“I…” Gu Jianli’s hand by her face clenched the brocade blanket unconsciously. “I used to have an engagement…”
Ji Wujing said uncertainly, “I think I had one too, right?”
“No, it’s different. My previous engagement…”
Ji Wujing covered Gu Jianli’s mouth with his cold hand, his tone impatient. “Gu Jianli, can you let me sleep peacefully?”
“Lunar December 20th, 21st, 22nd… Today is the 28th.” Each time he counted, his finger tapped Gu Jianli’s cheek. “These days, count how many peaceful nights you’ve let me sleep, hmm?”
Gu Jianli pursed her lips.
Ji Wujing’s finger brushed over her lips, tracing the outline of her cherry lips and pinching lightly. His voice was sinister, “If you keep making noise, I’ll sew your mouth shut.”
Gu Jianli frowned, pursing her lips even tighter.
Ji Wujing knew he had scared the little girl again. He finally opened his eyes. The light in the bed was dim. Gu Jianli, lying with her back to him, had her neck exposed outside the quilt, glowing like snow.
Ji Wujing’s gaze fell on the back of her neck. After watching for a while, he couldn’t resist and suddenly leaned in, biting her neck.
Gu Jianli was startled and let out a muffled cry, instinctively trying to escape. Ji Wujing’s large hand covering her mouth restrained her, preventing any escape.
Cold and sharp pain radiated from the back of her neck, the clear sensation of being bitten spreading through her body. Gu Jianli shivered, whimpering softly and calling out something in a small voice.
Ji Wujing let go and closed his eyes again, moving closer to Gu Jianli, pressing his face against the back of her neck. Warm, moist breath brushed against her tender skin. He lazily asked, “What did you just whisper?”
Gu Jianli quietly covered her mouth. She almost told Ji Wujing that she thought he was going to bite her to death and had unconsciously called out “Daddy, save me…”
Apparently, Ji Wujing was very tired and didn’t want to delve into it, so he didn’t ask further.
He seemed to sense the comfort of holding a warm, soft body. His large hand rested on Gu Jianli’s lower abdomen, pulling her soft and tender body into his embrace.
Ji Wujing, satisfied, lazily said, “So soft and warm.”
Gu Jianli’s features twisted in distress. She picked up the hand warmer she had placed in the quilt while making the bed and handed it to Ji Wujing in a small voice, “This is warmer…”
Ji Wujing glanced at it and, after taking it, directly threw it to the ground. The copper hand warmer rolled to the corner of the wall with a loud clatter, startling Jixia, who was keeping watch outside.
Ji Wujing made a noise of surprise. His hand on Gu Jianli’s lower abdomen started exploring, tracing a circle along her waistline.
“Such a slender waist?”
“It feels like I could snap it in half with a single motion.”
Gu Jianli’s entire body tensed up, as if she was on the verge of breaking, ready to start trembling in the next instant.
While Ji Wujing explored, he unintentionally pulled open the hem of her nightgown. His hand slid into her gown, his thumb lightly playing with the indentation of her navel before giving it a gentle flick.
“Fifth Master!” Gu Jianli grabbed Ji Wujing’s wrist, her voice trembling.
Finally unable to hold it in, Gu Jianli’s soft body began to tremble.
Ji Wujing yawned wearily, his palm resting on her smooth, soft belly without letting go, and sneered lightly, “You’ve already squeezed my balls, what’s the big deal about touching your belly?”
Gu Jianli’s hand slowly loosened its grip on Ji Wujing’s wrist. She didn’t dare make a sound or move an inch. After a while, she mouthed silently to herself, “Rogue.”
Even though she told herself that regardless of whether she would leave the Guangping Marquis Residence in the future, since she had already married Ji Wujing, who knew everything, she should not be pretentious in refusing his touch.
Logically, yes, but her body still resisted his touch…
Ji Wujing’s breathing became even and he gradually fell asleep. He still held Gu Jianli in his arms like a pillow, not letting go.
Gu Jianli quietly exhaled a breath.
His hand on her abdomen was slightly cool, with thin calluses on his palm, making it impossible for Gu Jianli to ignore his presence. The long night slowly passed, he slept soundly while she stared blankly into the darkness, unable to sleep. Originally, she had made all kinds of plans when she got married, but now she was at a loss.
Awoken by the clatter of the copper hand warmer, Jixia listened for a while and, hearing no further sounds from the inner room, went back to sleep.
Gu Jianli fell asleep very late and woke up the next day not very early. She quietly got out of bed, careful not to wake Ji Wujing.
While changing her clothes, she looked down at her own belly for a long time. It wasn’t until Jixia’s voice reminded her that she blushed and came back to her senses.
Gu Jianli had just learned that Ji Xuanke had returned to the residence and intended to confess to Ji Wujing about her past with Ji Xuanke, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. Now, she had changed her mind and didn’t want to say it anymore. What was there to say? It wasn’t like she deliberately hid it; she was forced to marry Ji Wujing.
“Should we wake Fifth Master for morning greetings and breakfast together?” Jixia asked.
“No need.” Gu Jianli shook her head. “Let him sleep, attending lunch will be enough. Fifth Master’s health isn’t good; the household won’t blame him.”
Gu Jianli’s guess was correct. It was common for Ji Wujing to be absent from such family gatherings, and everyone was used to it.
After the whole family had lunch in the main hall, the men left one by one, leaving the women to chat. The Old Madam glanced at the worried-looking Second Madam and asked, “What’s wrong with you? Did Xuanke blame you?”
The Second Madam hurriedly said, “He doesn’t know yet. Yesterday, when he came to see me, he didn’t stay long before going to see his father and then off to find Second Brother and Fourth Brother. I haven’t told him…”
“He doesn’t know yet?” The Old Madam frowned.
The Second Madam nodded hesitantly.
The Old Madam was troubled as well. She knew the Second Madam was worried about a rift between mother and son, but her own concern was that Ji Wujing would find out that Gu Jianli almost became his niece-in-law. Initially, she thought Ji Wujing would sleep for seven or eight days and then die, but he unexpectedly woke up.
The Old Madam had planned to talk to Ji Wujing about the Gu family matter, but Ji Wujing had closed his door to everyone. Moreover, she suspected that even if she told him, it would make no difference…
She hadn’t slept well last night, worried that they might run into each other at breakfast today. When Ji Wujing didn’t show up, she sighed in relief, but she felt lunch couldn’t be avoided…
What was the point of avoiding it? You can’t escape forever. This matter had been mishandled from the start!
The Old Madam sighed.
“Madam, please have a cup of hot tea. As the saying goes, when the boat reaches the bridgehead, it will straighten itself; when the car reaches the mountain, there will be a way. There’s nothing that can’t be overcome.” Ye Yunyue spoke gently and properly handed a cup of tea to the Old Madam.
The Old Madam took the tea, looking at Ye Yunyue’s gentle and virtuous demeanor, thinking that if Ji Wujing had married Ye Yunyue, wouldn’t there be none of today’s troubles?
Then she thought again, Ji Wujing’s health was so poor, he wouldn’t live long. How could she let Ye Yunyue marry and become a widow? Although Ye Yunyue had embarrassed the Guangping Marquis Residence back then, the Old Madam also felt that it was good Ye Yunyue didn’t marry someone like Ji Wujing.
The Old Madam started to blame Gu Jingyuan. If he hadn’t done such a disgraceful thing, the palace wouldn’t have secretly instructed the Guangping Marquis Residence to tamper with the imperial edict.
Thinking further, the Old Madam realized that the situation was even more complicated. An uncle’s wife who was once a nephew’s fiancée was indeed scandalous. She then blamed Ji Wujing, wondering why he didn’t just die. If he had died sooner and taken Gu Jianli with him, this scandalous situation of uncle and nephew fighting over a wife would have been over quickly…
Gu Jianli was pushing Ji Wujing, with Ji Xinglou and Ji Xinglan following on either side. When they arrived at the main hall, most of the people were already there. The hall, which had been filled with laughter, fell silent as they entered.
Gu Jianli greeted everyone with the children, following the maid’s guidance to their seats, acting as if she hadn’t noticed the sudden change in atmosphere. However, she couldn’t ignore a particularly intense gaze. At first, she thought it was someone from the Guangping Marquis Residence, but she couldn’t resist looking up and found it was an unfamiliar woman. The woman had her hair styled in a married woman’s bun, was young, and had a delicate and graceful appearance.
Gu Jianli belatedly realized that the woman wasn’t looking at her but at Ji Wujing.
Ye Yunyue looked at Gu Jianli, their eyes met, and Ye Yunyue gave a friendly nod with a slight smile. Gu Jianli assumed she was a relative from the residence and casually nodded back.
Ji Xuanke, along with Second Brother Ji Xuanmin and Third Brother Ji Xuankeng, headed towards the main hall. On the way, Ji Xuanke said, “By the way, I heard that while I was down south, Fifth Uncle got married?”
Ji Xuanmin and Ji Xuankeng exchanged glances and said, “Yes…”
Ji Xuanke frowned, “With Fifth Uncle’s health as it is, it must be hard on Fifth Aunt.”
Ji Xuanmin and Ji Xuankeng remained silent.
“I think I heard a servant mention something about warding off evil spirits? Could it be that our family forced someone to marry Fifth Uncle to ward off evil?” Ji Xuanke asked.
Ji Xuanmin and Ji Xuankeng quickly waved their hands, “No, no, no…”
As they approached the main hall, they stopped discussing the matter.
“Second Brother, Third Brother, and Fourth Brother are here!” Nanny Song said with a cheerful smile.
Gu Jianli was in the middle of rolling up Ji Xinglan’s sleeves. Upon hearing this, she paused briefly. Keeping her head down, she heard Ji Xuanke’s familiar voice as he greeted the Guangping Marquis and the Old Madam.
The Old Madam called for the meal to start, and the maids in the hall began to move about.
Suddenly, Ji Yueming spoke up, “Third Brother, you haven’t met our new Fifth Aunt yet.”
The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became awkward.
Ji Xuanke, completely oblivious, stood up with a smile and said, “Indeed. Ji Shao has been remiss. Please don’t take offense, Fifth Aunt.”
He looked towards a table in the corner where Gu Jianli had her back to him. His gaze casually swept over her back as he walked over, looking towards Ji Wujing and saying, “Fifth Uncle, you seem much better. It must be thanks to Fifth Aunt’s good care.”
By the time he finished speaking, he had already reached behind Gu Jianli. His gaze once again swept over her back, and he suddenly found it familiar. Ji Xuanke’s brows slowly furrowed.
“Just not dead yet,” Ji Wujing responded casually.
Ji Yueming took a sip of tea, her tone happy, “Fifth Aunt, Third Brother is paying his respects to you. Do you have a gift for meeting a junior?”
Ji Yuezhen, standing nearby, disapprovingly glared at Ji Yueming.
Gu Jianli’s fingers, gripping the chopsticks, turned white at the knuckles. She took a breath and tried to speak in a calm tone, “I wasn’t aware Third Brother would be here today. I’ll make sure to give a red envelope another day.”
Ji Xuanke’s smile froze on his face, and then all the color drained from it. A chilling coldness enveloped him.
Ji Wujing, lazily picking at fish bones, sensed something was off. He raised his eyelids, glanced at Ji Xuanke, and then his gaze fell on Gu Jianli’s face.
