SGEIRS -Chapter 320 Falling into the Trap Again

Gu Jingsheng hadn’t expected his daughter to be so stubborn. Even after the other party had personally come to apologize, showing such sincerity, she still wouldn’t let it go. Angrily, he scolded, “You brat! You’re already married—if you don’t go back to your husband’s house, do you plan on living in your mother’s house for the rest of your life?”

Madam Zhang, afraid that her daughter might again say something about wanting a divorce, gave her a subtle glance, signaling her to tone it down. If she pushed too far, she would lose face, and the embarrassment would fall entirely on her.

Gu Xuanyi met her mother’s gaze and felt a little intimidated in her heart, but she still refused to back down. She let out a soft hum and turned her head away, refusing to look at them.

Seeing this, Madam Zhang awkwardly glanced at her son-in-law. When she saw that he showed no displeasure, she scolded her daughter instead: “Child, why are you still throwing a tantrum? I already said it was just a misunderstanding.”

The young master of Wu’an, however, was understanding. In a gentle voice, he said, “Father-in-law, mother-in-law, Xuanyi hasn’t returned to her maternal home in a long time. Perhaps she’s reluctant to leave you. How about this: since Xuanyi isn’t ready to go back just yet, your son-in-law will stay with her tonight at the mansion. What do you think?”

Upon hearing this, Madam Zhang breathed a sigh of relief. She liked this son-in-law even more—he was considerate, good to Xuanyi, and even if her mother-in-law wasn’t easy to deal with, having such a protective husband would spare her from many grievances.

Gu Jingsheng, hearing his son-in-law’s words, no longer pressured his daughter and said, “Very well. Then stay at the mansion tonight, and go back tomorrow.” He then looked at his daughter, “Xuanyi, take your husband to the Ningxiang Pavilion where you stayed before your wedding.”

Madam Zhang also hoped they could have some private time together—being a couple, it would be easier to talk—so she urged, “Xuanyi, have a good talk. Speak properly if you have anything to say.”

With this encouragement, Gu Xuanyi found a way to back down gracefully. Following the hint, she said to the young master of Wu’an in a calm tone, “Come with me.”

He responded good-naturedly, “Alright.” Then, after bidding farewell to the two elders, he took Gu Xuanyi and left.

Xuanyi wanted to pull her hand away, but he held it tightly, so she let it go, allowing him to lead her.

Madam Zhang watched their backs and sighed deeply. She felt grateful: “Luckily, luckily the young master came—otherwise, who knows how big a scene this could have become.”

Gu Jingsheng shot his wife a sharp glare and scolded, “You call that not making a scene? Then what would count as making a scene? Xuanyi behaving like this is all because you spoiled her. Fortunately, our son-in-law is patient and easy to reason with. If it were any other man, her recklessness—running back to her mother’s house, threatening divorce at every turn—would be ignored. In the end, she would have had to sulk back on her own.”

In the past, Madam Zhang could have stood her ground in front of her husband, but this time, she couldn’t. Her daughter’s capriciousness was indeed the result of her spoiling her.

Having been married for many years, Gu Jingsheng had truly loved her when he was young; otherwise, he wouldn’t have married her against the objections of his mother. Now, seeing her bow her head in silence, looking dejected, he softened and didn’t continue scolding her. Instead, he said, “Tomorrow, you should persuade Xuanyi to follow your son-in-law back promptly, or it might cause displeasure to the in-laws.”

Madam Zhang replied, “Of course. Originally, I wanted them to return tonight, but Xuanyi wasn’t willing.”

Ningxiang Pavilion

Gu Xuanyi led the young master of Wu’an back to the courtyard where she had stayed before her wedding. Though she had married, the courtyard was regularly cleaned and remained tidy.

Once inside, the young master had the maid leave.

Xuanyi’s anger hadn’t dissipated, and she still glared at him, saying, “Don’t think you can be forgiven just by admitting your fault. I haven’t forgotten you pushing me and making me fall to the ground.” She then opened her palm, showing the scratches from the fall. “This is all thanks to you!”

Seeing this, the young master quickly held her and coaxed her gently, “Xuanyi, it’s all my fault. Can you forgive me this once? I promise there won’t be a next time. If you’re still upset, you can hit me or scold me—I’ll take it.” Saying this, he grabbed her hand, pretending to bring it to his face for a playful slap.

Xuanyi was startled and quickly withdrew her hand, pushing him away. But seeing his sincere apology, her attitude slowly softened, though her tone remained coquettish: “I won’t hold it against you this time. If it happens again, we’ll divorce. I was going to divorce you this time, but since you’ve sincerely admitted your fault, I’ll forgive you.”

Divorce?

The young master of Wu’an slightly frowned, a shadow of gloom flashing in his eyes. Seeing his wife pouting in a proud, coquettish way, he nodded and said, “Xuanyi, there won’t be a next time. Mother only acted out of concern. She thought you had hurt younger sister, but afterward, she realized it was the younger sister being disrespectful first. Now that the situation has escalated, the younger sister knows her mistake.”

Xuanyi snorted lightly, “I don’t believe she’s realized her mistake. Earlier, she said your mother preferred other girls as daughters-in-law, and today, she said your mother once wanted your cousin to marry you. Two families closely connected.”

The young master replied softly, “Silly girl, who mother favors is her business. In my heart, there’s only you.”

Xuanyi teased, “Your sweet, delicate cousin grew up with you. The way she looks at you betrays her feelings—she likes you.”

He replied, “I’ve known my cousin since childhood, but I only have sibling feelings for her. As you can see, we’ve never been close. That proves I have no feelings for her.”

Hearing this, Xuanyi recalled how her husband had treated his cousin—while the cousin tried to get close, he was always cold and distant. It was clear he really had no feelings for her.

The young master held her face, looking at her with deep affection: “Xuanyi, there’s only you in my heart. You’re the first girl to make my heart beat, and you will be the only woman in my life. There will be no one else between us. Didn’t we agree that no matter what happens, we would stay together for life? Xuanyi, are you going to break that promise?”

Xuanyi, recalling her previous tantrum about divorce, felt a little guilty: “I… I’m not breaking my promise.”

He continued, “Xuanyi, never mention divorce again. Do you know how much it hurt me just now when I heard you say you would divorce me? My heart and eyes are only for you. If I lost you… what would I do?”

Under his tender gaze, all her anger melted away. A sweet feeling rose in her heart, and she nodded lightly: “Alright, I won’t mention it again.”

He smiled warmly, “Xuanyi, you’re so good.”

Xuanyi playfully scolded him, “Since you know I’m good, you’d better cherish me from now on, got it?”

“I will,” he nodded, pulling her into his embrace again. In her ear, he whispered, “Xuanyi, you’re the best girl I’ve ever met. Let’s go home tomorrow, alright? I’ve spoken to my mother. She said it’s not your fault and won’t blame you.”

His voice was gentle and doting, yet his eyes carried a cold, unreadable depth as he looked at the greenery outside the window.

Xuanyi nodded, “Alright, we’ll go back tomorrow.”

The young master’s lips curved into a deeper smile.

Unbeknownst to Xuanyi, she would soon regret her decision today—regret being soft-hearted and forgiving her husband, regret not insisting on divorce, and regret not stirring up a massive scene.