"You..." Tong Gang’s complexion seemed a tad upset.
"In the future, Qingshu will surely attempt the imperial examinations for the provincial and metropolitan levels, and he might even become Champion. Won’t your Lingling’s behavior be a disgrace to Qingshu?" Guan Danian stood up and looked at Tong Gang, "Uncle, I’m a simple farmer and not one for beating around the bush. It was already bad enough that your Lingling spoiled herself before, but now she’s been stripped, and although your family isn’t talking about it, people around definitely are. Isn’t her behavior indeed... We’re fortunate to have found out, otherwise if we really married Qingshu to Lingling without knowing, wouldn’t we be cursed as cuckolded fools?"
"Brother-in-law, your words are hurtful," Tong Liushi was not pleased, "My Lingling has always been chaste. She was framed this time..."
"If she hadn’t been tempting others, would anyone have framed her?" Guan Danian scoffed.
"Brother-in-law, you’re being unfair to Lingling," Tong Gang’s face also darkened, "For many years, we’ve treated Qingshu as our own. Now that he has achieved some success, are you looking down on us?"
"Without our Qingshu, would there be your Ruru? So, neither of us owes the other anything..." Guan Danian chuckled.
"What about you, sister-in-law? What do you say?" Tong Gang looked towards Guan Tongshi.
"I..." Guan Tongshi suddenly found herself in a tight spot and couldn’t help but glance at Guan Danian, extremely conflicted, "I... this..."
"I told you my Lingling was framed. Why don’t you believe it?" Tong Liushi became agitated, "It was that Yang Dani who schemed against her..."
"What?" Both Guan Danian and Guan Tongshi were taken aback, "Yang Dani?"
"Exactly her," Tong Liushi sighed, "Didn’t Lingling encounter her on the street with Xiaoyue? She just told her to stay away from Qingshu in the future. As for Yang Dani, how many years has she been pestering Qingshu? Do you really think she’s changed? Because of this, she found some street thugs to defile Lingling..." Her tears started to fall as she spoke, "My Lingling is so unfortunate..."
Guan Danian instantly furrowed his brow. If it really was Yang Dani, he might be inclined to believe it, but he could never be completely convinced, especially since that Yang Dani seemed to have changed tremendously these days. Just today, he heard she was even hosting a banquet, but he detested Yang Dani and didn’t want his son to see her, so he hadn’t gone.
Inside Guan Qingshu’s room, Tong Lingling was also crying, for Guan Qingshu had asked her to leave, using the same excuse he’d given his mother.
Guan Qingshu, annoyed by the noise, had no choice but to leave the room, only to hear his aunt’s reasoning. He sighed, "Father, Mother, I’m still young and not interested in discussing these romantic entanglements. I want to advance further in the imperial examinations, and these matters will only distract me." He was grateful to his uncle’s family, but his gratitude only went so far. He had never harbored romantic feelings for Tong Lingling, but he couldn’t afford to break ties completely either, so he decided to just stall for now.
At Guan Qingshu’s approach, Tong Gang actually felt that his face had been saved, and his expression softened, "Indeed, there’s no rush with this matter."
Knowing he had been a bit too forceful earlier, Guan Danian also followed up with a smile, "Certainly, there’s no need to rush..."
"Father, Mother..." At that moment, Guan Qingyue, who had been watching the commotion from outside, rushed in, "A government officer has come... My brother passed the examination, and he’s the top scorer..."