Shen Guiyan froze, her eyes flickering slightly.

*The solitary white rabbit, running east and looking west. New clothes are not as good as old ones; new people are not as good as old acquaintances.*

Didn’t everyone say Gu Chaobei had no learning? Yet he knew this verse. Her heart warmed, and she suddenly felt he looked even more pleasing to the eye.

There’s something very satisfying in this world: when you dislike someone, the person you like happens to dislike her just as much. Once this mutual understanding is known, whether between same-sex or opposite-sex people, it deepens the bond between them.

It’s truly finding a kindred spirit—go deeper and it becomes a life-and-death friendship.

Shen Guiyan’s mood improved greatly. She looked up at the group of dancing girls entering from outside.

The dancing girls only entered the courtyard, then dispersed to both sides, each waving water sleeves like flower petals blooming one by one. The last dancing girl wore bright red dance attire. However, that costume made everyone’s eyes widen at first sight.

The upper body was only the size of a chest wrap. Her entire waist was bare flesh, painted with floral patterns in gold powder. Her arms had no sleeves but wore golden rings from which long water sleeves extended. The lower body wore something like pants, slightly longer, ending at the calves with a few strands of golden thread hanging down. She wasn’t even wearing shoes on her feet.

Gu Chaobei watched and coughed lightly. Gu Chaonan raised his eyebrows with a slight smile. Prime Minister Gu and all the female relatives’ expressions were very displeased.

This person was actually Shen Guiya.

With a flick of her water sleeves, she revealed her heavily made-up face. Though she wore a face veil, what could that transparent thing conceal? She wore a dancing girl’s hair ornaments and, surrounded by a cluster of dancing girls, walked to the front.

“Guiya offers her humble performance.”

Shen Guiya looked at everyone’s shocked expressions with great satisfaction. She had prepared for today for a long time, even specifically integrating water sleeves and belly dancing to create a new dance. The music she used was something they absolutely had never heard—Jolin Tsai’s “Dancing Diva.”

It was time to open these ancient people’s eyes. Shen Guiya smiled slightly, flicked her water sleeves, and moved forward dancing and singing.

“Spinning, jumping, I close my eyes. The noise is invisible—are you intoxicated yet?”

“White snow, summer nights, I never stop. Blurring the years, no one sees the dancing girl’s joy and sorrow.”

The guzheng and jade flute accompaniment couldn’t produce the dynamic feeling she wanted. Instead, it made her singing seem mismatched with the tune, somewhat jarring. Shen Guiya gritted her teeth and simply stood in place shaking her belly and waving her water sleeves, saving energy to sing.

This song had always been her favorite at nightclubs. She felt that closing her eyes, she could be as seductive and captivating as Jolin Tsai. When bored, Shen Guiya had read many time-travel novels that all wrote it this way—the female lead would perform a modern dance and sing a song, then be noticed by a prince or someone similar.

Even if there was no prince in this courtyard, having Gu Chaobei was enough. Her goal today was simply to leave a stunning impression on Gu Chaobei.

Gu Chaobei kept a mouthful of wine in his mouth without swallowing. When he heard her singing, he finally sprayed it onto the ground beside him. Wiping the corner of his mouth, he watched her dance with a smile.

When Shen Guiya looked over, she thought Gu Chaobei’s smile was encouragement and immediately sang even harder.

“The hourglass of time is crushed beneath my feet.”

Shen Guiyan watched her performance dumbstruck, thinking: had Shen Guiya completely forgotten she was pregnant? Exposing her belly like this—was that really okay? Her outfit was already more revealing than the singing girls at brothels outside. Why didn’t she feel even a bit ashamed?

Turning to look at Gu Chaobei again, this fellow was still watching, still smiling.

Shen Guiyan shook her head helplessly. Men’s words truly couldn’t be trusted. Just now he was expressing loyalty, yet now he still watched with great interest.

Her improved mood suddenly soured a little again.

When the song ended, no one applauded. Shen Guiya alone struck an S-shaped pose below, chin raised as she swept her gaze around, extremely pleased with herself.

These people were too stunned to remember to applaud. Indeed, anything from modern times brought here was a treasure in ancient times.

“Guiya, go down now.” In the silence, only Madam Gu spoke.

Shen Guiya froze and raised her eyebrows, thinking perhaps because she had seduced too many men, Madam Gu’s expression was so ugly.

Indeed, look—even Prime Minister Gu kept watching her.

“Guiya takes her leave.” With a flourish of her water sleeves, she bowed, then cast a flirtatious glance at Gu Chaobei before leaving surrounded by the dancing girls.

“Madam.” Prime Minister Gu reached up to rub his temples.

Madam Gu turned and nodded.

“Find a physician to examine Guiya.” Prime Minister Gu said, “I don’t know if she’s been possessed.”

“Yes.” Madam Gu’s face had already turned green. A pregnant person, and the eldest daughter-in-law at that—coming to perform with lowly dancing girls was bad enough, but acting crazy wearing only undergarments and reciting whatever incantations those were. If not for the other dancing girls as accompaniment, one would really think she came to perform exorcism.

Chaodong missing the Vice Minister position was one thing, but his wife losing face like this—Madam Gu was seething inside. She turned to Shen Guiyan and said, “Confine your elder sister-in-law to the east courtyard. Have her face the wall for half a month, and find a physician to examine her.”

“Yes.” Shen Guiyan nodded.

She didn’t quite understand what Shen Guiya was trying to do. As people dispersed, Shen Guiyan was about to leave with Gu Chaobei when Xu Mengdie spoke up. “Fourth Young Madam.”

Turning to look at her, Shen Guiyan asked, “What is it?”

“Fourth Young Madam had best be careful.” Xu Mengdie moved closer to her, her eyes full of a prophet’s composure. “Men—what they like most is always women’s bodies, especially dissolute men like Fourth Young Master. Fourth Young Madam should keep a close watch.”

“Thank you for the reminder.” Shen Guiyan lowered her eyes, though she disagreed internally.

Even if Gu Chaobei might have feelings for Shen Guiya, if they dared get together, she would dare expose them and have them drowned in pig cages. At worst, she’d become a widow and remarry. Who was afraid of whom?

Turning to walk a few steps, Gu Chaobei ahead had already disappeared. Shen Guiyan sighed softly and looked at her own palm.

The marriage line wasn’t twisted at all—why did the journey feel so full of obstacles?

Gu Chaobei had deliberately left first. Passing through the corridor and crossing through the moon gate into the garden, unsurprisingly he was pulled into a grove of trees to one side.

“Mmph.” A wave of rouge scent rushed toward him. Without thinking, Gu Chaobei immediately covered his mouth.

As a result, Shen Guiya kissed the back of his hand.

“Tsk tsk, stingy. You stared at my body for so long—are you too miserly to give even one kiss?” Shen Guiya smiled seductively, her body clad only in a chest wrap rubbing against his embrace.

“Elder Sister-in-law, show some self-respect.” Gu Chaobei raised his eyebrows at her and raised both hands above his head.

Shen Guiya laughed lightly. “What self-respect? From the first moment you saw me, I knew you were interested in me. Ancient men are so feudal—you’re interested in your heart but don’t dare say so because I’m your elder sister-in-law?”

“Even if you weren’t my elder sister-in-law, I’d still tell you to show self-respect.” Gu Chaobei smiled even more seductively than she did. Shen Guiya was dazed and didn’t hear what he said at all.

“You’re so handsome.” Shen Guiya draped herself over him, her lower body pressing against him like a snake. Using the seduction tactics common in modern times, she reached out to touch his Adam’s apple, moving downward. “Missing you back then was my loss.”

“Oh?” Gu Chaobei’s voice rose slightly as he watched the approaching figure outside growing closer. “Didn’t Elder Sister-in-law marry Elder Brother because you deeply loved him?”

Shen Guiya made a coquettish sound and lightly pounded his chest. “You bad man, you clearly know I was pregnant with his child and had no choice but to marry your elder brother. At that first glance in the wedding hall, my heart belonged only to you.”

Gu Chaobei chuckled softly. “But what can be done? My heart belongs only to Yan’er.”

“What’s so good about her?” Shen Guiya rolled her eyes. “She’s like a saintly white lotus, even pitying refugees. Hmph, pretending to be kind, so rigid and boring—how can she compare to my allure?”

Gu Chaobei pushed her away slightly, his expression gradually becoming serious. “Elder Sister-in-law should stop seducing Fourth Brother. Fourth Brother’s heart truly belongs only to Yan’er. No matter how good others are, in my eyes they don’t compare to her in the slightest.”

Shen Guiya gritted her teeth. Her hand brazenly tried to reach downward but was blocked by Gu Chaobei.

“You push me away and reject me like this—could it be you’ve already reacted?” Shen Guiya looked into Gu Chaobei’s eyes. “I’ve always believed in my skills.”

The smile on Gu Chaobei’s face slowly turned into a sneer. “Having skills is good. But Elder Sister-in-law, facing a face like yours with makeup falling off—sorry, I can’t get hard.”

Shen Guiya’s smiling face froze.

“What… did you say?”

Gu Chaobei looked at her and shrugged regretfully. “I said your face is too unappealing, and this outfit too. Next time you could suggest the ladies at Drunken Flower Pavilion wear it, though I wonder if they’d be willing. It might work on fat, pig-headed fools, but for me…”

“I think Elder Sister-in-law should properly return to accompany Elder Brother.”

Shen Guiya was infuriated and humiliated by his words, her face flushing bright red. “You tactless person, I wore this specially for you!”

“Is that so?”

A cold snort suddenly rang out from beyond the tree shade.

Shen Guiya jumped away from Gu Chaobei’s embrace in fright and looked back in shock.

Zhuiyun stood behind Gu Chaodong. Without asking, she knew Gu Chaobei had instructed him to bring him here. Shen Guiya gasped, looking at Gu Chaodong’s cold eyes, her face deathly pale. “My lord, just now…”

“I heard everything you said just now.” Gu Chaodong’s face held no smile at all, his eyes full of disgust. “I will have Mother write a letter of divorce for you.”

With that, he turned and walked away.

“Chaodong!” Shen Guiya hurried after him and hugged his back. “No! I was just joking with Fourth Brother.”

“Joking?” Gu Chaodong laughed loudly, though his face showed no mirth. “You shameless woman—you can call anything a joke. If I had come a bit later, would you have stripped off your clothes and consummated with him right here?”