Shen Yitang was so shocked that the words tumbled out of her mouth: "Why are you still here?"
Gu Huaizheng curled his lip. "This is my home. Why wouldn't I be here?"
Could she still be dreaming?
Shen Yitang suddenly grabbed Gu Huaizheng's arm and bit down hard.
"Hiss—are you trying to murder your husband?"
The muscles in Gu Huaizheng's arm were solid. The moment he tensed up, Shen Yitang's bite not only failed to hurt him in the slightest, but instead jarred her own teeth with pain.
She glared at him in fury.
To Gu Huaizheng, she looked like an angry little kitten, those big watery eyes utterly adorable.
So he relaxed the muscles in his arm. "Fine, go ahead and bite. Just don't be angry anymore after you're done!"
Shen Yitang then bit down with all her might.
As if she wanted to confirm his existence through this solid, tangible sensation.
Gu Huaizheng winced at the pain, then suddenly let his mouth run off again: "I sweated a lot last night, you know. Haven't bathed. Don't you think I'm dirty?"
And so Shen Yitang could no longer bring herself to bite.
Fuming, she grabbed the pillow from behind her and hurled it at him. "Get lost!"
Gu Huaizheng caught the pillow with a grin, then leaned over to set it back behind her.
He could easily have placed it from the side, but he deliberately chose not to—instead reaching both arms around from either side of her.
The posture was as if he were embracing her.
Suddenly, a strong masculine scent enveloped her. Shen Yitang's whole body went rigid, and she dared not move.
Gu Huaizheng set the pillow down with a grin, then suddenly planted a kiss on her lips, delicate as fresh flowers.
Then he retreated several steps in an instant.
Before Shen Yitang could flare up, he explained preemptively: "I brushed my teeth."
Shen Yitang covered her mouth, cheeks flushed, chest heaving.
This man was truly detestable—he could always infuriate someone until their teeth itched with frustration.
He was cuter in her dreams.
Ah, no—he wasn't cute in her dreams either. He had been too demanding, so demanding she could barely endure it.
If she hadn't thought she was dreaming, if she hadn't been so desperate for a warm, solid embrace, she would never have allowed him to treat her that way.
Suddenly, Gu Huaizheng, who had already turned to leave, looked back. This time his voice softened: "You were tired last night too. Sleep a little longer. I already brought back breakfast—it's keeping warm in the pot with hot water. Eat when you get up."
"And the bedsheets… just leave them. I'll wash them when I get back."
Shen Yitang pulled the blanket over her head, not wanting to say another word to him.
Gu Huaizheng laughed heartily as he walked out the door.
A long while passed, and the room fell completely silent.
Shen Yitang sat up and looked at the familiar room, the familiar bed, and through the window, the azure sea beneath the blue sky.
Snow-white seagulls skimmed across the water's surface.
She understood now—she had been reborn.
She had returned to the time shortly after she married Gu Huaizheng, when she had accompanied him to the island as part of military accompaniment, when she found everything displeasing and held nothing but contempt for him.
This marriage between Shen Yitang and Gu Huaizheng had been insisted upon by the Shen family.
The Shen family had been merchants for generations, once among the wealthiest in the land.
During the war years, the Shen family donated most of their fortune to support the revolution, earning themselves the title of "Red Capitalists" and securing the family's safety.
Shen Yitang's grandfather had once saved Gu Huaizheng's grandfather's life—the Shen family held a life-saving debt over the Gu family.
The Gu family was not one to forget such kindness, but the Shen family was equally measured, never once exploiting that life-saving favor to seek any advantage.
It wasn't until last year, when Grandpa Shen was critically ill, that on his deathbed, his greatest worry was Shen Yitang, the little granddaughter he cherished most.
So he called upon that life-saving favor, asking the Gu family to agree to let Shen Yitang marry into their household and protect her for the rest of her life.
Grandpa Gu wept as he swore that as long as the Gu family stood, Shen Yitang would never suffer a single day of hardship.
Only then did Grandpa Shen close his eyes in peace.
Old Master Gu Tieshan had spent his life in military service, earning countless honors.
He had fathered three sons and two daughters in his lifetime, yet only his eldest son, Gu Mingshu, and his youngest daughter, Gu Mingjun, survived to adulthood.
Gu Mingshu had a pair of twin sons, Gu Huaijun and Gu Huaizheng.
Gu Huaijun was already married.
That left only one possible match for Shen Yitang: Gu Huaizheng, who was three years her senior.
What later came to pass proved that Grandpa Shen, who had always been adept at reading the times, had made the most correct choice of her life by arranging for Shen Yitang to marry into the Gu family.
Unfortunately, Shen Yitang didn't understand that at the time.
She scoffed at the engagement, dismissing it as her grandfather growing senile and resorting to old-fashioned arranged marriages.
She had studied at a missionary school since childhood, raised on modern education, proficient in piano, painting, and horseback riding.
She could also speak fluent English, French, and German.
What she yearned for was the free love of a romantic encounter.
To her, marriage had to be a careful choice made by two people who understood each other, respected each other, shared common ideals and interests, and recognized one another as their one and only soulmate in this lifetime.
How could two complete strangers be forced to live together in a muddle simply because of some expectation from their elders?
Her mother, Zhou Yunyi, tried to persuade her: "The Gu family has a proper household and good upbringing. Haven't you always admired gentle, refined men like Gu Huaijun? Gu Huaijun is so outstanding—surely his twin brother can't be far off the mark. Why not go meet him first and get to know him?"
"Your grandfather has always doted on you most. If you truly don't like him, I'm sure your grandfather won't blame you from heaven above."
In her previous life, the thing Shen Yitang regretted most was listening to her mother and going to meet Gu Huaizheng.
Shen Yitang did know Gu Huaijun.
The two families were old acquaintances. Grandpa Shen had kept their interactions modest to avoid any appearance of impropriety, but they did maintain contact.
Gu Huaijun was indeed outstanding—he favored clean white shirts, was courteous and refined, with elegant speech.
When Shen Yitang's heart first began to stir with youthful feelings, she had briefly admired such an excellent Brother Huaijun.
But a young girl's fancies were like wisps of smoke—scattered at the slightest breeze.
After Gu Huaijun fell in love and married, he became nothing more than a dear older brother to her.
As for his twin, Gu Huaizheng, Shen Yitang had once curiously asked her mother why she had never seen him.
Her mother couldn't quite explain the reason either, only vaguely knowing that Gu Huaizheng had been sent to the countryside at around seven or eight years old to live with his grandfather.
Back then, in her little heart, Shen Yitang had felt indignant on his behalf, thinking his parents were terribly unfair.
But she later learned that he had brought it entirely upon himself.
That man, he really was… hard to put into words.
In any case, at that time, Shen Yitang, persuaded by her mother, finally agreed to meet Gu Huaizheng.
What she didn't know was that at that very moment, Gu's father and mother were equally at a loss.