even his usually shaky voice had gained some strength.
“Nope.” Xiao Yanfei waved him off without hesitation. “It’s time for your nap.”
Old Master Yin still looked eager and was about to negotiate, but Gu Feichi stood up with a smile. “Grandfather, I’ll play with you again tomorrow.”
He strode over, effortlessly lifted the heavy wheelchair, and wheeled Old Master Yin out of the pavilion—giving him no chance to protest.
Xiao Yanfei followed closely, gently taking over the handles. She coaxed the old man sweetly, “Don’t worry, Grandfather. He’ll definitely come back tomorrow.”
At his age, he was just like a big child—he needed someone to fuss over him.
Xiao Yanfei personally pushed the wheelchair back to Old Master Yin’s room, made sure he took his medicine, and waited until he’d settled in before leaving.
She was in a great mood. Gu Feichi had helped her cheer up her grandfather, and the thought made her even happier, a warm sweetness blooming in her chest.
“I’ll treat you to some pear blossom wine, how about it?” she said cheerfully. “My grandmother brewed it herself. It’s delicious…”
Compared to the lotus wine, it had its own unique charm.
Eager to share the good drink with him, Xiao Yanfei took a few steps—but suddenly felt a tug at the back of her head. The purple ribbon tying her hair had been hooked by someone’s fingers.
She stopped, confused, and turned to look at Gu Feichi.
With a slight tug of his long, jade-like fingers, the butterfly-knot ribbon unraveled and fell softly into his palm.
“Sorry,” Gu Feichi said gently, though his calm tone lacked any real remorse. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly as he closed his right hand around it.
When he opened his calloused palm again, the purple ribbon had vanished. In its place lay a bright red silk ribbon interwoven with golden threads, its ends adorned with small, fingertip-sized red coral beads. The gold glinted brilliantly in the sun.
Was this… for her? Xiao Yanfei blinked.
Her long lashes curled beautifully as they fluttered.
Gu Feichi lowered his gaze to her palm-sized face. His thick lashes also fluttered once, twice.
Xiao Yanfei slowly reached out and took the ribbon from his hand. She gave it a little shake—its vivid red hue made her pale fingers look even whiter.
Such a beautiful and delicate ribbon could be used to tie her hair—or wrapped around her wrist.
Pleased, she held the ribbon against her slender wrist to try it on… then suddenly froze.
Her gaze drifted to Gu Feichi’s temple, where a similar red ribbon hung loosely from his dark, inky hair. It had the same gold threads, the same coral beads.
It was identical to the one in her hand.
Xiao Yanfei couldn’t help but smile, her heart filled with a syrupy sweetness, as if she were holding sugar that wouldn’t melt. A spring breeze seemed to lift her off the ground.
She placed the red ribbon back into Gu Feichi’s palm, then leaned in slightly and said matter-of-factly, “Tie it on for me.”
Gu Feichi silently took the red silk ribbon from her hand. The soft crimson fabric twined around his long, slender fingers, pale and well-defined—red against white, an oddly intimate contrast.
He tied it carefully into her hair, his movements gentle and light. One hand brushed aside a loose strand by her cheek, his calloused fingertips grazing her earlobe as he did so.
That flawless, alabaster earlobe gradually flushed a faint pink—rosy and delicate.
They were standing very close—so close she could feel the warm breath from his body, hear the soft rustle of their robes brushing together.
Xiao Yanfei stood frozen, her gaze fixed on the pale curve of his throat, where his Adam’s apple moved with each breath—smooth, elegant lines beneath the skin.
“All done,” he murmured above her head, voice low and husky. That subtle movement of his throat as he spoke sent a strange heat rushing through her.
She had a sudden, inexplicable urge to reach out and touch it.
Her lips went dry. She swallowed unconsciously, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.
“Miss!”
A distant call shattered the moment. A young maid came running, panting slightly. “Miss, Steward Lin is back—and he brought Zhu momo with him!”
Steward Lin was a minor manager from the Yin household who had gone with Chief Steward Jin to the marquis’s residence to retrieve the dowry. Xiao Yanfei knew him.
“Together?” she asked, turning to Gu Feichi. Her small face tilted slightly, letting the red ribbon slip forward over her shoulder. The round coral beads at the end swung gently against her chest, glinting with a soft sheen.
Gu Feichi gave a faint nod.
They headed to the main hall together, where Steward Lin and Zhu momo were already waiting. Madam Yin was present too.
“Madam,” Steward Lin greeted her with a broad smile. “Most of the dowry has been delivered to the residence on Ande Street. Time was tight, so we prioritized the valuables first.”
“Chief Steward Jin also noticed a few missing items when checking the list—a gold-plated copper basin with a coral arrangement, a sandalwood screen inlaid with ivory, and a white jade ruyi scepter with cloud-bat-lingzhi carvings…”
Madam Yin was only half-listening, her attention drifting to the approaching figures outside the hall—Xiao Yanfei and Gu Feichi walking side by side. A surge of joy filled her chest.
“Miss!” Zhu momo called out to Xiao Yanfei with shining eyes and uncontained excitement.
Madam Yin: “…”
She blinked and looked Zhu momo up and down.
Just moments ago, this same Zhu momo had seemed vacant and dull—not at all like the sharp, commanding woman who had once accompanied the imperial edict to their household. Yin had even wondered if she might be ill.
But now…
Madam Yin felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
“Second Miss,” Zhu momo’s eyes held only Xiao Yanfei, ignoring that Steward Lin hadn’t finished speaking. “I’ve just ‘persuaded’ the old madam to part with a manor, a shop, and a hundred mu of good farmland to add to your dowry.”
Her tone was proud, even haughty, yet oddly deferential. A strange stubbornness radiated from her, as if to say: See how well I did?
Like a loyal dog eagerly awaiting her master’s praise, she didn’t even glance at Gu Feichi.
Steward Lin gave her a sidelong look, his expression somewhat complicated.
He had been there the whole time—watched as Zhu momo talked the Old Madam in circles. It had felt like if the old lady didn’t contribute part of her own private estate to the dowry, she was somehow defying the imperial edict—displeasing the Emperor himself. Even her protests about already giving twenty thousand taels of silver had fallen flat.
By the end, the Old Madam had looked ready to cry.
“Is that so?” Xiao Yanfei sat down by the window with a lazy grace, resting her chin on one hand. A few loose strands of hair and the red ribbon trailed over her sleeve. The layered fabric draped like ripples of water, revealing a wrist as pale and fine as white jade.
Her lips were full and crimson under the sunlight—luscious as crabapple blossoms. But her eyes were cool, almost misty, with an aloof sharpness behind them.
Lovely. Well-behaved. Yet not without edge.
“It’s true!” Zhu momo nodded enthusiastically. “The Old Madam was deeply ashamed. She admitted she had never treated you properly—that she had failed in her duty as a grandmother, and insisted on making it up to you with this dowry.”
As she spoke, she respectfully pulled a small box from her sleeve, containing the property deeds and land titles.
Steward Lin nodded as well, silently echoing her words, though in his mind he couldn’t stop thinking of the Old Madam’s regretful face—how she’d looked like she wished she’d never come to the main house that day.
Xiao Yanfei smiled faintly, clearly not taking it to heart. “You’ve worked hard, Zhu momo.”
“It was my duty,” Zhu momo beamed, completely satisfied. Back when she worked for the Empress, even the best performance might earn her nothing more than a nod or a curt “You may go.” Never had she met someone like Second Miss—so considerate, so warm.
Madam Yin stared blankly at the two of them, feeling more confused by the second.
Xiao Yanfei’s slender fingers traced over the edge of the box, her mood clearly lightened. A bigger dowry meant more additions to her private stash.
“If your box gets too full,” a low, mellow voice murmured by her ear, breath warm against her skin, “I’ll get you a new one.”
The soft exhale brushed her earlobe like a feather. Instinctively, she reached up to shield it—but her fingers touched something soft and warm instead.
Her hand froze.
Just as she turned her head, a breathless voice came from outside the hall: “Miss, the Marquis requests an audience.”
The old maid who entered looked flustered, her hair slightly askew. “I tried to stop him, but the Marquis forced his way in—he wouldn’t be denied…”
The “Marquis” was, of course, Marquis Wu’an—Xiao Yan.
Madam Yin’s gentle expression instantly clouded, as if a heavy stone had lodged in her chest, stuck halfway up and down, neither here nor there.
***