Qin Caiyin looked a bit dazed. "Meet him?"
Gu Liyue nodded. "Yes, meet him. You should tell your mother clearly that you want to meet him before making a decision. Your mother is not an unenlightened person. She only wants the best for you. How could she not wish for your happy future? She will surely agree."
Qin Caiyin hesitated again. "But..."
Gu Liyue had no choice but to say, "Anyway, it's your business. If you don't agree, there's nothing I can do. We saw the young master of the Jiang family during our spring outing at the beginning of the year. He won't have any trouble finding a wife."
Qin Caiyin hung her head for a long time before saying, "Actually, I'm afraid that if, as I suspect, he doesn't really like me but is just doing this for my reputation... I'd rather keep this dream in my heart. In the future, I can deceive myself into thinking that the third young master of the Jiang family had feelings for me back then."
Gu Liyue used to think Fang Min was a bit crazy. Now she felt that Qin Caiyin was just like her cousin, always thinking strange things.
Suddenly, she remembered what Qin Yuyin had said. She spread her hands and said, "Well, I can't help you then. Anyway... Oh, your elder sister asked me to pass on a message. She said that your aunt and Jiang Che's sister - in - law are distantly related, and they've been in frequent contact these days."
Qin Caiyin jumped up. "Is Qin Jinyin shameless? Whatever I have, she wants!"
Gu Liyue was a bit stunned and quickly held her down. "I don't even understand this. Do you?"
Qin Caiyin said angrily, "You don't know what my aunt is like. You see that our families have a good relationship and often visit each other, right? Why is the relationship between my second uncle's family and yours not as close? It's because my second aunt is very troublesome. Most of my aunt's illnesses were caused by her... Oh, I won't mention these things. Anyway, when our fourth cousin came to propose marriage, my second aunt found out and made a scene at home. After she knew I broke off the engagement, she even sent someone to talk to my aunt, saying that Qin Jinyin is about the same age as me. If I don't want to marry into the Gu family, their Jinyin would be more than willing."
Gu Liyue didn't know this. She had interacted with Qin Jinyin before but didn't find anything wrong with her. However, everyone in the family, including her fourth brother, didn't seem very close to Qin Jinyin.
Qin Caiyin continued, "How could my aunt let her be her daughter - in - law? Hmph, of course, this didn't work out. Now that the Jiang family has come to propose marriage, she's at it again? She doesn't even look at her own worth. Her father is good - for - nothing and only holds a seventh - rank minor official position. Her elder brother only got a job under my father's protection. Does she think she can match the young master of the Jiang family? Bah!"
Gu Liyue finally understood. Qin Yuyin knew this would be a bombshell and deliberately asked her to tell Qin Caiyin. Unexpectedly, it really hit Qin Caiyin's sore spot.
"I see. So your second elder sister also has her eye on this marriage with the Jiang family?"
Qin Caiyin rolled her eyes, looked at Gu Liyue and said, "I'd rather let anyone else have it than her! I'm going to meet Jiang Che and ask him clearly."
Gu Liyue clapped her hands and laughed. "That's right! What's the use of staying at home all day? It won't solve anything."
Qin Caiyin hesitated for a long time and then said, "But Liyue, I need you to promise me that you'll go with me."
Gu Liyue didn't understand. "Why?"
Qin Caiyin lowered her head shyly and said, "I... always feel that he has feelings for you, and it makes me a bit unhappy. Since I'm going to ask him clearly, this is something I need to ask. If he can't take his eyes off you when he sees you, I won't marry him even if he's given to Qin Jinyin."
Gu Liyue laughed speechlessly. "Are you really willing?"
Qin Caiyin snorted heavily.
Gu Liyue naturally agreed with her, and a big stone in her heart dropped. After coming to the capital, she had the best relationship with Qin Caiyin. Mainly because Qin Caiyin was so straightforward. Even if she was jealous, she would tell Gu Liyue directly and never be unhappy behind her back.
For a man, even though she liked him very much, Qin Caiyin would never do anything to hurt her friend.
Gu Liyue nodded. "But after all, he is an unmarried man. I can't meet him without the prince's knowledge. The prince has been busy recently and doesn't have time. Then I'll ask my fourth brother to go with me to meet him."
Qin Caiyin thought for a while and agreed. "Okay, but you have to tell our fourth cousin clearly that Jiang Che was seriously injured for me and is still not fully recovered. He mustn't hit him again, got it?"
Although Madam Qin was not happy, seeing her daughter's determination, she thought that meeting and clearing things up would prevent any knots in their hearts when they got married. So she turned a blind eye and let Qin Caiyin make the arrangements.
Gu Liyue sent a letter to Jiang Che, saying that Qin Caiyin invited him to meet at the private room on the second floor of the Fugui Building at noon the next day.
When Gu Chengzhi sent Gu Liyue and Qin Caiyin there, they found that Jiang Che had been waiting in the private room for a while. Jiang Che's face was pale, and his lips were an unnatural shade of red. It was obvious at a glance that he was still not fully recovered.
Qin Caiyin was worried and just looked at Gu Chengzhi with her eyes. However, Gu Chengzhi didn't understand what she meant. He walked over first and punched Jiang Che.
"Speak properly. If you dare to act recklessly, be careful of my fists."
Qin Caiyin was extremely anxious. She wanted to ask but held back her worry and tugged at Gu Liyue's sleeve.
Gu Liyue had no choice but to smile at Jiang Che. "Greetings, third young master of the Jiang family. Long time no see. How's your health?"
Jiang Che quickly stood up but staggered. Fortunately, Gu Chengzhi supported him. He coughed continuously, and his face turned bright red. It took him a long time to steady himself.
Gu Chengzhi poured him a cup of tea. "Why... are you in such a state?"
Jiang Che said embarrassedly, "I'm sorry to make you laugh. I lost my composure."
Normally talkative Qin Caiyin was completely silent at this moment, just standing there like a timid quail.
Gu Liyue sighed helplessly. "It's our fault. We didn't ask for your opinion before inviting you out. You're not fully recovered yet. It's really not suitable for you to go out."
Jiang Che shook his head. "It's me... I wanted... to come..."
Gu Liyue glanced at Qin Caiyin and then asked, "We all know about your sister - in - law's visit to the Qin family to propose marriage. We invited you out to ask for your opinion."
Jiang Che's face turned even redder. "I... have no opinion."
Gu Liyue rubbed her forehead. As a girl not yet seventeen, she felt like an elder, so worried. But Gu Chengzhi didn't understand anything, and Qin Caiyin just refused to speak. Since she had promised Qin Caiyin to help, she couldn't be silent either.
"What do you mean by having no opinion?"
Jiang Che whispered, "My sister - in - law's opinion is mine."
Gu Liyue smiled. "Well, Caiyin's reputation is not good now. Maybe you don't know. My fourth brother once thought about not letting Caiyin be burdened by this, so he told his family and went to the Qin family to propose marriage, so that Caiyin could have a better future..."
Jiang Che's face changed greatly. Before Gu Liyue could finish, he stared straight at Gu Chengzhi and asked, "You... also like Qin Caiyin?"