Chapter 18: Taking a Bath
"No need to wait. Let’s start eating, family dinners should be relaxed."
After Gu Jian, who was in the main seat, finished speaking, he took the lead in picking up his chopsticks. Grandma couldn't sit in the main seat because she had dietary restrictions and was not supposed to move around much, otherwise the elderly woman would have been seated in the main seat.
Hearing that Feng Weiwei wasn’t coming, Shen Xi thought to herself, Guess my acting skills are pretty amazing. With just a casual move, she had knocked out one of Gu Hanling’s persistent admirers. Maybe she should consider becoming an actress in the future.
Feng Weiwei was a beautiful woman. Initially, Shen Xi had no intention of competing with her and was even willing to step aside. But since Weiwei had repeatedly targeted her, Shen Xi wasn’t the type to just sit back and be bullied.
She turned to glance at the man sitting beside her, her eyes curving slightly in a playful, proud expression.
Gu Hanling, however, remained as calm and indifferent as ever. He hadn't even picked up his chopsticks, instead lifting his tea and taking a slow sip.
Around the table, the other guests were chatting, drinking, and laughing with their relatives. Occasionally, someone would sneak a glance at Shen Xi, the newlywed wife.
But Gu Hanling seemed completely detached from the lively atmosphere.
Shen Xi had once assumed that, since Gu Hanling managed the entire Gu family business, he must be highly respected in the family.
But tonight, she realized that the Gu family members were actually quite distant from him.
She had heard from the maids that his parents had passed away when he was very young. No one dared to mention the details. It was a taboo topic in the Gu family.
If she hadn’t been his wife, the maids probably wouldn’t have shared even the little they did.
His story was so similar to hers.
Shen Xi knew what loneliness felt like.
She had always faced the world with a cheerful, carefree attitude, while he hid behind a cold, impenetrable shell. But deep down, they were both suffering in the same way.
Feeling a pang of sympathy, she picked up a piece of braised pork and placed it on his plate.
"Hanling, try this. It’s really good."
Gu Hanling glanced at her, then silently picked up his chopsticks and took a bite.
The tender, fatty meat melted in his mouth, and his brows furrowed slightly. He wasn’t a fan of greasy food.
"A loving couple, I see."
An older uncle from the Gu family spoke up. His tone carried the weight of an aristocratic upbringing. Neither clearly approving nor disapproving.
"The Shen family may be small, but at least they raised their daughter well."
Hearing the conversation shift to Shen Xi, Gu Jian frowned slightly and added,
"Too bad she lacks proper manners. I heard she arrived this morning and didn’t even greet her mother-in-law? Compared to Weiwei, it’s like night and day. If she ever becomes the mistress of the Gu family, she’ll just bring shame to us."
"Oh, she’s still young. It’s normal for her to not know all the rules yet,"
Wu Xiaoman, Gu Hanling’s stepmother, chimed in with a gentle smile, trying to smooth things over. But her words carried a clear undertone of criticism.
"Besides, Weiwei is my family, so I won’t boast about her."
Shen Xi sneered internally. Wow, look at them, so proper and refined. Feels like I’ve time-traveled back to the 1920s.
She gently set down her chopsticks, still smiling as she responded,
"You look so young. I actually thought you were Hanling’s older sister. It was only later that I realized… you’re his stepmother."
Her smile deepened.
"And this time, I mainly came to visit Grandma. I really didn’t have time to greet anyone else."
Wu Xiaoman’s expression stiffened. Her smile wavered as she forced out an awkward chuckle.
"Such a sharp tongue. How can someone like this be the future mistress of the Gu family?"
The other relatives at the table exchanged glances, some whispering among themselves, clearly enjoying the drama.
"She can."
The deep, cold voice cut through the chatter.
Everyone turned to Gu Hanling. His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried enough weight to quiet the lively room.
Gu Jian scoffed, his eyes filled with disdain.
"Her? What makes her worthy?"
Without a word, Gu Hanling stood up. His tall, imposing figure exuded an air of authority. He reached for Shen Xi’s hand, gently pulling her up beside him.
The antique jade bracelet on her wrist immediately caught everyone’s attention.
His icy gaze swept across the room.
"I said, she can."
For a moment, the entire table fell silent. All eyes were on the bracelet. A few people even gasped in shock.
Especially Wu Xiaoman, her face turned utterly pale, as if she had just been slapped. She stood up abruptly, her voice trembling with disbelief.
“No way! Absolutely impossible! That old woman, there’s no way she would give the matriarch's heirloom to someone like her! Did she steal it?!”
“Watch your words!”
Gu Jian’s face darkened instantly upon hearing Wu Xiaoman’s accusation. He let out a heavy cough, reprimanding her sternly.
Wu Xiaoman flinched at his scolding. She turned to look at him, her eyes brimming with unshed tears, but Gu Jian only gave her a subtle shake of the head.
Gu Hanling took Shen Xi’s hand and said calmly,
“Grandma knows what she’s doing. Don’t assume she’s lost her judgment just because she’s old.”
“We’re done eating. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
Without looking back, he turned and left, taking Shen Xi with him.
The moment their figures disappeared through the doorway, murmurs and conversations resumed in the banquet hall.
Gu Hanling and Shen Xi strolled hand-in-hand down the long corridor. Moonlight streamed through the carved wooden windows, stretching their shadows across the ground.
Once they were alone, they simultaneously let go of each other’s hands. Shen Xi let out an awkward laugh and glanced at him.
“Uh… Big Brother, actually, I didn’t eat enough.”
“Skipping one meal won’t kill you.”
“……”
“But Jingyan likes girls with a little more meat on them. I’m too skinny.”
Gu Hanling didn’t break stride. He merely turned his head slightly and cast her a sidelong glance.
“His current girlfriend is also very thin.”
“……”
Shen Xi was speechless. She had forgotten that back at the Yunding Hotel, Gu Hanling had seen Lin Yueyue.
Since she couldn’t argue with him, she simply pouted and quickened her pace, heading straight back to the bedroom.
Once inside, she suddenly realized, where was she supposed to sleep tonight?
The Gu family was full of gossiping relatives. If she and Gu Hanling slept in separate rooms, it would become a topic of discussion by morning. That would mean all the effort she put into acting today, holding hands and putting on a show, would have been for nothing.
Just as she was lost in thought, the door creaked open.
Gu Hanling stepped inside, carrying a plate of pastries, which he placed on the table.
Shen Xi’s eyes lit up, and she bounced over eagerly, staring at the delicate treats.
“Gurgle~~”
Her stomach let out an embarrassing growl at just the right moment. She felt a surge of happiness and looked up at him expectantly.
“For me?”
Gu Hanling glanced at her with an unreadable expression, then turned toward the bathroom.
“Eat first. I’m going to take a shower.”
He had an important executive meeting at the company tomorrow, so he wanted to wash up and rest early.
Hearing this, Shen Xi’s hand trembled as she reached for a pastry, causing it to fall back onto the plate.
She swallowed hard. Suddenly, she had no appetite for pastries at all.
‘Why… why is he taking a shower?’
She wasn’t naïve. She had been a man in her past life. She knew what it meant for a man and a woman to be alone in a room, and then one of them goes to shower…
Her whole body tensed. She sat uneasily, her mind racing.
‘This isn’t just a plate of pastries! This is my last meal! What do I do? Run? But this whole estate belongs to the Gu family… where could I even go?!’
While she was still panicking, Gu Hanling stepped out of the bathroom.
Droplets of water slid down his sharp, handsome features and dripped onto the slightly open collar of his black robe. His toned, sculpted abs were faintly visible through the fabric.
At this moment, Gu Hanling had shed his usual cold, distant demeanor. Instead, there was a touch of… alluring charm.
“Go shower. I have a meeting tomorrow, don't delay my rest.”
Shen Xi’s heart skipped a beat.
Uh-oh, big trouble!