Chapter 47: Swallowing Her Words
Fortunately, Madam Meng reacted quickly and explained with a smile, “No, I just happened to remember you and Meng Wan when you were both younger. I must be getting muddled that I actually said such things in front of Miss Qiao. Miss Qiao, you won’t mind, right?”
Qiao Xi said, “What if I say I mind? Can you take those words back?”
Gu Zheng: “…” This woman would never allow herself to suffer.
Madam Meng’s expression froze for a moment. Perhaps she did not expect Qiao Xi to not take her dignity into consideration at all. Even so, she quickly reacted. “Right, right, right. It’s normal that you would mind this. As your elder, I was insensible. How could I bring up matters of the past to upset you? Let me apologize to you, alright?”
She was lowering her status and mentioning her identity as an elder. If Qiao Xi continued to pester her, then it would seem that she was too unreasonable and unforgiving.
The corners of Qiao Xi’s lips curled up. Being in a high position was indeed different. One could adapt to the circumstances and play the blame game.
When Meng Wan saw her mother lower her head to Qiao Xi, she instantly exploded. “Mom, how can you apologize to Qiao Xi?! What right do you have to apologize to her? She stole my fiancé, so she should apologize to me.” As she spoke, she started crying. “Brother Zheng, how could you marry someone else? It wasn’t my intention to run away from our marriage. I just wanted to test your feelings for me, but you actually got married to someone else…
“Do you know how sad I was? The person you should’ve married is me. If this woman had appeared a little later, I would’ve arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau. But you married her… You married a woman who’s inferior to me in every way…” Meng Wan cried until she was out of breath.
Gu Zheng’s expression darkened.
Madam Meng sighed and pulled Meng Wan to her side as she said helplessly, “Miss Qiao, I’m very sorry. Wan Wan is simple-minded. She’ll spout nonsense when she’s triggered, but she doesn’t have any bad intentions. She just finds it hard to accept the truth and feels a little aggrieved. I’ll teach her a good lesson when I get back.”
“In the past, Wan Wan has always relied on the fact that Gu Zheng loves her and would throw tantrums without restraint. That’s why on the day of their marriage, she pretended to run away to make Gu Zheng prove that he loved her… I believe that Gu Zheng initially wanted to look for Wan Wan, but he ended up meeting you… There are too many coincidences in this world. Maybe Wan Wan just isn’t fated to be with Gu Zheng, so the two of them ended up missing out on each other.” Madam Meng’s tone was filled with regret.
Qiao Xi secretly shot Gu Zheng a look, signaling him to stay rational. Gu Zheng received Qiao Xi’s signal and barely suppressed his anger. He stood at the side with a dark expression without saying anything.
Qiao Xi curved her lips. “Madam Meng, you mean to say that Gu Zheng has a deep affection for Meng Wan? Even though Miss Meng Wan ran away from their marriage, you thought that he would stand there and patiently wait for her to come back? It’s just that he didn’t expect to meet me on that day, right? Since Gu Zheng decided to marry me instead of waiting for Miss Meng Wan, it goes to show that… I’m really charming.”
Just one meeting could make Gu Zheng abandon his childhood sweetheart.
Madam Meng almost choked. She was clearly mocking Qiao Xi for being shameless and taking advantage of the situation. Why did it sound like she was praising her in Qiao Xi’s ears?!
Qiao Xi subconsciously tapped her fingers on the railing. Be it Madam Meng or Meng Wan, the two of them were just beating about the bush and telling her that Gu Zheng had a special relationship with them. They were implying that she was just a shameless predator who would be abandoned by Gu Zheng sooner or later.
Meng Wan was still crying sorrowfully at the side. The sound of her sobs was annoying. Qiao Xi wondered if she should beat all these people up. She was tired of watching this performance.
At this moment, a dignified-looking man walked in from outside.
“Why are you crying? You were the one who wanted to run away from the marriage. This is the result of your own actions. Now that you’ve lost Gu Zheng, you can’t blame anyone.”
The housekeeper brought a dignified-looking man in. The man looked at Meng Wan. “Wan Wan, you’re not a child anymore. How can you cry after doing something wrong?”
“Boo-hoo… Dad, I know my mistake. I won’t make a scene anymore. I just want Brother Gu Zheng to come back to me. Brother Gu Zheng never treated me like this in the past but because of this woman…”
The man was Meng Wan’s father, Meng Xingzhou. He looked to be about 45 years old and had the demeanor of a person in power. He sighed. “Gu Zheng, I know that our Meng family has let you down, but I also hope that you can listen to me.”
Gu Zheng’s patience was wearing thin.
It was early in the morning yet there was already a group of people talking nonsense in front of him. Never mind that Gu Zheng had a bad temper but even if he had a good temper, he would still be worn down by this family of three.
Seeing Gu Zheng’s impatience, Qiao Xi held his hand and stroked it like she was comforting a kitten. Gu Zheng pulled her toward the living room. “Uncle Meng, let’s sit down and talk.”
Meng Xingzhou paused for a few seconds before bringing his wife and daughter to sit on the sofa.. His shrewd and steady eyes swept past Gu Zheng and Qiao Xi’s hands from time to time.
Chapter 48: Divorce
“Gu Zheng, you know the truth. It’s just that Wan Wan is a little stubborn. She didn’t really want to run away from the marriage. Your marriage was initiated by Old Master Gu. It’s really unacceptable for you to cancel the marriage just like that.”
Qiao Xi lazily leaned against the sofa. The Meng family was really interesting.
She and Gu Zheng were already married. Today, Gu Zheng’s ‘ex-fiancee’ appeared at their door with her parents. The daughter said that she, Qiao Xi, was not worthy of Gu Zheng, the mother said that Gu Zheng loved Meng Wan, and the father said that this marriage was set by Old Master Gu. Qiao Xi was very sure that the Meng family was doing this on purpose by saying all this in front of her, Gu Zheng’s newly wedded wife. They did not take her seriously at all.
Gu Zheng took a sip of coffee and said slowly, “Uncle Meng, bigamy is a crime.”
He was already married, so it was not appropriate to mention a second marriage.
“The past is the past. I’m doing very well now. As people, we should only move forward.”
He meant that they had reaped what they sowed. His marriage was set in stone, so they should stop bothering him.
Meng Wan’s tears came streaming down again. “Boo-hoo, I was really wrong, Brother Gu Zheng. I was too willful. I really didn’t expect you to let go of me so easily… Boo-hoo! Brother Gu Zheng, how can you just say that you don’t like me anymore? I’m not as carefree about matters like this as you, Brother Gu Zheng. I still like you very much. I want to marry you, have children with you, and be with you…”
Seeing her daughter cry so miserably, Madam Meng’s eyes turned red as well. “Alright, Wan Wan, stop crying. Gu Zheng will definitely give you an answer. The both of you grew up together, so how could he not understand your character? I know that you love Gu Zheng more than your own life, but Gu Zheng has already married Miss Qiao. Give up.”
Qiao Xi supported her chin with her hand as she looked at the two drama queens from the Meng family. Their words were filled with hidden meanings. She felt that she was about to be influenced by them after just interacting with them for a short while. They spoke in such b*tchy tones.
Looking at his sobbing wife and daughter, Meng Xingzhou could only say with heartache, “Gu Zheng, I don’t have a choice either. Wan Wan has been crying every day. Old Master Gu adores Wan Wan the most. Will this marriage contract really be ruined just like that? I know that bigamy is against the law, and we have no intention of forcing you to divorce Miss Qiao. It’s just that you and Miss Qiao haven’t told Old Master Gu about your marriage yet, right? Once Old Master Gu finds out that you so willfully and casually married a woman, he’ll definitely be very angry. Gu Zheng, I’m saying this for your own good.”
This time, Qiao Xi had truly witnessed the art of speaking. They said that Meng Wan had been crying at home and her marriage with Gu Zheng was set by Old Master Gu. If Gu Zheng did not marry Meng Wan, Old Master Gu might not agree to any other marriage partners. Although Meng Xingzhou said he was not forcing Gu Zheng to divorce her, in reality, every word he said was to tell Gu Zheng to get a divorce.
Indeed, Meng Xingzhou’s next sentence was, “Gu Zheng, consider it carefully. Marriage is not a joke. Miss Qiao, consider it carefully as well. Are you going to waste your good years on someone who doesn’t love you? If you agree to the divorce, the Meng family will pay for all the compensation after your marriage ends. You won’t suffer.”
The living room fell completely silent.
The butler stood at the side in fear. If nothing had happened last night, he would have thought that Meng Xingzhou and his family made sense. However, after what had happened last night, he felt that Meng Xingzhou and his family might be in for a bad time.
He knew very well how protective Young Master was of Young Madam.
Indeed…
Bang!
Gu Zheng slammed the coffee cup on the table and said slowly, “Uncle Meng.” The man’s eyes were indifferent, and the expression on his face was nonchalant. “Uncle Meng, have you forgotten who the current head of the Gu family is?”
Did they think that they could suppress him just by mentioning his grandfather? In their dreams!
The butler also stepped forward. He was an old man who had been transferred here from the old residence. He knew some things better than outsiders like Meng Xingzhou. “Mr. Meng, our old master has never set up an engagement for Young Master. Where did you get the idea that Miss Meng Wan is Young Master’s fiancee? Back then, it was Miss Meng Wan who wanted to marry Young Master. The old master simply thought that the Meng and Gu families were old friends, and Young Master and Miss Meng Wan had grown up together. Furthermore, Young Master had never had a woman by his side, so he wanted to matchmake them.
“However, on the day of their marriage, Miss Meng Wan abandoned Young Master outside the Civil Affairs Bureau. You put it nicely, saying Miss Meng Wan was stubborn and wanted to test Young Master’s feelings for her. However, what you did was humiliate the Gu family and our young master. You humiliated the Gu family like this, but the Gu family hasn’t looked for you to settle the score. Despite this, you came to the door saying you’ve been wronged and spouted nonsense in front of Young Master and Young Madam.”
The butler’s words were merciless. It was the Meng family’s fault. It was fine that they did not apologize, but they even belittled Young Madam in front of Young Master. Did they think the Gu family was easy to bully?
This was the first time Qiao Xi knew that the butler, who was usually low-profile, was actually so eloquent.. She even wanted to clap and cheer for him.