SGEIRS -Chapter 22 The Unfilial Son Is Dumbfounded

His fiancée had become his mother?

Gu Xiuming was stunned, utterly dumbfounded, unable to digest the news, let alone accept it. She had been his publicly acknowledged fiancée, yet on their wedding day, she had married his father and become his mother. It was absurd beyond belief and filled him with an indescribable sense of humiliation.

After a long while, he flew into a rage out of embarrassment and sneered, “Meng Jinyao, have you no shame? If you can’t be my bride, you become my mother instead?”

Li Wan’er was also struck as if by lightning. She stared at Meng Jinyao in disbelief. Just moments ago, she had been deeply moved that Brother Xiuming was willing to divorce Meng Jinyao for her. Now she suddenly learned that Meng Jinyao hadn’t married Brother Xiuming at all, but had married his father instead. Wouldn’t that mean she would become her future mother-in-law?

Her heart skipped a beat.

She had eloped with Brother Xiuming, turning Meng Jinyao into a laughingstock on her wedding day. If Meng Jinyao later became her mother-in-law, she would surely make things difficult for her. There were countless ways for a mother-in-law to torment a daughter-in-law—just setting rules alone could exhaust someone.

Meng Jinyao watched their changing expressions with interest. The man was furious and humiliated, as if he had suffered a great disgrace. The woman was uneasy. When their eyes met, her neck shrank back in fear, and she instinctively leaned toward Gu Xiuming, as though she were truly afraid of her. Meanwhile, Gu Xiuming shot Meng Jinyao a warning glance, as if to say: Don’t you dare touch Wan’er.

Seeing this, Meng Jinyao let out a soft laugh. As long as this Wan’er girl didn’t cause trouble, she wouldn’t take the initiative to attack. Wan’er had no sense of shame, eloping with her fiancé on her wedding day, but the real culprit was Gu Xiuming—this irresponsible, reckless man with no sense of duty. If he had wanted to be responsible, no matter how much Wan’er stirred things up, it would have been useless.

Seeing her smile, Gu Xiuming’s face darkened. “What are you laughing at?”

“Nothing,” Meng Jinyao replied. “I’m just happy that I’ve gained such a big son right after getting married.”

“Who are you calling your son?!”

Gu Xiuming reacted as if someone had stepped on his tail. If he hadn’t been tightly bound, he would have jumped up on the spot. He glared at her with disgust and mocked, “You’re shameless! If you can’t marry the son, you marry the father instead. A fallen family like yours would even throw away dignity to climb higher. Don’t think that marrying my father really makes you my mother.”

Seeing his face twisted with rage, his features ferocious, Meng Jinyao felt refreshed. She curved her lips into a radiant smile and replied cheerfully, “My son, even if you don’t want to admit it, this is the truth. I am your father’s wife, which makes me your mother. From now on, when you see me, you must respectfully greet me and call me ‘Mother.’”

“Dream on!” Gu Xiuming snapped coldly.

“I heard the Gu family values filial piety greatly. Unfilial children are punished by family rules, aren’t they?” Halfway through her sentence, Meng Jinyao glanced at Chunliu beside her.

Chunliu, who had been enjoying the drama, was suddenly thrown into this awkward situation. On one side was the troublemaking heir, on the other was the marquis’s favored wife. Any smart person knew whom to side with. She was no fool. Moreover, since the marquis had a hidden illness, even if the madam had no children, with his favor she could still enjoy glory for decades.

So Chunliu answered without hesitation, “Yes, Madam. The Gu family does have such a rule.”

Gu Xiuming stared at Chunliu in shock. He recognized her—she was a first-rank maid from his father’s courtyard. Meng Jinyao had only married in three days, yet she had already won over his father’s servants?

He looked at Meng Jinyao. Seeing the cunning gleam in her eyes, as if she were plotting something, his face darkened. “Meng Jinyao, don’t tell me you really want to use family punishment on me? I’m the heir of the Marquis’s household. Do you think you can just beat me whenever you want?”

Noticing the wariness in his eyes, Meng Jinyao’s smile deepened. His arrogance came from his identity as the heir. He believed that since Gu Jingxi had a hidden illness and couldn’t have children, the title would surely pass to him, the adopted son.

But he was being far too optimistic.

As long as the Marquis was alive, he could petition the emperor to appoint another heir. If this adopted son was unworthy, he could adopt someone else to inherit the title.

Thinking of this, Meng Jinyao chuckled and said half-jokingly, half-seriously, “I’m your mother, and you’re my son. What’s wrong with disciplining you? But today I don’t feel like dirtying my hands. Someone lacking in virtue doesn’t deserve to be the heir of Changxing Marquisate. My son, what do you think—if I ask your father to petition His Majesty, saying you are unfit for your position and should be stripped of your title, would the emperor approve?”

Gu Xiuming’s heart lurched. His pupils shrank sharply as he glared at her. “You vicious woman! What are you trying to do?!”

Li Wan’er was also frightened by her words. She raised her tearful eyes and pleaded hoarsely,
“Madam Gu, you are an elder. Please be magnanimous and don’t argue with Brother Xiuming. He just can’t accept suddenly having a mother. He actually respects his elders. If you’re angry that we eloped and made you lose face, punish me instead. Brother Xiuming is innocent—it’s all my fault.”

Meng Jinyao’s smile faded. Though her face was still youthful, when she grew serious, she carried undeniable authority. Looking down coldly at the tearful, pitiful Li Wan’er, she spoke lightly, “Miss Wan’er, I am discussing family matters with my son. You, an outsider, interrupting so rashly—isn’t that terribly ill-mannered?”

She paused, then added before Li Wan’er could reply, “Then again, someone who can elope with another woman’s fiancé can’t have much upbringing to begin with.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Li Wan’er’s face turned pale. Tears slid down uncontrollably. She lowered her head in shame and cried silently, her frail shoulders trembling as if she had suffered a great injustice.

Seeing this, Gu Xiuming’s heart ached. He shouted angrily at Meng Jinyao, “Meng Jinyao, if you have a problem, come at me! What kind of skill is it to bully Wan’er using your status?”

Just as Meng Jinyao was about to reply, she sensed someone watching her. Following her instinct, she looked up and saw a refined, elegant man standing at the doorway, smiling faintly at her. She didn’t know how much he had overheard.

She swallowed her words and complained instead, “Husband, your son is unfilial and has offended his elders.”

Gu Jingxi raised an eyebrow. This clever little wife had clearly prepared a counterattack, but as soon as she saw him, she switched to complaining and let him deal with his rebellious son.

He walked to her side and looked at his stunned son. Calmly, he said, “My unfilial son lacks discipline. I am busy with official duties, so in the future I’ll have to trouble Madam to teach him properly.”

Gu Xiuming was dumbfounded: ???