"Thank you for being so thoughtful!" Shi Fengju said with a smile as he accepted it.
Sang Wan smiled slightly and shook her head, "There’s no need for such words between us."
Shi Fengju nodded and hummed, thinking for a moment before finally saying, "I might not be able to return until the 15th of August. During these three months while I’m away, take good care of yourself. If anything happens, discuss it with Mrs. Li; she knows everything. Also, please take care of my mother! If you suffer any grievances," Shi Fengju looked at her, "just endure it, and we’ll talk when I return."
Sang Wan thought to herself: I thought you were unaware, but it turns out you do know! Who knows what your cousin will do when you’re not around!
"Alright, then I’ll wait for you to return to make decisions on my behalf," Sang Wan said with a laugh.
Shi Fengju couldn’t help but smile as well.
The next day, the whole family had a meal together, and Second Grandma Shi hadn’t visited Sang Wan for some days; it was said that she was slightly ill, but they still exchanged pleasantries upon meeting.
On the morning of the eighth day of the fifth month, Mrs. Wang, accompanied by Shi Fengju, Sang Wan, and Gu Fangzi, offered incense and kowtowed to the ancestral tablets, and then presented dishes like whole chicken, whole fish, and squared pork as offerings, praying for Shi Fengju’s safe travel. They then entered the Buddhist temple to offer more incense and scattered water-rice, mumbling prayers briefly before Mrs. Wang took Shi Fengju by the hand to see him off from the mansion.
Since the Shi family were merchants, Shi Fengju had to leave home several times a year for near and distant travels. Mrs. Wang said she was both worried and accustomed to it; hence at the moment of departure, there were no tearful farewells or faces full of sorrow, and the atmosphere was reasonably good overall.
Gu Fangzi suddenly climbed into Shi Fengju’s carriage in front of everyone and said to Mrs. Wang with a charming laugh, "Aunt, I want to go to the wharf to see big cousin off!"
Everyone was stunned for a moment, including Shi Fengju himself.
Shi Fengju instinctively glanced at Sang Wan, seeing her feign composure, which pained his heart. But since Gu Fangzi had already climbed into the carriage and spoken, he couldn’t just ask her to get off.
The stewardesses and servants were also stunned, with a flicker of strangeness in their eyes. Some of them, less composed, even showed a hint of excitement as they covertly observed Sang Wan’s reaction.
Mrs. Li was even more secretly furious, giving Gu Fangzi a cold, contemptuous glance.
"This," while others discreetly observed Sang Wan’s expression, Mrs. Wang blatantly turned her face to look at Sang Wan, her eyes conveying an inquiring meaning.
Sang Wan felt extremely embarrassed and barely held back her tears!
"Alright, mother, Miss Wan, you both go back! I’ll have someone send cousin back later! Miss Wan, take care and look after mother for me!" Shi Fengju coughed once and forced a smile as he spoke.
Seeing that he at least knew to protect her dignity in front of others and had spoken kindly to her, Sang Wan’s feeling of humiliation slightly eased, and she gently gazed at him, nodding with a smile, "Husband, don’t worry! I will! Mother and I will await your early return!"
"Yes, yes, yes! Smoothly and safely, come back soon!" Mrs. Wang also said with a smile.
Shi Fengju nodded, then commanded the carriage to depart.
After returning to the mansion, Gu Fangzi’s expression was rather displeased, and with a mixture of resentment and jealousy, she glared a few times toward Ningyuan before sulkily returning to the peony garden.
Should she really trust big cousin? How credible are a man’s promises? Gu Fangzi found herself plunged into unprecedented contradiction and turmoil.
Soon after, something happened that made her make up her mind to change her decision, deciding to act quickly and not to wait any longer!
Only a couple of days after Shi Fengju had left, Gu Fangzi’s father, Gu Jin, approached the Shi family.
Upon hearing the servant’s report, Gu Fangzi’s face immediately turned sour, she ordered to have him placed in a secluded hall in the outer courtyard to wait, cursing lowly, and wrapped a few pieces of broken silver in a handkerchief before sneakily going to see him.
Before she got close, she heard her father’s raised voice fussing, "You Shi family are so stingy! Can’t even spare a pot of wine? Do you know who I am? I am the father of your grand cousin, Gu Fangzi, her real father! I don’t drink tea, hurry and bring wine, bring wine!"
So embarrassing! Gu Fangzi felt both ashamed and furious, hastily rushed over, glared to dismiss the maid, and frowned, "Father! What are you shouting about!"
"What? Embarrassed by me? If you’re embarrassed, you’re also my daughter! A member of the Gu family!" Gu Jin said, grinning, revealing his yellow teeth.
The last thing Gu Fangzi wanted to hear was this, it was grating to her ears, but she had to endure, speaking patiently, "Why are you here? Is there something you need?"
"Oh," Gu Jin sized her up, laughing, "Is this how you speak to your father? You sound as if I’m a stranger and this is your house! Look, daughter, don’t rush to distance yourself! You’re not a Shi yet! I haven’t seen any betrothal gifts from the Shi family!"
"Father!" Gu Fangzi stamped her foot, saying coldly, "If you keep talking nonsense, don’t blame me for ignoring you!"
"Hey, don’t say that!" Gu Jin laughed, "You still don’t know what I’m here for?"
Gu Fangzi, with a cold face, took out a few pieces of broken silver from her person and handed them to Gu Jin, "That’s all I have, take it!"
Gu Jin weighed it and scoffed, "I tell you, Fang’er, you really are heartless! You live in luxury here in the Shi household, eating delicacies and wearing silks and satins, and this is all you offer to your father? Are you treating me like a beggar?"
Gu Fangzi replied coldly, "Father, what belongs to the Shi family belongs to the Shi family. I’m already embarrassed staying here for free, how could I have the audacity to ask them for money to give to you! This little bit is all I’ve saved from skimping and saving, take it or leave it!"
Ignoring the barbs in his daughter’s words, Gu Jin rolled his eyes and suddenly feigned realization, "That’s true! You’re not yet part of the Shi family, staying here for free really isn’t great! Since that’s the case, come back with me! Come on, let’s go now! We’ll come back when the Shi family brings the betrothal gifts and carries a big red sedan chair to our house to formally engage you!"
With that, Gu Jin grabbed Gu Fangzi’s arm and started to pull her away.