The mistress has no feelings, why do you provoke her?

Beside Xue's mother lay the mangled body of Steward Xu.

His back, down to his waist and hips, was beaten so badly that the skin and flesh were turned inside out, and in some places the bone was even visible.

Seeing Gu Huaizhou approach, a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes. He desperately reached out to Gu Huaizhou, but due to excessive force, he spat out a mouthful of blood and then died.

Gu Huaizhou's robes were splattered with blood, and he stared wide-eyed at the horrific scene before him.

His chest was filled with anger, helplessness, and despair, a feeling that nearly drove him to the brink of collapse.

"No...no no..." Gu Huaizhou murmured unconsciously, unable to accept that the person he cared about most had died so tragically before his eyes.

When the executioners saw Gu Huaizhou's expression change, they were all so frightened that they knelt on the ground.

Gu Huaizhou stood there like a dazed man, letting the blood stain his boots, until he finally moved his eyes after a long while.

After glancing one last time at Mama Xue and Steward Xu, Gu Huaizhou stormed off towards Ruyi Residence.

Zhou had just returned to her room and her mood had calmed down a bit. She was sitting in a chair drinking tea.

She saw Gu Huaizhou approaching from afar, and her face lit up with joy, only to see him arrive in a rage.

"What's wrong?" Zhou asked, looking puzzled.

Gu Huaizhou didn't greet her as usual. Instead, he glared at her and asked coldly, "Mother, why did you do this? You knew that Xue Mama was my wet nurse, yet you still cut off her hands. Why?"

"How dare you! You dare to offend my mother for the sake of a wet nurse?"

Madam Zhou was always the one who had the final say in the household, and the younger generation usually treated her with great respect. Even Gu Huaizhou had never spoken to her in such a tone.

Being treated like this out of the blue, Zhou was furious.

Madam Qi hurriedly advised, "My lord, Madam is only doing this to rectify the atmosphere in the mansion. Madam Xue has been embezzling from her own household. Over the years, she has stolen at least several thousand taels of silver. Madam has no choice but to punish her."

Gu Huaizhou's expression softened slightly, but his anger was still hard to quell: "But Xue Mama is different; she's my wet nurse."

As he spoke, tears welled up in Gu Huaizhou's eyes.

Countless days and nights during his childhood were spent with his mother, who coaxed him to sleep and played with him.

To put it bluntly, Gu Huaizhou subconsciously regarded Xue Mama as his own mother.

Gu Huaizhou was both upset and angry that Zhou Shi punished someone so important to him without even informing him.

Seeing his heartbroken expression over Xue Mama, Zhou was so angry that she trembled: "You...you wretched child! I am your own mother! What is that Xue Mama? She's just a lowly servant. How dare you compare her to me?"

"Perhaps you consider her a lowly person, but in my eyes she is no different from us."

Gu Huaizhou didn't want to argue with Zhou Shi anymore. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, saying, "Your son is not an ungrateful person. It's all because of me that Aunt Xue has become like this. I will take care of her in her old age and see her off when she dies."

"Are you out of your mind?" Zhou shouted angrily, "You expect me to take care of a thief in her old age and see her off when she dies? What am I then?"

She was furious that her own son wasn't close to her, yet he was going to take care of a wet nurse in his old age.

No matter what she said, Gu Huaizhou wouldn't listen.

He turned and left angrily without even looking back.

After leaving Ruyi Residence, Gu Huaizhou instructed his servants to bandage Xue Mama's wounds, then sent her back to her courtyard and arranged for someone to take care of her.

As for Zhou's order forbidding Xue Mama's family members from working, Gu Huaizhou also rescinded it.

After finishing these matters, Gu Huaizhou, with a wounded heart, went to see Song Wenjun.

His face looked terrible, and his eyes were slightly red; he looked very sad.

Normally, Song Wenjun would have already shown concern for Gu Huaizhou's well-being, but today she acted as if she hadn't seen him at all, only having Xiao Tao pour him a cup of tea before ignoring him.

What is it that deserves her to go through the trouble of coaxing it?

Gu Huaizhou felt a sense of inexplicable loss; why was Song Wenjun so cold to him?

Seeing that she was completely focused on the child, he felt relieved.

She was probably too tired from taking care of the children and couldn't manage it all.

He was still very grateful to Song Wenjun.

If she hadn't asked Xiao Tao to tip her off, Mama Xue would probably have been kicked out of the mansion.

After considering it carefully, Gu Huaizhou sincerely said to Song Wenjun, "Thank you so much for today."

Song Wenjun smiled slightly, a beautiful smile playing on her lips: "Between you and me, there's no need for thanks. I know that Aunt Xue is different from others to you. How could you bear to see her driven out of the manor and die a miserable death on the street?"

Gu Huaizhou felt even more heartbroken. Even Song Wenjun knew about this, yet his own mother was trying to kill the person most important to him.

In that instant, he felt even more grateful to Song Wenjun.

"Thank you."

Song Wenjun simply smiled and remained silent.

You'll have many more days to thank me in the future. The pain I inflicted on her in my past life, I will repay in this life.

Gu Huaizhou pondered for a moment, hesitated for a moment, then took out a gold-threaded eight-treasure pearl hairpin from his sleeve and handed it to Song Wenjun: "This is for you."

He originally intended to give this hairpin to Jiang Miaoyin, who had wanted it for a long time.

But now, he decided to use this hairpin to appease Song Wenjun, since he had neglected her for a long time.

As for Jiang Miaoyin, we'll just find her an even better one.

Song Wenjun took in all his little actions, a mocking look flashing in her eyes.

In her previous life, Jiang Miaoyin learned by chance that Song Wenjun liked this gold-threaded eight-treasure pearl hairpin, so she begged Gu Huaizhou to buy it for her.

Song Wenjun didn't think much of it, only feeling sorry for Jiang Miaoyin who was widowed at such a young age, so she endured it.

Now, she would no longer tolerate it. If Jiang Miaoyin liked it, then she would take it from her.

Song Wenjun feigned delight: "Oh, such a beautiful hairpin, is it for me?"

Seeing her happy expression, Gu Huaizhou's frustration dissipated somewhat, and his tone softened: "Of course, it's for Madam."

He held the hairpin up to Song Wenjun's head twice, then found a suitable spot to insert it into her hair bun.

Song Wenjun disliked overly expensive ornaments and always believed in simplicity and elegance.

Previously, Gu Huaizhou looked down on her behavior, believing that women from merchant families were all vulgar and reeked of money.

But when he looked at Song Wenjun at this moment, a subtle change occurred in his heart.

This was the first time he had really looked at Song Wenjun closely since they had been married for so long.

Although she was a woman from the north, she was more slender than the average woman.

Especially her waist is so thin that you can wrap your hand around it.

Perhaps because she spent most of her time indoors and rarely went out, her skin was even more fair, smooth, and delicate.

On her small face, a pair of bright almond-shaped eyes were as clear as a still lake.

Song Wenjun was not strikingly beautiful; on the contrary, she possessed a beauty that evoked a sense of peace and prosperity for the nation.

At first glance, it makes one feel comfortable.

The desire in Gu Huaizhou's eyes was palpable, and he moved slowly toward Song Wenjun as if possessed...