Deep Fog Kiss

"Mom, you didn't see it. I just scared Jiang Li a little, and Gu Zhishen looked like he wanted to skin me alive. I'm his sister-in-law, and he doesn't respect me at all!"

In the tea room of the courtyard, Yuan Wei still felt lingering fear when she recalled Gu Zhishen's gaze that morning.

If that whip had actually struck her, she probably wouldn't have been able to get out of bed for half a month.

It's terrifying to think about.

Feng Suqin sipped her tea leisurely, glanced at her, and said, "According to you, I have to stand up for you and speak ill of Zhishen?"

Knowing she was in the wrong, Yuan Wei chuckled awkwardly, "You're my mother, so of course you have to be on my side."

"I am indeed your and Yueze's mother, but I am also the matriarch of the Gu family." Feng Suqin put down her teacup and looked at her. "I only do things based on reason, not on personal feelings."

"Don't think I don't know that you punished Jiang Li today because she hasn't visited the old house in the past few days since returning from abroad? You're afraid she'll take Rou'er's things as soon as she gets back, so you're eager to establish your authority in front of her, aren't you? You want her to know that in this Gu family, she's nothing?"

Feng Suqin's words were blunt, and Yuan Wei looked somewhat embarrassed. Knowing she couldn't hide it any longer, she simply told the truth, "I really don't like Jiang Li. She's not a member of the Gu family, yet she sits and sits with Rou'er. Does she expect to share the family fortune with Rou'er in the future?"

"Nonsense!"

Feng Suqin suddenly slammed down her teacup, the bottom of which struck the table with a loud, sharp sound, startling Yuan Wei so much that she immediately shut her mouth.

"How many times have I told you, you'd better keep these kinds of words to yourself! No matter how much wealth the Gu family has, it all belongs to the brothers Asheng and Zhishen! Asheng's things rightfully belong to Rou'er, but Zhishen's things are his, and how he deals with them is his business!"

She coldly reprimanded Yuan Wei, "You'd better remember, don't covet what doesn't belong to you."

Yuan Wei was resentful, but her mother-in-law had shown her power, so she dared not say anything more, no matter how resentful she was.

"But the old lady is obviously biased towards Gu Zhishen and Jiang Li." She said aggrievedly, "Gu Zhishen is her own grandson, so it's one thing to be biased, but what is Jiang Li? She's an orphan from another family living in our Gu family. We raised her until she was eighteen, and she should have left long ago. But now she's still begging to stay in the Gu family. Does Gu Zhishen really treat her like his own daughter?"

She scoffed inwardly, fearing that her daughter might grow up to be an ungrateful wretch and turn on him.

"It's the old lady's idea for her to stay in the Gu family. The old lady likes her, so you have to accept her presence. Even if the old lady wants to give Rou'er's things to her, you have to accept it calmly and without a single complaint."

Feng Suqin looked at her coldly, "Besides, you clearly know that the old lady favors and protects her, yet you still punish her in public. Do you think the old lady isn't annoyed with you enough?"

"I...I didn't think that much at the time." Yuan Wei lowered her head and humbly poured Feng Suqin another cup of tea.

At the time, she just wanted to punish Jiang Li; she wanted nothing more than to beat her to death.

Unexpectedly, not only did she fail to get a slap, but she was also nearly scared to death by Gu Zhishen.

Feng Suqin's anger subsided a little, and she advised her, "The old lady likes harmony, and she's only happy when the family is in harmony. You'd better not upset her in the future. Also, don't provoke Zhishen."

"Don't even mention Jiang Li being someone he raised; even if she were a dog he raised, you'd better try messing with her."

Gu Zhishen's gaze at that time was indeed terrifying; Yuan Wei couldn't quite put her finger on the feeling.

His eyes were like they could kill; they were murderous yet unfathomable.

Just then, the old butler came over from outside.

"Madam, young mistress."

The old butler greeted her politely first, then said, "The old lady said that the eldest young mistress was too angry this morning, and asked her to kneel in the ancestral hall for two hours to calm down."

As soon as she finished speaking, Yuan Wei turned pale and looked abruptly at Feng Suqin, her eyes pleading for help.

Feng Suqin spoke gently and did not stop him. "You were indeed wrong this morning. If you know you're wrong, you should accept the punishment. Go on."

......

In the morning, golden sunlight bathed the courtyard of the Gu residence.

The weeping willows along the shore of the koi pond sway gently in the wind, and sunlight filters through the interlaced willow leaves, casting dappled reflections on the lake's surface.

Gu Zhishen walked over from a distance and saw a person standing by the pool, staring intently at the surface of the water.

She didn't leave the Gu residence. He thought for a moment and guessed that she was here.

When she first came to the Gu family, whenever she had something on her mind, she liked to stand by the koi pond and watch the fish.

This habit hasn't changed even after all these years.

Jiang Li lowered her eyes and stared at the lake surface. A dozen or so golden and red koi were swimming under the bluestone bridge, their scales shimmering warmly in the sunlight.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a pair of long, straight legs, and black, thin-soled leather shoes were slowly walking towards her.

Jiang Li sprinkled fish food into her hand and dipped her slender high heels into the water.

Suddenly, he stumbled, his body swaying, and he almost fell into the fishpond.

"Ah—" she exclaimed in surprise.

Just then, someone grabbed her waist and, in a dizzying moment, she fell into a firm embrace.

The cold, woody scent suddenly rushed into his nostrils, and his gaze fell upon his solid, hard chest.

The warm embrace made her both love and hate it.

"court death?"

Gu Zhishen frowned and glared at the person in his arms. "Trying to jump into the fishpond because you're feeling desperate?"

Jiang Li couldn't understand how his sexy lips could utter such cold and sarcastic words.

"My foot slipped." She smiled and looked up.

She pretended to slip, but really wanted to see if Gu Zhishen would catch her.

She looked at the man, her eyes clear and bright, trying to discern a different emotion within them. "Congratulations on your marriage."

"You're congratulating me too soon." Gu Zhishen released her slender waist, his face as cold and handsome as ever, his deep eyes calm and undisturbed. "If you slip again, you'll be feeding the fish."

Jiang Li steadied herself, and before the distance between them had widened, a gentle breeze ruffled her curly hair that cascaded over her shoulders, with a few strands clinging to her fair and slender neck.

The man's gaze swept over her soft hair. "I'll take you home."

"No need." Jiang Li stared at the man's exquisitely handsome features. "I have an appointment."

"Who?" Gu Zhishen asked.

Jiang Li smiled faintly, her dimples appearing. "My fiancé, Tang Lin."