Mayor Jiang stormed out of the room, leaving behind the weight of his furious words. The door slammed shut, and Wei Aihua, standing alone, felt a wave of helplessness wash over her. Tears welled up in her eyes as she began to cry bitterly. It wasn't fair. Everything had been perfect before Gu Nuannuan entered their lives. Now, because of her, her husband was enraged, and the cracks in her marriage were beginning to show.
"It's all her fault!" Wei Aihua muttered under her breath, her heart burning with resentment. If it weren't for Gu Nuannuan, none of this would have happened. Her husband wouldn't have been so angry, and her authority in the family wouldn't be questioned. This was all Nuannuan's doing, and for that, Wei Aihua vowed she wouldn't go easy on her from now on.
Meanwhile, downstairs, Gu Nuannuan waited at the dining table, her mind swirling with confusion and worry about Jiang Chenyu's whereabouts. She had been expecting her husband to return, but the person who arrived wasn't him—it was someone she had never seen before.
When Gao Rouer entered, her presence immediately created tension in the room. Gu Nuannuan looked at Jiang Lao, her eyes questioning. Who was this woman?
Jiang Lao's face darkened at the sight of Gao Rouer, but he maintained a level of politeness, unable to outright dismiss her due to the long-standing relationship between the Gao family and the Jiang family. "Why are you here, Rouer? Please, have a seat," he said tersely.
Gao Rouer smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. Her gaze shifted quickly to Gu Nuannuan, sizing her up. It didn't take long for her to realize that this unfamiliar face was Jiang Chenyu's new wife. She swallowed her resentment, forcing a warm expression as she sat down.
"Uncle, I'm here to see my sister-in-law," Gao Rouer replied, her voice laced with false sweetness.
Jiang Lao frowned but nodded toward Gu Nuannuan. "Nuannuan, why don't you go upstairs and call Aihua for Rouer?"
It was a subtle message, one not lost on either Gu Nuannuan or Gao Rouer. By asking Gu Nuannuan to fetch Wei Aihua, Jiang Lao was making it clear that Gu Nuannuan was now part of the Jiang family. She belonged, and Gao Rouer did not.
Gu Nuannuan, quick to understand the underlying meaning, smiled softly. "Yes, Dad. I'll go get her right away."
The use of "Dad" brought a look of approval from Jiang Lao, and he smiled warmly at her, nodding in satisfaction. It was clear to him that Gu Nuannuan was catching on quickly to the dynamics of the household.
Upstairs, Gu Nuannuan found Wei Aihua still wiping away the remnants of her earlier tears. Her eyes were red and puffy, but Gu Nuannuan decided not to comment on it. "Sister-in-law, Miss Gao is downstairs waiting for you," she said simply.
Wei Aihua's expression changed instantly upon hearing Gao Rouer's name. Her eyes gleamed with a newfound sense of purpose, and a trace of malice flashed in them as she glanced at Gu Nuannuan. The thought of Rouer gave her the ammunition she needed.
"Ah, it's Rouer," she said, her voice suddenly turning saccharine. "She's probably here looking for Chenyu. They were so close… once. But, oh well, Chenyu's married now. I suppose some things just can't be forgotten."
The implication of her words hit Gu Nuannuan hard. So this was the infamous Gao Rouer, her husband's former lover. The pieces fell into place in Gu Nuannuan's mind, and she suddenly understood why Jiang Lao had asked her to fetch Wei Aihua. It wasn't just a simple request; it was his way of showing Gao Rouer her place—that Gu Nuannuan was now Jiang Chenyu's wife, not her.
Despite the realization, Gu Nuannuan remained calm. She remembered Wei Aihua's snide remarks earlier at breakfast and decided to retaliate in kind. With a sweet, innocent smile, she replied, "Yes, sister-in-law. Everyone has unforgettable experiences, but sometimes, it's simply a matter of fate." Her words, though polite on the surface, dripped with meaning.
For the first time, Gu Nuannuan had managed to turn the tables. She saw the flash of anger in Wei Aihua's eyes, and a quiet sense of satisfaction filled her. In this first round, Gu Nuannuan had won.
Wei Aihua, her pride wounded, said nothing more and swept past Gu Nuannuan with a scowl. When she descended the stairs and saw Gao Rouer waiting, she immediately seized the opportunity to stir up more trouble. "Rouer," she began, her voice deceptively sweet, "are you here to see Chenyu? He didn't come home last night, you know."
The words were a deliberate attempt to embarrass Gu Nuannuan in front of the entire family. Wei Aihua knew her father-in-law wouldn't be pleased with her question, but she was too focused on winning this petty battle.
Gao Rouer, fully understanding the game being played, stood up and answered without hesitation. "I know Chenyu wasn't home last night. We were together at Yenan Villa."
The moment the words left her lips, the air in the room thickened. Silence descended, so heavy that the faintest sound would have echoed like a thunderclap. Gao Rouer had openly declared her claim over Jiang Chenyu, making it clear that although Gu Nuannuan had married him, it was she who had spent the wedding night by his side.
Gu Nuannuan remained quiet, her expression unchanging. But Jiang Lao's face darkened with barely contained anger. Wei Aihua, on the other hand, couldn't hide her triumph. "Oh? You were together last night? How come you didn't come back together today?" she asked, feigning innocence as she held Gao Rouer's hand affectionately.
The atmosphere in the room became even more charged. Mr. Jiang might not have known the specifics of the previous night, but from Gao Rouer's words, the insinuation was clear to everyone. She had been the one with Jiang Chenyu while his new bride waited alone.