"You!" Gu Fangzi hadn't expected him to say that. Although she knew that he was only teasing her, her heart couldn't help but swell with an indescribable bitterness and grievance, and she sniffled as she stamped her foot.
"Why are you crying?" Shi Fengju had always enjoyed teasing her, but he never expected her to be unable to take a joke this time and cry from just one sentence. He panicked and quickly tried to comfort her, "Fang'er, Fang'er, don't cry, don't cry! I was just teasing you. It wasn't serious. How could you start crying? Look, Fang'er, you know I'm not good at comforting people, so please don't make it difficult for me. Come on, don't cry anymore. Don't cry!"
Gu Fangzi gave a soft humph and turned her head away, not willing to look back. After he coaxed her for a while, she pretended to be angry and said, "Can you even joke about something like this? You, you clearly know that for others—who would use this kind of words to tease me!"
Seeing that she was feeling better, Shi Fengju laughed and said, "Are you blaming me now? Weren't you the one who started it? Tell me, were your words pleasant to hear or not?"
Gu Fangzi was at a loss for words. With a flirtatious glare at him, she chuckled and said, "You, you always love to bully me! I, I'm stupid for allowing myself to be bullied by you..." Her voice trailed off as she spoke, and her coyness was undeniably charming.
Shi Fengju's heart softened, and he sighed gently, "In the future, don't say such foolish things! Fang'er, I won't let you down!"
Gu Fangzi's heart felt a sweet satisfaction, followed by a touch of sour dissatisfaction. In her heart, she thought: You won't let me down? Even after you married Sang Wan? If you really won't let me down, then why didn't you call off this marriage? What does it have to do with you, or the Shi family, whether Sang Wan's reputation would be affected or what will happen to the Sang family?
Although Gu Fangzi thought this in her heart, she still smiled sweetly on the surface and lowered her blushing neck, gently replying with a soft "Mmm." She raised her eyes, filled with affection, and gazed at Shi Fengju, saying, "Cousin, your words alone are enough for me. I'm a simple person, and I'll remember your words for the rest of my life!"
"Yes, for the rest of our lives," Shi Fengju said with a slight smile, nodding solemnly.
Gu Fangzi's eyes sparkled with wavering light but also carried a faint hint of confusion and incomprehension.
Shi Fengju remained silent, raising an eyebrow at her with the same puzzled expression. Was there anything they couldn't say between them? If she wanted to ask something, why not just ask directly? Why was she hesitating?
"Actually, your wife is really a good person," Gu Fangzi understood his meaning and spoke slowly, "Cousin, you, you must be somewhat fond of her, right?"
"What are you talking about!" Shi Fengju was surprised, "How could you think that way!" In his heart, there was only her. Over the years, he had only thought about her, cared for her, and never had any other woman in his sight. How could she say that!
"Alright, alright, even if I was wrong, isn't that enough?" Gu Fangzi saw the coldness on his face and knew that he was angry. She couldn't help feeling regretful, blaming herself for being rash and overly sensitive, and kept apologizing.
However, she still couldn't shake her doubts. Growing up together, she knew Shi Fengju too well. After their wedding date was set, and especially the few days before the wedding, his face looked terrible and his expression was unusually cold. But today, that demeanor was gone! The calm and composed look in his eyes made her uneasy, giving her a vaguely unsettling feeling that something was slipping from her grasp.
Since this marriage was arranged by their deceased elders and Sang Wan's entrance into the family was a foregone conclusion, Gu Fangzi had already accepted this reality. However, she wasn't afraid; she knew Shi Fengju wasn't the type to be fickle or unfaithful. Their many years of affection could not be altered because of Sang Wan's arrival, even if she were the most beautiful fairy!
Even if Sang Wan entered their family, even if they became husband and wife, what difference would it make? The battle had just begun; who could say she had lost?
But now, it seemed she might have been too careless!
"In the future, you're not allowed to have these wild thoughts!" Shi Fengju sighed and glared at her.
"I only thought that because I care about you!" Gu Fangzi pouted and whined, "You, you really won't be moved by her or like her?"
"I won't!" Shi Fengju responded resolutely.
Gu Fangzi's heart soared, "You, do you have anything else to tell me?"