Xia Yiyi stared shyly at her toes, her cheeks flushed red, fingers twisting the braided pigtails on her head.
When she entered the post office, her eyes kept drifting toward Gu Huaichuan. He was just too handsome—she really couldn’t help herself.
Too bad he was short-lived. Being good-looking couldn’t put food on the table; a future richest-husband was far better.
After walking into the post office, she forced herself not to look at Gu Huaichuan anymore, lest Gu Xing get jealous.
Li Cuihua shot Jiang Wanyan a glance and smiled smugly. “That’s wonderful. You can get married and have children now. Your father can finally rest in peace underground.”
She had always known that the fourth daughter-in-law Jiang Wanrong had her eye on liked her son. Back when Xia Wanqing wrote the letter breaking off the engagement, Li Cuihua had seen it.
Although she couldn’t read, when Gu Huaichuan read the letter, Gu Xing was right beside him and later came back to tell her about it.
But since Gu Huaichuan hadn’t brought it up, she hadn’t dared to expose it either—she was afraid of being kicked out of the Gu family.
She had seen that girl before. Though she had a fox-like face, she was rich and liked her son.
Most importantly, her son didn’t like her. That meant Li Cuihua could torment her however she pleased.
Seeing how happy Jiang Wanyan looked made Li Cuihua furious. Why should Jiang Wanyan’s husband die early, leaving her to live under someone else’s roof?
Thinking that she could finally press Jiang Wanyan down a notch, Li Cuihua tilted the corner of her mouth into an undisguised smug smile, straightening her back and puffing out her chest.
“Second Sister-in-law, feelings can’t be forced. Take it easy.”
The next second, the smile froze on her face.
“Yiyi finally agreed to marry me. We’re going to register tomorrow.”
“What?!” Li Cuihua shrieked in agitation. “No! I don’t agree!”
Her son was completely bewitched by Xia Yiyi. If she married into the family, he might not even acknowledge her, his own mother.
“Mom,” Gu Xing pleaded, “we truly love each other.”
“If she stays, I go! If I stay, she goes! If you marry her, I’ll die! Heavens, what sin have I committed in this life?” Li Cuihua wailed.
Xia Yiyi heard all of this.
With her current family background, marrying Gu Xing was more than enough—why should she be looked down on like this?
She had never suffered such humiliation before. Her face turned deathly pale, and she ran off crying.
“Yiyi—Mom, I’ll talk to you later.” Gu Xing hurriedly hung up the phone and chased after her. “Fourth Brother, lend me some money. I’ll pay you back next time.”
On the other end of the line, Li Cuihua slammed the phone down hard, nostrils flaring, chest heaving violently with rage.
“Eldest Sister-in-law, feelings can’t be forced. Take it easy.”
Jiang Wanrong didn’t know why Li Cuihua had suddenly flown into a rage. After thinking for a moment, she repeated Li Cuihua’s own words back to her, reminding her to calm down.
Unexpectedly, Li Cuihua became even angrier. She pointed at Jiang Wanyan’s nose and cursed, “So now you finally got what you wanted!”
With that, she stomped her foot, snorted coldly, and marched back to her room with loud thuds.
The door slammed shut with a bang, making the oil painting on the wall tremble.
Jiang Wanrong frowned, completely baffled.
Marriage was such a good thing—why get angry out of nowhere?
From what Fourth Brother said, the two of them wanted to go straight to register their marriage.
That wouldn’t do at all—she hadn’t even gone to meet the in-laws yet.
Worried that Wanqing might feel upset, she quickly turned back to her room, took out her passbook, and said, “Transfer the money to my daughter-in-law. She’ll be happy then.”
Where the money goes, the love follows.
At the post office.
Xia Wanqing took money out of her shoulder bag. “I’ll pay.”
But Gu Huaichuan paid first. Worried that his mother might have frightened Wanwan, he hurried to explain, “My mom’s a chatterbox. If you don’t want to listen to her, you don’t have to. If anything comes up, just push it all onto me.”
In her previous life, when she was with Gu Xing, he would say he’d pay—but never actually move.
This was the first time she’d met someone who really paid as soon as he said he would. Xia Wanqing felt a little unaccustomed to it. After a brief pause, she smiled and said, “I really like Auntie.”
Not long after her mother passed away, her father brought her stepmother into the house.
She went from being a little princess cherished to the heavens, to a wild weed no one cared about—someone even despised.
She was so young and already unable to bear the blow. Later, Xia Jianye even lost her. At that time, she was terrified and helpless to the extreme—so much so that she couldn’t even speak and became mute.
Gu Huaichuan always played with her, talked to her, took her climbing trees, wading into rivers to catch fish, and going up mountains to pick flowers. Every time she came home, she’d be filthy all over.
Gu’s mother never once disliked her. Every visit meant tasty snacks, clean clothes, and at night she’d hold her and tell her stories.
Under the Gu family’s love, she gradually opened her heart and learned to speak again.
Xia Wanqing was truly grateful to—and genuinely fond of—Gu’s mother.
As she spoke, her gaze was sincere, her fox-like eyes curved with a smile.
Gu Huaichuan froze, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
Before, she had said she hated him—hated the Gu family.
She really seemed to have changed.
His heart stirred uncontrollably, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly as well.
Suddenly, he saw a face magnified right before him. His heart skipped a beat, then began to pound wildly.
Xia Wanqing didn’t notice his reaction. Her eyes were fixed on the corner of his mouth as she tilted her head, studying him.
As if discovering a new continent, her eyes were full of wonder. “Gu Huaichuan, you can actually smile. You look really good when you do.”
She’d always thought he was an ice block.
The fresh, sweet scent of the girl enveloped him. For a moment, Gu Huaichuan didn’t know where to put his hands.
The next second, he saw Xia Wanqing move away and look into the distance with disdain, smacking her lips. “Tsk, how morals have declined.”
Gu Huaichuan let out a barely perceptible sigh of relief. Luckily, she hadn’t noticed his awkwardness—otherwise, she might have been scared away.
Xia Wanqing didn’t notice his slightly reddened ears. All her attention was on the two people tugging at each other on the street corner.
She walked to the front of the post office and frowned at the scene.
Gu Xing caught up to the crying Xia Yiyi, grabbed her arm, and pulled her back. Xia Yiyi fell into his arms.
The warmth of the girl’s body made Gu Xing’s blood boil. Young, hot-blooded, and never having touched a woman before, his body reacted.
“Yiyi, my mom didn’t mean it that way. My dad passed away early—she’s just too worried about me.”
In her previous life, Xia Yiyi had been through plenty. The moment she felt that hard stick against her, she immediately understood what was going on.
It had been a long time since she’d had meat. Her cheeks flushed slightly, her voice soft and coquettish like a little cat. “Brother Gu Xing, that’s not what I meant.”
In her previous life, after giving birth to a son and a daughter, Gu Xing’s mother had doted on her very much, often having the nanny stew nourishing soups for her.
This time around, she must dislike her simply because she didn’t know her yet.
That was fine. Once her future mother-in-law got to know her, she’d like her just as much as in her previous life.
“I understand. Auntie’s just worried because she cares too much. That’s how mothers are—always afraid their children will get hurt.”
Hearing how considerate Xia Yiyi was, Gu Xing felt like the happiest man alive.
“Yiyi, don’t worry. I’ll definitely persuade my mom to agree. Wait for me.” Gu Xing took her hand and gazed at her affectionately.
“Brother Gu Xing, you’re so good to me.”
Xia Yiyi leaned gently against him, like a boneless dodder vine.
Watching Xia Wanqing’s brows knit together, Gu Huaichuan unconsciously clenched the hand at his side. His fingertips dug into his palm to regain his composure—otherwise, he might have dragged Gu Xing away and beaten him up.
Xia Wanqing, however, was hesitating. The road on the right was shorter, but she’d have to pass by that lunatic couple. The road on the left meant a detour.
After some thought, she chose the road on the right.
After all, her body was currently weak in both qi and blood. She couldn’t overexert herself.
Seeing her walk toward Gu Xing, Gu Huaichuan’s heart tightened.
She… wasn’t going to pester Gu Xing again, was she?
Gu Huaichuan pressed his thin lips together and followed behind her.
Sunlight shone from ahead, shadows falling behind them. Gu Huaichuan took two steps forward, letting their shadows overlap.
This way… were they closer?
Xia Wanqing walked quickly and soon reached the two of them.
Xia Yiyi spotted Xia Wanqing first. She couldn’t help showing off, tugging lightly at the corner of her mouth and calling softly, “Sister.”
Xia Wanqing didn’t want to bother with her. Pretending not to see her, she strode past.
Seeing Xia Wanqing ignore her, Gu Xing barked angrily, “Xia Wanqing, are you deaf? Didn’t you hear someone talking to you?”
Xia Wanqing stopped, turned around, and said to Gu Huaichuan, “Sounds like there’s a dog barking here. Let’s go quickly.”
Right now, the most important thing was to get back her family’s property. As for that man and woman, she’d deal with them slowly.
Gu Huaichuan relaxed his clenched fist and smiled in response. “Alright.”
“You!” Having his face rejected again and again by Xia Wanqing, Gu Xing ground his teeth in hatred and raised his voice. “Don’t think this will get my attention. Let me tell you—I’m about to marry Yiyi!”
“Congratulations,” Xia Wanqing tilted her head and smiled, dripping with mockery. “A scumbag matched with a dog—may you be together forever.”