Chapter 528: Chapter 528: I’m Willing to Marry You

Gu Ruinian quickly glanced at Wu Na after opening his eyes.

How could he be so confused?

He wasn’t confused; he just had bad luck.

He almost succeeded.

Wu Na’s words brought Gu Ruinian back to the day of the incident, when he was forced to admit to a tryst with Xu Zaohua under the threat of the Lian Family.

The only thing that gave him some comfort was that he pinned the blame for the vase incident on Xu Zaohua, when the Second Young Master of the Lian Family got knocked out.

Seeing no answer from Gu Ruinian, Wu Na said, "Is Xu Zaohua really that good? Am I really not as good as a widow?"

Wu Na leaned in and stared intently at Gu Ruinian.

If Gu Ruinian had taken a liking to the Second Miss of the Lian Family, she wouldn’t be so upset, but instead, he had eyes for the widow Xu Zaohua.

Gu Ruinian knew her feelings and did not reject her.

She even almost fell out with her father over refusing to marry out of the county for Gu Ruinian.

How could he treat her this way?

These past few days, she was both angry and annoyed.

Suddenly Gu Ruinian realized that Wu Na wasn’t here to laugh at him but to demand an explanation.

But what qualifications does she have?

The next second Gu Ruinian thought of using this to his advantage, so he sighed and said, "Many things aren’t what you think. I want to study, but my family has no money. Xu Zaohua said if I help her manage the shop, she’d support me in my studies. I fell for her trick..."

"I had no other option."

Wu Na shouted hoarsely, "I have always told you, my dad can support you in your studies."

Gu Ruinian gave a bitter laugh and said, "Your dad wouldn’t let you marry me."

Wu Na angrily asked, "So Xu Zaohua can marry you?"

Gu Ruinian said, "How could I possibly like her, a widow? I just used her to study. I’ve told you, I fell for her trick, and we’re innocent. What the outsiders think doesn’t matter to me, but I didn’t expect you wouldn’t believe me either..."

Wu Na felt slightly comforted by these words.

She thought, how could Brother Ruinian fancy such a promiscuous widow?

Wu Na hid her satisfaction, lowered her head, saw Gu Ruinian looking at her, and blushed, saying, "I never doubted you." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Then she asked, "But... Brother Ruinian, everyone says you and Xu Zaohua... say you got together at Qinghe Bay."

Gu Ruinian said, "Do you believe the outsiders or me? I went to the south when I was very young and just returned after this year’s Spring Festival. If it wasn’t for Xu Zaohua actively seeking me to help her shop record accounts, I would have forgotten about her."

"Xu Zaohua and I are innocent. Think about it; if I really had a fling with her, considering the Zheng Family’s power, would they have let me leave alive?"

Wu Na was almost convinced by Gu Ruinian.

Gu Ruinian disdainfully thought, winning over Wu Na doesn’t require much effort.

"But why would Xu Zaohua harm you?" Wu Na still didn’t understand.

Gu Ruinian closed his eyes and reopened them, hesitated, then spoke softly, as if making up his mind, "To tell you the truth, all this was because of my cousin."

Seeing Wu Na’s bewildered expression, Gu Ruinian gritted his teeth and said, "My cousin is Widow Tong’s third son, this year’s top exam scorer. Xu Zaohua liked him from a young age, and they were once talking about marriage. My aunt didn’t like Xu Zaohua and firmly opposed her entering our family. On the surface, Xu Zaohua had me help her with accounts, but secretly, she wanted me to pass messages to my cousin. Later, things turned out like this. I suspect it was my aunt’s scheme. My cousin is now engaged to the Imperial Merchant Lu Family’s daughter, and she fears her son’s past with Xu Zaohua might surface, causing the Lu Family to break off the engagement."

Wu Na was furious with Tong Huaqiong.

She knew of Tong Huaqiong’s methods; supporting Tong Pandi in divorcing caused her brother to become the laughing stock of Black Dragon Pond, and her reputation stained thanks to him, Wu Ji’s business woes were also partly due to her...

Wu Na had no doubt Tong Huaqiong would target Gu Ruinian.

Anyway, she always knew Widow Tong and Gu Ruinian’s whole family were at odds.

"That Widow Tong is really vicious," Wu Na gritted her teeth.

Gu Ruinian said, "Let her have her moment. I’ll definitely seek justice for myself in the future. But unexpectedly, due to this incident, I received a blessing in disguise."

Wu Na glanced at Gu Ruinian’s leg, having heard from her father that Gu Ruinian’s leg was crippled; how could it be a blessing?

Gu Ruinian continued to make up stories, "The Zheng Family knows the mastermind is my aunt, so not only do they not blame me, they released me. The Zheng Family, having two sons, can’t treat them equally in a big household. When the First Young Master was alive, Zheng Old Master doted on him more due to his poor health. After his death, leaving behind a posthumous son, the family gave many resources to Xu Zaohua, which displeased the Second Young Master. Xu Zaohua’s reputation got tarnished, and she was sent to the family temple. The Second Young Master came to me, saying I indirectly helped remove a rival, so he’s grateful. Plus, I helped him write a couple of articles, which made us friends. The Second Young Master said if I need help, I can send him a message. I actually do have something I need the Zheng Family’s help with, but with my leg issue, I can’t trust anyone else..."

Wu Na wasn’t smart and didn’t doubt Gu Ruinian’s story full of loopholes, saying, "Brother Ruinian, I can help you deliver messages."

Gu Ruinian was extremely excited internally; Wu Na, being so gullible, offered herself without him asking.

Gu Ruinian pondered, "How can this be? If your father finds out, wouldn’t he be angry with you?"

Wu Na said, "You don’t need to worry about that, leave it to me, tell me how to deliver the message."

Gu Ruinian asked Wu Na to bring paper and pen, wrote a note, handed it to Wu Na, and instructed her to find a gatekeeper surnamed Tian at Zheng Family’s corner gate, who would pass the note to the Second Young Master.

Not being literate, Gu Ruinian wasn’t concerned Wu Na could understand the note’s content.

"Brother Ruinian, my dad wants to marry me off to another county, but I don’t want to go, what do you think?" Wu Na tucked the note into her sleeve, smiling at Gu Ruinian.

Gu Ruinian internally cursed; Wu Na was making demands of him.

Gu Ruinian gritted his teeth and said, "If you’re not bothered by my leg, I’m willing to marry you."

Wu Na smiled.

"Brother Ruinian, get your leg better soon. Wu Ji needs you. My dad said Wu Ji is my dowry, and I don’t want Wu Ji to continue struggling under your father’s hands."

Her brother wasn’t interested in business and intended to follow their father as village chief. If she married Gu Ruinian, she planned to have Wu Ji as her dowry. Her parents doted on her and wouldn’t refuse. Then she would run the business with Gu Ruinian in Pingchuan while letting Ruinian pursue his studies.

As for the rest of the Gu family, they can go wherever they please.

Wu Na was efficient; she returned after an hour.

She told Gu Ruinian she delivered the note to the gatekeeper as instructed.

Gu Ruinian assessed Wu Na; compared to Lian Hengruo and Lu Zhaozhao, Wu Na wasn’t even worthy of carrying their shoes.

Even with his crippled leg, he didn’t want to marry Wu Na.

But for now, she’s his only option, and given Wu Ji is her dowry, marrying her is acceptable.

As for whether Wu Ren agrees, Gu Ruinian wasn’t worried at all.

Just controlling Wu Na would suffice.