Chapter 123 A Suffocating Family
When Gu Nanxiao and Yunxi came downstairs, Qi Jinxiu was sitting in the lobby, waiting for them. A sumptuous breakfast was already laid out on the table.
This place offers the shop's signature snacks, as well as Yunxi's usual favorite foods. It's clear that they were prepared with great care.
Gu Nanxiao gets furious whenever he sees Qi Jinxiu. He doesn't know what method Qi Jinxiu used to make Yunxi right in front of him, yet he can't see her no matter what he does, which has prevented him from finding Yunxi for three years.
Now, having to see him hanging around in front of Yunxi every day, he really wished he could just kill him. But he also knew that this was just a thought; if he actually did it, Yunxi would definitely hate him again.
Looking at the dishes on the table, Gu Nanxiao suddenly had an idea. He arranged for Yunxi to sit down, and then, while serving the dishes, he kept saying how delicious this was and how delicious that was, as if he had prepared the breakfast himself.
Yunxi, unaware of what was going on, simply accepted his service without complaint. This infuriated Qi Jinxiu, who, if not for Yunxi's presence, would have dragged him out for a three-hundred-round battle.
Gu Nanxiao looked at the man's ashen face and raised an eyebrow at him in a very irritating way, as if to say, "You like preparing things, don't you? Then be a proper servant and take good care of him and Yunxi."
Qi Jinxiu was not about to be outdone by him, so he immediately picked up the serving chopsticks and served food to Yunxi as well.
Yunxi watched as the food in her bowl quickly piled up like a small mountain, making it impossible to eat any.
She slammed the bowl down on the table in anger, and warned him with a stern face, "If you don't want me to eat in peace, I won't eat."
Seeing that Yunxi was angry, the two immediately restrained themselves, but they still occasionally competed with each other, insisting on adding more food to Yunxi's plate.
Two men of noble birth sat on either side of Yunxi, serving her her meal. This scene was witnessed by the princess who came down from the second floor.
She first frowned in displeasure, her face full of displeasure. The princess still couldn't understand what charm Yunxi, a mere maid, possessed that could make so many outstanding young men willingly revolve around her.
But when she thought of her son's dejected and lonely state during the three years since she lost her, she ultimately chose to remain silent and turn a blind eye.
As long as her son is happy, she, as his mother, doesn't want to worry about anything else.
Yunxi was seated in a position where she could see the princess first. She disliked this woman very much, but she was Gu Nanxiao's mother, and even for the sake of that scoundrel of a man, she couldn't make things too ugly for her.
So Yunxi stood up, bowed to the princess, and said, "Greetings, Your Highness."
When the princess heard her greet her, she was annoyed that the woman hadn't addressed herself as a servant. She felt a surge of resentment, but said nothing, only offering a faint "hmm."
Qi Jinxiu noticed that Princess Yun was treating Yun Xi with disdain. He glanced at her, then continued eating, showing no intention of getting up to greet her.
He hadn't forgotten how much trouble this princess had caused Yunxi when she was in the Yongwang Mansion. So what if she was a princess? As long as she didn't give Yunxi a kind look, he wouldn't give her a kind look either.
Gu Nanxiao was also afraid that the princess would cause trouble for Yunxi again after she arrived. He immediately got up and helped his mother to sit down at the next table. Then, he ordered someone to bring several dishes that the princess liked, and then went back to Yunxi's table.
For the past three years, Qi Jinxiu has been by Yunxi's side. Just thinking about this makes Gu Nanxiao so jealous that he wants to kill someone. He can't give the two of them a chance to be alone together again.
Yunxi had just taken a few bites of her meal when she heard footsteps coming from the stairs, a lazy, clattering sound. Turning around, she met the gazes of Gu Nanwen and Gu Nanwu.
When the two brothers saw Yunxi, they blinked in disbelief. Then, they changed their leisurely demeanor and walked towards her with enthusiasm and brisk steps.
But before they could even get close, Yun Yi and Mo Yu stopped them. Clearly, they were not to be allowed to dine at the same table.
Gu Nanwu was about to reprimand the two servants when Gu Nanwen grabbed his sleeve and stopped him with a look.
Gu Nanwu snorted indignantly, but still obediently remained silent.
Gu Nanwen was quite satisfied with his younger brother's obedience. He looked at Gu Nanxiao with a beaming smile, greeted him warmly, and then pulled Gu Nanwu to another table.
Gu Nanxiao completely ignored his two half-brothers and continued to focus on serving Yunxi. The two brothers were used to this, and after sitting down at the table, they loudly called over the waiter and began to order.
Although the dishes they ordered were plentiful and expensive, they couldn't possibly finish them all. The cost of the meal alone was equivalent to the annual living expenses of an average farming family of five.
But Gu Nanxiao wouldn't bother with such trivial matters. If they were content to be good-for-nothings, the Prince's mansion could afford to support idlers.
As long as they don't cause him any trouble, Gu Nanxiao won't kill them all, given that they share half his blood.
However, Gu Nanxiao was also very wary of them, after all, they were the ones who had tried to take advantage of Yunxi. Although they had learned their lesson, Gu Nanxiao still suspected them and thought they might still harbor ulterior motives.
Qi Jinxiu was also on guard. If Yunxi hadn't told him not to touch Gu Nanxiao's family, he would have already taken action against these two good-for-nothings for daring to set his sights on Yunxi.
Just then, footsteps sounded on the stairs again. Yunxi didn't turn around. But she recognized the voice as that of Gu Nanxiao's half-sister, Gu Nanyue.
Gu Nanyue originally wanted to go to the table where her two older brothers were sitting, but when she came down the stairs, she immediately stared at Qi Jinxiu, who was sitting next to Yunxi.
Her eyes gleamed, and she turned and walked towards them. Just before she got close, Mo Yu reached out and stopped her.
Normally, Gu Nanyue would have wisely left, but today, she was determined to meet this brilliant and promising new official.
Just think about yourself. If you could become the wife of the current Grand Secretary, who would dare to give you a hard time in the future?
Gu Nanyue knew she was no match for Mo Yu's strength. So, she puffed out her chest and bumped into Mo Yu. To avoid any awkwardness, Mo Yu had no choice but to step back.
Taking advantage of this opening, Gu Nanyue darted under Mo Yu's arm and quickly arrived beside Qi Jinxiu.
Before she could even sit down on the bench, Yun Yi, who had been watching her, grabbed her by the back of her collar and pulled her up. Then he threw her away, making her fall flat on her back.
If it were an ordinary young lady, she would have been too ashamed to stay here after making such a huge embarrassment in public.
But Gu Nanyue was no ordinary person; she simply started crying and making a scene on the spot. She cried out to Qi Jinxiu at the top of her lungs, "Your Excellency, your subordinates have attacked a weak woman like me so brutally! Aren't you going to do anything about it?"
I am the younger sister of Prince Xian, a legitimate member of the imperial family. How dare he, a mere servant, offend me like this? Today, the Grand Secretary will surely give me an explanation, or I will not stand here any longer!
Qi Jinxiu completely ignored her, her crying and tantrums behaving like a typical woman, and continued eating with a cold and stern expression.
Seeing that her tricks hadn't worked, and knowing that Gu Nanxiao wouldn't back her up, Gu Nanyue vented her anger on her two older brothers who were only focused on eating and drinking.
With a sob in her voice, she accused, "Second brother, third brother, your little sister has been bullied like this, aren't you two going to do anything about it?"
Gu Nanwu was growing increasingly disliked his spoiled little sister. Gu Nanwen felt the same way, but just now, when he saw his little sister intentionally seducing Qi Jinxiu, he suddenly had a change of heart.
If Gu Nanyue can really get close to Qi Jinxiu, it will undoubtedly be very beneficial to the two brothers.
However, his younger sister's actions were clearly displeasing. So he decided to find an opportunity to properly counsel Gu Nanyue and give his younger sister some advice.
Gu Nanwen pretended to be a good older brother and persuaded her to come and eat with him. But when Gu Nanyue saw that he couldn't help her, she started complaining to him and then continued to sit on the ground, throwing a tantrum.
At this moment, two more people came down the stairs. They were Consort Xu, whose health was deteriorating, and Xu Shulan, who had almost been exhausted to death by the two brothers the night before.
The two patients, supporting each other, were about to go downstairs when they saw Gu Nanyue sitting on the ground throwing a tantrum. Consort Xu, with a headache, really wanted to turn around and go back immediately, but it was her daughter; no matter how bad her condition, even if others didn't care, she had to.
He dragged his sickly body downstairs, pulled Gu Nanyue up from the ground, and turned to confront Gu Nanxiao:
“Prince Xian, Gu Nanyue is your own sister. Are you just going to watch others bully her without saying a word?”
Your father is indeed gone, leaving only us, a widow and her children. As his elder brother, won't you stand up for your sister?"
Gu Nanxiao, thoroughly annoyed, was about to order Mo Yu to pull the two people out so as not to disturb Yunxi's meal. But before he could even speak, someone else was even more impatient than him.
The princess, who was dining alone, suddenly slammed her chopsticks on the table and shouted sternly:
"Consort Xu, stop making trouble here. You just came downstairs. Did you even find out what happened? You start by blaming my son. Why don't you ask your daughter what shameless things she's done?"
Yunxi realized that the meal was inedible and felt deep sympathy for Gu Nanxiao. She had only spent a short time with these people and already found it unbearable.
How did Gu Nanxiao manage to be family with them for over twenty years? Did life in the Prince's mansion used to be so chaotic and disorderly every day?
The elders acted like elders, and the younger generation acted like younger generations. Consort Xu and her children were a group of selfish, self-serving people, each with their own ulterior motives. Living under the same roof with them was truly suffocating.
Noticing the change in Yunxi's expression, Gu Nanxiao immediately put down his chopsticks and suggested that they go for a walk in the town.
Qi Jinxiu naturally lost his appetite and put down his chopsticks. The three of them then left the inn together.
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