Transmigrated Female Official

88 isn't something that happened in just one or two days.

"..." Chu Qingluo had long anticipated that Chu Yilin's expression after hearing that he also had to participate in the selection of Yun Shi would be nothing short of deathly despair.

"Ouch—can anyone help me up?! I feel like I've suddenly fallen seriously ill! It hurts so much here!!" After regaining his senses, Chu Yilin clutched his chest and cried out in pain.

Ji Qiran rolled her eyes at him, amused: "Isn't it a bit too early to start pretending now?"

"What should we do?!" Chu Yilin cried, casting a pleading look at Ji Qiran.

Ji Qiran pursed his lips and shook his head: "It's all because you're too charming, Yilin. My eighth sister actually came up with such a troublesome idea for you. You've really brought disaster to the country."

"Qi Ran, you still have the mind to make fun of me?! Eighth Princess... I'm just speechless!" Chu Yilin said, his brows furrowing.

Chu Qingluo, who was listening to the conversation between the two, suddenly blurted out, "Second Brother, there's something I've always wanted to ask you."

"Huh?" Chu Yilin leaned against the back of the chair and tilted his head to ask.

"Why have you always refused to learn the basics?" Doesn't he find it exhausting to juggle so many women?

Chu Yilin smiled and said casually, "Don't you even know who your second brother is? How can you easily become someone's disciple? What a waste."

Chu Qingluo smiled faintly and asked, "Are you sure it's not for some other reason?"

Chu Yilin asked, puzzled, "What's the reason?"

Looking at Chu Yilin's innocent face, Chu Qingluo revealed a wicked smile: "For example... you actually like men..." After saying that, she glanced at Ji Qiran intentionally or unintentionally.

The two grown men glanced at each other simultaneously, then shouted angrily, "Chu Qingluo!!!"

Chu Yilin flicked her forehead lightly with his finger, gritting his teeth as he said, "This little girl is getting more and more capable!"

Seeing their embarrassed expressions, Chu Qingluo chuckled: "Anyway, I think you two are great, a perfect match."

Ji Qiran stared at her silently, secretly plotting to settle the score with her properly when the opportunity arose. He needed to make her understand clearly that his orientation was perfectly normal!

"Alright, alright, I'm not teasing you anymore." Chu Qingluo cleared her throat and said to Chu Yilin, "Why don't you hurry up and choose a wealthy family to marry into?"

At this moment, Peony came in carrying tea and snacks, and interjected with a smile: "What wealthy family?" As she spoke, she poured Ji Qiran a cup of tea first.

Seeing that Shaoyao seemed to have no regard for anyone else, Chu Yilin wanted to tease her, so he said, "Shaoyao, you're back just in time. Qingluo asked me to find someone to join my sect, so why don't you... pretend to accept me?"

"Huh?" Peony was unaware of what had happened in court that day, so she didn't understand for a moment and was stunned.

"The peony doesn't want to?" Chu Yilin asked again.

Peony gave an awkward laugh, glancing in Ji Qiran's direction. Seeing him casually sipping his tea, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and reply, "This... isn't quite right..."

Chu Yilin sighed, feigning sadness, and said, "Sigh—I was rejected like this the first time I've ever asked someone to come in. How pathetic. I must have a couple of drinks tonight."

Chu Qinglu couldn't stand it anymore and said irritably, "Alright! Second brother, stop teasing her. If she likes to drink, she likes to drink, why make excuses?"

Chu Yilin shrugged: "I'm not joking! I just plan to pretend to be a disciple first, and then kick me out once Yun Shi'en has made her selection." Pretending to be sick is simply not a plausible excuse. He knew in his heart that the Eighth Princess wouldn't let him get away with it so easily.

"Pretending to be a beginner?"

"Hmm." Chu Yilin nodded, then sighed, "It's a pity that Peony won't help."

Chu Qinglu rolled her eyes helplessly. In order to get rid of the Eighth Princess's clutches, Chu Yilin really went to any lengths.

"Brother Yilin, I didn't know you meant that just now..." After hearing Chu Qingluo explain the situation, Shaoyao explained to Chu Yilin, feeling embarrassed.

Chu Yilin wasn't serious to begin with, and laughed, "It's nothing, don't take it to heart."

"So what are your plans now?" Ji Qiran asked.

"I don't know, I'll wait for you to save me." Chu Yilin reverted to his usual nonchalant demeanor, picking up a piece of red bean cake and popping it into his mouth. It seemed he wouldn't need to confront the Eighth Princess today.

……

After leaving the palace, Chu Qingluo did not go to the clothing store, but instead went directly back to the Chu family with Chu Yilin. Gongsun Yu did not return from the clothing store until dinner time.

He had just returned when his attendants summoned him to the ancestral tablets of the Chu family. Chu's mother was standing there with a solemn expression, while Chu Qingluo was kneeling on the cushion with a blank look on her face.

What's going on? Gongsun Yu was unsure, so he knelt down next to Chu Qingluo.

"Do you know why I made you kneel here?" Mother Chu said, her voice filled with displeasure.

The two looked at each other and shook their heads together.

"I have interrogated Nine-Tailed Fox and Kirito today. I heard that apart from the day Gongsun entered the family, you two have not shared a room since. How can you face the ancestors of the Chu family?"

"Cough cough cough..." Chu Qingluo choked on her breath upon hearing this. No wonder the two, Nine-Tailed Kirito and the other, were looking away. They were so audacious to betray even their own master!

Seeing her face turn red and white in turns, Gongsun Yu chuckled and patted her back to help her catch her breath.

"I was wondering why your belly still hasn't shown any signs of pregnancy even though Gongsun has been in the household for some time now?" Mother Chu stared at Chu Qingluo and asked, "So you're just being capricious, or are you dissatisfied with Gongsun? Otherwise, I'll make the decision and choose a few more men for you to marry into the household."

"No, no, no, I'm very satisfied!" Chu Qingluo quickly waved her hand to decline, afraid that if her mother really sent a few more people for her, she definitely wouldn't be able to handle them.

"Satisfied? Then how did you treat them?" Mother Chu pointed her chin at Gongsun Yu, as if she were standing up for him.

"Uh..." Chu Qingluo lowered her head guiltily. She had actually realized it and was just about to respond to him when her mother suddenly intervened. She secretly glanced at Gongsun Yu out of the corner of her eye and saw him nodding calmly, seemingly agreeing with Chu's mother's statement.

"Such a good man, standing right in front of you, and you don't even know how to treat him well?!"

"Mother, I know I was wrong!" Seeing that her mother was about to continue lecturing her, Chu Qingluo immediately admitted her mistake to avoid being overwhelmed by the barrage of criticism.

"Then tell me, what should we do?" Mother Chu asked sternly.

Chu Qinglu stammered, "Well... having a child isn't something that happens overnight, right?"

Chu's mother chuckled through her nose; she wasn't going to let Chu Qingluo fool her so easily this time. A meaningful smile played on her lips as she said, "Of course, this isn't something that can be resolved overnight. So, from today onwards, you two must share a room until you have a baby or a new male servant enters the house, at which point you can resume separate rooms."

What?! Living in the same room?! Even this is something Chu's mother is forcibly controlling? Chu Qingluo was so surprised she couldn't close her mouth.

Gongsun Yu raised an eyebrow, looked at Chu Qingluo who was in shock, and smiled without saying a word.

"It's settled then. You two can go back now. Don't think you can take advantage of this situation. I'm keeping a close eye on you." After the two of them stood up, Mother Chu added, "Gongsun, you also need to work hard. Qingluo is immature, so don't be immature too."

Gongsun Yu smiled slightly and replied, "What you say is true, Madam. I've remembered it."