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Gu Bei had no strong objections to Liu Susu marrying someone else. If she hadn't married, he would have broken off the engagement himself, and they would have gone their separate ways.
Now that she was part of another family, there was no longer any connection between them, which saved him the trouble of dealing with it.
"It’s fine," Gu Bei said. "A guest is a guest; I’ll go meet her."
By clarifying things face-to-face, he could settle past feelings and fulfill his obligations to his father, after which they wouldn’t need to interact anymore.
The butler sighed inwardly; the young master was still so kind-hearted. Even towards a fiancée who had betrayed him, he was willing to meet her. It was truly unwise of her to put him through this.
"The Second Young Mistress is in the hall. It’s no problem if she waits a little longer. Young Master, you should wash up first; I will go inform her," the butler said before leaving.
Gu Bei tidied himself up briefly, putting on his usual old clothes before heading out.
Liu Susu had been waiting in the hall for quite some time. After the butler left, there were no servants around in the general's residence. Once tea was served, they disappeared without a trace, leaving her unable to find anyone to inquire about the situation.
Just as she began to feel anxious, she finally saw the butler slowly making his way back to inform her that Gu Bei would be arriving soon.
This time, she didn’t have to wait long; without much conversation, Gu Bei soon appeared.
"Ah!" The moment Liu Susu laid eyes on Gu Bei, she noticed the prominent scar on his face and gasped, covering her mouth as a sharp scream escaped her lips.
The butler glanced at her, his displeasure becoming more evident.
Gu Bei paid it no mind. "Madam Gu, it’s been a long time."
The surprise Liu Susu felt upon seeing Gu Bei had completely faded. Hearing him address her this way made her eyes turn red instantly, tears welling up within them.
"Brother Gu Bei, please don’t call me that. You know I was forced to marry Gu Rong for a reason," Liu Susu said earnestly as she looked at Gu Bei. "We grew up together; it was you and I who were promised to each other."
The butler coughed lightly and said, "Second Young Mistress, if you have something to say, please go ahead. Our eldest young master is very busy and cannot entertain guests for long."
This mention of "Second Young Mistress" served as a reminder to Liu Susu to be mindful of her status. Since she had married Gu Rong, it was best not to bring up any past affections.
Liu Susu understood the implication, yet she did not retreat. Instead, she seized the opportunity to criticize Gu Rong.
"Brother Gu Bei, when you encountered your troubles, rumors spread in the capital that you had... I had no choice; my father forced me to marry. As a woman, what power do I have to speak up?"
Liu Susu took out a handkerchief and elegantly dabbed at the corner of her eye. "After being forced to marry Gu Rong, I have never lived a good day. Gu Rong never regarded me; he married me solely for my father's power!"
As the daughter of the Prime Minister, marrying her brought numerous benefits and significantly improved social connections. Thus, even if Liu Susu regretted her marriage and sought another, many would still be willing to marry her.
"Madam Gu, let the past remain in the past," Gu Bei said. "We were once acquainted; I should have presented you with a gift upon your marriage. However, I am currently burdened with trivial matters and must keep things simple. I hope you won't take offense."
Gu Bei's words were polite, his demeanor courteous, yet there was an air of distance about him that Liu Susu could not overlook.
Yet she had this ability: even when clearly rejected, she could still cling on without letting go.
"Brother Gu Bei, please don’t say that. Hearing you speak this way makes Liu Susu feel terrible." Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at him. "I know you are angry because I didn’t wait for you. I was wrong; I shouldn’t have let my father pressure me into marrying someone like Gu Rong without any will of my own, causing both of us to suffer."
Gu Bei found her increasingly unreasonable and interjected firmly, "Madam Gu, be cautious with your words. You are now someone else's wife; it is inappropriate for us to meet."
"I came here specifically because of the bond between my father and the Prime Minister," Liu Susu insisted. "You and I both know that our engagement has long been nullified; our lives are now separate. We need not meet again to avoid gossip that could tarnish Madam Gu's reputation."
Gu Bei was unyielding; he could not show leniency in this matter. Should he really entangle himself with a married woman?
Moreover, Gu Bei had never harbored any romantic feelings for her.
In an instant, his mind flashed with the image of Ye Xiaohan's smile. If he were ever fortunate enough to marry in the future, his bride would not be anyone else but Ye Xiaohan.
"Madam Gu, it's been long enough. It's time for you to go," Gu Bei declared, dismissing her. "See Madam Gu out."
Liu Susu never expected Gu Bei to show no mercy at all. She cried even more pitifully, "Brother Gu Bei, are you truly this heartless? Don't you care about the bond we shared growing up together? During your absence, I prayed for your safety, and now that you're back, you treat me so coldly?"
"Someone, take good care of Madam Gu. Wait until she calms down before sending her home," Gu Bei said, and without another word, he turned and went back to his room.
The butler was pleased to see the young master ignoring Liu Susu. He arranged for a maid to attend to her and kept a watchful eye nearby to prevent Liu Susu from causing any more trouble or clinging to the young master.
After crying for a while and not seeing Gu Bei return, Liu Susu realized he truly wouldn’t come back. Anger and frustration welled up inside her.
She had lowered herself to seek out Gu Bei to reminisce, thinking it would be a favor to him. Little did she know that Gu Bei would slap her in the face with his indifference, leaving her humiliated!
How dare you, Gu Bei! You are nothing but a person awaiting punishment, and I haven’t turned my back on you yet you dare to disdain me!
Wiping away her tears, Liu Susu shouted, "What are you still standing there for? Don’t you see they are busy? Get ready to return home!"
Sitting in the carriage on the way back, Liu Susu grew angrier by the minute.
It was Gu Bei who had caused trouble first years ago and disappeared without a trace. If anyone should be blamed, it should be him! Why should she bear the brunt of his anger? No way could she swallow this humiliation! It was the first time in her life she had been treated this way!
Every time she thought about it, flames of fury ignited within her. She couldn’t enjoy anything; if she was unhappy, everyone around her had to suffer too. The servants were tormented by her foul mood.
Now, Liu Susu was berating a maid for not cleaning up the dead leaves from the tree properly, which had fallen and dirtied her hair.
"You lazy girl! All you do is slack off when evening comes! What do I pay you for?" Liu Susu scolded. "Get out of my sight! I want to walk alone!"
The maids hurriedly retreated, not daring to provoke their furious mistress any further.
Once they were gone, Liu Susu snorted coldly and wandered through the back garden. She felt restless and had no interest in admiring the flowers; instead, she wanted to find some scissors and destroy all the plants in the garden just to feel a little better.
She walked over to a rockery, wanting to take a break. As she got closer, she realized there were people inside talking.
"Well, well, another lazy girl! What kind of bad luck is this house having, filled with nothing but good-for-nothings!"
Liu Susu tiptoed quietly, hoping to catch them in the act and punish them properly to set an example. She wanted to show everyone that ignoring her words and slacking off at night would not be tolerated!
However, after just a few steps, she stopped and perked up her ears to listen to the conversation inside.
To her surprise, she heard a familiar name—Gu Bei.
"Is it really true?" one of the maids asked skeptically. "Is it really the Flying Dragon General, Gu Bei, and not someone else?"
Another maid replied urgently, "How many Flying Dragon Generals could there be? There's only one! It's him!"
The first maid exclaimed in disbelief, "But you just said that the Flying Dragon General has a connection with the daughter of a commoner. How is that possible? The Flying Dragon General is of such noble status; he wouldn't marry a commoner's daughter!"
"That's not true!" another maid interjected. "Don't doubt it; this is absolutely real. I heard that woman say she met the general somewhere else and saved him. After that, they... well, they became close! This time he came to the capital and brought her along. Isn't that proof of their feelings for each other?"
"If this is true, it would make for quite a story for the scholars," the first maid said. "I already have a title in mind: The Fallen General and the Heroine Who Saved Him! Oh, by the way, since you overheard this, did you catch what that woman's name is?"
"I did! Let me think... I believe it's Ye Xiaohan!" The maid nodded confidently. "Yes, that's right! Her name is Ye Xiaohan!"
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