Chapter 281: A Narrow Encounter

When Gu Baozhu spoke those words, she couldn’t hold back anymore and burst into tears. A warm, calloused hand cupped her face, carefully wiping away the tears on her cheeks.

Through her tear-filled eyes, she saw Gu Qingsong’s reddened eyes. Regret seemed to be etched deep into his heart, revealing such a pained expression.

“Baozhu, I’m sorry. Father didn’t know… If only I had come to find you sooner…”

Hearing Gu Baozhu speak of the past filled him with unbearable guilt, making him feel utterly ashamed. Any explanation now felt meaningless and hollow.

She said she didn’t want a father because the father she had longed for since childhood had disappointed her too deeply.

“These things were caused by my negligence, but that doesn’t absolve me of my responsibility. I have no right to ask you to accept me.”

Gu Baozhu fell into the broad, warm embrace, her hands hanging limply at her sides, making no move to return Gu Qingsong’s hug.

This embrace was something she had imagined countless times, yet now that it had finally come true, there was no joy in getting what she had wished for—only a heart full of sorrow.

Gu Baozhu didn’t want to forgive Gu Qingsong. The reason she said those words was to make him understand that while he was living a good life, his wife and child were suffering here. She wanted him to feel guilty—if he had any conscience, he would stop disturbing them and refrain from doing anything that would hurt her mother.

But after saying everything, seeing Gu Qingsong truly in pain and filled with regret, Gu Baozhu didn’t feel happy at all. Because only if Gu Qingsong truly cared about them could her words hurt him.

Gu Baozhu would rather Gu Qingsong not care about them—then she wouldn’t feel this sorrow.

All the mistakes were caused by Lady Liu.

Yet they were the ones who suffered.

Gu Baozhu stood firmly on her mother’s side.

She pushed Gu Qingsong away and, without saying a word, climbed into the carriage.

“Uncle Mo Yuan, I want to go home.”

“Alright.” Mo Yuan drove the carriage away.

Gu Qingsong watched the carriage disappear into the distance, his reddened eyes filled with confusion. He didn’t know what he could do to untie the knot in Madam Liu’s heart.

Was it really as Gu Baozhu had said—once missed, it was truly missed, and he should no longer disturb them?

He couldn’t help but recall the strands of white at Madam Liu’s temples, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes, the sorrowful tears she had shed. His fists clenched tightly.

It shouldn’t have been like this. They shouldn’t have ended up this way.

“Master, shall we still go?”

“Yes.”

Gu Qingsong mounted his horse and rode away.

——

Su Wan had heard that Gu Baozhu had gone out to find Gu Qingsong. Worried, she specifically came out to look for her.

From a distance, she recognized the Gu family’s carriage and hurried toward it.

Suddenly, another carriage traveling in the same direction passed by and stopped in front of a shop, blocking the Gu family’s carriage.

This main street was narrow, with stalls set up along one side and carriages passing by in an unending stream.

For the Gu family’s carriage to change lanes was extremely difficult.

Unless the carriage blocking the way moved forward a certain distance, there was no way through.

Two young ladies stepped down from the carriage.

Su Wan immediately recognized one of them—it was none other than Cao Suxue, the concubine-born daughter of Cao Guangyi, the Governor-General of Liangjiang!

Before leaving for Xiliang, Cao Wanqing had uncovered Cao Suxue’s true nature and had planned to take charge of her marriage, intending to marry her off and send her away from the capital. Yet, after all this time, Cao Suxue was still unmarried!

Su Wan quickened her pace toward them. Meanwhile, Mo Yuan stepped down from the carriage and spoke with the driver, negotiating, “Your carriage is parked here, blocking the street. The carriages behind cannot pass. Could you move it forward a little?”

Cao Suxue recognized the Gu family’s carriage and also recognized Mo Yuan. Her gaze darkened as she stared at the carriage, and a surge of hatred welling up inside her. She had long known that Su Wan had incited Cao Wanqing to act against her!