Chapter 167: Chapter 167: Words Against the Heart, Stay Away

Li Qiong nudged Wang Yuan beside her and whispered, "I just saw you having a nice chat with your fellow from Jincheng City. You should go try to calm her down. If they keep making a scene like this, it won’t be good for anyone."

"I only just met Guo Dongmei today. We just exchanged some small talk; we’re not that close," Wang Yuan said with a wry smile. "This is a matter of their relationship. It’s not my place to get involved."

"But we can’t just let them keep arguing like this." Yang Guanghui came out of the house, then braced himself and looked at Zhao Nuanyue and Guo Dongmei. "Everyone, let’s all calm down now. Stop arguing and let’s eat first."

Seeing that Yang Guanghui had spoken up, Wang Yuan also chimed in to mediate. "Yes, yes, dinner is ready. Let’s eat, everyone. We can talk things through slowly after we’ve eaten."

Hearing everyone’s attempts to mediate, Guo Dongmei started crying and whimpering, making herself look all the more pitiful.

Although the stares from the others made Zhao Nuanyue uncomfortable, she remained on high alert. ’The more I say right now, the more likely I am to say the wrong thing. It’s better to stay silent.’

Zhao Nuanyue quickly ate with her younger brother and sister. Guo Dongmei was also pulled to the table by Wang Yuan, where she forced herself to eat a little.

After dinner, Zhao Nuanyue wanted to take her brother and sister back to their room, not wanting to get involved in the business between Guo Dongmei and Hua Yusen.

’After all, it’s not just about an engagement. There’s the feud between the two families, and it even involves Elder Gu’s safety.’

Seeing Zhao Nuanyue about to leave, Guo Dongmei was not pleased. "Zhao Nuanyue, things between us aren’t settled. You can’t just leave."

Zhao Nuanyue smiled. "This is between you and Hua Yusen. Please don’t drag me into it."

"You’ve already forced yourself between me and Hua Yusen. You must apologize to me and promise you will never have anything to do with him again," Guo Dongmei insisted. This was how she could seize the moral high ground and take control of the situation.

Zhao Nuanyue listened, then nodded. "Alright. Let me tell you this right now: we have always been just ordinary friends. You’re the one reading too much into it. If you refuse to drop this, I won’t let you off easy, either."

Zhao Nuanyue had spoken against her heart, not just because of Guo Dongmei’s suspicious actions, but more so because Nuanyue didn’t want anything between her and Hua Yusen to jeopardize Elder Gu’s safety.

’I can disregard Guo Dongmei as a person, but I can’t disregard Elder Gu’s safety or the mission I have with Hua Yusen.’

Guo Dongmei was stunned by Zhao Nuanyue’s words. ’I can’t believe she gave in so easily. Was I wrong? Shouldn’t Zhao Nuanyue be weeping and arguing her case? Or crying and begging for my forgiveness?’

"Are you trying to trick me? Trying to get rid of me so you can rekindle your old flame with Hua Yusen?" Guo Dongmei shot back with a cold laugh. She refused to believe that Zhao Nuanyue and Hua Yusen were just ordinary friends.

"Ms. Guo Dongmei, please have some self-respect," Zhao Nuanyue said. Then, holding Little Red Carp and leading Zhao Nuan Yang, she headed for the backyard.

"Don’t you walk away! You haven’t explained yourself! You still haven’t apologized!" Guo Dongmei cried, chasing after them.

Hua Yusen grabbed Guo Dongmei’s arm. "Your real target is the backyard, isn’t it?"

"Of course not! I just came to see you, and I want Zhao Nuanyue to apologize," Guo Dongmei insisted, refusing to admit her target was Mr. Gu.

Hua Yusen was now even more wary of her visit. "If you don’t want to arouse my suspicion, stay away from the backyard. And stay far away from Elder Gu."

"You spend all day suspecting this person and that person. Don’t you find yourself pathetic?" Guo Dongmei blurted out. "Fine, I won’t go back there. I refuse to believe that Zhao Nuanyue won’t come out again."

"If I let you get your way, using me and the Hua family as stepping stones to please the Li family, then I would be the truly pathetic one," Hua Yusen said coldly. ’It’s my fault that I couldn’t control my feelings for Zhao Nuanyue before ending my engagement to Guo Dongmei. I do owe her an apology; I’ve never denied that. But if I let Guo Dongmei do as she pleases, she might really use me and the Hua family as a stepping stone, and we would never recover.’

Guo Dongmei lowered her head, as if wiping away tears. ’I’ve already lost the upper hand,’ she thought. ’I have to find a proxy here.’

’Kill Gu Qingyu, and my path to wealth and glory will be set.’

Zhao Nuanyue’s expression was grim when she reached the backyard of the Dragon King Temple.

Old Madam Qian took Little Red Carp from her arms and looked at Zhao Nuanyue. "Nuanyue, dear, what’s wrong? It was so chaotic out front. What on earth happened?"

Zhao Nuanyue managed a strained smile. "Hua Yusen’s fiancée showed up."

"What?" Old Madam Qian exclaimed in surprise. "Hua Yusen has a fiancée?"

"Yes, he does. Her name is Guo Dongmei," Zhao Nuanyue said, then turned to Elder Gu. "Elder Gu, do you know her? I remember Hua Yusen saying that this mission was supposed to be a secret. How could Guo Dongmei possibly know he was here?"

At these words, Gu Qingyu paused, then fell into thought for a moment. "This is rather complicated. Many people know I came to Nianqiao Village, but very few know that Xiaohua is by my side."

"Gu, what does that mean?" He Qiang asked, curious and confused.

Gu Qingyu didn’t explain in detail. Instead, he warned everyone, "Be extra careful for the next few days, with everything you eat and everything you use."

Hearing this, Mr. and Mrs. Qian, Sun Haoran, and He Qiang were all startled.

"Are you saying that Guo Dongmei might be here for you?" He Qiang asked. "Gu, are you in danger?"

Gu Qingyu smiled. "If we’re careful, there shouldn’t be a problem. Just make sure you all stay far away from that Guo Dongmei."

Zhao Nuanyue was surprised Gu Qingyu had figured it out so quickly. ’He must receive a lot of information, especially from Jincheng City, and was able to connect the dots.’

Old Madam Qian frowned, then looked at Zhao Nuanyue and said slowly, "Nuanyue, dear, some things in life can’t be forced. Don’t cause yourself undue suffering."

Sun Haoran and He Qiang wanted to offer some words of comfort but didn’t know what to say. Politics was a game they couldn’t play, so they kept quiet.

Gu Qingyu smiled and said, "Nuanyue, you’re still young. Things will always find a way of working out. Sooner or later, you’ll find a light at the end of the tunnel. As long as you’re willing to believe and willing to wait."

Hearing Gu Qingyu’s words, Zhao Nuanyue’s heart suddenly felt lighter.

’That’s right. There’s nothing wrong with my love, and the man I love is no philanderer. It’s just that the situation isn’t right, the timing is off. There’s no way to give our love a proper resolution right now. So, the most important thing for me to do is wait.’

Little Red Carp didn’t understand the affairs of humans, but she couldn’t stop thinking about the evil things she sensed on Guo Dongmei.

Zhao Nuan Yang felt frustrated, but seeing his sister’s expression, he knew he couldn’t press the matter. All he could do was keep his feelings bottled up inside.

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