Gu Jinghuai’s words left Miss Yun furious beyond words.
To protect his cousin, Gu Jinghuai had actually reopened old wounds and mocked her with cutting sarcasm.
Gu Jinghuai really couldn’t bear to let his cousin suffer even the slightest grievance.
So she was the one who was supposed to suffer?
When you weren’t loved, no one cared about anything you felt.
There was no point in continuing to argue. In this life, no one would protect her, so she would protect herself.
“Heir Gu, remember to pay for whatever you took from Linlang Pavilion!”
Miss Yun gave a scornful curl of her lips, then turned and walked out.
Enjoy splashing your money around while you can. Before long, you’ll be a fallen clan again!
Watching Miss Yun walk away without hesitation, Gu Jinghuai’s brow furrowed unconsciously.
She had actually called him Heir Gu?
Something was clearly wrong with her attitude. She had left in anger, but it wasn’t the same kind of anger she usually showed.
Instead, she seemed cold, as though she were ready to give up on him for good.
For some inexplicable reason, panic stirred in Gu Jinghuai. He wanted badly to chase after her.
He wanted to tell Miss Yun that he’d only said those things in anger, and that he, too, was looking forward to marrying her.
He looked toward Su Yuyan, who had remained silent throughout, and said,
“My cousin has gone to a lot of trouble over the wedding dress. Please help her get Miss Yun’s measurements as accurately as you can.
If it doesn’t fit on the wedding day, it’ll be the Marquis’s Residence that loses face.”
Su Yuyan smiled faintly.
“Don’t worry, Cousin. Go and comfort your future bride. Don’t let her stay angry.”
At that, Gu Jinghuai nodded and immediately turned to hurry after her.
Su Yuyan watched the scene for a long time, lips pressed together.
After all, her cousin and Yun Shuyao had grown up together…
But she still couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable.
Her cousin was clearly taking their wedding very seriously.
Whether he was in love or not, she didn’t like how eagerly he wanted to marry another woman.
After leaving the guest courtyard, Yun Shuyao headed straight for the Marchioness’s residence.
For some reason, Gu Jinghuai came chasing after her from behind.
He caught Shuyao by the wrist, his voice softening.
“This heir will see you back to your residence.”
Yun Shuyao tried to wrench her hand free, but couldn’t. Her face darkened as she drew a clear line between them.
“Doesn’t the Duke’s Residence have a carriage? Why would I need you to see me back?”
Gu Jinghuai frowned, asking in confusion,
“Why are you so angry this time? What are you making a fuss about?”
He hadn’t even blamed Yun Shuyao for threatening him with breaking off the engagement.
Yun Shuyao looked steadily at him, then suddenly asked,
“Why pretend not to understand, when you know perfectly well?
I was the one who didn’t see things clearly before. Now I’m making way for you and your cousin.”
Her words made Gu Jinghuai deeply uncomfortable.
She made it sound as though leaving him would be easy for her.
“You resent Yuyan. You’re jealous of her. What’s the reason for that?”
Gu Jinghuai suppressed his anger and softened his tone, trying to persuade her.
Yun Shuyao curled her lip in mockery.
“Are you really going to claim you don’t know what she’s thinking? And do you really feel nothing for her…?”
“Yun Shuyao!”
Gu Jinghuai pressed his lips together, embarrassed and angry.
“I’ve never complained about all the cousins surrounding you. You can’t even tolerate one Yuyan?”
Yun Shuyao stared at him, stunned. When had she ever had cousins surrounding her?
Whenever she spent time with her cousins, elders were always present!
“What are you implying? Are you trying to pin the charge of being unchaste on me?
Do you need to ruin my reputation to make it seem as though you two haven’t done anything wrong?”
Gu Jinghuai had never cared about those cousins. He knew Yun Shuyao well; she was only saying this to hide something.
“I’ve heard you’re closest to your second cousin from the Qin family. Have I ever questioned you about him?”
Yun Shuyao fell silent, her gaze turning icy as she looked at Gu Jinghuai.
“Are you trying to smear me? My second cousin and I have always had a perfectly proper relationship!”
Was Gu Jinghuai trying to ruin her reputation so he could force her to stop talking about Su Yuyan?
What a cunning plan!
Gu Jinghuai was certain that Yun Shuyao had always loved only him.
So he was merely trying to muddy the waters and didn’t intend to argue the matter any further.
But he still wouldn’t let go of Shuyao’s wrist.
With his other hand, Gu Jinghuai took a pair of jade bracelets from inside his robe.
Yun Shuyao glanced down at them, and her eyes widened with fury.
It was the very pair she had worn until her death: One Step, One Chime.
Why give them to her again in this life? To remind her how foolish she’d been in her previous one?
Gu Jinghuai held the bracelets, a trace of reminiscence in his eyes.
After she died in his previous life, he had often missed their clear, tinkling sound.
But whenever he dreamed, he would see again the moment Yun Shuyao smashed the bracelets.
As a result, he had been unable to put the matter out of his mind, either for the rest of his previous life or after he had been reborn.
Gu Jinghuai took out the bracelets and shook them before Yun Shuyao. Their clear chime rang out, and his expression softened.
“These bracelets are called One Step, One Chime. From now on, they’ll chime with every step you take. They’ll also be my way of telling you that I miss you…”
Gu Jinghuai wasn’t the type to sweet-talk people. Across both his lives, this was the only thing he had ever said like that.
And it was a lie!
Yun Shuyao knew Gu Jinghuai was trying to coax her, but it only made her feel sick.
Shuyao couldn’t believe Jinghuai would go to any trouble for her. What he really meant, she thought, was that she should stop making a fuss.
In her previous life, these same bracelets and those words, so full of affection, had deceived her into working herself to death.
Was he trying to use the same trick again?
He couldn’t even be bothered to put any thought into lying to her!
Yun Shuyao glared at the bracelets, seething with anger. After a moment, she turned her face away and said coldly,
“You should save your thoughts for someone else. I can’t accept them!”
Did he think he could trick her into becoming his beast of burden again? Dream on!
After saying this, Yun Shuyao paid no heed to Gu Jinghuai’s darkening expression. She wrenched herself free and walked away.
Watching Yun Shuyao’s retreating figure, Gu Jinghuai unconsciously tightened his grip on one of the bracelets.
He suddenly realized that in this life, whenever he met Yun Shuyao, he often ended up watching her walk away.
Jinghuai had rarely seen her do that in his previous life, and the realization stirred a feeling in him that he couldn’t quite name.
He hesitated only for an instant before dismissing the ridiculous emotion and turning back to find Su Yuyan, so she could take the measurements.
Yun Shuyao had thrown tantrums before, but she always pretended nothing had happened and let the matter drop herself.
Shuyao would never give up their marriage.
Her undying devotion to him had been proved with her life.
As for him and his cousin… This time, there would be no crossing the line.
Yun Shuyao was reading too much into it.
The Marquis’s Residence, main hall.
No one knew what Yun Shuyao and the Marchioness discussed.
The servants only saw that when the future Heir’s Consort left, her maid was carrying a large box of jewelry and ornaments.
The Marchioness, however, smashed her favorite teacup.
After returning home, Yun Shuyao went to see her mother.
Hearing that she had gone to the Marquis’s Residence of her own accord, Madam Qin asked cheerfully,
“Have they taken your measurements for the wedding dress?”
Yun Shuyao asked bluntly instead,
“Mother, was it you who asked Gu Jinghuai’s cousin, Su Yuyan, to help make my wedding dress?”
Madam Qin’s smile froze. She looked at her in confusion.
“No. How would I know Gu Jinghuai’s cousin?
The Marchioness came to see me specially yesterday. She said your needlework was poor and suggested having that cousin of his make it instead.
Today, she even sent someone over specifically to ask you to come in and have your measurements taken.”
Yun Shuyao’s throat tightened, and a wave of intense discomfort rose within her.
According to Su Yuyan, her mother had been the one to ask!
Gu Jinghuai would naturally assume she was playing tricks, and he would blame her for making Su Yuyan go to all that trouble!
It seemed the conflict today had indeed been engineered by Su Yuyan and the Marchioness.
They wanted Gu Jinghuai to think she was deliberately making things difficult for Su Yuyan!
Since they had already saddled her with the accusation, she would show them exactly what it meant to make things difficult!
Yun Shuyao had Fu’an harness the carriage and headed for the place that specialized in trading information: Fengyun Tower!