Chapter 480: Chapter 481 focuses on what’s wrong with the marriage
Ye Xingbei noticed something strange in the behavior of Gu Junzhu and Qiao Zui in the past two days.
Both appeared to be talking much less.
They used to argue non-stop when they were together, but now they only spoke when necessary and otherwise stayed silent.
At night, Xiao Shumiao slept with Lingyue again, while Gu Junzhu remained in the study.
After she finished her tasks, she took a shower and leaned on the head of her bed to look at her phone, unable to sleep.
Gu Junzhu didn’t return to the room until after midnight.
He paused when he saw she was still awake, “It’s late, why haven’t you slept yet?”
Ye Xingbei patted the space next to her: “I wanted to ask you something.”
Gu Junzhu had already bathed and changed into his nightclothes in the other room. He sat down beside her and asked, “What’s the matter?”
Ye Xingbei sized him up: “Did you have a fight with Qiao Zui?”
Gu Junzhu paused, then chuckled, “Do you really think Qiao Zui would dare to argue with me?”
Ye Xingbei: “…Then you must be the one bullying Qiao Zui!”
Gu Junzhu raised an eyebrow: “On what grounds?”
“You both seem off,” Ye Xingbei scrutinized him, “You both have something on your minds, and it doesn’t seem to be a good thing. What has happened? Is there a reason you can’t tell me?”
“There’s nothing I can’t tell you,” Gu Junzhu smiled faintly, “However, you’re right; it’s not good news. Qiao Zui and I have just figured it out.”
Ye Xingbei shifted, looking at him deeply, “Let me hear it. Even if I can’t help, it’s good if I can at least offer an ear to your troubles.”
After the two of them got together, Gu Junzhu had helped her a lot.
It was rare that there were things that troubled Fifth Master Gu. It would be great if she could lend him any form of assistance!
Gu Junzhu leaned against the head of the bed, his hands propped up on the wall behind him as he sighed almost inaudibly, “Qiao Zui has a sister named Qiao Yi.”
Ye Xingbei asked, “His real sister?”
Gu Junzhu nodded: “Yes.”
Ye Xingbei exclaimed, “So she’s your real niece?”
“Yep,” Gu Junzhu shook his head, “Family is complicated. The more relatives, the more potential headaches. You never know who might cause trouble.”
Ye Xingbei frowned: “Your disagreement with Qiao Zui is because of Qiao Yi? What happened with her?”
Gu Junzhu replied, “Her marriage is in trouble.”
Ye Xingbei was surprised: “She’s already married? How old is she?”
Gu Junzhu clarified, “She’s three years older than Qiao Zui.”
Thinking of the possibility that Qiao Yi, who was three years older than Qiao Zui, would also call her ‘Little Aunt’, she felt overwhelmed.
But that was not the focus.
The important issue was what had gone wrong in Qiao Yi’s marriage.
“Qiao Yi’s husband’s name is Zhang Heyuan; they were college classmates,” Gu Junzhu didn’t hide anything, telling the truth as it was, “Qiao Yi’s parents, my elder sister and brother-in-law, died in a car accident, an accidental one, not the kind involving any foul play.”
Gu Junzhu shook his head, sighing in exasperation.
His elder sister and brother-in-law were returning from their hometown when they got involved in a multi-car collision on the freeway. Both, as well as a driver and a bodyguard, lost their lives in the accident.
Human power seems negligible in the face of disasters.
Ye Xingbei gently squeezed his hand.
Gu Junzhu chucked at her, exhaled deeply, “After my elder sister and brother-in-law died, Qiao Yi and Qiao Zui lived with my father. Qiao Yi found a boyfriend named Zhang Heyuan when she was at university.”
“She and Zhang Heyuan dated for three years in college and wanted to get married after graduating. She told my father about their relationship.”