After thinking this way, Lu Shaoting’s earlier gentleness and relaxation toward Gu Xia instantly turned cold.
He absolutely refused to believe that Gu Xia’s kindness toward him was genuine.
Even his own family had never been sincere with him, let alone Gu Xia, who had approached him with ulterior motives and used him.
When he was in the northwest, he had fallen for her trap so easily and been drugged by her precisely because he had thought the youngest daughter of the Gu family was innocent and harmless.
He had trusted Gu Xia, only to be used.
Once was enough—how could he foolishly believe Gu Xia’s words again? Impossible.
As far as he was concerned, Gu Xia was using him to help her parents and sister, while he, Lu Shaoting, was also using Gu Xia to resist his parents’ control, especially when it came to forced marriage.
The harm caused by this incident—what was real and what was fake—only he himself knew.
He had no intention of getting married.
Since childhood, he had seen enough of the conflicts between his mother and grandmother because of him, enough of the scheming among siblings, and enough of the resentment and complaints between husband and wife.
If marriage only brought such conflicts, he would rather not have it.
Gu Xia’s appearance was merely an accident.
The key was, she was pregnant…
In fact, Lu Shaoting had initially been unwilling to keep Gu Xia around. Seeing her, and later seeing the child in her womb, would only remind him of the humiliation of being manipulated.
He might as well use Gu Xia to avoid the troubles of being pressured into marriage.
Since he was going to marry Gu Xia, Lu Shaoting naturally took her back to the Lu family after being discharged from the hospital. In front of his parents, he directly stated his intentions.
“Gu Xia and I are planning to get married. This is my decision.”
Sitting in his wheelchair, Lu Shaoting spoke while reaching out to grasp Gu Xia’s hand beside him. His broad, calloused palm enveloped her slender hand, holding it tightly.
If she hadn’t known that Lu Shaoting truly didn’t like her, Gu Xia might have almost believed they were genuinely close enough to meet his parents.
Seeing her son Lu Shaoting holding Gu Xia’s hand so intimately, Lu Shaoting’s mother, Zhang Yue, was so angry that her chest heaved with emotion.
“Shaoting, you’re being foolish. How old is she, and how old are you? Now that something has happened to you, do you really think Gu Xia will stay by your side forever? She’s marrying you at such a young age only for your status and power.”
Gu Xia glanced at Zhang Yue, her delicate oval face filled with seriousness and determination. “Don’t underestimate me. Why wouldn’t I be able to stay by Shaoting’s side? As long as he likes me, I can stay with him.”
Like?
Those two simple words left Lu Shaoting feeling somewhat unsettled.
He glanced at Gu Xia, almost wanting to blurt out and ask her, “Do you even know what liking someone means?”
But he didn’t ask.
He thought Gu Xia was probably just like him—merely putting on an act.
Lu Shaoting’s eyes turned cold again as he looked at his mother and said, “You know as well as I do that Gu Xia is young. I should be grateful that she’s willing to marry me.”
“Now that my health is compromised, Gu Xia is willing to marry me and even bear my child. Even if I give her all my assets, it’s only right.”
Hearing Lu Shaoting mention giving Gu Xia all his assets, Lu Xiaojing, who was sitting in a chair, could no longer stay seated.
Actually, Lu Xiaojing and her eldest brother Lu Jianming each had their own calculations. Although their jobs seemed decent, they had grown accustomed to lavish spending over the years and had little savings. In contrast, Lu Shaoting, being single and constantly earning military honors, was said to have tens of thousands in bonuses saved up.
If Lu Shaoting really never married, that money would eventually end up in the hands of his nephew Lu Ye when he grew older.
Lu Xiaojing, being so shrewd, knew the plans of her eldest brother’s family. She had grown closer to Lu Jianming’s family simply because their goals aligned—she was counting on her eldest nephew Lu Ye to take charge of the Lu family in the future and hoped to rely on him.
Seeing that her eldest brother and sister-in-law remained silent, Lu Xiaojing took the initiative to speak.
“Fourth Brother, you’ve always been such a steady person, but now you’re acting recklessly. Gu Xia says she’s carrying your child, but it’s just her word against nothing. Who knows if that child isn’t some other man’s bastard?”
Lu Shaoting shot her a sharp glare.
“Whether I’ve touched Gu Xia or not, do you know better than I do, Eldest Sister?”
“Mind your own messy affairs before trying to meddle in mine.”
Struck right at her sore spot, Lu Xiaojing instantly paled, flushing with anger and shame as she retorted:
“I’m just concerned about you as your eldest sister. You really don’t know how to appreciate kindness.”
Lu Shaoting replied coldly, “I don’t need it.”
Lu Xiaojing was left speechless, her words shut down by Lu Shaoting.
Lu Xiaoyan was also present today.
However, she supported Gu Xia keeping Lu Shaoting’s child and naturally didn’t say much.
The Lu Family Old Master had visited the hospital and consulted with doctors, so he knew his son’s physical condition.
As his son had said, even if he recovered and could continue serving in the military, his body was now broken.
When it came to marriage and having children, he would still be lacking.
For Gu Xia to marry him at such a time was, to be honest, a stroke of luck for Fourth Brother. It was also fortunate that Gu Xia hadn’t gotten an abortion, leaving Shaoting with an heir.
After weighing the pros and cons, although the Lu Family Old Master looked down on Gu Xia,
he still felt that she was currently the best choice for his son Lu Shaoting.
As for why the Lu Family Matriarch disliked Gu Xia, it was because she had listened to her eldest son and believed that the entire Gu family had been sent down to a rural village in the northwest.
Having such in-laws would not only be embarrassing to mention,
but the Gu family might also drag down the Lu family in the future.
Naturally, Old Mrs. Lu disliked Gu Xia.
But for now, she had no say over Lu Shaoting’s decisions.
One of the Lu Family Elders remained silent, while the other said to let Lu Shaoting decide for himself.
As for the opinions of Lu Xiaojing, Lu Xiaoyan, and even Lu Jianming, they held no reference value for Lu Shaoting whatsoever.
He disregarded everyone’s objections and insisted on marrying Gu Xia.
The Lu family compound had originally been allocated when the Lu Family Old Master was still serving in the military and hadn’t retired.
Over the years, after Lu Jianming married, he and his wife moved to the family quarters assigned by the academy, which happened to be in the same compound as the Gu family’s original home, though not in the same building.
Lu Xiaojing and Lu Xiaoyan had also moved out after getting married.
The Lu family home had plenty of rooms.
Upstairs, two rooms were reserved for Lu Shaoting—one as a bedroom and the other as a study.
On the first floor, the master bedroom was for the Lu Family Old Master and Matriarch. There was also a study that originally belonged to the Old Master, but in recent years, as both elders’ health had declined, Old Mrs. Lu, annoyed by her husband’s snoring, had moved into a separate room.
The old man was staying in a bed set up inside the study.
Another room was for the nanny, and there was also a stairwell, which was used as a storage space.
Although Gu Xia was to marry Lu Shaoting, given their current status as an engaged couple, it wasn’t appropriate for her to share a room with Lu Shaoting. Old Mrs. Lu, who disliked Gu Xia, naturally wanted to make things difficult for her.
“Even though you’re going to marry Shaoting, you’re not married yet, so you can’t live together. Shaoting’s study contains valuable items, and no one is allowed to enter.”
“You can tidy up the room in the stairwell and stay there temporarily. After the wedding, we can discuss moving to the second floor.”
Gu Xia thought to herself that rather than staying in a storage room at the Lu residence, she might as well return to her rented apartment.
But before she could speak, Lu Shaoting said directly, “Since we’re engaged and she’s carrying my child, why can’t she share a room with me?”