Gu Changwei’s face darkened as he swept the soup tureen, brought out by Dong Ningxin, to the floor.
The soup splashed everywhere, startling Dong Ningxin, who stumbled back a few steps, her back hitting the doorframe before she could fall.
“What’s wrong with you, Duke?” Dong Ningxin asked, her voice laced with a feigned sweetness.
Inside, however, she was cursing Gu Changwei for his unpredictable temper, wondering who had upset him and why he was taking it out on her. She thought him less than a man.
Gu Changwei stared fiercely at Dong Ningxin. After Ning Wan left, Dong Ningxin had often visited the manor to see Si Ya. She was Si Ya’s maternal aunt, and he had thought she genuinely cared for Si Ya.
But it turned out…
If she hadn’t been subtly poisoning Si Ya’s mind with negative thoughts, Si Ya would never have resented Ting Xue.
Dong Ningxin was the primary culprit for Si Ya’s current predicament.
Thinking this, Gu Changwei’s anger grew, and he found Dong Ningxin’s face loathsome.
“Get back to your courtyard. You are not to appear before me again without my permission.” Gu Changwei suppressed the urge to strike her. If she weren’t pregnant, he would have kicked her without hesitation.
Dong Ningxin looked bewildered. “Duke, have I done something to displease you? I’ve thought long and hard, but I can’t figure it out. If you must punish me, at least tell me what I did wrong!”
Dong Ningxin’s face was full of grievance.
“You venomous shrew, still playing innocent here. You know perfectly well what you’ve done,” Gu Changwei said.
“I haven’t!” Dong Ningxin’s eyes welled up with tears. “Duke, have some petty individuals slandered me? Others may not know what kind of person I am, but surely you do?”
In the past, whenever Dong Ningxin acted like this, Gu Changwei would always appease her.
This time, Gu Changwei’s expression grew even more displeased.
“You constantly bad-mouthed Qin Ting Xue in front of Si Ya, making Si Ya resist Qin Ting Xue from the bottom of her heart. You sowed seeds of hatred in her mind, allowing hatred to accumulate step by step within Si Ya’s heart,” Gu Changwei said, enunciating each word. “Si Ya’s current plight is all your fault.”
Dong Ningxin was somewhat stunned. She had no idea what had happened to Gu Si Ya.
“Duke, I am Si Ya’s aunt. How could I harm Si Ya? Is it possible that Qin Ting Xue regrets divorcing you and is trying to sow discord and smear my name?” Dong Ningxin’s mind raced, and she arrived at this conclusion.
Yes, at her age, what good life could Qin Ting Xue have after leaving the Duke’s manor?
The Qin family might have initially felt sorry for her, but as time passed, would the Qin family still care about their reputation?
A daughter who returned home would only bring shame to the Qin family.
“Duke, don’t forget what you promised me. You said that I would manage the household affairs of this Duke’s manor in the future,” Dong Ningxin said.
Gu Changwei had made such a promise when they were deeply in love.
But at that time, he hadn’t known about all the bad things Dong Ningxin had done behind his back.
Furthermore, he had just stated that Si Ya was in a difficult situation, and as her aunt, she hadn’t even inquired further.
This showed that her constant talk of caring for Si Ya was merely an excuse.
An excuse to enter and exit the Duke’s manor legitimately, and to flirt with him.
Gu Changwei regretted not seeing Dong Ningxin for what she truly was earlier!
“Guards, escort her back to her courtyard. She is not to leave without my permission. Also, change her attendants,” Gu Changwei ordered coldly, no longer paying attention to Dong Ningxin.
“Duke, you can’t treat me like this!” Dong Ningxin struggled. “I’m carrying your child! Right, right, where is Si Ya? I have something to tell Si Ya!”
Because Dong Ningxin was heavily pregnant, the servants dared not use too much force, and she managed to break free.
Dong Ningxin herself hadn’t expected to break free and stumbled forward.
The incident happened too suddenly, and even Gu Changwei didn’t react in time, watching helplessly as Dong Ningxin fell onto her stomach.
Immediately after, Dong Ningxin’s screams rang out.