SGEIRS -Chapter 348 He’s Being Playful

Gu Xuanyi’s divorce had the support of the elders. After all, a girl from the Gu family didn’t have to worry about marriage. But to run into this kind of ex-in-laws and former brother-in-law was undeniably frustrating, casting a faint shadow over the entire Marquis’ residence.

Because of this vexing matter, Gu Xuanyi seemed like a changed person. The arrogance and recklessness of her past were gone, replaced by greater humility; she had become noticeably gentler. At first glance, she seemed like someone whose edges had been worn down by life, but in truth, she still had sharpness. When servants gossiped or spoke ill of her, she wouldn’t hesitate to punish them.

The elders were quite satisfied with her transformation. Now, she finally resembled the proper, elegant young lady she was supposed to be.

However, the cost of this lesson had been far too high.

Ultimately, it was because her parents—Gu Jingsheng and Madam Zhang—hadn’t educated her well, allowing her to grow up with this temperament. Only after suffering significant setbacks did she change.

At Weirui Pavilion.

Gu Jingxi returned from his duties. As he reached the courtyard entrance, he saw his niece, Gu Xuanyi, coming out. After exchanging greetings, she left.

Once inside, he saw his young wife tending to the potted plants and curiously asked, “A-Yao, since when did you and Xuanyi get so close?”

Hearing this, Meng Jinyao looked up. The man in a crimson official robe came into view. Seeing Gu Jingxi, a smile blossomed in her eyes. She replied, “Yesterday, I casually mentioned that you like orchids, and Xuanyi overheard. Today, she brought me a pot of butterfly orchids from her courtyard. I was going to decline, but she insisted on giving them to you, so I kept them.”

Gu Jingxi felt inexplicably flattered. It seemed he had never received such filial gifts from juniors before. Even his adopted son, Gu Xiuming, rarely offered anything on his own—only giving a birthday gift on his birthday.

Seeing his reaction, Meng Jinyao continued, “That day, you helped her, and she was very grateful. I think she almost wanted to treat you like a father, but she was also a little afraid of you and didn’t dare get too close.”

Gu Jingxi said, “…That’s unnecessary. It’s better if she still sees me as her uncle.”

Meng Jinyao pursed her lips, smiling. She knew he found it a bit troublesome. Thinking of Xuanyi’s past behavior, which normal parent would enjoy having such a child?

After a moment, Meng Jinyao said, “Xuanyi hasn’t been back long since the divorce. It’s only been a few days, but the change is remarkable. I was just talking about it with second sister-in-law this morning.”

Gu Jingxi lightly nodded. “It’s good that her temperament has changed. Otherwise, she would suffer even more next time.”

Meng Jinyao remembered something and waved the maid away. Then, in a low voice, she said, “Husband, I heard from big sister that Xuanyi’s relationship with big brother has also changed. An irreparable gap has formed between them. Now, when Xuanyi sees him, her attitude is cold and distant, as if he were a familiar stranger.”

Hearing this, Gu Jingxi was not surprised. “If a gap forms between them, it’s big brother’s fault. Even if Xuanyi was headstrong, she has paid the price for it. As a father, big brother only considered face and personal gain that day. He sided with the Wu’an family, disregarding her entirely, which chilled her heart.”

Meng Jinyao thought of her own father. Everyone has a father, but fathers differ— not all are good fathers.

After a moment, she looked up at the man before her. The shadow in her heart lifted, and her lips curved into a smile. She said softly, “Husband, you are a good father.”

Gu Jingxi was slightly taken aback, then smiled. “When we have children, I’ll try my best to do what a father should, and strive to be a good one.”

Meng Jinyao said, “Actually, husband, you’ve always been a good father.”

Gu Jingxi fell silent. He had reflected on the past—he believed he had educated Xiuming fairly well but hadn’t been attentive enough to his daily needs. With his busy work, daily care had fallen to Xiuming’s mother. By those standards, he could at least be considered a passable father.

Seeing his silence, Meng Jinyao reached for his large hand, holding it firmly. Looking at him steadily, she said, “Husband, his current state is his own doing. If he had the right disposition, he wouldn’t have ended up like this. A person with a twisted heart cannot be reformed no matter how earnest the education. Besides, he didn’t see you as a father. He secretly communicated with his biological parents behind your back and was influenced by them. Perhaps this is just a bad bamboo producing a bad shoot.”

Gu Jingxi pulled her into his embrace and said gently, “A-Yao, I want a daughter—our daughter. She will definitely be a clever, charming little girl.”

Meng Jinyao tilted her head and teased, “But didn’t you say we’d wait until next year? If we can’t wait, we could adopt one this year. Adoption needs careful observation—both the child and the willingness of the biological parents.”

Gu Jingxi shook his head. “No, we won’t adopt.”

Meng Jinyao was startled. “You mean you want to adopt from an orphanage? That’s possible, but still requires careful observation. We need to ensure her character and temperament are right. Otherwise, we’d just be asking for trouble.”

Gu Jingxi “…”

He actually meant he wanted to have a child naturally, but his body hadn’t fully recovered yet. Never mind—the timing wasn’t right, so he’d leave it unsaid for now.

Seeing his silence, Meng Jinyao hugged his waist and said softly, “Husband, don’t overthink it. For me, it doesn’t matter whether we have a biological child. Even if we choose not to have children, that’s fine. More than anything, I want you.”

Gu Jingxi was momentarily stunned, then smiled. “I’m not overthinking—just thinking about something else.”

Meng Jinyao asked eagerly, “Then what are you thinking about?”

Gu Jingxi replied, “Nothing. I’ll tell you when the time is right.”

Meng Jinyao’s eyes widened in surprise. “Husband… you have a secret you can’t tell me?”

Gu Jingxi smiled faintly. “Yes. Alright, A-Yao, I’ll allow myself to have one secret. Is that okay?”

With that, he leaned down and kissed her face, then rubbed his forehead against hers, staring at her unblinkingly.

Meng Jinyao met his gaze. The man’s lips curved in a smile, and his eyes were as gentle as water. He looked at her without blinking, with a subtle hint of playfulness in his gaze.

This man… was being playful with her?

Her heart skipped a beat. She stared at him for a long moment, then suddenly smiled. “Fine. You can have one secret—but that’s it. Nothing else from me.”

“Just this once.”

Gu Jingxi replied, nuzzling her neck, inhaling the faint scent of her, feeling that with her in his arms, life was quietly perfect.