Doting Marriage: Return Of The Real Miss Gu

Lin Yuying thought marriage into the Lin family would be a crown on her head. But barely three days after the ceremony, the crown had turned into thorns.

The Lin family house, once so grand in her imagination, now pressed against her like cold, unfamiliar walls. She wasn't Gu Mianmian, no matter how hard she tried to stand in her shoes.

And the Lin family made sure she knew it.

Madam Lin had taken one look at her on the wedding night and said "She's thinner than I expected. Doesn't look like she can even hold a wok properly."

Yuying had smiled, bowed, and called her "Mother" sweetly, only for the woman to sniff and turn away.

Now, every day, it was the same. Cold silences, too-loud sighs, and snide remarks over breakfast.

"She doesn't even know how to make porridge properly. The congee was better when Mianmian came to visit."

"She puts on perfume in the kitchen. Imagine, the food's tasting like roses."

Feibai never defended her. In fact, he barely spoke to her at all.

He came home late. Slept on the far edge of the bed. And worst of all, he kept bringing up Mianmian.

"She used to pickle radish just the way I liked. You never learned that?"

"She would've managed the servants better."

"She never wasted money on table arrangements."

Yuying's face stung every time he said it. She had gotten the ring, the title, the name but somehow, she felt like the mistress in someone else's marriage.

That night, she set the dining table herself. Put out the soup she learned from the family chef. Arranged the plates just so.

Feibai walked in, glanced once, and said nothing.

Then: "Mianmian used to garnish the soup with scallions. It looked better."

Something snapped. Yuying stood, her voice tight. "If you miss her so much, why don't you just marry her...."

Feibai paused mid-sip. "what did you just say? You damn vixen, why don't you just he better than your sister?"

Yuying froze, her fists clenching at Feibai's remarks.

"You aren't prettier than her, you don't cook better, you don't have her resolve..so what makes you think you can match up ?"

Feibai set down his spoon slowly, an unreadable look flickering across his face. Yuying's eyes reddened as she bit her lips.

Lin Feibai was a good for nothing bastard, she finally saw it now, the same man who told her he was more interested in her than her sister and wished he could marry her instead had suddenly grown tired of her.

No wonder Mianmian didn't argue at the wedding day, she had smelt his filth mile away.

"I see..." he said.

He didn't eat another bite.

Yuying's heart pounded.

Marrying into the Lin family, she thought she had won.

But the shadow of Gu Mianmian still sat at her table. Still slept between them. Still stirred the soup.

And it was only the beginning.

"Do better next time, since you can't be better than Gu Mianmian, at least try to be good at one thing.."

Yuying stared at the table for a long time and chucked to herself, she had been a fool this whole time, no wonder neither Xuelan or Mianmian said anything.

She was the only one dragging trash.

"Aunt... you're so wicked, you'll only do what benefits your daughter the most..."

Very well.

Yuying said nothing else that night. She cleared the dishes. Cleaned the table. Wiped the floors until her fingers ached.

Then, while the house slept, she moved like a ghost.

She found the money Feibai had tucked in the back drawer of his wardrobe, not much, just under 300 hundred yuan and quietly stuffed it into her old canvas bag along with a change of clothes.

Then she sat down to write.

The paper trembled slightly as she signed her name.

[ I, Bai Yuying, sever this marriage by my own will. I take nothing but what I brought.

Let this be the last time we share a roof.]

She folded the letter and left it on the table, pinned under the soup spoon he hadn't touched.

By the time the first roosters stirred behind the alley wall, she was already on the street.

She didn't go back to the Gu house either, she didn't cry neither she didn't look back.

She knew where she had to go.

The restaurant hadn't even opened yet, but the gossip had reached every corner of the district. Wanwei Lou, the name was on every tongue.

Flyers were stuck on poles, fluttering on shop doors, clutched in little hands running down the market streets.

It was still dark when she reached West Lane. The cold nipped at her ankles. Her bag was heavy on her shoulder, her shoes damp with dew.

But the lights in the restaurant were already on.

Inside, she could see a shadow moving behind the glass, sweeping, probably chopping vegetables. The smell of ginger and scallion floated faintly through the air.

Yuying hesitated outside the door.

She had thought Mianmian wouldn't be up yet. She'd come early on purpose. A selfish hope, to leave an apology and leave.

But now she was here. And Mianmian was already working.

Her hand lifted slowly and knocked twice.

Silence.

Then the lock turned.

Gu Mianmian opened the door, rag in one hand, apron tied at the waist, hair pinned up.

She blinked once, twice.

Then her brows lifted, more surprised than angry. "Yuying?"

Yuying's eyes stung from the cold. Or maybe something else. "I… I know it's early."

Mianmian leaned against the doorframe, her expression unreadable. "Very."

"I just..." Yuying took a shaky breath. "I didn't know where else to go."

There was no haughty air left in her. No proud tilt of the chin. Her voice was quiet.

Tired. She looked like she hadn't slept, like she hadn't eaten, like the crown she'd chased had strangled her.

"I left.." she said simply.

Mianmian didn't speak for a long time. She looked at the woman standing before her, same face, same blood.

And yet… something was different.

"You left the Lin house?" she asked softly.

Yuying nodded.

"I left him a letter. Took nothing but a bit of money I found. I don't want to be anyone's substitute anymore."

Mianmian's lips curved, not quite into a smile. "That's new..."

"I know I've hurt you..." Yuying whispered, eyes dropping to the floor. "I never deserved your kindness, or your silence. But… I just wanted to say I'm sorry.."