The tension between Jiang Chenyu and Gu Nuannuan simmered in the air as they changed into formal attire, preparing to pay their respects to Jiang Chenyu's late mother. The verbal exchange between the two had exposed cracks in their forced relationship, with Gu Nuannuan finally showing that she wasn't just a passive victim in this chaotic household. She had bite, and it surprised Jiang Chenyu.
Jiang Chenyu stood by the door, his posture exuding authority and control, while Gu Nuannuan tied the sash around her formal wear, her back stiff with defiance. She wasn't going to let him see her fear, not now, not ever.
"Let's get this over with," Gu Nuannuan muttered under her breath as she turned to face him, her chin held high in a gesture of pride.
Jiang Chenyu smirked, his eyes narrowing. "Don't worry, it won't take long. I have no interest in dragging this out any more than you do."
The two descended the stairs, their footsteps echoing in the quiet house. Mr. Jiang was waiting for them in the foyer, his expression unreadable, though a tension clung to the air that neither of them could ignore. Gu Nuannuan noticed the way the servants cast nervous glances at Jiang Chenyu. He clearly ruled this household with an iron fist, and everyone feared his wrath.
Before they left for the temple, Mr. Jiang approached them, his gaze softening slightly as he addressed Gu Nuannuan. "Today is a day for respect and remembrance. No matter what happens in this house, the rituals for your mother-in-law are sacred."
Gu Nuannuan nodded, momentarily letting down her guard. "I understand, Dad."
Jiang Chenyu, however, remained silent, his face a mask of cold indifference. The exchange between him and Gu Nuannuan from earlier had shifted something in their dynamic. She could feel it — a shift from disdain to acknowledgment, though not in any positive sense. It was as if he had started to see her as a challenge, someone to contend with rather than a nuisance to ignore.
As the car sped toward the temple, the silence between them grew heavier. Gu Nuannuan stared out the window, her thoughts racing. She knew the Jiang family was complicated, but she hadn't expected it to be this convoluted. The fact that Gao Rouer, her husband's ex-lover, had tried to humiliate her in front of the entire family didn't sit well with her. Worse, Jiang Chenyu hadn't even bothered to defend her.
But then again, why should he? Their marriage was nothing but a transaction, a means to an end. It was clear he didn't care about her or the marriage, and maybe that was for the best.
They arrived at the temple, and the solemn atmosphere inside the shrine seemed to press down on Gu Nuannuan's shoulders. As they lit the incense sticks and knelt before the altar, the gravity of the moment hit her. She wasn't just going through the motions. This was an important tradition, a connection to the Jiang family's lineage. Despite all the chaos and confusion, she realized that she was now a part of that legacy.
Jiang Chenyu, for the first time since they had left the house, looked at her with something other than disdain. As they both knelt before the altar, he seemed to relax, if only slightly. "This is important to my family," he said quietly, his voice lacking its usual edge.
Gu Nuannuan glanced at him, surprised by the shift in his tone. "I know. That's why I'm taking it seriously."
For a moment, there was a truce. The incense smoke curled around them, and the weight of tradition held their animosity at bay. But as soon as the ritual was over, the tension returned.
On the way back to the Jiang estate, the conversation shifted back to its usual cold detachment. Gu Nuannuan spoke first, her tone neutral but laced with quiet determination. "If you don't like me, why did you agree to this marriage in the first place?"
Jiang Chenyu's jaw tightened. "It wasn't my choice."
"Then whose choice was it?" Gu Nuannuan pressed, her curiosity piqued.
"My father's." His response was clipped, leaving no room for further inquiry.
Gu Nuannuan frowned. "So, you're punishing me for something I had no say in, just like you?"
Jiang Chenyu didn't respond immediately. His eyes were fixed out the window, but the muscles in his jaw betrayed his internal conflict. "Punishment?" he repeated, as if the word tasted foreign to him. "I don't need to punish you. This marriage is punishment enough for both of us."
Gu Nuannuan sighed, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over her. "Maybe you're right."
As the car pulled into the driveway of the Jiang estate, the brief moment of understanding between them vanished as quickly as it had appeared. They were back in the lion's den, and Gu Nuannuan knew that whatever truce they had during the temple visit was just a fleeting illusion.
Inside, the house was quieter now that Gao Rouer had been sent away, but the storm brewing between Gu Nuannuan and Jiang Chenyu was far from over. As she climbed the stairs to her room, she knew she had to stay sharp. The Jiang family was full of traps, and if she wasn't careful, she would get caught in one.
But Gu Nuannuan wasn't someone who took defeat lying down. If this family thought they could control her, they were sorely mistaken.
As she reached her room, she closed the door behind her and leaned against it, her mind racing with plans. Jiang Chenyu had his secrets, but so did she. And in this game of power and survival, she wasn't going to be the one who lost.