GBP Chapter 166 Wan Wan Lei Qing
Chapter 166 Wan Wan Lei Qing
No sooner had Gu Wanfeng said goodbye to his sworn sister than he brought another woman into his home. This woman bore a striking resemblance to Su Yuning, a truly astonishing sight. Not only that, she possessed extraordinary talents; her winemaking skills were superb, and her guqin playing was melodious and captivating. Compared to the simple and innocent Chestnut Girl from the mountains, this newcomer was undoubtedly a stunning beauty.
The woman moved gracefully and elegantly to stand before Chestnut, smiling sweetly. "Greetings, elder sister! My name is Liu Ruyan, and I am the newly acquired concubine of Young Master Gu. I hope you will take good care of me in this household!" With that, she gave a slight bow and respectfully offered a cup of fragrant tea with both hands, her demeanor elegant and poised, displaying the grace of a well-bred young lady. Chestnut, meanwhile, stared blankly at the woman before her, who was as beautiful as a fairy, momentarily at a loss for words. Chestnut snapped out of her daze, forcing a smile as she accepted the teacup, saying, "You're too kind, younger sister." Her heart, however, was a jumble of emotions. Gu Wanfeng stood to the side, watching Chestnut with a complex expression.
That night, Chestnut sat alone in the courtyard, lost in thought. She thought back to the simple and happy days she and Gu Wanfeng had spent in the mountains. How could things have changed so much now? Just then, Liu Ruyan walked over gracefully and said, seemingly with concern, "Sister, don't be sad. The young master is just after something new." Hearing this, Chestnut became even angrier and retorted, "Of course I believe in the young master."
A few days later, a banquet was held at the manor. Liu Ruyan stole the show by playing the zither and dancing, earning praise from everyone. But when the guests tasted the mountain snacks made by Chestnut, the praise was endless. Gu Wanfeng also ate a piece, and the familiar taste stirred his heart. He looked at Chestnut, who was silently sitting in the corner, and suddenly realized that he seemed to have lost something most precious. So, he quietly went to Chestnut's side and said, "Chestnut, I'm sorry, I was blinded." Chestnut looked up at him, tears welling in her eyes, and whispered, "I hope that you will never hurt anyone again, young master."
Although Su Yuning and Chestnut Girl had a rather indifferent relationship, when she heard about this, her anger burned uncontrollably. She decided she would no longer stand idly by and would personally go and meet the rumored scheming concubine.
On this bright and sunny day, a gentle breeze was blowing. Su Yuning, dressed in an elegant long dress, walked with firm steps to where the "green tea concubine" was. When she finally saw this legendary figure, she was instantly speechless, completely stunned. The woman before her looked exactly like her, as if she were another version of herself in a mirror! What was going on? Could they really be long-lost twin sisters? But as far as Su Yuning knew, the Su family had always only had her as their precious daughter! So where did this mysterious woman come from? Countless questions flooded her mind, leaving Su Yuning utterly bewildered.
At the same time, the concubine was also utterly astonished upon seeing Su Yuning. She had initially assumed the visitor was a distant relative, but upon closer inspection, she discovered there was no connection between the two. This sudden turn of events left the concubine momentarily bewildered, standing frozen in place, completely unsure how to react. An awkward and eerie silence fell over the entire scene.
Su Yuning broke the suffocating silence first, her gaze fixed on the woman who looked exactly like her. Her voice trembled slightly as she asked, "Who...who are you? Why do you look so much like me? Is there some unknown connection between us?"
Concubine Liu Ruyan trembled slightly upon hearing Su Yuning's question. She tried to compose herself and slowly said, "Madam, to be honest, I know nothing about my own background! Since I can remember, I have been an orphan, all alone. Over the years, I have only managed to survive in this world thanks to my face, which is so similar to yours, and a few talents."
After hearing Liu Ruyan's words, Su Yuning's doubts only deepened, not disappeared. She secretly thought that there must be a huge secret hidden behind this matter. Therefore, she made up her mind to thoroughly investigate the matter.
In the days that followed, Su Yuning worked tirelessly, traveling around to inquire. Her efforts paid off, and she finally learned from others that there was a highly respected and skilled doctor in the suburbs who lived in seclusion there for many years. It was said that he was very knowledgeable and might be able to solve the mystery.
Upon receiving this news, Su Yuning didn't hesitate to take Liu Ruyan with her and head towards the outskirts of the city. After some twists and turns, the two finally found the secluded courtyard where the legendary divine doctor lived.
When the divine physician saw Su Yuning and Liu Ruyan standing together, a hint of surprise appeared on his usually calm face. After a moment's thought, the divine physician turned and went into the house. A short while later, he took out a pill that emitted a strange fragrance and handed it to Liu Ruyan, gesturing for her to take it.
Liu Ruyan swallowed the pill as instructed. At first, there was nothing unusual, but as time went by, her appearance began to change little by little. After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Liu Ruyan's face was completely different from before, and there was no longer any resemblance to Su Yuning.
At this moment, the divine physician slowly revealed the truth. It turned out that when Liu Ruyan was young, she had accidentally ingested a rare herb with extremely potent toxicity, causing severe disfigurement of her face. Later, by chance, Liu Ruyan encountered a wicked sorcerer. This sorcerer, coveting the wealth and power of the Su family, used evil magic to make Liu Ruyan look exactly like Su Yuning, attempting to use this for personal gain.
After the truth came to light, Liu Ruyan lowered her head in shame, tears streaming down her face. She bowed deeply to Su Yuning and said in a choked voice, "Madam, I know I have made a grave mistake. I beg your forgiveness."
However, Su Yuning smiled slightly, gently helped Liu Ruyan up, and comforted her, "The past is the past, there's no need to bring it up again. Now that the truth is clear, you don't need to blame yourself too much. In fact, with your talent, you can live a stable life entirely on your own merits, so why do you need to rely on others?"
Upon hearing this, Liu Ruyan was so moved that she wept uncontrollably, nodding repeatedly in agreement and promising to reform herself and become a better person. This incident further cemented Su Yuning's reputation for tolerance and magnanimity throughout the capital, becoming a much-talked-about story.
After learning the whole story, Gu Wanfeng felt deeply ashamed and begged Li Zi for forgiveness. Li Zi ultimately chose to forgive him, and the concubine voluntarily withdrew to plan her life. From then on, the household was more harmonious and peaceful, and the previous infighting was gone.
Since the concubine, who resembled the principal wife, left the Gu family in sorrow, the entire Gu household seemed to have returned to its former peaceful and warm state. Gu Wanfeng, who had once been indulging in the concubine's gentle embrace, now seemed to have suddenly awakened and returned his attention to his family.
Whenever he had a spare moment, Gu Wanfeng would happily take his adorable children to the streets. They would weave through the bustling crowds, selecting all sorts of delicious snacks and novel, interesting toys for the children. Each time they returned home laden with purchases, Gu Wanfeng would thoughtfully bring back various exquisite pieces of jewelry for his wife as a small, considerate gift.
Miss Chestnut knew in her heart that all these changes were thanks to the intelligent and kind Su Yuning. If it weren't for Su Yuning's skillful mediation, she herself might have gradually lost favor due to the concubine's rise in popularity, and her two children might have even lost their father's care and love. Knowing the weight of this kindness, Miss Chestnut secretly resolved to personally prepare some delicious dishes for Su Yuning to sincerely express her gratitude for her selfless help.
At this moment, a bustling scene unfolded in the vegetable garden of Xinghua Village. Su Yuning was working alongside many villagers, diligently harvesting vegetables. A fierce blizzard was about to sweep in. If the cabbages and radishes in the garden weren't brought indoors and stored properly in time, these fresh and vibrant vegetables would inevitably be damaged by the cold, becoming unrecognizable and unfit for consumption. Therefore, everyone was anxiously speeding up their work, racing against time to harvest the vegetables; everyone was busy and enthusiastic.
While everyone was busy harvesting, Zhang San, the lazybones from the village, was stealing vegetables. Su Yuning happened to see this and frowned as she walked over to him. "Zhang San, everyone is busy harvesting vegetables to prepare for the snow disaster, how can you steal vegetables?" Zhang San looked like a rogue, "I'm hungry, you all have such a good harvest, what's wrong with me taking some?" The surrounding villagers gathered around and criticized Zhang San. Su Yuning thought for a moment and said, "Zhang San, if you're willing to help harvest the vegetables, I'll share some of today's harvest with you." Zhang San's eyes lit up, and he immediately started working.
After harvesting all the vegetables, Su Yuning deftly packed some into a basket and personally handed it to Zhang San. Zhang San's face flushed slightly as he took the full basket of fresh vegetables. He scratched his head sheepishly and said, "Mrs. Su, thank you so much! I was wrong before, and I promise I will never steal again."
Meanwhile, Li Zi was busy at home, meticulously preparing a series of delicious dishes. She carefully packed the food into a food box and walked happily towards Su Yuning's house. When Su Yuning saw Li Zi arriving with the sumptuous meal, she immediately went to greet her with a warm smile and invited Li Zi to come in and sit down. The two sat around the table, enjoying the food and chatting happily, laughter occasionally drifting from inside. Li Zi said to Su Yuning with deep gratitude, "I really have to thank Sister Su this time. If it weren't for your usual care and help, I don't know what I would have done." Su Yuning smiled and waved her hand, replying, "We are good friends and live in the same village; it's only natural for us to look after each other."
Since then, whenever anyone in the village encounters difficulties or needs assistance, people follow Su Yuning's example of kindness. Mutual care and help among neighbors has become the norm. The Gu family, far away in the city, was deeply moved upon learning of this and frequently sent servants to deliver necessities to the villagers. Thus, through the combined efforts of Su Yuning and other kind-hearted people, the entire village is filled with an atmosphere of harmony and love. Even when faced with natural disasters like blizzards, the villagers show no fear. They know that as long as they unite and work together, they can overcome any hardship and successfully weather any crisis.
In the bustling city, Chestnut Girl was chatting with her beloved grandmother. Suddenly, her grandmother remembered the concubine from before and asked curiously, "My dear granddaughter, how did that concubine leave our family?" Hearing her grandmother's question, Chestnut Girl's face immediately blossomed into a radiant smile, and she replied sweetly, "Grandmother, you don't know! It's all thanks to Miss Su! She not only successfully persuaded that restless concubine to leave, but also earnestly advised Gu Wanfeng to take care of his family and cherish his wife and children. Because of this, our family's life is getting better and better!"
Grandmother looked slightly embarrassed after hearing this and said somewhat awkwardly, "Judging from this, Su Yuning isn't a bad person after all. Alas, it's all my fault for not treating her well before. I really shouldn't have! My dear granddaughter, when you have some free time, remember to apologize to her for me." Chestnut Girl smiled again and quickly replied, "Grandmother, don't worry, I already apologized for you! But Su Yuning is very magnanimous. She didn't take those things to heart at all, let alone hold a grudge! Besides, she treats me like a sister now!"
"Yes, that's good! As the saying goes, 'Having more friends means having more paths, having more enemies means having more walls to block your way.' My dear granddaughter, you must learn how to get along with others. Since Su Yuning is a reliable girl, you should be good friends with her from now on." The grandmother solemnly instructed Chestnut Girl.