When Huangfu Lin entered the room again, Gu Zhentang was still sitting there, motionless. A wave of guilt washed over Huangfu Lin; he realized he had judged a noble man by his own petty standards. This time, he owed a great debt to Aran’s foster father.
"Thank you, Brother Gu!" This expression of gratitude was not only for the way Gu Zhentang had just persuaded Aran, but also for all the years of upbringing. He had given his daughter a second life, a debt Huangfu Lin could never repay. If Gu Zhentang agreed, he intended to ask Emperor Chujing for permission to bring the man back to Canglan State, grant him a title, and bring honor to his family name.
Gu Zhentang did not speak, only nodded toward Huangfu Lin. Aran led Huangfu Lin to her room, spread out the folded quilt on the bed, and lifted a corner. Seeing her father struggling to hold her mother, she stepped forward and removed Mo Xueying’s boots, placing them neatly by the bedside. "You can put her down now." Aran still could not bring herself to call him "Father," but for Huangfu Lin, this was enough; his daughter no longer pushed him away.
Chapter 229