"Yun'er, why have you become so thin?" Yun Chang looked at Yun'er with heartache.
Yun'er smiled, "Miss, let's go back to the room and talk. Your maid has brewed some medicinal soup for you. After drinking it, you will feel better."
Yun Chang nodded and, leaning on Yun'er, walked into the side room.
A maid brought a bowl of rich herbal medicinal soup and placed it in front of Yun Chang.
Yun Chang picked up the bowl and gulped down the entire bowl in one go.
After drinking the medicine, Yun Chang felt much refreshed, but her complexion was still somewhat pale because she was extremely weak.
"Yun Chang, why didn't you sleep longer?" As soon as Yun Chang put down the medicine bowl, Yun Feiyang's voice sounded in her ear.
"You... why are you here?" Yun Chang asked in surprise.
She was pregnant and very weak. Why would Yun Feiyang appear in her room?
"I heard you were sick, so I came to see you!" Yun Feiyang said.
He had always liked Yun Chang. When Yun Chang married into the Qin family, he naturally had to go to the capital. However, due to his special identity, he suffered a lot along the way. Most importantly, he could not appear openly before everyone, so he could only secretly follow Yun Chang and protect her.
But as he followed, he discovered that Yun Chang had disappeared. He was startled, thinking something had happened to her, and hurried to search for her whereabouts.
Finally, he saw a carriage outside the city, and inside was Yun Chang.
Yun Chang was kidnapped?
Yun Feiyang's brows furrowed into a knot.
He dared not delay and immediately returned home to rescue Yun Chang.
"I'm fine," Yun Chang shook her head. Her body was indeed very weak.
Yun Chang looked at Yun Feiyang and said, "Why are you looking for me? Did someone send you to monitor me?"
"I... I'm worried about you!" Yun Feiyang hesitated for a moment before choosing to tell the truth. He was afraid Yun Chang would misunderstand.
Yun Chang fell silent for a moment and said, "Yun'er, thank you!"
Yun Chang knew that Yun Feiyang had feelings for her, and she had always known that Yun Feiyang cared about her.
However, over the years, she had grown accustomed to her own ways and was unwilling to provoke anyone, especially men!
Towards him, she had no love, only familial affection!
Yun Chang was not a fool; she knew Yun Feiyang's intentions towards her, but she would not like him. She already had Qin Su.
"Don't overthink it! You are not feeling well, so you should rest. I'll leave now!" Yun Feiyang hurriedly got up and fled Yun Chang's courtyard.
Seeing Yun Feiyang's flustered appearance, Yun Chang couldn't help but frown.
Yun Feiyang had suffered much bullying in the Yun Mansion these past few years, but he had never shown any weakness. Instead, he had become stronger with every setback. She greatly admired his character!
"Yun Chang, what are you thinking? What's wrong?" At this moment, the maid called from outside the door.
Yun Chang quickly stood up, tidied her clothes, and said, "It's nothing. I'm coming."
"Miss, please hurry! Master and Madam are waiting for you to eat!"
Yun Chang hummed and then left the room.
When Yun Chang arrived at the dining hall, Madam Qin and Old Madam Yun were already seated.
"Your granddaughter-in-law pays her respects to Master and Mother!" Yun Chang knelt on the ground and kowtowed.
"Get up!" Madam Qin looked at Yun Chang indifferently, her tone cold.
Yun Chang rose and sat in her seat.
Yun Feiyang stood by, head bowed, silent.
"It is truly rare for our family of three to have a meal together today. Yun Chang, you should eat more. Have you felt unwell recently?" Madam Qin said, looking at Yun Chang.
"Reporting to Grandmother, Yun Chang is fine, everything is well!" Yun Chang smiled.
"Yun'er, I treated you well when you were in the Qin Residence before. I never expected you to be so indifferent to me upon my return. This is very disappointing!" Madam Qin sighed and said.
Yun Chang lowered her eyes and said softly, "Yun Chang admits her mistake. Please, Grandmother, punish me!"
"It's good that you know you were wrong," Madam Qin said. "Yun'er, do you know that Qin Su has mentioned marrying you more than once? But you have been reluctant to agree."
"Qin Su?" Yun Chang looked up in surprise. "He's going to take a concubine?"
Qin Su had been busy with wedding preparations recently, so he hadn't mentioned taking a concubine.
"Yes," Madam Qin said. "Qin Su is already thirty-two years old and should take a concubine. Although our Yun Hou Mansion is not wealthy, it is much better than that of ordinary people."
Yun Chang fell silent upon hearing this.
She had promised her father to marry Qin Su back then, but her experiences over the past few years had changed her mind. She no longer wanted to get married!
"You are unwilling?" Madam Qin looked at Yun Chang and asked.
"Your granddaughter-in-law is unwilling to marry Qin Su!" Yun Chang said sincerely.
Madam Qin and Yun Feiyang were both stunned.
Who was Qin Su? He was one of the foremost prodigies in the capital, someone countless girls dreamed of marrying.
Yet, Yun Chang rejected Qin Su, which left them both bewildered.
"Yun'er, why do you refuse? He is an excellent match for you!" Madam Qin said, looking at Yun Chang.
"Your granddaughter-in-law cannot marry Qin Su!" Yun Chang said in a low voice. "Yun Chang has someone she likes. Yun'er cannot marry Qin Su!"
"Does Yun'er mean that the person you like is Qin Su's subordinate?" Madam Qin frowned and looked at Yun Chang, asking.
Yun Chang nodded, not denying it.
"Do you know how outstanding Qin Su is? Marrying Qin Su is equivalent to soaring to the heavens and becoming a phoenix," Madam Qin continued.
Yun Chang shook her head and said nothing.
Yun Chang knew that marrying Qin Su meant marrying into a prominent family, but she did not want to do so.
"Yun'er, Qin Su can lead our Yun Hou Mansion to greater glory, while you can only rely on him. If you do not agree, your father's official career will be ruined. Yun Chang, can you bear to watch your father lose his career because of you? Can you bear to see our Yun Hou Mansion disgraced because of you?" Madam Qin's voice was tinged with tears towards the end.
Yun Chang pondered for a moment and said, "Yun Chang knows she was wrong, but Yun Chang cannot marry Qin Su. I beg Grandmother to fulfill my wish."
"Very well! Since you have made up your mind, I will not force you any further. However, remember this: it's alright if you don't marry Qin Su, but our Qin family has another young lady who can marry Qin Su. Would you like to give it a try?" Madam Qin said with a cold smile.
"Who?" Yun Chang asked.
"Yun'er, do you remember your younger half-sister, Yun Ruoyan, from the Yun King's Mansion back then?" Madam Qin said with a smile. "Yun Ruoyan is the only legitimate daughter in our mansion. She is now eighteen years old and should be married. Qin Su and Yun Ruoyan were childhood sweethearts, and they are well-suited for each other."
"Grandmother, Yun Ruoyan and I have no connection; it is not suitable!" Yun Chang insisted.
Madam Qin smiled and said, "Although you have no connection, you are both daughters of the Prime Minister's Mansion, so your status is a good match!"
"I am already married, how can I do something so unbecoming of a scholar?" Yun Chang said.
"What unbecoming of a scholar? Qin Su and Yun Ruoyan are nominal siblings, and nothing has happened between them. You only need to pretend to be their sister. You don't need to do anything that goes against ethics!" Madam Qin snorted coldly. "You need to be clear about your identity."