Chapter 296: Entanglement
Gu Jinzhao waited for two full hours.
The sky had already darkened.
Though it wasn't snowing, the northern wind cut sharply against her cheeks. Having stood for so long, Gu Jinzhao gradually lost feeling in her hands and feet.
She rose from the stool again and paced to warm herself.
The lanterns in the outer courtyard were lit, and Shuyan emerged anxiously with a candlestick, only to be shooed back inside by Caifu.
When would he finally return?
Gu Jinzhao couldn’t help but wonder. It wasn’t that she couldn’t endure the cold—she was worried about the child. If she felt any discomfort, she couldn’t wait any longer. Fortunately, the child was being well-behaved. Normally, it would kick her mischievously, but today it remained quiet.
The longer she waited, the colder she grew. Seeing her face pale, Caifu hurried to fetch a hand warmer, but Gu Jinzhao shook her head and refused. This level of cold was nothing. Back when she had been imprisoned, there hadn’t even been charcoal in winter, leaving her with only cold meals and tea—yet she had endured it. She had curled up in piles of dry straw and ashes to sleep. Though it had been wretched, it had kept her warm...
The guards on duty had changed shifts twice. Gu Jinzhao alternated between standing and sitting, shifting restlessly.
Her patience was wearing thin.
Soon, a strong wind rose, and the surroundings grew even colder. Caifu fretted, "...It might snow soon. Shouldn’t we wait inside instead?"
"If he doesn’t want to see me, he’ll avoid me," Gu Jinzhao replied, shaking her head. "Go find an umbrella."
Caifu had no choice but to retrieve an oiled paper umbrella.
It was then that Gu Jinzhao spotted figures approaching in the distance. She quickly stood up and confirmed it was Third Master Chen, followed by several others.
Chen Yanyun also noticed Gu Jinzhao and frowned, quickening his steps.
She saw that he was still wearing the same straight robe from yesterday, draped in an overcoat, his expression stern as he fixed his gaze on her.
"What are you doing here? This is reckless!" Chen Yanyun’s tone was steady, but his expression was severe. "It’s freezing out here, and you didn’t even bring a hand warmer—go back inside. It’s about to snow."
With that, he headed toward the study as if intending to ignore her.
Gu Jinzhao grabbed his hand. "I have something to say to you. I can’t leave!"
Jiang Yan and the others trailing behind Chen Yanyun exchanged startled glances but didn’t dare speak.
Just like the night before, Chen Yanyun pried her fingers away and strode forward, his demeanor cold.
Gu Jinzhao clutched his sleeve again, but he pulled free. "Go back first! Don’t be stubborn."
The bitterness in her heart was unbearable. She was indeed being stubborn—but she didn’t want to be! If Chen Yanyun refused to see her, what else could she do? She had come to intercept him, to speak to him properly. She would swallow her shame if she had to!
She didn’t want things to remain strained between them...
Gu Jinzhao gripped his hand tightly, tears spilling the moment she opened her mouth. "I am stubborn! I’ve always been stubborn. Will you listen to what this stubborn person has to say? Will you hear me out?"
Third Master Chen froze, his hand pausing mid-motion.
Once the tears started, they wouldn’t stop. Gu Jinzhao continued, "You left so easily! How long have I waited for you—you didn’t come back last night. You didn’t even tell Mother, and she asked me where you were! What was I supposed to say? Why don’t you tell me—where did you go last night?""You want me to let go, so I won't! I just want to make things clear..." Gu Jinzhao not only held his hand but also grabbed his sleeve, acting like a petulant child. "How can you just send me away?"
Tears blurred her vision, and even when she looked up, she couldn't clearly see Chen Yanyun's expression.
Suddenly, he pulled her up and headed straight for the study. Gu Jinzhao stumbled along, unable to keep up with his pace. She wanted to ask him to slow down, but he ignored her, dragging her through the study door before slamming it shut behind them.
"Fine, if you won’t leave, then stay! I don’t really want you to go either." He reached to untie his overcoat and tossed it onto the golden phoebe wood table nearby.
Gu Jinzhao suddenly felt uneasy.
"I told you... don’t provoke me, don’t speak to me. Did you take my words as empty air?" Chen Yanyun said slowly. "When I’m angry, I can’t control myself very well. Why didn’t you listen to me?"
Her legs felt weak—Third Master Chen truly seemed frightening like this.
When Chen Yanyun reached for her, Gu Jinzhao instinctively tried to evade.
"Why are you dodging now?" He effortlessly clamped an arm around her waist and pulled her toward the wormwood. Gu Jinzhao fell onto it, unable to get up before his leg pinned her down. With one knee pressing her into place, she couldn’t move at all, while his hands busied themselves loosening his belt. "You made me angry again today... and you’re pregnant! What were you doing waiting for me here? Your hands are freezing—how long have you been waiting?"
"Only two hours... What else could I do? You refused to see me!" she retorted, so furious she even dropped the formal address.
"When did I say I wouldn’t see you? I just needed to cool off—you should’ve waited!" Chen Yanyun laughed in exasperation. "Well done, Gu Jinzhao. I never realized you were so imaginative!"
Now clad only in his inner robe, he took her hand. "Let me warm you up..."
The moment her fingers touched his scorching skin, he tugged them lower.
Her face burned crimson, and she nearly cursed him for his shamelessness—since when was this a way to warm up? Struggling to pull away, she protested, "Chen Yanyun, I came here to explain, don’t you—"
"That’s better." Hearing his full name from her lips was inexplicably alluring.
Leaning down, he kissed her until her icy cheeks flushed with heat. "Your explanations won’t do. I’ll ask, and you’ll answer."
Interrogation was his forte—he knew exactly where to press.
With her hands pinned and the scorching heat pressing against her thigh, more intense than usual...
"What did he say to you that day?" His voice was rough against her ear.
"It was just a small favor Yu Wanxue asked of me. I agreed without thinking much of it, but then Seventh Young Master suddenly lashed out... Yuzhu closed the door to avoid misunderstandings. Xiuqu panicked outside because she didn’t understand the situation—that’s all," Gu Jinzhao replied.
"Skirting the issue. What did you say to him?" His voice softened. "If you don’t answer properly, I’ll have to punish you."
She sighed. "I didn’t say anything. It was Chen Xuanqing... I didn’t expect him to suddenly say those things either."
Chen Yanyun chuckled again. "One last time—no evasions. What did he say? Why did he hold your hand?"At the same time, he gave her a light spank on the bottom.
Gu Jinzhao blushed furiously but had no choice but to repeat the general events once more.
His fingers slipped beneath her collar, suddenly grasping the peak.
Gu Jinzhao shuddered and snapped, "I've already explained everything!"
He leaned down to kiss her, murmuring softly, "This isn't punishment."
Taking advantage of her weakened resistance, he pulled her into the whirlpool of desire.
Only then did Gu Jinzhao realize how much restraint Chen Yanyun usually showed during their intimate moments. When he abandoned that restraint, she truly couldn't withstand it. After just one round, her waist and knees ached, her entire body drenched in sweat. When she tried to close her legs, he held her down again, making her slightly fearful: "Third Lord, really, no more..." He kissed her between ragged breaths, his voice still composed: "Just this once."
By the time it was over, Gu Jinzhao lay limp in his arms, without even the strength to lift a finger. Chen Yanyun finally pulled her close to rest, though had she not been pregnant, he wouldn't have stopped so easily. It was rare for him to lose control, but when he did, he became rather uncharacteristic.
"Now it's your turn to speak," Chen Yanyun said, letting her lean against his chest. "I've finished my questions—you talk."
Gu Jinzhao turned and wrapped her arms around his waist, noticing how he gazed down at her, his eyes now filled with tenderness.
They had truly gone too far earlier. In her anger, she had even called him by his full name. And he hadn't held back either, mocking her in return.
Gu Jinzhao smiled faintly, feeling strangely at peace. "In ordinary households, when a strong-willed woman argues with her husband, she calls him by his full name. Some men even become afraid of their wives because of it... nothing like the mutual respect between refined couples."
Chen Yanyun recalled how she had shouted "Chen Yanyun" earlier and couldn't resist kissing her again. "You can call me that in private. But I won't be afraid of you. A wife must submit to her husband—you should listen to me."
Gu Jinzhao turned her face away, refusing his kiss, and spoke seriously, "...Let me tell you about the past."
Chen Yanyun hummed in acknowledgment.
They lay entwined, skin against skin, the candlelight casting a dim glow.
Gu Jinzhao truly felt as though she had returned to her youth, recalling her reckless past.
"I first saw him in Third Uncle's study. I thought he was a scoundrel, so I bit him. The scar on Chen Xuanqing's left hand is from me... I was young then and just felt a bit of affection for him. Besides, he didn't like me anyway."
"You know how it is—people always want what they can't have. The more he ignored me, the more I seemed to like him. He even humiliated me back then, but I was shameless and bold."
She rested her head against his chest, unable to see his expression. Assuming he was quietly listening without responding, she lifted her head to look at him, but he pressed it back down. "Just keep talking. I'm listening."
He didn’t want her to see his face—afraid it might frighten her.
Though these stories pained him, he needed to hear her finish.
So Gu Jinzhao continued, "Later, my mother fell ill. That year, I matured a lot and finally grew up. I stopped bothering him after that. When my mother passed, I was heartbroken and followed my father back to our ancestral home in Daxing. Then I met you... I’ve always felt I didn’t deserve you." Gu Jinzhao smiled faintly—she truly believed it."You are the Grand Secretary of the Dongge Hall, while I am merely the motherless eldest daughter of a minor family. I was quite surprised when you came to propose. Moreover, with the prior matter involving Chen Xuanqing, I was very hesitant. It wasn’t until after I married into your family... I wanted to distance myself from Chen Xuanqing and rarely saw him. I just never expected Chen Xuanqing to... Though it’s not entirely his fault—he’s just a bit stubborn."
Gu Jinzhao had also pondered Chen Xuanqing’s actions. She felt he was simply unwilling to accept defeat. When something that once clung to you suddenly lets go, it’s only natural to feel unsettled. Someone needed to guide him through it.
After a long silence without a response from Chen Yanyun, Gu Jinzhao looked up. "Third Master, do you not wish to hear this?"
After a pause, Chen Yanyun gently tucked her hair aside. "I’m listening. I understand now. Let me handle this matter—you needn’t worry about it anymore."
As he stood to dress, Gu Jinzhao quickly grabbed his sleeve. "It’s so late—where are you going?"
He smiled helplessly, fastening the ties of his Straight Robe.
"Surely you didn’t think I brought so many people back just for leisure? I’ve been busy these past few days. Last night, I didn’t return because I was working. Tonight, I was supposed to discuss matters with my advisors and planned to talk to you afterward... but you insisted on holding me back."
Recalling what had just happened, Gu Jinzhao flushed with embarrassment. She withdrew her hand with a soft "Oh." She had truly thrown caution to the wind earlier, clinging to him like that.
...How was she to know Chen Yanyun had pressing matters to attend to? She had assumed he simply refused to see her!
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