Chapter 87 No Time to Spend Time with Her

These past few days, Gu Yun'an hasn't touched her again, whether it's because he's busy with official duties or something else, he's even been staying overnight in the study.

Cheng Xiuxiu had been staying in the mansion for more than half a month. Since the day she first arrived, Ruan Xingzhu and she had rarely met.

It was only through occasional chatter among the maids in the mansion that I learned that Cheng Xiuxiu was extremely interested in Gu Yun'an's preferences and often inquired about them from others.

Ruan Xingzhu listened but pretended not to hear, and simply walked past silently.

After developing that unspoken relationship with Gu Yun'an, Ruan Xingzhu was effectively released from house arrest and allowed to leave the mansion.

She had arranged to go for a walk with Gu Qingxu that day, but after she had already left home, someone from Gu Qingxu's side came to tell her that Gu Qingxu had been temporarily delayed and couldn't come.

Walking along the street corner, since Gu Qingxu was no longer there, and there was nothing else to do, he decided to go back home.

Just as she turned to leave, she inadvertently caught sight of Gu Yun'an's familiar figure not far away.

A flicker of surprise flashed in her eyes, and she instinctively lifted her foot, wanting to go forward and say hello.

However, when her gaze fell on the pink figure beside Gu Yun'an, she seemed to be frozen in place, and suddenly stopped in her tracks.

The woman dressed in a bright pink dress, with exquisite makeup and a shy expression on her face, was none other than Cheng Xiuxiu.

She smiled broadly, chattering like a cheerful little bird in front of Gu Yun'an, seemingly saying something intimately.

Ruan Xingzhu felt as if her feet were filled with lead, and her body froze on the spot. She stared blankly at the scene before her, her heart filled with mixed emotions, at a loss for what to do. Her hands, which were pressed against her chest, unconsciously clenched tightly at the hem of her clothes, her knuckles turning white from the force.

Gu Yun'an once told her earnestly that he had been busy with official duties these days and even specifically told her to go see Gu Qingsu to relieve her boredom.

But now, he appears on the street with Cheng Xiuxiu, looking as if they are parading together.

In an instant, an unprecedented bitterness surged into Ruan Xingzhu's heart like a tide, a taste so bitter that she couldn't help but frown.

She thought she was mentally prepared for him to get married, but just seeing this scene made her seemingly unbreakable defenses crumble instantly.

She slowly turned around, unable to bear witnessing this heartbreaking scene any longer. Looking down, a feeling of shame welled up within her, and she slowly walked away...

On the street.

Cheng Xiuxiu had finally found this perfect opportunity to be alone with Gu Yun'an, so naturally she was unwilling to let it go easily.

She tilted her head slightly, a sweet smile on her face, and said in a coquettish voice, "Fourth cousin, I'm new to the capital and not very familiar with this place. It just so happens that I've run into you, cousin. Why don't you show me around?"

When Gu Yun'an saw Cheng Xiuxiu suddenly appear here, he was a little surprised. He knew without thinking that Cheng must have revealed his itinerary to her.

It seems that Cheng Shi went to great lengths to ensure that Cheng Xiuxiu would become the next matriarch of the Gu family, even knowing his whereabouts perfectly.

His expression instantly hardened, but without the slightest hesitation, he coldly said, "Unfortunately, I have urgent business to attend to right now and cannot afford to delay even for a moment."

After saying that, he paused slightly, then coldly ordered, "Lian Que, accompany Miss Cheng on a good stroll."

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, he spoke the second half of the sentence with a particularly heavy tone, as if it carried a certain kind of instruction.

Lian Que is Sheng Que's younger brother. Unlike Sheng Que, the two have completely different personalities. One is a playful and fun-loving boy, while the other is a skilled martial artist.

After saying that, Gu Yun'an turned and left coldly without looking back, his movements clean and swift, giving Cheng Xiuxiu no time to react at all.

By the time Cheng Xiuxiu realized what was happening, Gu Yun'an was already far away, leaving only a blurry silhouette. Cheng Xiuxiu felt a surge of anxiety and instinctively tried to chase after him, but Lian Que blocked her path like a wall.

Looking at the bustling street, Lian Que said excitedly, "Miss Cheng, don't worry, I know the capital city like the back of my hand. I guarantee you'll have a great time."

After all, he no longer had to follow Gu Yun'an to collect cases and handle those tedious official duties, and he was in an exceptionally good mood at the moment.

Especially since Gu Yun'an handed this task to him, it's likely that Miss Cheng isn't an important person to Gu Yun'an. In this way, he can act as he pleases.

Looking at Lian Que, who was even more excited than her, Cheng Xiuxiu couldn't help but feel a surge of dissatisfaction.

She knew in her heart that she wasn't simply there to parade through the streets; she clearly wanted to take this opportunity to get closer to Gu Yun'an and strengthen their relationship.

But if she rejected Lian Que, who was close to Gu Yun'an, it would not be good for her reputation if word got out, and it might even cause Gu Yun'an to harbor resentment towards her.

After much thought, she could only force a smile and helplessly follow Lian Que as they strolled through the streets and corners of the capital.

But who would have thought that this so-called shopping trip would be a nightmare?

After walking for only a short while, Cheng Xiuxiu felt her feet were so sore that they felt like they didn't belong to her anymore. She waved her hands repeatedly and said in a tearful voice, "I can't walk anymore, I really can't walk anymore."

However, Lian Que herself was having a great time, after all, such an opportunity to play to her heart's content doesn't come every day.

He quickly advised, "Miss Cheng, please persevere a little longer. If you don't finish shopping, the young master will punish me."

Cheng Xiuxiu felt wronged. This was not shopping at all. It was just that Lian Que walked to one place, briefly introduced it to her, and then hurriedly urged her to move on to the next place.

Throughout the day, they traversed narrow alleyways, impassable by carriage, relying entirely on her own two feet to keep walking. Unsuspecting observers would have thought she was fleeing a disaster.

When Cheng Xiuxiu dragged her exhausted body back to the Gu residence, she had no energy left to look for Gu Yun'an. She collapsed onto the bed like a limp lump of mud, only able to weakly let the maid massage her aching legs.

A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, and the waterwheel in the pond turned slowly, producing intermittent sounds of flowing water that broke the surrounding tranquility.

Ruan Xingzhu sat quietly by the pond, holding fish food in her hand, feeding the fish in the pond little by little.

The fish swam happily to and fro, vying for food, but her thoughts had already drifted far away.

Cheng Xiuxiu has already returned, so why is Gu Yun'an still nowhere to be seen?

Before we knew it, the sky gradually darkened, and the afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky orange-red.

At this moment, Gu Yun'an finally returned.

Ruan Xingzhu was about to have her meal when she heard that he had arrived. She did not get up to greet him, but simply focused on eating her food.

When Gu Yun'an entered the house, he saw Ruan Xingzhu eating her meal in small bites, looking quiet and well-behaved.

He sat down opposite her, picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of green vegetable and put it in his mouth, then slowly turned his gaze to her and asked in a calm tone, "Where did you go with Xiao Wu today?"

Ruan Xingzhu's chopsticks, which were picking up food, suddenly stopped, and the scene of him and Cheng Xiuxiu on the street vividly reappeared in his mind.

A sharp pain shot through her heart. She lowered her eyes slowly, trying to suppress her emotions, and said calmly, "Fifth Sister had something come up, so she couldn't go."

Gu Yun'an didn't say anything more upon hearing this. After all, Gu Qingsu was always unpredictable in her actions.

Seeing that Gu Yun'an remained silent, Ruan Xingzhu silently continued eating. However, as she ate, her doubts and resentment grew stronger. She wanted to ask him where he and Cheng Xiuxiu had gone and what they had done that day.

But the words caught in her throat, and she hesitated. What right did she have to ask these questions? She was just an orphan girl she'd been taken in and manipulated; what right did she have to ask?

She blinked slightly, looking at Gu Yun'an with a complicated expression, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

"Xingzhu has something to say?" Gu Yun'an raised his eyebrows slightly, keenly noticing something was off about her. Seeing her hesitant expression, he couldn't help but ask.

When asked this question, Ruan Xingzhu suddenly felt uneasy and flustered. She quickly and resolutely replied, "No."

Since Cheng Xiuxiu entered the manor, Gu Yun'an has inevitably had several encounters with her.

However, he never took the initiative to mention anything about his relationship with Cheng Xiuxiu to Ruan Xingzhu, nor did he ever express any attitude towards his feelings.

Ruan Xingzhu silently finished her last bite of food, then slowly got up and left the table.

Recently, Cheng Xiuxiu has become like a young lady in the mansion. The servants all treat her with the utmost respect, as if she were the future mistress, and dare not neglect her orders in the slightest.

That day, Cheng Xiuxiu got up early and spent a long time carefully dressing herself in front of the bronze mirror. She carefully selected a light pink dress, embroidered with delicate peach blossom patterns, and adorned with a few crystal-clear pearls at the hem, making her sway gracefully as she walked.

She styled her hair into an elegant bun, adorned it with a gold hairpin inlaid with rubies, lightly brushed her eyebrows, and applied a touch of lip rouge.

Looking at her carefully made-up self in the bronze mirror, she couldn't help but feel a little intoxicated, thinking that she was as beautiful as a fairy descended from heaven, and wondered how Gu Yun'an could not be moved by her appearance.

Although Gu Yun'an's marriage may not be up to his personal preference, she still hoped to win his favor and love, given his aloof nature.

Since Gu Yun'an didn't come to Yutang Courtyard often, she decided to take the initiative and go to Huaiju to find him. She firmly believed that as long as Gu Yun'an saw her charming and alluring appearance, he would definitely be moved.

After all, she was carefully selected from the collateral branches of the Cheng family, and her appearance and talent were naturally different from others.

She specially instructed the kitchen to make peach blossom cakes. As soon as they came out of the oven, she carried them without delay, swaying her slender waist, and walked happily toward Huaiju.