If Gu Qingcheng had no such intentions, it would be fine, as this was merely a private conversation between the two of them, with no outsiders knowing.
Seeing that Gu Qingcheng indeed had no such intentions, Old Man Du chuckled and dropped the subject.
Gu Qingcheng, seeing that he wouldn't elaborate, was secretly grateful for his discretion. At the same time, she felt that as she grew older, such matters would likely become more frequent in the future.
What a bother.
She was indifferent to the men of this era anyway and had decided never to marry in this lifetime.
After all, Mi Guo was there to continue the family line. When he married and had children, her parents could enjoy the pleasure of grandchildren, so she wouldn't have to.
She only wanted to achieve something great.
By steadily advancing according to the current pace, the future was bright, and she wanted to see how far she could go.
Heaven hadn't brought her here to bear children and be a devoted wife, had it?
Nowadays, any woman could accomplish such things.
Mi Guo, who had just woken up, suddenly felt a chill down his spine, reaching his crown. He couldn't help but sneeze forcefully.
"Ugh, who's talking bad about me behind my back?"
Mi Guo muttered.
At the Du family's residence, Old Zhu said to Du Lanyue and Du Lanxing:
"Eldest Miss, Second Miss, something terrible has happened. I've asked you several times to mention Master Gu's matter to Master, but you never did. Now, it's too late. Master seems to have found a son-in-law he likes. I heard that the prospective suitor will be visiting in a couple of days for an appraisal."
"What?"
Upon hearing this, Du Lanyue's face turned pale, and her heart felt like it would explode.
Du Lanxing, seeing her sister sway, quickly stepped forward and held her. "Sister, don't worry. Uncle Zhu also said it's just a visit for appraisal. Our parents said they wouldn't force us. You can refuse the appraisal!"
"Yes, yes. Master didn't say you must marry. He's just anxious because you're getting older and still not engaged. He's afraid of gossip and people making fun of you," Old Zhu said, trying to comfort the eldest lady, who looked terrified.
But he knew in his heart that since Master was willing to let someone come for an appraisal, it was likely just a formality. If there were no major issues, it would probably lead to betrothal and engagement.
Du Lanyue composed herself and said, "I don't want to. I don't want the appraisal either. No matter how good-looking or rich he is, I won't agree."
By now, she had already regarded Gu Qingcheng as her only choice and her heart was devoted to him. The thought of meeting a stranger even made her feel a sense of betrayal, as if she had wronged Gu Qingcheng.
Although Gu Qingcheng was slender and not tall, the moment he drew his bow and fearlessly shot down zombies, the world seemed to change color. All dangers were kept within the range of his arrows, making Du Lanyue feel incredibly safe.
Gu Qingcheng was knowledgeable and always spoke in a way that touched her heart. He was particularly understanding of women, and his words and actions always showed respect for them, never mocking or looking down on them.
For example, men nowadays often say: "You women shouldn't do this, you women shouldn't do that, because you women don't have the strength;" "Women shouldn't show their faces in public..."
There were countless admonishments directed at women, binding them at every turn.
In contrast, Gu Qingcheng always told them that women could be strong, and that women could do the same things men could.
For instance, doing business, navigating and socializing in the martial world...
Du Lanyue had been deeply influenced by Gu Qingcheng's egalitarian ideas.
In fact, Gu Qingcheng didn't deliberately try to instill these ideas, but as she came from modern society, she couldn't help but encourage the girls around her more.
Gu Qingcheng also said that women could control their own destinies and marry the person they loved.
Thinking of this, Du Lanyue became even more dissatisfied with her father's arrangements.
She didn't know the man who was coming for the appraisal at all. She wouldn't like him even if she met him, and she didn't want to know him.
The news brought by Old Zhu was like a thunderclap, initially shattering Du Lanyue's heart. But after calming down and digesting it, she had a plan.
She would have to face such things sooner or later. She would simply insist that she didn't like the other party and demand that her father keep his promise not to force her into marriage.
Hearing her sister speak, Du Lanxing said, "Sister, this isn't a solution. I think you should open your heart to Master Gu and have him propose marriage. That would be the best way to resolve this completely."
Du Lanyue stammered, "I want to do that too, but I think it's best to let things happen naturally."
She felt that the timing wasn't right to bring this up with Gu Qingcheng. She was afraid of overdoing it, and even more afraid of ending up with nothing.
Some wishes, as long as they are unspoken, remain wishes and still have a chance of success.
But if they are spoken and then shattered, there's no chance of recovery.
Du Lanyue suddenly lacked confidence in herself.
"Alright, let's just deal with this matter for now," she said.
Old Zhu sighed.
He knew it would be difficult for a young lady to be the one to initiate the proposal and ask Master Gu to come for it.
Young ladies were often shy.
He only regretted that Master Gu was so unromantic.
Because of this matter, Du Lanyue couldn't stay at home. She found her mother and said she wanted to go to the market to pick up clothes she had made a few days ago.
Madam Du agreed without a second thought. "You're all grown up and about to be married. It's right to make a few new dresses. And make them in lighter colors. Don't always choose silver-gray or white. They're too plain. Peach, crimson, and bright red are the colors suitable for your age."
"Understood, Mother."
With permission granted, Du Lanyue eagerly went out to find Gu Qingcheng.
Gu Qingcheng didn't know that Du Lanyue was coming to see her with a hidden agenda.
She had just moved into her new residence and loved it very much. In her free time, she was in her room listening to rock music on her iPad, nodding her head.
Unexpectedly, Mi Guo knocked on the door and announced that Du Lanyue had come to play.
Gu Qingcheng quickly put away her iPad, tidied her clothes, and went out with joy.
She didn't have many friends, so she was naturally delighted to see Du Lanyue visit.
Upon entering the living room, she saw Du Lanyue wearing a light pink long gown, looking like a beauty from a painting, truly pleasing to the eye.
Gu Qingcheng praised her profusely for her beauty and then led her into the tea room to make her tea.
Du Lanyue, unused to such praise from a "man," especially someone she admired, blushed, her eyes sparkling with even more radiance, making her look even more youthful and captivating. Gu Qingcheng was moved and said, "Sister Lanyue, you look more beautiful the more I look at you. I initially thought you were beautiful at first glance, but now I realize you're also the kind of beauty that grows on you, and I could never get tired of looking at you."
"Qingcheng, if you say so, I'll take it to heart," Du Lanyue replied, her small pink face resembling a peach blossom.
Gu Qingcheng was a "face-con" (someone who values appearance) and knew that women nowadays lacked confidence. She couldn't help but want to encourage them more, so she smiled and said, "I never lie."