"Don't ask. I'll tell you after I figure it out..." Cheng Xiran said confidently. After a pause, she imitated his previous tone and continued, "Anyway, I can also swear on my life that there's nothing between Lord Fu and me."
Helian Duo smiled indulgently and didn't ask any more questions for the moment. Both of them were immersed in the joy of making up.
In the afternoon, the two accompanied the old lady to meet Helian Duo's friend. The consultation alone took a full hour. After that, Helian Duo suggested going to the Drunken Immortal Tower for dinner. He also sent someone to invite Xue Lianyu and Chu Liyin so that everyone could have a good time together.
Since the grandmother needed to rest, after dinner, although Xue Lianyu proposed to go to the prince's mansion to play for a while, Cheng Xiran politely declined. She thought she should accompany her grandmother back earlier. It happened that she hadn't written for two days, so she would write some tonight. She couldn't neglect her work after all.
Helian Duo personally sent them to the Cheng Mansion before leaving.
Actually, Cheng Xiran could already feel his affection for her. As for whether it had sublimated into love, it was hard to say for the time being.
Anyway, it seemed that she had fallen in love!
The grandmother and granddaughter walked into the mansion chatting and laughing. When passing through the front hall, Cheng Xiran was stopped by Cheng Zhiyue. "Sister, Father wants to talk to you about something serious."
Although Cheng Xiran was confused, she didn't think much about it. She just asked Nanny Jin to help her grandmother back to the room first.
After watching her grandmother leave, Cheng Zhiyue's attitude did a complete 180 - degree turn. She instantly sneered at her, "So what if you're relying on the prince? Father is right. In the end, you'll surely be discarded."
"Do you even have the right to lecture me?" Cheng Xiran gave her a disdainful look.
"You... How dare you talk to me like this!" Cheng Zhiyue stamped her foot in anger.
Cheng Xiran retorted word by word, "Even the Prince of Qi will have to call me sister - in - law in the future. Why wouldn't I dare?"
Cheng Zhiyue was silenced. She gave her a look and then walked towards the front hall.
Cheng Xiran walked slowly behind.
She could clearly feel that the atmosphere was not right. Especially that Mrs. Liu, who was still smiling smugly on one side.
As usual, she stepped forward and saluted. "Xiran greets Father and Madam."
"You're back."
He was rarely so gentle, which made Cheng Xiran even more suspicious.
After sitting down on one side, Cheng Xiran took the initiative to ask, "Father, do you have something to tell me?"
Lord Cheng put away the fake smile on his lips and said seriously with a straight face, "Well, Zhiyue has nothing to do at home. Starting tomorrow, she'll go to your newspaper office to help you. It'll also be a good opportunity for her to gain some experience so that she won't be looked down upon in the Prince of Qi's mansion in the future."
Cheng Xiran asked calmly, "Why did you suddenly come up with this idea?"
Seeing her calm expression, Lord Cheng continued, "It's not a sudden idea. I've always thought about it. Look at how well - run your newspaper office is. If your sister follows you, she'll surely learn a lot."
Mrs. Liu also added fuel to the fire. "Yes, Xiran. Zhiyue really wants to learn from you."
"Father is joking. I don't think one can learn much in a newspaper office."
As soon as Cheng Xiran said this, Lord Cheng's expression changed subtly.
Before he could speak, Cheng Xiran sized up Cheng Zhiyue and then said, "Moreover, most of the money for opening the newspaper office was given by Xue Lianyu. He's the biggest shareholder of the newspaper office. If my sister has this idea, even if I want to agree, I should at least ask for Mr. Xue's opinion. So Father, you've come to the wrong person today."
Lord Cheng's face looked a bit ugly for a moment.
"Aren't you good friends with Mr. Xue? It's just a matter of a few words, but you're making it so complicated..."
Mrs. Liu's words were suddenly interrupted fiercely by Cheng Xiran. "Yes, it's really just a matter of a few words. So why should I be the one to say it? I dislike bothering others, and I also dislike being bothered."
Lord Cheng slapped the table and said righteously, "Now that you're with the prince, your temper has grown. Don't you know your own status? You haven't married into the prince's mansion yet. You're still a member of the Cheng family!"
But he was in turn questioned by Cheng Xiran. "Has Father ever regarded me as a member of the Cheng family and as your daughter?"
There was a moment of silence.
Cheng Xiran didn't want this little episode to ruin her good mood for the whole day, so she didn't stay any longer. She glanced at them and then got up and left without looking back.
"My lord, look. Now Cheng Xiran is becoming more and more insolent. I just said a few words and didn't scold her at all. But she doesn't take me seriously at all, and even less you, my lord."
Lord Cheng's face was cold. A continuous chill was surging out of his long and narrow eyes.
Originally, Cheng Xiran didn't think too much about this matter. She thought she could have some peace after refusing. But unexpectedly, early the next morning, Cheng Zhiyue shamelessly followed her to the newspaper office and said she would wait for Xue Lianyu to come.
"I think Mr. Xue will agree even for Father's sake. He won't refuse."
This really made Cheng Xiran laugh. "Then I may have to tell you in advance that Xue Lianyu is impervious to both soft and hard tactics."
Cheng Zhiyue wanted to argue with her, but thinking that this was a public place - the newspaper office, she restrained herself a bit.
The shopkeeper looked at Cheng Zhiyue as if seeing a ghost.
Cheng Xiran went directly to the second floor, leaving Cheng Zhiyue waiting downstairs alone.
"I saw her lingering around here a few days ago. I'm afraid she has some bad intentions. Miss, you should be careful."
Cheng Xiran handed over the manuscript she had written last night and said in a non - committal tone, "Yes, her sudden intention to come to the newspaper office must be part of her scheme. Just ignore her. In the Cheng Mansion, she's the second young lady of the Cheng family, but outside, no one owes her anything. There's no need to give her a good look."
The shopkeeper quickly agreed.
Cheng Xiran wrote some manuscripts on the second floor. After a while, she heard quite a commotion downstairs.
When she was halfway down the stairs, she saw Cheng Zhiyue pointing at Xue Lianyu and growling, "Xue Lianyu, do you think you're so great? My coming to your newspaper office is a favor to you. But you're really being ungrateful. How dare you ignore me like this!"
Cheng Xiran held back her laughter and quickly went downstairs. She saw Xue Lianyu not even looking at her. "So what if I ignore you? I, Xue Lianyu, can ignore whoever I want, no matter who it is. Besides, do you think your status as a concubine - born daughter is something to be proud of? It doesn't matter if a person has no money, no power, or no skills. But if they have no brains and no self - awareness, they're really hopeless, just like you now."
"Xue Lianyu, you..." Cheng Zhiyue was so choked that she couldn't say a word.
"Lianyu, why are you bullying my sister?"
Cheng Xiran walked forward and winked frantically at Xue Lianyu.