Gu Nanjiao couldn't stand staying at home for more than a few days, so she took Yingniang all over the streets looking for a martial arts school.

Yingniang was hot and tired, her body drenched in sweat.

Seeing Gu Nanjiao walking so easily, Yingniang felt for the first time that she should exercise more.

Her delicate and frail appearance was only suited to staying in her boudoir as a pampered young lady. Now that her family has fallen on hard times and she's struggling to survive, it's time to break free from those previous constraints.

The two searched all morning without any results, so they simply returned to Meiwuzhai.

After lunch, Lu Yanzhao and Lin Ji arrived right on time.

Since the hall wasn't busy, Lu Yanzhao said that the headmaster of their academy had a bodyguard in his family, and the bodyguard's friend ran a martial arts school, so he could take his little sister to try it out.

Upon hearing this, Gu Nanjiao asked suspiciously, "You made another trip just for this?"

"Um!"

Lin Ji wiped the sweat from his forehead and urged, "Are you done talking? If you're done, hurry back. We only have a short break, and the headmaster is very strict. Yanzhao dragged me here, and look at all this sweat."

Gu Nanjiao looked up and saw that Lu Yanzhao's forehead was also covered with beads of sweat. Compared to Lin Ji, he seemed much more composed.

At this moment, Yingniang came over with two glasses of chilled plum juice. When she saw Lin Ji's appearance, she couldn't help but be stunned.

He had handsome features, and his blue robe accentuated his refined and scholarly demeanor. Although he was covered in sweat, which was somewhat inconsistent with his refined appearance, it did not diminish his scholarly air at all.

Noticing someone watching her, Lin Ji looked up and met Ying Niang's gaze.

Lin Ji was taken aback and couldn't help but tease, "When did such a beautiful lady come to Meiwuzhai? I've never heard Yanzhao mention her. It's not fair to keep such a beautiful woman hidden away."

Yingniang quickly looked away, her face turning bright red to the roots of her ears. She stamped her foot, handed the plum juice to Gu Nanjiao, covered her face, and ran away with small, quick steps.

Gu Nanjiao handed the plum juice to Lin Ji, her tone somewhat reproachful: "Look how you scared him! My teacher is easily frightened and can't stand your frivolous words! You'd better apologize properly next time you see him."

Lin Ji...?

Is he frivolous? Thinking about it carefully, he is indeed a bit frivolous.

No wonder the fairy sister blushed as she ran over. Did she think he was a lecherous man?

Lin Ji said, "Then should I go apologize now?"

Lu Yanzhao pulled Lin Ji and hurried back to the academy: "Let's go back quickly, or the teacher will scold us if we're late."

Lin Ji: "Hey, Lu Yanzhao, that's not fair of you. I came back with you to see Madam. I finally met a fairy sister, and you won't even let me apologize."

"You said it yourself, the headmaster is very strict, we only have the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."

Lin Ji thought about it and decided to let it go; it wouldn't be too late to apologize to the fairy sister next time.

...

After the two returned to the academy, Gu Nanjiao and Lu's mother began to get busy.

That evening, I invited Bai Luochen and prepared to cook him a meal to thank him for his kindness.

Lu's mother didn't say anything, and rolled up her sleeves to work with Gu Nanjiao.

Gu Nanjiao is preparing to make a grilled fish, one of the signature dishes of Meiweizhai. The grilled fish is served with her favorite side dishes, which she can eat while cooking.

Then I made stewed mutton, spicy bullfrog, salt and pepper shrimp, spicy potatoes, cold pig's ear salad, and several cold vegetable dishes. It all came with fish head tofu soup, making for a huge table full of food.

They waited and waited, and as darkness fell, Bai Luochen still did not appear.

Bai Luochen is always punctual, what's wrong with him today?

At this moment, Bai Su ran over and, upon seeing Gu Nanjiao, said bluntly, "My young master has returned to Yuzhou City, so I came here alone."

After the dishes were placed on the table, Gu Nanjiao raised her wine glass to Bai Su and said, "This matter is all thanks to Young Master Bai and Brother Bai Su. I'll drink to that first."

Gu downed the wine in his glass in one gulp, displaying a rather hearty attitude.

Lu's mother looked at her with a worried expression, afraid that she would faint after just one drink.

Actually, Lu's mother was overthinking it. Gu Nanjiao was afraid that she would get drunk and lose her manners, so she deliberately switched the water with plain water. What she just drank was plain boiled water.

Bai Su waved her hand: "Why be so formal? My young master said it's nothing." She glanced at the food on the table and said with regret: "It's a real pity that my young master couldn't come today. Such a big table of delicious food is a waste of my time."

Bai Su picked up a few pieces with her chopsticks, swaying her head as she ate with obvious enjoyment.

Gu Nanjiao was drawn to a hairpin in his hair. The hairpin was entirely black, with a piece of sky-blue jade the size of a fingernail set on it. It was simple yet elegant.

"That hairpin in your hair is quite pretty. Is it jade or emerald?" Gu Nanjiao asked curiously. She had never seen Bai Su wear a hairpin before; as Bai Luochen's servant, Bai Su always used a hairband to tie her hair up. Why was she wearing a hairpin today?

Bai Su touched the stone hairpin in her hair, and a smile involuntarily appeared on her lips: "This is not jade or jadeite, it's just an ordinary colored stone, and the hairpin is carved from black wood."

Gu Nanjiao exclaimed in admiration, "What a simple and unadorned hairpin! It's amazing that they could think of using colorful pebbles to make a hairpin. I thought it was made of jade, but I never expected it to be so realistic."

Bai Su smiled but didn't say anything, continuing to eat her food.

He didn't plan to tell Gu Nanjiao that it was a gift from Huang Qingqing. A woman's reputation is more important than anything else. Gu Nanjiao was also a member of the Lu family. If she accidentally let it slip, who knows what her formidable mother-in-law and disgusting husband would say about him?

After several rounds of drinks, Bai Su told Gu Nanjiao that her young master had already spoken to the government, and Wang Fu had been sentenced to exile. Even though Madam Wang had spent all her money, this was the only result she got.

It's a miracle that a woman who has been exiled can reach her destination alive.

Gu Nanjiao nodded. Wang Fu's current predicament was entirely her own fault. She had never provoked her, and every time Wang Fu looked at her, she felt like she wanted to tear her apart.

Wang Fu's feelings for Bai Luochen are her own business, so why drag her into it every time? She's willing to lose herself for a one-sided love rather than wake up from her reverie. She'd rather be jealous of a fictitious rival than strive to improve herself.

...

Yang Meiqin returned to Hama Village, to the same courtyard, and was alone again, having come full circle back to where she started.

When Gu Nanjiao returned to the village, she happened to run into Yang Meiqin. Yang Meiqin had a scar on her face, which was said to have been removed by someone paid a high price by Madam Wang.

She made her living off her looks, and now that her face is ruined, she hates Madam Wang to death, but she hates Gu Nanjiao even more.

That idiot Wang Fu not only caused trouble but also dragged her down with him.

Yang Meiqin didn't have many connections with the brothel; she was just acquainted with a close female friend from whom she would occasionally get some perfume.

Yang Meiqin was quite adept at using others to do her dirty work. Even in the Wang Fu case, she managed to escape unscathed and walk out of the county jail alive, which shows that she was quite capable.

However, she was the one who came up with the harmful idea; she is not innocent.

Gu Nanjiao met Yang Meiqin's gaze, then suddenly leaned closer and said, "You can run away, but you can't hide. You'd better keep a low profile, or you'll end up worse off than Wang Fu." She then made a throat-slitting gesture and left.

Yang Meiqin was startled and quickly ran home, slamming the door shut.

When Yang Meiqin returned home, she heard a noise in the yard. The past few days in prison had made her as frightened as a bird, so she quickly and carefully hid.

After Lu Yanping slipped into Yang Meiqin's yard, his eyes darted around.