SGEIRS -Chapter 119 Nervous A-Yao

Meng Jinyao and Song Xinning had dinner on the pleasure boat while enjoying the night view on the lake.

The boat was stocked with fruit wine for guests. On a whim, the two of them each had a few small cups, chatting about recent amusing events in various households around the capital. It was incredibly pleasant.

Time passed without them noticing, and by the time the boat docked, it was already the third quarter of the Hour of the Pig.

At this hour, most of the tourists had left the lake, and the streets were relatively quiet, giving a slightly desolate feeling.

Song Xinning glanced at the scattered boats on the lake and said with surprise, “We got carried away talking, and I didn’t expect it to get so late. But it’s been so long since we had such a carefree conversation.”

Meng Jinyao smiled gently. “A-Ning, let’s head back to the residence first. We can meet another day. If we kept chatting, we’d probably be home past midnight.”

Song Xinning agreed, “Ah, yes, it’s time to go. Luckily, my mother went to my maternal family’s house. Otherwise, coming back this late, she’d be scolding me.”

The two parted ways and returned to their respective residences.

On the carriage

Meng Jinyao leaned against the soft pillow, closing her eyes to rest. The fruit wine had been delicious, but it was strong, and she had a few cups too many. Her head felt heavy, and soon she drifted off to sleep.

Seeing this, Qingqiu and Ningdong exchanged a glance and let out a faint, almost inaudible sigh.

No matter how calm their mistress appeared, or how much she seemed unaffected, they knew she could not be completely indifferent. Her husband’s heart being elsewhere inevitably caused a pang of discomfort, which explained why she had drunk a little more than usual.

If she could choose, she would certainly want a husband who cherished, loved, respected, and protected her. Before marriage, she, like any young bride, had once hoped for marital harmony, love, and happiness. She had both confusion and longing for married life—but reality had been disappointing.

To ensure she slept peacefully, Qingqiu instructed the coachman to drive slowly.

The carriage moved at a leisurely pace, taking twice the usual time to return to the Changxing Marquis Residence. By the time it stopped at the front gate, it was already the Hour of the Rat.

Meng Jinyao had not yet woken. Qingqiu had to wake her. She wanted to continue sleeping, but after Qingqiu called her several times, she reluctantly opened her eyes, still groggy, and was helped down from the carriage by the two maids.

Stepping off the carriage, Meng Jinyao was about to have Ningdong knock on the door when she looked up and saw the main gate wide open. A tall, elegant man stood there, with a gatekeeper respectfully by his side.

Gu Jingxi?

Meng Jinyao instantly became more alert, staring at the man at the gate. The warm yellow glow from the lanterns illuminated his handsome face, and she could clearly see his serious expression and gloomy demeanor.

She was momentarily stunned, puzzled. Why was he standing there like a door god, looking so stern and intimidating?

Curiously, she asked, “Husband, who are you waiting for so late?”

The man glanced at her and replied calmly, “Waiting for my wife.”

At these words, Meng Jinyao’s heart skipped a beat. She found it hard to believe.

In the next moment, distracted, she stumbled, tripping over her right foot, and fell, letting out a startled cry, “Ah!”

Fortunately, she had just been about to step onto the platform, so she fell flat on the ground instead of tumbling down the steps, avoiding worse injury.

The sudden incident caught Qingqiu and Ningdong completely off guard; their mistress had just fallen.

Gu Jingxi’s expression changed instantly. He instinctively stepped forward, but he was too far away to intervene in time. He could only watch as the young lady fell before him. He quietly lowered his outstretched hand and hurried forward.

Meng Jinyao was completely dazed, momentarily forgetting the pain, her mind blank. Which young mistress of a marquis residence would fall so embarrassingly at her own front gate in front of her servants?

Would this embarrassing incident spread throughout the residence by tomorrow?

Seeing her lying still on the ground, Gu Jingxi frowned and crouched to help her sit up, asking gently, “Wife, where did you hurt yourself?”

Hearing his voice, Meng Jinyao snapped back to reality. Looking into his concerned eyes, she instinctively moved slightly and pointed to the arm that had landed on the ground. “My arm hurts, but I can still move it.”

Gu Jingxi breathed a sigh of relief and smiled wryly. “We’re already at the gate. Why the hurry? Now you’ve just fallen straight down.”

Meng Jinyao was speechless. “……”

Could she say she had been startled and momentarily distracted, which caused the fall?

Gu Jingxi helped her up, but the young lady couldn’t steady herself and collapsed into his arms. She gasped, clutching his lapels, her brows tightly furrowed, her face showing a pained, restrained expression.

He quickly asked, “Wife, what’s wrong?”

Meng Jinyao frowned. “I think I twisted my ankle.”

Her foot hadn’t hurt before, but once she tried to stand, she realized her left foot was painful and weak.

Gu Jingxi looked down and saw that she had lifted her left foot off the ground. His frown deepened, and he lifted her around the waist, striding briskly toward the residence. Qingqiu and Ningdong, surprised, followed closely.

Reaching the gate, Gu Jingxi paused, his gaze warning the gatekeeper.

The servant panicked. “Marquis, the lady just twisted her ankle outside. She didn’t fall at the gate.”

Meng Jinyao, still in Gu Jingxi’s arms, felt dazed. She stared at the man holding her, moving hurriedly, frowning, and looking stern. She couldn’t tell if he was angry, so she kept quiet, feeling uneasy.

Gu Jingxi smelled the faint aroma of wine on her and noticed her flushed cheeks, evidence of some intoxication. His voice was calm as he asked, “Wife, did you drink?”

Meng Jinyao came to her senses and replied timidly, “I… I drank a little. Why?”

He asked again, “With whom?”

Meng Jinyao was taken aback. Internally, she thought: Why so detailed? Does he suspect me of wrongdoing?

Still, she answered truthfully: “With Lord Qi’s niece, called A-Ning. Husband should have met her. I was with her, along with a few maids—all women.”

Gu Jingxi glanced at her and explained, “I wasn’t doubting you. I just wanted to know if the people you were with could be trusted. But next time, try to drink less outside. At home, drink as you like. A young lady drinking outside is prone to accidents, especially without trustworthy friends nearby.”

Hearing this, Meng Jinyao paused, then lightly nodded, “Okay.” She then asked curiously, “Husband, why were you waiting at the gate? I’m grown up; I know my way home.”

Gu Jingxi answered calmly, “Before you left, you didn’t leave word for the maids about where you were going. You’ve never stayed out late before. I sent people to find you, but they couldn’t, so I waited at the gate. Lately, the capital has been unsafe at night. There were two murder cases, both victims under twenty.”

Though his voice was calm and he didn’t say “I was worried,” the concern was clear in every word.