Night Fire Lingering

Are they eagerly waiting for each other?

Indeed, in these people's eyes, that is how she is.

If it were Wen Yan from a month ago, she might have been hurt by Aunt Gu's words.

But at this moment, her heart was completely unmoved.

Wen Yan smiled slightly: "Aunt, even if Gu Yanci doesn't like me, as long as we're not divorced, I'm still the third young mistress of Gu. Just like when I slapped Qiao Weiwei, no one said a bad word about me."

Qiao Weiwei's mother and Aunt Gu have a close relationship. Aunt Gu's attack today is to settle both old and new scores.

Wen Yan played with her right hand while pinching it with her left: "To put it more bluntly, even if I slap you now, when you go in, people will only ask you how you made me so angry."

"You, you...!" Aunt Gu was so angry that her hand was trembling as she pointed at Wen Yan.

Two seconds later, Aunt Gu seemed to remember something and suddenly laughed.

"Wen Yan, you haven't met Ji Chang yet, have you? You only have the old lady protecting you. Ji Chang doesn't like you at all. I want to see how long you can be so smug as the third young mistress!"

Ji Chang is Gu Yanci's mother.

-

"Third Young Madam, the old master is calling for you!"

Wen Yan returned to the living room, and a maid said.

Wen Yan followed the maid to the study.

Seated in the main seat was a sprightly, white-haired old man with a serious expression. His eyes, though cloudy with age, were sharp, revealing that he must have been a formidable figure in his youth.

Gu Yanci sat to his left, calmly drinking tea, his demeanor already on par with the old man.

"Grandpa, how have you been lately?" Wen Yan approached and greeted him politely.

"You're in good health," Grandpa Gu asked bluntly. "Did you and Yanci have a fight?"

Wen Yan subconsciously looked at Gu Yanci.

She originally planned to keep it a secret until after the old lady's birthday, but she didn't expect to be questioned by the old man and the old lady as soon as she returned!

"Don't look at him," said Old Master Gu. "I want to hear the truth from you."

Wen Yan looked at Grandpa Gu again, "Grandpa, how did you know?"

Grandpa Gu did not answer, but only said: "Marriage is not a game. It is not easy for you two to be together. I hope you will treat it with caution."

Wen Yan's expression changed slightly when she heard the phrase "treat with caution".

Old Master Gu has made his stance clear: he doesn't want to see her divorce Gu Yanci.

Divorce would be a scandal if word got out, and Old Master Gu, who values ​​his reputation, would not allow it to happen.

However, since Mr. Gu loves his wife, there might be room for negotiation if we can persuade Mrs. Gu.

After saying that, Grandpa Gu waved his hand and said, "Go ahead, your mother is waiting for you in the small building."

When his mother was mentioned, Gu Yanci subconsciously frowned.

He stood up, nodded to Grandpa Gu in farewell, and said, "I'll go see Mother myself. Wen Yan will stay here and keep Grandma company."

Grandpa Gu frowned in strong disapproval: "Third son, if you want to protect her, you can't do it in this kind of thing. What daughter-in-law comes home and doesn't see her mother-in-law?"

When Wen Yan heard the words "you want to protect her," her heart trembled, and she looked at Gu Yanci.

Is it... protecting her?

-

Wen Yan's mother lived alone for many years. When she returned to the old house, she lived in a small building just a few dozen meters away from the main house. It was secluded but unique.

"If you don't want to go in, you can wait outside."

As they approached the door, Gu Yanci said to Wen Yan.

"Why?" Wen Yan looked up at Gu Yanci and asked as if possessed, "Grandpa said you want to protect me, is that right?"

Gu Yanci pursed his lips and remained silent.

Looking at the gate of the small building, Wen Yan said self-deprecatingly, "Your mother doesn't approve of me, so I really shouldn't have gone to see her as her daughter-in-law."

Gu Yanci frowned: "Wen Yan, you are my wife in the spouse column. You don't need her approval. You don't need to make trouble for her."

"Let's go."

Wen Yan lifted her skirt and stepped into the room.

If she doesn't go in, Ji Chang will probably have someone specially 'invite' her.

inside the house.

Ji Chang was wearing a white silk dress. To her left was a black and white portrait of a deceased woman, and she stared at it blankly. Her features were both elegant and graceful; she was a typical lady of a prominent family. Sitting there, she looked like a beautiful oil painting, but she lacked a certain vitality.

"Mom." Gu Yanci's tone was colder than ever before.

"Mom." Wen Yan tried her best to remain calm.

"You're here." Ji Chang turned her head, looked at Gu Yanci, then at Wen Yan, and asked expressionlessly, "Did you go to pay your respects to Jingzhou?"

"Not yet." Before Wen Yan could speak, Gu Yanci stepped forward and shielded Wen Yan halfway behind him. "We plan to visit my older brother this afternoon."

Wen Yan looked at Gu Yanci in surprise. How did he know that her habit was to go to pay respects to Gu Jingzhou in the afternoon?

Gu Jingzhou was Gu Yanci's older brother, born of the same parents. He was frail and sickly from a young age. Four years ago, Gu Jingzhou succumbed to his illness and died.

Gu Yanci was exceptionally intelligent from a young age. Since his parents were busy taking care of their frail eldest son, Old Master Gu took Gu Yanci away to raise him personally. Meanwhile, Gu Jingzhou grew up with his parents and received all of their love.

Ji Chang has always favored her eldest son, Gu Jingzhou, and only has eyes for him.

"Gu Yanci, I'm talking to Wen Yan, what are you interrupting for!" Ji Chang's eyes suddenly turned ferocious as she tried to push Gu Yanci away, but Gu Yanci stood firmly in front of Wen Yan without moving.

"Mom, I—"

Wen Yan had just opened her mouth when Ji Chang interrupted her again.

"Wen Yan, have you forgotten how good my son was to you when he was alive? Now he's all alone, and you're not going to see him right away. What are you dawdling for? Have you forgotten who was there for you when you were little, who remembered to rescue you from the mental hospital before he died? It was my son! Are you an ingrate?!"

Wen Yan's face turned deathly pale.

She was born in Hong Kong. Since her father was from the capital, she would go back to the capital with him for a short stay every year during the long holidays. Because she didn't speak Mandarin well, she was ridiculed by other children. At first, only her older brother Gu Jingzhou was willing to play with her.

After Wen Muzhi injured her hand, her family, claiming she was mentally unstable and had hurt someone, sent the sixteen-year-old to a mental hospital. It was only after Gu Jingzhou fell critically ill and, before dying, begged his family to let Wen Yan out and live a normal life.

Wen Yan knew that if it weren't for not wanting Gu Jingzhou to be unable to rest in peace, Old Master Gu wouldn't have gone to talk to the Wen family for her sake.

"Mom, I am also your son." Gu Yanci completely shielded Wen Yan behind him, his voice turning cold.

Ji Chang stared intently at Gu Yanci, then suddenly stood up and slapped him across the face without warning.

"Gu Yanci!"

Wen Yan acted faster than she thought, pulling Gu Yanci aside without a second thought.

In a flash, Gu Yanci's body seemed to come alive, and he quickly pulled Wen Yan into his arms and spun her around.

"Snapped!"

That slap landed squarely on Gu Yanci's back.

Wen Yan's heart skipped a beat.

She was being protected so closely that all she could see was the color of white shirts, and all she could hear was Gu Yanci's strong heartbeat.