My Dearest Sister-In-Law, I've Been Waiting For You To Get A Divorce For A Long Time - Chapter 17

Chapter 17

◎ “Use this to cheer her up.” ◎

Gu Wenyao was pressed against her back, her warm breath, scented with tea, fanning against Mo Shuqing’s neck. Her soft voice was like silk, wrapping around her as she called out “Sister-in-law” again and again.

Mo Shuqing’s scalp tingled, and a strange, soft sensation spread through her heart, making her fingertips itch. She wanted to pull Gu Wenyao from behind her and give her a good squeeze and rub her to make her settle down and stop being so sarcastic!

She wanted to punish her to teach her a lesson, to make her “afraid” and remember not to be so provocative.

Mo Shuqing raised her hand and simply flicked the head on her shoulder. She glanced to the side and asked, “Ayao, are you sixteen now? Do you still need someone to put you to bed?”

Precisely because she was sixteen, she needed her sister-in-law to put her to bed.

Gu Wenyao had been so arrogant a moment ago, like a dark creature that had raised its head and was about to “devour” her. Now, after just one flick to the forehead from Mo Shuqing and hearing her cool voice, she felt a tingling sensation in her bones and a need to be compliant and well-behaved.

She had been standing on her tiptoes to hug Mo Shuqing. As her arrogance dissipated, she let her heels fall back to the ground. The greed, jealousy, and desire in her heart returned just as quickly.

Gu Wenyao’s arms slid down from Mo Shuqing’s waist to her forearms. She hugged her and walked side-by-side with her, still pestering her. “We’ve been apart for too long and grown estranged. My sister-in-law doesn’t even want to sleep with me anymore.”

Mo Shuqing glanced at her, looking confused. From the moment they went to see Mo Shiyu, Gu Wenyao’s mood had been off.

Gu Wenyao looked away and stared at the roses in the courtyard. She reached out and plucked a pink one, holding it to her nose as she lowered her eyes to smell it. “A beautiful flower like this, if you don’t pick it in time, will slowly wither.”

She let go of Mo Shuqing and inserted the flower into her hair crown, slowly blinking. She brought her face closer to Mo Shuqing, lifted her eyes to look at her, and her soft lips parted and closed. “So I must ask my sister-in-law to pluck this one with her own hands.”

It was hard to tell if she was talking about herself or the flower in her hair.

When Gu Wenyao finished speaking, she saw Mo Shuqing raise her hand. In the sunlight, her long, pale fingers seemed to glow, looking even whiter than jade.

Gu Wenyao’s eyes trembled, and she held her breath, a slight blush on her face.

Mo Shuqing pulled out the flower Gu Wenyao had casually stuck in her hair. She held it in her hand and studied Gu Wenyao for a moment, then took a step forward to close the distance between them. She reinserted the flower into Gu Wenyao’s hair. “This looks much better.”

Mo Shuqing pulled her hand back as they arrived at the main courtyard.

She held Gu Wenyao’s hand and instructed her, “You sit on the stone bench under the pear tree and wait for me. I’ll go inside and say a few words to my mother and then come back out.”

Gu Wenyao was still dazed from the flower incident. When she came back to her senses, her hand was on the flower on her head, her fingers carefully touching it. A ripple of a smile appeared in her eyes, and she held her chest as she lowered her eyes and pursed her lips. It took her a while to recover from her emotional turmoil, and she coughed a few times into her hand as she smiled.

Just like Mo Shiyu, she was also sensitive to the heat. Mo Shuqing remembered that.

Mo Shuqing had Gu Wenyao sit under the tree to stay out of the sun, and she went into the main courtyard herself.

Lord Mo was in the study handling official business. In the outer room, only Madam Zhou and Mama Liu, who was standing in front of her giving her a report, were there.

Madam Zhou was tired after lunch. Her elbow rested on the table, her fingers supporting her forehead, as she spoke to Mama Liu with her eyes slightly closed. She was clearly asking Mama Liu about Mo Shuqing’s situation in the Gu manor.

When she heard Mo Shuqing come in, Madam Zhou only lifted her eyelids to look at her. “Did you see Shiyu? Where’s little Ayao?”

“Shiyu was napping, so I didn’t wake her up. I only said a few words to her auntie,” Mo Shuqing said, sitting next to Madam Zhou. She poured her a cup of cold tea and handed it to her. “Ayao is sitting outside. I was afraid you would say something inappropriate, so I didn’t let her come in to listen.”

Madam Zhou was speechless.

“Mama, go see if the things have been packed up. We’ll be heading back soon,” Mo Shuqing said, pouring herself a cup of cold tea and taking a sip.

When she got married, Mo Shuqing couldn’t bring everything she owned to the Gu manor, so she would bring the rest of her clothes and belongings back with her on her home visit.

Mama Liu said “Yes” and went outside.

When it was just the mother and daughter in the room, Mo Shuqing held her teacup and looked at Madam Zhou. “Mother, is there something you want to tell me?”

Madam Zhou thought her actions were too obvious. She suddenly seemed more energetic and tried to hide it by lowering her eyes and drinking tea. “What are you talking about?”

Mo Shuqing turned her body to face Madam Zhou. “Then there’s something I want to tell you.”

Madam Zhou was speechless again.

Madam Zhou put down her teacup and started rubbing her forehead again.

Mo Shuqing didn’t care about her attitude and just said gently, “Ayao lost her mother at a young age, and you know the Marquis’s attitude toward her. I only found out after I entered the Marquis manor that it is a filthy mire. For the past eight years, Ayao has been struggling to survive there. No matter what she is like now, this is her best form. You can’t speak of her in that way again.”

“I remember that I have to establish myself in the Marquis manor, and I remember my brother’s situation. But these things shouldn’t be a reason for Ayao and me to be enemies,” Mo Shuqing said. “No matter what you’re concerned about, to me, Ayao will always be Ayao.”

Madam Zhou wanted to speak but stopped herself. “You don’t know that she…”

Mo Shuqing nodded. “If what Mother wants to say are bad things about Ayao, then I don’t want to know.”

“I don’t know who you get this protective nature from,” Madam Zhou said, waving her hand, too annoyed to talk about it anymore. “You know how you two are. Just remember that you are the new bride of the Gu family. Although Gu Shufeng is useless, he will inherit the title of Marquis one day, and you’ll have to live with him. Pay more attention to him. If you can convince him to change for the better, that would be the best result.”

“Didn’t I give you a small box when you got married? There’s a book inside. Read it when you have free time. …If you really don’t understand, ask Mama Liu.” Madam Zhou mentioned the book vaguely.

Mo Shuqing paid attention to her mentioning it specifically and kept it in mind.

Mo Shuqing was about to leave. Madam Zhou called Lord Mo over, and the two of them went to see their daughter off.

Gu Wenyao still had a pink flower in her hair. She stood next to the carriage, getting ready to help Mo Shuqing get on first.

Mo Shuqing stood in the carriage and didn’t rush to get in. Instead, she turned around, bent down, reached out, and pulled Gu Wenyao up, and they got into the carriage together, holding hands.

They helped each other, and although they didn’t say a word, the picture looked harmonious and fitting.

Lord Mo’s eyes showed his reluctance to see her go. He sighed and turned to Madam Zhou. “Don’t you think, little Ayao in her men’s clothing standing next to Shuqing, they look so good together.”

Madam Zhou’s eyelids twitched. She looked at him with a wooden expression, her eyes cutting him like a knife. Lord Mo immediately turned his head and closed his mouth. He put a smile on his face and waved at the carriage without saying another word.

After several hours of traveling for her home visit, Gu Wenyao’s energy was clearly depleted. Her lips were pale, and her smile looked a little strained.

After Yi Yun helped Gu Wenyao out of the carriage, she continued to hold her arm to support her.

Mo Shuqing saw that she wasn’t in good condition and told her to go rest and that she would handle the rest herself.

The boxes of belongings from the Mo manor were taken off the carriage. Inside were Mo Shuqing’s old clothes, books she read in her spare time, and the brushes, ink, paper, and calligraphy books she was used to.

Qinglu and Mama Liu helped her sort through everything. The only thing Mo Shuqing organized herself were the letters.

The box containing over a hundred letters was placed next to her desk. Mo Shuqing cleared a space, planning to read the letters and then organize them by year.

“My Lady,” Qinglu said as she took out a painting and turned to call Mo Shuqing. “Should we hang this up?”

The painting slowly unrolled in Qinglu’s hand, revealing a cold, dignified, and serious Mo Shuqing that looked like a banished immortal.

In the painting, Mo Shuqing was standing under a pear tree in a blue dress. Her eyes were indifferent and expressionless, and she let the wind stir her clothes and hair. Her face showed no emotion, looking even more aloof and unapproachable than she was now.

Qinglu looked at the signature on the painting. It was a painting from two years ago, a commemoration of Mo Shuqing’s coming-of-age ceremony.

Mo Shuqing had almost forgotten she had such a thing. She looked at it from a distance and felt a little dazed. So this was what she looked like two years ago. “I wonder what Ayao was like two years ago.”

The time they had missed out on was a constant source of regret.

Mo Shuqing was silent for a moment. She lowered her eyes, slowly rolled up the painting, and tied it with a string. She sat back at her desk and wrote a letter. After sealing it, she handed both the letter and the painting to Qinglu. “Send these to Ayao.”

Qinglu was confused. She looked at the letter in her hand. “Huh?”

She could understand the painting, but the letter…

They lived so close. Their courtyards were practically next to each other. Was there something they couldn’t just say to each other in person?

Mo Shuqing returned to her desk. “She’s not in a good mood today. Use this to cheer her up.”

Qinglu held the letter and said, “Yes.”

Not long after Qinglu left, Mama Liu saw the maid from Madam Yu’s courtyard come over. She said that Madam Yu wanted to see Mo Shuqing, probably to ask about the home visit.

“She’s so considerate. That’s not like the Madam at all,” Mama Liu mumbled to herself.

Mo Shuqing changed her clothes and had Mama Liu bring the gifts she had prepared. “You’ll know when we get there.”

In the main courtyard, before Mo Shuqing even entered the room, she saw Madam Yu sitting in the main seat and her elder aunt, Aunt Gu, sitting in the guest seat. The two of them were talking about her home visit.

Aunt Gu looked at Madam Yu angrily. “You’re getting more and more out of line. It’s one thing for little Ayao to be so rebellious, but why do you indulge her so much? She dressed as a man to replace Shufeng for the home visit. What will the Mo family think of us? I say we should have carried Shufeng out on a stretcher to accompany the new bride.”

Aunt Gu’s face was stern as she lectured her. For a moment, it was hard to tell who was the lady of the Marquis manor.

Madam Yu lowered her head. “Wenyao was also concerned about her brother’s health, which is why she went in his place. Besides, Wenyao and Shuqing have a friendship from childhood. The in-laws also watched her grow up. They probably won’t say anything harsh when they see Wenyao.”

Madam Yu definitely didn’t want her own son to go and get scolded, so she let Gu Wenyao take his place.

Aunt Gu said, “What friendship from childhood? When the Mo family first left the capital, she was so quick to distance herself from Shuqing. She understood these things at such a young age, and what about now?”

Aunt Gu’s voice was not too loud or too soft, just enough for Mo Shuqing to hear. “Now that household authority is on the table, she’s playing the ‘childhood friendship’ card with Shuqing. Aren’t you afraid she’ll go to the Mo family and ruin Shufeng’s reputation, making the in-laws even more unhappy? Why can’t you tell the difference between who’s close and who’s distant? In the future, you and Shuqing will be one family. Little Ayao will eventually be an outsider who marries out.”

Aunt Gu continued, “You, as the mother-in-law, won’t even help the new bride get back her household authority. You even hold a grudge against the new bride just because Shufeng was punished. How foolish!”

Mo Shuqing entered and bowed to both of them, as if she hadn’t heard anything they had just said.

Aunt Gu held a handkerchief to her nose and glanced at Madam Yu. Madam Yu said awkwardly, “Shuqing, you’re back. Shufeng wasn’t able to go with you today. Did your in-laws mind?”

“They were a little unhappy,” Mo Shuqing said, sitting in her chair. “But they also understood, since my husband is unable to move.”

Madam Yu felt a little nervous. “But Wenyao did complete the home visit ceremony for her brother…”

When Gu Wenyao was mentioned, Mo Shuqing said, “My mother said that it was fine for my second sister to come, but why did she have to dress as a man? It made the Mo family seem like we were too unkind.”

That meant they still held a grudge.

Aunt Gu’s mind turned. She wanted to test the waters with Mo Shuqing about the letters, so she asked, “Little Ayao probably dressed as a man because she was afraid you wouldn’t have a good explanation when you got back. Did she explain it to you on the way back? Why is Madam Mo still unhappy?”

Mo Shuqing lowered her eyes. “I don’t like to talk much. She also beats around the bush when she talks, so we didn’t say much to each other.”

Aunt Gu immediately laughed. “That’s right. Little Ayao has always been difficult to get along with. If you don’t like to talk to her, just don’t. …Oh, right. The reason I called you here is to discuss a matter. My Jingchun is also of age now. I’m thinking of holding a banquet for her so she can look for a suitor. And little Ayao is also of age. We can have her look for a suitor at the same time.”

Mo Shuqing held her teacup. She thought, As expected. Aunt Gu saw that she and Gu Wenyao hadn’t reconciled and immediately began to scheme against Gu Wenyao, wanting to team up with her to get rid of her.

Mo Shuqing played along. “I’m not in a position to say anything about my second sister’s matter. I’ll just follow whatever the family elders decide.”

Aunt Gu knew that Mo Shuqing was new to the family and couldn’t take on such a big task, so she took it upon herself. She turned to Madam Yu. “You’re busy taking care of Shufeng these days. It’s fine for me to handle this. I’ll send someone to tell little Ayao about this later.”

Aunt Gu was also afraid that Mo Shuqing would think she was a power grabber, so she immediately gave her a sweet treat. “The Mo family just returned to the capital. We can use this banquet to let Shuqing meet the nobles in the capital, so she won’t be in a rush when she has to hold a banquet herself after she takes control of the household.”

Aunt Gu was full of excitement, as if she couldn’t wait to start the planning right away. She thought, What is so special about friendship? It’s nothing compared to power and authority. She looked at Mo Shuqing, who was standing on her side, trying to seize authority from Gu Wenyao.

Mo Shuqing gave the gifts she had brought to Aunt Gu and Madam Yu, and the lotus appreciation banquet was settled in just a few words.

When Aunt Gu’s servant came to Gu Wenyao’s courtyard to ask for her opinion, Gu Wenyao had just untied her robes and was preparing to take a bath.

In the inner chamber, the screen was unfolded, and her clothes were all hanging on the mahogany rack.

Gu Wenyao was wearing only a thin outer robe that covered her delicate body. The sheer fabric clung to her as she put her hair up, faintly revealing the white skin and red plums underneath.

The letter that Mo Shuqing had Qinglu send her was already opened and read, placed on the bed. The painting was unfolded and hung on the screen, directly facing the bathtub.