Chen Jingshan had the servant stand guard outside, while he quietly sneaked into Gu Zaili’s room alone.
Because of what happened with Gu Jianli, Gu Zaili was troubled and didn’t sleep well. So, when Chen Jingshan lifted the bed curtain and approached, she woke up alertly. Seeing a face suddenly close to hers, Gu Zaili was startled. In the next moment, she realized it was her ex-husband, and instinctively cried out.
“Come—mmph…”
As soon as she made a sound, Chen Jingshan covered her mouth.
“Don’t shout, don’t shout… I know your father is awake, don’t wake him…” Chen Jingshan whispered.
Gu Zaili struggled fiercely, using both her hands and feet. Chen Jingshan quickly climbed onto the bed, pinning her flailing legs with his own, and used his other hand to restrain her wrists.
“Don’t move, I just want to say a few words!” Chen Jingshan glanced toward the door, his tone pleading.
Gu Zaili hesitated and indeed stopped struggling.
“Zaili, how could you be so heartless, just leaving like that? It’s one thing if you’re throwing a tantrum. But how could you be cruel enough to abort our child? The child we hoped for for three years was lost because of a bowl of abortion medicine…”
Gu Zaili looked at Chen Jingshan with cold eyes. There was no trace of their past marital affection, nor any hatred. It was the gaze one would give a stranger, distant and guarded.
Chen Jingshan gazed intently at Gu Zaili from up close, his throat moving.
He missed her, and even more, he missed the intimate moments they once shared. The tenderness he sought from her was something he couldn’t find in any other woman’s bed. Without the intimidating presence of her royal father, he remarried and took concubines, indulging in pleasure. Even visited the brothels. Yet after all the revelry, he still thought of his former wife.
Today, he had been drinking in a pleasure house, and his companion, a frivolous young man, joked, “Jingshan, you’re so lucky, having tasted the beauty of Li. How can you still stomach these coarse, cheap women?”
Hearing this, he glanced at the top courtesans in his arms and suddenly lost his appetite.
Chen Jingshan’s gaze at Gu Zaili shifted from passionate longing to anger. He moved closer and said furiously, “Opening a restaurant? Do you think those customers come for the food? They come for your face and your body! Who knows how many have taken advantage of you? Those men, just looking at your face and figure, get aroused and imagine indecent things. For the sake of some money, you show yourself to everyone, even losing your dignity!”
Gu Zaili looked at him calmly, without a trace of anger.
On the contrary, Chen Jingshan felt he had gone too far. Before the incident with Gu Jingyuan, he couldn’t bear to say a harsh word to Gu Zaili, or rather, he didn’t dare. He immediately retracted his anger, putting on a flattering smile, just as he used to when facing Gu Zaili.
He coaxed her gently, “I’m angry because I care about you. Zaili, you know that I treated you well, didn’t I? Yes, I was foolish and made a mistake, letting you leave the Chen family. It was my fault. But you can’t negate three good years because of one moment of foolishness, right? Can we go back to how we were?”
Gu Zaili’s gaze remained calm. The calmer she was, the more anxious Chen Jingshan became. The restlessness in his body grew, and his patience wore thin. He was eager to pounce on her and enjoy the pleasures of the bed. He had forgotten that it hadn’t even been half a month since Gu Zaili took the abortion medicine. Perhaps he remembered, but he didn’t care.
“Dear, if I let go of you, will you promise not to shout?”
Gu Zaili nodded.
“Really?” Chen Jingshan was still skeptical.
Gu Zaili nodded again.
Chen Jingshan carefully examined her eyes and didn’t find a trace of anger or hatred in them. He relaxed a bit. Women, after all, are soft-hearted. Moreover, they were once husband and wife; without him, she would be a pitiable woman without a husband, surely unhappy. Maybe she had been waiting for him to come and take her back. Besides, she had fallen from grace and lost her former pride. She wouldn’t mind whether she was the principal wife or not. She was at his mercy.
Thinking this, Chen Jingshan slowly released his hand from her mouth. Gu Zaili’s gaze remained calm, and she did not call out.
As he gazed at her beautiful face, Chen Jingshan’s heart fluttered, and he eagerly leaned in to kiss her.
Gu Zaili did not evade, which made Chen Jingshan even more frantic with desire. He released her hands and hurriedly began to undress her.
A mocking smile played at the corners of Gu Zaili’s mouth, and she surprisingly reached up to touch Chen Jingshan’s face.
Chen Jingshan was overjoyed, thinking he had been right; Gu Zaili still longed for him. However, in the next moment, a flash of silver appeared. Gu Zaili pulled a dagger from under the pillow and stabbed Chen Jingshan in the back.
“Ah—” Chen Jingshan screamed in pain, rolling off the bed.
He lay on the floor, grimacing and glaring at Gu Zaili with fury.
Chen Jingshan had forgotten that the Gu family kept knives under their pillows.
Gu Zaili got up and slowly tidied her slightly disheveled clothes. She elegantly stepped off the bed and looked down at Chen Jingshan, smiling sweetly, “I promised not to call anyone. You were the one who shouted.”
When Gu Zaili smiled, she looked exceedingly beautiful, making Chen Jingshan feel a chill.
Just as Gu Zaili finished speaking, the door was kicked open.
“What’s going on?” Gu Jingyuan stormed in, wielding a long knife.
The servant Chen Jingshan brought to stand guard hadn’t even had time to warn him and now ran in behind Gu Jingyuan, trembling in fear at the sight of his bleeding master lying on the floor, shrinking into a corner.
Gu Jingyuan glared at Chen Jingshan with fury, “I hadn’t found the time to deal with you, and here you are delivering yourself to my door!”
“Father-in-law!” Chen Jingshan retreated in fear, “I came here today to apologize and to take Zaili back home!”
Gu Jingyuan sneered, “Take Zaili back home? As a concubine or a kept woman?”
“This…” Chen Jingshan hesitated briefly, but then made a quick decision, “Of course, as my wife! The principal wife! The one at home now was forced on me by my family; she isn’t the one I care for. My heart belongs only to Zaili. I swear to the heavens! I swear to the heavens!”
Gu Jingyuan advanced toward Chen Jingshan, asking, “Sneaking in at midnight to apologize?”
Chen Jingshan trembled in fear at the sight of Gu Jingyuan’s knife, stammering, “Fa-Father-in-law… Please, calm down!”
“Calm down? Were you calm when you harmed Zaili?”
Chen Jingshan’s voice shook with fear, while Gu Jingyuan’s voice trembled with anger.
Years of military experience allowed Gu Jingyuan to arrive quickly, even though he was still recovering from illness. By this time, Madam Tao and Gu Jianli had also arrived. Changsheng, awakened by the commotion, followed Gu Jianli, though he stayed at the door, peeking inside.
Gu Jianli, upon seeing Chen Jingshan, immediately understood what he intended. Her face turned pale with anger, and she rushed to her sister’s side. She pressed her lips together and held her sister’s hand tightly, standing silently by her side.
Gu Zaili squeezed her sister’s hand in reassurance.
Chen Jingshan, panicking, said, “Father-in-law, please listen to me… Jianli, dear sister, help me persuade your father. Zaili, please, beg your father for mercy, I’m your husband!”
“Husband? Reincarnate soon and learn what it means to be a husband and bear responsibilities in your next life!” Gu Jingyuan’s knife fell, blood spurted, and Chen Jingshan’s head rolled to Gu Zaili’s feet.
Gu Zaili and Gu Jianli both jumped in shock. Gu Jingyuan’s action was so swift that they had no time to react, let alone stop him.
Madam Tao also trembled in fear and said shakily, “Won’t the Chen family cause trouble?”
In the past, they had never feared the Chen family, but times had changed.
Gu Zaili frowned at the head at her feet, feeling a sudden sense of detachment. It was as if the three years of marriage had been nothing but a dream, now completely over.
This was not the time for sentimental thoughts. Gu Zaili calmed herself. Her original intention was merely to make Chen Jingshan suffer a bit and drive him away, not to cause a death, especially in these turbulent times. As she pondered this, Gu Jianli spoke up.
“It’s not the Chen family we should fear; it’s that someone might use this as an excuse to make trouble…” Gu Jianli frowned, troubled.
Gu Jingyuan was not a reckless man; he knew the risks of his actions. However, his two daughters were his weak spot, his untouchable treasures.
If worst came to worst, they could leave Yong’an City overnight.
After all, he had long harbored rebellious thoughts.
Changsheng, standing by the door with his arms crossed and watching the scene, yawned and casually said, “Just say Fifth Master did it.”
The two sisters and Madam Tao all looked at Changsheng.
Changsheng blinked and said, “Our lord has the Xuan Sha Order. For crimes like adultery, theft, rebellion… we can execute first and report later.” He scratched his head and added, “Or not report at all, just add the name to the list.”
“But…” Gu Zaili frowned.
But why would the Fifth Master willingly take the blame for no reason?
Gu Jingyuan was also momentarily taken aback by Changsheng’s words, then his expression changed and he said angrily, “I don’t need anyone else to take the blame for the people I kill!”
Changsheng blurted out, “It wouldn’t be the first time our Fifth Master took the blame for you.”
The three women in the room simultaneously turned to look at Gu Jingyuan.
Was there really such a thing?
Gu Jianli hadn’t known about the previous incident between her father and Ji Wujing. She thought it might be best if she went to talk to Ji Wujing herself. She guessed her father had other plans, but since he hadn’t fully recovered, it was better to avoid more trouble. Thinking of Ji Wujing, Gu Jianli frowned slightly, feeling worried.
Ji Wujing, having worn himself out, slept deeply. The next morning, Ji Xinglan and Ji Xinglou woke up early. Seeing their father still asleep, they didn’t dare move for fear of waking him, and lay quietly in bed. It wasn’t until Gu Jianli entered the room and beckoned them to come out that the two children quietly slipped out of bed to go have breakfast with Madam Tao.
No matter how careful they were, it was impossible not to make any noise at all. Normally, Ji Wujing would have been awakened by now. But today, he remained deeply asleep, completely unaware. He slept until mid-morning, when his deep sleep began to lighten, leaving him in a semi-conscious state. It was then that he sensed someone’s gaze upon him.
He opened his eyes and met Gu Jianli’s beautiful, shimmering gaze.
Gu Jianli sat on a small stool by the bed, her elbows resting on the edge, with her hands cupping her cheeks. She had been watching Ji Wujing, waiting for him to wake up. Seeing that he was awake, Gu Jianli immediately smiled, her eyes curving and the corners of her mouth lifting slightly. Her gaze, which had been slightly dazed, seemed to sparkle with starlight in an instant.
She was wearing a goose-yellow ruqun, the hem trailing on the ground, radiating a warm aura. Gu Jianli grasped Ji Wujing’s sleeve, looking at him with a sweet and obedient smile, “You’re awake, Uncle.”
