I Just Like Her

I'm so tired, I don't want to talk.

Xu Weibei remained silent.

He also felt wronged.

Does his reluctance to divorce make him a heinous criminal?

The Emperor arranged the marriage without his consent; now, is the divorce being decided without his permission?

It's not that he can't live without Gu Wanning, it's just that... he doesn't want to go through the chaos of adapting to another person.

Wasn't he good enough to her?

Xu Weibei couldn't sleep and didn't want to be in the same room as Gu Wanning, so he got up and went to the outer study.

Gao Lan was so sleepy that he kept yawning, wishing he could find two small sticks to prop his eyelids open, but he still had to force himself to stay awake and keep company.

"Gao Lan."

"Yes, Your subordinate is here!" Gao Lan pinched his thigh hard, wincing in pain, but regaining some energy.

"Do you think I treated her badly?" Xu Weibei held his teacup, his gaze somewhat vacant, as he earnestly reflected on himself.

Gao Lan: "Hehe, this, this..."

"What are you chuckling about? Tell the truth!"

"It's really not very good."

For example, if someone constantly berates your father and then claims it's for your own good, would you be happy?

For example, if you haven't done anything wrong, but you have a string of "good reputations" like "keeping a concubine," "keeping a mistress," and "having an illegitimate daughter," who can bear that?

"My Marquis, during the Grand Princess's flower-viewing banquet last time, I overheard someone mocking the Madam, saying she was pitiful..."

Xu Weibei's eyes flashed with malice. "Who said that!"

He'll rip her tongue out!

It's all because of these bad people, sowing discord. Otherwise, would he and Gu Wanning be like this?

Chapter 79 I Just Like Her

"It was something a few women were talking about privately; actually, quite a few people are saying it."

The law does not punish the masses; your anger has no outlet because everyone says so.

Xu Weibei: "A bunch of idiots!"

"My Marquis, everyone has a sense of honor. When we're out in public, your wife's reputation is what you give her. You... why don't you want to reconsider?"

"What do you think of Madam?" Xu Weibei suddenly asked.

Gao Lan was so startled that his knees buckled and he almost knelt down.

It feels like his master is setting a trap for him.

If he says it's good, it's because he has ulterior motives; if he says it's bad, he's likely to incur the wrath of the love-struck, yet haphazardly loving, Marquis.

It's a lose-lose situation anyway, so let's just stay silent.

After all, being deaf is not a capital offense.

"I'm asking you a question!"

"Marquis likes you, then the Lady is my master; Marquis doesn't like you, then the Lady is my... enemy."

Calling her an "enemy" was truly against his conscience, because Gao Lan felt that the lady was a rare and precious good person.

Gao Lan had followed Xu Weibei since childhood and had seen all sorts of noble ladies.

Being proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, or possessing both talent and good looks... is nothing unusual.

Women of all shapes and sizes have improved their genes, so beauty is not a rarity; those who can't learn beauty by investing heavily in their upbringing from a young age are simply fools.

After meeting many people, you'll realize that kindness and generosity are actually the most precious qualities in a woman.

Kindness is for people; magnanimity is for actions.

How could I possibly like her?

"But the Marquis likes it without even realizing it," Gao Lan muttered under his breath.

"What did you say?"

Gao Lan decided that "honest advice is hard to swallow."

"My Marquis, ask yourself, what is the real reason you don't want a divorce? Is it because you don't want the Chief Grand Secretary Gu to be pleased, or because you're afraid of losing him? Does the thought of never seeing your wife again make you very sad?"

Xu Weibei remained silent.

But Gao Lan's words stirred up a storm in his heart.

Is that how it is?

"What is it about her that I cherish?" Xu Weibei murmured to himself.

Gu Wanning deliberately provoked him, making him angry every single day.

Am I a masochist?

Xu Weibei had never suffered so much humiliation in his entire life.

The water on the small stove was boiling, bubbling and gurgling against the kettle lid.

Gao Lan took the boiling water down and brewed tea for Xu Weibei again.

"Women are probably like water, meant to quench thirst. But for the Marquis, the lady is probably like Marquis beloved pre-Qingming Longjing tea; he can live without her, but it would lack much flavor and anticipation. Especially since the Marquis has already grown accustomed to her."

Xu Weibei didn't pick up his teacup for a long time, as if he wanted to prove something—he didn't necessarily have to drink this tea!

He could forgo the tea, but the thought of the person leaving was truly unbearable.

Is this what liking someone is?

If so, then...

It's nothing special!

He's twenty-three years old, what's wrong with liking a woman?

Can't you afford to like it?

Qin Lie can react even when his First Concubine is mentioned; he already has a lot of self-control, okay?

Like!

Go ahead and like it!

It's not like I can't afford to like it!

Who cares why I like him, or where my feelings came from? I just like him!

Then go and get it, that's all.

"Gao Lan, what do you think I should do to make her give up the idea of divorce?"

Having faced his own conscience, Xu Weibei swiftly moved on to the next stage.

So fast, it almost strained Gao Lan's back.

Gao Lan was immediately excited. "That's right, this is the Marquis!"

"Women definitely respond better to gentleness than force; they need to be pampered. And women pay a lot of attention to the little details."

"How did you know?" Xu Weibei narrowed his eyes, his gaze clearly indicating suspicion that Gao Lan was seeing other women behind his back.

Gao Lan said he was wronged.

He and the Marquis were together almost every hour of the day. Oh, only recently, after the Marquis returned to the main courtyard to sleep with his wife, did he have some time to himself. Where could he possibly find a woman?

"It's my mother," Gao Lan said honestly. "She and my father have been at odds for most of their lives. The only good things she's ever done for my father are going out once and bringing back jewelry for her, or taking her out for a day on her birthday... nothing really."