SGEIRS -Chapter 208 Soft Jade, Gentle Fragrance

Gu Xiuming saw his father leave just like that and wanted to chase after him to explain, but once something like this had been witnessed, how could he possibly explain it?

He privately scolded himself for being unable to restrain himself and kissing Wan’er just now. He hadn’t expected his father to be not far behind them. He had only thought that the place would be empty at night, which is why he had been so careless.

Li Wan’er watched the backs of the couple walking away. Gu Jingxi’s admonishment to Gu Xiuming echoed in her mind, and the more she thought about it, the more embarrassed she felt. Tears slipped down her cheeks despite herself, and she quietly sobbed.

Seeing his beloved in tears, crying so pitifully with shame and humiliation, Gu Xiuming’s heart ached. He softly comforted her: “Wan’er, don’t cry. It’s all my fault. I was careless just now and didn’t pay attention to the situation, which made you embarrassed as well.”

Choking back her sobs, Li Wan’er said, “Brother Xiuming, your father will surely look down on me even more now. He must think I’m not a proper young lady.”

The elders had never liked her in the first place. The Marquis had once said she behaved frivolously. Now that they had witnessed such a scene, she would surely be looked down upon even more and treated with even less favor.

Gu Xiuming also felt quite guilty and tried to reassure her: “Wan’er, it’s my fault. Don’t cry. Father’s anger is only temporary. He’s busy with official matters; in a few days he probably won’t even remember this little incident.”

Li Wan’er wasn’t comforted. Every time she thought of the Marquis’ scolding, she felt unbearably ashamed and her heart ached.

Then there was Meng Jinyou. Because Meng Jinyou was Xiuming’s former fiancée, every time she saw her, Li Wan’er couldn’t help but compare herself. But seeing Meng Jinyou poised and indifferent, acting as if she didn’t even notice her, Li Wan’er felt utterly crushed.

She hadn’t noticed it before, but gradually she realized that Meng Jinyou’s elegance in every gesture and movement was innate, cultivated from childhood, a reflection of her family’s heritage—something Li Wan’er could never learn. Though she had learned proper manners, she could never acquire Meng Jinyou’s natural grace.

Meng Jinyou was also more beautiful than her and had a substantial dowry, said to be left by her birth mother. Li Wan’er, by contrast, only had two taels of monthly allowance. Even if she saw beautiful jewelry at the shop, she couldn’t afford it. Brother Xiuming only had eight taels per month.

Even combining their allowances, they couldn’t buy the hairpin Li Wan’er had admired at the Golden Jade Pavilion. That hairpin cost twenty taels and was relatively inexpensive compared to the other more gorgeous pieces.

With a dowry at her disposal, Meng Jinyou could purchase a hairpin she liked without hesitation. That was something Li Wan’er envied. In noble families like the first and second branches, if the children lacked money, their mothers could supplement it with a dowry. But Li Wan’er, being of a lesser branch, had no private property of her own, and Brother Xiuming’s mother wouldn’t use her dowry to support him.

This was likely why the Gu family looked down on her: she had nothing and was an orphan. No matter how impoverished the Meng family had become, they were still nobles, and Meng Jinyou had a substantial dowry.

The only thing she could surpass Meng Jinyou in was having Brother Xiuming’s heart.

Seeing her silent and unreadable, Gu Xiuming took her hand in one of his, gently wiping her tears with the other, and said softly: “Wan’er, don’t overthink it. Father’s anger is only temporary.”

Li Wan’er sniffed, held back her tears, suppressed her grievances, and tried not to dwell on unpleasant thoughts. She forced a smile: “Brother Xiuming, let’s go back. I don’t want to walk around anymore.”

Gu Xiuming nodded: “Alright, let’s head back first.”

Meanwhile, Meng Jinyou and Gu Jingxi had walked some distance away.

Meng Jinyou glanced at the man beside her and asked with a smile, “Husband, I thought you would pretend not to see it. You spoke out about it just now—wasn’t that awkward?”

Gu Jingxi raised an indifferent eyebrow and said lightly: “They didn’t feel awkward doing that in an inappropriate place, and now they’re embarrassed just because they were scolded? The back garden isn’t theirs alone. If a maid had seen it and gossiped, people would just say the Gu children have no manners.”

“That’s true,” Meng Jinyou nodded slightly. If word of it got out, others would only blame the Gu family’s upbringing, thinking it wasn’t just Xiuming, but likely the other children as well.

Putting that topic aside for now, the couple returned to Weirui Pavilion. After bathing and changing, they went to bed.

In the dim light, Meng Jinyou could make out the side profile of the man lying beside her. He slept quietly and obediently, barely moving even when he shifted subconsciously.

Looking at Gu Jingxi’s handsome face, she couldn’t help recalling the five words he had said that afternoon.

She couldn’t sleep again. These past few days, she couldn’t stop dwelling on it, compulsively analyzing and trying to understand.

She shook her head, deciding to stop thinking, closed her eyes, and tried to sleep. But her mind was clear, and sleep wouldn’t come. She tossed and turned, changing positions every so often, growing increasingly restless.

She had no recollection of when she finally fell asleep.

Gu Jingxi hadn’t slept either. He wanted to ask her what was wrong, but she always said nothing was the matter. Knowing she wouldn’t tell him, he decided not to ask, planning instead to gently soothe her as a friend had suggested.

After some time, the girl finally fell asleep. She rolled unconsciously into his arms, her soft body pressing against him, her arms around his waist, her legs draped over his, warm and fragrant. He froze, feeling a subtle tension, unwilling to move.

He whispered softly: “Wife?”

Meng Jinyou didn’t respond, sleeping soundly.

He tried a little louder: “Wife?”

But she was so deep in sleep that she didn’t hear him.

Not wanting to wake her, Gu Jingxi stayed still, watching her peaceful face. He had no sleep himself.

Over time, he relaxed a little, staring at the girl in his arms. Holding her soft jade-like body and smelling her gentle fragrance, he felt a subtle, indescribable sensation. He could have adjusted her sleeping position gently, but when his hand touched her back, he paused.

Perhaps he feared waking her, or perhaps for some other reason he couldn’t explain, he chose not to move her and let her sleep in his embrace.