Chapter 318 Speaking Without Thinking
Divorce?
When Zhang heard those two words, she was shocked and even doubted whether she had misheard.
Becoming husband and wife is a lifelong commitment, and marriage involves two families. How can one easily divorce? Moreover, remarrying after a divorce doesn't guarantee a better outcome than marrying now. Men who divorce and remarry can marry virgins, but women who divorce and remarry are basically remarried as second wives or stepmothers.
Zhang immediately straightened her face and disapproved, saying, "Nonsense! Xuanyi, you're not a child anymore. Don't act like a child. How can you talk about divorce all the time? Life isn't always perfect. If you get a divorce over every little thing, isn't that treating marriage like a game?"
Gu Xuanyi had originally run back to her parents' home because she had been wronged. Now, hearing her mother scolding her, she felt even more aggrieved and asked indignantly, "Mother, you not only didn't help me when they bullied me, but you also sided with outsiders to teach me a lesson? Am I even your biological daughter?"
Ms. Zhang was anxious because she hadn't heard the details of the matter. Seeing that her daughter hadn't explained the reason, she felt that something was amiss. She asked in a deep voice, "Tell me the details first. If there's a problem, solve it first. Divorce is a last resort when there's no other way to solve the problem. You're making a fuss about divorce without saying anything. Isn't that ridiculous?"
Gu Xuanyi met her mother's gaze, and the scrutinizing look made her feel a little guilty. She replied, "My husband's sister belittled and slandered me, and didn't treat me like a sister-in-law at all. I was so angry that I slapped her. I didn't expect my mother-in-law to see it. She immediately said that I was ill-mannered and that I didn't know how to raise my daughter. She grounded me for a month, while my sister-in-law got away with it. Then my husband came. I thought he would at least help me, since his sister was in the wrong first. But he didn't listen to my explanation and joined his mother in scolding me for being ignorant."
Upon hearing this, Zhang's heart sank. No wonder her daughter hadn't explained the situation earlier; it turned out her daughter was the one who struck first. Regardless of whether she was right or wrong, the one who slapped first would be considered wrong, even if she was right. If a sister-in-law slaps her sister-in-law, it would be seen as the sister-in-law viciously slapping her sister-in-law.
Madam Zhang was exasperated: "Xuanyi, are you confused? Do you think your sister-in-law is your sister at home? Your cousin Xuanling is weak-willed and born out of wedlock. Even if you hit her, she wouldn't dare to complain to your stepmother. But your sister-in-law is a legitimate daughter, loved by her parents. Even if your mother-in-law hadn't accidentally witnessed it, she would still complain afterward, and you would still suffer the consequences."
“She was the one who spoke rudely first. Look at my hands, they’re from when my husband pushed me and I fell down.” Gu Xuanyi said, then spread out her hands. There were abrasions on her palms, which had stopped bleeding, but the wounds still hurt.
Seeing this, Zhang felt a pang of pain in her heart, and her eyes instantly reddened. She sighed softly, "Silly child, no matter how much she bullies you, you can't hit her. If you hit her, you'll lose your temper even if you're right. Now you've run back to your parents' house. If they don't send someone to pick you up, you'll have no way to save face, and eventually you'll have to go back on your own."
Gu Xuanyi suddenly raised her voice: "I'm not going back! I want a divorce!"
"You want a divorce?"
As soon as she finished speaking, a male voice came from the direction of the door; it was her father, Gu Jingsheng's voice.
Gu Xuanyi looked up and saw her father walking towards her with a gloomy face. He immediately launched into a tirade: "Xuanyi, marriage is not a game. It was one thing that you were ignorant before, but now that you're someone else's wife, why are you still so ignorant? You're such a grown woman, yet you still throw such a tantrum. The Marquis of Wu'an's family is such a prestigious family, and you don't even know how to cherish it. You are now the wife of the heir. If you divorce him, who do you want to marry? Which family of equal social standing would want someone who has been married before? Families of lower social standing than ours would not be willing to marry you unless you marry someone else as a second wife."
Gu Xuanyi was stunned. She hadn't expected her parents to have this attitude. Neither of them supported her divorce. Her father didn't even ask for the specific reasons before scolding her, as if everything was her fault and her in-laws had done nothing wrong. She felt a chill in her heart.
Gu Jingsheng did not want to lose the son of the Marquis of Wu'an, who came from a good family, as his son-in-law. Without further ado, he said, "You go back to the Marquis of Wu'an right now. If you've made a mistake, admit it properly. Running back to your parents' home to make a scene about divorce? You can afford to lose face, but I can't!"
Zhang was furious that her useless husband would speak like that: "Husband, how can you talk like that? This matter is not entirely Xuanyi's fault. Even if she wants to go back, someone from the Marquis of Wu'an's mansion should come to pick her up. How can she go back on her own? Wouldn't it be even more shameful to go back in such a disgraceful manner?"
Gu Jingsheng was speechless at his wife's words, but quickly retorted, "She ran back to her parents' home so rashly, and she even said that getting a divorce wouldn't be shameful? She's married and still has such a temper. What wife doesn't suffer grievances? Don't we all just endure it for a lifetime? If a woman is willing to get a divorce for every little grievance, then she would have to get married countless times!"
Gu Xuanyi's tears continued to fall uncontrollably.
Zhang, feeling sorry for her daughter, hugged her tightly and said to her husband, "Are you the father of my son-in-law or Xuanyi's father? I don't agree with Xuanyi's hasty decision to divorce, but it's not entirely her fault. Her in-laws are also partly to blame. Since Xuanyi has already gone back to her parents' home, she can't go back on her own. The Changxing Marquis's Mansion and the Wu'an Earl's Mansion are a good match; neither is inferior to the other. Since both are at fault, we can't just punish Xuanyi alone. That would be disrespectful to our Gu family!"
Gu Jingsheng couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. He glanced at the mother and daughter and said, "She ran back to her parents' home to make a scene over such a small matter. Isn't it all because you spoiled her? Look how sensible Xuanling is. Xuanling is married now, so why didn't she run back to her parents' home to make a scene over the divorce?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang's anger surged. She used to think her husband was mediocre, but now she found him unreasonable as well. She angrily said, "Xuanling married well, how can she be the same as Xuanyi?"
Gu Jingsheng disagreed: "She married the son of a minor official. How can she compare to Xuan Yi's marriage? Xuan Yi married the heir of the Marquis of Wu'an. How respectable would it be for her to be the heir's wife? Xuan Ling is just a scholar's wife now."
Zhang was furious: "You..."
At this moment, a maidservant hurried over to report, "Master, Madam, the eldest son-in-law has arrived."
Upon hearing this, Zhang's heart finally settled down. With her son-in-law here, she had a way out. She could then have a proper talk with him, resolve the issue, and let her daughter go back with him to live a good life.
Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Gu Jingsheng immediately said to his daughter, "Xuanyi, now that your son-in-law has come to pick you up, you have a way out. Hurry up and go back with him. What kind of behavior is this if you keep making a scene? I feel ashamed for you even if you don't feel embarrassed."
Seeing her father constantly siding with outsiders, Gu Xuanyi's dissatisfaction reached its peak. Forgetting all about respecting her elders, she suddenly stood up and blurted out, "If you want to go back, go back with him! Since you like him so much, why don't you marry him yourself? It would be best if you had a few more children with him, so you two could love each other for the rest of your lives, and I wouldn't be in your way anymore!"
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