Gu Yaoniang returned to the courtyard, still thinking about the Wufan Pavilion.
She wasn't entirely oblivious to the world; she could understand Qiaoniang's thoughts and concerns. Wufan Pavilion was actually a major source of information for the Gu family, and if it truly changed hands, the impact on the Gu family's business would be far more complex than it appeared on the surface.
However, she wanted all the young ladies at Wufan Pavilion to have a choice. In the past, they were forced into it because they had no other means of making a living and could only sell their smiles at the entrance of Wufan Pavilion. Although it wasn't a business of forcing people to sell themselves, it was still not a very respectable thing.
At least, she was willing to give those unfortunate women a chance. Now, if she could change her livelihood, she hoped there wouldn't be so many desperate measures.
Light footsteps approached from afar. Gu Yaoniang looked up and saw Bitao lifting the curtain to enter. She said softly, "Madam, Boss Lu has arrived."
Gu Yaoniang was somewhat surprised.
She had no appointment with Lu Zhaoan today, so why his sudden visit? Hesitantly, she rose and asked, "Where is he now?"
"The gatekeeper invited him in, and he's waiting for you in the open pavilion now."
Gu Yaoniang nodded and strode outside.
Lu Zhaoan was drinking tea with his head down. He was dressed very neatly today, his hand holding the teacup steady, and he was drinking the tea very seriously.
Gu Yaoniang watched from afar, not in a hurry to go forward.
She could hardly remember the scene when they first met. Unconsciously, the two of them had gone from being wary and curious at the beginning to being familiar with each other now. Looking back, she always felt it was a very magical thing.
She originally thought Lu Zhaoan was a cold-hearted person, but after getting to know him, she thought he was a warm-hearted person despite his cold exterior. Later, she discovered that he wasn't cold at all; he just used different methods and attitudes towards different people.
Lu Zhaoan seemed to sense her gaze and looked up at her. Gu Yaoniang, realizing she had been discovered, didn't feel embarrassed. She lightly touched the hem of her skirt with her fingers, subtly lifting it up, and walked towards Lu Zhaoan.
Lu Zhaoan flashed a big smile.
Gu Yaoniang felt relaxed and smiled at him, saying, "What brings you here today?"
Lu Zhao'an feigned embarrassment and annoyance: "It seems I'm not welcome here. Shall I leave?"
Gu Yaoniang gave a half-smile: "Then you can leave."
Lu Zhaoan looked at her for a while, and seeing the smile in her eyes, he breathed a slight sigh of relief. He remained seated, not moving an inch: "I'm not leaving."
Gu Yaoniang glared at him, and he said seriously, "I'm here to give you something."
He gestured for Gu Yaoniang to look at the box on the table.
As soon as Gu Yaoniang entered the room, she noticed a finely carved rosewood dressing box on the table. It looked flat and wide, and she immediately had a guess in her mind.
Gu Yaoniang couldn't help but be curious, so she reached out and pulled the makeup box on the table over. With a "click", the makeup box was opened.
Gu Yaoniang exclaimed in surprise, "How could this be? How did it end up here with you?"
Inside the box was the plain dough fan that Gu Yaoniang had been searching for a few days ago.
She reached out and picked up the round fan, examining it closely. She noticed the ring of marks she had worn on the handle when she was not doing anything, and exclaimed in surprise, "It really is mine."
She looked up at Lu Zhaoan: "What are you doing here?"
Lu Zhaoan raised and lowered his folding fan, shaking his head helplessly: "You left it at Zuiyue Tower yourself. You don't remember it, and you're blaming me? I kindly brought it back to you."
Gu Yaoniang thought carefully for a moment and realized that it seemed true; she hadn't seen the fan since returning from Zuiyue Tower. However, Gu Yaoniang was usually forgetful and would often forget where she had put things, so it was not unusual for her to lose things like this.
A round fan, unlike a handkerchief, isn't considered a personal item, so she didn't think much of it. She assumed she'd just misplaced it again and wasn't in a hurry to look for it. Usually, it would reappear when she stopped looking for it.
Unexpectedly, it was Lu Zhaoan who delivered it to her today.
Lu Zhaoan found it somewhat amusing: "You didn't even notice the round fan was lost?"
Gu Yaoniang murmured, "I found it, but I didn't expect it to be left at Zuiyue Tower."
She was ultimately a little embarrassed. Being forgetful might seem like a minor thing, but it was still quite...awkward.
Lu Zhaoan didn't think much of it. He simply smiled and said, "I've brought it to you. Now you can rest assured."
Gu Yaoniang didn't speak, but simply nodded gently.
Lu Zhaoan continued, "I came here today because I also want to tell you something. Would you like to hear it?"
Gu Yaoniang was taken aback, somewhat puzzled.
How can you ask someone if they want to hear something that hasn't been said yet?
If you don't even know what it is, how can you know if you want to or not?
"What's up?"
In the end, curiosity prevailed.
Just as Lu Zhaoan had predicted, he smiled and said, "I have brought my mother out, and now I have established my own household and become the head of my own family. Yaoniang, I can make my own decisions now. I am no longer the second son of the Lu family in Shuojing!"
His words were light and lively, full of vitality. At this moment, Lu Zhaoan exuded a vibrant life force he had never seen before.
He was free! He and his mother had finally escaped that suffocating place.
Gu Yaoniang knew his inner turmoil and sincerely congratulated him with a smile: "That's wonderful news! Congratulations."
Lu Zhaoan continued with a smile, "Yaoniang, I no longer have a fortune, and Zuiyue Tower is no longer my property."
Gu Yaoniang continued to look at him, her gaze focused and gentle.
"But I have a mother, I have a brain, and I'm sure I can still earn good land and wealth. Do you believe me?"
Gu Yaoniang nodded, but blushed.
Lu Zhaoan was delighted to see her nod: "Then..."
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