Chapter 83: Three Fingers

  At dinner, except for Shen Bieru and Qiao Yunge chatting and laughing, everyone else was very silent. Gu Huamin and Gu Liuyi were never talkative people, as for Qiao Nanmu, he only ate a little rice, occasionally moving his chopsticks to pick up a dish, but didn't touch any wine.

  Gu Chen didn't come, I heard that Grandpa's health has been getting worse and worse recently. Gu Chen spends most of his time accompanying Grandpa, while Gu Liu Yu occasionally goes twice, but I haven't visited Grandpa in a long time. I think I'm quite unfilial, Grandpa has always disliked Shen Bi Ru, but he's always been nice to me, never giving me a cold face, and is even warmer to me than to Gu Liu Yu and Gu Chen.

  After dinner, Shen Bieru privately asked me to take Qiao Nanmu around, her intention was obvious, I nodded and pretended not to understand.

  Shen Bieru sternly said to me, "Don't pretend to be stupid with me. Let me tell you, don't think that you've been taken advantage of. Nanmu might not even want to marry you. You're just unaware of the blessings you have."

  Even Gu Liuyi said: "You should get along well with Nanmu, who knows, you might become a couple in the future, it's always good to be used to."

  I didn't dare to disobey Shen Bieru's meaning, but I dared to show a little temper to Gu Liuyi, "Do you think I will be happy if I marry Qiao Nanmu? You can see that he doesn't like me at all!"

  Gu Liuyi helplessly said: "Didn't I say it before? Liking someone doesn't necessarily mean they're suitable for you, Qiao Nanmu is the most suitable person for you."

  "Where is suitable for me?" I irritably grasped at my hair, looking particularly resentful.

  "Because you're so willful, on the surface you appear carefree but deep down you lack a sense of security. Qiao Nanmu has experienced more than you and has more life experience. He can tolerate all your little quirks, he's introverted and doesn't show off his sharp edges, such a person can spoil you to the extreme, what more could you be dissatisfied with?" Gu Liu said, lecturing me with a serious tone.

  Yes, Qiao Nanmu is great, what else am I dissatisfied with? I think the only thing I'm not satisfied with is that we don't have feelings for each other.

  Just then, Qiao Yunge walked over, seemingly having heard my conversation with Gu Liuyi. She smiled and said: "Gu Qing, you probably don't know this yet, but my younger brother Nanmu once eloped for love and did many crazy things."

  I was taken aback and looked at Qiao Yunge in surprise.

  That quiet and calm, smiling but not reaching his eyes, handsome man, he eloped for love?

  I think I don't believe it.

  "That was many years ago, when Nanmu was eighteen, younger than you. Nanmu was a genius, showing incredible talent from a young age, almost nothing he couldn't do or achieve. At that time, Nanmu was just like you now, willful, overbearing, arrogant, looking down on anyone and anything. In high school, he fell in love with a girl, who was incredibly ordinary, the kind of person you'd see walking down the street and forget about immediately. But Nanmu loved her recklessly, to the point where he would give up his entire family and everything he had for her." Qiao Yunge's calm eyes, similar to Qiao Nanmu's, revealed complex emotions as she spoke of these things.

  "Don't blame your parents and brother, they're all doing it for your own good. You're still young and in the best time of your life, if you were an ordinary girl, you might be having a passionate romance right now. But in the end, wouldn't you just grow up with scars all over? They did this to protect you, to prevent you from getting hurt, that's why they arranged your marriage with Nanmu long ago. Maybe you can't understand it now, but it's okay." She said: "I believe one day Nanmu will make you understand."

  I was stunned, speechless, and then I glanced sideways to see Qiao Nanmu standing quietly there. His calm and composed demeanor, unruffled and unflappable, met my gaze with a hint of serenity.