tallest building

Chapter 102 Difficult to Return to Normal

The evening breeze was pleasant.

Gong Xu was half-drunk from the meal.

Mother Zhu carried a lantern in front, while Wen Mingqian held Sang Er's hand, their clothes fluttering, like Chang'e and Qing Nu.

He walked at the back, supported by Yunying.

"Sir, please slow down. This gravel road is a bit difficult to walk on," Yunying said gently.

"It's alright, I'm not drunk." Gong Xu genuinely felt that he was not drunk.

But at that moment, he felt rather elated.

As if suddenly enlightened, she realized Wen Mingqian's good qualities.

Compared to Song, Wen Mingqian was not only more beautiful and virtuous, but also more talented.

Looking back on the years she had spent with Song, she realized that apart from being kind and gentle to her, Song had been calculating in every way.

Now that Wen Mingqian is in charge, he has not only taken a beautiful concubine for himself, but also ensured that he lives a life of luxury and comfort.

Another point is that no matter how good I thought Song was, my mother didn't approve.

It was different for Wen Mingqian. The old lady not only valued Wen Mingqian, but also Chang'an, the place where Wen Mingqian was born.

The wives of other families also interacted with Song, but only outwardly; in reality, they all carried a hint of disdain.

He also had some complaints about himself, feeling that he favored his concubine over his wife.

Now that Wen Mingqian has returned, everything seems to be perfectly legitimate.

Gong Xu couldn't help but realize once again how terribly wrong he had been before.

People are always like this; often, a single thought can lead to a completely different state of mind.

The more he disliked Wen Mingqian before, the more he now thinks she's wonderful.

Moreover, it is in a man's nature to consider what is beneficial to himself first. Once Gong Xu understood this, he felt that Wen Mingqian was a thousand times better than Song Shi.

Watching Wen Mingqian's graceful figure from behind, his heart grew even warmer.

He deliberately slowed his pace and said, "I ate a bit too much for dinner tonight, so I shouldn't rest too early. I remember that the waterside pavilion at Lingyue Pavilion is the best place to admire the moon. We should go there and see it; we can't waste such a beautiful moonlit night."

Upon hearing this, Sang Er muttered to Wen Mingqian in a low voice, "This idiot is trying to take advantage of Mother! It's disgusting!"

Wen Mingqian then said to Yunying, "Then you should accompany the master to admire the moon! Be careful as it gets dark, and have two more people serve him."

Gong Xu actually wanted to enjoy the moon with Wen Mingqian, but he was a proud man and couldn't bring himself to do it.

He could only vaguely reply, "Don't have too many people, lest it spoil the enjoyment."

"That's only if the master is settled first. Getting hurt is no laughing matter." Wen Mingqian didn't want any more trouble for no reason.

But Gong Xu found these words incredibly comforting, feeling that Wen Mingqian was genuinely concerned for him.

After returning home, Wen Mingqian closed his room door, washed up, and rested.

She instructed Sang Er, "Guard the door well and don't let Gong Xu in." "Don't worry, Mother! If he dares to come in, I'll break his legs." Sang Er bared her teeth, like a little dog protecting its master.

Meanwhile, the Gong couple were still in the old lady's room.

"To be honest, I'm getting senile!" Old Madam Gong sighed. "When the old master was on his deathbed, he repeatedly told me that the affairs of the second branch of the family could be left to the second son's wife."

But I didn't believe it at the time. I always felt that she was young and straightforward, and I was afraid that she wouldn't be able to manage the household well.

After that incident, if I had stood up for her then, things wouldn't have escalated to this point.

Although Madam Gong was old, she was not senile.

She could tell that Gong Xu was clearly warming up towards Wen Mingqian, but Wen Mingqian's gentleness was tinged with aloofness.

"Grandma, there's no need to worry about this. They are husband and wife after all. If things aren't good today, they'll be better tomorrow. As long as Second Master is sincere, how can he not win back his sister-in-law?" Madam Wei gently advised.

"Alas, now that things have come to this, I can only let fate decide! I hope there won't be any more troubles. Right now, all I want is for this family to be peaceful and harmonious, so that I can face the old master with a clear conscience when I die." Old Madam Gong sighed deeply.

“Mother is overthinking it. My brother and sister-in-law are always reasonable. How could they cause unrest in the family?” Gong Rang also said.

"Sigh, I wonder what kind of fate they had in their past lives that led to so many twists and turns in this life. Oh well, I won't think about it anymore. What I just remembered is that if Jing'an passes the exam, he should be getting married. He's just turned twenty this year, and he'll be twenty-one next year."

We should start looking for suitable candidates beforehand; we can't just grab anyone like we're catching ducks.

Upon hearing this, Madam Wei smiled and said, "If the old lady says so, she must have found someone she likes."

"I think the fourth young lady of the Marquis of Changrong's mansion is quite nice. Last time she came with her mother and sister-in-law, I thought that the girl was dignified and well-mannered, and also quite pretty," said Madam Gong.

"Well..." Madam Wei glanced at her husband with some difficulty, "I'm afraid they don't think much of us."

"How could that be? Although they are from a marquis's family and we are from an earl's family, our Jing'an is handsome, filial and kind. Among the scions of noble families of similar age, there are probably few who are more outstanding than him."

"The old lady naturally dotes on her grandson," Gong Rang laughed. "But people say that when a daughter is married off, she should be respected. The fourth young lady of the Changrong Marquis's mansion is his only legitimate daughter. How could they not be very selective?"

"Of course they will choose. A family with a daughter is sought after by many. Can't our family also make a choice?" said Madam Gong. "My second son's wife is quite close to their family. I noticed that their family seems to be trying to curry favor with her. I don't know why."

"That's because my sister-in-law is skilled at making cosmetics and face medicines. It was my sister-in-law who cured the fourth young lady's face. Therefore, the Lady of Changrong Marquis was very grateful, and naturally, she visited more often," Lady Wei explained.

"I see. Isn't that even better? With her being able to speak on their behalf, it's like having a convenient connection." Old Madam Gong was determined to find a suitable marriage for her eldest grandson. "I'll talk to her tomorrow and let her sound out the situation first."

“Grandma is being far too hasty. Our family is still far from settled. We need him to achieve some academic success before we can even talk about marriage,” said Madam Wei. “Otherwise, wouldn’t that seem frivolous?”

"What's the big deal about sounding out someone?" Old Madam Gong said dismissively. "It's just a casual chat, nothing serious."

As for Gong Xu, after gazing at the cold moon for a long time, he also found it neither romantic nor interesting.

"Master is still not fully recovered, why don't you go back and rest?" Yunying said from the side.

Gong Xu looked up at Wen Mingqian's room and saw that the lights were already off.

He had no choice but to say, "Then let's go back! There's still moonlight to light the way."

Then, in my own wishful thinking, I assumed that she must have thought I needed to rest, which is why she went to sleep first.

(End of this chapter)