Looking at Gu Yuanfeng standing at the door, Jin Qianqian really wanted to slam it right in her face. What was with that look? It was like she wanted to eat her alive.

"Move aside. I have business with Seventh." Gu Yuanfeng put on the full airs of an older sister, but unfortunately for her, Jin Qianqian’s hand remained firmly on the door.

"Seventh is out. If you need something, come back later."

"Why should I? This is my younger brother’s house, so I’ll go inside and wait.

What? Is this the hospitality the Jin Family taught you? Don’t forget, I’m your sister-in-law."

Jin Qianqian sneered. "What an impressive sister-in-law. Too bad it’s just the two of us here. If you want to put on airs, you should at least find an audience. Otherwise, you’re holding your head high and sticking your tail up for nothing."

Gu Yuanfeng didn’t get the jab and actually turned to look behind herself. What tail was she talking about?

Jin Qianqian seized the opportunity to slam the courtyard gate shut and slide the bolt home.

"Ah! Open this door! You ill-mannered wench! I’m going to make Seventh divorce you! A hen that can’t even lay an egg dares to throw her weight around in the Gu family?"

Jin Qianqian was in no mood to stand there and listen to a shrew’s tirade. She turned and went back to the kitchen, wondering if she should make a spicy hot pot to ward off the winter chill.

’As for the one at the gate, Gu Wenheng should be back soon. I’ll just let him deal with her.’

Little did Jin Qianqian know that Gu Wenheng was standing not far from their home at that very moment, watching Gu Yuanfeng brave the cold wind as she pointed at their front gate and screamed curses.

Seeing her curses grow more and more vicious, Gu Wenheng walked over with a cold expression. "Are you done cursing? If you’re done, then get lost."

Gu Yuanfeng stared at him in disbelief. "Seventh, you never used to talk to your sister like this. Have you forgotten? I’m the one who raised you when you were little.

Did that woman in there teach you this? She’s driving a wedge between us! You need to divorce her right now."

Looking at the crazed Gu Yuanfeng, Gu Wenheng said coldly, "Don’t paint yourself as so noble. How exactly did you ’raise’ me? Don’t you have any self-awareness?

That single step at our front door—I must have tumbled down it dozens of times. When did I ever not have to pick myself back up?

Every time you told Mother you were staying home to look after me, you’d just run off to play by yourself. Then you’d come back and scold me for not being well-behaved or sensible.

When I got a little older, you pushed all the chores Mother gave you onto me. You called it ’looking after’ me, but it was more like I was the one looking after you.

I’m not trying to dig up the past now. I’m just saying that we were never that close as siblings. So from now on, don’t come over unless you have a good reason."

’Gu Wenheng utterly despised this sister of his, who was only a bully to her own family. If it were up to him, they never should have let her get divorced and come back. It would have been much better if she had stayed to torment the He Family.’

"I came here because I have something important to tell you, but that wife of yours wouldn’t even let me in the door. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have wanted to stand here cursing."

Gu Wenheng almost laughed in anger. ’She said that with such self-righteous confidence. This was his and Qianqian’s home. Did she really expect them to do her bidding?’

"I don’t think we have anything to talk about. You should just go home."

Gu Yuanfeng suddenly clutched her stomach. "I’m carrying your nephew in here."

"Oh, congratulations." With the thick winter clothes she was wearing, Gu Wenheng honestly hadn’t noticed.

"But I’m divorced now. I won’t be able to support this child after he’s born. I see that you and your wife still haven’t had any children, so when this child is born, I’ll just leave him here for you to raise. He can be a filial son to you, his uncle, in the future."

Gu Yuanfeng said this with utter confidence. "Look at that Jin woman. She’s been married into the family for so long, and yet there’s no sign of a baby. If you raise my child from birth, it’ll be much better than adopting a stranger later on."

’This was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard.’ Gu Wenheng looked up at the sky, speechless. ’His own sister was meddling in his marital affairs. Whether or not they had children, and when they had them, was a matter for him and Qianqian alone.’

’Besides, they hadn’t even slept together yet. Where would a little brat come from?’

"Go. Don’t come here again. As for the child in your belly, give it to whoever wants it. No matter how magnanimous I might be, I will not raise someone else’s child." Gu Wenheng had the urge to physically drag her away, but now he felt it would just dirty his hands. "If you don’t leave, my only choice will be to go get the Clan Leader."

’Although the Gu family had precedents for divorced women returning home, it really depended on the person. Someone like her would just make a mess of her life no matter how many chances she was given.’

Her goal unachieved, Gu Yuanfeng was in no mood to leave. "Your life is so good now, what’s wrong with helping your sister out a little?

This child is ill-fated, being born to me. He’ll be without a father from the moment he’s born, and our parents are already pushing me to remarry. Can’t you take pity on me? Give this child a chance to live." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Gu Wenheng replied, "None of this is my fault. If you really don’t want to raise him, you can always send him to the He Family. He is their flesh and blood, after all.

If they refuse to take him, you can go to their clansmen. There’s always a way to solve this."

Gu Wenheng glanced at her barely showing belly. ’There was, in fact, a better solution,’ he thought, but he kept his lips sealed, refusing to invite trouble upon himself.

"What are you doing out here?" Gu Dashishi appeared, carrying cured meat and fish. He ignored the black soot on them and shoved them directly into Gu Wenheng’s hands.

"Your mother wants you to take these to eat on the road. It’s not like you’re fleeing a famine—you can buy food anywhere. That old woman just loves to worry."

Gu Wenheng saw the old man’s eyes glued to the meat in his hands. He lifted the cured meat to his nose and took a sniff. "Mother’s cured meat always smells the best. They don’t make it in the south, so this will be great for satisfying my cravings.

Dad, when you go back, please thank Mother for me. I’ll bring her a gift when I return."

Gu Dashishi snorted. "All you think about is your mother. That meat was saved from my own plate."

Gu Wenheng gave him a toothy grin. "Dad, since you’ve been cooped up for the winter, your face has gotten a lot chubbier."

"Really?" Gu Dashishi touched his face, feeling a little self-conscious. Ever since he got injured on the road last time, he had been using his not-quite-healed wound as an excuse to slack off. So much time had passed that Li Cuicui no longer nagged him to do chores, and he was more than happy with the arrangement.

"Well, the things are delivered, so I’ve done my duty to your mother. I’ll be heading back now." Gu Dashishi saw Seventh’s all-knowing gaze and suddenly felt he had lost a bit of face.

Just as he turned to leave, he saw Gu Yuanfeng still standing there frozen. He bellowed, "Aren’t you going to hurry back and help your mother? What are you doing here?"

"Dad, I came to discuss important business with Seventh... "

Gu Wenheng cut in, "I have nothing to say to you. Since you’ve returned home, you should focus on being a filial daughter to our parents. Don’t walk around with a miserable look on your face all day; it doesn’t make the old folks happy to see it."