"And what happens after you become the top scholar?" the Prince of Jin asked again.
Linlin hadn't really thought about that question.
So after thinking about it seriously for a while, he said, "To bring glory to our ancestors and let my aunt wear the phoenix coronet and embroidered robe!"
"Linlin, have you thought about this? Your father will have his own biological son," said the Prince of Jin.
Linlin was only briefly surprised, then lowered her eyes and said calmly, "Your Highness, you still mind this matter, don't you?"
He didn't realize that his expression and actions were almost identical to those of the Prince of Jin.
The Prince of Jin was also caught up in the situation, but he knew nothing about it; he just felt very sorry for the situation.
"Won't you make things difficult for Auntie?" Linlin looked up, her eyes full of pleading.
This sensible child, so understanding it's heartbreaking, wasn't worried about his own future; his first concern was for his biological mother's situation.
Before the Prince of Jin could answer, Linlin said, "Your Highness, please don't dislike my aunt. She knows she made a mistake, but I... I can't put it back."
His existence meant that his aunt could never escape that past.
The Prince of Jin patted his head. "Her wrongdoing has nothing to do with you."
"She didn't do anything wrong to the Prince," Linlin said. "After meeting the Prince, Aunt didn't oppose you. She helped you take care of Yanran. She's very, very good..."
I know she's not a bad person.
At least not now; but to ask the Prince of Jin to admit that Tang Zhuyun was good would be to lie through one's teeth.
"Your Highness, from now on I will treat you as well as I would my own father, and I will serve you when you grow old..."
"I know you are excellent." Prince of Jin reached out and wiped away a tear from his eye, feeling as if the tear, though cold, was burning his fingers.
"I won't dwell on the past," he said slowly, "Nor do I want to make things difficult for your aunt. I want to ask you, what are your plans for the future? I know you're proud and won't try to take what doesn't belong to you..."
Linlin said coldly, "Family property? My aunt said that apart from the four walls, the rest of our Tang Family's property is in the womb."
Prince of Jin: "..."
This statement is very much in Tang Zhuyun.
"But my aunt also told me that she would cover all my expenses in the future and that I wouldn't be a burden to anyone."
"Aren't you afraid of dragging her down?"
"I'm not afraid." Jingjing's eyes Linlin. "My aunt said I'm her sweet burden, but also a future she looks forward to. She used to think raising a dog or a son wasn't necessarily a good thing, but now she thinks raising me is wonderful."
Silly child, you've been completely fooled by your own mother. Being better than a dog—is that something to be proud of?
The Prince of Jin was speechless, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
What was he trying to say? How did it veer off to this?
Oh, right, it's about Yanran finding a husband to live with her.
He had made up his mind. Yanran's personality was just like that; she couldn't be motivated no matter what. Since that was the case, wouldn't it be better to find her a capable son-in-law and carefully cultivate him from a young age?
Especially considering the impeccable character of the Tang Family father and son, Tang Zhuyun, that scoundrel, has now reformed... Linlin is already so grown up; you can tell what a person will be like at three years old, and it seems he's truly to his liking...
Tang Zhuyun: Who are you calling a scoundrel? You've taken all the scoundrels!
Prince of Jin suddenly found himself laughing at himself. The idea was good, and it could be put into practice, but Linlin was too young to understand the meaning of a son-in-law.
Moreover, thanks to Tang Zhuyun's guidance, he did not suffer from his fate at all.
A child like this is likely to achieve great success in the future, and probably wouldn't want to be a live-in son-in-law.
The only way to get Linlin to agree is probably to appeal to her emotions.
He wanted to treat Linlin better and hoped that Yanran and Linlin could continue their relationship.
If Tang Zhuyun knew what he was thinking, she would definitely take off her shoe and throw it in his face. "I'll beat you to death, you old bastard who arranged this marriage!"
The Prince of Jin said, "From now on, I will take care of you too; it has nothing to do with your aunt."
Linlin said coldly, "Then, Your Highness, could you please stop bullying my aunt?"
Prince of Jin nearly choked. When had he ever bullied Tang Zhuyun? Hadn't he always been incredibly tolerant of her?
Seeing the Prince of Prince of Jin's confusion, Linlin sighed and said maturely, "Your Highness doesn't have one now, but things might be different if you marry a principal wife in the future..."
"Who said that?" Prince of Jin ground his back teeth.
If Tang Zhuyun dares to use her child to compete for favor, he, he... How can a child like Linlin be confined to the trivialities of the backyard!
"It was my own idea," Linlin said.
He wasn't a lying child. The Prince of Jin's expression softened slightly. "Why do you think that?"
"Because my aunt said that men are like dogs; the good ones are those who stay with their wives and children even if they're poor; if they follow other men around, they can come home and bite you at any time."
"That's what she told you?" The Prince of Jin was extremely angry.
"No, I overheard what she and Xiu'er were saying, and I think it makes a lot of sense. If Your Highness has a principal wife in the future, and if she and Aunt have a conflict, you will definitely side with the principal wife, right?"
The Prince of Jin said, "I only follow reason, and besides, I cannot make my own decisions about my marriage."
"It's because Your Highness doesn't want to make the decision yourself. Otherwise, you would have overruled everyone's objections, just like when you brought Yanran back into the family."
The Prince of Jin remained silent.
Yes, he hasn't met a woman he'd give everything for, and he doesn't want to.
He was afraid he couldn't afford it.
Because deep down, he has the blood of heartlessness and betrayal flowing in his veins.
"Your Highness, if one day you grow tired of my aunt, or if she wants to leave on her own, please let her go?" Linlin looked at him pleadingly.
The Prince of Jin truly didn't understand why he was being led by the nose by Linlin.
He clearly wanted to groom a future husband for Yanran, so how did it become Linlin interfering with his marriage plans?
This is wrong.
Meanwhile, while Yanran went next door to deliver food to Meng Yulan, Tang Zhuyun whispered to Xiu'er, "Don't you think the Prince treats Linlin better than Yanran?"
"How could that be?" Xiu'er said, cracking sunflower seeds while tending the fire. The firelight illuminated her face and revealed her large, white eyes. "Who's the biological child? If it's really as you say, unless..."
"What?" Tang Zhuyun felt that she finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel.
Then she heard Xiu'er say, "Unless Linlin is the son of the master and the prince."
Tang Zhuyun: "..."
"Tell me, is that even possible?" Xiu'er rolled her eyes.
Tang Zhuyun was given a strange inspiration—why was there no woman around Prince of Jin? Before, she had always thought it was because he had suffered heartbreak or because he had seen too much of the world. Now, Xiu'er gave her a new idea: did Prince of Jin like men?
For example, Song Jingyang should have been beaten to death long ago, but he's still jumping around happily!
Why didn't she ask Qingfeng if the Prince of Jin was his guest? I'll remember this.
"Ruan Anruo is back." Nanxing said aloofly as he entered.
"You're back!" Tang Zhuyun tossed aside the vegetables she was holding. "Xiu'er, let's go!"