readytorunbook Chapter 42 She was the one who stirred his heart.
Chapter 42 She was the one who stirred his heart.
"What cousin's wife? If you give her face, she's your cousin's wife. If you don't, who knows where she came from, some country bumpkin? Just because she slept with my cousin, she's suddenly become a phoenix."
Shen Dingyang and Li Qing stared at Zhou Ran in astonishment, never expecting her to say such a thing.
Li Qing did come from the countryside, but the truth was not as bad as Zhou Ran made it out to be. She was beautiful, intelligent, and poised. He was attracted to her temperament and fell in love with her at first sight. He took the initiative to pursue her, and Li Qing was also moved by Shen Dingyang's sincerity, so they got married.
"Ranran, apologize!" Shen Dingyang said angrily.
"Cousin, why do you want me to apologize to a mere secretary? Am I still your cousin?" Zhou Ran retorted indignantly.
"You not only have to apologize to her, but also to your cousin's wife." Shen Dingyang was no longer going to indulge her. His wife was his bottom line, and he would not be polite to anyone who crossed it.
"I'll let it go." Li Qing tugged at her husband, not wanting her to cause discord between him and her cousin.
Looking at his wife, who was trying to make amends, Shen Dingyang, as her husband, couldn't bear to let her suffer even the slightest grievance.
"Zhou Ran, don't even think about leaving here until you apologize to them today," Shen Dingyang said sternly.
"Young Master, Miss is young and doesn't understand things. Please don't get angry with her," Uncle Wang said, trying to smooth things over.
“Uncle Wang, you were here too, and you know the truth. If you really want to blame me, I have nothing to say. But today, she said such hurtful things to my wife, her cousin-in-law, in front of so many relatives and friends. If we don’t show her the proper Manchu attitude, it’s probably not right.” Shen Dingyang was determined to be a fiercely protective husband.
"Cousin, I came here with good intentions to congratulate you, and you're helping outsiders bully me like this?" Zhou Ran was also seeing Shen Dingyang blushing at her for the first time, and she was frightened by his appearance. She said tearfully.
"You have to apologize even if you cry!" Shen Dingyang wasn't buying it now.
"Dingyang, I'll let it go. As long as she apologizes to Mr. Gu's secretary, that's fine." Li Qing pulled her husband again. After all, they were family and would have to see each other again in the future. They couldn't afford to fall out.
Hearing Li Qing's words, Zhou Ran became even angrier. She wouldn't even apologize to her cousin-in-law, yet she wanted her to apologize to a mere secretary.
"Don't pretend to be a good person. Who are you trying to fool with your hypocrisy? I won't apologize to you, let alone her."
Zhou Ran once again showed no mercy in criticizing her cousin-in-law, who was wholeheartedly devoted to her.
"I think you're really..." Shen Dingyang was furious. If she weren't his cousin, he would have had her thrown out.
"I think you have no choice but to apologize, otherwise I'll have your father apologize on your behalf," Gu Ye said.
Zhou Ran stared at Gu Ye in disbelief.
"Mr. Gu, she's just a lowly secretary. Why are you protecting her like this? Not only did she hurt me, but now you want me to apologize to her? Who is she anyway? How can she have such influence?" Zhou Ran was furious.
"She's someone you can't mess with. Do you understand? If you apologize obediently, I can let bygones be bygones for your father's sake." Gu Ye turned around and gave Chu Xinglan a deep look.
His people... he protects them.
"She's just a lowly secretary, what's so great about her? Is she some kind of noble princess? If so, then I'd like to see what kind of princess she really is." Zhou Ran was still being stubborn.
"She is the person I, Gu Ye, will protect, and therefore she is the most noble princess in the world!"
Gu Ye's words shocked everyone.
Everyone then realized that this seemingly insignificant secretary was actually so important to Gu Ye, no wonder he would go to such lengths to kill Miss Zhou for her sake.
Chu Xinglan looked at Gu Ye beside her in astonishment, wondering if she had misheard or misunderstood.
Is she really that important to Gu Ye?
But in her past life... she and Gu Ye didn't have such a deep relationship, did they? She was framed and her reputation was ruined, but Gu Ye didn't believe her at all.
"Mr. Gu, do you like her?" Zhou Ran stared at Gu Ye in disbelief. No, it couldn't be. How could Gu Ye like this person, this lowly secretary with no status or position?
When Zhou Ran asked that question, Chu Xinglan stared at Gu Ye with a mixture of nervousness and excitement.
Although he had proposed to her, she always felt that it was because she had a physical relationship with Gu Ye that he had no choice but to marry her. He had no love for her, only a so-called obligation. Even in their past life, when they got married, she felt that Gu Ye did not marry her because he loved her. Otherwise, knowing that she had someone else in her heart, he would not have been very upset. He had fulfilled his duties as a husband in the past. It was just that she was too foolish and too dramatic back then. She always felt that Gu Ye had hurt her and ruined her, and she was extremely indifferent to him.
"Mommy, your heart is beating so fast!" the little baby said with a smile, nestled against Chu Xinglan's chest.
Chu Xinglan was taken aback and quickly explained, "I...I was just scared by what happened earlier, and I haven't recovered yet."
"Mommy is naughty, she lied to a child." The little baby giggled.
"Okay, baby, don't talk. Mommy wants to hear what your daddy has to say." Chu Xinglan made a shushing gesture in her mind.
"Baby should also listen to what Daddy has to say." The little baby immediately quieted down.
"Do not."
Zhou Ran breathed a sigh of relief when Gu Ye said it.
Chu Xinglan's disappointment was undisguised.
As expected... Gu Ye didn't like her.
Just as Chu Xinglan was feeling sad, Gu Ye followed up with, "I love her, and as long as she's willing, I can marry her right away."
“Mr. Gu, I knew you wouldn’t like an ugly duckling!” Zhou Ran was excitedly saying this when she suddenly heard Gu Ye’s next words. Her smile froze, and she looked shocked.
Apart from Shen Dingyang and Li Qing, everyone else present was also shocked.
Shen Dingyang, after all, had a close relationship with Gu Ye. He knew that if Gu Ye didn't genuinely care about someone, why would he protect her so much? So he wasn't surprised when Gu Ye confessed his love for Chu Xinglan. Li Qing was naturally the same way. In fact, Li Qing had fallen in love with Gu Ye at first sight, but she realized that Gu Ye didn't have any romantic feelings for her, so she stopped pursuing him. Shen Dingyang also knew that Gu Ye was the object of her initial love, but he wasn't jealous. Instead, he didn't mind winning her over with his sincerity.
Seeing that Gu Ye had finally opened his heart to someone, Li Qing felt gratified and even developed a bit more affection for Chu Xinglan, whom he had fallen in love with.