Chapter 308: Will She Still Be Soft-Hearted?

Chapter 308: Would She Still Soften Her Heart?

The kindness Madam Wang showed to Gu Huai was an extension of her love for A Chao.

Gu Huai walked slowly toward the funeral hall, holding the bamboo basket reverently with both hands until he stood before the coffin.

He gently lifted the bamboo lid, revealing a basket densely packed with pear blossom branches.

A fleeting unreadable emotion passed through Lu Mingchao's eyes before her gaze subtly shifted, finally settling on Gu Huai's cloud-embroidered satin boots, now stained with mud.

Did he go into the mountains to gather pear blossom branches upon hearing she was arranging Madam Wang's funeral?

"Why did you bring pear blossom branches?" Lu Mingchao asked, frowning slightly after Gu Huai had finished lighting incense.

Gu Huai's gaze was profound as he murmured softly, "Madam Wang once said her favorite thing in life was the pear blossom ointment A Chao made for her."

"A Chao promised Madam Wang that no matter how time passed, she would make pear blossom ointment for her year after year."

"Even after Madam Wang's passing, A Chao would bring pear blossom ointment to honor her memory."

Gu Huai's words evoked hazy, fleeting memories in Lu Mingchao's mind.

In those memories, the original soul was still young and innocent, while Gu Huai wore a soft smile, his eyes tender and affectionate.

That was how Gu Huai had looked at the original soul in their youth.

Lu Mingchao gathered her thoughts and said with a frown, "You've lit your incense. It's time for you to leave."

"A Chao, I want to talk to you," Gu Huai insisted, gazing stubbornly at Lu Mingchao.

The nightly dreams were driving him mad about their grand wedding, the miles-long red wedding procession.

The crushing disappointment upon waking was becoming unbearable.

Lu Mingchao stepped out of the funeral hall and stood under the eaves, her face expressionless. "There's nothing left to say between us."

"Escort him out."

Gu Huai reached to grab Lu Mingchao's arm.

Qing Tang and Amber blocked Lu Mingchao. "Heir Gu, please control yourself."

"A Chao," Gu Huai's eyes were intense yet controlled, "if I told you we were destined to be lifelong lovers, would you believe me?"

Lu Mingchao's brow twitched slightly.

Was he remembering memories of past lives, she thought?

It seemed this was the same lifetime that Lu Minghui was familiar with.

In that case, Gu Huai and Lu Minghui were fated to be together.

"No," Lu Mingchao said flatly.

Gu Huai's expression showed confusion blurring past and present as he insisted urgently, "A Chao, it's true."

"Xie Yan didn't exist, nor did Lu Minghui."

"It's always been just you and me."

"You married me at seventeen, with a wedding procession stretching for miles, and we paid respects to our ancestors together."

"You and I were meant to be husband and wife."

Lu Mingchao frowned deeply and snapped, "Preposterous!"

"Heir Gu, control your tongue."

"Qing Tang, get him out of here! And while you're at it, go to the Duke's residence and inform the Duke and his wife that Heir Gu has clearly lost his mind."

"For the sake of the Duke's family's centuries of honorable reputation, and for my own dignity, they must keep a close eye on him. Don't let him out until he's cured, lest he further humiliates himself."

"A Chao, it's not delusions," Gu Huai protested.

Lu Mingchao scoffed, "If not delusions, then what?"

"Delusions of grandeur?"

"Or are you going to make me sick with your claims of lovesickness?"

"Heir Gu, I am a married woman."

"Hah, what 'meant to be husband and wife'? More like sworn enemies out for blood."

"Otherwise, why would you keep spouting such reckless words?"

Once word spreads, the world will brandish blades still dripping with women's blood, attacking her in the name of propriety, notions of decency, masks of gentleness, and the shackles of chastity.

Could Gu Huai, born into a noble family, not know this?

He knows.

But he doesn't care.

Gu Huai was born with an unshakable sense of superiority.

"Get him out of here!"

Lu Mingchao no longer looked at Gu Huai and turned back into the mourning hall.

As the door closed, a shadow of concern passed through Lu Mingchao's eyes.

Lu Minghui was always a fool—even with memories of a past life, she wouldn't piece together A Yan's secret.

But what about Gu Huai?

How much does Gu Huai remember?

In the memories of Lu Minghui and Gu Huai's past life, did A Yan get his revenge?

Was the Xie family's name ever cleared?

No, she only cares—did her A Yan survive?

Judging by Gu Huai's words, he seems to have only recalled the wedding so far.

But no matter what, Gu Huai is a ticking time bomb, could blow up any minute now.

She didn’t even know what had triggered Gu Huai’s recollection of that past life.

Lu Mingchao let out a quiet sigh, hoping A Yan’s trip north would go off without a hitch and that the war there would pass without major peril.

She was blessed with good fortune, so her A Yan need not worry about supplies.

Restoring order and reclaiming the throne was no easy task.

The worst-case scenario was a stalemate between armies.

Yet in war, it was always the common people who suffered the most.

She hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

Outside the mourning hall, beneath the corridor eaves, Qing Tang and Hu Po pushed and shoved Gu Huai out.

Bu Yan: Can’t even look. Just can’t.

Even a lowly servant boy like him could see Mingchao’s revulsion toward the Young Master, yet the Young Master seemed stuck in his own delusions, lost in a self-deceiving world.

These days, it had gotten worse!

Night after night, he’d bolt awake, calling out Mingchao’s name, unable to fall back asleep afterward. He’d clutch a wine jar and brood by the window, waiting for dawn.

Bu Yan feared that if this continued, the Young Master wasn’t far from losing his mind.

Before, he’d never noticed any deep affection from the Young Master toward Mingchao. But the moment she married someone else, it was as if the Young Master had suddenly awakened.

At first, there was still some rationality—toying with the idea of making her his mistress or an honored concubine. But lately, he’d grown delusional, insisting on marrying Mingchao as his wife.

Running into the Young Master was nothing but bad luck for Mingchao.

"Rein in your delusional Young Master," Hu Po said coldly.

Before Bu Yan could respond, the gate crashed shut with a loud "bang!"

The dust cloud hit him square in the face, choking him and making him sneeze uncontrollably.

"Young Master," Bu Yan said tearfully, "shouldn’t we return to the estate?"

Gu Huai frowned. "Do you also think I’m delusional?"

Bu Yan: Could he actually say what he thought?

What kind of lunatic takes dreams for real life?

Bu Yan hesitated, picking his words carefully. "Young Master, you wake in the middle of the night, haunted by nightmares, unable to sleep peacefully. Prolonged like this, it will harm your health. Perhaps you should seek out a monk to interpret your dreams."

"Buddhist teachings are peerless—perhaps you’ll gain a different perspective."

He could only hope there was a high monk in the temples around the capital who could snap the Young Master out of this fixation.

Fixations like this only end up hurting everyone.

Gu Huai perked up. "Yes, perhaps there will be a different interpretation."

"I’ve heard that Master Xuanxi of Chengchan Temple possesses a gaze that sees through all illusions. Maybe he can guide me to clarity."

Bu Yan bowed his head, saying nothing.

"Young Master, the eldest daughter of Yongning Marquis is in spiritual retreat at Chengchan Temple. If you go there, you might..."

"That's bad juju," Gu Huai thought.

"Then let's wait for Master Xuanxi to give alms at the foot of Chengchan Temple and seek his interpretation of your dreams."

Gu Huai was unaware that Lu Minghui had found a new powerful patron, fearing he might get entangled with her again if he wasn't careful.

"Young Master, when we return to the estate and the Duke reprimands you, please remember to cover for me."

Gu Huai — ...

"Bu Yan," Gu Huai changed the subject. "A Chao allowed me to enter and pay respects to Madam Wang. Does that mean she might have a change of heart about me?"

Bu Yan: ???

What kind of crazy talk is that?

"Young Master, in my humble opinion, nine times out of ten Mingchao will not have a change of heart."

A marriage gone sour.