The Pregnant Beauty

At dawn, I carried expensive gifts to Gu Yuzhi’s courtyard.

I rarely wore gold and jewels.

They were troublesome.

Usually, I bought them and left them in storage.

But today was different.

I chose the most extravagant outfit.

My black hair was twisted into a flowing cloud bun.

A begonia pearl ornament sat at the center.

Gold hairpins inlaid with jade filled the empty spaces.

My skin was already pale.

Under all that color and shine, it looked like cream.

I looked in the mirror and nodded in satisfaction.

Like a peacock entering battle, I went to the front courtyard.

The servant announced me quickly.

Gu Yuzhi came out slowly, holding that woman’s hand.

As if I, the woman tied to him by old promise, did not exist.

“Su Nan greets General Gu,” I said. “May I ask this lady’s name?”

Only when closer did I see her clearly.

Red cheeks.

Slim body.

Weak as willow in the wind.

Indeed, the kind of woman who invited protection.

“Greetings, Sister Su,” she said softly. “This humble one is Liu Ruyu.”

As she spoke, one hand touched her forehead while the other rested on her slightly raised belly.

Wonderful.

No wonder he protected her so fiercely.

I smiled.

“I dare not accept ‘sister.’ General Gu truly has good eyes.”

Gu Yuzhi did not hear my hidden meaning.

He still held her.

Liu Ruyu paused.

Then coughed repeatedly.

Gu Yuzhi immediately panicked and ordered servants to fetch a cloak.

Liu Ruyu said weakly,

“Yuzhi, it’s fine. We must hurry to greet Mother.”

“I am weak, and unlike Sister, I’m not favored enough to wear such fine clothes. We shouldn’t delay the greeting.”

People around us began looking at me with resentment.

As if I had stolen the clothes from her body.

Gu Yuzhi glared at me.

“Su Nan, after greetings, prepare more clothes and jewelry for Ruyu. If word gets out that the Gu family lacks even this, we’ll lose face.”

I was speechless.

I was clearly the injured party.

The man tied to me by marriage promise returned with a pregnant woman.

Now I had to prepare clothes and jewelry for her.

If word got out, I would become Jiang City’s joke in three days.

But now was not the time to fight.

I swallowed the insult.

In Madam Gu’s hall, silence lasted a long time.

Finally, she spoke.

“Yuzhi, now that you’ve returned, your marriage should be settled.”

She turned to me.

“Nannan, our two families set your marriage since childhood. That promise will not be broken.”

“But Ruyu is carrying our Gu family’s child. We cannot wrong her either.”

“Why not bring you both into the household on the same day?”

I looked at her.

Co-wife?

She really dared say that aloud.

“If I refuse?”

Madam Gu raised her voice and slapped the table.

“Nannan, why are you so ignorant?”

“Ruyu is carrying the Gu family’s eldest son. We cannot delay.”

“She will be a concubine after all. She cannot compare to you.”

I looked at Gu Yuzhi and Liu Ruyu.

Gu Yuzhi’s expression was calm.

Liu Ruyu’s face was much more interesting.

Her eyes were full of hatred.

Of course.

Before marrying in, she had already been told she would be a concubine.

Anyone would hate it.

Then Gu Yuzhi spoke.

“Mother, Ruyu carries my child. We cannot wrong her.”

“Raise her as an equal wife. Marry her with the same ceremony.”

I lowered my head and toyed with the prayer beads in my hand.

Father had given me these before sending me to the Gu family.

He said they would protect my life.

After a long silence, Liu Ruyu suddenly grabbed my hand.

“Sister Su,” she sobbed, “I know I am wrong. If you dislike me, I accept it.”

“But the child in my belly is innocent. Please give him a chance.”

I caught her before she could fall.

Luckily, I reacted fast.

She nearly performed a perfect frame-up.

I was the one suffering loss, yet almost became the villain again.

“Miss Liu,” I said, “since Madam Gu and General Gu both like you and the child so much, I have nothing to say.”

The Gu family relaxed.

I continued,

“My Su family is not noble, but my father has only one daughter.”

“This marriage between our families can be set aside for now.”

“We will discuss it another day.”

The room went silent.

Gu Yuzhi spoke first.

“Su Nan, you don’t truly think I must marry you, do you?”

“I’ll say it here.”

“I, Gu Yuzhi, will never marry you.”

Perfect.

In my heart, I answered:

Best if you don’t.

Aloud, I said,

“A gentleman’s word cannot be chased back by four horses.”

“Then this young woman can only return and discuss dissolving the engagement with Father.”

I left quickly.

Behind my calm face, my mind raced.