==Chapter Three==
“You’re ill.”
Gu Yushi repeated it a second time, as if suggesting she was speaking nonsense.
His hand forcefully landed on her face, and through her skin, he felt the scorching heat radiating from within.
She truly was ill.
This realization made his heart suddenly clench.
A sense of powerlessness flooded Feng Wenyu’s entire body. He was always like this—speaking only his own mind, completely disregarding her feelings.
She wasn’t throwing a tantrum.
Why would he never take her pleas seriously?
Emotions flushed Feng Wenyu’s face crimson. She shoved Gu Yushi’s hand away fiercely, no longer remaining silent. Through tears, she cried out:
“Can you just listen to me!”
“I said, I want a divorce!”
She had had enough.
She wanted a divorce!
The outburst seemed to drain all her strength. She collapsed onto the bed, her face unusually flushed, breathing rapidly as she clutched her chest tightly, as if enduring waves of relentless pain.
She had staked everything, leaving herself no room for retreat.
Anyone could see she was serious.
Thus, the warmth in Gu Yushi’s eyes gradually cooled. He straightened his posture:
“Divorce?”
His tone was calm, as if stating a fact: “No one will agree.”
“I won’t.”
“And neither will the Feng family.”
He declared: “Feng Wenyu, abandon this notion.”
In this lifetime, she would only ever be a woman of the Gu family—his wife.
The vow they made at their wedding to accompany each other for life could not be broken by anyone.
Feng Wenyu stared at him in a daze.
Indeed, he now enjoyed the emperor’s deep trust, wielded significant power, and was no longer the young man who had just topped the imperial examinations.
Yet Feng Wenyu had never imagined—he would use the Feng family to threaten her.
Though her breath still burned, her entire body was enveloped in a chill that seeped into her bones.
Someone tucked the quilt corner around her, but Feng Wenyu felt as if all her senses were separated by a thin membrane. Faintly, she heard Gu Yushi’s icy voice: “…Take my token and summon Imperial Physician Li to the residence.”
Feng Wenyu wanted to speak, to reject everything Gu Yushi was doing, but it was futile. Her consciousness plunged completely into darkness.
Gu Yushi noticed the person on the bed had fallen unconscious. His voice halted momentarily as he stood by the bedside, silent like a stone statue. The slanting sunlight outside shifted, elongating and distorting his shadow on the floor, as if screaming something, yet ultimately remaining silent.
After a long while, he reached out his hand, stiff and stubborn, slowly wiping the cold sweat from Feng Wenyu’s forehead.
Imperial Physician Li arrived.
His diagnosis was no different from the previous physicians’.
Imperial Physician Li sighed: “Lord Gu, your wife’s condition requires her to maintain a calm and cheerful state of mind. Otherwise, even if this fever subsides, it will eventually wear down her health.”
Gu Yushi’s gaze remained fixed on Feng Wenyu, unwavering. His voice was cold and hard, much like the man himself:
“Mu Fan, escort Imperial Physician Li out.”
The night outside grew deeper, and the candlelight in the room dimmed, stretching shadows longer and longer.
Gu Yushi’s gaze enveloped Feng Wenyu, his eyes dark and unreadable.
Depression weighing on the heart, wearing down the body.
Gu Yushi’s lips twisted slightly. His fingers traced the woman’s cheek, forcibly attempting to smooth the furrow between her brows. His tone carried emotion, perhaps tinged with a hint of mockery:
“What exactly are you dissatisfied with?”
His eyes held an increasingly cold gleam, perhaps with other emotions buried deep within. He looked down from his height at the person on the bed, as if speaking to her: “I will not agree to a separation.”
He would not let her go.
He sat by the bed until dawn.
When Feng Wenyu woke again, Gu Yushi was no longer by the bed. Only Jinshu remained, replacing the cloth on her forehead.
The damp cloth carried a chill, yet she still felt her entire body burning with fever. Even breathing was painful. She gasped with difficulty, showing no surprise at the scene in the room and asking no questions about Gu Yushi’s whereabouts.
He was undoubtedly busy with official duties outside.
Yesterday’s conversation still echoed in her ears, wrapped in pervasive cold. Her voice weak, she called out:
“Jinshu…”
Jinshu looked at her with delight upon seeing her awake, wiping tears from her face: “Madam, you’re finally awake.”
The medicine prepared at noon couldn’t be administered properly. She didn’t know how Lao Ye had managed to feed Madam the medicine last night and this morning.
Jinshu hurriedly brought the medicine and helped Feng Wenyu sit up, her tone tinged with worry and anxiety: “Madam, please drink the medicine while it’s hot.”
Feng Wenyu’s body felt limp as mud as she leaned against Jinshu. Her mind remained somewhat unclear, swallowing the medicine without tasting it. The bitterness seemed distant, while cold sweat beaded on her forehead and neck. She turned her face aside in discomfort, moisture unconsciously seeping from the corners of her eyes.
“The kitchen has brought lunch. Please have a bite, Madam.”
After waiting a long time without response, Jinshu quickly looked down and saw her mistress dazedly leaning against her, as if rendered senseless by the fever. Terror gripped Jinshu’s heart:
“Shuyao! Shuyao!”
Front courtyard.
Gu Yushi sat at his desk, the brought-back case files spread before him. He handled official business as usual, except the documents remained unchanged from beginning to end until Mu Fan pushed the door open:
“Lao Ye, someone from Dali Temple has arrived.”
Gu Yushi didn’t even look up: “Show them in.”
Mu Fan led the visitor inside. Hearing his master begin discussing official matters, he quickly closed the door and sent for tea.
Just as the servant withdrew, Mu Fan heard frantic footsteps outside. Turning, he saw the tear-streaked Shuyao:
“Lao Ye! Lao Ye! Something’s wrong with Madam!”
Mu Fan’s scalp prickled. Knowing important matters were being discussed inside yet aware of Madam’s condition, he dared neither let Shuyao through nor stop her, managing only to say: “Lao Ye has guests inside!”
Shuyao clutched Mu Fan’s sleeve, sobbing uncontrollably while pointing toward the main residence: “Madam… Madam has lost consciousness!”
Mu Fan jumped in fright, instinctively looking toward the study.
Those inside had clearly heard the exchange. The door opened from within as Gu Yushi stepped out with a cold, grim expression, followed by an official in court robes who looked startled but recognized the household emergency, immediately cupping his hands:
“Since your household has matters to attend to, this official won’t disturb further. I hope Your Honor will come to Dali Temple tomorrow to discuss details.”
Gu Yushi didn’t stop him from leaving. He strode quickly toward the main residence, his voice carrying back: “Summon the imperial physician.”
The main residence was in chaos. Imperial Physician Li rushed over but had no alternative except to administer a potent remedy. Though strong medicine harmed the body, in this situation, without treatment, she might not even survive.
Before leaving, Imperial Physician Li saw Gu Yushi’s silhouette standing by the bed and silently shook his head.
Every family has its own troubles.
It seemed the Gu residence was no exception.
Feng Wenyu only felt noise all around her. Something was being forcibly poured into her mouth—it tasted terribly bitter, making her nauseous. She felt so miserable she wanted to cry, but when she tried to lift her hand, it was as if a mountain were pressing down on her. After what felt like an eternity, the weight gradually lightened, and she finally managed to open her eyes.
What met her gaze was the dimness of the outer chamber and Gu Yushi standing by her bed, half of his figure shrouded in shadow.
Having been unconscious for so long, her voice remained hoarse: “You… why are you here?”
Hearing this, Gu Yushi stepped out of the shadows and retorted in an unreadable tone:
“Where else should I be?”
In the dead of night, it was only natural for him to be here.
Feng Wenyu closed her eyes wearily. The illness had drained all her energy, and she had no desire to argue with him. She fell silent and with great effort turned her back to him.
Curling up in the brocade quilt, she hugged herself. Her slender frame could not fill the loose sleeping robe, making her appear even more gaunt.
Gu Yushi stared blankly at this sight and fell silent.
Had she always been this emaciated?
Feng Wenyu didn’t know what medicine the imperial physician had prescribed, but she clearly felt cold sweats breaking out intermittently, and her body seemed to lighten slightly. With her back to everyone, she hadn’t noticed when the room’s lights dimmed. Then, someone lay down behind her.
Feng Wenyu stiffened entirely.
She quickly turned over, her voice shocked and urgent: “…You—cough—what are you doing?!”Feng Wenyu couldn’t comprehend how, after their argument yesterday, he could still naturally lie beside her as if it were natural.”
Driven by some indescribable emotion, she struggled to push him away, but her feeble efforts were futile. Gu Yushi kept his eyes closed, not even looking at her, his tone cold and heavy:
“I’m staying right here.”
Her emotional turmoil caused another wave of sweat to break out, and she began to feel unwell again.
She shifted, attempting to get up.
Suddenly, her wrist was seized. Someone in the dim room fixed an unwavering gaze on her: “What are you doing?”
Feng Wenyu didn’t want to speak to him and tersely threw out four words:
“None of your business.”
But Gu Yushi was even more resolute: “Lie down.”
Feng Wenyu disliked his domineering manner. Yesterday’s argument still echoed in her mind—she didn’t want to share a bed with him. She tried to pull her hand back but couldn’t free it. Propping herself up weakly with one hand, she had no choice but to whisper pleadingly, “Let go of me!”
By the faint moonlight, Gu Yushi clearly saw her pale face.
He hadn’t slept at all last night, and with some inexplicable emotion stirring within him, he was utterly exhausted.
When Feng Wenyu struggled again, he couldn’t help but lift his gaze to meet hers:
“Feng Wenyu.”
He said, “Can you stop making a scene?”
The air suddenly stilled.
Feng Wenyu froze in place. Gu Yushi’s words rang clearly in her ears, sending a chill creeping through her body, causing her fingers to tremble involuntarily.
He was telling her to stop making a scene again.
As if no matter what she did, in his eyes, it was always just causing trouble.
She curled her lips in self-mockery:
“…Gu Yushi, in your eyes, am I really someone who enjoys making trouble so much?”
Gu Yushi merely watched her calmly.
The silence pressed down on her until she could barely breathe, suffocating her. In moments of sorrow, words often sharpen into needles:
“Since we can’t stand the sight of each other, why not let me go?”
She was challenging him.
Gu Yushi wanted to mock her, but her face was so pale it seemed about to dissolve into the moonlight. Thus, he could only say calmly:
“You should rest now.”