SGEIRS -Chapter 514 Gloomy and Downcast

After a long while, Qingqiu came in and saw her mistress staring blankly at the porcelain box in her hand. Curious, she asked, “Madam, what is that?”

Hearing her voice, Meng Jinyao snapped back to her senses. She glanced at the item in her hand again, recalling what Madam Zhang had said. She suddenly felt embarrassed, as if she were holding a hot potato. Her expression became unnatural as she closed her fingers around the box and replied calmly, “It’s nothing. Just some beauty cream for nourishing the skin and delaying aging.”

Seeing her mistress’s strange expression, Qingqiu was doubtful. “Madam, you’re still so young—only eighteen this year. You don’t even have fine lines. Why would you need something like this?”

Meng Jinyao hummed in response. “That’s why I’ll just keep it for now. No need to use it.”

Qingqiu guessed, “Was this sent by the Eldest Madam?”

Meng Jinyao nodded. “My sister-in-law means well. Whenever she has something good, she thinks of me and sends me a share. But I don’t need it for now.” Then she changed the subject. “Go bring Wanwan over. I’ll play with him for a while.”

Qingqiu acknowledged and went to the adjoining room to bring the little heir over.

Meng Jinyao played with her son, distracting herself and temporarily putting Madam Zhang’s words out of her mind. After lunch, she accompanied him for an afternoon nap.

Half an hour later, she woke from her nap and sat before her dressing table to comb her hair. She carefully examined herself in the mirror and realized she had gained a little weight. Madam Zhang’s words surfaced in her mind again, and her mood grew heavy, even tinged with anxiety.

Qingqiu, perceptive as ever, noticed her unusual state and softly called out, “Madam?”

“I want to take a walk in the back garden,” Meng Jinyao said.

“I’ll accompany you,” Qingqiu replied.

In the back garden, Qingqiu saw her brows relax and felt somewhat reassured.

In the afternoon, around You hour.

Gu Jingxi returned home and saw Meng Jinyao sitting absentmindedly, looking troubled. She didn’t even notice him approaching. He walked behind her, wrapped his arms around her, and asked gently, “A-Yao, what’s wrong?”

Only then did Meng Jinyao realize he was back. She looked up at him. “Husband, you just got back?”

“I’ve been standing beside you for a while,” Gu Jingxi replied. “You didn’t seem to notice me. What were you thinking about so intently?”

She shook her head lightly and didn’t tell the truth. “Nothing. I was just thinking about what kind of girl our future daughter-in-law will be.”

Gu Jingxi didn’t believe her. Her earlier expression clearly wasn’t about something so lighthearted. Still, he went along with her words. “That’s something for the distant future. No need to think about it now. We can worry about it in ten-odd years.”

Meng Jinyao nodded. Meeting his probing gaze, she quickly looked away and said, “Husband, I’ll go check on Wanwan.” With that, she stood up and left.

Feeling puzzled, Gu Jingxi summoned Qingqiu and asked, “Qingqiu, where did Madam go today?”

“Reporting to My Lord, Madam stayed at home today and didn’t go anywhere,” Qingqiu replied.

“Then who came to visit?”

“Miss and Eldest Madam came today,” Qingqiu hesitated before continuing. “After Miss left, Eldest Madam asked Madam to dismiss me and Ningdong, and spoke with her alone. After Eldest Madam left, Madam seemed to have something on her mind.”

Gu Jingxi frowned slightly. His sister-in-law often spoke bluntly and offended people without meaning to. A-Yao was probably upset by her. He just didn’t know what exactly she had said.

That evening, after Meng Jinyao finished bathing and was about to get dressed, she suddenly asked, “Qingqiu, do you think I’ve gained a lot of weight?”

Qingqiu was startled by the sudden question and didn’t quite understand, but she answered honestly after looking her over. “Madam, where are you fat? Your figure is well-proportioned, and you don’t even have any excess flesh.”

“But compared to before, haven’t I gained weight?” Meng Jinyao insisted. “I felt it when I looked in the mirror today.”

“You’ve just become a little more rounded,” Qingqiu replied. “You don’t look fat at all. Your figure is just right now. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Chunliu and the others.”

Ningdong echoed, “Qingqiu is right. You’re just perfect like this—definitely not fat.”

Meng Jinyao touched her face, then her waist, finding no excess flesh. She temporarily believed them. It was probably because she cared too much and had become overly sensitive about her body today.

After leaving the washroom, Qingqiu found an opportunity to report to Gu Jingxi. “My Lord, Madam asked just now whether she had gained weight. Then I remembered that this morning, Eldest Madam gave her some beauty cream to delay aging. Madam’s low spirits may be related to that.”

Gu Jingxi’s brows knitted tightly. So A-Yao had been gloomy all day because his sister-in-law gave her anti-aging cream and implied she had gained weight? His sister-in-law wasn’t so old as to be blind. His A-Yao clearly wasn’t fat—she was fair and tender, her skin rosy and delicate. Did she need something to delay aging? If anyone needed it, it should be him.

Seeing him frown in silence, Qingqiu didn’t dare say anything more.

After a moment, Gu Jingxi said, “I understand. Go have water prepared.”

Qingqiu acknowledged and withdrew.

After bathing, Gu Jingxi returned to the bedroom. Seeing the person lying on the bed, he walked over, lay down beside her, and pulled her into his arms. He nuzzled into the hollow of her neck and called softly, “A-Yao.”

Meng Jinyao wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled closer, looking at him eagerly. “Husband, have you noticed any changes in me?”

Gu Jingxi examined her carefully for a while and replied gently, “There is a change.”

Her expression tightened. “What change?”

He smiled warmly. “My A-Yao was already beautiful, and now you’re even more beautiful. You used to be too thin. I always wanted to fatten you up a little. After raising you for over two years, you’ve finally put on some flesh. You look more radiant and charming. Most importantly, you’re soft to hold—I can’t get enough of you.”

Though he was deliberately trying to cheer her up, he was telling the truth. She really did look better with a little more flesh.

Hearing his words, the gloom in Meng Jinyao’s heart instantly dispersed by more than half, and a smile appeared on her face. But when she thought of Madam Zhang’s words, her smile paused.

She asked again, “Husband, if… I mean, if after giving birth to Wanwan, my body isn’t as good as before, would you dislike me?”

Gu Jingxi was startled at first, then answered without hesitation, “Silly girl. I dote on you too much to even think of that. How could I ever dislike you? Don’t let your thoughts run wild again.”