Volume One, Chapter Three: Does Gu Nanzhou Have a Girl He Likes?

By the time the mother and daughter returned home from the hospital, it was already past three in the afternoon.

Both were so infuriated by Summer Nian Nian that they could neither eat nor drink.

Xu Aiqin, in particular, was so upset that her hands trembled and her heart pounded fiercely.

Summer Xinyue sat curled up on the sofa, tears streaming down her face. Seeing this, Xu Aiqin’s heart ached deeply. She hurried forward to wipe away the girl’s tears and comforted her, “This isn’t your fault. If anyone’s to blame, it’s that wretched girl. Who knows what kind of spell she’s under to dare break Yun Zhe’s finger.”

It was simply madness.

Summer Xinyue sobbed into Xu Aiqin’s embrace. “But it was Nian Nian who said she liked Brother Nanzhou in the first place. That’s why I made a fuss. Why did she go back on her word in the end? Isn’t that just slapping me in the face?”

By chance, her words were overheard clearly, word for word, by Summer Guo’an, who had just come in, and Summer Nian Nian standing behind him.

Guo’an’s face darkened as he strode forward and raised his hand, ready to slap Summer Xinyue. Xu Aiqin quickly stepped in to block him.

Guo’an placed Nian Nian’s handbag on the floor beside him and sank onto the sofa with a scowl, glaring fiercely at Summer Xinyue. “You and Nanzhou were engaged. Do you think you can just say yes or no as if it were a child’s game?”

He was not like Xu Aiqin, who could twist right and wrong with a few words, placing all the blame on Nian Nian.

Xu Aiqin glanced at Nian Nian, who was still standing idly by as if watching a spectacle, then turned with displeasure toward Guo’an. “It’s already come to this—what good will hitting her do? Haven’t we already given the Gu family a daughter-in-law? They didn’t oppose it, did they? What are you still shouting about?”

As if she weren’t afraid the neighbors outside would overhear and enjoy the show.

If she were to say it plainly, a hideous woman paired with a lunatic—that was a match made in heaven, a perfect match in social standing.

Hearing this, Guo’an was so furious that his molars ground audibly. He raised his hand, pointing at the mother and daughter. “Fine, fine, fine, you just keep spoiling her like this. Sooner or later, you’ll regret it.”

But perhaps it was for the best now. He owed Nian Nian an apology, and maybe marrying Gu Nanzhou was the best choice for her.

Guo’an shot the mother and daughter a glare and sighed. “Since you’re unwilling to marry Nanzhou, then bring out the gold lock the Gu family gave back then and give it to Nian Nian.”

That was a gift from the Gu family matriarch to her granddaughter-in-law. Whoever was the Gu family granddaughter-in-law naturally deserved to have it.

Summer Xinyue was unwilling, but seeing her mother, Xu Aiqin, she called out with a hint of grievance, “Mom…”

Xu Aiqin could hardly not understand her beloved daughter’s feelings, but there was no other way. The Gu family held much more influence in the capital than her husband did. This arranged marriage had already displeased them, and if they didn’t hand over the gift now, who knew what tricks they might play later.

“It’s just a gold lock. If you want, Mom can buy you one bigger and more beautiful.”

Upon hearing this, Summer Xinyue reluctantly fetched a beautiful little brocade box from the room and handed it to Guo’an.

Guo’an took the box, opened it, and pulled out a red velvet pouch. He poured out the shining gold lock inside, inspected it briefly, then turned and handed it to Summer Nian Nian.

“The marriage certificate has already been issued. You are now Nanzhou’s wife, so the gold lock naturally belongs to you.”

Nian Nian was not one to fuss. She looked at the item in her hand, nodded, and said, “Got it, Dad!” Suddenly remembering something, she turned to Xu Aiqin. “Shouldn’t you return the things I brought back as well?”

Eight years ago, when the original owner returned from Modu, she wore a silver bracelet on each wrist and a silver lock, about the size of a ping-pong ball, around her neck that matched the bracelets.

As soon as she entered the house, Xu Aiqin had taken them, claiming to be safeguarding them for her, but in truth, she had locked them away in her private collection, secretly saying they would be given to Summer Xinyue’s child as a full-month gift.

Now that she was leaving, she certainly wouldn’t allow those two poisonous women to keep her belongings.

Xu Aiqin was furious, glaring fiercely, but with Guo’an still present and the thought that she would never have to see Nian Nian again, she gritted her teeth and handed everything over.

Nian Nian took the bundles wrapped like zongzi, examined each one, put them into her pocket, then said goodbye to Guo’an and headed upstairs with her bag.

On the way back earlier, Guo’an had told her a lot about Gu Nanzhou, but she wasn’t interested in any of it now. She only wanted to strengthen herself and find a way to survive in this era where you needed receipts to leave the house or purchase anything.

As for what would happen later, that could wait.

Perhaps the man’s side wouldn’t even be happy about this marriage and might propose a divorce—that would be even better.

Seeing that Nian Nian was disregarding her, Xu Aiqin’s anger suddenly flared. She pointed at the back of Nian Nian’s head and scolded, “Do you have any respect left? Do I not exist?”

Why didn’t she just strangle her back then? Now she was left only to infuriate her.

Hearing this, Nian Nian abruptly stopped, turned around, and gave Xu Aiqin a scrutinizing look. “Are you very disappointed that I’m still alive?”

Xu Aiqin was speechless.

That wretched girl was bringing up that matter again, never-ending.

Guo’an understood the implication and stood up, glaring at Xu Aiqin. “Wasn’t it Nian Nian who tumbled down the stairs on her own?”

Xu Aiqin was caught off guard, feeling guilty. Before she could think of an excuse, the door was forcefully pushed open. Lu Yun Zhe rushed in with his finger bandaged, followed by a group of onlookers.

Panting and out of breath, Lu Yun Zhe tried to point at Nian Nian, but seeing her bandaged finger, he quickly lowered his hand and snarled, “You poison woman! Don’t think that just because you’ve got the marriage certificate with Brother Nanzhou, you have a backing. I’ll tell you the truth—Brother Nanzhou has long had a girl he likes. Her name is Bai Jie, she’s a military doctor. If it weren’t for being injured and unconscious in the hospital years ago while saving Nanzhou, they would have gotten married already. What right do you have, poison woman? They’ve been through life and death together…”

Nian Nian didn’t catch the rest of what he said because Lu Yun Zhe’s elder brother, Lu Yun Shen, quickly covered his mouth and dragged him out, while the onlookers were also barred outside.

So there really was some hidden truth. No wonder Xu Aiqin agreed so readily—she must have known that Nanzhou had his true love in his heart and didn’t want her precious daughter to suffer.

But that was none of her business!

Gu Nanzhou might have Chang’e living in his heart, but that wouldn’t stop her from enjoying spicy rabbit heads.