Chapter 35: Kin Still Remain

When Lin Jinyan raised her head again, she had already suppressed her surging emotions. Forcing a smile, she looked at Gu Hongzhang and called out sweetly

"Grandpa, I'm fine now. With you here, Yan'er isn't afraid of anything."

Looking at his granddaughter's sweet smile, Gu Hongzhang felt as though the trace of sorrow on her face just moments ago had been an illusion. Thinking that the child was still young, he assumed she had simply been frightened and felt aggrieved upon seeing her elder.

Without thinking much of it, Gu Hongzhang patted Lin Jinyan's head and smiled affectionately

"Looking at you, it seems your health has fully recovered. Is there anything you want to eat or anything you desire? Grandpa will find it for you."

Lin Jinyan wore an innocent and radiant smile: "Really, Grandpa? Will you give me whatever Yan'er wants?"

Gu Hongzhang laughed. "Would Grandpa ever lie to you? Tell me, what is it you want?"

Lin Jinyan: "Grandpa, I want a maidservant who knows martial arts! And I also want to go outside the city to see the training grounds of the Gu Family Army!"

"Yan'er, do you really intend to keep a female fighter?"

Just as Lin Jinyan finished speaking, Gu Yichen's voice came from outside the door.

Lin Jinyan turned around to see her uncle Gu Qingyun, her eldest cousin Gu Ruizhou, and her cousin Gu Yichen entering the hall.

The Cavalier General, Gu Qingyun, was currently in his forties. His hair was tied at the crown, and he possessed a tall, imposing stature. His dark complexion, a result of years of campaigning, only added to his majesty and commanding presence.

Gu Ruizhou was the eldest son and eldest grandson of the Gu family. At eighteen years old, he had already served in the military for three years, holding the rank of Captain. His hair was half-tied at the top, and the childishness had faded from his face, replaced by the dashing heroism of a soldier.

Gu Yichen, who was usually superior in temperament and skill among his peers, appeared youthful and frail in front of his father and elder brother.

Having heard Lin Jinyan's words just as he reached the door, Gu Yichen had spoken up. He had originally thought his sister was merely acting like a child when she casually mentioned wanting a martial arts maid, but now it seemed she truly meant it.

As Lin Jinyan watched the three men enter and take their seats, her nose began to sting uncontrollably again.

In her past life, her uncle and second cousin had been exiled to the Northern Desert because of her.

Her eldest cousin had been severely wounded and went missing during the battle in the Northern Desert when she was sixteen. There was neither sign of life nor death, and he was never found even before her death. This had always been a wound in the hearts of the Gu family; speaking of which, she had not seen her eldest cousin for many years.

Gu Ruizhou had a steady temperament. Seeing Lin Jinyan staring at him with reddened eyes, he asked with a gentle and bright smile

"What is it? We haven't seen each other for a long time, has Yan'er forgotten who I am?"

Lin Jinyan murmured dazedly, "It has been many years since I saw you, Cousin. It is so good to see you."

Gu Ruizhou frowned slightly and laughed, "It has only been a few months. How can you say many years?"

Sitting beside Gu Ruizhou, Gu Yichen laughed

"Brother, Yan'er fell into the water and developed a fever, causing her to have a lot of strange dreams. She must have been frightened; occasionally, she couldn't distinguish between dreams and reality. When she woke up, she even saw me crying, saying that my legs were gone."

Gu Ruizhou looked at Lin Jinyan with heartache and asked

"I heard when you first returned that you fell into the water and were ill for several days. Is your health fully restored now?"

Gu Yichen's words snapped Lin Jinyan back to her senses. After composing her thoughts and hearing Gu Ruizhou's question, she lifted a smiling face and replied

"I am fine now, Eldest Cousin. Aunt said I can even stop taking medicine. Uncle!"

Gu Qingyun, who was sipping tea, laughed: "You've been sitting there for a while, and only now do you notice your uncle."

Lin Jinyan walked two steps toward Gu Qingyun, performed a bow, and said with a beaming smile

"Such a tall and mighty uncle—Yan'er saw you at the very first glance. I thought that since Uncle dotes on me, you certainly wouldn't blame me, so I spoke to my Eldest Cousin, whom I haven't seen in a long time, first."

(End of Chapter)