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After Gu Leyou transmigrated, she hadn’t had a single peaceful day. Her soul had barely landed when she was branded as “improper,” and the next day, she shocked the whole village by doing the unheard-of—breaking off an engagement as a woman.
Gold shines wherever it goes—how it shines doesn’t matter, as long as it does, Gu Leyou casually comforted herself.
That afternoon, her good friend Shi Yuchan came to visit.
“Leyou, are you okay?” Shi Yuchan held her hand and looked her up and down.
“Don’t I look perfectly fine?” Gu Leyou liked Shi Yuchan’s personality from the original owner’s memories, so she felt a natural closeness to her from the start.
“People outside are gossiping nonstop—it’s driving me crazy.” Yuchan didn’t believe the rumors, of course, but in ancient times, a woman’s reputation was everything. She feared her friend might not be able to handle the pressure. “Don’t listen to them. You’re so beautiful—of course you’ll find someone to marry.”
She wasn’t exaggerating. Gu Leyou had made a point of checking her new appearance. This face was the epitome of classic East Asian beauty—arched eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, soft and gentle features.
“Let them talk. It’s not like gossip is going to break my arms or legs.” Gu Leyou even smiled to reassure Yuchan. “I’m really fine. Don’t worry.”
To prove her point, she lifted her arm and spun it around twice, showing off her energy.
“Leyou, what’s that on your arm?” Yuchan was sharp-eyed and immediately noticed the red rash.
“Just…” Gu Leyou realized that people in ancient times didn’t know the concept of allergies, so she changed her words. “It’s nothing. Maybe I came into contact with something irritating. It’ll go away in a few days.”
“Irritating? Could it be medicine?” Yuchan’s face turned serious.
“Could be.” Gu Leyou replied casually.
“Yuchan, stay for dinner!” Gu Leyou’s mother, Lin-shi, called out from outside.
Yuchan glanced at the sky and quickly stood up. “I lost track of time chatting with you. I need to get back to make wine.”
“Alright then, but don’t forget to share some of the wine when it’s ready,” Gu Leyou said with a smile—after all, Yuchan was known as the best winemaker for miles around.
“Of course.” Yuchan nodded. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly turned back and whispered, “Be careful of Liu Suyu. I saw her buying medicine in town the other day. I don’t know what it was, but your rash might have something to do with it.”
Gu Leyou knew Liu Suyu—a once-wealthy young lady whose beloved was none other than Zeng Sibai, the man Gu Leyou had just broken off the engagement with.
“Got it.” She nodded solemnly, thinking Yuchan really was a reliable friend.
“Thank you, Auntie, but I’ll skip dinner today!” Yuchan’s voice could be heard cheerfully refusing the invitation as she left.
Before Gu Leyou could investigate Liu Suyu any further, another problem came knocking that very evening—her eldest uncle’s family paid a visit.
There were three Gu brothers: the eldest, Gu Haicheng; the second, Gu Haixiong; and the youngest, Gu Haiwei. Gu Leyou and her younger brother were children of Gu Haixiong.
Gu Haixiong and his wife were always meek and fearful—especially of the eldest brother and sister-in-law.
The moment Gu Leyou saw the two stout, mean-faced middle-aged visitors, she knew nothing good was coming.
“I’m here to talk about Leyou’s marriage. She’s right here too, so let’s all hear it together.” It was her eldest aunt, Madam Yang, who spoke first. Clearly, she was the one calling the shots. Gu Leyou made a mental note of this.
“Marriage?” Gu Haixiong and his wife exchanged glances.
“Yes, she’s of age. Even with her reputation, she still has to be married off, right?” Madam Yang gave Gu Leyou a scornful look.
Gu Haixiong and his wife kept their heads down and dared not say a word.
“I’ve thought it through for your family. Given her reputation, no decent family would take her. The only option is Lu Yan.”
“Lu Yan? But he’s a hunter…” Gu Haixiong protested quietly, “And… he already has a child.”
Lu Yan was known in the village as a quiet, unapproachable man who made a living hunting. Add the fact that he already had a child, and no family was willing to marry their daughter to him.
He has a child? Gu Leyou’s eyes widened—she hadn’t seen that when she met him.
“You still want to be picky at this point? With her kind of baggage, it’s lucky someone’s even willing to take her!” Madam Yang rolled her eyes, her voice shrill.
“Don’t… don’t say that about my sister!” Before Gu Leyou could respond, the bedroom door flew open. Gu Leshu, her younger brother, rushed out and said in a trembling voice, “Sister can’t marry that hunter!”
Gu Leyou turned around and saw his pale face and trembling legs, but his gaze was firm. He looked like he was ready to throw himself in front of anyone who tried to harm his sister. Her heart melted.
“Go back inside! This is not a place for kids to speak!” Gu Haicheng, who had been silent, suddenly slammed the table and shouted. His loud voice made even Gu Haixiong and his wife shiver.
“I’m not a kid.” Gu Leshu stepped forward, his still-young voice shaking. “You can’t bully my sister like this!”
“You little brat!” Gu Haicheng was used to getting his way with a bad temper. Aside from his wife, no one had dared defy him. Furious, he slapped Gu Leshu hard across the face.
The boy was thin and weak. The slap sent him stumbling backward, his forehead hitting the corner of a cabinet with a sickening thud. Blood began to stream down his face.
Gu Leshu was scared of pain, but he didn’t want to cry in front of the enemy. He gritted his teeth to hold it in, tears welling in his eyes.
Seeing this broke Gu Leyou’s heart. She could no longer stay silent. She stood up and said coldly, “Who I marry is none of your business, and it sure as hell isn’t your decision to make. Don’t think we’re pushovers!”
Madam Yang hadn’t expected this girl to grow such a backbone. Not to be outdone, she stood up, her face twisted with bitterness. “You’ve shamed the whole Gu family! If it were me, I’d be kneeling at our ancestors’ grave asking for forgiveness. And you still dare talk back?”
“You bully your own family, flaunt your seniority, and rely on brute force to oppress the younger generation. If it were me, I’d be ashamed, not acting all high and mighty.” Gu Leyou snapped back using Madam Yang’s exact tone. “Do you even know how to spell ‘shameful elder’?”
“You damned girl, you think you can teach me a lesson? I’ll tear that mouth of yours apart!” Madam Yang lost it and lunged, grabbing Gu Leyou by the hair and slamming her head into the wall.
Gu Leyou cried out in pain and tried to fight back, but her body—still recovering—was too weak. The blow left her dizzy, and she quickly blacked out.
“Sister!” Gu Leshu finally couldn’t hold back his tears. He crawled to his sister, shaking her desperately. “Sister, wake up! Please wake up!”
“Stop, please stop! We’ll do whatever you want—just let the children go!” Lin-shi, heartbroken and powerless, collapsed to her knees and kowtowed deeply before Madam Yang. “Sister-in-law, she can marry whoever you want. Just don’t let her die…”