Her beautiful eyes widened slightly, an expression of utter astonishment.
Cui Tang reached out, gently cupping her daughter’s face with both hands. “Silly child, whether you’re happy or not, your mother can tell at a glance.”
Gu Anyun’s nose stung fiercely, her eyes growing warm. “Mom, aren’t you going to ask me why?”
“If you wanted to say it, you wouldn’t have waited until now for me to bring it up, right?”
Gu Anyun pressed her pink lips together and gave a slight nod.
Cui Tang ruffled her hair, her expression caught between a smile and a sigh. “My girl has grown up and has her own thoughts. In a way, that’s a good thing.”
Hearing this, Gu Anyun was slightly taken aback, looking at her mother with confusion.
Cui Tang squeezed her daughter’s soft hand, speaking earnestly. “Actually, your father has always felt you’re too sensible and obedient. He wants you to be yourself.”
Three years ago, when the Jin family came to propose marriage, Gu Qiaoxi was the first to object.
But at the time, everyone thought he was just being an overprotective father. The idea of his daughter getting married—no matter to whom—would naturally make him oppose it.
Cui Tang was different. She knew keeping their daughter by their side forever wasn’t realistic. Although the Gu family had the means to do so, as their daughter grew older, she would inevitably become curious about the outside world. She might meet a boy she liked in the future, but what about that boy’s character? What was his family background like? Would he hurt their daughter?
Everything was filled with unknowns.
As a mother, having experienced her own share of romantic hardships in her youth, she couldn’t help but consider more and be a bit more selfish.
She felt the Jin family’s standing was no less than the Gu family’s, and the two families were closely connected, knowing each other inside out. Jin Chenyue was someone all the elders had watched grow up since childhood—excellent in both character and ability. Entrusting their daughter to Jin Chenyue gave Cui Tang great peace of mind.
And so, the arranged marriage came about naturally.
Actually, at first, it was only intended to be an engagement for the two young ones, giving them a few years to develop feelings.
But when Fu Jinyu suddenly fell gravely ill, to prevent her from passing away with regrets, the two children, who had just reached the legal age, smoothly held a wedding and registered their marriage.
Gu Qiaoxi was so upset with Cui Tang over this that it took her a full month after their daughter’s wedding to coax him back into good spirits.
From finalizing the arranged marriage to the wedding itself, it was only a brief two months—far too quick. It wasn’t until after their daughter was married that Cui Tang belatedly realized she had never once asked her daughter if she was willing to marry.
She hadn’t asked back then, and later, she lacked the courage to ask.
Afraid of hearing her daughter say she hadn’t wanted to marry, afraid her daughter would resent her…
Recalling the details of that arranged marriage, it all felt as vivid as yesterday, filling her with regret.
Looking at her daughter now—who, even to this day, hadn’t uttered a single word of complaint and still carefully tended to the feelings of the elders—her heart ached unbearably.
“Tangtang, Mom was wrong. Mom failed you.”
Gu Anyun pressed her lips tightly together, shaking her head vigorously before hugging her mother tightly, burying her face in the crook of her neck.
Cui Tang held her trembling shoulders, feeling the warmth and dampness against her neck. She closed her eyes, her breathing growing labored.
This was the daughter she had raised, cradled in the palm of her hand…
Holding her daughter close, she whispered soothingly, “Do whatever you want to do. Mom supports you.”
…The news of the divorce soon reached Gu Qiaoxi and Jin Fang as well. Fearing that Fu Jinyu might not be able to accept it right away, they decided not to tell her for the time being.
After discussing among the three elders, they agreed to wait until the divorce proceedings were finalized before finding an opportunity to break the news to Fu Jinyu.
In front of the elders, Gu Anyun repeatedly emphasized that it was an amicable divorce, but Jin Fang still believed that Jin Chenyue had failed to treat Gu Anyun well, causing her distress.
He wanted to call Jin Chenyuge, but Gu Anyun stopped him.
“Daddy, this was something we agreed upon three years ago.”
Upon hearing this, Jin Fang was shocked, and even Gu Qiaoxi beside him was equally stunned.
Gu Qiaoxi frowned, his gaze toward his daughter unusually stern for once: “Sugar, explain to Dad clearly. What do you mean by ‘agreed upon three years ago’?”
Gu Anyun glanced at her father’s troubled expression, then at her mother.
Finally, under the watchful eyes of the three adults, she took a deep breath and confessed honestly:
“Three years ago, faced with this sudden marriage, both Jin Chenyue and I were confused. After all, we had grown up treating each other like siblings. Suddenly becoming husband and wife was something neither of us could adjust to easily.”
Upon hearing this, Cui Tang covered her face with her hands, unable to hold back her tears of regret any longer. “Look at what we’ve done…”
As soon as his wife started crying, Gu Qiaoxi’s anger softened. He pulled her into his arms, his low voice tinged with frustration but still comforting her: “Don’t cry. All four of us adults share responsibility for this. It’s not your fault alone.”
Cui Tang remained silent, tears still streaming down her face.
Gu Qiaoxi sighed, grabbing a tissue to wipe her tears.
Gu Anyun couldn’t bear to see her mother cry. “Mom, I don’t blame any of you, and I don’t regret it. We were both adults at the time. We signed the agreement willingly and with clear minds, so there’s no right or wrong here.”
Hearing this, Cui Tang cried even harder.
Gu Qiaoxi felt overwhelmed. He could only look at his daughter and ask, “So, your divorce now was also discussed?”
“Yes,” Gu Anyun nodded, her expression calm.
“Three years…” Gu Qiaoxi paused, his voice lowering slightly. “Didn’t you develop any feelings at all?”
Gu Anyun nodded again, her expression unchanged.
Gu Qiaoxi fell silent.
Jin Fang didn’t know how to react, feeling only shame. He lowered his gaze, unable to meet Gu Anyun’s eyes.
After a moment, Gu Qiaoxi snorted coldly, pointing at Jin Fang angrily. “What did I say? It was all your wishful thinking, forcing a match. Now look—two good siblings have been turned into a divorced couple! How are they supposed to interact naturally from now on?”
Jin Fang knew he was at fault and remained silent.
Cui Tang looked up, her eyes slightly red, her voice trembling from crying: “Sweetheart, we elders made a mistake.”
They had thought that since the two knew each other well and had grown up together, they would naturally develop feelings after marriage. Who would have thought it would end up like this?
“No,” Gu Anyun shook her head, her sweet voice speaking softly. “If I hadn’t wanted to give it a try back then, no amount of pressure from you would have worked. In fact, Jin Chenyue and I thought the same way you did at the time. We believed that since we knew each other well and didn’t dislike each other, marriage wouldn’t be a bad thing. We thought feelings could always develop after marriage.”
“Right, they could develop…” Jin Fang looked up at Gu Anyun, his expression concerned and puzzled. “Was A-Yue not good enough? Or did he mistreat you?”Gu Anyun looked at Jin Fang and sighed softly. “Daddy, you can’t keep shifting the blame onto him just because you favor me.”
Jin Fang was momentarily taken aback, then he rubbed his nose. “That’s not what I meant, Daddy just doesn’t want you to suffer…”
“I’m not suffering. Aside from the fact that Jin Chenyue and I don’t love each other, everything else in this marriage is fine.”
Gu Anyun paused before adding, “Jin Chenyue has been very good to me these past three years. It’s just that, compared to a marriage built on familiarity, perhaps I long for love even more.”
Gu Anyun’s words were clear enough.
She did not love Jin Chenyue.
Cui Tang looked at her daughter’s calm and composed expression, lost in thought.
Was her daughter really seeking a divorce because she had no feelings for Jin Chenyue?