CHAPTER 39: CHAPTER 20: SHE DOESN’T BELIEVE HIM

Shi Fengju patiently said, "Mother, servants are prone to gossip and have no exposure to higher society. Why bother arguing with them? Just drive those who talk too much away! There will always be better people to employ! Gu Fangzi is not this petty, she won’t care about such trivial matters!"

Which household doesn’t have a few unruly servants? If the water is too clear, there will be no fish, how could Mother not understand this simple logic? You can control the weather or the earth, but you can’t control what people say.

"Nonsense!" Mrs. Wang angrily said, "Do you not understand that people’s words can be dreadful? Don’t tell me you’re considering not marrying Gu Fangzi?"

"Young Mistress!" Mrs. Jiang caught a glimpse of Gu Fangzi standing still in shock at the doorway, her eyes widening in surprise.

The argument between mother and son came to an abrupt halt as both looked towards the entrance. They saw Gu Fangzi’s pale face, her expression bleak, as she stifled a sob and turned to run away.

"When did she arrive?" Mrs. Wang asked Mrs. Jiang.

"I don’t know!" Mrs. Jiang answered, slightly flustered and ashamed.

Mrs. Wang couldn’t help but worry, "What a mess, she must have heard it! What do we do now? The poor child, yet you... it’s all your fault!" Mrs. Wang couldn’t help but glare at her son in anger.

"Mother, don’t worry, I’ll go find her and explain the situation to her. Just leave this to me!" Shi Fengju finished speaking and hurriedly left.

In the warm pavilion of the peony garden, Gu Fangzi lay on the bed silently crying, her slender shoulders trembling slightly. From time to time, a faint sob could be heard, pitiful and heart-wrenching.

Hearing footsteps approaching, Gu Fangzi’s body stiffened slightly. She slowly sat up, quickly wiping away her tears with her back to the newcomer. She smoothed out her damp, disheveled hair, took a quick glance at Shi Fengju, and lowered her head to say, "Cousin."

Shi Fengju saw her slightly swollen and reddened eyes, the twinkling teardrops in her beautiful eyes, and the tear-streaked face on her small palm-sized face. She looked so pitiful and lovely, like a blooming peony drenched in rain. His heart softened instantly.

"Fang’er," Shi Fengju gently patted her back, "Don’t cry."

Gu Fangzi sniffled but did not reply. She shifted her body slightly to avoid his touch.

He was actually unwilling to let her in, he was unwilling!

She never thought he would refuse! She was only worried about Auntie. But unexpectedly, when Auntie didn’t refuse, he refused instead!

This was something she could never accept. His attitude was like a sharp knife, ruthlessly cutting through her heart.

"Fang’er, don’t be like this!" Shi Fengju sighed.

"Why aren’t you willing? You," Gu Fangzi raised her head, her teary eyes filled with affection as she looked at Shi Fengju, "You don’t want me anymore?"

"No, no!" Shi Fengju felt a warmth in his heart and gently embraced her. "Fang’er, have you forgotten what I told you? I said I would never betray you!"

"But you refused Auntie! Do you know how I felt—Cousin, you can’t treat me this way. My heart aches so much!" Gu Fangzi couldn’t hold back her tears.

These were tears of humiliation.

"My heart for you has never changed, Fang’er, believe me!" Shi Fengju’s voice grew more determined, "What I told you will never change. Trust me!"

Gu Fangzi felt that these words were filled with thick irony. A surge of anger rose in her heart, and she couldn’t help but sneer at Shi Fengju, "Trust? How can I trust you? Before Sang Wan entered the household, you couldn’t even stand to hear her name, and on your wedding day, you never had a trace of a smile! Do you know how sad and happy I was at the time? I was sad that I wasn’t the one with the marriage agreement, and happy that your affection for me was so deep! Now, you’re unwilling to have me in the house? For what? Are you afraid she’ll be wronged? In just three short days, have you forgotten me and let her into your heart? I’m willing to be your concubine for your sake, what more do you want? You keep saying you won’t betray me, but you have already betrayed me!"

Shi Fengju’s heart was torn and chaotic, and he was momentarily at a loss. "Fang’er, you don’t trust me?"

"The facts are right in front of me, how do you expect me to trust?"

"Fang’er," Shi Fengju’s eyes dimmed, and he couldn’t help feeling disappointed. "Perhaps sometimes things are not as you see them; if only you trust me, you will eventually understand that my feelings for you have never changed!"

Seeing that even at this point, he stubbornly refused to repent, and even seemed to be pushing the blame onto her and accusing her of causing a scene, Gu Fangzi’s anger only intensified. Coldly, she laughed, "Is that so? Let me hear how the facts are not as I see them! Cousin, you have never lied to me, but for the sake of Sang Wan, who has only entered the household for three days, you use such shallow words to appease me! Although I am not as educated or as knowledgeable as her, I am not a fool who will take people’s words as truth!"