Aerial Rain
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GNU Ch. 37 Part 2 – Currying Favor (II)

GNU sponsored chapters (3/7) by AmberCrosby, carthun, jessfromthefuture, caro, RAL and anonymous sponsor at ko-fi. Thank you for your support!

The first part of today’s sponsored chapters is Ch.36 Part 2.


Lin Qingyuan walked with Cheng Yuanjing for a while, then he began to sigh in pity for the unfortunate girl. Because there were no other people here, Lin Qingyuan didn’t hold back and directly said: “Jingxing, speaking of your eldest niece, she is truly pitiful. She clearly has a complete family. But because she was adopted, she was trapped in the middle and didn’t have anyone who was truly close to her.”

Lin Qingyuan thought of his own sister, and sighed again: “Children will mature early only if they aren’t pampered. Girls who are well protected by their parents, who would already be so proficient in the ways of the world at such a young age? When she finally got a good marriage contract, the man broke it under a ridiculous reason. Even in my hometown, if a woman had her engagement broken, her reputation would be severely damaged. Let alone in this capital city. Alas, she is a good girl, but was delayed like this.”

Cheng Yuanjing has been too lazy to comment. Hearing Lin Qingyuan’s remarks, he finally stopped his walk and gave the other man a deep look. Lin Qingyuan was terrified by Cheng Yuanjing’s gaze and couldn’t help asking: “What? Why do you look at me like this?”

Instead of answering, Cheng Yuanjing asked back: “Do you have a good impression of her?”

Although it was a question, Cheng Yuanjing’s tone was more similar to an interrogation. Because it was Cheng Yuanjing, Lin Qingyuan had no qualm and honestly answered: “Yes. Eldest Miss Cheng is the most outstanding girl I’ve ever seen. Although I know she doesn’t need my sympathy, I always feel pity for her. If someone can give her support, why does she need to be so perfect? Each time I see her, I can’t help but think of my sister. They are about the same age, but their temperaments are so different. How can I not feel pity?”

Cheng Yuanjing knew that Lin Qingyuan’s ‘pity’ was just a kind of compassion towards a younger generation, or someone who reminded him of his younger sister. It was no different from seeing an injured little rabbit on the side of the road. But Cheng Yuanjing knew that a man’s affection towards a woman often began with curiosity and pity.

After Lin Qingyuan finished speaking, he found out that Cheng Yuanjing’s reaction seemed to be wrong. Although he still looked calm as usual, the aura around his body drastically changed. Lin Qingyuan was surprised and asked in confusion: “Jingxing, what’s wrong with you?”

Right now, Cheng Yuanjing looked like a lion whose territory was invaded. His expression unchanged, but there was a great thunder underneath.

Cheng Yuanjing didn’t understand why his emotion got stirred up so suddenly. Before he even realized it, he had taken back control of his emotion. Cheng Yuanjing’s self-control ability was excellent. He quickly adjusted his expression and tone, not to leak anything and to prevent others from noticing his irregularity: “You dare to comment on my niece so blatantly, do you still want me to give you a good face?”

For a moment, Lin Qingyuan froze. He suddenly laughed. Thinking that Cheng Yuanjing was joking, his laugh became louder: “Jingxing, so you also have this side! A gentle and virtuous girl, of course she would be sought after by many gentlemen. Your eldest niece is of marriageable age. And yesterday, I’ve just received a letter from my family, urging me to marry. Maybe not too long in the future, you will become my elder.”

Feeling pleased with himself, Lin Qingyuan didn’t pay attention to his friend’s reaction. Cheng Yuanjing kept looking at him quietly. There was a hidden undercurrent in his eyes, as dark as sunspots.

When walking by, Zhai Yanlin overheard Lin Qingyuan’s laugh, and he approached them: “You seem so happy. What are you talking about?.”

Lin Qingyuan wiped the corner of his eyes and turned around to Zhai Yanlin: “Brother Zhai. Do you know that Jingxing can also joke? He actually said…”

“Lin Qingyuan.” Cheng Yuanjing’s warned. His tone was normal, but Lin Qingyuan stopped talking instantly. Seeing this, Zhai Yanlin was even more surprised. He looked at Cheng Yuanjing probingly, but couldn’t see anything strange. Half-jokingly, Zhai Yanlin said: “What? I cannot even know what you are talking about?”

Lin Qingyuan was carefree by nature, but he had a good sense of measure. He knew that Cheng Yuanjing didn’t want him to divulge the matter. If he still said it out, he would offend Cheng Yuanjing. However, Zhai Yanlin was a Duke. When others concealed something from him, the more he wanted them to speak out. Seeing the atmosphere gradually stiffened, Cheng Yuanjing said: “This is my personal affairs. I don’t like outsiders to spread it out. If Duke Cai really wants to know, you can ask me another day.”

Meeting with a cold rebuff, Zhai Yanlin could only put on a smile: “It turns out to be Ninth Cheng’s personal affair. I was inconsiderate.”

When Lin Qingyuan heard it, his eyebrows raised unconsciously in surprise. He looked at Cheng Yuanjing quietly. They talked about Cheng Yujin. Although it wasn’t good to tell an outsider male about a young girl’s affair, as long as they said, “It is about eldest Miss Cheng,” Duke Cai wouldn’t inquire further. Why did Cheng Yuanjing want to end the topic so much, that he even lied and said it was his personal affairs?

It was as if he didn’t want other men to talk about Cheng Yujin. However, eldest Miss Cheng was Cheng Yuanjing’s niece, and she was in dire need to find another marriage engagement. This was a chance to promote her to a powerful man. Shouldn’t it be a good thing?

Lin Qingyuan found that he couldn’t understand Cheng Yuanjing.

 

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9 thoughts on “GNU Ch. 37 Part 2 – Currying Favor (II)”

  1. Lin Qingyuan! You don’t know it, but you’re actually a great wingman! Ninth uncle, when will you start thinking in the right direction? 😉
    Thank you for the translation <3

    1. I agree that Lin Qingyuan is a great wingman!

      That’s the other thing that I find refreshing from this novel; other than the original novel’s ML and FL, most of the cast doesn’t fall in love/lust at a romance novel’s rapid pace. It feels normal. The same way that Cheng Yuanjing can actually detect that his friend only has curiosity and pity for Yujin right now–he’s simply too aware that it could easily lead to something more. Same with her biao cousin; he thinks she’s beautiful, and is intimidated by a young woman he feels way out of his league, though he likes her enough to not mind any marriage. It’s really nothing like love yet.

    2. Agree. He is a competent wingman hahaha, without knowing 😁.
      The prince wants to hide her as long as possible before he could get his identity back, so he has to block her marriage potential as strong as possible.

  2. Ninth uncle like c’mon bro, you know Yujin wants to get out of there why are you being like this? It’d be one thing if he understood his feelings now but he supposedly can understand her and hes still like this ….

    1. It’s like watching a child being grumpy around their crush without realizing they have a crush on them yet. It’s a pity he’s unconsciously ruining chances for her in this way, but that just shows how sadly broken these two are that they can’t even identify when they take interest in another person.

      I can only hope that once he does realize his feelings, he’d at least acknowledge his past actions was disrespectful to her wishes.

  3. This man needs to get his shit together! Either go for the FL or let her be happy! Watching him obstruct her when she has so much to lose and he’s got nothing is infuriating!

  4. It’s really frustrating for this man to keep ruining this girl’s plans when he KNOWS this is her way out. Right now, he’s playing her uncle. Why does he keep doing this to her? Regardless that he’s the ML and he’s ‘started having feelings for her’, he’s still wrong. Worst part is, she can’t even blow up at him because of his position.

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