Mrs. Zhen fell into deep thought.
If it's the former, that's not too bad. If this marriage doesn't work out, in a few years, once Du Yunluo grows a bit older, those feelings will gradually fade. She can find a good husband, and those little feelings of affection in her heart will remain a lifelong secret;
But if it's the latter...
Nothing is more damaging than obsession, nor more painful than unfulfilled desires.
Even though she truly didn't know why Du Yunluo's feelings arose, she feared her daughter would be hurt.
Moreover, such feelings should only be known by her and Du Yunru, because if they spread, the only one to suffer would be Du Yunluo.
After considering for a while, Mrs. Zhen spoke, "Yunluo, you are a sensible girl. You should know how to handle this and don't lose your sense of proportion."
The warning in her mother's words sent a chill down Du Yunluo's back as she pondered the implication, saying, "Mother, I..."
"The matters ahead, I will discuss with your grandmother, so put your mind at ease," Mrs. Zhen decided. Whether this marriage was good or bad, it should be discussed with Mrs. Xia and not have Du Yunluo caught in the middle, avoiding pointless gossip.
Seeing this, Du Yunluo could only nod.
Upon returning to Anhua Courtyard, she saw Jin Rui standing outside the east wing, speaking with someone.
The person had their back facing her; Du Yunluo found the figure familiar but couldn't recognize them immediately.
Sharp-eyed, Jin Rui saw Du Yunluo return and hurried over to greet her, and that person also turned around, bowing with a smile.
Du Yunluo took a closer look and found it was Qian He, who served by Du Yunnuo's side.
"Miss, Fourth Miss has been waiting for a while," Jin Rui said with a smile.
Du Yunluo was surprised, but she concealed her emotions and simply said, "Fourth Sister is here, why didn't you send someone to let me know, and let Fourth Sister wait in vain? Is Fourth Sister in the east wing? Has she been served tea?"
Jin Rui was about to defend herself when Du Yunnuo, hearing the commotion, came out from inside.
"Don't blame Jin Rui," Du Yunnuo said with a smile, linking arms with Du Yunluo, "I asked her not to call you. I haven't waited long, anyway, and I have tried quite a bit of good tea and snacks from your side. How is Third Aunt feeling?"
Du Yunluo smiled, "If Fourth Sister likes those snacks, feel free to take some back. Mother's health is better; Mrs. Shi just came over, and they talked for quite a long while together."
While speaking, Du Yunluo glanced at Du Yunnuo.
She knew Du Yunnuo's intentions. With Mrs. Shi visiting, Du Yunnuo couldn't overhear anything from Lianfu Garden, so she had to come directly to find her, the person involved, to provoke her anger. That would amuse her greatly.
As expected, upon mentioning Mrs. Shi, Du Yunnuo blinked and then, after they entered the east wing, dismissed the maid to ask, "Was it about the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion?"
Du Yunluo nodded with a stern face.
"Why, on that day in Lianfu Garden, didn't you mention this matter and talked about flowers instead?" Du Yunnuo shook her head disapprovingly, lamenting, "Otherwise, with Third Sister and I there, we could have backed you up. After we left, it must have been even harder for you to speak up?"
Du Yunluo took a piece of red bean cake, taking a small bite slowly.
Had she spoken then, it would have been like lighting a firecracker—everything would explode. The backing from those two would be akin to adding fuel to the fire, probably blowing the roof off Lianfu Garden.
Du Yunluo was not in a hurry, but Du Yunnuo was impatient, feeling like a cat on hot bricks, seeing Du Yunluo eating slowly, she furrowed her brows: "It's hard to say things in front of Grandmother, but did you mention it to Third Aunt? It's a pity Third Aunt has been sick lately, otherwise, she'd cut through the mess quickly, which would be better than us worrying all the time."
Seeing this, Du Yunluo finally put down the snack, casually wiped her hands with a Shu brocade handkerchief embroidered with a budding lotus, and smiled lightly.
"Why are you smiling?" Du Yunnuo asked.
"In the eyes of Fourth Sister, am I someone who wouldn't plan for myself?" Du Yunluo's bright eyes swept over, full of a cheeky sense, "Faced with such matters, once I knew, how could I not tell Mother?"
Upon hearing this, Du Yunnuo raised an eyebrow and leaned closer, saying, "I knew you had a plan and wouldn't just let things take their course. So, what exactly did Third Aunt say?"
"I've talked and cried, and Mother will discuss what comes next with Grandmother. If it's unsatisfactory, I might have to go plead with Grandmother," Du Yunluo replied calmly.
Every sentence spoken was true, not a word was false, but the emotions within were deliberately misleading Du Yunnuo.
Hearing this, Du Yunnuo felt relieved: "That's good, with Third Aunt standing up for you, she won't let you suffer."
"I actually don't have much confidence..." Du Yunluo sighed, seeing Du Yunnuo's puzzled expression, she gave a bitter smile and said, "Household matters can never bypass Grandfather and Grandmother. It's often said it's the parents' decision, but in essence, the decision lies with Grandfather. Like Big Sister, who was married off to the Shao Family based on Grandfather's decision. Last time you mentioned to me that Grandfather was troubled about the official prospects of Father and the others, I..."
Du Yunnuo picked up the teacup and took a sip.
The tea in Anhua Courtyard was all to Du Yunluo's preference, sweet in taste. Du Yunnuo usually didn't like it, but at this moment, tasting it didn't feel overly sweet because of her pleasant mood.
As Du Yunluo put it, Mrs. Zhen couldn't alter Du Gongfu's intents, only becoming displeased with the unusual thoughts of her daughter-in-law and granddaughter. By then, if Du Yunluo went again to speak at Lianfu Garden, how could Du Gongfu not be furious?
Du Yunnuo couldn't help but smile, thinking how delightful it would be to see the cherished Du Yunluo face hardship.
"Sister Five," Du Yunnuo masked her excited anticipation, feigning concern, "You're aware of Grandfather's temper, right? All bark and no bite. A scolding now and then, and once he sees your tears, his heart will soften. Frankly, if you could escape this predicament, what's a few words from Grandfather compared to a lifetime of regret? Don't worry, if it really comes to that, Third Sister and I will stand by you."
Du Yunluo looked directly into Du Yunnuo's eyes.
Being young, Du Yunnuo felt guilty under Du Yunluo's gaze and involuntarily shifted her glance away.
Du Yunluo sneered silently; back then, she was also naïve, often led by the nose by Du Yunnuo's poor facade.
Still, she said, "Fourth Sister is right. A scolding from Grandfather is better than a lifetime of regret."
Seeing Du Yunluo persuaded, Du Yunnuo felt quite pleased, deciding not to dwell on this topic further, she said, "In a few days, it will be Princess An Ran's coming-of-age ceremony. I've received the invitation and will attend to observe."
Du Yunnuo's stepmother, from the Liao Family, had a sister renowned for her charm, who caught the eye of the young master of Duke Jing Mansion and became his concubine, bearing a son and a daughter.
These children born out of wedlock surprisingly gained the favor of the Old Master, who even sought an official title for the little granddaughter, thus granting her the title of An Ran.
The Liao Family never severed ties with her sister, so Du Yunnuo had some interactions with Princess An Ran.
Du Yunluo's gaze rested on the peonies placed in the corner.
Although Du Yunluo's notorious arrogance was well-known, there was always someone greater.
Among the young noblewomen of the Capital, when it came to arrogance, no one could rival Princess An Ran.
Bad-tempered and unreasonable, she was indulged by the Old Master, nearly crossing the line into lawlessness.
Du Yunluo naturally didn't enjoy associating with such people, yet in the previous life, there were several confrontations, simply because this Princess An Ran had her heart set on Mu Lianxiao.