Chapter 20
Chapter 20 (V2): Distrust
Shi Fengju spoke patiently. "Mother, the servants are garrulous but unknowledgeable. What’s there to fuss over about? Just throw the noisy ones out and the problem will be solved! We can always employ more to replace those who are thrown! Gu Fangzi isn’t so petty; I’m sure she wouldn’t take that incident to heart!"
Which large household did not have unruly servants? Only a pond with no fish is a pond that’s clean. How could Mother not understand such a simple principle? Busy enough having to look after heaven and earth, who had the time to look after the mouth of humans?
"Nonsense!" Wang Shi scolded. "Don’t you know that gossips are powerful weapons? Or do you not intend to marry Gu Fangzi?"
"Miss Gu!" Nanny Jiang spotted Gu Fangzi standing at the entrance with her eyes wide open.
The quarrel between mother and son immediately paused. They immediately looked in the direction of the entrance, only to see Gu Fangzi’s pale and sorrowful face as she choked on her tears and ran.
"That… when did she come?" Wang Shi looked at Nanny Jiang.
"I don’t know!" Nanny Jiang hurriedly replied in remorse.
Wang Shi could not help but feel anxious. "This is bad, she must have heard our conversation! What should we do? That child is already pitiful, yet this— all because of you!" Wang Shi glared at her son.
"Mother, no need to feel anxious. I’ll find and explain everything to her. So Mother, do not interfere in this!" Once he spoke, Shi Fengju hurried out.
In a pavilion of Peony Park, Gu Fangzi quietly let her tears flow. Her slender shoulders trembled slightly and she would sniffle once in a while. Clearly, she was pitiful.
Hearing the footsteps behind her, Gu Fangzi became motionless for a moment before slowly sitting up straight. With her back facing the man who was rushing towards her, she quickly wiped the tears off her face. She tidied herself up and slid away her hair that was sticking to her face before casting a glance behind her. It was Shi Fengju. She immediately lowered her head, "Big Cousin."
Seeing her teary swollen red eyes and her face wet with tears, she was like a beautiful flower under the rain, both lovely and pitiful. His heart immediately softened.
"Fang’er!" Shi Fengju patted her back gently. "Don’t cry!"
Gu Fangzi sniffled loudly but did not respond to his words. Her body involuntarily leaned away from his hand.
He does not wish to have me married into the family; he does not wish so!
She had never thought that he would bluntly refuse her! She had only worried about her aunt. But now it seemed that it was not her aunt who was actually refusing her, but him!
That was unacceptable! His attitude was like a sharp knife, piercing mercilessly at her heart.
"Fang’er, don’t be like that!" Shi Fengju smiled bitterly.
"Why did you not agree? You…" Gu Fangzi raised her head and looked tearfully into Shi Fengju’s eyes. "Do you not want me anymore?"
"No, it’s not like that!" Alarmed, Shi Fengju immediately pulled her into his arms. "Fang’er, have you forgotten the words I said to you before? I said that I would never betray you!"
"But you refused in front of Aunt Wang! You should know that my heart only has— Big Cousin, you can’t do this to me. My heart hurts; it hurts a lot!" Gu Fangzi could not help but once again let her tears flow down her cheeks.
Those were tears filled with humiliation.
"My feelings for you have never changed. Believe in me, Fang’er!" Shi Fengju increased the seriousness in his tone. "And the words I said to you before will also never change; you have to believe in me!"
All Gu Fangzi could feel from those words was a thick layer of satire. The fury in her heart rose to the doors of her mind. She sneered at Shi Fengju. "Believe? How do you want me to believe in you? Before Sang Wan married into the family, you couldn’t bear to hear even her name being mentioned in the household, and during the day of the marriage, your face showed no sign of happiness! At that time, I’m sure you know that I was feeling both happy and upset. Upset because the one marrying you wasn’t me; happy because your feelings for me were evident! But now? You don’t seem to even wish to have me married into the family! Why? You’re worried that she might suffer humiliation? In just the short timespan of three days, you’ve forgotten all about me and the one who’s taken my spot in your heart instead is her? For you, I was willing to become a concubine, but just what do you want? Your words say you would never betray me, but just from your actions alone, you have already betrayed me!"