Gu Fangzi looked at the handsome man in front of her—the man who had loved her for many years. The more she looked at him, the happier she got. Unable to hold herself back, she poured a cup of tea and handed it to Shi Fengju. “Big Cousin, have some tea.”
Shi Fengju looked at her in the eye and was about to receive the cup. Little did he realize that the woman in front of him was being extremely flirtatious towards him.
“Big Cousin! Fengju,” Gu Fangzi was not willing to let go of the cup, and the back of her smooth hand gently rubbed against Shi Fengju’s hand before saying seductively, “I miss you so much, did you— Ah!”
“Miss me?”; before those two words could leave her mouth, Shi Fengju already retracted his arm angrily. That force caused Gu Fangzi to fall back, and the cup of hot tea scalded her hand. That excruciating pain made her release her grip on the cup, and it shattered on the floor.
“Fengju!” Gu Fangzi was upset, and she rubbed her scalded hand with her other hand as tears fell from her eyes.
Shi Fengju stood up and frowned at her. “You should just stick with calling me your cousin! Call Lan Xiang in to attend to your wound. I still have things to do, so I’ll be going first!”
“Don’t go!” Having him come over was already difficult. As if she’d be willing to see him leave so soon! If not for her mourning period, she would be looking around to find him often!
She quickly rushed behind him and hugged him tightly as she nestled her face at his back before weeping, “Big Cousin, Big Cousin, please stay with me for a little while longer! Don’t go! Big Cousin, I know you love me, so how can you treat me like this? Have, have I done something that made you unhappy? Big Cousin, tell me, I’ll change! I’ll change, alright!”
“Fangzi, let go!” Shi Fengju forcefully broke free before taking a few steps back. “Fangzi, do not forget what I said to you before. Remember your position.”
“I will, I’ve never forgotten about that!” Gu Fangzi sobbed, “You are mine, and I am your woman. How can I forget that!”
There was utterly no way of communicating with her!
Shi Fengju could not help but admit a fact. How did he and she end up to this stage?
Big Sis’s deliberate hostility towards Sang Wan must have been instigated by Fangzi. Saying things like “the three of them in the past”, he, Shi Fengju, wasn’t foolish. If not for someone instigating things from behind, his sister would never do such a thing!
Even if his big sister was against the marriage between the Sang family and the Shi family, she still valued him the most. As long as the other party was the one he liked, she would like her too. But, his big sister just didn’t like Sang Wan!
Seeing that Shi Fengju was remaining silent, her expression was now something that even she had never seen before. Her entire mind was spinning, and she launched herself at Shi Fengju before hugging him tightly once again. She lifted her head to look at his neck, and she said, “Big Cousin, I’ll give it you. I’ll give it to you, okay?… We can become a couple, an actual couple, we—”
“Gu Fangzi!” Shi Fengju raged at her and pushed her away. Disgusted, he raised his sleeve to wipe his face and neck before saying coldly, “What are you getting crazy for!”
“I’m not crazy, I’m serious!” Gu Fangzi sobbed, “Big Cousin, you said before that the one you wished to marry was me, me ah! And I don’t have anyone else except you in my heart! Big Cousin, we’ll be together in the end, won’t we?”
While saying that, she gradually undid her clothes.
“If you want to be crazy, then be crazy by yourself!” Shi Fengju’s glare was col., “A woman acting all flirtatious during her mourning period, why don’t you give some thoughts to your father above! Even I feel ashamed by your behavior today!”
Shi Fengju grunted coldly before leaving in big strides.
Gu Fangzi’s face turned as pale as snow. Her legs gave in, and she fell onto the floor. She clung onto a chair’s leg powerlessly and nibbled hatefully at her lips. Closing her eyes forcefully, the tears fell steadily.
Gu Fangzi cried quietly. Her thin shoulders trembled violently, like the leaves falling in the autumn wind.
He said he felt ashamed! That was what he said, that was what he said to her! Gu Fangzi shook her head in disbelief. That man used to embrace her and say she was the only one for him. Today, he had pushed her and scolded her for not knowing any shame!
“Sang Wan! Sang Wan!” Gu Fangzi clenched her teeth ferociously, and her eyes were filled entirely with burning hatre., “It’s all because of you, all because of you!” I’ll definitely make your life miserable!
“Missy!” Seeing her missy sobbing on the floor with a face full of shock the moment she entered, Lan Xiang quickly ran up to her to help her up. “Missy, what happened to you!”
“Scram!” Gu Fangzi pushed Lan Xiang away. She wiped away her tears and choked out each word one at a time, “I will pick myself up! I will pick myself up!”
Big Cousin, you will regret this. You’ll regret doing this to me today!
Shi Fengju left Peony Park angrily and swiftly returned to the small garden.
“Where’s the ma’am?” not seeing Sang Wan, he asked.
His face was extremely dark and scary, and his words were extremely rushed. The servants were frightened by the sight of their young master. Just who had made the young master so furious to such a point.
“Ma’am… went, went to the storehouse…” Hong Ye carefully went up and answered.
“Call her back!” Shi Fengju raised a brow coldly. “What are you still standing there for? Go!”
“Yes, yes Sir!” Hong Ye jumped from the fright. She did not wait to instruct a servant to do so, and she personally fled to call for Sang Wan.
After hearing the explanation from Hong Ye, Sang Wan did not dare to return slowly. She quickly gave her instructions to Nanny Li before hurrying back. On the way back, she thought to herself, Don’t tell me that Gu Fangzi complained to him about me? Then so be it. After all, I’ve done nothing wrong, and there’s nothing to hide! Whatever he asks, I’ll just answer honestly.
Shi Fengju was by himself in the partitioned room. The atmosphere was extremely heavy, and the servants did not dare to go in to serve him. Every one of them stuck their neck out, gazing at the gate entrance occasionally.
When Sang Wan returned, the crowd finally heaved a sigh of relief.
After being sure that Shi Fengju was inside, Sang Wan took a deep breath in before entering.
Before she could speak, she heard Shi Fengju snapping from the other side, “Go away! Where’s Ma’am? She isn’t back yet?”
It seems he really is furious! Sang Wan’s heart could not help but groan, and she was secretly amazed at Gu Fangzi. Just what did she complain this time around that seemed so effective!
“Sir, it’s me!” Sang Wan said gently before walking up to him, “Is there something?”
“…” Shi Fengju was startled, and his dark expression seemed to have relaxed a little. He quickly stood up and apologized with a smile, “You’re back. Sorry, I didn’t know it was you!”
“En?” Sang Wan was slightly surprised, and she blinked a few times before shaking her head. “It’s alright! What did Sir call me for so anxiously—”
“Nothing!” Shi Fengju smiled. “I just wanted to—” He wanted to say “I just wanted to see you,” but he knew it would surely sound weird, so he quickly changed his words, “I just wanted to ask, en, have you and Big Sis settled on a date to have crabs? That way, I can have the servants prepare in advance.”
“…” Sang Wan was utterly speechless. His entire face was dark, and he was roaring at the servants, all just for this?
“There really isn’t anything else! I just wanted to ask about it.” Shi Fengju forced a smile. Even he himself could feel that he was acting weird. But after leaving Peony Park, he just wanted to see her, eagerly and anxiously! He almost felt as if the moment he saw her, the waves in his heart would finally calm down.
Those words sounded outrageous, and Sang Wan found them hard to believe. However, since he wasn’t going to tell her, then she would not let her curiosity get the better of her. If he doesn’t want to say anything, then it was for the best!
“Not yet!”Sang Wan smiled. “I’ll ask Mother and Sister-in-law today. Once we’ve settled for a date, I’ll tell you.”
“En, okay!” Seeing that she so easily believed him without asking any further, his heart was somewhat disappointed. For a moment, he was unsure of what to say. All he felt was a sense of depression! Having lived this long, this was the first time he had ever felt so!
“Sir, your complexion doesn’t seem too good. Is something the matter?” Sang Wan finally asked out of duty.
Shi Fengju finally relaxed and shook his head. “Nothing much, just that my heart doesn’t feel too well. Will you accompany me out for a stroll?”
Sang Wan was taken aback. After some thought, she said, “Your sister just happened to send a servant to inform me that she would want some bonsai in her yard. I don’t really know about these things, so why don’t you come with me to pick some?”
Shi Fengju chuckled and joked, “You don’t know? You’re an elegant person, are you sure you don’t know!”
Sang Wan became annoyed at him for laughing. “Hey! Don’t make fun of me, I’m the most inelegant one. The real elegant person lives in Banana Courtyard!”
[TL: This is the joke, they’re making fun of someone]
The two looked at each other, and they laughed.
But that made Sang Wan slightly remorseful for being careless. In Banana Courtyard not only lived Big Brother-in-law but also Big Sister, and they were their seniors. What they said was slightly overboard, and Sang Wan quickly stopped herself from laughing. “So, will you come along? If you won’t, then I’ll go by myself!”
“I’ll go, I’ll go!” It was rare for her to invite him. Even if she was doing so reluctantly, it was a chance for him to be with her, so there was no way he would refuse!
Shortly after the two left the small garden, they saw Nanny Li rushing back. She reported that the things instructed to her had been sent to Banana Courtyard before taking a good look at Shi Fengju’s expression. Seeing that nothing seemed amiss, she was finally at ease, and she smiled as she followed them.
Sang Wan and Shi Fengju then went to Songfeng Garden, where the bonsais were made especially from Fuzhong. They picked five and ordered a servant to send those to Banana Garden.
Shi Yumei heard that the bonsais were picked by her own young brother, and she became speechless. She couldn’t help but mutter under her breath, That Sang lass really is capable. For a matter this minor, she even dragged my brother along! But on second thought, it also means that my brother cares a lot for her, does it not? At this moment, Shi Yumei was unsure whether to be happy for frustrated.
The next morning, Shi Yumei went to Peony Park to see Gu Fangzi. “Yesterday, did Shi Fengju come and see you?” Shi Yumei asked.
Gu Fangzi’s body stiffened slightly, but she smiled shyly. “En.” She nodded gently and said, “Big Cousin accompanied me for a while, but because of my current state, I couldn’t make him stay for long, so I let him go first!”
Hearing those words, Shi Yumei smiled heartily before pinching Gu Fangzi’s cheek. “See, didn’t I tell you? Shi Fengju still cares a lot about you, but he’s only just been busy!”
“Of course, I understand!” Gu Fangzi smiled with a nod.
