Chapter 91 What are you doing here so late...?
Gu Qingxu seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world. The corners of her mouth curled up slightly, and a disdainful smile spread across her face like ripples.
"Alright, then I'll open my eyes wide and see whether my mother will favor you, the collateral branch, or pity me, her youngest daughter." Her voice was clear and melodious, carrying an innate arrogance and willfulness, making it particularly distinct in the quiet courtyard.
Undeniably, Gu Qingsu's words are absolutely correct.
Within the Gu family mansion, as the youngest daughter of the Cheng family, even if she were to actually lay a hand on Cheng Xiuxiu, the Cheng family would only pull her aside, speak softly to her, and do nothing more than a show.
On the contrary, she not only failed to gain any favor from Cheng Shi, but may also end up making a fool of herself.
Thinking this, Cheng Xiuxiu's mind suddenly sharpened. Weighing the pros and cons, she suppressed her resentment and instantly changed her expression to a pleasant one, adopting a fawning demeanor.
He said ingratiatingly, "I was just joking, please don't take it to heart, Cousin Qing Su."
Gu Qingxu didn't even glance at her, only looking at her with an impatient expression.
Cheng Xiuxiu knew Gu Qingxu's temper; if she continued to pester him, she was afraid she would suffer the consequences, so she dared not stay any longer.
"I suddenly remembered I had some urgent business to attend to, so I'll be leaving now."
After saying that, he hurriedly turned and left in a sorry state.
Once Cheng Xiuxiu's figure had completely disappeared around the corner of the courtyard, Gu Qingxu finally put away his annoyed expression, pulled Ruan Xingzhu to sit down on a stone bench nearby, and asked her with concern.
But when the topic inadvertently turned to her complicated relationship with Gu Yun'an, both of them seemed to be frozen in place, and fell into deep thought without prior agreement.
As the eldest son of the Gu family, Gu Yun'an is of marriageable age, and it's only a matter of time before he gets married. But once he's married, what will become of Ruan Xingzhu?
Gu Qingxu stayed at home for a few more days, during which time she couldn't let go of the matter. Finally, on her way out, she couldn't resist and sought out Gu Yun'an.
Having not seen Gu Yun'an for a long time, Gu Qingsu had no interest in small talk. As soon as she saw him, she asked directly, "Fourth Brother, what will happen to Xingzhu after you get married?"
Gu Yun'an slowly lifted his eyelids, looked at her calmly, and asked in return, "Who said I was going to get married?"
Gu Qingxu was slightly stunned, her face full of disbelief. Cheng Xiuxiu had already won the favor of the Cheng family, and everyone in the mansion regarded her as the future mistress.
Does anyone even need to say that?
Gu Yun'an didn't know whether this was Gu Qingsu's own idea or Ruan Xingzhu's.
He lowered his eyes, a hint of weariness flashing in them, not wanting to say too much to her. "Alright, Yi Mingyu is here to pick you up. I know what I'm doing."
After saying that, he turned and walked towards the mansion.
Gu Qingxu wanted to get to the bottom of it, but Gu Yun'an's expression clearly indicated that he didn't want to tell her.
Upon entering the mansion, Gu Yun'an subconsciously looked towards the West Garden. It was usually unusually quiet there, lacking its former vibrancy and life.
At Huaiju, moonlight spills onto the lake, creating streaks of light and shadow, as if the vibrant life of Ruan Xingzhu is present there.
He hadn't hugged her in a long time.
The tall figure slowly left Huaiju, and soon after, the dark figure slowly entered the West Garden.
Ruan Xingzhu has been tossing and turning and unable to fall asleep these days, so she goes to bed very late every day.
After bathing, she slowly got up, wearing a soft outer robe, and walked out of the inner room.
Just then, she faintly heard a soft sound coming from the pavilion in the backyard.
She slept late and didn't want to burden her maid, Mu Tao, so she always made Mu Tao go to bed early. Now, this sound came from there.
A question arose in his mind: Could it be that Mu Tao had awakened?
"Mu Tao..." she called out hesitantly as she walked out.
As her voice faded, the figure grew clearer and approached her. When she recognized the person, a look of surprise flashed across her face. But before she could utter a sound, she was pulled into a strong and familiar embrace.
Ruan Xingzhu leaned against his chest, his familiar scent lingering around her nose, and she felt a sense of peace she had never felt before.
Gu Yun'an hugged her very tightly, as if he wanted to embed her whole body into his body and make her one with him.
He lowered his head and greedily inhaled the scent of her neck, where the faint fragrance of her fresh bath lingered—a unique blend of floral and natural body odor that intoxicated him.
They hugged quietly for a while, Ruan Xingzhu filled with doubt, wondering what he had come so late at night for.
She hesitated before speaking, her voice trembling slightly with nervousness and anticipation: "Fourth Brother... what are you doing here so late?"
Her voice trembled slightly; she felt a faint sense of anticipation mixed with fear.
Gu Yun'an gently nuzzled against her neck, his warm breath brushing against her skin like a feather, carrying a sticky tenderness: "I missed you."
The voice he spoke was deep and magnetic, as if it possessed a kind of magic, causing Ruan Xingzhu's body to stiffen slightly.
Her eyes became slightly unnatural at his words, and a faint blush rose to her cheeks. She pursed her lips, her heart pounding with anxiety, unsure how to respond. She could only quietly let him hold her, feeling each other's heartbeats.
Gu Yun'an seemed to enjoy holding her like this, and didn't let go for a long time.
Suddenly, his thin lips gently brushed against her earlobe, his warm breath spraying against her ear, and he softly asked, "Xingzhu, did you miss me?"
These gentle words were like a breeze, stirring Ruan Xingzhu's heartstrings.
Ruan Xingzhu felt a sudden panic in her eyes. She knew exactly what the answer to this question was, but the accompanying shame made her afraid to say it easily.
She licked her dry lips, nestled in his arms, and ultimately remained silent, burying her head even deeper, as if that would allow her to escape his burning gaze.
After waiting a long time for Ruan Xingzhu's reply, Gu Yun'an loosened his grip on her slightly, gently touching her soft face with his large hand. His eyes were warm and affectionate as he looked directly at her and asked again, "Hmm? Xingzhu, do you miss me?"
His burning gaze seemed to see right through her, making Ruan Xingzhu want to look away, but her chin was firmly locked in his grip, giving her no chance to escape.
"I……"
Ruan Xingzhu's eyes gradually welled up with tears. She wanted to tell him that she missed him terribly too, but reason was pulling her back desperately.
He knew he would get married sooner or later, and he couldn't let himself continue like this. In the end, he went against his true feelings. Ruan Xingzhu blinked, trying hard not to let the tears fall, her voice trembling slightly from the pressure.
"In no mood."
Even though he knew she was lying, Gu Yun'an's eyes still darkened, a barely perceptible hint of loneliness flashing across them. However, he didn't press her any further. But just as he was about to pull her into his arms again, Ruan Xingzhu reached out and gently pushed him away.
Ruan Xingzhu suppressed the overwhelming longing in her heart, stepped back slightly, and said with a hint of estrangement in her tone: "Fourth brother is a man who is going to get married, so it would be better to keep some distance from me."
As she spoke, she lowered her head slightly, not daring to look Gu Yun'an in the eye. She tried her best to keep the tears in her eyes from falling, but her slightly trembling shoulders still betrayed the turmoil in her heart.
A gentle smile slowly spread across Gu Yun'an's cold face. Far from being angry, he felt a sense of relief. He could tell that the young girl was actually jealous of him.
Seeing that she was trying hard to hold back the tears in her eyes, he couldn't help but feel a pang in his heart. He reached out again, gently cupped her face, looked at her with a firm gaze, and spoke each word clearly.
"Then I want to marry Xingzhu, is that alright?"
These words struck Ruan Xingzhu like a thunderbolt, her almond-shaped eyes widening instantly, filled with disbelief, as if she had misheard.
How could Gu Yun'an possibly marry her? In her mind, his wife must be a lady from a prestigious family, a woman of great refinement, not an orphan like her with no background.
She tried to calm her thoughts, forcing a bitter smile, and said softly, "Fourth Brother is joking. As the eldest son of the legitimate wife, Fourth Brother's status is extremely noble, as unattainable as a flower in the water or the moon in the mirror. How could his wife be someone without any background?"
Moreover, even if Gu Yun'an agrees, the Cheng family and the Gu family clan will absolutely not agree.
Gu Yun'an slowly lowered his large hand from her face, his tone somewhat indifferent, as if he were talking about something perfectly ordinary: "What if I weren't the legitimate son?"
Ruan Xingzhu's eyes widened in surprise; she hadn't expected Gu Yun'an to bring up this matter again.
Few people know that Gu Yun'an was not born to the first wife, Cheng Shi.
Back then, Cheng gave birth to daughters one after another. Before her husband passed away, Cheng became pregnant with her last child.
She was filled with anticipation, searching everywhere for various secret remedies, hoping to give birth to a son and solidify her position in the Gu family. But in the end, she gave birth to a daughter, Gu Qingxu.
That same year, the second branch of the family began to covet power in the Gu household. Left with no other option, Lady Cheng finally adopted Gu Yun'an, the young son of the orphaned third wife, into her own household.
From then on, Gu Yun'an transformed from an unknown illegitimate son into the only legitimate son of the main branch of the family.
This change in status aroused great envy among the collateral descendants of the Gu family of the same age, all of whom thought he had become very lucky.
Gu Yun'an had told her this once before when he was drunk. At that time, he said that he had no relatives left, and that she would be his relatives from now on.
Let's depend on each other for survival, shall we?
She was still young and naive then, so she didn't take his words to heart.
But now, hearing Gu Yun'an mention it again, those forgotten memories surged into her mind like a tide, leaving her with mixed feelings.
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