Deep Fog Kiss

Jiang Li's bitterness hadn't subsided when the old lady's words suddenly made her feel suffocated.

Men should marry when they are of age and women should marry when they are of age; she can still use her "young age" to get by for a few more years.

But Gu Zhishen was already of marriageable age.

She seemed to have overlooked the fact that Gu Zhishen was getting married.

Or rather, she never imagined that Gu Zhishen would marry someone else.

"Your eldest brother had Rou'er when he was twenty-five, and Rou'er is twenty years old this year, but you, as her uncle, still haven't settled your marriage."

The old lady looked at her grandson with a loving expression, "Grandma also wants to see you get married and have children soon, and to hold my great-grandson soon."

Gu Zhishen parted his thin lips slightly and said softly, "No rush."

"Aren't you in a hurry?" The old lady feigned a frown. "Is it you who's not in a hurry, or isn't the young lady in a hurry?"

She smiled and looked down at Jiang Li, "Xiao Li, you and your uncle are close. Could you secretly tell Great-Grandma if he has a girl he likes, and how far things have progressed between them?"

"..." Jiang Li looked at the old lady, somewhat speechless.

During those two years, Gu Zhishen indeed had no other women by his side, only her.

She didn't know if Gu Zhishen had anyone else by his side during the two years he was abroad.

"I don't know much about my uncle's affairs," Jiang Li said, her lips dry. "Why don't we let him tell us himself?"

As soon as she finished speaking, she heard the man's clear, cold voice ring out.

"no."

No.

I don't have anyone I like.

Jiang Li felt a chill on her fingertips and chuckled inwardly.

Gu Zhishen's heart is so cold and hard, what kind of woman could move him?

"If you don't have a girl you like, ask your Aunt Feng to help you pick one."

The old lady smiled and said, "She has good taste; she'll pick a girl who's a good match for you, someone with a good reputation. Marriage is a big deal, a lifelong commitment, so it can't be taken lightly."

Gu Zhishen did not refuse, "You can arrange it."

The old lady chatted for a while, then yawned, smiled, and said, "As you get older, you tend to get sleepy more easily."

She looked at Jiang Li and patted her head affectionately. "Little Li, go play. Come back and chat with your great-grandmother when you have time."

"Then you should rest well." Jiang Li tucked the blanket around her knees. "I'll come to see you often when I have time."

She stood up, a sharp pain shooting through her knees, and her delicate brows furrowed slightly as she stumbled.

A large hand immediately and firmly grabbed her arm, preventing her from falling.

That hand was steady and strong; Jiang Li could almost feel his pulse beating through his fingertips.

Her heart skipped a beat.

No matter when, Gu Zhishen's touch could make her heart race.

I don't know if I'm angry at him for saying he doesn't have anyone he likes, or angry that he followed the old lady's arrangement and chose a girl to marry.

She steadied herself, pulled her arm away, and said politely but distantly, "Thank you, Uncle."

Little did they know, this action had caught the eye of the old lady.

The man didn't respond, but instead looked down at her knees. "Your legs hurt, yet you've been squatting for so long. Are you out of your mind?"

Upon hearing this, the old lady looked at her knees and immediately frowned. "Xiao Li, what happened? How come your fair legs are covered in such a large red patch?"

Jiang Li lowered her eyes, like a child who had done something wrong, "Great-Grandma, I did it by accident, it has nothing to do with anyone else."

The old lady stared at her face for two seconds, then understood. She asked in a low voice, "Xiao Li, I can tell when you lie. Tell your great-grandmother, what's going on?"

"I forgot the rules. I've been back in China for a few days and haven't had a chance to visit my elders at the old house." She lowered her eyes, speaking with a knowledgeable and reasonable manner. "My aunt made me kneel because she wanted what was best for me. I'll learn from this experience and never forget the rules again."

Seeing the old lady's increasingly serious expression, she added, "But don't worry, my aunt only punished me by making me kneel; she didn't use any family discipline. As long as outsiders don't criticize me, and as long as my aunt isn't angry, kneeling once is nothing."

Her words were polite and sensible, yet they also revealed a hint of grievance.

The old lady's face darkened. "I know Yuan Wei's personality; she just likes to make a mountain out of a molehill. This isn't your fault. Don't worry, your great-grandmother will stand up for you."

"Thank you, Great-Grandma." Jiang Li smiled sweetly. "However, harmony is the most important thing in a family. I don't want Great-Grandma to ruin her relationship with Aunt because of me."

The old lady took her hand and placed it in her palm, saying, "You are a sensible and well-behaved child, I understand this matter."

Jiang Li nodded and said goodbye to the old lady.

"Ah Shen".

The old lady looked at Gu Zhishen, who was about to leave together, and said, "Push me back to my room to rest."

Gu Zhishen glanced at the figure slowly walking out of the courtyard, hummed in agreement, and pushed the old lady's wheelchair.

The roller moved slowly forward, pressing down on the fallen leaves on the ground, weaving through the dappled shadows of the trees.

"Ah Shen, I heard about the farce this morning." The old lady stared straight ahead, her voice cold and deep. "Yuan Wei used the family discipline to punish Xiao Li. You protected Xiao Li."

Gu Zhishen pushed the wheelchair forward slowly, his eyes calm. "Yes."

"It's your duty to protect her. From the moment Xiao Li came to the Gu family, her life and safety are your responsibility."

The old lady recalled Jiang Li's subtle actions earlier and tilted her head slightly. "Xiao Li is no longer the child she used to be. Now that you are a man and a woman, you should be mindful of boundaries and keep your distance as her uncle. You can't do anything out of line that would give people something to talk about."

Gu Zhishen casually replied, "I understand."

The old lady added, "Xiao Li is twenty-two this year. In another two years, she should be thinking about marriage. I wonder if she has had a boyfriend during her two years abroad."

As soon as he finished speaking, the slowly moving wheel came to a stop.

Gu Zhishen chuckled and asked, "Why are you worrying about this?"

"Of course I have to worry about it. Not only do I have to worry, but you do too." The old lady's voice was tinged with laughter. "You're her uncle, and also her elder. If she's dating, you should help her vet the potential partner and see if he's reliable. If she hasn't started dating, you should make some plans for her as soon as possible."

"She grew up around you, so you should know what kind of boy she likes."

The old lady carefully instructed, "The Jiang family has been kind to our Gu family, so we naturally cannot mistreat Xiaoli. We must make sure her wedding is grand and dignified. Even if the other party is not as good as our Gu family, we must at least ensure that Xiaoli will have enough to eat and wear for the rest of her life. We cannot bully or humiliate her."

Gu Zhishen spoke up, "She's still young, there's no rush to get married. Let her have some fun for a few years first."

The old lady laughed and scolded, "Like you, you're thirty and still single. What will you do if Xiaoli can't find a suitable partner?"

Gu Zhishen smiled gently, his sharp features softening slightly.

The roller continued forward, pushing the object under the eaves.

Before entering the house, the old lady suddenly said, "If possible, Xiaoli's future marriage partner can be chosen from another place, and she can be sent out of Jingzhou."

Gu Zhishen's smile faded, and his brows furrowed slightly. "Why?"

"For no reason," the old lady sighed deeply, "Jingzhou is not suitable for her."

Gu Zhishen remained silent for a while before speaking, "It's her own choice; I have no right to interfere."

"Grandma, you rest now, I'll be going now."

He called the servant to help the old lady into the house, then turned to leave.

"Ah Shen".

The old lady suddenly called out to him.

Gu Zhishen turned around and met the old lady's loving eyes.

"I know there are some things you don't like to hear, but don't blame Grandma for being long-winded."

The old lady looked at the man's cold and sharp face with gentle and loving eyes filled with fine lines. "Don't always go against your father. Try to ease your relationship with him and learn to be humble. It will be good for you."

Gu Zhishen looked at her for two seconds, then suddenly chuckled.

"Grandma, I don't know how to say 'bow your head'."

"My mother never taught me that."

His eyes were sharp and stubborn, like a sharp stone.

The old lady sighed, "Ah Shen, don't be too calculating about everything."

The more you fuss over things, the more you hurt yourself and others.

Gu Zhishen didn't seem to have listened, he just smiled casually and strode away.

The old lady sat in her wheelchair, staring at the man's tall and slender back, her eyes filled with tenderness.

Ah Shen, as long as Grandma is alive, she will protect you every single day.