Chapter Seventy-Six: Complaining to Him
Meng Jinyao was slightly stunned, but the next moment she realized what Gu Xiuming meant. She glanced at Gu Xiuming with a strange expression. Gu Xiuwen was clearly showing her the respect and filial piety of a junior to an elder, without any intention of overstepping his bounds. How did this person perceive something unusual?
She chuckled lightly and said teasingly, "My son, isn't it you who has brought shame upon your father and family?"
The girl's beautiful eyes sparkled, her smile was bright and cheerful, and her bright eyes and white teeth made her so beautiful that it was impossible to look away.
Gu Xiuming found it despicable, seeing his stepmother as a smug and malicious person who was gloating over his misfortune. He was furious and said, "Isn't that all thanks to you? Wan'er and I are in love. If you hadn't stood between us, would I have run away from the wedding?"
Meng Jinyao retorted, "The engagement was arranged by our elders, what does it have to do with me? Since you don't want to marry me, why don't you break off the engagement?"
As she spoke, seeing Gu Xiuming's face stiffen, she continued, "In the end, you're still scared, aren't you? This was a marriage arrangement made by your grandfather before he passed away. You were afraid of angering your grandmother and father, but you regretted it at the last moment. Now, you'll probably regret it even more, since you've discovered that the person I'm marrying isn't indispensable to me. If you had said so earlier, this ugly thing wouldn't have happened."
These words struck a chord with Gu Xiuming. He was indeed afraid of upsetting his father and grandmother, but he had also considered marrying Meng Jinyao as a compromise.
Meng Jinyao spoke again: "Admit it, you are cowardly, weak and irresponsible. When you cause trouble, you only know how to shirk responsibility. It seems that your month of confinement and reflection has not had any effect, otherwise you would not have done something to bring shame to your father and family again."
"you……"
Gu Xiuming was both ashamed and furious. The feeling of having his veil ruthlessly torn away filled him with shame and indignation. Looking at the mocking smile on Meng Jinyao's lips, he was furious: "What nonsense are you spouting? When have I ever done anything to bring shame to my father and the family?"
Meng Jinyao's lips twitched slightly. She glanced at him with a complicated expression. The stupidest man in the Gu family was probably the one in front of her. Luckily, she was clear-headed and didn't marry him. Otherwise, if her father was stupid and a bunch of stupid children were born, what would she do?
Although she didn't say a word, Gu Xiuming felt humiliated and questioned, "You wicked woman, tell me, what have I done?"
Meng Jinyao smiled faintly and replied, "My son, you've already taken a concubine before your wife has even entered the house. Which noble family scion would dare to do such a thing? Wouldn't this bring shame upon your father and the family?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Xiuming's imposing manner noticeably weakened. As a scion of a prominent family, how could he not understand this?
But all he wanted in his life was Wan'er. Although he had no legitimate children, his illegitimate sons could still inherit the title. As long as the illegitimate sons were raised to be outstanding, no one would look down on them.
He said irritably, "I will not marry anyone but Wan'er, and my father has already agreed to it."
Meng Jinyao asked calmly, "Yes, you are stubborn, and your father had no choice but to agree. But have you paid attention to what people outside are saying about the Gu family?"
Gu Xiuming's expression froze. Why was he paying attention to those things?
Meng Jinyao glanced at Gu Xiuming indifferently, and then said, "Even your cousins have suffered. It makes people think that birds of a feather flock together. In the future, he will probably favor his concubines over his wife."
She wasn't exaggerating at all; she was telling the truth. Although Gu Xiuming hadn't yet taken Li Wan'er into his household, the news of him looking for a matchmaker had already leaked out. In addition, he was also making a big show of decorating the courtyard for Li Wan'er in the mansion, and there was no gag order in the mansion. There were also many servants in the mansion, and with so many people talking, the news naturally spread.
That morning, she was chatting with her three sisters-in-law, Zhang and Chen. Zhang and Chen complained to her that Gu Xiuming was not only being absurd, but also dragging his brothers down with him. They said that Xiu Hong and Xiu Wen were not yet engaged, and now that this had happened, families with daughters would inevitably have doubts.
Gu Xiuming's lips moved, but he was speechless. He hadn't expected things to turn out this way.
Meng Jinyao smiled and said, "Son, next time you do something stupid, you should think twice before you act. Don't be stupid again and make yourself look like the foolish son of a landlord. Your father and I can't bear to lose face like that."
Hearing this, Gu Xiuming felt as if his tail had been stepped on, and he was furious: "Who is your son?"
Meng Jinyao blinked innocently and asked with a smile, "My son, isn't that you?"
Gu Xiuming was even more furious, his face contorted with rage: "You shameless woman, if you hadn't shamelessly married my father, would I have gotten into this absurd relationship with you?"
"Son, why are you angry?" Meng Jinyao looked at his exasperated appearance and her smile deepened. "Didn't you give me the opportunity to become your mother? I should thank you because of you, I was able to experience the joy of being a mother right after I got married."
Gu Xiuming was furious and pointed at her: "Meng Jinyao, you..."
Meng Jinyao asked, "What did I do wrong? Who points their finger at their elders? It's like being an unfilial son."
Gu Xiuming: "You..."
Meanwhile, on the covered bridge not far away, a man dressed in a crimson official robe stood with his hands behind his back, calmly watching everything. He was blocked by the lush greenery, but he could still clearly see the mother and child.
Seeing this, Zhou Yun, the man's attendant, asked in a low voice, "My lord, aren't you going to do anything about the mistress and the young master being like this?"
Gu Jingxi replied calmly, "Why should I meddle when the two kids are arguing?"
Two children?
Zhou Yun glanced at his lord, a mature and steady man, and then at his wife, a charming and lively young girl. With an age difference of thirteen years, and having heard that his wife was two months younger than the young master, it seemed as if the lord was the wife's non-blood-related father.
Therefore, although the lady is the young master's elder, in the eyes of the Marquis, it would not be an exaggeration to say that she is just like the young master, a child.
Zhou Yun then asked, "My lord, shall we continue watching the play?"
Gu Jingxi replied, "They seem to have stopped arguing. Let's go." With that, he took a step and stepped off the covered bridge.
When Meng Jinyao saw him, she swallowed the words that were about to come out, forced a motherly smile, and said gently, "My son, I'm doing this for your own good. That's why I'm educating you. When you grow up, you'll understand my good intentions."
Gu Xiuming: ?
What nonsense is this?
She just called him a rebellious son, and now she's pretending to be a loving mother.
He frowned and said with disgust, "Meng Jinyao, don't pretend with me. Don't think that just because you married my father, you're really my mother. One day I'll make my father divorce you, you poisonous woman."
These words were exactly what Meng Jinyao wanted to hear. She smiled at him gloatingly, then suppressed her smile and looked pitifully at the man behind Gu Xiuming, complaining, "Husband, your son bullied me."
Gu Xiuming: ?
He froze, gritting his teeth in anger.
Poisonous woman!
Meng Jinyao is a vicious woman!
Only her father was deceived by her hypocritical appearance!
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