Chapter 382 - So What If I Got A Grandson For Free?

“Did the test center mention when the DNA results would be out?” Jing Yun asked then.

“In three days. What’s wrong?” Papa Xu pressed.

“It would save time if you could process it quickly, and catch Brother off guard too.”

Papa Xu nodded at Jing Yun’s words. “Come back when this blows over. I’ll delegate some of my work to you…”

After hanging up, Mama Xu then told Jing Yun, “Although it is weird to say this now, if this matter really closes the distance between you and your father… it is actually worth it.”

“I just want to go home as soon as can. Jing Ting is the Crown Prince’s home after all, and having him staying at the Shen’s is not going to cut it.”

“Don’t worry, mother. This is a troublesome matter, but it’s not like there’s no chance of turning things around.

As for Sheng Xiao… did Jing Yun not understand his thinking after following his years?

If Sheng Xiao remained at Jing Ting, Old Sheng would defend send his men to harass Mu Qiqi.

On the other hand, the Shen’s residence would be much safer.

As for Jing Yun himself, it was reasonable that he could stay at Jing Ting with Sheng Minglan as a grandson-in-law of the Sheng family.

***

Nighttime, the Sheng’s residence.

It was the second day after Gu Ziling had come to stay at the Sheng’s residence. To take good care of his future granddaughter-in-law, Old Sheng had decorated the best room in the Sheng family after the fashion of Gu Ziling’s own room at the Gu’s residence, even telling the servants to respond to her every request at all times.

For her part, Gu Ziling had quickly acquainted herself with everyone else in the Sheng family, and naturally learned how Sheng Xiao lived and his role with them.

While the second Sheng brother was outstanding in competence, he ultimately didn’t size up to a genius like Sheng Xiao.

Still, with Sheng Xiao hiding at the Shen’s residence, she could not do a thing even if she wanted to meet him.

When Second Brother returned from Huang Yao in the evening and found Gu Ziling having tea alone at the golf course, he walked up to her and asked, “Aren’t you cold?”

Gu Ziling turned and smiled when she saw him. “Staying here with your family and with Grandpa Sheng being so nice to me, what is there to be cold about?”

“Grandpa likes you…” Second Brother sat down beside Gu Ziling then. “As for Eighth Brother…”

“Now that you’ve mentioned him, Second Brother, I have a favor to ask.”

“Tell me.”

“I want to meet Sheng Xiao in secret,” Gu Ziling said. “I’m really curious about him.”

Second Brother felt a pang in his chest at her words. “He… he’s staying with the Shen family now, and our family doesn’t know where he usually goes. He would definitely not show up if we ask for him.”

“Grandfather’s birthday is in March. By then, Eight Brother’s temper would have cooled down completely. You would naturally meet him if we have him come back then.”

“That seems to be the only way now!” Gu Ziling nodded feebly.

She was asking to meet her future fiancé as if it only made sense.

Once Gu Ziling was sure that the one she likes was Eighth Brother, the old man would immediately announce the good news—whether Sheng Xiao would agree or not.

But for some reason, Second Brother felt upset inwardly.

“The weather is still cold. You should return to your room to rest.”

“Alright.” Gu Ziling nodded, although she planned to do that already.

That being said, why was she leaning toward Sheng Xiao?

Simple: because she did not need a man who really loves her.

All she wants was a marriage in name only, and use that as an excuse to leave the Gu family.

That was why Second Brother was never her choice from the start.

It was clear that Sheng Xiao would never have eyes for Gu Ziling given how passionately in love he was with Mu Qiqi and how they were joined at the hip, which made it more likely that he would agree to be her contract spouse.

However, Gu Ziling was overthinking.

Amongst all the ideas she had, the only thing she got right was that Sheng Xiao and Mu Qiqi were joined at the hip.

First and foremost, Sheng Xiao would never engage with her. Secondly, Mu Qiqi was not a simpleton enough to let Xiao Xiao go on a whim.

Thirdly, she underestimated how much Sheng Xiao hated the Sheng family.

Nonetheless, her womanly instincts were sharp in not choosing Second Brother. She could tell a few things just from how he looked at her—though it was not much, Second Brother definitely thought of her as an ideal life partner.

But what she needed the least in life now was a man’s love.

She was afraid of it!

***

Meanwhile, the grandson of the Sheng family had been staying at the Shen’s residence through it all illegitimately.

Naturally, Old Sheng could humiliate Old Shen as much as he would by spreading rumors that would burn Old Shen’s ears. It was truly lamentable and sympathizing that relations between two families who had fought together for years would fall to such a horrid state.

One such rumor included: Could it be that the Shen family can no longer bear a son, and therefore wants a grandson for yourself?

Another rumor added that Mu Qiqi was the greatest vixen in all of Jianchuan, seducing men at eighteen and even splitting a grandson from his family—how was that not impressive?

Old Shen was naturally furious when heard about it, but he could not do anything.

After all, Sheng Xiao was staying with his family without legitimate cause. With a botched engagement setting the two families apart, Sheng Xiao really had no reason being in their house.

When Mu Qiqi saw that her grandfather was fuming, she immediately acted like a good granddaughter. “Grandpa, you have always lived upright and virtuously. Why stoop to their level?”

“I’m just sad that you would be slandered like that at such a young age.”

“Grandpa…” Mu Qiqi called out coyly, leaning on the old man’s shoulder. “Xiao Xiao already turned his back on the Sheng family for me. I cannot do anything here, so you could pretend I got a free husband. Don’t you think so?”

The old man snorted. “I would have settled the affair between you two if you weren’t so young. So what if I got a grandson for free? Still, I just can’t understand how a person so old would spare so much effort to meddle with his grandson’s affairs. How does the granddaughter of the Shen family fall short in his eyes?”

“Because I’m disobedient.” Mu Qiqi reached the heart of the matter.

Her birth was already a matter of contention, but that could be forgiven since Shen’s family was regaining their reputation beforehand. However, she also insisted on becoming a forensic doctor and contribute nothing to Huang Yao—that was what Old Sheng could not abide with.

“After all, who else is he trying to provoke with the young daughter of the Gu family? He can’t even control his own grandson…”

“And in the end, he is spreading those horrible rumors just to force Xiao Xiao to show up. So, you have to be the better man and let the Sheng family do what they want.”

It was nighttime, but grandfather and granddaughter were still seated beside the fish pond, chatting idly. As such, Sheng Xiao heard their entire conversation when he came to take Mu Qiqi back to rest.

He was aware of the rumors spread by the Sheng family, and he expected it to involve the Shen family.

But he could not afford to let them be harmed.

Therefore, after listening to their exchange, Sheng Xiao did not take Mu Qiqi back to their room, instead turning to leave granddaughter and granddaughter on their own to talk it out.

As for him, it was time that he did something to break Old Sheng’s spirit.