Qin He looked at Gu Ranran's flushed face. The way she spoke of Brother Hao was like a young girl lost in sweet love.
She went on and on about this Brother Hao.
Qin He's heart grew heavy. Seeing Gu Ranran like this, it didn't seem like a casual fling.
She glanced at Gu Qichen, "What's this Brother Hao's name?"
Gu Ranran, with a face full of sweetness, answered first, "His surname is Yang, Yang Hao."
Qin He pursed her lips, choosing her words carefully to avoid offending a young girl in love, as at her age, she wouldn't listen to anything.
"Ranran, since he's been to prison three times, have you ever considered that the law today rarely makes wrongful convictions?" Qin He probed.
Gu Ranran's expression suddenly changed, "Qin He, what do you mean? You don't trust me, or you don't trust Hao Ge?"
Qin He looked at Gu Ranran's hostile eyes and sighed, suddenly understanding Madam Gu's helplessness.
Perhaps Madam Gu had spoken ill of this Yang Hao quite a bit recently, causing Gu Ranran to have an overreactive response.
"Ranran, I have no objections to you falling in love freely," Qin He said with a smile. "But if you plan to get married, you need to think it through. Marriage is not child's play, and it's best to have the blessings of both sets of parents."
Gu Ranran bit her lip, stubbornly and bravely defending her love.
"It's best to have blessings. I will do my utmost to show you his good side, but if you deny him as a person because of his past, that is wrong!"
Qin He pondered. This grand pronouncement seemed quite reasonable.
"You're right, perhaps this Yang Hao has truly mended his ways," Qin He said with a smile. "If that's the case, why don't you bring him home for your mother and brother to meet?"
Madam Gu, opposite them, suddenly stood up, "I absolutely will not allow any disreputable person into my home."
Gu Ranran was also angered, "You just look down on him. Anyway, I've made up my mind to marry him! If you don't let him come, we won't come after Hao Ge and I get married!"
Madam Gu hadn't expected Gu Ranran to be so resolute and was taken aback.
Madam Gu, who was usually arrogant, now pointed at Gu Ranran, her hand trembling slightly, tears welling up in her eyes.
"I raised you, doted on you, spoiled you, and the whole family cherished you. Now, for a man, have you lost your mind?!"
Gu Ranran bit her lower lip and remained silent. She could tell her mother was angry.
Qin He glanced at Gu Qichen.
Gu Qichen's expression was stern, and it seemed he was about to speak. Qin He quickly pulled him aside.
"Ranran, how about this, you go back to your room to rest for a bit, and I'll try to persuade your mother, okay?" Qin He said gently.
Gu Ranran looked at Madam Gu's sad expression, bit her lower lip, and ran upstairs with a conflicted heart.
The living room fell silent.
Madam Gu, who had been radiating an imposing aura, now seemed to have lost all her spirit with her daughter gone.
"What wrong have I done? Qichen, how could your sister fall for such a man?"
Madam Gu said, clenching her teeth with hatred, "That man must have seduced your sister. If there's no other way, find a way to get him out of Qingcheng!"
Qin He sighed softly, "Auntie, your method probably won't work. In modern society, as long as two people want to contact each other, there are always ways. You can't send that Yang Hao to a remote mountain with no signal, can you?"
"Then what do you mean? You can't possibly watch Ranran marry such a scoundrel, can you?" Madam Gu looked anxiously at Qin He.
Qin He smiled, "The more people oppose their relationship, the more eager Ranran will be to marry him."
Seeing Madam Gu looking thoughtful, Qin He continued to persuade her.
"Why don't we let him bring that Yang Hao back to see us? If we can't find a breakthrough with Ranran, it might not be the same with Yang Hao."
A person who had been imprisoned three times, twice for theft and once for indecent assault.
Such a person must have strong greed.
Madam Gu sighed, "I thought about it before, giving Yang Hao some money to leave Ranran; but seeing how deeply Ranran is involved, she probably tells this Yang Hao everything without reservation. A person like that, knowing Ranran is a daughter of the Gu family, how could he let go?"
Qin He nodded, "At this point, don't provoke his rebellious streak. Auntie, please agree to let Yang Hao visit the Gu family. We'll set a time, and then Qichen and I will be here waiting to see what kind of person he is."
Madam Gu frowned, pondered for a while, "Alright!"
After chatting with Madam Gu for a while, Qin He left the Gu family without seeing Gu Ranran come downstairs.
After leaving the Gu family, Gu Qichen drove Qin He back to the Qin family.
In the following days, Qin He visited her master and met with Li Fengrui and Gao Lang. According to Gao Lang, Wang Jiming had insisted on coming with them.
After all, if Wang Jiming hadn't yelled in the sewer back then, Qin He would have escaped long ago.
After visiting her friends, Qin He's life gradually returned to normal. She started working at Gu Shi's Qing Sui, although her working hours were not fixed.
Qing Sui was now managed by Li Ai and was running smoothly.
Three days passed quickly. Qin He worked during the day and researched health-preserving dietary therapy plans for Xu Wanwan at home after work.
At eight o'clock in the morning, Qin He received a call from Madam Gu.
"He'er, Ranran said she's bringing Yang Hao home for lunch today. Could you come over?"
Qin He had just woken up and was sitting at her dressing table, combing her hair, a slight frown on her face. "So soon."
Madam Gu was full of indignation, "Yes, I said this scoundrel has no manners. Who tells their parents-in-law on the same day!"
Qin He chuckled, "It's alright. You weren't really considering him as a son-in-law anyway, so you don't need to prepare anything."
Qin He called Gu Qichen, and he answered quickly.
"I'll pick you up in a while."
Qin He smiled, "Did your mother call you too?"
"Mm," Gu Qichen's voice was deep.
Thinking that today Gu Ranran was bringing Yang Hao to the old Gu family mansion, Qin He chose a slightly more formal dress.
At least this way, Gu Ranran would feel that she was being taken seriously, and her rebellious streak might lessen.
After getting ready, Qin He went downstairs for breakfast.
Xu Wanwan had recently gotten over her morning sickness and had a good appetite. The family of four chatted while eating breakfast.
Ming Yuzhu glanced at Qin He's attire, "Something going on today?"
"Mm, going to the Gu family's to meet Gu Ranran's boyfriend."
Ming Yuzhu raised an eyebrow, "Gu Ranran is dating?"
Qin He thought about it and explained the situation, "This Yang Hao doesn't sound like a good person. Gu Ranran is attracted to him just because he saved her life."