“What?!”
Old Madam Wang’s eyes widened in disbelief. She furrowed her brows and scrutinized Gu Wuyou for a long moment before finally taking her hand and sighing softly. “Manman, are you grieving too much? Grandmother knows about this matter. It’s only natural for you to be unhappy, to harbor resentment.”
“So whatever you wish to do, Grandmother will grant it.”
She was not one of those old women who became foolish and muddle-headed with age. How could she not see through Wang Zhao’s schemes and tricks? She had only refrained from exposing them out of concern for her granddaughter’s reputation and the Wang family’s honor.
“If you don’t wish to see her, Grandmother will send her to a family temple. Once you marry Zhao Chengyou, we can bring her back. How about that?”
Old Madam Wang cherished Gu Wuyou down to her very bones. She spoke these words without the slightest regard for whether her son and daughter-in-law would be saddened or whether her granddaughter might hate her for it in the future. She only wished to make her happy. After speaking, she pulled Gu Wuyou into her embrace, just as she had when she was a child, gently stroking her head as she softly said, “Manman, marriage is not child’s play. You cannot say such things out of a moment’s anger.”
Gu Wuyou knew that her words would certainly be met with opposition.
In her past life, at this time, she had been deeply in love with Zhao Chengyou. Everyone in Langya knew that this young lady from the Wang family, who had come from the capital, was madly infatuated with the Zhao family’s young master. She had exhausted all her efforts to drive away one potential rival after another, disregarding her dignity in her determination to claim Zhao Chengyou for herself.
No matter what banquet Zhao Chengyou attended, she had to be there.
If any young lady got even slightly close to him, she would turn hostile.
Because of Zhao Chengyou, she had turned herself into an obsessive woman. She thought that by doing so, he would belong solely to her.
But reality proved—
If a man does not have you in his heart, no matter how humbly you love him, no matter how low you stoop, it will not change his mind. Instead, it will only make him despise you more.
Thinking of how harshly Zhao Chengyou had treated her in the past, she suddenly found it amusing.
If she had recalled these things back when they had just separated, the memories would have torn her apart, left her sleepless through countless nights. But time… time was truly a wonderful thing. The grievances and sorrows she once thought she would never forget had long since been worn away by the years and cast aside.
Now—
Her heart was wholly occupied by someone else, leaving no room for even a sliver of thought for another.
Gu Wuyou nestled into Old Madam Wang’s embrace, just like she had when she was little, lightly pinching the hem of her robe with two fingers. “Grandmother, I am not asking to break off the engagement in a fit of anger. I am serious.” She lifted her head within the embrace, her illness having made her face thinner, but instead of diminishing her beauty, it lent her a rare fragility that stirred tenderness in others.
“You never approved of my marriage to Zhao Chengyou before,” she suddenly said before Old Madam Wang could speak. “Grandmother, can you tell me why?”
Old Madam Wang was momentarily stunned.
After a long silence, she sighed as she gazed at Gu Wuyou. “That child from the Zhao family has good character and excellent talent. If we talk about temperament, he is outstanding as well. But his family is complicated. His father is cold and unfeeling. Though he is the legitimate son, his mother passed away early, and his stepmother and younger brother are both highly capable.”
“If you marry into that family, you will inevitably suffer under them.”
Gu Wuyou met Old Madam Wang’s eyes and said, “That is not the most important reason.” Seeing the flicker of emotion in Old Madam Wang’s expression, she continued, “The Zhao family may be complicated, but as long as the Wang and Gu families remain standing, they cannot do anything to me.”
“Grandmother, am I right?”
Old Madam Wang had not expected Gu Wuyou to suddenly become so perceptive.
She frowned, carefully studying her granddaughter for the first time in her life. In the end, she found herself defeated by the clarity in those eyes. She lifted her hand once more, stroking her hair, and continued down her line of thought, “Yes.”
“As long as the Wang family and the Gu family do not fall, no one can do anything to you.”
“I initially opposed your marriage to Zhao Chengyou for only one reason—” Old Madam Wang paused for a moment before looking Gu Wuyou straight in the eye and continuing, “That child from the Zhao family made you less and less like yourself.”
Her Manman had always been proud, but never domineering.
Yet ever since she fell in love with that Zhao family boy, she had changed completely, becoming so obsessed that it was almost maddening. She no longer cared about others’ opinions, nor did she heed their words. It was as if her world revolved solely around Zhao Chengyou—she had no friends, and she no longer cared about her family.
A good love should help a person grow.
Not turn them into someone they no longer recognize.
That was why—
She had opposed it.
“I had wanted to tell you this before, but back then, your heart and mind were filled only with that Zhao family boy. I thought that perhaps things would get better after you were married, so I did not stop you in the end.” After finally speaking her true thoughts, Old Madam Wang sighed again.
After saying this, she looked at Gu Wuyou, still somewhat doubtful. “Manman, have you truly… figured it out now?”
Gu Wuyou nodded. Meeting Old Madam Wang’s skeptical gaze, she held her hand and softly said, “Grandmother, I’ve just come back from the gates of death. The things I couldn’t understand before, I now see clearly.”
“My engagement to Zhao Chengyou was something I forced.”
“What forced?!” Old Madam Wang, who had been listening patiently, suddenly became displeased. She pursed her lips and interrupted, “Did we hold a knife to their throats? The moment his father knew we had such intentions, he rushed over with the betrothal letter the very next day, afraid that we might change our minds.”
To her, her granddaughter was always the best.
Especially as someone as biased as Old Madam Wang—how could she tolerate her precious granddaughter belittling herself like this?
Seeing this, the amusement in Gu Wuyou’s eyes deepened. She still liked her grandmother best—no matter what, Old Madam Wang would always stand by her side. It was as if the decades of experience from her past life had been peeled away, leaving her feeling like a true child again. She nestled into that long-lost embrace, her laughter soft and sweet as she playfully followed along, “Yes, it’s Zhao Chengyou’s loss for not liking me.”
Only after coaxing her grandmother into a good mood did she continue, “Regardless, since Zhao Chengyou has no feelings for me, and I no longer have any thoughts of him, it’s better to end things sooner rather than later.”
“You—”
Old Madam Wang gave her a scrutinizing look, still hesitant. “Have you truly made up your mind?”
She found it hard to believe that Manman could let go so easily.
But Gu Wuyou’s expression was so calm—she neither avoided nor evaded, simply looking straight at Old Madam Wang as she nodded. “Grandmother, I really have thought it through.” It had taken her so many years to reach this realization.
As for Zhao Chengyou—
She neither resented him nor loved him anymore. To her, he was nothing more than a familiar stranger among the countless people in this vast world.
She no longer wished to have any entanglements with him.
There was no need.
—
Following Gu Wuyou’s wishes, Old Madam Wang did not immediately go to the Zhao family to retrieve the betrothal letter. However, within the Wang household, this matter was no longer a secret—no one had expected that their young miss, the esteemed cousin from the capital, would actually seek to break off her engagement with Zhao Chengyou, the famed eldest son of the Zhao family, who was renowned throughout Langya.
It was simply unbelievable.
Among those who found it hardest to believe, Wang Zhao was the most shocked.
That day.
It was a rare fine day in the middle of winter. Gu Wuyou was still young—after a few days of rest, her illness had healed, and she was ready to set off for the capital. Outside, several carriages were loaded with the belongings she used in the past, along with the gifts the Wang family had prepared for the Gu family.
Although Old Madam Wang did not like the Gu family, she still had to maintain proper decorum.
Six carriages.
Flanked by more than twenty guards, accompanied by maids and senior servant women, numbering over thirty people in total—such an escort was enough to display Gu Wuyou’s status in the Wang family.
This departure was different from the past.
Gu Wuyou had already decided to break off her engagement with Zhao Chengyou. But in Langya, it was nearly impossible to find another man like Zhao Chengyou, one who possessed an outstanding family background, character, and talent. Even though Old Madam Wang was reluctant, she had no choice but to let her return to the capital.
That was what she said.
But when the time for farewell truly arrived, she still held Gu Wuyou’s hand tightly, feeling sorrowful as she said, “Once you’re in the capital, it will be such a long distance away. Even if I wish to take care of you, I won’t be able to.”
Gu Wuyou also felt uneasy.
In her past life, before Old Madam Wang passed away, she had remained in Langya. Even when she did visit the capital, it was only once a year, staying for just seven or eight days before packing up and returning. To her, Langya was her home, and Old Madam Wang was her dearest family.
But now—
Even though she was reluctant to leave, she had no choice but to go. Besides wanting to meet her Great General sooner, she also wanted to see her family in the capital.
In her past life, after divorcing Zhao Chengyou, her father had personally taken her back to the capital.
She could still vividly remember that moment—her father had arrived in Langya in a rush, carrying an imperial decree. When he saw her, tears suddenly fell from his resolute face. He knelt on one knee before her, his broad hands trembling slightly as he cupped her face and said to her, “I… was too late.”
Later, he took her away from Langya, ignoring Zhao Chengyou’s objections and even giving Zhao Chengyou a sound beating on her behalf.
Her father had actually been a good man.
But in the past, her resentment toward him had been too deep—she had blamed him, hated him, and refused to call him father.
Sometimes, she would wonder—her father, as one of the emperor’s most trusted officials and a high-ranking minister of the Great Zhou, should have lived a life more comfortable than anyone else’s. Yet in her past life, he had passed away before the age of fifty, filled with sorrow.
Was it… because of her?
He had lost the love of his life at the height of his youth, and his beloved daughter had treated him as a stranger. Though he had everything, he also had nothing. And so, before his death, he had stroked her hair, his eyes red as he said, “If I had never married your mother, she wouldn’t have died so early.”
“But still… I can’t bear to part with her.”
Thinking of this, Gu Wuyou’s eyes grew red again.
Since the heavens had granted her a chance to start over, she wouldn’t only seek out her Great General sooner—she would also cherish her family properly this time.
Sniffing lightly, she swallowed back her tears, forcing a smile as she said, “No matter how far away I am, I will visit you often.”
And I’ll bring my Great General with me.
In her past life, by the time she married Li Qinyuan, Old Madam Wang had long passed away.
This time, she wanted to bring him to meet her sooner. Her Great General was such a wonderful person—if her grandmother met him, she would surely like him.
Old Madam Wang had no choice but to wipe away her tears and give a few more instructions.
Gu Wuyou responded to each one, and after bidding farewell to her uncle and aunt, as well as her cousins, she spent quite some time before finally being helped into the carriage.
Just as the carriage was about to depart, a voice suddenly called out—
“Gu Wuyou!”
It was Wang Zhao’s voice.
Perhaps she hadn’t expected Wang Zhao to appear, so Gu Wuyou was momentarily stunned before lifting the curtain. She saw Wang Zhao being supported by two maids, limping as she made her way over. When Wang Zhao saw her, she pushed away the maids’ assistance, clenched her teeth, and walked up to the carriage, standing beside it as she asked, “You’re just leaving like this?”
Gu Wuyou nodded. “Mm.”
“You—!” Wang Zhao bit her lip, her small face filled with doubt. “Do you really not care at all?”
This time, Gu Wuyou did not answer directly. Instead, she leaned against the carriage, lowered her gaze, and carefully looked at her. This was the first time she had seen Wang Zhao since waking up—not as the girl who always forced herself to appear dignified and noble.
Right now, she was still too young.
“Do you like Zhao Chengyou?” Gu Wuyou suddenly asked, her voice soft and calm, only loud enough for the two of them to hear.
Wang Zhao’s expression changed. She seemed nervous, afraid that others might overhear. But under Gu Wuyou’s unwavering gaze, she instinctively straightened her back, as if unwilling to be looked down upon. She clenched her teeth and stubbornly said, “I do like him. So what?”
“If it weren’t for you, he should have been mine!”
If not for Grandmother favoring Gu Wuyou, Zhao Chengyou would have belonged to her. She was the one who was truly worthy of him!
But Gu Wuyou only smiled at her, no longer showing the sharp hostility she once had toward her cousin. As the wind brushed past her face, she lifted her hand and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Then, she looked at Wang Zhao with a light, breezy smile and said, “Then, I wish you get what you desire.”
“The wind is strong. I should go now. You should head back as well.”
With that, she no longer paid Wang Zhao any attention and let down the carriage curtain.
The carriage slowly moved forward. Wang Zhao stood in place, staring blankly at Gu Wuyou’s departing figure. After a long while, she furrowed her brows…
What was that woman up to? She refused to believe that Gu Wuyou would leave so easily.
She must have something planned!
Half a month later.
As winter deepened, the wind and snow grew harsher.
Fortunately, Old Madam Wang had known that Gu Wuyou feared the cold and had prepared plenty of high-quality silver charcoal. But even so, Gu Wuyou was still freezing. Bai Lu and Hong Shuang took thick blankets and carefully covered every gap inside the carriage, then pulled out all the luxurious fox fur cloaks as if they cost nothing, piling them onto Gu Wuyou.
“Why aren’t we there yet?” Hong Shuang grumbled while rubbing Gu Wuyou’s hands.
“It’ll probably be another half a day’s journey.”
Bai Lu glanced at Gu Wuyou, who was practically shivering, bit her lip, and suggested, “Why don’t we rest somewhere nearby? The snowstorm is too heavy. If you continue traveling like this, you might freeze. We can wait until the storm calms down before moving on.”
Gu Wuyou was curled up entirely within the fox fur, her teeth chattering from the cold.
She shook her head, just about to refuse, when Hong Shuang suddenly said, “I remember there’s a temple nearby. Why don’t we rest there for a while?”
A temple?
Gu Wuyou paused.
If she remembered correctly, that temple was Jintai Temple—the very place where she first met Li Qinyuan… Though that was supposed to happen a few years later, the thought stirred something in her heart, and she couldn’t resist the urge to take a look.
“Then let’s stop there for a while and rest.”