Aerial Rain
Translating Web Novel

GNU Ch 78 Part 1 – All Men Are Selfish (I)

 

Cheng Yuanjing was very angry. A flame was burning under his calm facade, which he forcefully suppressed. But when he lowered his head and met Cheng Yujin’s innocent eyes, he suddenly found no outlet for his burning anger.

Cheng Yuanjing knew well that she was pretending. This girl was sleek and cunning and had countless tactics to deceive others. She was especially best at confusing a man’s mind, including how she used a coquettish and subservient look.

Whenever Cheng Yujin acted closely and intimately, she always harbored a hidden motive behind it.

Of course he knew. But what could he do?

In front of such beautiful eyes who looked at him with trust and dependence, what else could he do?

After Cheng Yuanjing walked out of Old Madam Cheng’s courtyard, he immediately went to Cheng Yujin’s Jinning Courtyard, but found out that the girl was not there. He was taken aback, and finally calmed down and ordered his subordinate to inquire, only to receive the news that Lin Qingyuan was visiting Yichun Marquis Manor today.

Just now, Cheng Yuanjing stood outside the door, listening to Cheng Yujin skilfully digging the corner to inquire about Lin Qingyuan’s marriage, listening to her pretending to be pitiful and subtly lamenting her difficult situation in Cheng family, and finally, listening Cheng Yujin said that Old Madam Cheng was going to marry her off to a widower.

Cheng Yuanjing was not Lin Qingyuan. It only took him a bit of listening to deduce who was the man who wanted to propose marriage to Cheng Yujin. From the phrases of a widower, having a son, and fancied by Old Madam Cheng, this person clearly was Duke Cai Zhai Yanlin.

Cheng Yuanjing obviously didn’t care about how much Zhai Yanlin was discredited by Cheng Yujin’s vague words. He only cared about the fact that the Zhai family actually came to propose marriage.

Cheng Yuanjing had long prepared that Zhai Yanlin might refuse to listen to his previous warning. However, when he heard it directly from Cheng Yujin’s mouth, he was still caught off guard and couldn’t help feeling angry.

Why not tell him? Why would she rather go to an unfamiliar man whom she only met a few times before? Was his position in Cheng Yujin’s heart so insignificant?

In Cheng Yuanjing’s eyes, Cai family, Huo family, and even Lin family were not a problem. No matter who came to propose marriage to Cheng Yujin, they would never succeed. However, he was very concerned about Cheng Yujin’s own attitude.

Cheng Yujin stood outside in icy silence. None of his attendants and guards dared to make a single noise. Until Cheng Yuanjing’s heard Lin Qingyuan’s last sentence, he finally couldn’t bear it anymore and opened the door grandiosely.

Cheng Yuanjing made up his mind not to tolerate Cheng Yujin and to hung her dry this time. However, the moment his gaze met Cheng Yujin’s, seeing that pair of beautiful and innocent eyes, he could no longer bear to be so cruel. He thought, men died for wealth and birds died for food. It was human nature to chase for benefits. Cheng Yujin didn’t know his plan, and she couldn’t be blamed for looking for a way out for herself.

Cheng Yuanjing felt utterly helpless. He was a person who was clear about rewards and punishments, and his thoughts had always been calm and rational. But now, he found himself making excuses for Cheng Yujin.

Cheng Yuanjing didn’t speak for a long time. He was truly at a loss of what to do with Cheng Yujin. His gaze was full of helplessness, and he couldn’t help feeling exasperated at her lack of good insight.

Why was Cheng Yujin’s vision so bad? She ignored him, the dignified crown prince, and wanted to attract Lin Qingyuan at any cost. No matter how good Lin Qingyuan, his future prospect was no more than a court minister, an imperial subject. How could he be a match with a crown prince?

Cheng Yuanjing truly couldn’t understand. But people standing above couldn’t directly express their thoughts, let alone exposing their preferences. Most of the time, they relied on trusted subordinates to figure out the master’s intention.

Cheng Yuanjing, who received strict education as the heir to the throne since he was a child, was even more so. It was hard for him to tell Cheng Yujin directly to change her target to him, but apparently, the girl’s insight was not good enough, and she couldn’t understand his implied meaning. Cheng Yuanjing had to face such a tricky situation and was made very helpless. He couldn’t bear to treat Cheng Yujin harshly, so he had no choice but to target the men.

Why did she never cease to do things that made him angry? The answer was simple. It was because the men outside were not decent and always jumping in front of Cheng Yujin, thus obstructing her eyes and clouding her judgment. This matter was very simple for His Highness the Crown Prince. All the eye-catching men were to be shoveled far away.

And Lin Qingyuan was the first on the blacklist.

Cheng Yujin was an expert at reading people. She vaguely noticed that Cheng Yuanjing’s attitude had softened. Afterward, she continued to please him with no principles. Ninth Uncle was the best, and anything Ninth Uncle did and said was totally correct. When Lin Qingyuan saw this, he clicked his tongue secretly. He knew that today was the day when Cheng family’s married daughters returned to their natal family; both Cheng Yujin and Cheng Yuanjing certainly still had other things to do. Besides, Lin Qingyuan couldn’t stand eldest Miss Cheng’s mindless flattery of her uncle. After receiving the books, he left quickly.

Cheng Yujin’s gaze swept over the two books and cautiously took a glance at Cheng Yuanjing. When Cheng Yuanjing discovered, she hurriedly retracted her gaze.

Cheng Yuanjing sent his attendant to fetch the two books Lin Qingyuan wanted to borrow. Cheng Yujin was particularly afraid that Cheng Yuanjing would blow her lie in front of Lin Qingyuan. Fortunately, Cheng Yuanjing was generous enough not to shame her in public.

However, after Lin Qingyuan left, Cheng Yuanjing no longer put on a facade, and his expression was clearly frosty. With no outsiders, Cheng Yujin didn’t need to maintain her face either. She immediately knelt next to Cheng Yuanjing and held his sleeve pitifully: “Ninth Uncle, I was wrong.”

Cheng Yuanjing’s expression didn’t change in the slightest, and he didn’t even give her a glance: “Niece arranged everything perfectly. How could you do wrong?”

Hearing this, Cheng Yujin became even more docile, and she fawningly pulled Cheng Yuanjing’s sleeve. She blinked her eyes and said: “It’s all my fault. Ninth Uncle came back, but I didn’t even come out to greet you. On New Year’s Eve, I waited for Ninth Uncle all night, wanting to be the first person who gives you a New Year’s greeting, but Ninth Uncle didn’t come back in time. Today second sister’s family is here to visit. I didn’t want to stay in the main courtyard and see Huo Changyuan’s face, so I walked out to avoid them. I didn’t expect to miss Ninth Uncle’s return.”

Towards Cheng Yujin, Cheng Yuanjing was always fierce on the outside but soft on the inside. He couldn’t bear giving the girl a cold shoulder. Now that he heard Cheng Yujin spoke about waiting for him all night on New Year’s Eve, he became even softer.

As for the truth of her statement, Cheng Yuanjing didn’t want to pursue it. It was enough to hear the words from her mouth.

 

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25 thoughts on “GNU Ch 78 Part 1 – All Men Are Selfish (I)”

  1. This Ninth Prince is too much. So what if he is the Crown Prince? He should know better that any women in the harem suffers a fate worst than death especially if she is his favourite.

    To stay safe it is better to marry a noble man than into to royalty.

    1. I know he’s so infuriating. JW justa wanted to have her without ever renewing good intent. As a FL, it must be difficult to have such a pig ML. I would really really hate such men irl.
      But from outside, he’s also cute. Acting all angry and jealous but not able too say it explicitly. Directing his anger on her potential suitors.

  2. Really… So in the end he is going to make marrying him her only option?
    Thanks for the chapter!!!

  3. Blessed_Berries

    I always wonder why he never look at things the way Yujin sees them. I know that he’s not a superhuman and can read minds but, why didn’t he ever thought about the battlefield in the imperial palace, the harem especially?

  4. uh i’d rather not be in a marriage with a prince, that has a harem… i think Yujin picked the better man tbh, one that won’t take a concubine. Her vision is not bad… the prince is just… arrogant. lol.

  5. Omg I rolled my eyes so many times while reading this chapter that I thought my eyes would fall out of the sockets.. does he not even consider that she doesn’t want the responsibilities associated with being a acrown princess? That she doesn’t want the stress of managing a harem? Lmao
    Many thanks

  6. She’s a smart girl. She only chooses battles she can win. She knows she’s not noble enough to be the empress (her 1st branch’s prestige is only because of her adoptive mother). But he’ll prolly scare her off if he tells her his plan. 🤔 well, good luck uncle. Lol.
    Thanks for the update!

  7. Okay now it’s your time to proof your worth, are you sure you won’t have inner palace full of concubines and far from troubles such as assassination and could live in peace for a long long time with her as your wife? Well i can’t help to think the other men could be her best choices 🙂

    i can’t wait for the next chapter! Thank you for translating this story!

  8. LOL!!! 9th uncle’s thought process is actually hilarious – it isn’t Chen Yujin’s fault but rather all these gorgeous men keeps throwing themselves in front of her. I actually think Chen Yujin is super smart, she knows her circumstances are dismal due to her birth/adoption and her best bet for a better life is the right husband and family (because that was the only option for females). She isn’t letting love cloud her judgement.

  9. “Why can’t she read my mind!” Because people can’t read minds…The comment about people beneath just knowing what you’re thinking is just dumb. It’s probably a cultural thing but still dumb.

  10. Thanks for the chapter.. A typo error for your amendment at Paragraph 10.. ” Cheng Yujin had long prepared that Zhai Yanlin might refuse to listen to his previous warning. ” I think it is Cheng Yuanjing instead of Cheng Yujin. Thanks.

  11. “All the eye-catching men were to be shoveled far away.”
    Made some very weird wheezing laughing snorting sounds here…. noo you stupid prince!! How about tell her that you want court her. Groan this idiot 🙈😅

  12. Before anyone starts to hate on the ML, keep in mind that he’s a man of his time not a transmigrator. The author clearly explained in the paragraph how he was brought up. He’s already doing quite well compared to others like that Huo and Duke guy.
    Give the couple time to interact and let their characters develop atleast🤣. Now it’s only just starting with only the ML having realised his feelings. The FL hasn’t even reached that point much less discuss her future life with him. Plus the ML has not shown any harem forming tendencies yet.
    It all depends on how they maneuver their future relationship.

  13. chinesefanreader

    Jing’er: why don’t you look at me?
    Jin’er: what status do I have to look so high?

    Good thing is he finally realizes that he was wider vision than her and he needs to protect her from all the schemers

    Thanks for the chapter 😬

  14. Cheng Yujin stood outside in icy silence. None of his attendants and guards dared to make a single noise.

    should be cheng yuanjing! ty for the chapter

  15. Cheng Yujin stood outside in icy silence. <– Cheng Yuanjing
    No matter how good Lin Qingyuan, his future prospect was no more than a court minister, an imperial subject. <– No matter how good Lin Qingyuan was, ….
    When Cheng Yuanjing discovered, she hurriedly retracted her gaze. <– discovered = noticed her glance?

  16. 3 big bonks for ML. First he missed her birthday, second he missed spending new years with her, third he’s blaming her for seeking refuge from the awful marriage plans of her grandmother and not coming to seek him. Seek him where? She doesn’t even know where the fk he is.
    I’ve expressed it before as have others, she won’t bite off more than she can chew. She’d take a man she can manage, ML is exactly out of her scope. He can easily suppress her with his status. In fact, he’s doing it rn.
    Instead, she should be angry at him for getting upset at her. But she can’t. Lamenting once again that this isn’t a modern plot setting.

  17. ‘Cheng Yuanjing didn’t speak for a long time. He was truly at a loss of what to do with Cheng Yujin. His gaze was full of helplessness, and he couldn’t help feeling exasperated at her lack of good insight.
    Why was Cheng Yujin’s vision so bad? She ignored him, the dignified crown prince, and wanted to at’
    this guy is delusional, if the year passed and that widow guy did manage to agree with MCs elders to start the marriage – there is nothing he could do.. MLs brain is rotting. Even as the emperor, he can’t just cut the marriage and then marry her himself. As for her vision being bad.. If I was a female in ancient china I would rather pretend to be a male peasant than marry into the imperial army.

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