Gu Ying handed the jade pendant she had been gripping tightly to Old Marquis Su, forcing a smile, "Little girl is returning Young Marquis's jade pendant to Old Marquis today. From today onwards, Gu Ying has severed all ties with Young Marquis, with no further entanglements. The little girl asks for nothing more, and only hopes that Young Marquis will be able to find a well-matched young lady of a respectable family to exchange wedding vows with and grow old together in the future."
Su Ning's brows furrowed as he glanced at Gu Ying's pitiful little face, seemingly reminded of Madam Lin whom he had previously annulled the engagement with...
Back then, Madam Lin was also heartbroken and devastated at first. Later, when he forcibly demanded annulment of the marriage, she smiled through her tears and personally handed their engagement gifts back to him in front of all the Lins.
Time flowed by, and it seemed like history was repeating itself. Su Ning felt a vague sense of unease in his heart.
The little girl was sincere, and appeared frail, but her expression and the gleam in her eyes were somewhat reminiscent of Madam Ye's bearing back in the days.
Could he have judged wrongly? Was this girl not as undeserving as rumored?
But now that things had come to this, there was no room for retreat. He accepted the jade pendant with a deep sigh, "Don't take my stern words to heart, little girl. A man and a woman should not be bound together by a mere marriage contract. It's just that you two were not fated to be together. Huanfeng still has an immature temperament and would not make a suitable husband for you. He might not even be able to protect you in the future. Be at ease, you will surely be able to find a good husband in the future with my Yong'an Marquis Manor's backing, one who will cherish you for life."
Gu Ying's heart was calm, as she gave him a look of gratitude, "Thank you, Old Marquis."
Su Ning took a deep look at her. She was but a woman, even if Huanfeng returned in the future to find the marriage annulled, he could easily find him several better matches, tens or hundreds of times better than Gu Ying, and he would not make a fuss.
He said indifferently, "I'll take my leave."
Then he left Yongshou Hall with Su He.
Only Gu Ying remained in the hall. She lowered her head, revealing a swan-like white neck, looking weak and pitiful.
Gu Old Madam stared at her sullenly, unable to help but angrily scold, "You're still so young yet you dare make your own decisions? Do you know how much face I've lost for the sake of this marriage?!"
Gu Ying sneered inwardly. Her grandmother had long favored the main house. Where was her heartfelt care for her wellbeing?
She had lost face not for her sake, but for the Marquis Manor. After all, losing such a good marriage would become the laughing stock of the whole city, and it would humiliate more than just herself, this pitiful abandoned girl.
Her beloved eldest son of the main house, Gu Jia and her sisters, Gu Ming and his brothers, would all lose face in their future socializing.
"Grandmother, everything Ying has done and said is for your sake. Otherwise, with Old Marquis's attitude just now, I'm afraid he would have demolished our entire Yongshou Hall before relenting." Gu Ying gave a bitter laugh, with tears welling up in her eyes, looking grievously tearful.
"Even if you wanted the best for me and were unwilling to annul the marriage, what could be done? Old Marquis was determined to annul the marriage, so it had to be annulled whether we liked it or not. It would be better to give Old Marquis the steps to disentangle honorably now, and let him feel indebted to us."
Gu Old Madam's deep eyes stared intently at Gu Ying.
She had never noticed before how glib she was.
Lately, was she becoming more and more like her charming mother?
Thinking of Madam Ye's dead eyes, staring vacantly in her final moments, her irritation rose.
She was so angry that her old face tightened. Yet she could find no words to rebut her.
"Go on your way first. Your marriage matters will be handled by your aunt. Her maiden family still has some unmarried brothers. They will be willing to marry into our Gu family, and will not shame you."
Gu Ying's expression slowly darkened as she obediently acknowledged.
Then she left Yongshou Hall.
Gu Jia stood outside Yongshou Hall, under a long rain-sheltering corridor, holding a green bamboo umbrella.
Seeing Gu Ying from afar with tears streaking her face, looking completely distraught, she gloated, "Second Sister, congratulations on your joyous day! Eldest Sister specially waited here to congratulate you on this joyous occasion!"
Gu Ying smiled faintly, pressing down on the simmering Yanzhi behind her, "Is Eldest Sister possessed?"
Gu Jia gave a cold sneer, no longer pretending, laying her cards on the table and taunting, "I was married off to the lowly Jiang Yin, and had always felt aggrieved. But now that you've lost this marriage with Yong'an Marquis Manor, you're beneath even me. The more Eldest Sister thinks about it, the happier I feel. Why don't you take some time off today to accompany Eldest Sister back to Cangwu Pavilion for a couple of cups of hot wine to warm our bodies?"
Of course Gu Ying was happy to let Gu Jia gloat for a while, and even played along, acting utterly devastated and grief-stricken, making her feel like her world had collapsed now that this marriage was annulled.
But she would never accompany her for drinks.
"Eldest Sister, please don't go overboard with your bullying."
"Hahahaha, seeing you in such sorry straits now is so exhilarating!" Gu Jia saw that her face had turned white, her eyes were as red as a rabbit's, and said maliciously, "Don't worry, little sister. There is no lack of men in the capital. Eldest Sister will be sure to find you the nastiest, most vicious one, to serve you well."
Gu Ying's long lashes quivered. Her petite face tightened slightly.
Gu Jia didn't miss the subtle panic on her face, and became even more complacent. "Alright, scram. When your elder sister's husband enters the officialdom, you'll still need to rely on me plenty. I'll make sure you lose all face then."
"Douko, let's go."
She laughed arrogantly.
Douko gave Gu Ying a disdainful glare as well.
Mistress and maid left swaggeringly.
Yanzhi was furious, baring her teeth ferociously, full of hatred, "Miss, why did you stop me? I wanted to rush up just now and scratch Big Sister's skin off! Fight her three hundred rounds!"
Gu Ying smiled helplessly, hugging the waist of the furious little maid to hold her back, "Let her gloat for a couple of days, she won't be gloating for long."
Yanzhi cried in anger, tears flowing down her face like June rain, "Then how many more days can she gloat for, Miss... What will you do now that you can't get married...?"
"Your maid just wants you to get married happily!" The little girl sobbed, "I had a nightmare where Miss grew old alone for a lifetime, and was bullied for a lifetime. The Miss in the dream was so pitiful... Your maid has no other thoughts, I just hope that like the elders say, dreams are the opposite of reality, and Miss will live a happy and blessed life to show those from the main house!"
She cried and threw herself into her Miss's arms, seemingly truly afraid.
