The husband who forced her to marry her couldn't keep her warm, and she didn't want him to

When Gu Jinchu woke up, it was not yet completely dark outside. The red sunset glowed through the window lattice into the room, casting a faint halo on the room.

The bed was warm, and the hot water bottle under my feet was like a small stove, transmitting heat continuously.

She looked at the red curtains on Luohan's bed. The bright color looked particularly warm in the twilight.

Subconsciously, I looked for Jiang Nansheng in the room. When I turned sideways, I saw my grandmother and mother sitting on the kang by the window.

This scene was so long ago that it was a little blurry in her memory, yet it was so familiar and warm.

Zheng Mudan seemed to sense her daughter's gaze, so she put down her embroidery, raised her head and said softly:

"Chu Jie'er, are you awake? You slept so soundly, like a little pig. Your grandmother and I sat here for quite a while, but you didn't wake up."

Gu Jinchu felt like he was back in his childhood. As soon as he opened his eyes, he could see his gentle mother and loving grandmother.

With Bai Shao's help, she put on a long jacket, stood on the platform, walked slowly to the kang in her embroidered shoes, and raised her hand to light the candle on the kang table brighter.

Her voice was soft and delicate, and she whispered, "Grandma, what are you and mother doing? It's so dim, you have to keep your eyes open."

Old Madam Zheng took off her reading glasses and put the embroidery in her hands into the basket.

If Chu Jie'er hadn't woken up, she probably wouldn't have had the patience to continue.

She straightened her back, leaned back on the large pillow behind her, shook her head and sighed, "I'm getting old... my eyes and hands can't keep up."

Zheng Mudan stretched out her arms and took her mother's embroidery frame. After carefully examining it, she smiled and said, "Mother...you have made great progress."

Ever since she was old enough to understand, she knew that her mother was not good at embroidery.

Sometimes my father would deliberately ask my mother to make a purse for him, and my mother never refused. Every time she embroidered a pattern, my mother would become a little irritable.

But no matter what the embroidery looks like, my father will treasure it very much.

Madam Zheng knew that her daughter was trying to comfort her, but she didn't feel embarrassed that she was not good at embroidery.

She sat up, picked up the basket, pointed at the things inside and said to Gu Jinchu:

"These were found by Mother Xu and I from your storeroom. When you gave birth, it was around the end of August or the beginning of September in the Gregorian calendar."

"Although the dog days are over, it is still hot and dry during the day. Newborn babies have very delicate skin, and this kind of cotton and linen material is the most comfortable."

When Gu Jin first saw her grandmother, most of the colors she chose were bright and eye-catching colors such as light pink, light blue, light green, and red.

Madam Zheng took out a piece of ruler and measured it while saying, "If you want to embroider some patterns on the bellyband, remember to sew an extra layer of cotton lining. It will not affect the appearance and it will be comfortable for the doll that can't talk to wear."

Not only Gu Jinchu listened attentively, but Mother Xu and the maids also listened very carefully.

They have always been like this, believing everything that Old Madam Zheng said without a doubt.

Zheng Mudan held the embroidery frame and looked at her mother with a faint smile.

Her mother had given her the same instructions when she was pregnant with her first child more than a decade ago.

Now that she is about to become a grandmother, she still wants her mother to consider her and Chu Jie'er first in everything.

I felt sad in my heart, if it weren't for my daughter giving her courage and my mother supporting her from behind, how could she have the warmth and happiness she has today.

Madam Zheng felt that she had said enough, so she sat up from the kang swiftly, as if she was about to go out.

Seeing this, Gu Jinchu asked, "Grandma, what are you and mother going to do? Dinner will be served soon."

Zheng Mudan smiled and explained, "It's your mother-in-law. She made an appointment with your grandmother to play mahjong."

After hearing this, Gu Jinchu understood that playing Mahjong was the only hobby that his grandmother was passionate about in recent years.

I made an appointment with Madam Jiang. On the one hand, it was because my grandmother really liked me, but I also didn’t want to disturb her.

At this time, there was a voice outside the house.

The person who came back was Mr. Jiang Wu, but the voice that greeted him was not from the maids of Yuanyuan Hall.

Gu Jinchu sent his grandmother and mother out, and saw that the person following Jiang Nansheng in was Xuezhu, the maidservant of Madam Jiang.

Xuezhu's fair face flushed. After entering, she bowed and said, "Madam Zheng, Madam, the old lady has prepared dinner in Minghui Hall. An hour ago, the old ladies of the Zhou family, the Wu family, and the Song family came over."

Her words were as clear as the sound of a bell, crisp and clear, without any hesitation. She turned to Gu Jinchu and said:

"Fifth Madam, the old lady said that the roads would be slippery after dark, and considering your pregnancy, it won't be too late to meet the guests tomorrow." After saying that, she retreated to the door, as if there was something more attractive outside.

Gu Jinchu couldn't help but look up at Xuezhu. At her age of twenty, it was no exaggeration to say that she was a daughter of an official family with her dress and manner.

Normally, a capable maidservant by the master's side, when she reaches a certain age, would either be betrothed to the manager of a farm to become a housekeeper, or be sent out to find a good family.

In her previous life, Xuezhu had become an old maid and was still serving the old lady.

Jiang Nansheng knew that Madam Zheng and his mother-in-law were going to Minghui Hall, so he asked someone to call Jiang Fei and send the two ladies there in a small oil cart with green curtains.

After Gu Jinchu, wearing a cloak, sent his grandmother and mother to the oil truck, he inadvertently discovered that Xuezhu's eyes were following Jiang Fei's figure.

She glanced at Mother Xu who was standing beside her on high alert.

Mother Xu once said that it was Xuezhu, the eldest maid, who always came to Yuanyuan Hall to pass on messages. They also found more than once that Xuezhu always stole glances at the Fifth Master.

It is only now clear that Xuezhu's heart belongs to someone else.

This made Gu Jinchu a little worried about his two older maids. Bai Zhi and Bai Shao were also of marriageable age, but they seemed to be clueless and had no intention of getting married.

Jiang Nansheng put his arm around Gu Jinchu's shoulders, took her hand along her arm, intertwined their fingers, and walked along the corridor towards the main room.

Hearing what Jiang Nansheng said, Gu Jinchu turned his head to look at him with a look of interest on his face.

"Jinchu, do you remember you said that Madam Yuan went to Huguo Temple?"