novelbin Chapter 514 - 506: The Fight
Chapter 514 - 506: The Fight
Gu Chaoxuan remained silent, only drinking deeply. Xu Yuxian was in a bad mood as well, and the two of them didn’t talk much, drinking cup after cup until finally Gu Chaoxuan, in a fit of anger, smashed his cup on the ground.
"It’s all because of that woman. What did I do wrong? Is it a crime to have liked her? And yet I’m condemned for life, forced to live a life that’s neither living nor dead now."
Hearing Gu Chaoxuan shout, Xu Yuxian, bleary-eyed from alcohol, raised his head, "Which woman? Lin Qining? The girl from the Lin Family? She’s the legitimate one, wasn’t she the one you wanted to marry?"
"Lin Qining? What is she but something that came from a small family? I’m talking about Lin Youning, the sparrow turned real phoenix. I only teased her a little, and she went to tattle to my grandmother and father, getting me sent away and ruining everything for me. Back then she was merely an adopted daughter in our Gu Mansion and looked down on me, a concubine’s son. Who does she think she is? She was just a child bride at the start; if she had been with me, she wouldn’t have been resented by Second Aunt. But no, she looked down on me for being a concubine’s son. If it weren’t for her, how could I have been suppressed and ended up like this?"
Perhaps it was the alcohol, but Gu Chaoxuan spilled out everything, feeling more dissatisfied about his affectionate mistress outside who was disposed of by his father. Gu Chaoxuan had always thought his father was unaware of what he did outside, which was what irritated him the most.
He felt like a clown. After striving for so many years, wanting his own power, what had it come to? All those efforts were useless, and he could only live humbly forever.
Gu Chaoxuan, having said his piece, wasn’t concerned due to his drunkenness, but Xu Yuxian’s expression darkened upon hearing this. Before Gu Chaoxuan could understand what was happening, Xu Yuxian’s fist had already landed.
"What are you doing?" Gu Chaoxuan, hit and knocked to the ground, finally sobered up and glared angrily at Xu Yuxian.
Xu Yuxian sneered, "You were a concubine’s son, and I never looked down on you, thinking you were righteous. Now I see, indeed there is nothing good from a concubine’s son. Have you looked at yourself? How dare you covet Sister Ning? Even speaking her name sullies her. Let me tell you, Gu Chaoxuan, when people outside call you Mr. Gu, it’s because you come from the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, showing respect to the Marquis, not you. Otherwise, with your status as a concubine’s son, you’d be nothing but a dog to us."
Gu Chaoxuan’s eyes turned red, "Spoken truth now? In your eyes, I’ve always been a dog."
"No, as I see it now, you’re not even as good as a dog." Xu Yuxian looked at him disdainfully, "That’s your aunt, and you still covet her. Can you even be considered human? I never thought I’d know someone like you, treating you as a friend all these years. Now I understand why the Gu Mansion treats you this way. I feel they’ve been somewhat kind; in our Xu Mansion, you’d have been beaten to death long ago."
Both were on the second floor of a restaurant’s private room and had brought their personal servants, but when the fight broke out, no one dared step forward to stop it. The restaurant’s shopkeeper came but was stopped by the servants outside.
Gu Chaoxuan staggered to his feet, "What are you? So what if you’re legitimate? Even a concubine’s son like me came from the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion."
While speaking, he swung another punch.
Xu Yuxian lightly sidestepped and retaliated with a punch. The two fought in the restaurant, drawing onlookers from the street outside, until Gu Chaoxuan, beaten, couldn’t get up. Xu Yuxian, drunkenly supported by his servant, finally withdrew.
Only after Xu Yuxian left did Gu Chaoxuan’s servant dare to help him up. Staggering, they headed back to the mansion. Although no outsiders had witnessed the fight, both were recognized when leaving the restaurant.
When Lin Qining saw Gu Chaoxuan’s face, almost unrecognizable from the fight, she pursed her lips tightly, instructing someone to fetch a doctor and calling for a servant to find out what happened. Although the servant had been waiting outside, he heard what Gu Chaoxuan said in his drunken state and didn’t dare to hide it, recounting everything.
After hearing this, Lin Qining nearly spat blood in anger, sending the servant away and sitting alone in the flower hall, wiping her tears. She had always thought she could compete with Lin Youning, the woman living under the Lin Family’s daughter’s title at the Marquis Mansion.
Only after so many events did she understand, only then recognize the truth. But she never expected Gu Chaoxuan to do such things, no wonder the Marquis Mansion treated him that way. Now knowing the reason, she felt humiliated.
No wonder Lin Youning never cared for her provocations; it was because she only picked up what Lin Youning discarded, and Gu Chaoxuan was also suppressed by Lin Youning.
The more Lin Qining thought, the more upset she felt, calling the maid to pack her things and returning directly to the Lin Mansion. Lady Lin, seeing her daughter return with red eyes, thought she had argued with Gu Chaoxuan again and felt a headache. But after hearing everything, Mrs. Lin fell silent.
"Mother, I want a divorce, I want a separation from him." Lin Qining cried.
Mrs. Lin’s eyes flickered with her thoughts, "Don’t rush. I’ll go over there and find out what exactly happened."
"Find out? Find out what?" Lin Qining was confused.
Mrs. Lin glanced at her daughter, "You’re still too young, some things you don’t understand. Don’t worry, you certainly won’t suffer a loss in this matter."
Lin Qining was unhappy, having no other option but to stay at her parental home, "If you go, I’m going with you."
"What are you going for? If you see the other side doing well, you won’t feel good. I’ll handle it myself. Besides, I’m going to talk business, taking you isn’t appropriate. Just stay home, and I’ll make sure Gu Chaoxuan comes personally to fetch you, giving you the respect you deserve." Mrs. Lin promised confidently.
Lin Qining held no hope, "Mother makes it sound easy, but think about it. Last time it was father who stepped in to make Gu Chaoxuan restrain himself, what use will it be if mother goes now? Lin Youning doesn’t owe our family anything."
Mentioning this, Lin Qining felt somewhat guilty.
Others didn’t know, but she had heard from her mother. It was her mother who had someone steal a child, later claiming it was adopted out of pity. Who knows if one day it’ll come to light.