SGEIRS -Chapter 515 Discovering the Truth

Meng Jinyao asked, “Is what you said true?”

Gu Jingxi replied, “Of course it’s true. How would your husband ever lie to you?”

Meng Jinyao pressed further, “Then… if my body ends up with some flaw, not as perfect as before, would you dislike me?”

Hearing this, Gu Jingxi was a little taken aback. During her postpartum confinement, she had been carefully cared for and shouldn’t have developed any illness—what flaw could there be? Was she perhaps worried about having gained a bit of weight after pregnancy? In truth, the extra weight was just right, not at all fat.

He asked in return, “Jinyao, back when my body wasn’t well, and some people said behind my back that I was no different from a eunuch, if you married me, it would be like marrying a eunuch—did you dislike me then?”

Meng Jinyao shook her head immediately. “If I had disliked you, I wouldn’t have chosen you as my husband back then. I would have simply chosen between Xiuhong and Xiuwen.”

Gu Jingxi looked into her eyes and spoke softly, “Back when I couldn’t perform, you never disliked me. Now, no matter what happens to your body, it’s still better than what I was back then. How could I possibly hold a grudge against you over something so trivial? Besides, even if your body suffers a flaw, it’s because you bore children for me. I only regret that I cannot carry a child myself—if I could, you wouldn’t have to bear such hardship alone as a fragile woman.”

His gaze was gentle and indulgent, his voice calm and soothing, slowly dissipating the anxiety in Meng Jinyao’s heart. She buried her face against his chest, tightening the hand around his waist, hugging him closely.

Gu Jingxi asked, “Jinyao, have I done anything insufficiently well?”

Meng Jinyao looked up, puzzled. “Husband, why do you ask that?”

He replied, “If I had done everything well enough to reassure you, why would you be so sensitive?”

Meng Jinyao froze for a moment, then shook her head repeatedly. Her husband treated her perfectly; it was just that hearing her elder sister-in-law’s words as someone who had experienced childbirth made her overthink.

Gu Jingxi continued, “Jinyao, remember this: if there’s ever someone worrying about being disliked in our relationship, it would always be me. So don’t overthink it.”

Meng Jinyao said, “But what if…”

Gu Jingxi interrupted her: “There is no ‘what if.’ I think you should trust your husband’s character.”

Looking at his earnest and solemn expression, Meng Jinyao nodded seriously. “Husband, I trust you. I won’t overthink things again.”

Gu Jingxi ruffled her hair. “That’s right. Let’s rest for now. I need to wake up early tomorrow.”

Meng Jinyao agreed, snuggling her head closer into his embrace.

The next day, just as dawn broke, Gu Jingxi was already awake. Meng Jinyao had woken up unusually early, driven by hunger, having eaten very little the night before. She got up with him to have breakfast.

Gu Jingxi noticed a porcelain box on the dressing table. His keen sense of smell detected a faint medicinal scent. Picking up the box, he opened it to see a white ointment and asked, “Jinyao, what kind of medicine is this?”

Meng Jinyao’s heart skipped a beat as she turned to look at the box in his hand. For appearances, she stayed calm. “It’s nothing—just a beauty ointment. They say it can slow aging when applied to the face. Even the palace ladies use it.”

Gu Jingxi recalled what Qingqiu had said the previous night and guessed it must have been sent by her elder sister-in-law. His Jinyao didn’t need it, but he could use it. At over thirty years old, it was reasonable to maintain himself. “Jinyao, you’re still young, you don’t need this. Let your husband use it instead.”

Meng Jinyao was startled. In the next moment, she saw her husband dipping his fingers into the ointment and spreading it on his face. She gasped, “Husband, wait!” and hurried over in three quick steps, snatching the porcelain box from his hands. But it was too late—he had already applied the ointment.

Gu Jingxi was puzzled by her intense reaction. “Jinyao, what’s wrong?”

She quickly reached out and wiped the ointment from his face, looking uneasy. “Nothing… it’s just that this isn’t for you. You don’t have any wrinkles anyway.”

Seeing her so tense, Gu Jingxi sensed something was off. If it were just a beauty ointment, her reaction wouldn’t have been so extreme. Perhaps this wasn’t an ordinary cosmetic.

Suppressing the question in his heart, he smiled calmly and said softly, “Since Jinyao says I shouldn’t use it, I won’t. Something meant for women probably isn’t suitable for men anyway.”

Relieved, Meng Jinyao nodded. “Exactly. That’s what I meant. This isn’t suitable for you, so I wiped it off. Besides, you don’t need it.”

“Mm, I’ll listen to Jinyao,” Gu Jingxi said, taking her hands and placing the porcelain box back on the table. Then he instructed the maid, “Ningdong, wash the lady’s hands and have breakfast prepared.”

Ningdong went to fetch a damp cloth.

Gu Jingxi carefully wiped the ointment from Meng Jinyao’s right hand, then took her along to breakfast. “Jinyao, weren’t you hungry earlier? Let’s eat first.”

She agreed. “Alright.”

As she turned, Gu Jingxi discreetly took the porcelain box from the table.

After his afternoon duties, Gu Jingxi went straight to the Imperial Medical Office to see Physician Wen. He handed the morning’s box to him. “Physician Wen, a colleague gave me this, saying it’s for beauty and slowing aging, used by the palace ladies. Can you check if it’s effective?”

Physician Wen looked at him in surprise. “You’re a man, my lord—do you really need this?”

Gu Jingxi cleared his throat. “I’m thirty-one; my wife is only eighteen.”

Physician Wen’s expression changed to one of understanding. He opened the box and smelled it, then frowned, glancing at Gu Jingxi with a peculiar look. “Lord, are you sure your colleague said this is for beauty care?”

Gu Jingxi remained composed. “Yes. Is there something wrong with it?”

Physician Wen’s gaze grew stranger. “The item is fine. It’s made according to my prescription. Indeed, some palace ladies use it—but it’s not for beauty care.”

Gu Jingxi’s heart tightened. “Not for beauty care?”

Physician Wen explained, “Strictly speaking, this isn’t meant for men. It’s for women, especially those who have given birth.”

Gu Jingxi immediately recalled Jinyao’s question from last night. His expression grew serious as he asked, “Then why would a colleague give this to me?”

Physician Wen also found it odd, and guessed, “My lord, perhaps your colleague wanted to flatter you but didn’t clearly explain how it should be used, leading to your misunderstanding.” He then carefully explained the true effects and purpose of the medicine.

Gu Jingxi was stunned. After a moment, he gave Physician Wen a sharp look and said in mock exasperation, “You mischievous old man, making such improper medicine.”

Physician Wen remained calm. “Even though my medicine is improper, others still seek it out. My lord just doesn’t recognize its value.”

Gu Jingxi: “……”

Physician Wen, seeing him frown silently, added, “Lord, though this medicine works, not everyone needs it. It depends on the person. As for whether it’s needed, my lord surely knows the answer.”

Gu Jingxi said coldly, “It’s not needed. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have received such improper things.”

Physician Wen: “……”

Not needed is one thing—but to scold me for it? My medicine could benefit others—how is that improper? Besides, if people were too proper, how would they have descendants?