Yan Wan and Ji Mohan stayed at the Yan residence until after dinner before leaving under the reluctant gazes of Yan's parents. Yan Wan was filled with emotion, never expecting that after all the twists and turns, she would actually be her parents' child.
Ji Mohan held Yan Wan's hand as they walked down the main street of the capital. The street was bustling with activity, and vendors were enthusiastically hawking their wares. Yan Wan looked at the happy smiles on the faces of the people of the capital, and she knew that Ji Mohan was a good emperor. Under his rule, the Yin Kingdom was slowly getting better.
Yan Wan and Ji Mohan wandered aimlessly through the streets of the capital. The noisy sounds kept coming from their ears, but Yan Wan only had eyes for Ji Mohan. He walked in front of her, and as she looked at his broad and upright back, she felt that no other scenery could compare to this moment.
"Hanhan, have you been here before? Look how happy these people are. You are a wonderful emperor." Yan Wan said happily, looking at everything around her.
Ji Mohan was visibly taken aback when he heard Yan Wan's words. Then, he shook his head and said softly, "I've never been here before, Yan Wan. I'm not good, it's just that you think I am."
He had never been a good person. He was disliked by his father, cherished by his mother, and even considered an omen of bad luck by the world. He always knew that he was a failure.
It was Yan Wan's appearance that brought light to his otherwise bleak life. Her love was so passionate that it allowed him to temporarily forget the negative comments.
Yan Wan pretended to be angry and said, "You are very good. If anyone dares to say anything bad about you, I will go up and beat them up for you. Our Hanhan is the best in the whole world. You are not allowed to say anything bad about yourself either. Say it with me, I am very good."
Ji Mohan opened his mouth, but in the end he didn't say it. He didn't deserve it, he wasn't good enough.
Yan Wan looked at Ji Mohan, who had lowered his head, and gently held his cold face in her hands. She looked earnestly into his dark eyes and said, word by word, with sincere emotion, "You are very good, Hanhan, you are very good."
Ji Mohan's Adam's apple bobbed, and he said in a slightly hoarse voice, "I'm fine."
"That's right, that's it. You're great. No matter what, you should always feel great." Yan Wan nodded in satisfaction, gently patted Ji Mohan's shoulder, and said happily.
She knew that Ji Mohan used to be cold, bloodthirsty, ruthless, and cruel, yet he was also lonely and insecure. He guarded his heart tightly, refusing to let his guard down even slightly. Yan Wan knew that he was simply afraid of being hurt, so he had been avoiding emotions and self-affirmation. In addition, her departure was a huge blow to Ji Mohan, making him even more insecure and insecure.
But Yan Wan will slowly tell him and teach him to be confident and learn to love himself.
Yan Wan looked around and suddenly saw the four big characters "Yan Ji Hot Pot" in front of her. She then realized that this was near a branch of Yan Ji Hot Pot.
I wonder if that silly girl, Gu Yu, has taken good care of herself since she left.
Yan Wan happily pulled Ji Mohan toward Yan Ji Hot Pot Restaurant, wondering if her sudden appearance would cause Gu Yu to jump out of her skin.
Soon, they arrived at the entrance of Yanji Hot Pot Restaurant. Yan Wan looked at the bustling hot pot restaurant and nodded with satisfaction. It seemed that Gu Yu was running the shop very well. Not bad, not bad. Gu Yu can be on her own in the future.
Ji Mohan looked at Yan Wan, who was staring blankly into the hot pot restaurant, her expression shifting between silly grins and expressions of relief. He chuckled and asked softly, "Want to go in?"
Yan Wan nodded without denying it, and said decisively, "Of course, I'll go see that silly girl Gu Yu."
"Okay, let's go in then." Ji Mohan pulled Yan Wan inside.
As soon as Yan Wan entered, she saw Gu Yu engrossed in calculations in the lobby. Gu Yu held an abacus in one hand and a pen in the other, seemingly writing something. Just as Yan Wan was about to pull Ji Mo Han upstairs, Ji Mo Han saw Ji Mo Sheng on the second floor. He whispered in Yan Wan's ear, "Wan'er, I'm going to talk to my brother. I'll come find you later."
Yan Wan looked up in Ji Mohan's direction and saw Ji Mosheng as expected. She nodded and instructed, "Okay, be careful when you go up the stairs later."
After Ji Mohan obediently nodded, he let go of Yan Wan's hand and went upstairs. Yan Wan watched Ji Mohan go upstairs before walking towards Gu Yu.
Gu Yu, who was scribbling on a piece of paper, suddenly felt a shadow appear above her head. Without even looking up, she asked, "What would you like to order?"
Gu Yu waited for a long time but didn't hear a reply. She looked up in confusion and saw Yan Wan smiling at her. Gu Yu's calligraphy brush had fallen to the ground at some point, staining the hem of her clothes black as it fell, but she didn't care.
She stared blankly at the beautiful and gentle woman before her, exclaiming incredulously, "Miss, is that you? You're really back?"
Yan Wan looked at Gu Yu, whose eyes were red, and her own eyes also reddened. She nodded gently and said with a sob in her voice, "My silly Gu Yu has now become a very capable manager."
As soon as Yan Wan finished speaking, Gu Yu's tears fell. She was certain that her young lady had returned; only her young lady would praise her like that.
Gu Yu stepped forward and pulled Yan Wan towards the second floor. Their unusual behavior had attracted the attention of many people in the store. Gu Yu was afraid that they would cause trouble for the young lady, so she simply took Yan Wan to Yan Wan's private room to catch up.
Since the young lady left, she has been cleaning this private room. Besides her, Miss Jingxi also comes to sit here often, but Miss Jingxi will leave again soon.
Gu Yu pulled Yan Wan into the private room. As soon as the door closed, Gu Yu turned around and hugged Yan Wan, crying as she said, "Miss, you're finally back. Gu Yu knew that Miss wouldn't really abandon Gu Yu."
Yan Wan also cried along with Gu Yu. This silly girl was the first friend she made in this other world, and she had always regarded Gu Yu as her younger sister.
They are not sisters, but they are closer than sisters.
"Alright, silly Guyu, I'm back now, aren't I? Don't cry anymore." Yan Wan gently raised her hand to wipe away Guyu's tears and said softly.
"Waaaaah, Miss, they all said you, you were dead, but Gu Yu didn't believe it. Gu Yu knew that Miss was blessed with good fortune and would definitely come back. See, Gu Yu was right, Miss really came back." Gu Yu said while crying. She always believed that Miss would come back, and she would never forgive those who said that Miss would never come back.
Yan Wan looked at Gu Yu, who was crying like a little kitten, and took out a handkerchief to gently wipe her tears. "Our Gu Yu has worked so hard. These past two years, thanks to you and Jing Xi, Yan Ji Hotpot has been able to continue to exist. Gu Yu must have suffered a lot these past two years. Look how thin your round little face has become."
"Waaah, Miss, Gu Yu isn't suffering. Gu Yu knows that the hot pot restaurant is Miss's life's work, so Gu Yu must protect it for Miss. Gu Yu knows that as long as Gu Yu keeps protecting the restaurant for Miss, one day, Miss will come back. As long as Gu Yu protects the restaurant well, Miss will have a place to stay when she comes back, and she will have a home to return to." Gu Yu said firmly. She knew that she was just an insignificant little maid and could not help Miss much, but as long as she protected the property left by Miss, she could help Miss.
Gu Yu never believed that her mistress had left, or rather, she dared not believe it. So she foolishly stayed at Yan Ji Hotpot, believing that one day her mistress would return.
Yan Wan raised her hand to wipe away the tears from the corner of her eyes, looked at the happy Gu Yu, and gently took Gu Yu's hand and said, "Silly girl, you've had a hard time these past two years while I was gone."
Yan Wan sighed. Gu Yu had always been this foolish. In the original book, she protected Yan Wan until her death. Now, everyone thought Yan Wan was dead, but Gu Yu stubbornly guarded Yan's Hot Pot, simply because it was left behind by her young mistress.
Gu Yu was foolish; all that remained was her loyalty.
Gu Yu looked at Yan Wan, gently shook her head, and said, "Miss, Gu Yu is not suffering. From now on, please allow Gu Yu to stay by your side." Although Gu Yu does not have unparalleled martial arts skills or a clever mind, she may not be able to solve difficulties when they arise, but at least she has shielded her mistress from harm and protected her with her own body.
If she hadn't been in the capital, away from her mistress, she would have definitely protected her. Even if it meant death, she would have died before her mistress, to give her a chance to escape.
Yan Wan smiled and said, "Silly Guyu, I tore up your indenture long ago. Now you are a free person, you can do whatever you want, you don't have to be confined by my side. You should have your own life."
Gu Yu shrugged and whispered, "But Miss is Miss, and Gu Yu is Gu Yu. Gu Yu only recognizes Miss as Yan Wan."
Yan Wan is her forever young lady; this is something Gu Yu has believed since she was a child.
——
Twelve years ago.
"Waaah, please, please give me some money so I can bury my father." Xiao Guyu knelt on the street, kowtowing repeatedly to the bustling crowd, hoping that kind people would lend her some money so she could bury her father.
So many people, yet no one stopped for Guyu. Guyu knelt in the snow until her knees were numb, but the sudden appearance of a little girl changed Guyu's fate.
"Hello, are you selling yourself to bury your father?"
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