Bai Shi narrowed her eyes but obeyed, lowering herself stiffly onto the armchair across from him.
She crossed her legs with the elegance of someone who wanted control, but her fingers tugged sharply at the hem of her sleeve, a tiny crack in her composure.
"You knew about the marriage before it happened, didn't you?" Gu Weiqing asked, his voice low, calm, but unmistakably firm.
Bai Shi scoffed, not even bothering to hide her disdain. "Of course I did. Do you think I'd let my daughter wed into the Jiu family without knowing?"
"And yet, you said nothing to me.." he said.
Her lips twisted. "Do I need your permission now?"
He raised a brow, unfazed. "Not permission. Just basic courtesy."
Bai Shi gave a dry laugh and leaned back. Courtesy? From me to you? she thought, biting her tongue before saying it aloud.
Instead, she settled for: "You haven't exactly involved yourself in your daughters' lives unless it suited you. Why should I report anything to you?"
