Chapter 3229 Shen Tianyu 629

Yan Yan hurriedly shook her head, "No, I don't like him, he's my brother."

Su Hua's beautiful eyes, which seemed to have seen through the vicissitudes of life, seemed to be able to see through people's hearts. "It's okay to like someone, as long as the feelings are mutual."

Yan Yan still shook her head, "I don't like it. I've always treated him like a brother, and he treats me like a sister."

She lowered her head, her eyes drooping, staring at her toes.

Her head was drooping so much that her neck ached from bending over.

Su Hua said, "Grandma has always believed that you are a good child, but you have always been preoccupied since you came into our family. For so many years, Grandma has been waiting for you to completely open your heart to me, but it hasn't happened yet. Maybe I haven't done enough to make you completely trust me."

Yan Yan suddenly looked up at her.

Her dark eyes widened, filled with fear and unease. "No, Grandma, you've been so good to me, really so good. Grandma, I don't like Brother Aheng. I have no improper thoughts about him, and I won't like any of the brothers in the manor. I just want to study hard, and after I graduate, I'll work hard in your antique shop to repay your kindness in raising me."

Tears welled up in her big eyes.

She raised the back of her hand and kept wiping.

Su Hua slowly walked up to her and pulled her into her arms.

She gently patted her back, her tone affectionate, and said, "Grandma isn't testing you, nor is she trying to trick you into revealing anything. If Aheng likes you, you can like him too. Mutual affection is a rare thing; you'll regret it for the rest of your life if you miss out."

Yan Yan gripped her grandmother's clothes tightly with both hands. "No, no, Grandma, I'm not Qin Xiaozhao. What happened to her will never happen to me. I know my place and I won't covet any of the brothers in the manor. Don't worry. Grandma, don't worry, don't send me away..."

She broke down in tears at the end.

Su Hua's eyes darkened slightly.

Qin Xiaozhao had a crush on Gu Jinzhou back then, and in order to ruin his relationship with Yan Qingyu, she had Yan Yan harm Yan Qingyu's unborn child.

I wonder if this incident left Qin Xiaozhao with any psychological trauma?

In any case, it left Yan Yan with psychological trauma.

Yan Yan choked back tears as she repeated, "I won't like Brother Aheng, and I certainly won't hurt any of his girlfriends, so please don't worry."

A helpless, bitter smile appeared on Su Hua's lips.

Between Chi Ling and Yan Yan, she actually preferred Yan Yan, after all, she had watched her grow up, she was excellent in both character and academics, hardworking and reliable.

I meant to encourage her, but it backfired.

Su Hua stroked the back of her head and said, "If you don't like it, then you don't like it. You're still young, and your studies are the most important thing."

She took her hand and led her downstairs.

The servants packed the gifts that Yan Yan had carefully prepared into several bags and carried them downstairs.

The couple took Yan Yan to Gu Aoting's house to pay New Year's greetings.

Yan Yan walked up to Gu Aoting, knelt down, and respectfully kowtowed to him.

She wasn't good at sweet talk, and simply said to Gu Aoting, "May Great-Grandpa have boundless happiness and longevity!"

She says this every year when she visits people for the New Year.

Gu Aoting smiled and said, "Get up, Yan Yan."

He handed her a red envelope.

Yan Yan accepted it respectfully and thanked her.

She didn't like to be in the public eye, so she left the several packages of gifts she had prepared with Gu Aoting, and the servants would help distribute them when people came to pay their New Year's visits.

Gu Aoting opened the gift Yan Yan had given her.

It is a small white jade plaque.

The jade is not of the highest quality; it is mountain jade and is carved using the Northern School style of clever use of natural colors. The carving is not perfect either, and is even somewhat unskilled.

Gu Aoting put on his reading glasses and looked at Yan Yan's hand.

She clenched her fist, and you could still see tiny scratches on her fingers.

Gu Aoting knew that the child had carved the jade himself, rather than buying it.

If it were a more talkative child, they would have already started babbling and trying to curry favor with him.

He thought of Gu Jinyao. When Gu Jinyao was young, he was a dull child who always did more and said less.

He suddenly smiled. Back then, A Yao hated him so much that he wanted to run him over with a car, but now they had become the closest of family, so close that they were inseparable, so close that they were connected by blood, so close that they were like water and milk.

The connections between people are truly wondrous.

Gu Aoting looked at Yan Yan, "Little girl, how many years have you been in the Gu family?"

Yan Yan lowered her eyes and said, "It's been five years."

Gu Aoting sighed, "Time flies so fast. The children are growing up one generation after another. How can I not get old?"

He turned around and took out two more red envelopes, handing them to Gu Beixian and Su Hua.

Gu Beixian said, "I'm already so old, I don't need it this year."

Gu Aoting glanced at him disdainfully, "No matter how old you are, you're still my son. You're so old, and your dad still gives you red envelopes, that's your blessing. You think I'm annoying, pretentious, and troublesome now, but after your dad passes away, you'll miss me terribly."

Gu Beixian accepted the red envelope, his eyes darkening.

I've argued with this old father my whole life, and now I'm watching his end approach.

If he doesn't make it through this year, and we're separated by death, he will truly miss it.

He stepped forward, bent down, and hugged Gu Aoting, saying, "Dad."

Gu Aoting patted his arm, "It's the New Year, don't be so sentimental. Go see Zhouzhou and his wife, and deliver the red envelopes for me. It's cold, and their kids are too young, so don't make them make the trip."

"It's just a few steps, they should be here soon."

Yan Yan stared quietly, her fingers gripping the red envelope tightly.

There were voices outside.

The maid went to open the door.

The door opened, and Qin Heng and Chi Ling entered.

Qin Heng spotted Yan Yan at a glance.

He waved to her, then greeted Gu Aoting, Gu Beixian, and Su Hua.

Finally, his gaze fell on Yan Yan, and Qin Heng laughed, "Little girl, you always keep your head down, is there gold on the ground? You see your brother, but you don't even greet me. I gave you a red envelope for nothing this morning!"

Yan Yan lowered her head, stepped back, and shrank behind Su Hua.

She was afraid that Su Hua would misunderstand and think she would follow in Qin Xiaozhao's footsteps.

She was young before, but now she'll be seventeen after the New Year, a grown woman, so she needs to avoid suspicion.

Qin Heng complained to Su Hua, "Second Grandmother, look at her, she's getting more and more introverted, like a little block of wood."

Su Hua touched Yan Yan's shoulder and patted her hand to comfort her.

Qin Heng walked up to Gu Aoting, knelt down on the carpet, kowtowed to him, and said, "May Great-Grandfather live a long and healthy life, may auspiciousness fill your home, may joy and peace prevail, may the seasons change and new chapters unfold every day! May you have smooth paths in the new seasons and find joy in everything you do!"

He's good with words; his New Year's greetings are different every year.

Gu Aoting burst into laughter after being coaxed by him!

He handed him the red envelope.

Qin Heng took the red envelope, stood up, took a few steps back, turned around and threw it into Yan Yan's hand, saying, "Little sister, this is a gift from our great-grandfather, you can take it and spend it."

He did the same thing in previous years.

But Chi Ling didn't appear in previous years.

Yan Yan didn't understand why he didn't know how to avoid suspicion.

He already has a girlfriend, yet he's still trying to get close to her. Isn't he deliberately trying to anger Chi Ling?

She took the red envelope, walked over to Chi Ling, handed it to her, and said, "Brother Qin Heng treats me like a younger sister, please don't mind."

Chi Ling stared into her eyes, "Are you in pain?"