How could she be?
Just look at her thin and skinny hands, looking so pitiful as if they would break with just a little hard touch.
Who would believe if she were to tell others about this wretched girl's true self.
Heh.
Seeing Madam Yun trying so hard to keep her expressions together was really amusing for Gu Yanyan.
While Madam Yun felt crying because of pain, others saw her as a kind and loving mother who is sad at her daughter's suffering outside.
Others were thinking the same as Madam Yun wanted them to think, only Madam Yun was not feeling the same as she should had.
Excitement.
Joy.
Smug.
Instead of all these, she was feeling... pain, immense pain.
As Gu Yanyan cried harder and harder, the grip on her hand also increased with the same proportional.
Finally Madam Yun couldn't help but pull her hand out of Gu Yanyan's hands and under everyone's stunned gazes she immediately stood up and effortlessly wrapped her both arms around Gu Yanyan's little, petite frame.
Everyone thought, Madam Yun couldn't bear Yanyan's heartbreaking cries and her motherly instincts made her do this.
Second master's Gu also felt, Madam Yun really treated his children well, even if they were not her biological children, just because they were his children, she loved them all equally.
Instantly, his love for her increased by many folds and he also felt a little guilty for letting her take care of his children with other women.
She had really sacrificed a lot for him.
He secretly made up his mind to give something heavy and valuable at her birthday, which was only one month away from then.
Meanwhile, the supposed mother and daughter duo, whispering to each other.
"I didn't expect, your skinny bones to have so much strength." Madam Yun gritted through her teeth while patting Gu Yanyan's back and smiling at others through her teary eyes as if asking others to forgive Yanyan's lack of manners by crying in front of everyone.
Others also nodded at her in understanding and assured her with their eyes and gestures.
"I also didn't know, you were such a good actress, 'Mother'" Gu Yanyan said the last words in mocking tone with a chuckle.
"It's OK, now that you've come back, we'll eventually get to know each other... slowly." Madam Yun pulled herself away from Gu Yanyan and patted her hair.
Taking advantage of her height, she looked down at Gu Yanyan who was still a few inches smaller than her, given her young age.
"Sure... 'Mother'." Gu Yanyan didn't mind the height difference as she had gotten used to it, people.... lowering their gazes to talk to her.
After coming out from Madam Yun's embrace, Gu Yanyan took a step back and gave her assistant cum maid signal through her eyes and in a few moments servants from the outside entered the hall, holding few big and small wooden boxes.
Looking at those wooden boxes, everyone present in the An Shui hall was stunned.
Even housekeepers and maids of the households couldn't help but guess, what could be in the wooden boxes.
Among everyone's curious gazes, only Madam Yun had a mocking smile on her face, as Mother Liu had already informed her about the 'garbage' while Mother Zhang was still conflicted about what to say.
Because she had only read the list of the those new crops and hadn't seen with her own eyes, she couldn't confirm if the written sweet potatoes and sweet yellow corns were the same things as she had seen at the Gu residence which came from imperial court as rewards or they are really just garbage as she and Mother Liu had discussed in the manor.
So she chose to go safe way and stay silent by the side when mother Liu was telling about the 'garbage' very enthusiastically to Madam Yun.
Under everyone's curious gazes and Madam Yun's mocking gaze, Gu Yanyan first take out some wooden scrolls from one of the wooden box.
She took those scrolls and went to Old Madam Gu and bending her knees, she kneeled in front of her with her arms stretched out toward sold Madam Gu, holding those wooden scrolls in her little hands as if offering some kinds of precious treasure.
That scene.... she had seen in a historical drama when she was back in the modern world.
It looked really interesting and devoted too, so she thought of using that move in front of this old woman.
In the drama, empress dowager was really pleased with the young lady, now she wondered if that move would work with old Madam Gu or not.
Looking at the scrolls that Gu Yanyan had offered, old Madam Gu was confused and puzzled but she waved her hand for her maid by her side to take the scrolls from Yanyan.
This move didn't worked.
'Sigh! May be she was not devoted enough?' Gu Yanyan thought to herself but stayed motionless.
After the maid took away the scrolls from Gu Yanyan's hands, Gu Yanyan very elegantly stood up on feet.
Seeing the curious looks on everyone's faces, she smiled and said, "Grandmother, I've always known since young, how devoted you're to bodhisattva, so when I first learnt to read and write, I've always wanted to copy Buddhist scriptures for you but...." at this she paused and her eyes also dimmed.
"When i was still at home back then, I was still young and didn't wanted to be laughed at by Grandmother for my ant like calligraphy." At this touched her nose with her fingers in embarrassment and continued,
"And then... I had to go to manor to... recuperate." Gu Yanyan said the last sentence very slowly as if reminiscing the past when she had to leave her home and go to manor alone to live there for the next few years.
Gu family's elders also felt a little uncomfortable hearing these words from her.
After all, they were the ones who sent a mere three old child to stay in a manor, away from her home where she had been living since young.
But before they could dwell on the past, they again heard, Gu Yanyan's cheerful voice and came back to present.
"But i hadn't forgotten about my wish to give Grandmother Buddhist scriptures, copied by me." Gu Yanyan said cheerfully and pointed her chin towards the wooden scrolls in the maids hands and said excitedly,
"After practicing for ten years, my calligraphy had improved by leaps and bounds.
Grandmother please see, if Yanyan had copied the scriptures right for you and if you like what Yanyan had brought for you."
[I just wanted to ask; how do you think of my novel so far? Do you think I have potential to write an interesting and readable, I mean enjoyable novel?]