Chapter 38: The Weight of the Past Part 1

Ming Li didn’t understand what any of this had to do with making friends with Gu Qingshuang.

However, seeing the exhaustion etched on the old woman’s face, she wisely bit back her questions and fell silent.

The living room grew quiet. Gu Fei sat to the side, patiently fanning the Elder Madam. Before long, the old woman’s breathing grew heavy, sounding as though she had drifted off to sleep. Ming Li felt a bit awkward but remained patient, waiting in silence.

Less than half an hour later, the Elder Madam’s eyes snapped open. Her gaze was somewhat cloudy as she asked in a sleep-deprived voice, “What time is it?”

“Eight o’clock,” Gu Fei replied. “Are you hungry?”

“A little,” the Elder Madam said. “Have them serve dinner. A-Li, stay and eat with us tonight.”

Ming Li didn’t refuse. She knew this was the Elder Madam’s way of silently backing her up.

The Elder Madam rarely invited people to stay for dinner. The most frequent visitors were the two from Aunt Ying’s family; they were young, boisterous, and had mouths as sweet as honey. By keeping Ming Li here tonight, the matriarch was telling everyone that, in her eyes, Ming Li was still special.

Just as it was with Gu Qingshuang.

At the same time, Ming Li suspected this was a warning to Gu Xueqiang, a reminder for her not to act too impulsively.

Countless eyes, both seen and unseen, were watching their branch of the family. The Elder Madam was nearing retirement, yet she hadn’t breathed a word about a successor. The struggle for power was intensifying by the day; at a time like this, Gu Xueqiang couldn’t afford a single misstep.

These secrets were clearly Gu Xueqiang’s Achilles’ heel.

Of course, Ming Li couldn’t be certain of her second guess, but either way, the situation favored her—even if the Elder Madam’s primary intention was to protect Gu Xueqiang.

Ming Li had always been one to look on the bright side. After accompanying the matriarch for dinner, the old woman grew tired again and insisted that Gu Fei escort Ming Li home.

Ming Li had walked this path many times and didn’t need an escort, but since the Elder Madam had specifically given the order to grant her “face,” she could only graciously comply.

Gu Fei walked with Ming Li for a few hundred meters, passing through a path lined with blooming flowers. Just ahead was the villa where Ming Li lived.

They chatted idly along the way. Gu Fei had been more popular than Ming Li back in university. She mentioned that one of their former roommates was getting married in a neighboring city soon. The roommate had asked Gu Fei to see if Ming Li wanted to attend; another roommate was going as well, making it a perfect chance for the four of them to reunite.

Ming Li could hardly even recall the woman’s face and wasn’t one for such social gatherings. She shook her head. “I won’t be going.”

“I probably won’t go either,” Gu Fei said.

“Why not?” Ming Li asked. “You two were closer back then.”

“If you don’t go, the reunion won’t be complete even if I do.” Gu Fei paused. “Besides, I have something to take care of soon.”

Ming Li didn’t pry further, offering only a faint smile. “That’s quite a shame.”

Yet, there wasn’t a hint of regret in her tone.

Gu Fei turned her head, staring at Ming Li thoughtfully. It was strange; she had never been able to truly read Ming Li. Not even back when they were students.

Ming Li seemed close to everyone, yet she maintained a sense of distance from everyone.

Gu Fei smiled and asked, “Aren’t you curious about what I have to do?”

“What is it?” Ming Li asked, following the cue.

Gu Fei felt like she had punched a bale of cotton—a deep sense of powerlessness—but she maintained her smile. “I’m going on a blind date.”

“A blind date?” Ming Li was surprised.

But she quickly realized why. Not long ago, Gu Zhengbo had tried to introduce those useless men from the Lu family to Gu Fei, which must have sounded an alarm for the Elder Madam.

Members of the Gu family married early. On one hand, the Elder Madam preferred them to “settle a home before building a career.” On the other hand, to expand the Gu Group’s business empire, marriage partners were selected as early as possible.

Gu Qingshuang’s situation was an anomaly.

Most in the Gu family chose marriage to increase their leverage. For instance, Gu Zhengbo’s two daughters: Gu Mengdie was already engaged to another woman, with their wedding expected by the end of the year, and Gu Qingzhi was in a stable relationship, likely to marry by next year at the latest.

By that count, Gu Fei was the only eligible woman left without a partner.

The Elder Madam was actually quite lenient toward Gu Fei. Whenever someone brought up Gu Fei’s marriage at a family banquet, the matriarch would usually brush it off. It seemed the time had finally come.

“That’s a good thing,” Ming Li said with a smile once she understood. “What kind of brilliant young talents has Grandmother picked out for you?”

“I don’t know,” Gu Fei said. “I don’t even know if it’s a man or a woman yet.”

“That’s simple enough. If you like men, find a man. If you like women, find a woman,” Ming Li said.

Gu Fei paused. “And what if I like… someone’s wife?”

Ming Li froze. Her bright eyes gradually widened, which made Gu Fei laugh. “Is it really that shocking?”

Gu Fei arched an eyebrow. “Think I’m a pervert?”

“No…” Ming Li searched for a diplomatic phrasing. “Your taste is just… very specific.”

“And not exactly moral,” Ming Li added.

Gu Fei burst into laughter. “I was just teasing you, and you actually took it seriously.”

Ming Li was speechless. “Who makes jokes like that?”

“How else should I put it? You’ve known me for so many years, and you don’t even know if I like men or women?” Gu Fei asked tentatively, a hint of expectation in her voice.

Ming Li thought back carefully but realized she couldn’t remember. In her memory, Gu Fei had never seemed to be in a relationship.

Unlike their other two roommates, who had started dating shortly into their freshman year—one with someone from a club, the other with someone from their department—and had even treated the whole dorm to dinner. Gu Fei had never revealed a single thing about her love life.

“You never said anything,” Ming Li said helplessly. “How was I supposed to know?”

Gu Fei smiled. “You never said you liked women either.”

Ming Li was at a loss for words. Before marrying Gu Qingshuang, she hadn’t even known she liked women. At most, she had felt a vague inability to connect with men and couldn’t imagine dating one.

Ming Li could only offer a small smile. “I suppose it was just fate.”

“Fate is really unreliable,” Gu Fei remarked.

Ming Li tried to deflect. “It’s alright. Gu Qingshuang is a very good choice for a spouse. Besides, she’s your niece; we knew each other’s backgrounds. If it weren’t for you, I probably wouldn’t have married so early.”

In the Gu family, one always held back a few layers of truth. Ming Li’s words were half-sincere and half-polite; for example, she hadn’t known Gu Fei was Qingshuang’s aunt when she first decided to marry. But seeing Gu Fei had indeed given her more confidence.

Gu Fei was stunned. They rarely discussed these things. She hadn’t expected that Ming Li’s decision to marry had anything to do with her. Her expression suddenly turned sour.

“A-Li,” Gu Fei asked in a low voice. “Are you happy living in the Gu family?”

Ming Li shrugged. “It’s fine.”

Gu Fei asked again, “Do you truly love Gu Qingshuang?”

Ming Li was startled by her serious expression. “What’s with you? Is this a ‘truth or dare’ interrogation?”