Chapter 2: Searching for the Handkerchief
The next day, after lunch, Ruan Xingzhu, carrying a food box full of food, looked around furtively and walked towards Gu Qingxu's courtyard.
After entering the courtyard, she skillfully went to the window and quietly climbed in. Gu Qingxu was sitting idly inside when he heard the noise. His previously gloomy face instantly lit up with surprise. He quickly stepped forward and reached out to help her in.
As soon as Ruan Xingzhu landed, she saw Gu Qingsu's eyes light up as he eagerly took the food box from her hand. Ignoring all manners, he stuffed large mouthfuls of food into his mouth, his cheeks bulging out instantly.
She spoke again in the gap, but her words were somewhat unclear and incoherent: "Sister Xingzhu is the best. She can always help me out of a hurry."
Currently, only she and Gu Qingxu remain in the main household. They are of similar age and both live in this secluded mansion, so they naturally become close. Whenever Gu Qingxu makes a mistake and is punished, it is Ruan Xingzhu who risks being discovered to secretly bring her food.
Ruan Xingzhu leaned on the table, worried that she might choke, and said, "Fifth Sister, eat slowly. I'll get you more if you're not full."
Gu Qingxu initially wolfed down a few mouthfuls, but as her stomach gradually felt full, she slowed down.
Ruan Xingzhu quickly handed her a glass of water, and looking at her, she couldn't help but persuade her again, "Why don't you admit your mistake this time, Fifth Sister, so you won't go hungry?"
Whenever Gu Qingxu was confined to her quarters, Ruan Xingzhu could only wait until everyone had left before she dared to secretly bring her food when no one was looking. As a result, Gu Qingxu inevitably had to go hungry for a while.
Hearing Ruan Xingzhu bring up the matter of admitting her mistake again, Gu Qingxu frowned deeply. Then, she resolutely put down her chopsticks and bowl, her tone stubborn and firm.
"Xingzhu, I've already said I won't back down, so please don't try to persuade me anymore."
Seeing that she was so stubborn and wouldn't listen to reason, Ruan Xingzhu stopped talking. But then she saw her pick up her bowl and chopsticks again.
"You're lucky, no one forces you to go on dates."
Gu Qingxu chewed her food while muttering a sigh, her tone tinged with envy.
No one forced her, but no one helped her either. Fortunately, Gu Yun'an had already agreed to help her find a husband. Gu Yun'an always kept his word, so she just waited for Gu Yun'an to find her a suitable husband.
However, this stalemate with Gu Qingxu couldn't continue indefinitely. Madam Gu's attitude was firm this time, and she had subtly hinted during the meal that no one should be sent food to Gu Qingxu.
Ruan Xingzhu went to great lengths this time, avoiding the sight of many servants, before she finally managed to deliver the food here.
"Why don't you pretend to agree to the matchmaking first, Fifth Sister?" Ruan Xingzhu said softly after thinking for a moment.
Upon hearing this, Gu Qingxu assumed that Ruan Xingzhu had sided with Madam Gu, and immediately became agitated, her eyes widening in anger.
Ruan Xingzhu couldn't help but facepalm, realizing that Gu Qingxu had only heard about her agreeing to the marriage proposal.
Upon seeing this, he quickly raised his voice and said anxiously, "It's a pretense, a pretense!"
She was really afraid that if she was a step too late, Gu Qingxu would start making a scene, and if that happened, she would inevitably be punished.
Gu Qingxu swallowed back the words she was about to say, sat back down, and continued picking out her food.
"What kind of feigned intent?"
Ruan Xingzhu glanced around warily, and after confirming that no one was around, she lowered her voice and leaned closer.
"Fifth Sister, your resistance will only lead to Madam's punishment."
As she spoke, her eyes darted around slyly, "But if the other party doesn't like it, then Madam won't make things difficult for you, will she?"
Gu Qingxu's furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and he slowly put down his chopsticks. A look of sudden realization flashed in his eyes, as if he had been enlightened.
"Great job, Xingzhu! You're such a lucky star!"
In his excitement, Gu Qingxu suddenly raised his hand and slapped Ruan Xingzhu's shoulder. The force was so great that it almost made Ruan Xingzhu fall to the ground.
Upon seeing this, Gu Qingxu's face flashed with panic. He quickly reached out to support her, saying with a guilty expression, "I used too much force. Is Xingzhu alright?"
Ruan Xingzhu raised her innocent little face, smiled and shook her head, which instantly softened Gu Qingxu's heart.
Gu Qingxu had a strong interest in martial arts since childhood, so she was stronger than most young ladies, which often resulted in punishment from Madam Gu. However, as she grew older, Madam Gu turned a blind eye to it.
Gu Qingxu thought she had finally made it through and would no longer be confined to her home, but she never expected that the matchmaking matter would be even more deadly for her.
After Gu Qingxu had eaten and drunk her fill, she went to Cheng Shi to apologize and admit her mistake, as Ruan Xingzhu had instructed.
When Granny Liu relayed Gu Qingxu's message that he was going to back down, Madam Cheng, who was taking a nap in the room, was so surprised that she almost stood up from her chair.
She couldn't believe it. Gu Qingxu had always loved doing things that only men did since he was a child. He was stubborn and had never given in despite being suppressed by her for so many years. Now, he suddenly said he wanted to give in. This was really too strange.
"Release her." Cheng rubbed her tired brow, her mind filled with doubt.
As soon as Gu Qingxu entered the room, she immediately put on a charming and coquettish appearance, skillfully using her coquettish skills. She quickly walked up to Cheng Shi, knelt down with a "thump," and put on a look of admitting her mistake.
"Mother, after reflecting on my mistakes these past few days, I have come to a deep understanding of them."
Gu Qingxu tried her best to put on an expression of genuine realization, her eyes revealing "sincerity".
"So Mother is right. Young Master Yi is a refined and polite young man. I am willing to consider him as a potential partner."
Cheng was somewhat bewildered by Gu Qingxu's sudden words. She looked Gu Qingxu up and down, wondering if there was something wrong with her brain, otherwise why would her attitude change so drastically?
She hadn't forgotten that a few days ago, under the blazing sun and rising temperatures, Gu Qingxu, with her iron will, would rather stand under the scorching sun than yield an inch.
"Are you really willing?" Cheng couldn't help but scoff, her eyes filled with scrutiny.
Gu Qingxu was afraid that Cheng Shi would discover her pretense, and she felt a little flustered, but she still tried to remain calm. She made her face look more sincere and deliberately lowered her voice as if she had resigned herself to her fate.
"willing."
She was still a piece of her own flesh and blood, and even if Cheng Shi knew she might be trying some kind of clever trick, she was unwilling to expose her. In any case, as long as she remained a young lady of the Gu family, she would have to listen to her.
“Then I’ll arrange a time with Madam Yi, and I’ll take you to see her,” Cheng said.
Hearing this, Gu Qingxu felt a pang of anxiety, but quickly recovered and tried to suppress her emotions, saying, "Mother, this time I want to go by myself..."
"No." Before Gu Qingxu could finish speaking, Cheng Shi interrupted her resolutely, her tone somewhat impatient.
Gu Qingxu became anxious: "Why not? I am the one who is looking at the other person, and I am doing this so that I can better understand them."
Gu Qingxu explained urgently, "Mother doesn't want to make the wrong choice in a man because of her respect for elders, and let me marry the wrong person."
Gu Qingxu rarely said something she thought made sense, which surprised Cheng Shi. However, she was still a little worried about Gu Qingxu's carefree nature.
Well, Cheng rubbed her temples helplessly, thinking that no matter what, the Gu family's social standing was what it was, and there would be no shortage of people eager to marry into the Gu family.
“I agree, but you have to give me a good look,” Cheng said.
Gu Qingxu was secretly delighted and quickly nodded in agreement, thinking that as expected, if she followed Xingzhu's method, her mother would agree.
Over the past few days, the Cheng family had arranged a time for Gu Qingxu to be matched with a suitable husband. However, Gu Yun'an, who had promised to help Ruan Xingzhu find a suitable husband, had not shown up for several days.
As night deepened, she finally saw Gu Yun'an, but her eyelids almost closed from waiting.
The moment Ruan Xingzhu saw Gu Yun'an appear, she instantly woke up. Her sleepy eyes brightened instantly, but her voice was still a little weak, and she said with a hint of drowsiness, "Fourth brother, you're back!"
"How long have you been waiting?" Gu Yun'an asked with concern when he saw her misty eyes.
Ruan Xingzhu rubbed her eyes, trying to clear her head, and whispered, "It didn't take long."
"What's up?"
Gu Yun'an raised an eyebrow. What could make her wait so long must be the matter of finding her a husband. But this young girl was far too impatient, even more so than herself.
Meeting Gu Yun'an's cold gaze, Ruan Xingzhu felt a little intimidated. She was indeed a bit anxious and hesitated to ask the question.
Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit awkward, she suddenly remembered that her handkerchief was missing. On a whim, she changed the subject and said, "I lost my handkerchief. I searched all the courtyards but couldn't find it, so I came to ask Fourth Brother if he had seen it."
Her voice was a little hoarse, and she herself felt that the excuse was a bit far-fetched. She couldn't help but feel uneasy, wondering if Gu Yun'an would think that this was just an excuse she made up.
She covered herself, unsure whether he was tired or hadn't listened to her, and remained silent for a long time.
In the shadows, Gu Yun'an's tall figure paused abruptly as Ruan Xingzhu reached for her handkerchief. A burning sensation appeared in his previously weary eyes, instantly warming his entire body.
How could he not remember that handkerchief? If he remembered correctly, it was probably still hanging alone in the bathhouse, and he didn't know if it had dried yet.
The thought of what he had done to that handkerchief yesterday stirred up a complex emotion in his eyes, which made him feel hot and restless.
He lowered his eyelids and shifted his slightly tense body. If he found an excuse to return the handkerchief to her, would she then take her fingers and those full lips again? The thought of that scene filled Gu Yun'an with a strange sense of anticipation.
When his gaze met Ruan Xingzhu's bright eyes, Gu Yun'an forcibly suppressed his fantasies, preventing himself from letting his mind wander further.
After a while, he cleared his throat, trying to make his voice sound calmer.
I have never seen it.
While suppressing his anger, he genuinely didn't want to return the handkerchief to her, and given its current condition, he really couldn't.
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