Chapter 129 Wicked Stepmother, Poor Child 22
A sense of inferiority and humiliation rose in his heart, and he couldn't stop it. He subconsciously avoided Zhou Jingxuan's embrace.
Gu Hongjian's eyes flickered, and he almost couldn't suppress his inner irritation. Was he a womanizer?
But the next second, upon seeing Zhou Jingxuan's belly, he gently withdrew his hand.
"Jingxuan, you are pregnant now, and the first three months are the most important."
It is absolutely not advisable to have sexual intercourse, lest it harm the fetus.
"Let's wait until your pregnancy is more stable before we start, okay? I'm doing this for your own good."
Zhou Jingxuan's smile froze.
She had waited so long, finally able to be together openly and legitimately, finally mustered up the courage, and this was the result?
Looking at Gu Hongjian's evasive eyes, she felt a little suspicious. Gu Lang had never refused her before, but now that he had brought up the child, she couldn't find the words to refute him.
If she were to bring it up again, it would make her seem too eager, so eager to become a concubine, so eager to do *that* with him. Did she have no shame?
Although Zhou Jingxuan didn't look too good, she didn't persist. Gu Hongjian was a little worried that she wouldn't give up, so he quickly said something.
"Alright, you must be tired today. Get some rest, you have to get up early tomorrow."
Tomorrow, I will make the decision for you; from now on, you will be in charge of managing the household affairs.
After saying that, Gu Hongjian lay down on his own, and then half-forced Zhou Jingxuan to lie down with him. He lay down on the outside fully clothed, with his back to Zhou Jingxuan.
It's over, it's over.
He couldn't muster the slightest interest in Zhou Jingxuan. He felt nothing at all when Zhou Jingxuan directly tested him. Was he really useless?
Gu Hongjian felt a pang of sorrow. He was an outstanding person, a top scholar who had once paraded through the streets on horseback, yet he had contracted such a strange disease.
Looking at Gu Hongjian's back as he turned away from her, Zhou Jingxuan felt her anticipation and enthusiasm suddenly dampened. Had everything she had done all this time really been worth it?
This wedding night is completely different from what she expected; Gu Lang has become too indifferent.
Zhou Jingxuan felt a little uneasy. Could it be that Gu Hongjian changed his attitude because Shen Ci had woken up and was not dead?
Does he still harbor any feelings for his ex-wife?
The red candles in the room slowly burned out, but not a sound came from the bridal chamber, leaving only silence as the two people were lost in their own thoughts.
The planned beautiful time together turned into a situation where they were sleeping in the same bed but dreaming different dreams.
On the second day of her marriage, although Qiutang Courtyard was quiet, Zhou Jingxuan got up early and carefully dressed herself.
She pretended to have forgotten everything that happened last night, hiding her unease in her heart. She put on her usual gentle smile, her softness being her weapon. Accompanied by Gu Hongjian, she went to the main courtyard to pay her respects to Shen Ci.
Upon entering, Zhou Jingxuan bowed respectfully, her posture extremely humble, leaving no room for criticism regarding her manners.
Gu Hongjian coughed lightly, his hand clenched into a fist, his tone full of concern.
"My lady, you have just recovered from a serious illness and it is really not advisable for you to overwork yourself. There are many trivial matters in the household that are always time-consuming and laborious. I really can't bear to see you working so hard."
Now that Jingxuan has entered the household, she should share your burdens.
She comes from an official family and is familiar with these matters, so why not hand over the management of the household to her? This way, you can focus on your recovery and we can discuss other matters once you've fully recovered.”
Gu Hongjian truly lived up to his reputation as a professional gigolo; he was incredibly eloquent and could always manage a smile, no matter how many unpleasant things had happened before. Even when he was the one who stole your things, he would still claim that he was doing it for your own good.
These words sounded so grand and noble, as if they were truly for Shen Ci's sake, but bringing a concubine to interrogate the principal wife about the right to manage the household—who wouldn't say something was wrong?
Shen Ci sat upright at the head of the table, not even asking anyone to bring two chairs for them to sit on, and slowly and deliberately played with the teacup in her hand.
This is the latest celadon porcelain fired in Jiangnan. A set costs a thousand taels of silver. If it weren't for her, the Gu family might never have been able to afford it in their entire lives.
Gu Hongjian smiled insincerely, while Zhou Jingxuan's eyes held undisguised anticipation. She sneered inwardly, thinking, "They've barely finished their wedding night, and they're already eager to seize power?"
However, she wasn't in a hurry.
Butler? It sounds glamorous, but it's actually a thankless and arduous job. The original owner was too foolish back then, slowly pouring her generous dowry into the Gu family's mess.
With Gu Hongjian's meager salary, how else could he support such a large mansion and all the servants in the household?
If it weren't for the subsidies from her dowry, the four of them would probably still be living in a thatched cottage on the outskirts of the capital!
“My husband is right.”
My health definitely needs some time to recover, and Sister Zhou's arrival is just in time to help me out."
Shen Ci readily complied and offered no resistance, smiling kindly, which sent a chill down Gu Hongjian's spine. It was rather frightening that she had suddenly become so easy to talk to.
She agreed so readily?! Gu Hongjian and Zhou Jingxuan were both stunned, somewhat incredulous. It was too easy, as if she couldn't wait to throw away some burden!
Shen Ci turned his head and gave instructions to Dan Gui.
"Go and fetch all the household registers and account books, and give them to Aunt Zhou."
Although Dan Gui was puzzled, she did as she was told. Soon, the token representing the steward's authority and a thick stack of account books were presented to Zhou Jingxuan.
If she couldn't figure it out, she wouldn't think about it anymore; the joy in Zhou Jingxuan's eyes was almost overflowing.
Shen Ci smiled and said, "Sister Zhou has just taken over these things, and everything is difficult at the beginning. If there is anything you don't understand, please don't ask me. I still need to take good care of my health."
However, you must also take good care of your health and the baby in your womb, and avoid overexerting yourself.
Zhou Jingxuan is so eager for the power to manage the household, and once she gets it, she will not easily show weakness when faced with difficulties. She will definitely want to take this opportunity to prove her competence, and then she will become another Shen Ci.
They used everything they had to fill this impoverished hole.
Zhou Jingxuan was in no mood to listen to what she was saying at the moment. She didn't listen carefully at all, and was only filled with joy. This came too easily. She couldn't wait to take it and feel the feeling of having great power in her hands.
What does a title matter? Whoever holds the power of managing the household is the true mistress of the house!
In Zhou Jingxuan's eyes, the Gu family mansion was a huge residence with countless servants, extremely wealthy, unlike the impoverished Zhou family. However, she was completely unaware of the truth behind this.
She thought that Gu Hongjian was young and promising and had a wealthy family, which was why he was living so well. She believed that with the support of her uncle, his future would be limitless, and her status as a virtuous wife would naturally rise accordingly!
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