Chapter 292
Everyone was originally engaged in a lively discussion of gossip, but after Qin Xian's interruption, they all fell silent and stared at him.
It's really becoming harder to recognize him. Then, looking at Ji Fei, she showed no reaction, as if she hadn't noticed anything at all.
Who could remember how not long ago, Ji Fei was madly infatuated and constantly chasing after Qin Xian?
Now, it seems to be the opposite.
Given the current situation between the two, it's likely they'll be planning a wedding soon.
Speaking of weddings, Luo Fei and Guo Yalan couldn't help but look sympathetically at Yu Yue. Although it might be a bit rude to think so, if Ji Fei were to attend any event now and there wasn't any gossip, they'd find it quite unbelievable.
Yu Yue, feeling the gaze, maintained a relaxed and carefree expression, wrapping his arm around the neck of his beloved Bai Xiaoxi, and jokingly said, "The next round of gossip will probably be about my family. I wonder what kind of drama awaits us."
"You really are something," Bai Xiaoxi laughed, playfully slapping Yu Yue. "Behave yourself."
"That depends on whether they behave or not. Frankly, I'm a bit suspicious about whether the new arrival's child is really my brother. Luckily, Ji Fei can help me verify that." Yu Yue said, as if as long as there was something wrong with the person, Ji Fei's mere contact would surely expose the truth.
[Am I some kind of human lie detector? You should be looking for a doctor!]
No sooner had Yu Yue finished speaking than he saw Qin Xian's eyes narrow slightly, his displeasure evident as he looked over, clearly unhappy with someone speaking about his wife like that.
Yu Yue quickly offered a conciliatory smile.
"What? Your father's new wife is pregnant?" Guo Yalan reacted, her voice rising in surprise.
Not just Guo Yalan, even Luo Fei widened his eyes in astonishment.
Yu Yue raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "Exactly, so you also think there's something fishy, right? And it's not through IVF, it's a natural pregnancy. I'm not disrespecting the new arrival, but it's just too unbelievable."
Ji Fei's eyes lit up at this. She knew this detail from accidentally overhearing Yu Yue's gossip earlier.
[The Yu Family is a typical example of a family that values having many children. The more sons a member has, the greater their contribution to the family and the more property they receive. So, Mr. Yu had many siblings, over a dozen, with the youngest brother only a few years older than Yu Yue.]
[Influenced by such a family environment, Mr. Yu also liked having many children and had a competitive mindset with his brothers. So, not long after the birth of his first child, Yu Yue, he made his wife pregnant again. Probably because her body hadn't fully recovered, the rapid pregnancy led to complications during childbirth, resulting in the death of both mother and child, leaving Yu Yue without a mother.]
When Qin Xian first met Yu Yue, he was the typical rebellious teenager without parental guidance.
Having lost his mother and with his father preoccupied with marrying and having more children, even with the status of the 'eldest grandson,' Yu Yue lacked love and care.
[Afterwards, no matter how many wives Mr. Yu married, he never had any more children. Doctors said his body was naturally infertile. It seems Yu Yue's mother was the only one with a fertile body type; otherwise, Mr. Yu might not have had any descendants at all. Given that he's now over fifty and still has this condition, even if he meets another fertile woman, it would be difficult for her to get pregnant. No wonder Yu Yue is suspicious.]
Since Ji Fei hadn't met Mr. Yu or the new Mrs. Yu, she couldn't draw any conclusions, only analyzing based on limited information.
Meanwhile, Yu Yue continued to vent, "Xiaoxi and I have both met that woman. She seems gentle and kind, treating us quite nicely, not aggressive at all, and even a bit eager to please me. But what kind of decent person could she be to get involved with my dad? A secretary climbing up to replace the previous wife—I've lost count of how many times this has happened. If it weren't for the family rules that include prenuptial agreements, my dad would probably have gone bankrupt from all these marriages."
At this point, Bai Xiaoxi's expression momentarily froze.
Bai Xiaoxi is the epitome of a cute, naive, and sweet girl, rarely showing such a troubled and confused expression. This brief moment was clearly noticed by Ji Fei and Qin Xian, who were standing opposite.
Qin Xian isn't one to meddle in others' affairs, but Ji Fei is quite the gossip enthusiast.
Seeing this expression, she immediately sensed something was up and couldn't resist digging into the matter.
So it turns out that Xiaoxi is a bit confused about her perception of the new Lady. She finds the new Lady easy to get along with and very gentle. But during their first meeting over dinner, when Yu Yue mentioned wanting to marry Bai Xiaoxi, the new Lady privately said something rather cryptic to Xiaoxi.
Qin Xian, hearing this, also became curious.
Could it be that because of the pregnancy, the new lady sees Yu Yue as a competitor in her belly and is trying to intimidate Bai Xiaoxi?
She said: Although marriage emphasizes matching social status, using an arranged marriage to bind someone who is already pitiful is quite cruel. If you truly like him, it's better to set him free. Once I join the Yu Family, I will do my best to ensure the next generation has the power to choose their own lovers, hoping they can all find true happiness and true love. I also hope you can find someone who truly loves you.
Qin Xian: ?
[Okay, not talking about Bai Xiaoxi, even I'm confused.]
Qin Xian: Indeed, it's confusing. It sounds like the kind of criticism of arranged marriages that someone not from the high society might make, advocating for marriage freedom. But...
[But how can she be sure they aren't in a free love relationship?]
Ji Fei looked at Bai Xiaoxi and Yu Yue across from her. Yu Yue was practically like an octopus, being extremely clingy, and the two of them together were so sweet it was almost sickeningly sweet. Anyone would see they are truly in love.
Is the new lady's eyesight bad? Or is there some hidden meaning?
No wonder Bai Xiaoxi had such a conflicted first impression of the new lady.
However, there's no need to worry. After all, Yu Yue and Bai Xiaoxi don't need to interact much with their elders. After attending the wedding, they'll probably head abroad again.
Currently, they haven't gotten married for two reasons: first, every time they return, Mr. Yu causes various scandals, which is considered inauspicious; second, Bai Xiaoxi's parents adore their daughter and don't want her to marry early.
Naturally, Ji Fei, through her gossip system, also knows the hidden reasons, but since this is Bai Xiaoxi's privacy and even Qin Xian's friends seem unaware, Ji Fei pretends she doesn't know either. As long as the couple is sweet and loving, that's all that matters.
However, now that they're both twenty-eight, it's about time. It's likely they'll settle things during this trip.
Yu Yue continued to vent, not caring at all about whether someone might contest his inheritance. After all, all he wants is to be with his beloved Bai Xiaoxi. Purely in love, with no ambition.
Just as they were gossiping, Yu Yue suddenly received an unfamiliar call.
"Hello, is this Yu Yue? It's me."
It was a young woman's voice. Yu Yue was momentarily puzzled and asked, "Who is this?"
The other party seemed quite surprised, her tone lowering as if hurt, "You didn't even save my number? It's Ke Yun'er."
Yu Yue's expression was momentarily confused, "New aunt? What's the matter? Did my dad want to contact me?"