Chapter 14: Surprise or Shock

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At the Elegant Residence, a dark plaque hung above the brown wooden lintel, with several large gilded characters boldly inscribed upon it.

Gu Xinyao mechanically stepped down from the car and mechanically stared at the plaque, her mind endlessly replaying the doctor’s words.

“Don’t ever dream of having a child of your own in this lifetime.” She had once fantasized about what it would be like to have a child with Du Gu Yi.

If it were a boy, he must look like him—long eyelashes, a straight nose, rosy lips—and as long as the ears resembled her own, that would be enough. If a girl, she hoped the child would inherit the best qualities of both herself and Du Gu Yi, destined to be a little beauty.

But all these dreams dissolved like bubbles with the appearance of a medical report. Should she still cling to her feelings and pursue Du Gu Yi? Could she still bring him happiness?

“This place belongs to the Du Gu family, but no one really believes in it. When I’m down, I often come here to clear my mind,” Du Gu Yi said beside Gu Xinyao, his voice tinged with awkwardness.

He hadn’t intended to eavesdrop on her conversation with the doctor, but the symptoms she described seemed to match one particular condition. Unable to resist, he had turned back, only to be met with such a result.

Gu Xinyao did not hear what he said, her thoughts fully consumed by what she must do next, and how.

“Let’s go inside,” Du Gu Yi said again, seeing no response from her. He thought she might be upset or angry. Gritting his teeth, he persisted with the invitation.

Gu Xinyao remained expressionless, her eyes blankly fixed on the plaque above the door.

Du Gu Yi felt uneasy being treated so coldly. He swallowed his pride, hoping to ease her pain, but her repeated indifference made him feel painfully one-sided, ashamed and embarrassed.

“If you don’t want to come with me, I’ll take you back,” he said, his voice cooling. Despite his resilience, he wasn’t thick-skinned enough to endure being ignored by a woman endlessly.

Gu Xinyao briefly pulled herself out of the fog of despair and only heard that he wanted to send her back. Back? Back where?

She had no home here, no family, no friends. Though temporarily staying with Qin Rou, it wasn’t truly her home, and at this moment, she didn’t want to see the pity in Qin Rou and her husband’s eyes.

So where could she go? Back to the modern world? Could she return? Would she be able to? And if she did, what would she do?

These questions overwhelmed her numb nerves, and the long-suppressed pressure finally burst forth. She crouched down and sobbed loudly.

Du Gu Yi was startled by her sudden outburst, his body trembling, but her next actions left him even more helpless.

“Why me?” Gu Xinyao cried out, the shout seeming to exhaust all her strength—not a hoarse scream, but a despair toward life and helplessness toward fate.

Hearing her question, Du Gu Yi’s heart ached bitterly. He was not as carefree as he appeared; often, he too longed to cry without restraint but had nowhere to do so. Whenever unhappy, all he could do was be alone in silence.

The woman before him was so sad and hopeless. Once, she had been so spirited, so resolute in telling him, “I won’t give up on you.” At the time, he thought it was like others’ words—empty promises soon forgotten. But now, seeing her so helpless in tears, he realized she was still a child, evoking an impulse to hold her tightly and comfort her.

The next moment, he did just that.

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“Cry if you want,” he whispered, gently embracing her, softly patting her back, and murmuring in her ear.

Gu Xinyao felt herself enveloped in a steady, warm embrace that gave her a sense of security she had never known.

At this moment, she refused to think about children, fertility, or fairness. She buried her face in his chest, crying and shouting as if to release everything. Even if she soaked his clothes, she didn’t care about the consequences.

The Elegant Residence was never a tourist spot but a secret sanctuary Du Gu Yi had built for healing. His willingness to bring her here already spoke volumes, though neither of them dwelled on the reasons at that moment.

The sun slowly tilted westward as Gu Xinyao mourned. The doors of the Elegant Residence remained wide open. There were no staff—everything was personally restored by Du Gu Yi.

Inside, the residence boasted the most beautiful lake, the coziest pavilion, and rooms that radiated warmth and comfort.

Yet, neither of them had the heart to step inside.

Gu Xinyao lost track of how long she cried. Since losing her parents, she had never allowed herself such a raw, unrestrained release.

She thought she would never have such a moment of vulnerability in her life, let alone expose such an ugly side before the one she cared about most. Seeing her like this, he might truly find her unbearable. But then again, he had never promised to accept her. Her efforts had not yet reached their end; they both still had chances to reconsider.

She rose from his embrace, wiped her swollen eyes, and forced a painfully ugly smile. “Sorry for dirtying your clothes.” She glanced at the obvious wet patch on his shirt, feeling embarrassed. She had promised not to give up on him, but for his sake, she had to let go.

He always said he didn’t want to marry, but don’t men all desire offspring? Even if it was him who had to conceive, he must have hoped for a child; otherwise, why would he so eagerly undergo tests?

Perhaps it was better that they learned this terrible news while still having nothing between them. It was easier to accept now than to find out later and blame her.

Knowing him was an honor and a comfort. At least she had a beautiful memory. At least she knew he was kind, willing to stay by her side and console her after such a blow.

She told herself this to prevent any false hopes.

Du Gu Yi looked at her swollen face, a flicker of disagreement flashing in his eyes. Hearing her words, he glanced down at his shirt, confirming the damage, but he cared little for the clothes.

He looked up at her, his gaze filled with something unfathomable—deep resolve or fearless determination. She could not tell.

They crouched there, gazing into each other’s eyes, as if the world no longer existed beyond them.

“Let’s get married,” his lips moved several times.

Gu Xinyao stared at his lips, unconsciously mouthing his words. When she fully grasped what he said, she suddenly sank to the ground, perhaps from sitting too long or the shock of the news.

Du Gu Yi laughed at her reaction—a joyful laugh. Unconcerned, he sat down beside her. Fortunately, the ground before the Elegant Residence was paved with wood; otherwise, sitting there would have been quite cold.

“Ma-married?” Gu Xinyao stammered, barely recovering from her pain, only to be hit by another thunderous announcement. Could it be that in her past life, she had done good deeds, so after endless misfortune, good luck finally arrived?

“Yes, married! I think your reaction must be because you’re happy, right? I originally didn’t want to marry, but after what happened, my family is forcing me to marry Duan Mu Feng. I don’t want to. To be honest, I know Duan Mu Feng too well. I don’t have the urge to grit my teeth and make the sacrifice. She might not even truly marry me. Rather than enter a marriage of convenience, why not try an accidental marriage?” Du Gu Yi paused and covered his mouth to cough. Sharing this much was already his limit. Usually, he had no need to explain to someone barely familiar, but today was different. She was different.

“Accidental?” Gu Xinyao was still dizzy, even forgetting the earlier bad news.

“Yes, accidental. One reason I don’t want to marry is the fear that having children would rob me of my freedom. Now that you can’t conceive, I don’t have to endure pregnancy, so this might be good. I think we can get along well. We’ll definitely be the best couple in the future,” Du Gu Yi continued, painting a beautiful vision that naturally stirred hope.

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Gu Xinyao still felt something was off but couldn’t quite figure it out. She worried that Du Gu Yi might resent her for being unable to have children, but now that seemed unlikely. Yet, she felt an emptiness in her chest.

“What if your family disagrees?” She suddenly remembered his noble background. Even if he didn’t care, could his family overlook such a matter?

“No, they won’t. Would you do anything for me if you liked me?” Du Gu Yi’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Gu Xinyao, filled with hope.

She had never seen his eyes so bright, especially when they were fixed on her. She instinctively nodded.

“I would. I will. No, I’m willing. I’m willing to do anything for you.”

Du Gu Yi smiled contentedly, grabbed her hand, and stood up. They had been so engrossed in conversation, they forgot about their awkward sitting posture. Rising, they staggered slightly; without holding each other, they might have fallen back down.

“Heh, thank you,” Du Gu Yi whispered in her ear as she leaned slightly toward him.

Gu Xinyao didn’t know what he meant but felt a lightness in her body and an unreal sensation at the thought of being with him.

She wasn’t a sentimental person, but in this unfamiliar time and place, his willingness to be by her side—no matter his motives—made her very happy. She didn’t want to spend the rest of her life alone and vulnerable. So, she accepted his proposal.

As evening fell, Gu Xinyao and Du Gu Yi sat side by side on the railing of the Elegant Residence’s pavilion. They said nothing but leaned on each other, as if that alone spoke volumes.

A shooting star streaked across the sky. Gu Xinyao quickly closed her eyes and silently made a wish.

Du Gu Yi glanced at her, finding her foolishly closing her eyes, and couldn’t help but smile. She really was a simple soul, still believing in wishes.

But he didn’t want to shatter her illusion and turned his gaze back to the sky.

There was no moon, only twinkling stars, like countless eyes watching over the world.

When Gu Xinyao opened her eyes after wishing, she saw Du Gu Yi’s profile. He was truly handsome, she thought, then smiled warmly at the thought that they would marry. Her earlier resentment over fertility faded knowing he didn’t mind.

She gently tilted her head but hesitated to rest it on his shoulder, afraid he might not be used to sudden closeness.

“If you want to lean, then lean,” Du Gu Yi softly said, easing her tension.

She rested her head on his shoulder and smiled. She felt that as long as she could spend her life leaning on him, that would be a truly beautiful thing. Perhaps this was what happiness meant.