CHAPTER 129: CHAPTER 129: SERENE AND UNRUFFLED

The butler’s face changed slightly, as if he had heard something unspeakable, full of embarrassment.

"Miss, the door to the late madam’s room broke not long ago; it doesn’t need a key anymore."

Gu Ningyue was taken aback, "Broken? How did it break?"

Except for the original mistress, no one would even remember that room.

How did the door break just a month or two after she left?

The butler seemed unprepared for her sudden return, stammering, "Well, it was an accident, just a little accident... Miss, please sit with President Ling, and I’ll have someone go up to tidy it up."

Saying that, the butler prepared to lead people upstairs.

"Stop!" Gu Ningyue released Ling Tianyou’s hand, stepping past the butler: "No need to tidy up, I’ll go look myself!"

A bad premonition arose in her heart, as if something shattered inside her, cutting sharply through her heart.

"Miss, this... this won’t do!" The butler panicked, wanting to call the maid to stop Gu Ningyue, but Ling Tianyou’s sharp gaze swept over, and the words caught in his throat.

Ling Tianyou followed Gu Ningyue upstairs, and Gu Ningyue pushed open the tightly closed door, the pain in her heart becoming more palpable.

The once tidy room was now a mess, even the portrait standing on the altar had fallen to the floor, shattered into pieces.

The incense ashes were scattered everywhere, with no one to clean them, and the bed was stained with some dirt.

What in the world happened here? How could it be like this?

"Who did this?" Gu Ningyue grabbed the butler by the collar: "Was it Gu Wanwan, or Li Yulan? Or that little bastard Gu Heng? Speak!"

Her gaze threatened to dissect the butler, and even Ling Tianyou, standing beside her, felt the chilling intensity in her eyes.

This was the first time he saw Gu Ningyue like this.

"Miss, it was... the young master. The young master drank last time and came to me for the key to the late madam’s room. I refused, and so the young master broke the door with an axe." The butler’s eyes were full of panic: "Miss, don’t be angry, it really wasn’t our fault!"

Gu Ningyue looked at the cracks on the door handle and released the butler’s collar: "When does Gu Heng come back?"

His figure had only flashed briefly since leaving the banquet.

The butler shook his head, "I don’t know either, but today the second miss is getting engaged, so the young master has to come home for dinner tonight!"

"I see!" Gu Ningyue sneered: "Then I’ll wait for him to come back here!"

Ling Tianyou knew that if Gu Ningyue didn’t vent her anger over today’s events, she wouldn’t let it go.

So the words he originally planned to use to persuade her to go back swallowed back down.

The butler stood there not knowing what to do, and Gu Ningyue said to him: "You may go now. When Gu Heng returns, come tell me!"

"Yes, yes!" The butler nodded, escaping in a hurry.

Ling Tianyou casually closed the door, standing with Gu Ningyue in the center of the room.

Gu Ningyue bent down and gently picked up the late madam’s portrait, the woman’s face unchanged over the years, still as delicate and beautiful as ever.

Come to think of it, the original mistress owed her stunning beauty to her mother’s powerful genes.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t be leagues above Gu Wanwan.

She carefully wiped the dirty, shattered glass with her sleeve, her voice carrying an inexplicable tenderness: "If she were still alive, perhaps things wouldn’t be like this."

In memory, the original mistress’s mother wasn’t completely naive.

But she loved Gu Zheng too much, her health deteriorating day by day, leading to her downfall.

If she had lived longer and seen Gu Zheng’s true colors, things wouldn’t have been so distressing.

Ling Tianyou casually cleared the clutter off the bed and patted the spot beside him: "Don’t just stand there, have a seat!"

Gu Ningyue glanced at him, then sat down beside him.

For some reason, even though she wasn’t the original mistress, upon returning to the Gu family, the pain recurrently reminded her, compelling her to tears.

"I want to stay at the Gu family for a while." Gu Ningyue turned to Ling Tianyou: "I can’t just let Gu Heng go, so after dinner, you go back! Don’t worry about me."

Initially, she intended to stay here for a while, but seeing the late madam’s room in this state, Gu Ningyue’s resolve strengthened.

Gu Heng probably harbored resentment over the previous beating, feeling humiliated at the club.

So, he took out his drunken frenzy on the late madam’s room.

Blame herself for leaving in haste, not taking the late madam’s portrait along.

"How many days will you stay here?" Ling Tianyou slightly frowned: "Your hand’s plaster isn’t removed yet, will you be alright here?"

There are plenty of servants, yet no one seems to acknowledge Gu Ningyue.

Gu Ningyue pondered for a moment: "Three to five days! After I teach Gu Heng a lesson, I’ll leave."

She actually wanted to stay longer, fearing Ling Tianyou’s disapproval, hence she mentioned the brief timeframe.

Ling Tianyou regarded her: "Why not wait until you’re better? In the Gu family, you won’t fare well."

Gu Zheng always favored that son; otherwise, he wouldn’t be spoiled this way.

Gu Ningyue smirked, "Even with one hand, if I want him dead, he won’t have any counterattack!"

This was her confidence.

"Besides..." Gu Ningyue turned her head, "If this was your mother’s room, would you let him go?"

Ling Tianyou shook his head vigorously, "No, it’s impossible."

Gu Ningyue stated flatly, "Exactly."

Because pain not felt personally can be dismissed with ease.

Ling Tianyou fell silent, after a long while, calmly said: "Once everything is taken care of, I’ll have someone fetch you."

Gu Ningyue nodded, feeling a glimmer of hope: "Thank you."

Ling Tianyou raised his brow: "Not afraid of me anymore?"

From the morning, Gu Ningyue behaved cautiously.

Gu Ningyue awkwardly smiled, "I was never afraid of you, just didn’t know what to say when you seemed upset."

Ling Tianyou made no comment, suddenly inquired: "What did Xing Tong tell you today? She seemed secretive."

Gu Ningyue’s face stiffened, "She wanted to go out with friends and wanted me to cover for her, but Madam Chi came and she couldn’t go."

"She’s been playing quite wildly lately." Ling Tianyou didn’t doubt, "She should spend some days at home now."

Gu Ningyue nodded, stood up surveying the disorderly room: "Since you’re here, help me clean up a bit!"

Ling Tianyou smiled, "Alright!"