So as soon as he left his mother, he went to the peony garden, eager to see what else his cousin had up her sleeve to surprise him with. Unexpectedly, he learned that she had gone to Ningyuan.
By the time he arrived at Ningyuan, it happened to be when she was cursing Miss Wan by name. In that instant, the last bit of her image in his heart collapsed and shattered, completely!
Shi Fengju simply couldn’t believe that, out of their sight, Gu Fangzi could be so arrogant and overbearing. Remembering how cautious and trembling Sang Wan was when she first entered the house, Shi Fengju finally understood a bit.
When Shi Fengju stepped into the peony garden, Gu Fangzi was weeping in the house, with Lan Xiang quietly consoling her at the side.
"Young master, you’ve come!" Lan Xiang looked up and saw Shi Fengju, calling out in surprise and joy. She quickly said to Gu Fangzi, "Miss! The young master is here! The young master has come to see you!"
Gu Fangzi’s anxious heart relaxed, and immediately she became more demanding. She turned her back to Shi Fengju, snorted coldly, and sobbed, "What are you doing here again? What are you doing in my peony garden without accompanying your Miss Wan!"
In the past, whenever she cried and acted coy, Shi Fengju would have no choice but to continuously apologize and admit his faults until he coaxed her into laughter. But now, observing coldly, Shi Fengju felt no ripple in his heart, and upon seeing her pretending, he felt only disgust and immediate aversion.
"I have a few words to say to you, and if you don’t want to hear them now then forget it! We can talk when you’re ready to listen," Shi Fengju stood two or three meters away from her without advancing further, his tone colder and more straightforward than ever before.
Gu Fangzi’s shoulders, which trembled from her sobbing and gasping, stiffened. Her first thought was: It must be Sang Wan, the wicked one who snitched!
Gu Fangzi couldn’t help feeling regret, regretting that she had run out of Ningyuan so hastily, giving Sang Wan the opportunity to take advantage.
"If you have nothing to say to me, if you so dislike seeing me, then why bother coming over here? You can go, just go away!" Gu Fangzi continued to turn away and sob.
"Miss! Miss!" Lan Xiang called out anxiously, tugging at Gu Fangzi’s sleeve. Gu Fangzi did not see Shi Fengju’s expression, but Lan Xiang saw it all too clearly.
Shi Fengju couldn’t help but hold his forehead, wondering when she would stop all these pretenses! He suddenly felt that they were not from the same world at all; to communicate with her was simply too difficult.
"I’m leaving now! Talk when you’ve thought things through!" Shi Fengju turned and left decisively without hesitation.
Gu Fangzi was stunned. She incredulously turned to look at Shi Fengju’s retreating figure, her lips quivering as her irritation and anger grew, shouting loudly, "Fine, go! Just never step into the peony garden again!"
Shi Fengju ignored her, shaking his head in self-mockery.
The house suddenly fell silent; Gu Fangzi’s crying stopped abruptly.
"Miss..." Lan Xiang called softly, not daring to advise.
A wave of unease washed over Gu Fangzi, but she didn’t want others to see it. She immediately darkened her face and coldly commanded, "What are you standing there for? Go fetch water; I want to wash my face!"
"Yes, Miss!" Lan Xiang responded quickly and left.
Gu Fangzi washed her face and hands as if nothing had happened and sat down to drink tea calmly. Her eyes occasionally glanced towards the door.
After a long while, there was no sound of the door to the peony garden opening, and Shi Fengju’s figure did not appear. Gu Fangzi gradually became unsettled. She thought to herself: How could this be? In the past, the young master would have returned by now, and he would have brought a little gift to make her happy. Why isn’t he coming today?
Gu Fangzi quickly answered herself: He must be tied up with something!
Then she became indignant again, thinking she was in such a state, and yet he still had the heart to handle other affairs! Indeed, he was bewitched by that vixen, Sang Wan!
"Lan Xiang, go see if the young master is in the study. If he’s not, ask where he went. If he is there, please ask him to come over for lunch," Gu Fangzi instructed Lan Xiang, not forgetting to add, "Don’t say I sent you to invite him, just say it was your own idea. You know what to say, right?"
Such tasks were not unfamiliar to Lan Xiang; every time the two had a quarrel, she unwillingly had to act as the mediator, the go-between.
"Miss..." Lan Xiang was somewhat speechless inside. She thought: Miss, you’ve just arrived and you’re in mourning, why stir up such troubles! The young master came and you drove him away, now he’s gone and you want to call him back, and have this slave to mediate, I truly feel—shameful!
"Don’t just stand there, go!" Gu Fangzi’s brows were furrowed in anger.
"Yes, Miss!" Lan Xiang dared not disobey and reluctantly set out, thinking to soften her words and apologize on behalf of the Miss, to paint a pitiful picture and sway the young master. She had a premonition that if she could not bring Shi Fengju back, her own consequences would be dire.
Fortunately, Shi Fengju had left to attend to business matters. Lan Xiang let out a sigh of relief and returned quickly to report to Gu Fangzi.
"Then, this afternoon keep an eye on the study. As soon as the young master comes back, invite him here! You know what to say!" Gu Fangzi also unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.
"Yes..." As a slave, Lan Xiang had no choice but to comply.
Gu Fangzi finally stood up to tend to her father Gu Jin’s tablet, lighting three sticks of incense. Amidst the swirling smoke, she looked up at her father’s spiritual tablet and sighed softly. Why did such a man end up being her father?