He never expected a windfall to fall into his lap!
He could wake up laughing in his dreams!
Yun Shu looked at Old Master Qin with some helplessness, "There are some things I never would have imagined before meeting you, Old Master Qin."
Before, she hadn't thought about the relationship between Old Master Qin and Zhan Tianye. This was because Old Master Qin rarely came to the capital, and even if he did, the original owner would surely not have noticed or had the opportunity to meet him.
In the grand scheme of things, there was this entanglement.
"Shu丫头, this is fate! You and Prince Ye are truly destined. To be honest, old man, if anyone else were to become my granddaughter-in-law, I wouldn't approve of them. But Shu丫头 is different! If Shu丫头 is willing to lower herself and marry Prince Ye, I will give you the entire Qin family fortune, how about it?" As Old Master Qin spoke, he took out a token from his sleeve.
This token was unique in the world, crafted by Old Master Qin from the most precious gems.
The person who received this token, along with his declaration to the entire Qin Corporation, would no longer be the master of the Qin Corporation, and Shu丫头 would possess the entire Qin Corporation!
As long as he could get Shu丫头 to marry his grandson, the Qin Corporation, a mere external possession, was insignificant.
The moment she saw the token, Yun Shu's expression turned grave.
Seeing Yun Shu's silence, Old Master Qin knew his gesture might be a bit intimidating. He chuckled, "Shu丫头, you know my health won't last much longer. Upon learning that you and that brat have such a connection, I feel it's a blessing from my ancestors, allowing me to rest easy when I pass. I know you might not fancy that brat. Well, this old man will shamelessly put in a good word for him. He's rarely put his heart into anything. When you appeared at my manor together before, I noticed the strange way he looked at you, much like how I was infatuated with my old lady back then. He's just not good with words. If you would consider him, for the sake of Xiao Jing and the others?"
Old Master Qin always spoke with a smile, like a mischievous old man.
These words were unlike anything Yun Shu had ever heard from him.
She knew that Old Master Qin spoke from the bottom of his heart.
Looking at the three children playing not far from the pavilion, something seemed to flicker in Yun Shu's eyes.
"Keep the token for now, Shu丫头. I fear I might kick the bucket any day now, and I don't trust handing the Qin Corporation over to that brat; he's surrounded by wolves." Old Master Qin's voice cracked, and a few tears welled up.
He looked at Yun Shu pitifully.
Yun Shu felt even more helpless. She couldn't be pushed, but she could be persuaded. Old Master Qin, being a shrewd old man, had known this soft spot of hers for years. She pressed her temples, "Old Master Qin can live for at least a few more years. It's not too late to think about settling the Qin Corporation in another two years."
She understood very well that if she accepted the token, it would mean she would have to return it to Old Master Qin eventually, and Old Master Qin would never take it back.
"Are you looking down on the gift this old man is giving you!" Old Master Qin shed a few more tears.
He looked so pitiable that it tugged at one's heartstrings.
Yun Shu was momentarily speechless. She felt that after saving Old Master Qin back then, she should have just taken the money and gone their separate ways. After knowing him for so long, she had come to regard Old Master Qin as a respected elder, a mentor, and a friend.
"How could I despise something that everyone in the world covets? I understand what you mean, Old Master Qin. Rest assured, I know Prince Ye is not as bad as you might think," Yun Shu said softly.
Hearing this, Old Master Qin's eyes lit up. "Good, good, good! It's good that you know he's not bad."
There's a glimmer of hope!
Definitely a glimmer of hope!
Old Master Qin knew when to stop, and didn't press Yun Shu to accept the token. After all, the token would eventually find its way into her hands, and if she wouldn't accept it now, she would surely accept it later!
He chuckled and stood up, "The important matters are settled. You should go and attend to your tasks. This old man wants to cherish his time with Xiao Jing and the other three. We'll have lunch with your father later."
Watching the old rascal, Old Master Qin, Yun Shu's mouth twitched.
Yun Shu's mouth twitched as she watched Old Master Qin playfully go to play with Xiao Jing and the other two like a child.
He was too cunning!
The older the ginger, the spicier it is.
This thought was further reinforced at lunch when she saw Yun Changfeng so blissfully confused by Old Master Qin's words that his mouth couldn't stop smiling. She truly felt that no one could outwit Old Master Qin if he wanted to play mind games.
After lunch, Old Master Qin took Xiao Jing and the others to Prince Ye's manor.
Yun Changfeng watched the figures of the elder and three children walking ahead and sighed with profound emotion, "Old Master Qin is so kind, Prince Ye should not be bad either. Shu'er, do you still like Prince Ye?"
This question was a very good one.
It stumped Yun Shu.
The former Yun Shu would have definitely loved Zhan Tianye so much that she would have given her life for him.
But now, her soul had been replaced.
After several encounters with Zhan Tianye, from their initial confrontations to the gradual resolution of misunderstandings, whether she liked him or not was a question she couldn't answer for the first time.
Therefore, she didn't reply, but was lost in thought for a moment.
However, her reverie didn't last long.
Because the gatekeeper reported that Gu Zhiruo and her mother, along with Madam Tang and Tang Hui, wanted to see her.
She immediately collected herself and instructed the gatekeeper to bring them in.
Before meeting her guests, she said to Yun Changfeng, "Father, you must pay close attention to everyone in the court recently, besides the Regent."
Yun Changfeng's expression immediately turned serious, and he nodded gravely, "Understood."
A moment later, Yun Shu met Gu Zhiruo and the other three.
Upon seeing Yun Shu, Madam Tang and Tang Hui both expressed their gratitude to Yun Shu again.
Furthermore, Madam Tang had brought pastries she had made herself, which she had specially prepared that morning, and also fruit wine, both of which Madam Tang was most skilled at.
"These are all handmade by my mother. I hope Miss Yun the Second won't mind. My mother originally wanted to give Miss Yun the Second some jewelry, but Zhiruo said Miss Yun the Second definitely wouldn't accept it, so my mother thought of making these by hand to express her gratitude." Tang Hui's cheeks were flushed, possibly out of shyness, as she spoke.
She looked very charming and cute.
Gu Zhiruo heard this and smiled, "Aunt Tang's pastries are more delicious than those from any pastry shop in the capital, and the fruit wine too! It only makes you slightly tipsy after drinking it, and you can't taste it anywhere else! Shu'er, you must try them."
"It's not that exaggerated. I just like making these in my spare time to pass the time," Madam Tang said, also a bit shy.
Madam Gu smiled and said, "Don't be modest. The reason your mother and I became such close friends back then was also because of your excellent cooking skills. Shu丫头, when you have time, we should go to Madam Tang's manor for a meal and truly savor Madam Tang's culinary skills!"
"Oh, I'm already salivating just smelling the fruit wine and pastries," Yun Shu agreed immediately.
Looking at the fruit wine and pastries, one could tell Madam Tang had put in a lot of effort.
Especially the pastries, ice packs were placed in the food box to ensure their freshness and texture.
"As long as Miss Yun the Second doesn't mind, Madam Tang's manor always welcomes Miss Yun the Second! I misunderstood Miss Yun the Second in the palace before, and thinking back on it now, I still feel truly sorry," Madam Tang said quickly.