READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 7 - The Marriage Certificate
Su Shu lowered her gaze, her lips pressed into a thin line. Words failed her.
No matter how hard she tried, there was no way she could explain it all.
She wasn’t crying, but her heart ached, weighed down by emotions she couldn’t quite name.
Gu Beiting, sensing his earlier tone might have been too harsh, cleared his throat, softening his voice as he muttered, “I’m sorry.”
Su Shu was taken aback. Was this really Gu Beiting… apologizing to her?
She quickly shook her head, trying to dispel the tension in the air. “No, it’s alright. It was my fault for lying. Just… had a little bit of a rough patch earlier, and my mood isn’t great.”
Gu Beiting’s expression grew colder in an instant, his tone laced with concern and anger. “Did someone bully you?”
“I…” Su Shu almost instinctively nodded, the words nearly escaping her lips.
But she bit them back. The mess at home, the pettiness, the constant drama—she didn’t want to involve him in any of that. Why drag him into her family’s chaos?
Instead, she forced a smile, though it barely touched her eyes. “Gu sir, it’s really nothing. Small issues, not worth mentioning. Right now, the baby is what’s most important.”
Gu Beiting’s sharp eyes took in her smile, the way she pretended to be strong, the way she covered her wounds with a brave face. For some reason, watching her like this left him feeling slightly uneasy.
He gave a brief nod, his tone softening once more. “Hmm.”
Without another word, he fastened his seatbelt and started the engine, steering the car onto the road.
Thirty minutes later, they arrived at the civil affairs office.
Within a mere twenty minutes, the process was completed. It was quick, efficient, and the ceremony of bureaucracy was reduced to just a few signatures and stamps.
Su Shu stared down at the small red booklet in her hand, her heart still reeling. Was it truly real?
Had she just… married?
As she stood there, frozen in her thoughts, Gu Beiting took her hand gently, his deep voice breaking through her daze. “Watch your step—there’s a ledge.”
Su Shu blinked, snapping out of her trance. Her wrist tingled where his fingers had touched, sending a light shiver through her.
She pulled her hand back quickly, offering him a polite smile. “Thank you for the reminder, Gu sir.”
Gu Beiting had considered asking her to stop calling him “Gu sir,” but seeing her delicate smile and her bashful demeanor, he decided to let it go. After all, there was no rush—things would unfold naturally, in time.
Their destination, the Bei Yuan estate, was still quite a distance away, nearly a fifty-minute drive.
Barely ten minutes had passed on the road when Su Shu, likely due to her pregnancy hormones, started to yawn repeatedly, her exhaustion evident.
Gu Beiting noticed and, without a word, adjusted the air conditioning to a temperature more conducive for sleeping. His voice was steady, almost gentle. “Go ahead and sleep. It’s still a long drive.”
Su Shu nodded obediently, her eyelids already growing heavy. She barely had time to close her eyes before sleep overtook her, as swiftly as a wave lapping at the shore.
Gu Beiting glanced at her, and a subtle, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He eased his foot off the gas, driving slower and smoother, wanting to make sure she slept peacefully.
By the time they arrived at the Bei Yuan villa, the car had come to a complete stop, but Su Shu was still fast asleep.
Gu Beiting didn’t wake her. Instead, he carefully unbuckled his seatbelt, his movements quiet and deliberate, as he stretched toward the back seat, retrieving his jacket.
Gently, he placed the jacket over her sleeping form, covering her as tenderly as one would shield a delicate flower from the wind.
Her brows were gently arched, like the delicate strokes of a calligraphy brush, soft and shapely. Her eyelashes were long and dark, casting a delicate shadow over her cheeks. Her nose—small, perfectly sculpted—stood out like an exquisite piece of art.
Gu Beiting found himself lingering, unable to resist the urge. He raised his hand, holding it up in front of her face, trying to measure its smallness.
Her face was so tiny, it could fit in the palm of his hand. He clicked his tongue softly to himself.
And just as he was about to withdraw his hand, her eyelashes fluttered, trembling slightly.
Startled, Gu Beiting quickly drew back, sitting upright in his seat as if nothing had happened.
Su Shu stirred, her eyes blinking open. As she shifted, the jacket slipped from her shoulders, and she caught it in her hands.
Seeing that it was his jacket, she looked at him, her face filled with gratitude. “Thank you, Gu sir.”
Gu Beiting gave a small nod, his posture still as composed as ever.
Su Shu couldn’t help but admire his manners. “Gu sir, your posture is always so elegant. You carry yourself with such grace.”
Once again, Gu Beiting responded with a quiet “Mm” before stepping out of the car, opening the door for her.
They entered the Bei Yuan villa together, the expansive estate bathed in soft light. Inside, the familiar figures of two elderly caretakers bustled about, busy with their chores.
When they noticed Gu Beiting and Su Shu, the older couple immediately stopped what they were doing and hurried over.
Gu Beiting gestured toward them as they approached. “This is Aunt Zhou and Uncle Zhao. They’ve taken care of me since I was a child.”
Su Shu, ever polite, greeted them with a respectful, “Hello, Aunt Zhou. Hello, Uncle Zhao.”
Gu Beiting added, “They’re husband and wife, and you can trust them completely.”
Su Shu nodded earnestly. “I will be sure to treat them with the utmost respect.”
Gu Beiting noticed her careful demeanor, the way she tiptoed around her words as if she was afraid of making a wrong step. With an uncharacteristic patience, he reassured her. “We’re married now. They’ll take care of you, just as they’ve always taken care of me.”
Married. The word hung in the air between them, still foreign to Su Shu’s ears.
Aunt Zhou and Uncle Zhao exchanged wide-eyed glances, their surprise palpable.
Aunt Zhou, unable to contain her shock, gasped, “Oh, my heavens!”
Uncle Zhao, ever the more composed of the two, quickly tugged at his wife’s sleeve, signaling for her to stay calm.
Realizing her slip-up, Aunt Zhou quickly corrected herself, bowing slightly as she addressed Su Shu. “Greetings, young madam!”
Uncle Zhao followed suit, offering his own bow.
Su Shu, clearly uncomfortable with such formality, managed a small, polite response. She wasn’t used to this kind of treatment, but she was nothing if not courteous.
Gu Beiting led her to the sofa, gesturing for her to sit. He turned to Aunt Zhou and said, “Prepare the guest room. Bring the young madam’s luggage there.”
Aunt Zhou nodded, immediately setting off with Su Shu’s bags in tow.
Meanwhile, Uncle Zhao returned with a cup of tea, offering it to Su Shu.
But before she could take it, Gu Beiting gently intercepted, his hand stopping the cup mid-air. “She’s pregnant,” he reminded Uncle Zhao, his tone firm. “Tea isn’t suitable for her right now. From now on, her meals should be prepared according to the dietary needs of a pregnant woman.”
Pregnant?
Uncle Zhao, normally so calm and collected, was visibly shaken by the news. His hand trembled slightly as he processed this revelation.
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