Сhаpter 16: Сould it be thаt I did sоmеthing tо wrоng Gu Сhangсе?
Shеn Qingtang hеld baсk and held bасk, but in the еnd, she соuldn’t hоld baсk аny lоngеr.
Shе lеt оut а hеavу sigh, her dеliсate brows slightly furrоwed, lоoking аt Shеn Zuihuаn’s bеautiful faсe with a miх оf frustrаtiоn and disаpрointment.
“Sistеr! It’s nоt thаt I, аs уour уounger sister, wаnt tо lесturе you! But just lооk аt the things уou’vе been dоing dау аfter daу!”
Нearing this, Shеn Zuihuan was suddеnlу stаrtlеd.
She widеnеd her eyes slightly and loоked аt Shеn Qingtаng асross frоm her.
After аll, althоugh Qingtang hаd beеn willful since childhood, she had always been well-mannered.
She had never spoken to her like this before.
Shen Zuihuan’s lips trembled a couple of times. Just as she was about to say something, she saw the faintly angry expression on Shen Qingtang’s face.
So she swallowed back the words that were about to leave her lips.
She thought to herself, could it be that her twenty-one-year-old self had truly done something utterly excessive?
Meanwhile, Gu Tang also seemed frightened by her aunt’s words.
Her soft little hand gently tugged at her aunt’s sleeve.
Shen Qingtang lowered her head and met Gu Tang’s watery, grape-like black eyes, and her heart softened a little.
She let out a light sigh.
She gave a meaningful glance to the maid Bihe, who was waiting nearby.
Bihe understood immediately and stepped forward, bending down to speak softly to Gu Tang, “Miss Tangtang, the second young lady specially brought your favorite chilled sweet dumplings when she came. They’re in the side room. Shall I take you there now?”
It was clear that this was meant to send the child away.
Gu Tang turned her head to look at her mother, who appeared calm but whose eyes held a hint of confusion.
Then she looked at her aunt, whose expression was slightly cold.
After a moment of thought, she suppressed her unease and obediently nodded.
Bihe promptly picked her up and carried her out.
As they passed the doorway, she casually closed the door behind them.
Once Gu Tang was gone, Shen Qingtang felt free to speak her mind.
She stood up, quickly walked over to the couch where Shen Zuihuan was sitting, and sat down beside her, her expression displeased as she said, “Sister, I really can’t understand what you’re thinking these days.”
She continued, “After Xian Yu left, you and Brother Gu were inseparable day and night. I thought you and Brother Gu had already come to an understanding. So why, after he married you, did you start clamoring for a divorce every day?”
“…” Shen Zuihuan.
What! So she had actually been clamoring for a divorce every day before.
If that was the case, why hadn’t Gu Changce and Gu Tang told her?
For a moment, she struggled to process this jumble of information.
Seeing that she didn’t respond, Shen Qingtang grew a little anxious.
Leaning forward, she placed her hand on Shen Zuihuan’s and earnestly advised, “Sister, you have no idea how worried I was when I saw you fall into the water the other day.”
At this point, her tone turned somewhat indignant as she added, “And Xian Yu too—he was standing right there and didn’t even lift a hand to help. With a life at stake, he was still worrying about propriety and trivial formalities. I really misjudged him. He wasn’t such a rigid person in the past!”
Shen Qingtang was so caught up in her own words that she didn’t notice the changing expressions on her sister’s face.
Shen Zuihuan’s expression shifted repeatedly, her thoughts swirling in turmoil.
She had no idea there had been such a situation before she fell into the water.
So, Xian Yu had been standing by watching when she fell in?
Her mind grew increasingly chaotic.She placed her on the couch, her grip on Shen Qingtang’s hand unconsciously tightening.
Shen Qingtang suddenly snapped back to reality.
She saw Shen Zuihuan looking slightly pale, with sweat beading on her forehead.
Concerned, she asked, “Sister, are you alright? Are you feeling unwell?”
Shen Zuihuan shook her head, forcing a faint smile. “It’s nothing, I just feel a bit unsettled in my heart.”
Hearing this, Shen Qingtang felt slightly relieved.
But she still sighed helplessly, gently patting Shen Zuihuan’s hand. “Ah, you’ve always had a weak constitution since childhood, and now after going through all this, you really need to rest and recover properly.”
“…If there’s anything troubling your mind, you can always talk to me or Mother.” After a pause, she added, “…No matter what, Mother and I will always stand by your side.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Zuihuan thought of her aunt.
In truth, she had never been particularly close to her aunt since childhood, but hearing Shen Qingtang say this now still warmed her heart.
She nodded firmly.
Then she remembered that she had been awake for a day but hadn’t yet had the chance to go home to see her father and mother.
She wondered how their health was after seven years had passed.
Thinking this, she voiced it casually.
But upon hearing this, Shen Qingtang’s expression turned slightly odd.
After all, in her memory, her sister had just returned home a few days ago to visit.
But she assumed Shen Zuihuan’s mind was still a bit muddled after recovering from a serious illness.
So she patiently replied, “They’re both well, both well. It’s just that Tangtang hasn’t visited in a long time, and Mother often misses her.”
Hearing this, a faint smile appeared at the corners of Shen Zuihuan’s mouth.
She felt relieved knowing her father and mother were both in good health.
Shen Qingtang’s lips twitched slightly.
She seemed hesitant to speak.
Seeing her like this, Shen Zuihuan picked up a teacup and took a small sip.
Her gaze fixed directly on Shen Qingtang. “If you have something to say, just say it, Qingtang. There’s no need for formality between us sisters.”
Having just lost her memory, she genuinely needed to know what “good deeds” she had done over the years that led to such earth-shattering changes in the past seven years.
Shen Qingtang had previously held back, feeling that given her young age, some things were not appropriate for her to say.
But hearing Shen Zuihuan’s words, she spoke impulsively.
She asked the question that had been troubling her for a long time: “Sister… tell me the truth. A few days ago, did you… did you jump into the water for Brother Wei?”
Clatter—
The white porcelain teacup fell to the floor.
Hot water spilled onto the embroidered carpet, steam still rising from it.
Shen Zuihuan’s face turned deathly pale.
A tangle of chaotic thoughts swirled in her heart, and she could barely catch her breath.
…What did Qingtang mean by that?
What did she mean by jumping into the water for Brother Wei?
Could it be that after marrying Gu Changce, she was still entangled with Brother Wei?
…Could it be that at twenty-one, she was two-timing?
…Would she become a fickle woman in the future?
At this moment, Shen Qingtang’s words, Gu Changce’s contradictory attitude toward her since she woke up, and Gu Tang’s cautious gaze all intertwined in her mind.
Shen Zuihuan felt unsteady on her feet.
A terrifying thought surfaced in her mind.
…Could it be… she had done something to betray Gu Changce in the past…