Chapter 105 Springtime Confusion (Thirteen) The Bed Collapsed

At the inn at the foot of the mountain, dust rose slightly.

Song Qiling and Gu Lianzhou, travel-worn, had just stepped into the simple inn's courtyard when a servant greeted them with a beaming smile.

Song Qiling took a breath and nodded to the waiter, saying, "Shopkeeper, we are passing through this area and would like to buy a horse."

Since this was a post station, not a stable, the servant's smile remained on his face. He paused for a moment, then replied, "Of course, gentlemen, please wait a moment while I go and fetch our manager."

The two nodded slightly and, guided by the servant, rested briefly on a stone bench in the courtyard. Before long, they heard footsteps coming from inside the house.

The curtain was lifted, and a young man in a blue robe strode out, his gaze fixed directly on them.

"Brother!"

Gu Lianzhou's casual gaze suddenly froze, his body involuntarily straightening slightly, his face filled with disbelief and astonishment, "Shao Yang?"

The young man who approached had a resemblance to Gu Lianzhou in his features, but was more gentle and refined. Who else could he be but his second brother, Gu Shaoyang, who should have been far away in Huaidu?

Upon reaching him, a hint of a smile flashed in Gu Shaoyang's eyes. He first winked at his elder brother, then straightened his expression and turned to Song Qiling beside him, solemnly clasping his hands in a respectful bow: "Many thanks to Master Song for taking care of my brother along the way. Shaoyang expresses his gratitude."

His words were sincere, and his posture was extremely humble.

It was as if they had come to beg for help.

Although Song Qiling was somewhat surprised, he still returned the greeting calmly: "Young Master Gu is too kind. It was just that we were supporting each other. I really didn't expect that you would accompany me all the way here."

She looked at this pampered "little white dove" and felt that after not seeing her for a long time, the girl's brows seemed to have lost some of their youthful innocence and even showed a hint of hardship. It seemed that the environment along the way was not as nourishing as Huaidu.

It must have been quite a hardship for this young master.

Gu Lianzhou had just recovered from his shock when he took a few steps forward, grabbed his younger brother's arm, and frowned: "Shaoyang, what are you doing here?"

He didn't tell his family about coming to Nancheng, so how did his second brother find out about him? What's more... he even chased him all the way to the foot of Qingyunxi Mountain.

He suddenly appeared in such a remote place, as if it had been arranged. Could it be that Shao Yang and his senior brothers had been in contact during the time he was unconscious?

Amidst his chaotic thoughts, he felt a weight on his shoulder. Gu Shaoyang patted his arm, signaling him to calm down: "Brother, don't be anxious. This matter is a long story and there's no rush to explain it now."

He smiled and turned to Song Qiling, "I have already ordered some simple food to be prepared. Let's eat first, and then we can discuss the itinerary."

Having said that, he walked ahead to lead the way.

The atmosphere inside the room was slightly tense.

Finally, Gu Lianzhou broke the silence. He picked up a piece of stir-fried vegetables and put it into Gu Shaoyang's bowl before looking at his younger brother across from him and asking in a deep voice, "Shaoyang, tell me the truth, is your visit to me at Father's behest?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Shaoyang suppressed his smile and shook his head: "No, although Father is worried about your lack of news for so long, he has not yet taken any action. It was my own decision."

He paused, his tone becoming serious, "Brother, you've been away from home for so long, I was very worried. I happened to be representing the family to attend the birthday banquet at the Prince of Nancheng's mansion in Nancheng, so I thought I'd stop by to look for you and see if I could run into you. I didn't expect that just as I found out where you were, I heard that you had an accident..."

As he said this, his voice lowered, and a hint of lingering fear and relief flashed in his eyes. He turned his gaze back to Song Qiling, "Fortunately, Brother Tianyou was able to encounter a benefactor like Master Song and escape danger. My Gu family will always remember this kindness."

He thanked Song Qiling again solemnly, raised his teacup to toast her with tea instead of wine.

Upon hearing this, Song Qiling waved her hand repeatedly, picked up her teacup and took a small sip as a gesture of respect, "Saying such things is too formal. Your brother is now considered my... uh."

He paused, then suddenly remembered that the Gu family did not know about the relationship between Gu Lianzhou and Nie Fengxi. The word "junior brother" circled in his mouth, but he could not say it in the end. He only said stiffly, "...Good brother, it is my duty to take care of him."

What's more, she had already received such a large sum of money from him...

Gu Shaoyang smiled politely upon hearing this and poured tea for everyone.

Overwhelmed with emotion at the long-awaited reunion, Gu Lianzhou softened his tone and said, "I'm sorry to have worried you. Although there were many twists and turns along the way, they're all in the past now."

He opened his arms and laughed, "Look, I'm in great health now."

Staring at his elder brother for a long time, the young master, still quite young, raised the corners of his lips slightly and spoke in a steady tone with an undeniable determination: "Brother, now that we have met, come back to Huaidu with me. Everything is fine at home, but our father and elders are always worried about us. You also need to rest well to put their minds at ease."

This suggestion is reasonable and beyond reproach.

However, Gu Lianzhou hesitated for almost a moment, his voice calm but unusually firm: "We cannot return for the time being."

Gu Shaoyang frowned almost imperceptibly, clearly puzzled by the answer: "Brother?"

Gu Lianzhou's gaze did not waver as he calmly looked at his younger brother: "I still have important matters to attend to. Shao Yang, you should go back to Nancheng first to report to Father. After I have settled everything, I will travel with Master Song."

After he finished speaking, the air fell silent.

Gu Shaoyang's gaze shifted between his elder brother and Song Qiling, as if he understood something. Finally, he sighed softly, "Since my brother has already made up his mind, I won't try to persuade him any further. Just be careful in everything and go home early."

Song Qiling lowered her eyes, thinking to herself: These two brothers have a deep friendship and understand each other.

She cleared her throat and said, "Don't worry, Young Master Gu, I will help with your brother's matter."

After the meal, Gu Shaoyang had already made arrangements, and a spacious carriage was waiting outside the door.

Gu Shaoyang lifted the carriage curtain first: "Brother, Master Song, please."

The carriage rumbled along, heading onto the official road back to the southern city.

Thanks to Gu Shaoyang's help, their journey went smoothly, and they arrived in the southern part of the city in the evening after only a few days.

"I've been away for quite a while now, and it's time for me to go back. Brother, please take care of yourself and remember to write home to let us know you're safe." Gu Shaoyang was still worried and took out a stack of silver notes from his pocket and stuffed them into Gu Lianzhou's hand. "Being away from home is not the same as being at home, brother, please take good care of yourself."

Seeing his mature-beyond-his-years appearance, Gu Lianzhou couldn't help but chuckle and say, "I really don't know who the elder brother and who the younger brother are."

Gu Shaoyang retorted without backing down: "I'm not like some people who, despite being past the age of adulthood, still act like teenagers and refuse to go home."

After saying that, he glanced at Song Qiling, who was watching the commotion with her arms crossed, paused, and looked slightly complicated.

Song Qiling was watching the two brothers say goodbye with great interest when she suddenly felt their gaze fall on her. She lowered her arm, straightened up a bit, and hesitantly asked, "Young Master Gu, is there something you want to say to me?"

Gu Shaoyang remained silent for a moment, then finally shook his head: "It's nothing. I just feel at ease... having Master Song by my brother's side all the way."

He said this out of the blue, and then urged the two of them to enter the city gate: "It's getting late, and the city gate will be closed if we delay any longer."

The three said no more and took their leave.

Gu Shaoyang stood there, watching the two figures gradually disappear into the twilight of the southern city.

-

It was already late at night when I returned to the courtyard in Hushi Lane.

As Song Qiling pushed open the door, she was suddenly greeted by a musty smell mixed with dust. Moonlight streamed in through the half-open window, illuminating the fine dust particles floating in the air.

She raised her hand and waved it away with obvious disdain.

After days of travel, it had been more than a month since I last left the courtyard. Due to the lack of ventilation, the tables, chairs, and cabinets inside were covered with a thin layer of dust. When I brushed my fingertips over them, they left mottled marks.

Fortunately, there was a well in Gu Lianzhou's courtyard, and the water quality was relatively clean.

The two took turns fetching water and worked together to wipe the room clean, then changed the slightly damp bedding on the bed.

Just as Song Qiling was squatting at the foot of the bed tidying up the corner of the mattress, she suddenly paused and let out a soft "Eh."

Gu Lianzhou approached upon hearing the sound and squatted down with her. The lamplight cast their shadows on the edge of the bed, merging them together.

Song Qiling pointed to a gnawed mark on the bed leg, her lips twitching slightly, and said with some uncertainty, "This... was gnawed by a rat?"

She had only been away from home for a few days, yet this oil thief was so brazen?

As if in response to her question, a rustling sound suddenly came from the roof beam, the soft chirping sound particularly clear in the quiet night.

"Well, this is like daring to mess with the gods." Song Qiling was immediately enraged. He rolled up his sleeves, dragged over a wooden table, stepped on it, and reached into the shadows between the beams.

The rat, however, was very cunning. It slipped through her fingers in a flash, darted down the beam, and disappeared under the cabinet in the blink of an eye.

She jumped off the table to block it, but it darted out from the other side and leaped onto the windowsill, as if deliberately teasing her. This made her so angry that her cheeks turned red, and she chased it all over the room, making the tables and chairs rattle, but she didn't even catch a single hair.

Gu Lianzhou covered his forehead, finally unable to bear it any longer. He summoned the dodder and attacked the smug gray rat. With a light flick and a swing, he threw it out of the house and then closed the door tightly.

Song Qiling was so exhausted that she could barely straighten her back. She turned around and gave her junior brother a thumbs up, then let out a long sigh of relief. She walked to the bedside, fell heavily back into the newly made mattress, and gasped for breath while looking at the dark beams of the room.

The bed beside him dipped slightly as Gu Lianzhou lay down as well.

The night was dark, and the two were exhausted. Neither of them wanted to move anymore and wished they could close their eyes and fall asleep.

The oil lamp flickered, and for a moment, only their soft breathing filled the room.

Song Qiling's eyelids grew heavy. Gazing at the shadows on the beam, she muttered softly, "Junior brother, are you hungry?"

A soft "Mmm" came from beside me.

After a slight pause, he said, "I'm hungry, and I've already finished my rations."

Song Qiling closed her eyes and smiled bitterly: "Why does it sound like... we're like refugees fleeing all the way, unable to even afford to eat?"

Gu Lianzhou was silent for a moment, then his voice carried a faint smile: "Senior brother, are you hungry too? I'll go check if there's any rice left in the jar."

As he spoke, he tried to sit up.

"Snap—"

A dull cracking sound suddenly erupted.

Then came the ear-piercing noise of breaking wood, and the bed tilted and collapsed to one side without warning.

Dust and musty smells rushed up instantly, choking the nostrils.

Song Qiling felt her body suddenly plummet downwards, and when she opened her eyes in alarm, Gu Lianzhou's face was already inches away from hers.

He was clearly caught off guard by this turn of events, and lost his balance, falling on top of her. He instinctively braced his arms against her ear, trying to steady himself, but he still inevitably trapped her in a small space.

Breaths mingled, carrying lingering panic and astonishment.

Broken wood chips and debris fell in a flurry, a few specks of dust clinging to his dark temples, and she could clearly see her own astonished expression reflected in his suddenly constricted pupils.

The echoes of the bed collapsing still reverberated in my ears, stirring up fine dust that floated in the dim lamplight.

In that moment of deathly silence, the slightly worn, plain-colored bed canopy that had been hanging above the bed, having lost its last support due to the complete collapse of its pillars, quietly drifted down, perfectly enveloping the two people below.

The world seemed to be instantly shut out.

The light suddenly dimmed, and the thin curtains filtered through the dim lamplight, letting in only a hazy glimmer of light that enveloped them in a narrow space.

The fabric gently covered Gu Lianzhou's back, her hair, and her shoulders, rising and falling softly with their subtle breathing. Each slight movement produced an almost inaudible rustling sound, scratching at their taut nerves.

Both of them were stunned for a moment, caught up in the unexpected intimacy, and forgot what to do.

Song Qiling felt that all the sounds around her had faded away, and her vision had been largely deprived, but her sense of smell had become exceptionally sharp.

A faint, delicate fragrance wafted into my nostrils.

Gu Lianzhou was clearly startled by the unexpected envelopment. His arm, which was supporting him by her ear, bent slightly, causing the curtains to sway gently. As the light and shadow shifted, a suffocating, restless silence filled the air.

Song Qiling opened her mouth, wanting to say something to break the unsettling silence, but found her throat was dry, and her fingertips unconsciously curled up, gently brushing against the scattered bedding beneath her.

Gu Lianzhou seemed to only then fully come to his senses. His gaze shifted slightly, sliding from her astonished brows to her slightly parted lips, lingering for a moment.

His Adam's apple bobbed very slightly as he tried to look away, only to find that the distance between them was unavoidable.

The air was filled with the dry smell of broken wood, and the swirling dust entered her nostrils. Song Qiling frowned, then shuddered and sneezed loudly!

Her ears turned bright red instantly. She pushed against her junior brother's chest and struggled wildly, but she ignored the power of the bed curtains and broken bed frame. The already fragile body beneath her completely collapsed. She felt a sudden emptiness behind her and slid down uncontrollably!

"Ugh!" Gu Lianzhou was completely caught off guard. Caught off guard by her sudden movement, his supporting arm instantly lost its grip, and the two of them slid off the edge of the crooked bed board, falling completely into a pile of broken wood and curtains.

The fall was completely unexpected.

Song Qiling groaned, feeling dizzy and disoriented. Once the dizziness subsided, she realized that her current situation was even worse than before.

Her junior brother had almost half his body pressed against her, their limbs intertwined, wrapped in the bed curtains, sinking even deeper into the soft bedding.

Just moments ago they were only close together, but now they were tucked together tightly, and through the fabric, every curve and taut muscle could be clearly felt.

The weight of his chest pressed down on her breath, and his warm breath brushed against her neck, sending a shiver down her spine.

Song Qiling's neck and ears were burning red. Overwhelmed by the heat, she turned her head away and complained in a low voice, "You, you get up, you're really crushing me..."

Gu Lianzhou took a deep breath, exerted his strength in his arms, and struggled to sit up from the tangled curtains and bedding.

With some effort, he lifted the soft cloth still covering his head, and the dilapidated bed frame let out its last mournful cry before finally falling completely silent.

He turned around and looked at his senior brother who was still trapped in the ruins.

Under the dim light, Song Qiling was trying to remain calm as he brushed the dust off his sleeves, pretending to be relaxed as he said, "Tsk, you really get what you pay for... This wood is too flimsy. It seems we can't fix it tonight. We'll just have to make do with sleeping on the floor for now."

The room fell silent for a moment.

Gu Lianzhou's gaze fell on his senior brother's unusually rosy ears and shifty eyes, pausing slightly.

After a moment of silence, he suggested, "The air here is cold and damp, not suitable for sleeping. If you don't mind, senior brother, you can squeeze in with me."

Before he could finish speaking, the senior brother froze, his eyes darting nervously to the air, his voice muffled as he said, "How can this be? I'm a terrible sleeper, I'm afraid I'll disturb your peaceful dreams, junior brother..."

It's always like this.

It's always like this.

It was an almost subconscious, slightly panicked rejection.

A very subtle sense of unease, like an undercurrent beneath the ice in early spring, silently crept into Gu Lianzhou's heart.

The feeling wasn't sharp, but it carried a certain indescribable unease that made him subconsciously want to explore it, yet instinctively unwilling to delve deeper into it.

He suppressed the strange feeling in his heart, said nothing more, and simply pushed himself up from the ground, then reached out his hand to his senior brother who was sitting on the ground.

Song Qiling hesitated for a moment, but still extended her hand.

The moment their hands clasped, Gu Lianzhou's fingertips paused almost imperceptibly for a second.

The skin that touched my palm was warm and soft, the fingers were slender, and the bones were incredibly delicate, as if they would shatter if I applied too much force.

A sense of stark difference, never before noticed, was amplified in the quiet and subtle atmosphere.

He lowered his eyelashes, concealing the fleeting ripples in his eyes, forcibly suppressing the doubt that surged within him, and silently exerted his strength to pull the other person up.

Song Qiling stood up, quickly withdrew her hand, and almost immediately turned around, muttering "I'll go check the rice jar," before walking hurriedly towards the kitchen next door with unsteady steps.

Gu Lianzhou stood there silently watching the fleeing figure disappear through the doorway.

In the stillness of the night, the lamplight flickered.

He turned around and began to clean up the mess, gathering the broken pieces of wood aside. He brushed aside the tangled plain bed curtains with his fingers, about to fold them up, when he suddenly stopped.

In the shadows beneath the bed curtains, a book with blue background and black lettering lay quietly.

It was the storybook that my senior brother had hastily put away that day.

Gu Lianzhou's fingertips hovered in mid-air, his gaze lingering on the book title for a long time.

Only his soft breathing and the faint sound of the burning lamp wick remained in the room.

Finally, with a calm expression, he bent down, picked up the book, and discreetly slipped it into his sleeve.