Chapter 397: This Is What He Cares About Most

After returning to Wutong Garden, Gu Jinghui kept pestering Qin Yuan endlessly, asking, "Don’t you think having a husband like me is a blessing?"

At first, Qin Yuan said nothing, but after being asked repeatedly, she replied with a question, "Didn’t I say so in the main room? What more do you want?"

Gu Jinghui was unhappy, twisting on the bed and loudly turning to the side, "I feel like when you said that, you were just brushing me off, not sincere. In your heart, you probably think having my mother as a mother-in-law is the real blessing, and I’m just a tag-along, right?"

Qin Yuan replied indifferently, "If you insist on thinking that way, there’s nothing I can do... It’s too late, there are things to do tomorrow, let’s sleep."

Gu Jinghui: "..."

The early autumn nights were still a bit cool. Qin Yuan pulled the light quilt, which Marquis Gu had tugged open, up to her neck. Just as she closed her eyes, she saw Gu Jinghui suddenly sit up and say, "You haven’t even asked what decree the Emperor announced today, you really don’t care about me at all anymore. What’s wrong with you?"

Qin Yuan turned over, facing away from him, saying, "So why don’t you tell me what the Emperor announced today? It’s not just me who didn’t ask, even mother didn’t ask. Seeing you looking so radiant and relaxed, it has to be good news. What’s the big deal about asking or not? If you wanted to say it, you’d say it whether we asked or not. If you don’t say it, it means we’re not meant to know or don’t need to know in your eyes."

This left Marquis Gu fuming.

"You..."

Marquis Gu resentfully turned his head, glaring fiercely at Qin Yuan’s small, delicate figure in the dark.

So frail that she couldn’t withstand a flick from his finger, yet she could rile him up to no end.

This woman made him happy and worried all at once, whether he wanted to or not.

Truly, it’s said that only petty people and women are hard to deal with, and it’s certainly true.

Qin Yuan huffed, "Are you going to say it or not? If you won’t, then I’ll sleep. You’re making a fuss but won’t say anything, do you think telling me is pointless? Then don’t tell me at all in the future."

These words put Marquis Gu in a bind, whether to say it or not.

After brooding for a bit, he simply reached over, turned Qin Yuan to face him, and held her in his arms, saying, "Now, you have to listen carefully to what I have to say."

Qin Yuan was held tight by him, so she had no choice but to say, "You’re the one not saying anything, how can I not listen carefully?"

Marquis Gu didn’t bother about the decree anymore, lowering his head to press against her rosy little nose, and repeatedly asked, "What’s the matter with you, are you angry with me? If you’re angry with me, just say so, alright? Don’t hold it in and make both of us uncomfortable."

Qin Yuan blinked her eyes, sourly saying, "How dare I be angry with you? One day everything’s fine, and suddenly you ignore me, move to the outer courtyard, won’t even show your face. You don’t come back for meals and won’t send word. Tell me, isn’t that infuriating?"

Gu Jinghui immediately said, "Yes, I’m infuriating, all that is my doing, I’m wrong. Don’t be angry anymore, alright? I wondered why you wouldn’t let me join you for meals; turns out you were angry about this. It was my oversight, I shouldn’t have done so."

Qin Yuan responded with a heavy nasal tone, "It’s only because I care about you that I sent Hong Mian to bring you food despite being mad, otherwise, would you have come to the main house to find me?"

Seeing his little wife upset, Gu Jinghui panicked and hurriedly grabbed Qin Yuan’s hand, placing it on his face, saying, "You made Madam upset, you deserve a beating."

Qin Yuan’s small hand was soft and tender, hitting didn’t hurt at all.

In the dark, the patting sounds seemed to add a lot of unspeakable amusement.

"Enough, my hand hurts."

Qin Yuan retracted her hand.

Gu Jinghui said, "I’m too coarse-skinned, causing Madam’s hand to hurt, let me see quickly."

Then he leaned in for a closer look, smelled the enticing fragrance emanating from Qin Yuan, couldn’t help but lightly kiss her slender hand, mumbling, "Good Yuan’er, a kiss makes it not hurt anymore."

The warm breath tickled Qin Yuan’s hand, moistly itchy.

Then, naturally, Marquis Gu took more liberties, closing in to catch Qin Yuan’s lips.

It was quite a while before they parted.

Qin Yuan was dizzy and limp from the kiss.

She could still hear Marquis Gu softly promising in her ear, "Good Yuan’er, don’t be angry anymore. You don’t care about me, I feel so miserable, it’s all my fault these days. I won’t dare do it again in the future. You forgive me, right?"

A dizzy Qin Yuan barely responded with a murmur.

Marquis Gu happily said, "I knew Yuan’er was the most considerate, wouldn’t just ignore me because of this."

With that, he snuggled up again.

"Fortunately, Marquis Gu is not available now, otherwise, I’m afraid we wouldn’t have waited..."

This was the only thought Qin Yuan had before being kissed into a daze.

By the time they woke up the next morning, it was already bright outside. Gu Jinghui hadn’t gotten up yet, still holding her tightly in a deep sleep.

Qin Yuan impatiently wiggled a bit.

Gu Jinghui then opened his eyes, his pitch-black eyes reflecting her playful appearance.

Qin Yuan asked, "Why didn’t Husband get up early to practice martial arts today?"

Gu Jinghui whispered, "I wanted you to see me as soon as you wake up."

Last time, he had slipped away early in the morning.

This time, he couldn’t make that mistake again.

Qin Yuan chuckled and said, "Last night, I didn’t get a chance to say, if you do this again, I definitely won’t pay attention to you, no matter what you do."

Recalling the previous night, her face flushed.

This dainty charm melted Gu Jinghui’s heart into water.

"How could I be like this again, good Yuan’er, I surely won’t."

Saying this, he leaned in again but was avoided by Qin Yuan.

"You only talk nicely; in fact, you don’t even know why I’m angry yet you plan to get by like this. Can you tell me why I’m upset with you?"

The kiss landed on Qin Yuan’s hair, Marquis Gu somewhat regretfully sighed, gently smoothing her cloud-like silky hair, also knowing he must answer well.

Or else, he’d be the one suffering.

After all, she bears grudges and never lets things go.

Marquis Gu earnestly said, "I shouldn’t have hidden from you, avoided you, right?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Qin Yuan lightly tapped his forehead, "Do you know how worried and scared I was when you were hiding and avoiding me? I didn’t know if something had happened to you or if you were troubled by something, just worrying in my heart, fearing something happened to you, terrified I may have offended you somehow. I asked Sixteen, and he couldn’t say anything either. You’re sad, and I’m even sadder than you. You can’t hurt my heart like this anymore in the future."

Marquis Gu took Qin Yuan’s slender hand, kissed it, and said ashamedly, "Got it, Yuan’er, I won’t do it again."

"You say so," Qin Yuan smiled, "But what if you do it again?"

Marquis Gu said, "I’ll give you my private funds, and if you’re unhappy, you can take them as your dowry, is that alright?"

Qin Yuan shook her head, "No."

"Why not?"

Gu Jinghui hurriedly asked, "I let you manage my private assets daily, you just don’t want to, could it be in your heart, you still don’t consider me your husband?"

What he cared about most was this—having not become a real couple, Qin Yuan might not have a place for him in her heart, and she might secretly still pine for the scholar Lin Junren, who had since become her brother-in-law.