Wang Chengxian did not look at Gu Yaoniang; his eyes seemed to be veiled by a layer of mist, as if he were seeing scenes from many years past through the scenery before him.
He remained silent for a long time before finally speaking: "Your family and I are close friends. Child, go home. Your second uncle is waiting for you at home."
Gu Yaoniang was overjoyed and no longer cared about anything else: "Second Uncle can come home?"
She originally thought that her second uncle could only return home after everything was settled.
Wang Chengxian nodded: "Let's go home."
The Wang family's carriage dropped Gu Yaoniang off at the door and left. Wang Chengxian did not go inside the Gu family home with Gu Yaoniang for a short visit.
Gu Yaoniang stood at the door, watching Wang Chengxian's carriage disappear at the end of the street.
For some reason, a faint pang of sadness suddenly rose in her heart.
She didn't know what Wang Chengxian's past had with his elders. But Wang Chengxian's protection of the Gu family was genuine, his concern for her was genuine, and his avoidance of stepping into the Gu family was also genuine.
What kind of past could lead to such contradictory emotions?
She didn't want to think about it too much for the time being.
Gu Yaoniang walked up the steps in front of the door. Having been in prison for quite some time, she felt a little breathless and her heart was beating faster.
She raised her hand, just about to touch the dark copper ring on the vermilion gate, when the gate opened from the inside. It was Bizhu who opened the door.
Bizhu was strong and opened the door without breaking a sweat. When she saw Gu Yaoniang standing outside, she was overjoyed: "My lady, it really is you!"
She thought she heard a carriage stop at the gate and her mistress's voice, so she came to check.
I never expected it to really be Gu Yaoniang.
Before Gu Yaoniang could speak, Bizhu's expression changed again: "Wife, come in quickly!"
Gu Yaoniang's heart tightened: "What's wrong?"
Has something happened?
Before she received an answer, her body moved first, and she hurriedly stepped over the threshold and walked inside.
-
Wang Chengxian returned to the Wang family home and went straight to the inner courtyard, to the couple's courtyard. Wang Zhilan had already returned to her own courtyard, and only Madam Wang was in the main room, waiting for Wang Chengxian.
Wang Chengxian had lost all restraint he had during the day. His eyes were red, but he couldn't suppress the joy in his eyes.
Upon seeing his wife, he slammed the door shut behind him, turned around, walked towards her, and embraced her tightly.
He rested his head on top of Madam Wang's head like a child.
Madam Wang felt the trembling in his chest and cautiously asked, "Is it that child?"
"Yes! It's her! There can't be any mistake!"
He had never thought about it deeply before, but after looking closely today, he realized that Gu Yaoniang looked so much like Huiniang, and her eyes were very similar to those of the Wang family.
Wang Chengxian recalled the scene when Gu Xingzhi came to the Wang family to look for him.
Gu Xingzhi said, "It's not my elder brother's child. It's your child. Yaoniang is your and my sister's child."
Wang Chengxian recalled that at the time, his heart was pounding like a drum, almost jumping out of his chest.
Is that Hui Niang's child? No wonder! No wonder! That child really looks just like Hui Niang.
Gu Xingzhi, fearing he wouldn't believe her, explained further: "That year you left, and my sister discovered she was pregnant. My parents were both shocked and furious, and locked her up, but they also felt sorry for her. My sister-in-law had just married into the family when she decided that if you came back, the child would be yours and my sister's; if you left and never came back, the child would be her own."
Lord Wang, you should know whether I've been lying or not. I'm not asking you to acknowledge my Yaoniang, but if the Gu family gets into trouble, Yaoniang is your child, and she can escape this calamity.
He was full of confidence when he was in Qingyun County. He exchanged betrothal gifts with Huiniang and left tokens of their relationship, but he also made a mistake. Of course, he didn't realize how absurd it was at the time.
However, after he returned to Shuojing from Qingyun County, he was locked up at home. His mother threatened to commit suicide, and his grandmother was so angry that she collapsed and refused to let him marry Huiniang properly with proper betrothal.
He could easily walk away, but he couldn't bring himself to do it when faced with his elders' tears.
Moreover, he could give up everything and return to Qingyun County to find Gu Huiniang, but then what? A marriage without the blessings or even the approval of her parents—could such a proud woman as Huiniang truly be happy?
Later, he gave in. He married his current wife, and on their wedding day, he confessed everything. He knew he had wronged both his wife and Hui Niang. But his wife forgave him for everything.
What's done is done. His wife is a good person, and he forced himself to forget the past and try to be a good husband and wife.
Finally, after Ahan was born, the family announced to the public that Wang Chengxian, the eldest son of the Wang family, had finally recovered from his sudden illness.
He quietly returned to Qingyun County.
He has no sense of direction, and when Gu Xingzhi took him in, it was because he didn't know the way. This time, without anyone to guide him, he managed to find his way back to the Gu family home solely based on his memory.
He saw Gu Huiniang holding a child in the courtyard, with a strange young woman sitting beside her.
The young woman was teaching the child to speak. The child babbled and laughed along with the two adults, his little mouth still full of teeth. His eyes were big and bright.
He suddenly couldn't bear to interrupt this scene.
He overheard his neighbor jokingly saying, "Sister-in-law Gu, are you doting on your daughter again?"
He then realized that the young woman in the courtyard, whom he had never seen before, must be the newlywed wife of the eldest brother of the Gu family.
The child they're holding must be Sister-in-law Gu's daughter, right?
He glanced at the child again, who was also facing him, smiling at him with a string of glistening drool dripping from the corner of his mouth.
Gu Huiniang reached out and poked the child, then lovingly wiped the drool from the corner of the child's mouth with the handkerchief in her hand.
It seems that the child must be Gu Yaoniang.
Wang Chengxian felt a sense of fulfillment, yet also a sense of emptiness. He had once fantasized about having a child with Hui Niang's bloodline, but it remained just a pipe dream.
Now that he knows, he feels a bitter taste in his mouth. They have lost so many years. His daughter, who should have been a pampered young lady, is now imprisoned, looking at him with gratitude and wariness.
"well."
Madam Wang held Wang Chengxian's hand, her eyes slightly moist. She and Wang Chengxian had been husband and wife for many years, and she understood his inner turmoil.
Her husband was her everything; when he was happy, she was happy too.
The lingering bitterness in my heart no longer matters.
-
Gu Yaoniang was shocked to see Gu Xingzhi lying on the couch with a pale face.
"They tortured my second uncle?"
Gu Yaoniang was furious.
Gu Xingzhi was still asleep, completely exhausted, and Gu Yaoniang's words failed to wake him.
Qiao Niang tugged at Gu Yao Niang's sleeve and led her to the outer room.
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