Hu Jie yearned to question why, despite Su Shen's superior abilities, they insisted on adhering so strictly to the standards of their family's status. However, she dared not voice her thoughts, fearing the consequences of her uncle's utter disappointment in her. Thus, she found herself acting like a puppet, parroting her uncle's words verbatim, a performance for the benefit of those around them, aimed at salvaging the dignity of the Shen family.
Gu Zi had discerned the Shen family's disapproval of Hu Jie's yearning for Su Shen. She noticed Hu Jie's forced apology, devoid of sincerity. However, sincerity was not the crux of the matter. The fact that Hu Jie had apologized allowed Gu Zi to magnanimously forgive her. "It's not a big deal," she said, "Congratulations, Miss Hu, on your fortunate match!"
