"You lowly thing, you said..."
"Silence!"
Perhaps Gu Susu's sarcasm was too obvious, because as soon as Gu Susu finished speaking, Qin Yaxuan and Huang Xiuli's faces immediately turned grim. They were about to curse Gu Susu, but were sharply stopped by Qin Yangliang.
"What my niece-in-law said is right. From now on, no more speaking words that disgrace our Qin family."
"Susu is right. As members of the Qin family, we must always be mindful of our words and not let outsiders laugh at us." The old lady nodded in agreement, seemingly pleased that Gu Susu referred to herself as part of the Qin family.
"I said from the beginning that I was letting you temporarily manage Mishang Fashion Company, not handing the company over to you. Now that Tianyi is married, you should hand this company over to them as a couple to gain experience and complete the handover," the old lady said to Qin Yaxuan with a gentle smile.
"Okay."
Qin Yaxuan had just been reprimanded by her father, and she had always known that the old lady favored males. Even if Qin Tianyi was an idiot, in the old lady's heart, he was still good, and no matter how hard she tried, she wouldn't be recognized.
"I'll listen to Grandma." Therefore, even though she was unwilling, she had to agree verbally.
...
After the old lady finished saying what she wanted to say, she dismissed everyone.
Back in the room, Gu Susu just wanted some quiet rest. But as soon as she closed the door, Qin Tianyi's demeanor completely changed.
He wrapped his arms around her slender waist, pressing her against the door, and brushed aside her hair: "Why did you protect me just now?"
As he spoke, his warm breath sprayed onto Gu Susu's neck, making her feel ticklish. She twisted her body, trying to get away, but was held even tighter by the man.
"Hmm?" Qin Tianyi asked, his deep, resonant hum making Gu Susu feel a little numb.
"I... I just thought that we're husband and wife after all, and no matter what, you're my husband. How could I let others bully my husband?" Gu Susu said, her ears turning red, stammering a little.
"Is that really so? No other motives?" Qin Tianyi asked again, holding Gu Susu tighter as he spoke, his lips brushing against Gu Susu's ear.
"I can... Ah!" Gu Susu wanted to say what motive she could have, but before she could finish, Qin Tianyi suddenly bit her ear and gently gnawed on it with his teeth.
"Think clearly before you answer," Qin Tianyi warned in a hoarse voice while gnawing.
Qin Tianyi's breath was hot, and his teeth lightly ground together. Gu Susu felt both numb and ticklish, and finally could only tell the truth:
"My... my purpose is very simple. I just want them to let us go... let us go, and stop bullying us, so that my life in the Qin family can be a little easier."
Gu Susu's eyes turned red with shame.
"That's better," Qin Tianyi chuckled lightly, seemingly believing her words.
Hearing Qin Tianyi's light chuckle, Gu Susu also breathed a sigh of relief.
"Qin Tianyi, can you let go... Ah!" After that, she was about to ask Qin Tianyi to let her go, but unexpectedly, Qin Tianyi suddenly picked her up horizontally.
"You... What do you want to do?" Gu Susu was startled. She instinctively hugged Qin Tianyi's neck and asked in panic.
"Heh, we're newlyweds. Naturally, we should do what a husband and wife should do," Qin Tianyi chuckled again, carrying Gu Susu towards the bed.
"No! Don't!" Gu Susu immediately struggled when she heard Qin Tianyi's words.
"Qin Tianyi, let me go. You can't do this to me." It was an accident that she slept with Qin Tianyi after getting drunk last night. Now, she was completely sober and didn't want Qin Tianyi to do this and that to her anymore.
"Why not? You and I are already married, so anything we do is legal." Qin Tianyi ignored Gu Susu's struggles, threw her onto the bed, and then pressed down on her.
"Or, wife, you don't want to do what a husband and wife should do?" Qin Tianyi said, raising a hand and placing it between Gu Susu's eyebrows. His index finger lightly stroked the curve of Gu Susu's brow. His half-closed eyes were full of warning.
"Of course I... Hiss!"
Gu Susu's words were not finished when Qin Tianyi suddenly increased the force of his hand stroking her brow, causing Gu Susu to cry out in pain.
"Hmm? Wife, think it over before you answer!" Qin Tianyi spoke again, emphasizing the word 'wife' heavily.
"I..." Warned again, what else could Gu Susu say? She could only look at Qin Tianyi with red eyes.
"Wife, you're so good!" Qin Tianyi chuckled with satisfaction, then kissed Gu Susu heavily: "Mmm—"
...
This day, Gu Susu was once again taken advantage of by Qin Tianyi. When everything was over, it was already afternoon.
"Fourth Young Madam, the old lady wants to see you."
Shortly after Qin Tianyi left the room, someone knocked on the door.
Gu Susu quickly responded, "Okay." She immediately tidied her long hair in the mirror and mustered her spirits to go and see the Qin family's old lady.
She had long since realized that only the old lady truly doted on Qin Tianyi as her grandson. Everyone else treated him as an idiot and a good-for-nothing, and no one paid attention to him.
Pushing the door open, she saw the maid Rong Ma, who was by the old lady's side, waiting at the door. She followed Rong Ma down from the second floor.
They walked through the hall, the reception room, and then along an elegantly decorated corridor, finally arriving at the Qin family's back garden. It was called a garden, but it was vast. Looking around, besides flowers and plants, there were also pavilions, glass greenhouses, and swings...
Rong Ma pointed to a small building closest to the glass greenhouse and said, "That small building running north-south is where the old lady lives."
Gu Susu stopped and pointed to the castle-like mansion she had just come out of, asking, "Why doesn't the old lady live in that big house with Tianyi? Why does she live out here alone?"
Rong Ma smiled and said, "The old lady is getting old and prefers peace and quiet. There are many people in the big house. Besides you and Young Master Tianyi, there's also the eldest young master and that woman, as well as Young Master Tianlang. The old lady can't stand that woman."
As she spoke, Rong Ma's voice became quieter. Gu Susu immediately understood and asked, "Then do the other uncles and aunts not live here?"
Rong Ma shook her head and said, "They all moved out of the Qin family mansion after they got married and have their own residences, but they are not far from here. Young Madam, let's go quickly, the old lady is still waiting."
"Okay." Gu Susu hurried to follow Rong Ma, quickening her pace, thinking that the Qin family members were just gathered here for breakfast this morning. Fortunately, they didn't live here. Otherwise, if she had to deal with Huang Xiuli and her daughter every day, she would have to constantly make herself like a fighting cock.
The eldest young master Rong Ma mentioned was Qin Tianyi's father, Qin Yangye. That woman should have ruined Qin Yangye's marriage with his original wife, and Jin Meiyao, who was promoted from being a mistress.
Young Master Tianlang was their son, Qin Tianlang, Qin Tianyi's half-brother.
However, for some reason today, on Qin Tianyi's wedding day, these three people were not at home.
As soon as Gu Susu entered, she saw the old lady sitting in a rocking chair by the window on the first floor, her eyes closed in repose.
Sunlight fell on the old lady, and the rocking chair swayed slowly, making one feel that the passage of time had also slowed down at this moment.
Rong Ma motioned for her to stand still, then walked over softly and whispered in the old lady's ear, "Old Madam, the Young Madam is here."
"Where is Tianyi?" the old lady asked, opening her eyes slightly.
Rong Ma replied, "Young Master An Jing came to pick up the young master to go to the neurology hospital for rehabilitation training."
The old lady hummed, opened her eyes, and looked at Gu Susu, her face stern. "Kneel down."