BXBX NOVEL Chapter 191 - One-Hundred and Ninety-One: Crisis
Lin Yu demurely accompanied Han Yuan as she listened to Madam Gu—Chang Hui—and Little Madam Gu—Zheng Xiu—pile compliments on her mother-in-law.
“Gu Man is so lucky to have met you; she’s always saying how you treat her like your own daughter! It must be fate for us to become friends!” Chang Hui said fondly. Gu Man affectionately held Han Yuan’s hand and acted cute, and Han Yuan was naturally overjoyed.
As for Lin Yu… She was automatically ignored by everyone as if she didn’t exist. Lin Yu knew Gu Man did this on purpose. She silently turned around and went out to arrange some fruit snacks for the women. She asked the staff to prepare a plate of red dragon fruit and send it to them. After a while, Han Yuan came out with a smile and asked, “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Lin Yu and Han Yuan had a code between them—red dragon fruit indicated they had something urgent to discuss.
Lin Yu looked apologetic as she replied, “Auntie, I just heard some things from Shi Gao. I didn’t have time to tell you before the Gu family came. I was worried it might cause you trouble if I don’t say anything, so I called you out.” “What’s the important matter?” Han Yuan smilingly inquired. “Tell me.”
Lin Yu glanced behind Han Yuan to check that they were alone before whispering, “Auntie, I heard the Gu family came into town to acquire a marriage alliance with the Shi family. The only male heir of the Gu main family branch wants to marry Shi Xiu.”
Han Yuan nodded. “Yes, they told me that. It’s quite a good thing.”
Lin Yu also nodded in agreement. “It’s indeed a good thing. However, some internal problems have occurred in the Gu family during the past few years. The Madam Gu you were talking to—her branch of the family has a rift with their main family branch. Madam Gu came to visit you today, but the madam of the main family didn’t come. If we get too close to the women from the Gu branch family, I’m worried that the main branch’s madam will have issues with you in the future.”
Han Yuan’s face darkened. Lin Yu hurriedly stated, “Auntie, I know our family isn’t afraid of the Gu family, but if we sour relationships with these madams and young ladies, it will definitely affect the business the uncles and Xi Cheng are doing outside and make things awkward for them. I don’t know much about our family’s business dealings with the Gu family, but I don’t want us to be manipulated without knowing anything. Auntie, this is just my conjecture; you can analyze it yourself.”
Han Yuan gave it some thought and frowned. “So that’s how it is! No wonder Chang Hui was so friendly, but Bai Jie didn’t come. Find out Bai Jie’s schedule for me and see if she was delayed by something or didn’t come on purpose.”
Lin Yu informed her, “The Gu main family’s madam brought her son to visit the
Shi family today. I think Madam Gu took this opportunity to come find you.”
Han Yuan thought for a while before saying, “Help me invite the Gu main family’s madam out for dinner tonight. I don’t want to become a tool in their family fight.”
“Alright, Auntie,” Lin Yu deferentially said, and Han Yuan returned to the Gu women.
Looking at Han Yuan’s retreating figure, Lin Yu secretly heaved a sigh of relief. She was the future matriarch of the Xi family, so she had to plan for the future of the Xi family. Her Lin family fortunes had declined, and she could no longer count on them. The Xi family was where she and her future child—or children —could settle down, so she had to start planning early.
She wouldn’t allow any family’s—regardless of whether it was the Gu family’s or any other families’—internal problems to involve and endanger the Xi family’s safety. In other words, she’s willing to share wealth and get rich with other families, but the Xi family has no obligation to share their hardships and woes.
Not taking sides in the Gu family’s infighting was the best choice. However, now that the Gu family had stretched their hands this far, Lin Yu first had to get rid of Gu Man. It would be a risk to let her stay around her and the Xi family like this. She couldn’t let Gu Man have even the slightest chance to get involved with Xi Cheng. She had to nip the problem in the bud.
‘I need an alliance,’ Lin Yu thought. She called Shi Gao and said hushedly, “Shi Gao, can you accompany me to the opera tonight? I bought tickets. I met Shi Ke and Xiang Yang; they also got tickets to the opera.”
“Sure, I’ll go. Send me the time and place,” Shi Gao agreed without hesitation.
Lin Yu ended the call and smiled. ‘Anyone who can be used is a friend, and vice versa,’ she thought.
At the opera, Xiang Yang rejected her clingy husband’s request to accompany her to the restroom and left him inside to watch the play. When she came out of the restroom, she bumped into Lin Yu at the corner.
“Xiang Yang!” Lin Yu’s surprised voice had called out, and a slightly cold hand held Xiang Yang’s.
Xiang Yang was shocked and instinctively shook off her hand. “I’m sorry, Xiang Yang. I didn’t mean to scare you,” Lin Yu quickly apologized.
Xiang Yang looked at Lin Yu and found her familiar. She felt slightly awkward because she couldn’t remember who Lin Yu was.
Lin Yu chuckled, “Did you forget who I am, Xiang Yang? I’m Xi Cheng’s fiancée, Lin Yu.”
Xiang Yang suddenly remembered, “Ah, it’s you! Sorry, my head is still caught up in the play, so I didn’t recognize you straightaway,” she said apologetically..