Chapter 243 Gu Xian won't survive this winter.
In the blink of an eye, a month has passed.
The aftermath of the Jinghua Neon Fashion Club did not subside after Lu Zhaoruo missed out on the title of "Imperial Merchant." Instead, it fermented in an unexpected way.
Her exceptional skill of "tailoring clothes to fit body shape and using clothing to express virtue" quietly spread throughout the circle of noble ladies in the capital through the words of the ladies present.
Lu Zhaoruo, assessing the situation, did not remain silent. Instead, she rented a sizable shop in the most bustling street in the capital and hung up the plaque "Yunshang Pavilion".
On the opening day, although there was no grand royal celebration, the place was still bustling with people.
Lady Xiao and Lady Di, the wife of the Duke of Di, came in person to offer their congratulations and to mark the occasion; many noble ladies who had not attended the event also came to catch a glimpse of Lady Lu, who was so highly regarded and praised by the Empress herself.
In no time, "Yunshang Pavilion" became famous, attracting not only a constant stream of clothing orders from noblewomen, but also many astute merchants who expressed their intention to cooperate.
Many officials and their families spared no expense to order new clothes for all four seasons, just to get a taste of the "imperial favor".
At the beginning of the project, the first partner that Lu Zhaoruo thought of was still Gu Xian.
She personally prepared generous gifts and, accompanied by Abao, traveled by carriage to the Yongjia Earl's residence.
The Earl of Yongjia and Madam Gu's hospitality was impeccable. They were very polite to her, this "newly rich woman from the capital," and showed no signs of scrutiny or distance as if they were meeting for the first time.
However, beneath this politeness, Lu Zhaoruo still keenly noticed the fleeting hint of disdain in Madam Gu's eyes.
When Gu Xian came out of the inner room upon hearing the news, Lu Zhaoruo's heart sank suddenly.
However, after not seeing him for more than a month, he had become even thinner.
His complexion was a bloodless pale, and although he was still dressed in a brocade robe and holding a folding fan, trying to maintain his nonchalant and dashing demeanor, the weariness and gloom in the depths of his eyes could not be hidden.
After exchanging pleasantries, Gu Xian surprisingly offered to hand over all his business connections, shops, and personal networks that he had cultivated in the capital for many years to Lu Zhaoruo for management.
“My father strictly forbade me from engaging in business.”
He waved his folding fan, his tone deliberately relaxed, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "These businesses would just go to waste if they stayed in my hands. It would be better to entrust them all to you, so that they can be put to good use."
Lu Zhaoruo's mind was filled with doubt.
Gu Xian had been in business for many years, and his conflict with the Yongjia Earl and his son was long-standing. If he were truly so afraid of his father's orders, he wouldn't have embarked on this path in the first place. Why, now, did he suddenly use this as an excuse to hand over his years of hard work to someone else?
Moreover, his condition cannot be explained by the common saying "obeying one's father's orders".
As Lu Zhaoru stared at his forced smile, an idea popped into her head uncontrollably.
He looked as if he were... seriously ill and making arrangements for his death.
This guess made her heart tighten, and an indescribable worry quietly spread through her.
Lu Zhaoruo gazed at Gu Xian, and finally couldn't help but ask softly, "Young Master Gu, are you... feeling unwell?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Xian's hand holding the fan paused almost imperceptibly, and a fleeting, almost imperceptible pain and redness flashed across his eyes, which he quickly masked with an even more exaggerated smile: "Madam Lu is joking! Do I look like someone who is sick, looking so dashing and debonair?"
He swiftly unfolded his folding fan and shook it with feigned nonchalance, saying, "It's just that I've suddenly come to understand many things lately, and my mind has become more open."
On the other side, Abao and Asha were playing in a corner of the corridor.
The usually lively Ah Sha was listless and dispirited today.
Abao patted its head with its paw, and it whimpered, saying in a low voice in a way only Abao could understand: "My husband... has contracted the same 'dry blood tuberculosis' as my wife did back then... after autumn, his cough has gotten worse every night... the doctor came at noon and said, 'My husband's illness is too deep-rooted. If he can get through this autumn, it will be a blessing. I'm afraid... he won't make it through this winter.'"
Upon hearing this, A Bao's eyes widened instantly.
It darted back into the hall and leaped into Lu Zhaoruo's arms, anxiously pawing at her with its paws as it told her the news it had just heard.
She sobbed, "Mother, is Brother Gu Xian going to die? Abao loves him and doesn't want him to leave me."
Lu Zhaoruo stiffened slightly, and her arms around Abao tightened involuntarily.
"...He has tuberculosis...he won't survive this fall and winter..."
A chill instantly swept over her, and she subconsciously looked up at the person who was forcing a smile all by himself.
Fragments of memories from a past life suddenly pierced my mind—
It was a cold winter in the capital eight years later. She knocked on the door of the Yongjia Marquis's mansion several times, but each time she was politely turned away by the servants.
Finally, an old steward, with a sorrowful expression, informed her: "Madam Lu, please go back. My... my husband passed away last spring... from illness."
At that time, she didn't even get to see him one last time; all that remained was the snowstorm and the casual words "died of illness."
And at this moment.
He was sitting vividly in front of her, laughing, joking, and trying to maintain a charming demeanor while swallowing back the blood he coughed up...
A wave of bitterness and grief surged into my heart, far more intense than simply hearing about it.
This is the helplessness and heartache of watching everything unfold after knowing the ending.
She suddenly understood.
At this time in his previous life, although he was ill, he was still struggling in the business world, perhaps able to numb his mind with busyness and prolong his life.
In this life, he arrived in the capital ahead of time and became close to his best friend, which may have fulfilled his wish, but it also exhausted the last bit of his strength.
Her rebirth may have been the cause and effect that accelerated his fate.
Gu Xian didn't notice A Bao's "tattling." Seeing Lu Zhaoruo's unusual expression, he assumed it was just ordinary worry, so he smiled and reached out to tease A Bao, trying to change the subject: "Little guy, do you remember when we were in my house in Jizhou City? You caused quite a bit of trouble back then, didn't you have fun?"
The more he pretended to be relaxed, the more bitter Lu Zhaoruo felt in her heart.
She had to use almost all her strength to maintain her composure.
Since he was unwilling to speak openly, she suppressed her turbulent emotions and respected his decision, only bowing her head and whispering, "Young Master Gu... please take care."
Just as she was feeling confused and preparing to take her leave, she heard familiar footsteps outside the courtyard gate.
Xiao Yeming, dressed in casual clothes, arrived in a hurry.
His gaze first swept eagerly across the courtyard, and finally settled heavily on Gu Xian. His eyes were filled with undisguised worry and heaviness, as if he could see the vulnerable weakness beneath his friend's forced smile.
Gu Xian teased, "Oh, General Xiao! What brings you here today? Or did you come after Lady Lu? Are you worried that Lady Lu might have been wronged in my Yongjia Marquis's mansion?"
The tone was flippant and ambiguous.
However, Xiao Yeming did not argue with him or look embarrassed as usual this time.
He frowned, walked straight up to Gu Xian, and said in a low, emotionless voice, "I've come to see you."
Seeing this, Lu Zhaoruo knew that the two must have something to talk about, so she took the opportunity to say goodbye and left with a lot of worries.
When only the two of them remained in the courtyard, Xiao Yeming silently walked to the stone bench and sat down, his gaze never leaving Gu Xian.
Gu Xian finally couldn't suppress the itch in his throat, turned his head and coughed a few times, an abnormal flush rising on his pale face.
He caught his breath and forced a smile as he poured Xiao Yeming a cup of tea. His tone, though trying to be light, couldn't hide his weakness: "Alright, stop putting on that grimace... Tell me, when do you plan to marry Madam Lu? I think you two are a perfect match."
He paused, looked up at Xiao Yeming, his eyes filled with a rare seriousness and entrustment, and added softly, "Besides... back then, it was ultimately you who acted rashly and tainted her innocence. You, Xiao Yeming, must shoulder this responsibility."
Xiao Yeming didn't respond to that question. He just stared intently at Gu Xian, noticing the undisguised weariness beneath his friend's forced smile.
After a long pause, he suddenly spoke in an extremely calm tone, even with a hint of casual discussion: "I still owe you seven hundred and eighty-eight taels of silver."
Gu Xian was taken aback, not understanding why.
Xiao Yeming continued, "I've calculated that if it's paid off over thirty years, it would be less than twenty-seven taels a year. It's a steady, gradual process, just right, enough to pay off for a lifetime."
As soon as he finished speaking, the garden fell silent.
Gu Xian's hand holding the cup trembled.
He understood instantly.
This guy... knows everything.
He wasn't calculating the debt; he was calculating the days ahead. In the most clumsy yet solemn way, he was telling him, "I hope you have a lifetime to slowly collect this debt."
A surge of intense sorrow rushed into Gu Xian's nasal cavity. Gu Xian quickly lowered his head, using the act of pouring tea to conceal the instant reddening of his eyes.
When he looked up again, he forced a smile that was more like a grimace, his voice trembling with barely perceptible sobs, and said with a laugh, "Xiao Yeming... you're really stingy! This little bit of money... you've been calculating for thirty years..."
Xiao Yeming neither laughed nor refuted.
He just looked at him quietly, his eyes filled with an unprecedented heaviness and sorrow.
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