Chapter Twenty-Four: Is He Really That Important?

Chapter Twenty-Four: Is He Really That Important?

Shangjing City.

Gu Huai quietly rubbed the slip of paper in his hands, his eyelids drooping slightly. On the surface, he appeared calm, but deep within his gaze, complex emotions were hidden.

The coldness in the depths of his eyes was like a turbulent current, ready to tear through the so-called calm at any moment.

Changhe County, Changxi Village?

Could Lu Mingchao, who had always worn the finest silks, adorned herself with gold and jade, and dined on the most exquisite delicacies, ever get used to the hard life in such a poor and remote village?

If she couldn’t get used to it, how long could she possibly last?

Gu Huai could almost see Lu Mingchao in front of him, her delicate brows furrowed, holding a handkerchief to her nose and mouth in a gesture of distaste.

If she couldn't bear it, she'd naturally return.

But Lu Mingchao was stubborn. It was likely she’d stubbornly stay in Changxi Village just to make a point.

Forget it. Out of the little affection they shared, he decided to give her a way out.

The slip of paper burned to ashes under the flame.

“Bu Yan.”

As the last ember went out, Gu Huai wiped his hands and called out in a deep voice to the study outside.

The servant boy responded by pushing the door open and entering.

“Has Miss returned to the estate?” Gu Huai asked nonchalantly.

Understanding the unspoken request, Bu Yan replied, “I’ll fetch Miss immediately.”

Gu Huai nodded and picked up the book on the desk, flipping through it at random.

A moment later, the door opened, and a playful, slightly mischievous voice rang out.

“Brother, you called for me?”

Gu Zhen’s bright smile showed off her dimples, enhancing her innocent charm.

Gu Huai closed the book in his hand, looked up, and seeing Gu Zhen’s casual posture, couldn’t help but frown.

“You have no manners.”

Gu Zhen was used to her brother’s stern lectures and paid them no mind. She didn’t even look up, her finger lightly tapping the jade plate as she debated which pastry to eat first.

“Did you have Bu Yan call me over just to scold me?”

“If that’s the case, I’m leaving.”

Gu Zhen finally selected the most satisfactory piece of pastry.

She wouldn’t coddle her brother like Lu Mingchao does, being all submissive.

Gu Huai: …

Gu Huai took a deep breath. "In the past, you loved going on outings the most. Why have you been so uninterested lately?"

"It's all because of the troubles at the Yongning Marquis family," Gu Zhen said bitterly, taking a bite of the pastry. She continued, "Every time I leave the manor, either my acquainted friends subtly ask about Lu Mingchao's suicide attempts, or I coincidentally run into Lu Minghui. I'm forced to watch her weep like a willow in the rain, which completely ruins my mood for plum blossom appreciation."

"In the past, I couldn't stand how Lu Mingchao overshadowed me in every aspect except for her family background. But now I realize that when you're truly annoyed with someone, it's not about not being able to stand them; it's that you feel it's unnecessary to even look at them once more."

"I’ve realized I might have the potential to be a truly nasty little sister, especially with your fiancée. It seems like we’re destined to clash."

Gu Zhen lazily leaned back in her chair, having eaten two more pastries and finished a cup of tea. She was slouched and lacked proper posture. "Brother, you can’t stand Lu Mingchao and keep putting off the wedding. So why are you suddenly being so understanding and protective of Lu Minghui?"

"Could it be that you actually prefer people who are both ugly and fake?"

Gu Huai's breath hitched, and his expression became difficult to look at. "Gu Zhen, where is your upbringing?"

His voice was filled with an embarrassed rage, sharp like metal scraping against stone.

Gu Zhen, who was inherently a spoiled and arrogant girl, waved her teacup, causing it to crash onto the floor. "Didn't you ask first?"

"Brother, you've been staying indoors for some time now. You probably don't know the jokes the ladies of the upper capital make over tea. They say you’ve traded a precious pearl for a worthless pebble."

Gu Zhen's voice was like a pebble not yet smoothed by the stream, sharply tapping on Gu Huai's heart.

"What nonsense about pearls and fish eyes."

"Didn't you used to hate Lu Mingchao too? Now that she's gone, you're speaking up for her."

Gu Zhen sneered. "I hated her because she was more beautiful than me and better at studies since we were young. I'm the legitimate daughter of the Duke's family, yet I've lived in her shadow. So, I was just envious."

"But at most, I just didn’t give her the time of day."

"When Lu Mingchao was unconscious after her suicide attempt, I went to visit her at the Yongning Marquis family. The wound on her forehead wouldn't stop bleeding."

"That Yongning Marquis Madam wears a bodhisattva face but is actually the most ruthless and cold-hearted. If I hadn't brought the imperial wound medicine, Lu Mingchao might have bled to death."

"If I ever get the chance to see Lu Mingchao again, she’ll have to kneel and kowtow three times, admitting that I’m both beautiful and kind-hearted."

Gu Huai's throat tightened, feeling as if he had swallowed nails, the pain almost unbearable. "How could that be possible?"

"Everyone in the upper capital knows that the Yongning Marquis Madam dotes on Lu Mingchao the most."

Gu Zhen rolled her eyes in disbelief.

Her brother, despite being smart and accomplished, can sometimes be incredibly naive.

"Brother, do you have anything else to say?"

"If not, I'm leaving."

Gu Huai steadied his mind and gave Bu Yan a meaningful look.

Bu Yan sighed inwardly and, feeling helpless, reluctantly spoke up. "Yesterday, when I left the manor to choose a paperweight for the young master, I heard someone say that Miss Lu went to a very remote place, seemingly Changhe County's Changxi Village."

"People say that place is dirt poor, with barely enough food or clothing."

"The weather is cold, and Miss Mingchao is still injured. That backwater place doesn’t even have a decent doctor. I honestly don’t know if she’ll survive there."

All we can hope is that Miss Lu Mingchao survives this disaster and finds happiness afterward.

Honestly, Bu Yan couldn't figure out what was going through his Young Master's mind.

He always said he was tired of Miss Lu Mingchao, but once she was gone, it was him who couldn't find peace.

What was he seeking?

If Young Master hadn't made his disdain for Miss Lu Mingchao so public, they would've been married by late summer or early fall, with the Young Master finally having his beautiful bride.

Gu Zhen shot up from her seat, exclaiming, "Is that place really so terrible?"

Under Gu Huai's gaze, Bu Yan nodded heavily.

Gu Zhen grew anxious and began pacing around the study.

"Lu Mingchao can't die."

"I've been competing with her for so many years without a clear winner, and she still hasn't acknowledged that I'm beautiful and kind-hearted. If she dies just like that, how frustrating and disgraceful would that be?"

Gu Zhen glared at Gu Huai, who was expressionless, and found him utterly disagreeable.

"Lu Mingchao risked her life to uphold the marriage agreement with you."

"I just don't get how your heart can be so cold and unfeeling."

"No, I need to check on Lu Mingchao. Even if she didn’t make it, I can at least give her a proper burial, burn plenty of joss paper, and ensure she has a grand send-off, so that in her next life, she can find a loving and caring partner instead of falling for someone as cold as you."

"Hmph."

Gu Zhen kicked away the fragments on the floor and stormed out of the door.

The door swung open and stayed that way for a while, letting the biting winter wind rush in.

Gu Huai had gotten what he wanted, but his heart felt heavy and uneasy.

She risked her life to keep the marriage promise with you...

Does she value our marriage more than her own life?

A visitor arrives from far away.