Chapter 45 What to do when someone is dishonest?
She didn't notice that Gu Yun'an's originally deep, dark eyes had subtly dimmed as she spoke. The smile on Gu Yun'an's face instantly froze, and he looked at her with a cold, unsettling gaze, a barely perceptible hint of sneer flashing in his eyes.
What should you do if someone is dishonest?
Ruan Xingzhu had never had much contact with people. Thinking about it carefully, the only person she had relatively more contact with was probably the one who lent her clothes. That person was Yi Mingyu's colleague, both belonging to the Zhongshu Academy.
Thinking this, a dangerous aura suddenly emanated from Gu Yun'an's eyes, as if the prelude to a storm was brewing. That aura gently brushed against her hair, like invisible tentacles.
However, Ruan Xingzhu was not as tall as him, and was sitting slenderly, her attention entirely focused on how to answer Gu Yun'an's questions, completely unaware of the change in Gu Yun'an's expression. She was full of speculation, hoping that Gu Yun'an would stop pressing the issue of the book's origin.
Although the night wasn't exactly cool, Ruan Xingzhu seemed unbothered by the heat, constantly leaning against Gu Yun'an. Gu Yun'an felt hot from her touch, but a secret desire within him made him willingly endure the heat.
He narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Ruan Xingzhu, who was still clinging to him like a cheetah examining its prey. The soft spot in his heart was finally touched, but he ultimately did not break through her defenses.
"It's late, Xingzhu, aren't you going to rest?" he said softly, his tone more like an order than a question.
Tonight, she was so engrossed in the wondrous world of the book that she had indeed lost track of time. Hearing Gu Yun'an say this, she quickly got up from him, her face showing a docile expression, and softly replied, "Then I'll go to sleep now."
As her soft body left, the heat in Gu Yun'an's body instantly dissipated, but a hint of lingering regret remained in his eyes. However, he was the one who had called her away, so he couldn't blame anyone else.
Before leaving, Ruan Xingzhu reminded Gu Yun'an to get some rest, her voice clear and melodious like a silver bell: "Then Fourth Brother should also go to sleep early."
Upon hearing this, Gu Yun'an remained silent, only nodding slightly with an elegant and concise gesture.
The night breeze was quite refreshing and pleasant, gently brushing against the treetops in the corner of the yard, making a rustling sound.
Ruan Xingzhu quickly returned to her courtyard. Just as she stepped across the threshold, she suddenly realized that she had forgotten to take her book, which was still lying alone on the table in the main hall.
But it was already late, and going back would be a waste of time. Besides, she went to Huaiju every day, so she figured it wouldn't hurt to leave it there.
With this thought to herself, Ruan Xingzhu stopped dwelling on the matter and turned to wash up and prepare for rest.
The waterwheel in Huaiju turned tirelessly in the night, emitting intermittent sounds, as if telling endless stories. In the darkness, Gu Yun'an's figure stood motionless, like a statue.
He stared intently at Ruan Xingzhu's figure as it gradually disappeared into the night. After a long while, he slowly exhaled, his voice as cold as the winter wind, and coldly ordered Sheng Que: "Go and investigate Liang Yejing."
Sheng Que understood immediately and left to carry out the order.
A gentle breeze drifted into the room, lightly brushing against the candle on the table. The candlelight flickered instantly, casting Gu Yun'an's silhouette onto the wall, making it appear as if it were a strange painting.
The books on the table were also stirred by the breeze, their pages turning rapidly with a crisp sound that was particularly clear in the quiet night. Gu Yun'an, who was about to get up to take a shower, heard the sound and his gaze instantly fixed on the turning pages.
His dark eyes narrowed slightly, like a deep, dark pool, making it impossible to discern the emotions hidden within. He simply stared quietly at the ever-turning pages of the book, and no one knew what he was pondering.
Upon seeing this, Sheng Que felt a pang of doubt and said softly with a hint of inquiry, "I will deliver it to Miss Ruan."
Gu Yun'an raised his eyebrows coldly, as if the book was a thorn in his side. He moved his lips, suppressed his anger, and coldly uttered, "Take it and throw it away."
After saying that, he turned and went into the bathroom without looking back.
Upon hearing this, Sheng Que gasped in surprise, wondering what the book had done to offend his master. He dared not question it and simply followed orders, immediately taking the book away to throw it away.
Night fell, and rain began to fall silently. Raindrops pattered down, splashing up tiny droplets on the ground. The book, tossed into the mud, was quickly soaked through, the once clear words gradually blurring until it was completely illegible.
The drizzling rain only began to stop abruptly at dawn. Soon after, sunlight, like sharp swords, pierced through the gaps in the clouds, slowly carrying away the moisture from the leaves.
When Ruan Xingzhu woke up in the morning, her first thought was to go to Huaiju to get her books. She quickly washed up and hurried to where she had left the books the night before. But when she arrived, she found that the books were not on the table.
She was frantic, searching every nook and cranny of the table, but the book was nowhere to be found. Ruan Xingzhu grew increasingly anxious, rushing off to find Gu Yun'an, clinging to a sliver of hope that someone might have taken it elsewhere.
"Fourth brother, have you seen the book I was reading last night?" Ruan Xingzhu ran up to Gu Yun'an, slightly out of breath, her face full of anxiety. She hurriedly explained, "It was on the table in the courtyard, but I don't know how it disappeared."
Gu Yun'an sat there calmly, not even lifting his eyelids, his voice as flat as a still lake, as if the matter had nothing to do with him, "I didn't see it."
Upon hearing this, Ruan Xingzhu's heart tightened, and she quickly turned her gaze to Sheng Que, who was waiting to the side, her eyes full of expectation.
Sheng Que glanced at Gu Yun'an subconsciously, but seeing that her master did not react in any way, she quickly regained her composure and said, "I didn't see it."
Hearing them all say they hadn't seen it, Ruan Xingzhu was at a loss. After all, she had promised to return the book after reading it, but now it was gone. How could she return it? Thinking of this, her brows furrowed tightly, and a worried expression appeared on her face.
Seeing Ruan Xingzhu's appearance, Gu Yun'an was secretly pleased. He took a sip of tea and said casually, "It's just a book. If it's gone, it's gone. We can just buy another one."
As he spoke, he put on an air of nonchalance, but a hint of mockery lurked in his eyes.
Ruan Xingzhu stood frozen in place, a wave of embarrassment washing over her. She had indeed told Gu Yun'an yesterday that she bought the story from the bookstore, but the truth was, the bookstore didn't actually sell it there.
Gu Yun'an slightly lifted her eyelids, her eyes seeming to see through her thoughts, and said in a low voice, "Or is it that the bookstore doesn't sell it?"
This seemingly gentle yet subtly menacing sound startled Ruan Xingzhu, causing her to cough repeatedly. She hurriedly replied, "Yes, yes, I'll go right away."
Watching Ruan Xingzhu flee like a startled deer, Gu Yun'an's expression remained unchanged, but he couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart. He wanted to see where she would buy it.
After leaving Huaiju, Ruan Xingzhu was filled with melancholy. She knew in her heart that books were not like clothes, which could be bought and sent over. Because of this, Ruan Xingzhu seemed listless all morning, unable to muster the energy to do anything.
After Gu Yun'an left, she went back to look for it again, but still couldn't find a trace of the book.
Unable to find anything, Ruan Xingzhu decided to try her luck at bookstores. She went from bookstore to bookstore, asking one after another, but without exception, the answer she received was that, just as Liang Yejing had said, none of the bookstores had it.
After walking all afternoon, Ruan Xingzhu was exhausted, both physically and mentally. When she reached the entrance of the Zhongshu Academy, she subconsciously stopped in her tracks.
I was thinking about whether I should go to Liang Yejing to explain the situation and see if there was a solution.
Inside the Imperial Academy, Liang Yejing had just finished his lesson when he came out and saw Ruan Xingzhu standing outside the door. From a distance, he could only see that she was wearing a pink blouse and skirt, her back slender, and he couldn't tell what she was doing.
When he saw her, his eyes lit up suddenly, with a hint of joy, but it quickly turned into doubt. He instinctively thought she had come to return the book, but he was also puzzled by how quickly she read it, finishing it in just one day.
Thinking this, he unconsciously quickened his pace, as if drawn by an invisible force, and strode toward her, calling out, "Miss Ruan."
Upon hearing the sound, the figure with Ruan Xingzhu's back visibly froze, as if struck by a spell. Realizing what had happened, she quickly turned around and looked at Liang Yejing. A wave of guilt washed over her, and her expression became extremely unnatural.
"Miss Ruan reads quite quickly; she finished it in just one day," Liang Yejing said with a smile, his tone tinged with admiration.
Hearing his words, Ruan Xingzhu felt even more ashamed, a blush spreading across her face. After much deliberation, she finally mustered her courage and whispered, "Um, Young Master Liang..."
As she spoke, she hesitated to look Liang Yejing in the eye, lowering her head slightly and speaking in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, "The book... I dropped it."
Liang Yejing was stunned for a moment, looking at her with her head down, looking like she had done something wrong, like a wounded fawn, and a soft spot in his heart seemed to be gently touched. He was about to say something to comfort her when...
Ruan Xingzhu then hurriedly said, "I can't buy the same book either. Otherwise, I'll compensate Young Master Liang."
After saying that, Ruan Xingzhu realized that she had said the wrong thing. After all, books are priceless, and her words made her seem incoherent. She was even more annoyed.
Seeing Ruan Xingzhu's uneasy appearance, Liang Yejing quickly comforted her, "There's no need to pay compensation."
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