Chapter 53.1: Raising a Bride (14)

When Xie MingLang arrived home in the afternoon with Hui Niang’s anxious handmaiden, he instinctively felt like something was off as he could feel a tense atmosphere within his house.

Unsure of what might’ve happened in the morning while he was away, Xie MingLang rushed over to his little daughter’s side and inspected her carefully from head to bottom, only letting out a breath of relief when he finally concluded that nothing was wrong with her.

However, though both women’s facial expressions looked calm and normal, the sense of incongruity emanated from their physical bodies, to the point that it was difficult for Xie MingLang to ignore.

This was when the handmaiden behind him rushed over to Hui Niang’s side, greeting her with joy while shedding tears, as if Hui Niang had suffered through a hellish experience yesterday and it was a grievance for her to spend the night in such a simple and ugly place.

“What happened?” Xie LingLang held Gu MingYue’s shoulders firmly with his warm palms and asked with a low voice. And when Gu MingYue’s eyes reddened significantly, as if she was about to burst into tears anytime, Xie MingLang felt a deep tug within his heart as this was somehow making him somewhat distressed.

“Nothing’s wrong.” Gu MingYue answered softly before pointing at Hui Niang, who was being fussed around by the handmaiden, “Woah! Daddy is really amazing to be able to find the handmaiden so quickly.” She exclaimed with a somewhat forced excited expression.

Xie MingLang stared at his little daughter, who was obviously forcing a smile on her own face and felt a little uncomfortable. He wondered if Hui Niang had said something to Gu MingYue, and instantly blamed himself for it. He should’ve known better than to lose control and took her right in the kitchen, allowing an outsider like Hui Niang to have a glimpse of their sexual affairs.

A woman’s mouth was unforgiving, and he knew from the first sight that Hui Niang was not an easy person to get along with. Furthermore, she had taken herself to tease and seduce him, but to no avail, so who knows what vulgarities she would spew towards Gu MingYue, just to provoke the relationship between both father and daughter.

Xie MingLang’s guesses were well-founded, and he was right. However, little did he know that Gu MingYue, who he thought was as innocent and simple as a little tame rabbit, had not taken Hui Niang’s provocative bait at all, and in fact, both women were evenly matched.

Before the man returned home, Gu MingYue and Hui Niang’s exchange of words were like a duel between two skilled samurais. At that time, though she looked like a simple girl, Gu MingYue’s sharpness of speech almost sent Hui Niang into a helpless situation. In fact, never would Hui Niang have imagined that a girl who grew up in the mountains and forests since she was a child was capable of such clear and coherent speech, as if she was born and raised in an aristocratic family!

When Hui Niang was just talking about the incestuous relationship between the two of them, Gu MingYue had already coolly revealed her true intentions that were so unskillfully hidden under higher ethical and moral standings. Gu MingYue’s words were so straightforward and concise that even someone as thick-skinned as Hui Niang could not help but suck in a breath of shock at that moment.

No matter what, Gu MingYue had still managed to express two points clearly: Firstly – So what if they’re in an incestuous relationship? They are not related by blood, and in such a chaotic and war-filled era, the world outside had been in turbulence for years. Any sense of etiquettes had long since been abandoned, so who would really care if a man decided to take a girl that he raised as a bride? And secondly – Hui Niang’s own intentions were not pure and genuine, plus Gu MingYue had seen a lot of the seductive tricks she had played on Xie MingLang, so how can such a frivolous woman be qualified to teach others about moral and ethical values?

Ji Jiang City was located in a somewhat remote location, and because it was away from the center of the turmoil, it had remained relatively calm and the people here were able to live and work in temporary peace and contentment. Hui Niang knew about the actual situation outside as she used to live in a city that is second to none in economics, trade, and politics, which was why it was not strange that she knew about this situation.

However, it was intriguing and suspicious for a young girl who had been isolated in the mountains for years to have such updated knowledge of the outside world!

Hui Niang had a hard time figuring out who Xie MingLang truly was, but upon realizing Gu MingYue’s articulated speech and knowledge, she was now fairly certain that Xie MingLang was probably a master who was living the hermit life while raising a disciple as his own.

This would make sense entirely, because it was a known fact that masters like these have their own preferences and kinks, so it would not be weird for him to take a child he raised for many years as his wife.

However, this did not mean that she would give up! After all, difficult challenges were merely flavors that boosted one’s eagerness for conquest.

As Hui Niang’s plotting mind wandered, she suddenly thought of the most prestigious man in the city, and her plans settled on his youngest son. If she played her cards well, he might be the perfect tool to tear Xie MingLang and Gu MingYue apart!

It was rumored that the young man was still unmarried legally, and his favorite hobby was to ‘tame’ beautiful and strong-willed young ladies…

Such a good idea. Hui Niang’s sly grin spread through her face.

Enjoy~