The servants stood frozen in place, their eyes brimming with worry. Gu Yizhou remained motionless, standing silently right where he was, allowing the bright red blood to trickle down from his temple—tracing a path past his eye and cheek—before finally dripping onto the floor.
Gu Yizhou didn't even flinch; only when a small crimson puddle had gathered on the ground did he speak, his tone unhurried. "You forced me to come back simply to vent your anger, didn't you? Now that you've let it out, may we finally have dinner?"
Xiao Ying hadn't even glanced at Gu Yizhou until she heard his words; turning her head now, her eyes blazed with intense resentment. "I told you already—I don't need your interference! Get out of here! Get the hell out!" Upon hearing this, Gu Yizhou turned and walked out of Xiao Ying's room.
Upon reaching the front hall, he found the Old Master still sipping his tea. Seeing the wound on Gu Yizhou's forehead, Butler Jiang let out a startled gasp and immediately bustled about, instructing the servants to summon a doctor. The Old Master frowned. "She struck you—couldn't you have simply dodged?"
Gu Yizhou's voice remained utterly devoid of emotion. "It's nothing—just a minor injury. As long as she feels better after striking me, that's all that matters." The Old Master's frown deepened. "If you are truly so considerate of her feelings, then why did you defy her in the first place—insisting on going ahead and registering your marriage with that young girl?"
Gu Yizhou lowered his gaze and offered no reply. Before long, the family doctor arrived and examined Gu Yizhou's wound. "Young Master, this cut is quite deep; I'm afraid it will require stitches." Gu Yizhou frowned. "If I get stitches, how long will it take before they can be removed?" "At least a week."
Gu Yizhou suddenly found himself thinking of those doe-like eyes; if she were to see his forehead stitched up like that, she would likely be frightened. "Is there any other option?" The doctor replied, "There is a special medication that accelerates wound healing, but it is highly potent and causes a strong stinging sensation."
Gu Yizhou didn't hesitate for a moment. "Then use that medication." The doctor cleaned Gu Yizhou's wound, applied the medicine, and dressed it with gauze before finally excusing himself. By then, a fine layer of sweat had already broken out across Gu Yizhou's forehead. The old man cast a glance, then gave a cold snort. "Who are you putting on this act for? Who do you think is going to feel sorry for you?" Having said this, he leaned on his cane, turned around, and walked away.
After the old man left, Butler Jiang approached him. "First Young Master, why don't you stay the night here at the ancestral home? You have to come back tomorrow anyway, so this saves you the trouble of traveling back and forth."
Gu Yizhou lowered his gaze, looking at the screensaver on his phone—a serene and peaceful image of the two of them and their cat bathed in sunlight. His cold, icy heart felt as though it were being warmed by that very sunlight. "No need. The trip back is quick enough." ...Wednesday.
Perhaps to suit the mood, the weather—which had been bright and cloudless just yesterday—had turned into a gentle, drizzling rain today. Traffic was somewhat congested; by the time Su Mianmian arrived at the Gu family's ancestral home in her taxi, she was running a bit late. Gu Jingyu had made a special point of waiting at the entrance to welcome her.
"Sister-in-law, what took you so long? The ceremony is about to begin any moment now." Su Mianmian took quick, small steps as she hurried inside, following close behind Gu Jingyu. "I'm so sorry! I actually left quite early, but I didn't expect to get stuck in traffic."
Gu Jingyu, who had been leading Su Mianmian inside, suddenly came to a halt halfway there. He turned to look at her, his tone turning serious. "Sister-in-law... Big Brother is hurt." "Hurt?"
Gu Jingyu pointed to his own forehead. "He has a patch of gauze taped to it—it's quite conspicuous. I secretly overheard Butler Jiang saying that it looks like Auntie—Big Brother's mother—threw a teacup at him."
Su Mianmian's heart tightened in her chest as she recalled Gu Jingyu mentioning that Gu Yizhou's mother suffered from moderate depression. "But... what does Gu Yizhou have to do with his mother having a depressive episode? Why would she throw a teacup at *him*?"
Gu Jingyu felt a deep sense of sympathy for his older brother as well. "Sigh... it's a long story. I'll explain the details to you later when we have the chance. In any case, please keep a close eye on Big Brother today; I'm worried that Auntie might lose her temper with him again later on."
She had already injured his forehead—and now she might lose her temper with him *again*? Su Mianmian felt as though her chest were stuffed with cotton—a heavy, stifling sensation that left her feeling deeply distressed. When she finally followed Gu Jingyu to the ancestral shrine, she saw a crowd of people already gathered outside. The gathering consisted entirely of older elders; Su Mianmian scanned the crowd but couldn't spot Gu Yizhou anywhere. Just as she was about to ask Gu Jingyu, Gu Yizhou's Second Uncle emerged from the crowd and sternly chided Gu Jingyu:
"I take my eyes off you for just a moment, and where do you run off to? Your older brothers and younger cousins have all gone inside already; you'd better hurry up and join them." Having said this, he noticed Su Mianmian standing nearby and looked somewhat surprised. "Didn't Azhou say you had classes and wouldn't have time to make it over?"
Gu Yizhou hadn't mentioned this matter to Su Mianmian at all; had Gu Jingyu not told her, Su Mianmian likely wouldn't have even known that today marked the memorial day for Gu Yizhou's younger brother. Su Mianmian stammered out a reply: "I *did* have classes, but considering the significance of today's date, I specifically sought out my academic advisor to request leave."
Upon hearing this, Gu Yizhou's Second Uncle didn't press the matter further. "Well, then what are you standing around for? Hurry up and go inside with Jingyu." Gu Jingyu took Su Mianmian by the hand, and they walked briskly into the ancestral shrine.
The moment she stepped inside, Su Mianmian's eyes landed on Gu Yizhou, who was kneeling on a prayer cushion right in the center of the room. He was dressed entirely in black today—a black shirt and black trousers. His back was turned toward her, yet even in a kneeling posture, his entire being exuded an aura of composure and formidable power.
Kneeling on either side of him were Gu Jinghui and another young man whom Su Mianmian did not recognize. Seeing Gu Yizhou hold up his incense sticks and bow his head in reverence, they followed suit. Su Mianmian also noticed a slender woman standing nearby.
She wore no makeup, yet her naturally exquisite features remained undeniable. Her entire demeanor was one of cold solemnity, radiating an air that warned strangers to keep their distance. As Su Mianmian observed her, the woman seemed to sense her gaze; she turned her head slightly, her eyes meeting Su Mianmian's.
Su Mianmian was startled by the woman's cold, vacant stare and hurriedly averted her eyes. In that fleeting instant—quick as a flash of lightning—a sudden realization struck her: could this be Gu Yizhou's mother?
Although she had accompanied Gu Yizhou to the family estate on a previous occasion where she had seen the woman, the latter had kept her back turned to them the entire time, so Su Mianmian had never actually seen what she looked like. Yet, during those brief few seconds of eye contact just moments ago, Su Mianmian realized that her features—her brows and eyes—were virtually identical to Gu Yizhou's.
While Su Mianmian was lost in thought, Gu Yizhou had already risen to his feet and reverently inserted the burning incense sticks into the censer. He then bowed three times before the memorial tablet before slowly turning around.
Su Mianmian was standing directly behind him; thus, she was the very first person Gu Yizhou saw as he turned. Behind him stood the solemn, somber memorial tablet, wreathed in wisps of rising incense smoke. In the instant their eyes met across the intervening air, something within Gu Yizhou's usually placid gaze suddenly stirred.
Immediately, his brow furrowed; he stepped forward to stand beside Su Mianmian and asked in a low voice, "What brings you here?" Su Mianmian once again caught the familiar scent of agarwood; she did not answer his question, her gaze remaining fixed on the gauze bandage taped to his forehead.
"Is the injury on your forehead serious? Does it hurt?" As Gu Yizhou looked down at the young woman before him—who was gazing up at him with such evident concern—he felt his heart suddenly sink. Had he known she would be coming today, he wouldn't have allowed the doctor to apply the bandage at all. "It's just a minor scratch; it doesn't hurt."
Su Mianmian's lips pursed slightly. "How could it not hurt?" Given Gu Yizhou's typically low-profile nature, the fact that he had actually allowed a bandage to be applied meant the wound surely couldn't be shallow. Just then, it was time for Gu Jingyu and the other younger relatives—who hadn't had their turn earlier—to step forward and pay their respects. Su Mianmian walked forward alongside Gu Jingyu.
As the eldest daughter-in-law, Su Mianmian was assigned to kneel at the very spot where Gu Yizhou had knelt moments before. Directly facing her stood the memorial tablet, inscribed with the words: "The Spirit Tablet of Beloved Son, Gu Yichen." Gu Yichen—that, presumably, was the name of Gu Yizhou's younger brother.
Su Mianmian followed the exact sequence of rituals Gu Yizhou had performed earlier: she bowed, rose, inserted the incense, and bowed again. Once this entire series of rites was complete, Gu Yizhou took her by the hand and led her to step aside. The memorial ceremony continued, though there was nothing left for them to do.
Su Mianmian watched Xiao Ying—her expression desolate and sorrowful—as she stood before the memorial tablet, lighting incense for Gu Yichen. Xiao Ying's shoulders trembled slightly, as if she were weeping. Su Mianmian simply could not comprehend it: how could she display such genuine, heartfelt emotion for a son who had passed away years ago?
Yet, toward another of her own children—Gu Yizhou—how could she find it within herself to be so ruthless as to smash a teacup into him, leaving him in such a state? Just as she was seething with silent indignation, she felt her fingers being gently hooked by someone else. Su Mianmian turned her head, meeting Gu Yizhou's deep, penetrating gaze. "How long did you take off work?" Su Mianmian replied, "One day."
Gu Yizhou nodded. "Once the ceremony is over, I'll have someone drive you back first." Su Mianmian frowned. "Why?" Gu Yizhou offered no explanation, uttering only two words: "Just listen."
Su Mianmian had no intention of simply obeying. Recalling what Gu Jingyu had mentioned earlier—that Gu Yizhou's mother might very well lash out at him again—she firmly refused: "I'm going to wait and go back with you."
Gu Yizhou felt a headache coming on; the young woman looked docile on the surface, but in reality, she had a mind of her own. Just as he was trying to figure out how to get her to leave, he caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye: Xiao Ying's figure wavered unsteadily before the incense altar. His brows furrowed; in a few swift strides, he rushed over and caught the fainting Xiao Ying just before she hit the ground.