The Prime Minister's Darling

Chapter 134: 105 Local Tycoon (Second Update)

Gu Jiao worked through the night to make a book bag for Gu Yan.

At the crack of dawn the next day, Gu Yan was bundled up by his own sister and sent off on Luo Dazhuang’s ox cart.

Xiao Liulang asked Gu Xiaoshun to ask for two hours off from the academy for him, and he himself accompanied Gu Jiao in sending Gu Yan and Xiao Jingkong to the private school.

Xiao Liulang paid the silver for the admission procedures.

Xiao Jingkong asked Gu Yan, who was waiting in the corridor, “Which class do you think you will be in?”

Gu Yan grumbled, his face cold: “Just not in the same class as you!”

Xiao Jingkong was studying basic education, and Gu Yan, who was already fourteen, of course, cannot join the same class.

He was assigned to a class taught by Teacher Chang, where all of his classmates were about the same age as him and had a basic understanding of the Four Books and Five Classics.

Gu Yan was somewhat satisfied with this class arrangement.

However, before he could get settled, Teacher Chang brought in another new student.

There happened to be an empty seat next to Gu Yan, and Teacher Chang had the new student sit there.

Gu Yan, seeing the little monk sitting next to him, his eyes widening: “How…how did you end up in this class?”

Xiao Jingkong spread his hands: “I skipped a grade!”

Gu Yan: “….”

Is that even possible?!

—

A life of trials and tribulations began for Gu Yan. He wouldn’t lose to a little monk, especially a monk who competed for favor against him. If the monk could skip grades, so could he!

Humph!

Gu Yan, who had always been just muddling through, started to take things seriously for the first time.

The two bodyguards were mystified.

Assigned to the young master years ago by Old Lord Gu, they had a clear understanding of the young master’s personality. But why had the young master changed so much since he acknowledged his sister?

Can you believe that he even started studying?

Following the completion of her topographic map, Gu Jiao started planning the open-field cultivation work. Where to plant medicinal herbs, where to farm crops, where to construct a little pond – everything was marked on the map.

The mountain could be accessed from behind Uncle Luo’s house. It’s shaped like a small undulating mountain range consisting of a large peak and four smaller peaks. There’s an empty plot of land conveniently located halfway up the slope of the first minor peak.

What to do with this empty plot?

After Lord Gu’s unsuccessful attempts to threaten and tear the two sisters apart, he had not visited again. Meanwhile, the Yao family had visited several times, each time bringing homemade pastries.

The old lady enjoyed them very much.

The Yao family also brought a few dresses for Gu Jiao, all hand-made by themselves. Knowing that Gu Jiao had to work, they used high-quality silk for her pajamas, while her daytime clothing was made of durable cotton and linen.

The housekeeper didn’t understand her approach: “Since the young lady is suffering, just give her more silver.” Why bother making clothes that even the servants would consider ordinary?

Upon hearing this, the Yao family simply smiled: “Jiaojiao doesn’t need my silver.”

All her life, Lady Yao lived within the confines of a house, entirely dependent on men. Everyone thought she should live that way, and she, too, once thought so until she met her daughter.

She felt that her daughter was living the life she had always wanted.

Not wealth, but freedom.

After being rejected for the first time, Lady Yao stopped mentioning her want to live here or forcing Gu Jiao to call her ‘mother.’

She simply came to visit Gu Jiao, and let Gu Jiao treat her illnesses.

When she ran out of her medicine, Gu Jiao gave her four more boxes.

As a physician, Gu Jiao was quite comfortable interacting with Lady Yao.

The housekeeper also came. She sincerely apologized to Gu Jiao for her previous offensive behavior.

Her apology was sincere, but she still had some objections to Gu Jiao’s actions.

She believed that Gu Jiao should return with Lady Yao, dutifully fulfill their filial duties, and shoulder her responsibilities as a lady.

Since Gu Yan had started attending school, Lady Yao and the housekeeper had visited several times without seeing him. However, once they happen to arrive on a day when Gu Yan and Xiao Jingkong’s private school was on holiday. Lady Yao finally got to see her long-lost son.

And then, Lady Yao discovered that her son had grown… and put on weight!

Lady Yao almost cried with joy.

She never even dreamed that her sickly son would grow into a chubby kid.

Gu Yan can’t be described as fat now, but his original face was too thin, almost hollow at the cheeks. Now, there is a baby fat on his cheeks which made his face look adorable and plump; similar to a steamed bun.

Lady Yao couldn’t resist pinching his cheeks.

What a wonderful feeling!

Gu Jiao enthusiastically nodded in agreement.

She got to pinch those cheeks every day, and it felt fantastic.

After getting into the carriage, Lady Yao, with tears of joy, said to the housekeeper, “See, it’s the right decision to let Yanyan live here, isn’t it?”

The housekeeper couldn’t refute her then: “…Yes, the young master has gained weight and looks healthier.”