Chapter 354

Mrs. Lin raised her palm, trembling, but did not hit down again.

After all, she was the girl who she had watched growing up. She stroked Shen Ruxu's swollen red face in a doting manner and slowly said earnestly, "Child, why are you so stubborn? A Du just left the manor and told me seriously that he planned to select a talented and good-looking husband for you among the noble sons in Bianjing. You just stay in the manor and wait. When the time is right, he will marry you out gloriously as the young lady of the Duke Manor. I thought it would be good... I treat you like my own daughter and surely want you to have a good life in the future, Xu. This is the best outcome for you."

When Shen Ruxu heard that the heir apparent was going to marry her off, she panicked. She quickly threw herself into Mrs. Lin's arms and cried with tears streaming down her face, pleading, "No... Please don't, Mother! Do you bear to marry me off?"

Mrs. Lin smiled wryly. "I don't want to either, but now that I've heard A Du's words, I understand. Qing is A Du's wife so she belongs to A Du. He doesn't want to take concubines and I don't want to force him. Over the years, I have wronged him. I will never go against his wishes when it comes to his marriage. Moreover, Ying has a gentle, tough, generous and elegant personality. She is virtuous and sensible with no flaws. There is nothing wrong with her."

When Shen Ruxu heard Mrs. Lin accept Gu Ying so readily, she couldn't believe it and asked anxiously, "Mother, you just accept Gu Ying like this?"

Mrs. Lin was kind by nature and not really a bad person. She did have some prejudice against Gu Ying at first, probably because she couldn't stand to see her leading a better life than she did in the past. But later she figured it out - she suffered a tragic fate not because of others but due to her own bad luck in meeting such a heartless and cold-blooded man like Zhao Hui. How could she blame Gu Ying?

"Why wouldn't I accept her? She's my daughter-in-law and did nothing wrong. How could I not accept her?"

Shen Ruxu felt a sudden pain in her heart. She clenched her hands tightly, a trace of vicious resentment flashed across her eyes.

"Xu." Mrs. Lin tried to earnestly advise her, "I treat you like my own daughter. But you can only be my daughter. Just give up everything else. Stay safely in the Duke Manor and live the life you've always wanted. In the future, when you marry, you'll still be the main wife of an aristocratic family and have a bright future ahead of you. Why are you so stubbornly clinging to A Du?"

"Mother..."

"I don't want us to become estranged."

"I..."

Shen Ruxu was still unwilling, but she was helpless against Mrs. Lin's persistence which could overwhelm her. She was afraid of upsetting Mrs. Lin which would make her feel cold towards herself.

"Alright, stop crying. Get up now." Mrs. Lin thought Shen Ruxu had finally accepted reality. "I... I understand. I'll be obedient and listen to Mother from now on."

Shen Ruxu felt extreme heartache. She didn't expect Mrs. Lin to change her attitude so quickly.

It was all Gu Ying's fault!

It was all Gu Ying's mistake!

Her blood surged as immense hatred welled up from the bottom of her heart. She stared straight ahead with bloodshot eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks.

She would definitely not let Gu Ying and her child have a good life. Just wait and see!

Mrs. Lin had advised Shen Ruxu all she could. The rest was up to Shen Ruxu to accept it herself. She believed Shen Ruxu was an obedient and well-behaved good child who would eventually come to see reason.

...

Gu Ying stood outside Lingxi Pavilion, quietly listening to the entire conversation between Mrs. Lin and Shen Ruxu. Her heart relaxed and her face took on a hint of a smile.

The heir apparent had just left. After getting out of bed, she had bathed, dressed up neatly and came over to pay her respects to Mrs Lin.

Yin Lan smiled. "Madam need not worry now. This Mrs. Lin is much more reasonable than Cheng."

The corners of Gu Ying's mouth turned up slightly in agreement. "After all, she's the heir apparent's birth mother and was the young lady of a prestigious medical family. How could she compare to Cheng?"

Yin Lan had been worried earlier that after returning to the manor, Mrs. Lin would make things difficult for Madam because of Shen Ruxu. She did not expect to feel more goodwill towards her after hearing Mrs. Lin's reasonable words.

"Madam, let's go in."

"Alright."

When Gu Ying and Yin Lan entered the Lingxi Pavilion hall, they saw Shen Ruxu looking awkward quickly wiping away her tears. Then she straightened herself with feigned calmness and lowered her reddened, defiant eyes.

Seeing Gu Ying, she quickly stood up and said, "Mother, I'm feeling unwell so I'll go back to my room first."

Mrs. Lin knew she didn't want to see Gu Ying, so she waved her hand to let Shen Ruxu leave first. As Shen Ruxu walked past Gu Ying, her cold gaze fell upon Gu Ying's smooth, flushed cheeks. Her expression became even more displeased.

But Shen Ruxu was not stupid either. She did not make a scene on the spot but smiled politely and left the hall.

Gu Ying had tranquil brows and eyes. Her pitch-black eyes were like black jade. Dressed in milk-yellow brocade robes, she looked even more adorable and cute. Her slightly bulging belly did not make her look clumsy. Instead, she seemed like a lazy cat, very endearing.

After convincing herself, when Mrs. Lin saw Gu Ying, she also felt happier. Hearing A Du's words, she dispensed with Gu Ying's etiquette and asked her to sit down to talk.

Mrs. Lin was a doctor herself. She pointed to the small table next to her. Out of habit, Gu Ying stretched out her wrist.

Also out of professional habit, Mrs Lin placed her fingers on Gu Ying’s pulse.

They were both taken aback for a moment, then smiled at each other.

"Look at me, I've become obsessed." Gu Ying patted her own forehead. "Mother, don't think too much. I didn't mean to do that."

Then she asked Yin Lan to bring out the silver ear soup she had prepared early in the morning, "I cooked this with my own hands for Mother. I wonder if you'll like drinking it?"

Mrs. Lin said lightly, "Put it down first. I'll drink it later."

Gu Ying looked up and gazed sincerely into Mrs. Lin's eyes. Ever since she entered the manor, she still wore a veil and didn't want to show her real appearance.

The two looked silently into each other's eyes for a moment. Mrs. Lin could see Gu Ying had something to say. So she said, "Do you have something to tell me?"

Gu Ying said frankly, "Yes."

Mrs. Lin said solemnly, "Alright. Go ahead, I'm listening."

Gu Ying was not the coy type. She just went straight to the point, "I know Mother doesn't really like me, though I don't know why. But I came to see you today just to tell you that my feelings for you are genuine. I will be a good daughter-in-law and treat you well. If Mother has any thoughts, you can tell me directly. As long as it's within my ability, I'll do it for you without hesitation. If I've offended you in any way, I hope Mother will point it out to me in a timely manner. If it can be changed, I will definitely change. I'm telling Mother all this not for any other purpose, only hoping that there won't be any estrangement between our family and we won't become distant over some trivial matters."

Gu Ying pulled up the corners of her mouth sincerely. "Perhaps Mother doesn't know my feelings for the heir apparent."

A shallow, blissful smile played about her lips as she looked up and continued, "I love him. That's why my feelings for you, Mother, are different from others'. Since I was little, I never had a mother. I don't know how to get along with one. Over the years... my brother and I had a tough time growing up in my uncle's manor. In fact, I also hoped for a mother's love... Fortunately I met the heir apparent in this life. After marrying into this family, he never let me suffer any grievances. As his wife, I also want to make him happy and spare him any worries about domestic affairs. So... I'll try my best to treat Mother well."

Having said so much all at once, she was still afraid that Mrs. Lin might not believe her. So she carefully reached out to hold Mrs. Lin's cold fingers, "Mother, can you like me a little too?"

When Mrs. Lin looked into Gu Ying's clear and limpid eyes, she couldn't help but freeze for a moment.