The Eldest Brother Awakens

Gu Wanning silently gave her older brother a thumbs up.

Although all the men in this family seemed to her to some extent mentally ill, Gu Anqi was considered to be less so and would soon be discharged from the hospital.

"Whether Gu Xiaoxiao can climb the social ladder or not depends on whether the Marquis is willing to accept her. To put it bluntly, Gu Xiaoxiao certainly made quite a bit of a show of herself when the Prince and the Marquis came. But did the Marquis even glance at her?"

When the brother-in-law comes to visit, the younger sister of marriageable age is required to avoid the house.

Who's as foolish as Gu Xiaoxiao, whose ambition is practically written all over her face, always ready to steal her own sister's boyfriend?

"In my opinion, the reason why the Marquis's relationship with us has improved so much is entirely because of Gu Wanning. Father thinks that divorce hurts the Marquis's pride, but the Marquis himself may not think so."

Gu Wanning: "No, divorce isn't a game."

Brother, please don't drag me into this! Are you trying to tie me to Xu Weibei?

"But Gu Wanning and him simply can't get along. Xiaoxiao is willing, and we can also ask the Marquis about his attitude; it all comes down to mutual consent. If neither of us is willing, there's nothing to lose..."

"Gu Wanning, please go out first," Gu Anqi said. "I have something to discuss with Father."

"Oh."

Gu Wanning appeared calm on the surface, but in her heart she was thinking, "Big brother, give him a piece of your mind!"

It's a disaster when a man can't lift a finger at home.

She went out the door but didn't leave. Instead, she went around to the window and crouched down to eavesdrop.

"Father, you've handled this matter terribly." Gu Anqi's tone was sharp, a stark contrast to his former gentle and refined manner. "You are first and foremost Gu Wanning's father, and only then Gu Xiaoxiao's uncle. Even if Gu Wanning doesn't care about the Marquis at all, you shouldn't have interfered in Marquis new marriage. Besides—"

"The Marquis has repeatedly shown you tolerance and cooperation, but whose face are you really giving him? Don't you know that by now?"

"You mean, Lord Marquis, you still can't forget Wan Ning?"

"Yes," Gu Anqi said. "Believe it or not, if you send someone to ask him now if he's willing to marry Gu Xiaoxiao, the next thing he'll come to tear down is the Gu family's door?"

Gu Wanning: "..."

Gu Yuanshi also fell silent.

"Father, our relationship with the Marquis is still acceptable. We shouldn't provoke Marquis and make things worse. Besides, the Marquis originally had a chance to reconcile with Gu Wanning. Are you sure you want to ruin Gu Wanning's happiness for Gu Xiaoxiao's sake?"

Gu Wanning: I really don't have that!

I simply feel that Xu Weibei is already pitiful enough; please don't add to his misery.

It's impossible for her and him to get back together.

It's never been rounded up...

As a friend and comrade-in-arms, she could help Xu Weibei take care of his home and his children.

But as a lover... sorry, she's a germaphobe. She'll be consumed by his past affairs, and she's tired of the struggles between women. She doesn't want to be assimilated by this era, and gradually realizes that although he has other women, he's also very good to her.

Whenever she thought about becoming a kind and virtuous "first wife," Gu Wanning wanted to slap herself twice to remind herself to stay awake.

She wants to live up to the education she received and to the countless efforts her predecessors made to help her stand up and to fight for gender equality.

Without someone as powerful as Xu Weibei, she might not have lived such a wealthy life.

For example, she couldn't afford an alpaca that Fifty Thousand Taels.

But she can still eat on her own, and her heart is at peace and filled with happiness.

She thought her older brother understood her.

But in reality, neither her father nor her brothers understood what she truly wanted.

But that's okay, there's no such thing as true empathy between people anyway.

She appreciated her elder brother's intention to protect her.

That muddle-headed dad of mine, let him stay muddle-headed, speechless.

"Father, nobody's a fool. It's not that I'm unwilling to help my own cousin, but with Gu Xiaoxiao's character, are you sure you want her to marry into the family and ruin three generations? Her virtue doesn't match her position; disaster is inevitable!"

Chapter 186 The Awakening of the Eldest Brother

Gu Yuanshi frowned and said, "An Qi, you shouldn't have said such harsh words. Xiaoxiao is also your sister."

"Father, Wanqing is my sister, Xiaoxiao is my sister. But Gu Wanning is my only biological sister," Gu Anqi said. "To be honest, I only recently realized this myself. Everything that Gu Wanning should have had was taken away by others, and she has already behaved very well."

"We didn't abandon her; we've brought her back now..."

"But Father, why won't she live with us? Why is there a distance and estrangement between us? Because she has never considered us as family she can rely on! In her eyes, we are unreliable!"

Gu Wanning bit her lip.

"Now that relations have finally improved somewhat, Father, you want to give Gu Xiaoxiao to the Marquis again. If this could give you your wish, I would grit my teeth and say nothing. But that's impossible. What you're doing will only earn you the Marquis's anger and my sister's estrangement. I don't know what will become of Gu Xiaoxiao, but I dare say it today: she dares to ruin the relationship between Gu Wanning and the Marquis will not let her off."

"So you mean, Gu Wanning and the Marquis can rekindle their romance?"

"I don't know if my sister has agreed, but the Marquis certainly thought that way, and that's what he did."

Gu Anqi closed his eyes, concealing the weariness within them.

My father was an honest and good official who cared deeply for the country, but he always carried an unrealistic idealism with him.

He believed that the reform would definitely succeed, and that the support others gave him was entirely due to their recognition of his personal charisma and abilities.

No!

Xu Weibei's support was largely due to Gu Wanning.

It was through Gu Wanning that he was willing to calmly understand and support the reform.

The tremendous support provided by Xu Weibei was crucial in taking the first step of the reform.

Gu Anqi could swear on his life that Gu Wanning was definitely involved in this.