Neither set of parents had expected this—one suddenly saying she wouldn’t marry, and the other just giving up like that. Even the matchmaker hadn’t reacted in time: “But… but they’re such a perfect match, a talented scholar and a beautiful lady…”
Gu Jingxiu’s mother, Li Lianxin, secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She had never understood why her son, who was perfectly fine, would want to marry the Su family’s daughter. Forget the low education—she was also a stutterer. Most importantly, the Su family now had a huge burden to carry!
When it came down to it, the only thing worth mentioning was her somewhat delicate face, but she wasn’t some peerless beauty either.
Still, Jingxiu was a university graduate who had stayed on as a teacher after finishing his studies. In the future, he would become a great professor! And when they came to propose, Su Jinle actually wasn’t willing?
She forced a smile and cut off the matchmaker: “Since neither child is willing, it just means they aren’t fated to be together. Besides, where’s the perfect match? Jingxiu is just too soft-hearted…”
Between the lines, she implied that their proposal today was out of pity for Su Jinle—otherwise, Su Jinle wouldn’t be worthy of her son.
Su Jinle’s expression turned cold. This mother-in-law had been dissatisfied with her for a lifetime. From the moment she married into the family, she had faced endless nitpicking. Back then, she had been deeply in love with Gu Jingxiu, and he had treated her well too. The happiness of newlywed life made her willing to endure that grievance.
It wasn’t until later, after she gave birth to a son and the family moved to live in Jingda University’s Jiashuyuan, separating from her in-laws, that her life became a little easier.
Su Jinle’s father’s face darkened. His daughter wasn’t someone for outsiders to belittle. He stood up and looked at the family of three: “Since it’s not suitable, please leave quickly. Our Lele isn’t worried about finding a husband!”
Both Father Gu and Father Su were workers at the canned food factory, seeing each other often in their daily lives. Father Gu quickly tried to smooth things over: “It’s a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. Don’t let this little thing ruin the harmony.”
Li Lianxin curled her lip and reluctantly walked out, but just after leaving the room, she muttered under her breath: “If she wants to play hard to get, she should look in the mirror first. It’s more like our Jingxiu isn’t worried about finding a wife…”
A little stutterer—it would be a miracle if she could even get married!
Seeing Father Su about to lose his temper, Father Gu quickly apologized with a smile: “Womenfolk just love to talk nonsense. Don’t take it to heart. Today’s matter was our family’s fault.”
After saying this, he tried to pull Gu Jingxiu away as well.
But Gu Jingxiu stopped in his tracks. He looked straight at Su Jinle and gestured with his chin toward the things they had brought: “In that case, leave these things here. Consider it my apology, so no one can accuse me of being petty.”
Father Gu was stunned. Because it was a marriage proposal, they hadn’t skimped on the gifts they brought.
Su Jinle, however, understood the hidden meaning in his words. He was saying that in her previous life, when she had asked for a divorce over that diary, she had been petty. Even though he had used her as a substitute for a lifetime, somehow she was the one in the wrong.
“No need. Our family isn’t lacking these things!” Before she could speak, Father Su had already refused outright. Holding back his anger, he said, “Take care on your way out!”
As if shooing them away, he escorted both father and son out.
The most frustrated was still the matchmaker. She had thought this marriage was a sure thing. Gu Jingxiu was good-looking and had a good job. Although the Gu family wasn’t wealthy, they were a dual-income household.
In contrast, the Su family—Su Jinle had no job and was a stutterer. Only Father Su worked to earn money. Her older brother had originally been in the army with a promising future, but some time ago, he injured his leg while on a mission. It was said he would suffer lasting effects.
With such excellent conditions on the man’s side, why not agree right away? How could she still refuse?
The matchmaker glanced at Gu Jingxiu’s profile and sighed inwardly at how handsome this young university teacher was. She couldn’t understand why he had taken a liking to a little stutterer and quickly spoke up: “Teacher Gu, I have quite a few good girls here. Would you like to find some time to meet them all?”
Any one of them would surely work out—how many fools like Su Jinle were there?
Gu Jingxiu gave her a faint look: “Are there any who can’t speak?”
The matchmaker was taken aback: “Huh?”
Not a stutterer, but a mute now?
Father Gu frowned, not understanding his meaning: “Jingxiu, Jinle’s side has already refused.”
Gu Jingxiu curled his lips slightly: “Hmm, it’s fine.”
She would regret it. She had loved him her entire life—he didn’t believe she could still see any other man in her eyes.
Back then, he had married Su Jinle indeed because she bore some resemblance to Mu Qing. But in the end, he and Mu Qing were never meant to be. Later, he rarely wrote in that diary anymore, only occasionally reminiscing about the time he spent with Mu Qing in their youth.
But Su Jinle was just too disobedient!
Before his rebirth, Su Jinle had firmly insisted on divorcing him. That attitude had infuriated him. He wanted Su Jinle to watch him and Mu Qing together and regret it bitterly—only then would she realize how terribly wrong she was and never dare to casually utter the word “divorce” again!
He would make her come back on her own, begging him to marry her! Hah, how could she bear not to marry him!
The Su Residence.
The front door closed again. Su Jinle sat on a stool, the events of her past life drifting by like passing clouds. She felt as though she had merely dreamed it all, except this dream had burned away all her youthful affections.
Her mother, Lin Yun, took her hand and asked worriedly: “Lele?”
As a mother, how could she not know her daughter’s feelings? The Gu family had moved here only a few years ago. Gu Jingxiu was handsome and tall, standing out among the crowd of short, chubby boys. It was no surprise at all that Lele, with her budding feelings, had fallen for him.
That was why she had been worried when the Gu family suddenly came to propose today. It wasn’t that she felt her daughter wasn’t good enough for Gu Jingxiu, but rather she feared that if her daughter married him with such love in her heart, she would inevitably suffer greatly.
Gu Jingxiu was outstanding, yes, but he was too arrogant—not the type who knew how to cherish someone. She had never hoped for Jinle to marry above her station; she only wished for her to find someone who truly loved her.
Warmth spread from her mother’s hand into hers. Su Jinle smiled at her mother and slowly said: “I’m… fine.”
Back in her room, Su Jinle looked at the neatly folded white shirt on her bedside. It was a garment she had secretly observed Gu Jingxiu for a long, long time before making with her own hands. Due to her stutter, she hadn’t gone out to work. When bored at home, she enjoyed making clothes.
She was skilled with her hands—by eight or nine, she could already operate a sewing machine. All her family’s clothes were made by her. In her previous life, she had often made clothes for Gu Jingxiu too, but later, as more and more clothing stores opened outside, he gradually grew impatient with wearing handmade clothes, thinking she was wasting her time.
But she still loved making them. It was the only joy in her dull married life. Later, she made clothes for her children and herself.
After finishing this white shirt, she had thought many times about how to give it to him. Giving clothes to a man was too ambiguous—how could she dare? In her previous life, it wasn’t until after they were engaged that she found an opportunity to give it to him.
Back then, when he wore it, it looked just as good as she had imagined, and her spirits soared for days.
But what was written in his yellowed diary?
He wrote: Su Jinle did a decent job on this piece of clothing. Mu Qing praised it for looking nice, but I no longer want to wear it, because after saying that, she told me she was going abroad. This white shirt, to me, is just farewell.
Her feelings meant nothing to him.