SGEIRS -Chapter 38 Men Hold Grudges

Song Xinning’s voice wasn’t loud, but it wasn’t quiet either. Not only did Meng Jinyao hear it clearly—even Gu Jingxi and Qi Yunwen, who were standing not far away, heard every word.

For a moment, it was as if the air itself had frozen.

An awkward atmosphere settled over the entire corridor.

Meng Jinyao felt her temples throb. Instinctively, she took a step forward and looked to the right. Sure enough, she saw her husband, Gu Jingxi.

The moment their eyes met, the man looked at her with a faint, ambiguous smile.

Her expression stiffened.

She felt guilty to the extreme and suddenly had an overwhelming urge to burrow into the ground.

What kind of situation was this?

Not long ago, they had been talking about him behind his back. Just moments earlier, they had even called him an “old man”—and now they had run straight into him, with that “old man” remark having been heard loud and clear.

She quickly estimated where Gu Jingxi was standing.

He was at the entrance of the private room two doors away from theirs, with one room in between.

Since there was still a room separating them, their conversation inside shouldn’t have carried over, even if they had spoken a little loudly. He definitely wouldn’t have heard everything.

Thinking this, Meng Jinyao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. A smile curved onto her lips as she stepped forward naturally and greeted him.

“Husband, what a coincidence. Why are you here too?”

Her delicate, beautiful face bloomed into a bright smile. Her eyes sparkled with liveliness as she looked up at him, looking both sweet and obedient, with an indescribable charm.

Yet hidden within her gaze was a trace of ingratiation.

Clearly, she was hoping to muddle through this and make him forget what Song Xinning had just said.

Gu Jingxi raised an eyebrow slightly, with no intention of letting her off.

Not long ago, this girl had told her close friend that he was lecherous. Now, he was being called an old man as well.

With a half-smile, he replied, “It is quite a coincidence. Did I disturb Madam’s conversation with Miss Song?”

Meng Jinyao’s smile froze.

“…N-No, not at all.”

Song Xinning also realized she had misspoken. She wished she could turn back time.

But since the words were already out, she could only pretend nothing had happened and try to gloss it over.

She turned to her uncle, stepped forward, and smiled ingratiatingly.

“Uncle, you’re here too?”

Qi Yunwen, however, was in no mood to be indulgent.

Looking at his usually adorable niece now irritated him.

All he could think of was what his friend had said earlier:

“You’re a year older than me. If I’m an old man, then what are you? A fossil about to be buried?”

To him, her calling Jingxi an old man was no different from calling him an old fossil.

And he was only thirty!

He was nowhere near old.

With a stern face, he glared at her and snapped, “What nonsense are you talking about? ‘Old man’? I’ve only just turned thirty. I’m still young. Unlike your father, that nearly forty-year-old geezer.”

Song Xinning was left speechless.

Her smile stiffened instantly.

She exchanged an awkward glance with Meng Jinyao, as if silently asking: Are men really that sensitive about their age?

“A-Ning, I’m taking you to see a doctor,” Qi Yunwen said as he stepped forward and grabbed her arm, dragging her toward the staircase on the right.

Before leaving, he nodded lightly to Meng Jinyao.

“Sister-in-law, A-Ning’s condition can’t be delayed. I’ll take her first.”

Song Xinning looked confused.

“Uncle, my eyes are fine. Why do I need to see a doctor?”

“Which patient thinks they’re sick?” Qi Yunwen replied firmly, continuing to pull her along.

Inwardly, he sighed.

This silly child… If she were even a little sharper, she’d know I’m helping her escape this awkward situation.

The uncle and niece soon left, with Song Xinning’s maid following closely behind.

Before long, only Meng Jinyao and Gu Jingxi remained in the corridor, along with Qingqiu and Ningdong, who stood with their heads lowered, eyes fixed on the floor.

The corridor was quiet.

Uncomfortably so.

Meng Jinyao looked at Gu Jingxi, wanting to explain something.

But when she met his half-smiling expression, her words got stuck in her throat.

She felt so awkward she could practically dig out an acre of land with her toes.

After all, he had clearly heard that remark.

In the end, Gu Jingxi broke the silence.

“Does Madam still have other matters?”

Meng Jinyao shook her head reflexively.

“No. Do you have anything else to do, Husband?”

“Since there’s nothing else, let’s return home.”

“Ah?” Meng Jinyao exclaimed softly.

Seeing that Gu Jingxi had already turned toward the stairs, she hesitated briefly before following him.

A-Ning had already left with Lord Qi, and she had nothing else to do. Going home early was fine.

The couple left Tea-Ran Pavilion and headed straight back to the manor.

Meng Jinyao originally thought she would return alone.

Unexpectedly, Gu Jingxi went back with her—and even shared her carriage, sending her two maids to his.

Inside the carriage, the atmosphere was awkwardly quiet.

After sitting upright for a while, Meng Jinyao couldn’t hold it anymore and secretly glanced at the man opposite her.

Ever since he said they were returning home, he hadn’t spoken again.

His expression was calm and unreadable. She couldn’t tell whether he was angry about A-Ning’s remark.

Noticing her gaze, Gu Jingxi glanced at her lightly.

“Why is Madam staring at me?”

Meng Jinyao immediately forced a smile.

“Because my husband is handsome.”

Gu Jingxi clicked his tongue softly.

With a flat tone, he said, “What’s there to look at in an aging old man?”

Hearing his self-mocking tone, Meng Jinyao twitched at the corner of her mouth.

Are men really this grudge-holding? We’re already on our way home, and he’s still bringing this up.

But she was at fault first.

So she hurriedly smiled and replied, “Husband is in his prime, full of youthful vigor, and unmatched in looks. You look no more than twenty-three or twenty-four. You don’t look twenty-nine at all. How are you old?”

“Is that so?” Gu Jingxi raised an eyebrow and replied slowly, “I thought Madam disliked me and regretted marrying an old man like me. An old man who’s not only old, but also lecherous.”

That sentence struck Meng Jinyao like a bolt of lightning.

She widened her eyes in shock and stared at him.

The gentle, refined gentleman before her didn’t look like someone who would eavesdrop.

But if he hadn’t eavesdropped, how could he know she had once told A-Ning that he was lecherous?

She blurted out in disbelief, “Husband… you were eavesdropping on us?”

Of course, Gu Jingxi wouldn’t admit that.

He had originally intended to listen in on someone else’s conversation. Who knew he would accidentally overhear her?

Keeping a straight face, he replied, “Judging from Madam’s reaction, it seems you really did tell someone that I’m a lecher.”

Meng Jinyao froze.

“???”

So… he hadn’t overheard her at all?

He was just speaking casually, and she had exposed herself?

Had she just lifted a rock only to smash her own foot?

Seeing her expression change again and again, her lips parting as if she were preparing an excuse, Gu Jingxi curved his lips into a faint smile.

“Madam,” he said softly, “don’t you think you owe me an explanation?”