Cheng Yujin finished writing the word in one go. She was very satisfied, but out of restraint, she did not take the initiative to speak. However, Cheng Yujin waited for a while and found that Cheng Yuanjing was staring at something and didn’t give her any response.
Cheng Yujin gave him a strange look and saw that Cheng Yuanjing was looking at her arm. She straightened the sleeve, but found nothing wrong.
“Ninth Uncle?”
Cheng Yuanjing withdrew his eyes and calmly moved his gaze back on the paper. Seeing him behave like this, Cheng Yujin felt like he was making a fuss. She carefully observed the man’s expression, but could not find anything. Cheng Yujin gradually became nervous and asked in a low voice: “Ninth Uncle, how is it?”
Cheng Yuanjing glanced at her and said lightly: “For a woman, it’s acceptable.”
Cheng Yujin was extremely annoyed. If good says good, if bad says bad. What did he mean by ‘acceptable for a woman’? Really looking down on her. Cheng Yujin raised her eyebrows and deliberately asked: “How is it compared with others?”
“Too differ from basic, too many unnecessary additions, the heart is not right, and the writing is distracted.” Cheng Yuanjing gave his critics without a shred of politeness. Cheng Yujin narrowed her eyes. Although she was angry, she knew that the man was right. In order to gain fame, Cheng Yujin learned all the necessary skills for a boudoir girl, such as embroidery, or playing zither, she perfected it all. But in fact, her real favorite was calligraphy.
Calligraphy was also her best skill. However, as a daughter, she could excel in some aspects but has to suppress her ability in other things, such as calligraphy, or composing poems. Those should be the talent her younger brothers had, and she couldn’t take that limelight from them.
Therefore, Cheng Yujin had never shown her calligraphy skills in front of outsiders. That day, when visiting the Old Master, she deliberately praised the calligraphy work she saw, thinking that it was the Old Master’s prized collection and wanted to please him. She never expected it to be Cheng Yuanjing’s work. Cheng Yujin was a little embarrassed. So when she picked up the brush today, she determined to let Cheng Yuanjing see how good was her writing.
However, because she paid too much attention to write beautifully, she fell on the basics.
Cheng Yujin was not convinced. She once again raised the brush and quickly wrote the word ‘Jin’ on the edge of the paper. Cheng Yujin put down her brush and looked up at Cheng Yuanjing stubbornly: “Ninth Uncle, how about now?”
Cheng Yuanjing was amused. This girl was stubborn and loathed to admit defeat. Her mind was clearly filled with schemes, yet she still put on a virtuous face.
But having said that, her writing was indeed notable.
Cheng Yuanjing’s eyes fell back on her left hand. This time Cheng Yujin saw it. She followed his eyes down, and finally remembered that her left hand should still be injured.
Cheng Yujin immediately put her hand on the table and showed a strong, yet sensible smile: “Ninth Uncle, it’s just a skin trauma. I’m alright.”
With Cheng Yujin’s character, Cheng Yuanjing couldn’t trust the word ‘alright’ from her mouth. He paused for a while and asked: “The matter of last night has nothing to do with you. Why did you admit guilt and even hurt yourself?”
Cheng Yujin was shocked by this question. Immediately she laughed and looked at Cheng Yuanjing: “Ninth Uncle, what do you think?”
“The dispute between my father and my grandfather was caused by me. Although it is because of a long grudge that actually has nothing to do with me, but will my grandmother and my mother think so? I stood out yesterday, just blocked one whip. But if I didn’t do anything, can ninth uncle guess what will happen to me?”
Cheng Yuanjing slowly asked, “In the past, Cheng Yuanxian also didn’t give you face in front of people?”
Cheng Yujin recalled yesterday’s things. She slowly remembered how Cheng Enbao was making commotion and how the embarrassed Cheng Yuanxian shouted at her for not looking after her brother. Cheng Yujin didn’t take it seriously: “Just some verbal words, and I have no actual losses. Who cares about this thing?”
Anyway, she would leave Cheng family as soon as she married. Cheng Yuanxian and Qingfu Junzhu could continue to spoil Cheng Enbao as much as they wanted.
Cheng Yuanjing couldn’t utter a single word. For a moment, he felt an indescribable feeling in his heart. How old was she, already could say such logical and indifferent words. How did the Cheng family treat her so that she became so restrained?
Cheng Yuanjing felt anger towards the Cheng family. He couldn’t understand his current emotion. He didn’t care even when Cheng Yuanxian insulted him yesterday. Why did he get angry when hearing Cheng Yujin’s words?
Cheng Yuanjing didn’t understand what was actually going on in his own heart. Suddenly Cheng Yujin touched his sleeve, slowly asking: “Everyone has their own difficulty. Is ninth uncle perhaps pitying me?”
Cheng Yujin smiled at Cheng Yuanjing. Her eyes narrowed, revealing a cunning look that somewhat enticed people: “Feelings are worthless. If ninth uncle feels pity, you better give me a tangible benefit.”
Cheng Yuanjing smiled. He glanced at Cheng Yujin, liking her frank attitude. After her interruption, his inexplicable emotions suddenly disappeared.
Cheng Yuanjing didn’t like to owe people. Yesterday’s incident happened because of him. Cheng Yujin was just implicated. He took a porcelain bottle from the many treasure shelf, and threw it to Cheng Yujin. She hurriedly caught the bottle, and immediately froze: “Medicine?”
“Mm.”
Cheng Yujin was dissatisfied: “Why do you give me medicine? Can you change it?”
It was Cheng Yuanjing first time in so many years having someone dared to voice their dissatisfaction for the reward he gave, and even demanded him to change it. Without being angry nor annoyed, he looked at Cheng Yujin with a smile: “What did you say?”
“I think…” Cheng Yujin saw Cheng Yuanjing’s eyes and swallowed back the words that almost came out. “I think ninth uncle is very considerate and benevolent. Thank you, ninth uncle.”
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6 comments on “GNU Ch.16 Part 1 – Fake Injury (I)”
Ela
Thank you
I so like her!
Mamabug
Same. She is one of the more interesting FLs I’ve encountered, maybe because she is so normal and yet exceptional at the same time. I could easily see how she might be portrayed as a villainess in other contexts, she is definitely calculating while putting on a virtuous face. I love how she approaches everything from a pragmatic view, doing what she has to do in order to keep the ‘good eldest legitimate daughter’ spot she’s forced to occupy.
Really hope our leads get together soon and start taking on the political situation. She’ll make an amazing empress.
Abe
I can’t believe I’ve already caught up with the chapters after starting to read it just a few hours ago. I’m so engrossed in this story.
Thank you so much for your hard work! ♥️
Leier
This chapter shines, I come to like the FL so much now. Also pity her, but I have no tangible benefit for Cheng Yujing tho.
altair545
Nooooooo I just feel too much for this girl, I dont pity how she’s taken advantage of, I pity that she puts herself into those situations for this disgusting family at times …. I wish she had a plan to get out ….. Sigh but well indeed just marrying and going away is her best choice I guess, still I really, really hope she stays true to her word and doesn’t care about this scum of a family and never helps them.
kbutterfly
I’m literally in love with her I love how confident she is and I can respect her grind. Sis is doing what she has to do to survive especially how she has no one in the family not even her own biological mother to depend on.
In fact I’m honestly disgusted with her biological moms attitude to her the most. She’s blaming her child for living a “good life” like would she rather her daughter be pitiful and live a terrible life as someone who lives in the family she should understand the countless schemes everyone going through, I mean look at the fact that her child was taken from her to give to the sister-in-law. I don’t care the circumstances she should be fucking happy that her daughter is healthy and doing ok and not be wishing for her downfall so her other daughter can shine more. I if the daughter could shine in that way I’m pretty sure she would already, everyone has what their good at and not everyone’s gonna be the same instead of envy others for what they have she should work towards what she wants.