Chapter 86 He Will Get Married
As dusk fell, the sunset spread across the horizon like a brocade.
Ruan Xingzhu had intended to wait for Gu Yun'an to come and have a meal, but Mu Tao told her that Gu Yun'an had been summoned by Cheng Shi and that she should eat on her own first.
As Ruan Xingzhu listened, she had a vague guess in her heart, but what could she do? She couldn't change anything.
Jade Hall Courtyard.
When Cheng Xiuxiu saw Gu Yun'an's tall and straight figure walk in, her beautiful eyes lit up instantly.
She couldn't help but feel a little pleased, secretly glad that she had dressed up so carefully for so long today.
In order to make a good impression on Gu Yun'an, she specially chose a wide-sleeved blue silk dress. The skirt was embroidered with delicate silk threads, which reflected tiny rays of light as she walked, like a flowing galaxy.
She tilted her head slightly, looking at Gu Yun'an's handsome face, with his sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, high nose bridge, and lips that were both firm and gentle.
She couldn't help but stare, lost in thought, as if her mind had drifted to the highest heavens.
"Yun'an, this is Xiuxiu, you can just call her cousin," Cheng said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Cheng Xiuxiu deliberately lowered her voice slightly and called out with a hint of coquettishness, "Fourth Cousin."
Gu Yun'an's brows furrowed slightly, as if he had been lightly stung by something, but the frown quickly dissipated. He simply gave a low, flat "hmm," his voice deep and indifferent, revealing no emotion whatsoever.
Gu Yun'an slowly sat down, watching Cheng Shi's beaming face and listening to her endless praise of Cheng Xiuxiu. He already understood that Cheng Shi had set her sights on him.
Indeed, since her own daughter has already married out, how could she not find a member of a collateral branch of the family to take her place in the household and consolidate her power?
After sitting for a short while, Gu Yun'an gently stood up, his expression calm, but his tone revealed a hint of indifference: "I have official business to attend to, so I will take my leave now."
Having said that, he turned around without hesitation, without even checking whether Cheng Shi agreed.
But as he turned around, the faint smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by his usual coldness.
Cheng watched his departing figure without saying anything, knowing full well that she couldn't stop him.
Cheng Xiuxiu watched Gu Yun'an leave like that, her heart filled with displeasure. She couldn't help but turn her gaze to the Cheng family, her eyes filled with accusation.
After all, he had just arrived, and it was supposed to be a lively welcome banquet. How could he leave so coldly, making him lose face?
"Alright, Xiuxiu, you should know who's in charge of this mansion, right?" Cheng Shi said leisurely, a sly glint in her eyes.
Upon hearing this, Cheng Xiuxiu immediately showed joy. How could she have forgotten that her aunt was the person in charge of the Gu family? As long as Cheng Shi made her decision, would Gu Yun'an still have any other choice?
The night was hazy, and the moonlight, like a veil, spilled over Huaiju.
Ruan Xingzhu looked at the food on the table, which had already gone cold; the heat had long since dissipated, leaving only a desolate scene.
She sighed softly and was about to get up and go back inside. Just then, a familiar sound came from the doorway. Her heart skipped a beat, and she sat back down. She knew it was Gu Yun'an returning.
"You haven't eaten yet?" As soon as Gu Yun'an came in, he saw the almost untouched food on the table and couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him.
Ruan Xingzhu slightly averted her gaze, her eyes darting away, and said softly, "Not hungry..."
But as soon as she said it, her stomach started growling, the sound particularly clear in the quiet room.
Ruan Xingzhu's face instantly turned bright red, like a ripe apple. She couldn't help but blame herself for being so useless and failing at the crucial moment.
Gu Yun'an didn't even look up, but simply whispered, "Take it and heat it up."
Before long, the food was taken away and brought back. Gu Yun'an personally served Ruan Xingzhu a bowl of rice and carefully added various dishes for her before serving himself rice.
Seeing this, Ruan Xingzhu felt a little worried, afraid that he might eat too much to take care of her, so she couldn't help but ask softly, "Fourth brother, haven't you eaten?"
"Hmm." Gu Yun'an continued his work, his tone remaining calm: "I'm hungry now."
During the meal, Gu Yun'an simply talked to her about ordinary things, and Ruan Xingzhu responded in hushed tones.
But as she ate, she became somewhat absent-minded, her mind constantly wandering to how he had reacted when he saw Cheng Xiuxiu that day, whether he had given her any special treatment, whether...
Since Gu Yun'an didn't mention it, how could she rashly inquire? She could only pretend to be nonchalant and eat the food he had put on her plate.
“You don’t need to wait for me for meals in the future.” Gu Yun’an suddenly put down his chopsticks and said calmly.
Ruan Xingzhu paused slightly in the hand holding the bowl, and for some reason, a sudden pang of sadness struck her heart, as if something had gently pricked her.
But she still nodded obediently, her hair swaying gently with her movements, a hint of disappointment flashing in her eyes.
Gu Yun'an didn't delve into what she was overthinking. However, there was a case that was indeed quite tricky these days, with many threads and a tangled mess. It would probably take some time to deal with, so he didn't want her to wait for him on an empty stomach again.
After finishing his meal with Ruan Xingzhu, he gently told her to go and rest, then turned and went into his study to continue dealing with unfinished official business.
In the study, the candlelight flickered, casting a long shadow on the wall, revealing a hint of weariness and focus.
After taking a bath, Ruan Xingzhu, with a faint fragrance on her body, slowly got into bed.
But she couldn't fall asleep, her mind filled with countless thoughts.
She didn't know if Gu Yun'an telling her not to wait for him meant he didn't need her anymore.
This should have been a good thing, but deep down she felt a bitter taste in her mouth.
She kept asking herself, what would she do if Gu Yun'an really got married?
Whether they are sent away or kept here, they remain nameless and without status.
These days, whenever Gu Yun'an returns to the manor, she is inevitably summoned by Madam Cheng. She knows that Madam Cheng is doing this in order to bring him and Cheng Xiuxiu together.
Huaijuzhong seemed to have become her own home, with only her lonely figure wandering around all day long.
When Gu Yun'an returned to Huaiju, Ruan Xingzhu was about to take a bath.
She had just reached the door when she saw Gu Yun'an's familiar figure.
When Ruan Xingzhu saw him, she stopped in her tracks, a slight thought stirring in her heart, and called out softly, "Fourth Brother."
After saying that, she was about to walk towards the bathroom, but Gu Yun'an grabbed her and held her tightly in his arms. The strength was so great that it seemed as if he wanted to merge her into his own body.
Ruan Xingzhu felt the long-lost warmth and felt a little flustered. Her cheeks instantly became hot, and her heart was pounding like a drum, as if it was about to jump out of her throat.
Gu Yun'an hugged her tightly, as if not giving her any chance to escape. Her arms unconsciously wrapped around his waist, her fingers trembling slightly.
Gu Yun'an simply held her without speaking, quietly feeling each other's heartbeats, as if time had stood still at that moment.
After holding her for a while, Gu Yun'an slowly released her, and Ruan Xingzhu stepped out of his embrace. Gu Yun'an didn't say anything, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes, before letting her go.
Once inside the bathroom, Ruan Xingzhu soaked in the water, the steam blurring her vision.
In fact, to this day, she has not heard a single word from Gu Yun'an about his relationship with Cheng Xiuxiu; she has only heard about it from snippets of conversation among the maids in the mansion.
After getting up, Ruan Xingzhu went straight into the inner room, lifted the covers and lay down to sleep, but she couldn't fall asleep no matter what.
For some reason, whenever she thought about how he had been with Cheng Xiuxiu these past few days, she felt a pang of bitterness in her heart, like eating an unripe fruit, a feeling she couldn't quite describe.
She subconsciously didn't want him to have contact with other women, but as soon as she thought of this, she quickly dispelled the thought and told herself not to be delusional.
The moonlight was hazy, shining through the window onto the bed. Ruan Xingzhu looked at the layers of moonlight outside the window, feeling a sense of confusion.
She felt she shouldn't continue this ambiguous relationship with Gu Yun'an.
He is a man who is going to marry, and he will definitely marry a noblewoman from a prestigious family. She is just a caged bird that is not presentable. How can she be compared with those noblewomen?
At night, Ruan Xingzhu was restless and tossed and turned in bed.
Just as I was about to fall asleep, I suddenly inhaled a familiar scent from the bed.
Gu Yun'an had gotten into bed at some point, and his movements were somewhat hasty, waking her up. Immediately afterward, his lips were captured precisely, his kiss filled with urgency and desire.
Caught off guard, Ruan Xingzhu let out intermittent sobs, her breathing becoming increasingly rapid, and her heart pounding even harder. Gu Yun'an was very eager this time, and his lips soon ravaged hers until they were red and vibrant, like a delicate rose.
Just as Gu Yun'an was about to place his hand on her private parts, Ruan Xingzhu found strength from somewhere and resisted him, panting, "I... got my period."
The man's hurried movements paused for a moment, his breathing became noticeably heavier, and his chest heaved violently. But he eventually stopped and slowly released her.
Ruan Xingzhu felt him push her away, and felt a little awkward. Her face turned red, wondering if she had spoiled his mood.
But she wasn't lying; her period had suddenly started while she was taking a shower.
The people around her stood up, and Ruan Xingzhu was somewhat taken aback, a hint of disappointment flashing in her eyes.
Feeling the warmth fade around her, her heart, which had been warm, gradually cooled. But this wasn't what she wanted; they shouldn't remain in this ambiguous situation.
She let out a soft sigh, and just when she thought he was gone and wouldn't come back, she sank into his warm embrace again.
He held her tightly, his breath gently falling on her forehead, his voice low and tender: "Sleep."
Gu Yun'an held her, feeling somewhat helpless. He had just begun to feel the heat in his lower abdomen subside, but she had easily aroused him again.
Afraid of hurting her, he could only grit his teeth and hold her for a moment to ease the pain before closing his eyes and falling asleep.
Under the moonlight, the two figures leaned against each other, a quiet yet complex emotion spreading between them.
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