Deep Fog Kiss

The so-called "family law" of the Gu family was a leather whip about two fingers wide and more than three feet long.

Most of the time, they are enshrined on the "rules shelf" in the Gu family ancestral hall, alongside the ancestral tablets.

In the Gu family, family discipline is only used when someone commits a very serious mistake.

Jiang Li heard that the last person to be whipped was Gu Yueze, the current head of the Gu family and Gu Zhishen's father.

Gu Rou turned pale with fright. "Mom, what are you doing? It can't be that serious—"

"Shut up!" Yuan Wei interrupted her sharply, glaring at her. "You stay put."

She urged him sharply, "Wang Ma, hurry up and go!"

The person called "Wang Ma" was an old maid of the Gu family. She looked troubled and hesitant. She knew that this situation was not enough to use the Gu family's rules, but she could not disobey the eldest young mistress. So she could only turn around and go.

Seeing that her mother was angry, and glancing at Jiang Li, who was kneeling on the ground and unsteady, Gu Rou gritted her teeth, stomped her foot, and hurriedly ran into the yard.

Only the rustling wind and a barely audible chuckle remained under the porch.

Yuan Wei slowly walked down the steps, looking down at Jiang Li.

"Jiang Li, you're quite shrewd for your age."

Her voice was low, just enough for the two of them to hear, "You think you can do whatever you want in the Gu family just because Gu Zhishen is protecting you?"

Yuan Wei slightly curled the corners of her mouth. From now on, the one in charge of the Gu family would be her husband, Gu Sheng, not the old man's unfavored second son, Gu Zhishen.

......

Under the blazing sun, the rough flagstones rubbed Jiang Li's knees sore that she could barely stand, yet she stubbornly straightened her back. Fine beads of sweat appeared on her smooth forehead, wetting the stray hairs at her temples.

No matter how harsh Yuan Wei's words were, she simply lowered her eyes and did not utter a single word in rebuttal.

Faint footsteps approached, and Wang Ma hesitantly stepped forward carrying a carved sandalwood box. With a troubled expression, she opened the box, which was engraved with the words "Strict Family Rules".

Yuan Wei smiled slightly, her flirtatious gaze sweeping over Jiang Li, whose face was somewhat pale.

"Wang Ma, let's give her a small punishment as a lesson. Ten lashes will teach Miss Li a lesson."

Wang Ma shakily took out the leather whip, as if the whip were striking her own body, her hands shaking uncontrollably.

"Young Madam, Miss Li has such delicate skin; ten lashes like that could kill her!"

"How could it be so delicate?"

Yuan Wei sneered and looked at Jiang Li, "Jiang Li, you tell me yourself, can you handle it?"

Jiang Li braced her hands on her knees, subtly exerting force to stabilize her body.

She gave a slight smirk, "Auntie, punish me if you want."

Yuan Wei gave a mocking smile, "Hit him!"

Even if Wang Ma couldn't bear it, she dared not disobey the eldest young mistress's order.

She took two steps forward and stood in front of Jiang Li. She made up her mind and said, "Miss Li, I'm sorry."

Jiang Li clenched her teeth, closed her eyes tightly, and turned her head away.

If you're going to fight, then fight.

The sooner it's over, the sooner it'll be over.

With trembling hands, Wang Ma raised the leather whip high against Jiang Li's thin back.

Just as the whip was about to fall, a deep, cold, and piercing voice suddenly broke in—

"You're tired of living!"

Jiang Li suddenly opened her eyes and abruptly turned her head to look over.

In an instant, the man's tall and imposing figure came into her view.

Her heart skipped a beat, and her breath hitched slightly.

Under the eaves of the courtyard, a man in a black suit with a dark pattern, a white shirt buttoned all the way up, and a well-fitting dark tie, with the shirt puffed out at his chest, revealing his muscular physique.

He casually put his hands in his trouser pockets, his shirt was tucked into his lean waist, his long legs were straight, and his shiny black thin-soled leather shoes gleamed coldly in the sunlight.

He was tall and imposing. As he stepped forward, he exuded a cold and aloof aura, which was extremely intimidating.

Coupled with his insanely handsome face, he exudes an overwhelming sense of abstinence.

When Jiang Li's heart fluttered, she subtly twitched the corner of her mouth.

he came.

Like a timely rain.

"Second Young Master!"

Seeing this, Wang Ma quickly put away the leather whip in her hand and took a few steps back.

Gu Zhishen's gaze swept over Jiang Li, his tall figure standing in front of her, casting a shadow that enveloped her completely.

He glanced at her. "Get up."

Those two cold, hard words, when spoken to Yuan Wei, were a blatant act of protection, and Yuan Wei's expression immediately changed.

Jiang Li had been kneeling for quite some time, and her legs and feet were starting to feel numb.

Upon hearing Gu Zhishen's words, she immediately remembered, but because her legs wouldn't obey her commands, she couldn't stand up for several seconds.

Gu Zhishen frowned, and his fierce aura intensified.

Jiang Li looked up at him, about to explain that her legs were numb, when suddenly a strong hand grabbed her arm and lifted her up effortlessly. The next second, her waist was grabbed and her unsteady body was held in place.

Jiang Li's breath hitched; Gu Zhishen's actions were undoubtedly too intimate and ambiguous.

She turned to look at his face, which was cold and calm, with a distant and indifferent look in his deep eyes, without a trace of ambiguity.

It was as if his actions were merely to help her up.

"Hold on tight."

Gu Zhishen parted his thin lips slightly, uttered two words, and released his grip.

Jiang Li's legs were still numb, but she could barely stand on her own.

She took a step back, creating some distance, and said, "Thank you, Uncle."

"Zhishen, you've come at the perfect time."

Yuan Wei looked at the cold-faced man with a smile, "Did you know that Jiang Li returned to China? As the adopted daughter of the Gu family, she has been back in China for several days but did not go back to the Gu family to visit her parents and grandmother as soon as possible. Isn't that a bit too arrogant?"

"If I hadn't 'invited' her over today, she probably would have forgotten which family she grew up eating at."

"As your aunt, I'll teach her a lesson for you. You don't mind, do you?"

"certainly."

Gu Zhishen's voice was cold and clear. Jiang Li's fingertips trembled slightly, and she pursed her lips.

Then, he spoke coldly, "You mind?"

Jiang Li immediately looked up at him, then at Yuan Wei's expression. Sure enough, Yuan Wei looked unwell and seemed embarrassed.

Gu Zhishen's cold gaze swept over Jiang Li's swollen knees and landed on Yuan Wei's face. "My people, when did it become your sister-in-law's place to lecture them?"

Yuan Wei was taken aback by his words and felt somewhat embarrassed. "Zhishen, although she grew up by your side, you can't spoil her too much. In the Gu family, you have to abide by the Gu family rules, and no one can overstep the boundaries."

Gu Zhishen chuckled lightly, "Her surname is Jiang, not Gu."

Yuan Wei's expression grew increasingly grim. "But she also grew up in the Gu family!"

Gu Zhishen stared at Yuan Wei's flushed and pale face, a playful glint in his eyes, his tone disdainful, "Were the rules of the Gu family set by my sister-in-law?"

The man stepped forward, grabbed the leather whip from Wang Ma's hand, and walked step by step toward Yuan Wei, his eyes filled with a cold and dangerous look. "Sister-in-law, haven't you overstepped your bounds as well?"

Yuan Wei felt a chill run down her spine as she saw the man approaching her with a leather whip, and her face turned pale with fright.

"Gu Zhishen, what are you doing? Are you trying to hit me?"

Jiang Li was also startled by what she saw. Gu Zhishen held a leather whip and approached Yuan Wei step by step. Yuan Wei retreated step by step, her face pale.