Chapter 26 Love Matters
The spring hunt ends in early April.
On the return journey, the carriages traveled slowly along the official road, but the road ahead had collapsed due to heavy rain and was no longer passable. The second group of travelers had to take a detour, which took a considerable amount of time, forcing them to rest for the night.
Inside the carriage, Yu Wenxue kept thinking about the little white kitten, looking listless and barely touching the pastries.
Lin Qingwan thought she wasn't feeling well, so she squeezed her hands and touched her forehead, asking with concern, "Wenxue, are you alright?"
"What's wrong, cousin?" Gu Rongting lifted the curtain and came in, carrying a large box of grapes.
"I'm fine." Yu Wenxue didn't want to be a third wheel, so she took a bunch of washed grapes from the box. "I'll go check on the Second Young Master. You two chat."
After saying that, he ran off in a flash.
Upon reaching the riverbank, Gu Yunshen was resting with his eyes closed under a tree not far away.
Her features are exquisite, a feast for the eyes.
Just as she was debating whether to go and wake him, a high-pitched female voice interrupted her thoughts: "Miss, this is a sachet I made myself. Could you please give it to Young Master Gu?"
Yu Wenxue looked up. The girl who spoke had a delicate and pretty face, with her hair in two buns, and looked to be only fourteen or fifteen years old.
She asked, "Who are you?"
"My name is Yang Liuer, and my father is the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial..." Yang Liuer spoke with great enthusiasm and without any timidity. As she spoke, she secretly glanced at Gu Yunshen and tentatively asked, "I heard that you are a cousin of the Gu family. You must be very familiar with the Second Young Master."
"No, we're just ordinary relatives..."
She couldn't tell Yang Liuer directly that Gu Yunshen didn't like normal sachets, but preferred sachets made of human skin.
What if it scares a child and gives them a nightmare?
After a moment's thought, she said cautiously, "Miss Yang, from what I know, he probably doesn't like sachets. Others have given him sachets before, but I've never seen him wear them. Do you think we should consider giving him something else?"
Yang Liuer, clearly unaccustomed to rejection, instantly changed her expression, her tone becoming more serious: "What do you mean by this, young lady?"
Yu Wenxue was stunned: "You might have misunderstood..."
"Could it be that you also have feelings for him?"
"No, no, that's not how it is!"
This is completely irrelevant.
Yu Wenxue lowered her voice: "He doesn't like sachets, you should give him a different one."
"How dare he not like what I did?" Yang Liu'er was furious. "My mother said that the Second Young Master Gu's identity is unknown, his bloodline is questionable, and he is an illegitimate child. Now he is just a minor official, not a suitable match. I don't care about money or fame, so how can he be so arrogant?"
“People are born different from each other. If I can look up to him, that is his good fortune. If I don’t look up to him, he is just mud that I can trample under my feet.”
"Since you look down on his status, then go back and don't bother him again." Yu Wenxue lost her patience, and her expression turned unpleasant.
I thought Yang Liuer was an innocent and carefree person, but I didn't expect her to be so arrogant and domineering.
Unwilling to waste any more words with her, he turned and left.
Yang Liuer stepped forward to stop her, raising her voice: "You have no manners at all. You really are a poor, destitute person from a remote village. You think you can have a good life just by currying favor with the Gu family!"
No matter how much you fawn over them, you can't change the fact that they are inherently base.
Say what you want.
I won't listen, I won't listen, you're just spouting nonsense.
Yu Wenxue made a face in her mind, wishing she could throw the grapes in her hand at her, and said irritably, "Move aside."
Yang Liuer stamped her foot: "Stop right there, you motherless wretch!"
Yu Wenxue paused in her steps.
His fist clenched tightly, but then relaxed a moment later.
I went over my words of retaliation a thousand times in my mind, but in the end I just shook my head and told myself not to get into conflicts with others.
No one will side with her.
She's someone you can't afford to offend.
"Didn't you say you were going to send me grapes?"
A familiar voice rang out, and a glimpse of a dark garment appeared. Gu Yun Shen stood tall and straight, a mocking smile curving his lips: "Being harassed by a vicious dog, why didn't you ask for help?"
"What are you standing here for, you idiot?"
Yu Wenxue stared at him blankly, her mind momentarily blank, unsure of what to say.
"Young Master Gu," Yang Liu'er immediately changed her attitude, hurriedly handing over the sachet with a beaming smile, "This is a sachet I made myself, I hope you like it."
Gu Yunshen didn't even glance at her, and extended his hand to Yu Wenxue: "Grapes."
Seeing his action, Yang Liuer revealed a smug smile. Just as she was about to put the sachet in his hand, she saw him take the box of grapes without even glancing at her.
His appearance was naturally cold, giving off an unapproachable vibe. If it weren't for the smile on his lips, he would have exuded a murderous aura.
Mother said that the Second Young Master Gu grew up in a temple and doesn't understand the etiquette of wealthy families in the capital. He is a vulgar person.
But he wasn't at all uncouth; he was much better looking than those noble young men.
It's okay, he doesn't understand, she can teach him and nurture him.
Thinking of this, Yang Liuer mustered her courage again and said persistently, "Please accept it, young master."
Gu Yun Shen finally glanced at her: "Why?"
"Because I love you."
Yang Liuer looked him up and down, her cheeks slightly flushed: "It doesn't matter if you don't understand love, I can teach you what love is."
Just like stray dogs on the street, as long as you give them a little food, they will willingly follow their owners.
These words greatly amused Gu Yun Shen, who shrugged slightly, pulled out an exquisite dagger from his sleeve, and played with it listlessly.
Yu Wenxue was watching the scene unfold while eating grapes. When she realized he might be serious, she snatched the dagger from his hand and said, "Let's stop playing and go back."
"We're talking, what are you doing causing trouble?" Yang Liuer had just retorted when she saw the dagger reflecting a cold, sinister light.
Despite being under the sunlight, it possessed an undeniable chill.
She then realized that all his smiles were not directed at her, but at the girl in front of her.
"Have you said enough?" Gu Yunshen said calmly.
"That's enough, that's enough." Yang Liuer swallowed. "If you don't like it, I won't force you."
Gu Yun Shen ignored her, casually tossing the dagger forward to block Yang Liu'er's path. "Apologize to her."
"Me?" Yang Liuer pointed at herself, incredulous. "I am the eldest daughter of the Yang family, and she is just a cousin living under someone else's roof. Why should I apologize to her?"
"A tongue that can't apologize is better left..."
"Sever it." With that, he made a move to draw his longsword, but Yu Wenxue grabbed him and said, "Forget it, cutting off her tongue would only dirty your dagger."
"If we're going to use someone else's, it'll be someone else's."
"You, you two..."
Yang Liuer trembled with anger, stammering for a long time but unable to utter a single word in rebuttal. She could only blink her eyes, which were completely devoid of tears.
She wanted to run, but when she looked down and saw the dagger stuck at her feet, she obediently turned back, gritted her teeth, and apologized: "I'm sorry."
Yu Wenxue didn't say anything, and silently ate another grape.
"Your voice is barely audible, looks like you haven't eaten enough." Gu Yun Shen picked up a dead frog from nearby and threw it at her feet. "Then eat your fill before continuing to apologize?"
The frog's body was covered in disgusting scars and keloids, making anyone who saw it want to vomit.
"Yes, I'm sorry!" Yang Liuer really cried this time, sniffling as she said, "Miss, please forgive me."
Then, she ran back crying.
"Remember, if someone bullies you, you should bully them back on the spot." Gu Yun Shen sheathed his sword: "Being too docile is not a good thing."
Yu Wenxue was a little anxious, so she stuffed a handful of grapes into her mouth to relieve her anxiety: "But what if she goes back and complains? Won't that cause trouble for the Gu family?"
"Besides Gu Rongting, are there any other people in the Gu family that you care about?"
“And you too,” Yu Wenxue answered instinctively.
After saying that, she felt something was off and added, "I don't care about the Marquis."
It still doesn't seem right.
Forget it, I can't figure it out, I won't force myself.
Gu Yun Shen's mood suddenly brightened: "So what?"
Yeah, so what?
She had nothing to lose.
Suddenly, I felt a sense of enlightenment.
[System: Hidden Mission 3: Spy on the male and female leads kissing, time limit: 30 days]
[Note: Mission 3 is the last spying mission; it will not be available again after it ends.]
"Will this ever end?!" Yu Wenxue sighed.
Gu Yun Shen: "Hmm?"
"I mean, there are too many annoying people. One leaves and another comes, just like cockroaches, you can't kill them all."
Afraid that he would doubt her, Yu Wenxue reached out and handed him a grape: "Try it, it's very sweet."
Gu Yun Shen looked at it for a while, then bent down and ate it from her hand. "It's quite sweet."
"...Actually, I wanted you to take it yourself."
"I touched a frog, it's very dirty."
Then go and take a shower.
Of course, she didn't say this aloud, as her attention was quickly drawn to the snow-white figure by the grass.
"Has the kitten come back?"
Gu Yun Shen looked in the direction she pointed.
"Wen Xue, Xun Han, it's time to get going." Gu Rongting appeared and interrupted their conversation.
"I heard the official road has been repaired. Let's hurry up and leave, or we'll really have to spend the night here."
"Okay." Yu Wenxue turned back reluctantly, but the white fluffy ball never reappeared in the grass.
Maybe it really is just my imagination.
Even after getting on the bus, she was still restless, and would occasionally lift the curtain to look out the window.
No matter which time I looked, I gained nothing.
Thinking about it, it makes sense. Even if such a small kitten really remembered her, it wouldn't have followed her.
Back at the Marquis's residence, Yu Wenxue's courtyard was spotless and tidy. Ziyun was already waiting at the gate. Upon seeing her return, she rushed over and said with a smile, "It's been several days since I last saw you, Miss. You've become even more beautiful."
"It's alright, it's alright." Rarely seeing Ziyun so enthusiastic, Yu Wenxue couldn't help but ask, "Did anything happen while I was away?"
"In the afternoon, Aunt Yun, who serves the Empress Dowager, came to the Marquis's residence as a guest and also sent a message, inviting the young lady to enter the palace tomorrow."
"Me? Enter the palace?" Yu Wenxue asked in surprise, "But I don't know the rules of the palace. What if I accidentally offend someone and get beaten to death?"
"Pah, pah, pah, can't you say something auspicious?" Ziyun scolded. "The old lady will send someone to teach you later. You just need to go to the palace to see the Empress Dowager."
"Okay." Yu Wenxue was also tired from traveling. Before Ziyun could talk to her about what had happened these past few days, she said that she was very tired and wanted to go to sleep.
Before going to bed, she counted the silver she had saved over the past few days. In fact, not much of it was earned; most of it came from the Empress Dowager's rewards and the erhu payment that Lin Qingwan had given her before.
The largest ingot of gold was given to me by Gu Yun Shen.
Housing prices and land in Beijing are very expensive, so buying is definitely out of the question, but renting a small house is more than enough to cover her rent for three years.
She had already decided that once the last task was completed, she would take the money, move out of the Marquis's mansion, and settle down in a beautiful place.
When the time comes, we can start a small business, grow flowers and vegetables, and life will get better.
In her spare time, she could continue to take on portrait painting jobs at the Qunfang Pavilion, perhaps even putting her skills to good use in ancient times.
The box was filled with more and more silver coins, making one unable to resist rubbing it back and forth.
Yu Wenxue carried it to bed, ready to sleep contentedly, when she suddenly heard a cat meowing.
The sound seemed to be...
She opened the door, and a fluffy white thing rushed towards her.
"This thing is so noisy." Gu Yunshen sat down in the chair and poured himself a cup of tea without any ceremony. "If you don't mind the noise, you can keep it here."
Author's Note: Cat's Note: You, aloof and proud, say I'm noisy!
Me, you're just a tool for you to please others. [Pleading face]
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