Chapter 83 He really ignored her.
The study was so quiet it seemed as if time had stood still. After watching the graceful figure disappear, Gu Yun'an slowly raised his hand, picked up his pen and ink, and focused on the pile of official business in front of him.
However, beneath his calm exterior, his mind was in turmoil, unable to find true peace.
Ruan Xingzhu's avoidance of him was like a thorn etched in his heart. Every time he recalled the scene of her talking to another man about leaving, the flames of jealousy would rage wildly in his heart, burning him with panic.
Fearing he might lose control and hurt her in a moment of impulse, he chose to keep his distance, using this seemingly cold method to suppress the surging emotions within him.
For several days in a row, Ruan Xingzhu went to the study with great anticipation, carefully preparing her things.
However, every time she stood outside the study full of joy, she was always met with that heartless rejection.
The voice was like a series of sharp arrows, piercing straight into her heart and causing her to feel a pang of bitterness.
A nameless fear gripped her, an invisible shadow that constantly shrouded her, a deep dread that Gu Yun'an would truly never speak to her again.
The small figure, carrying a carefully prepared lily and lotus seed soup, looked back again and again with reluctance in her eyes, but in the end, she could only turn away helplessly.
Her gaze strained to search the study, trying to catch even the slightest glimpse of him, but all she received in response were the tightly closed door and endless silence.
Just as she was feeling dejected and slowly lifted her foot to leave, a voice rang out, like a ray of dawn suddenly breaking in the darkness.
"Come in." The voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet atmosphere, like a royal decree of pardon, which made Ruan Xingzhu pause for a moment.
She could hardly believe her ears. She paused slightly, a hint of uncertainty in her eyes, and cautiously looked at Sheng Que beside her. Her eyes were full of questions and worries, fearing that it was just her imagination, that she was being presumptuous and bothering Gu Yun'an.
Sheng Que was also slightly taken aback, but based on his years of understanding of his young master, he quickly regained his composure, a gentle smile appearing on his face as he said to Ruan Xingzhu, "Please, young lady."
Upon receiving an affirmative answer, a glimmer of surprise flashed in Ruan Xingzhu's eyes, but this glimmer was quickly replaced by apprehension.
She took a deep breath, picked up the bowl of lily and lotus seed soup, and slowly walked into the study.
The study, as always, was filled with a faint scent of ink. However, upon closer inspection, one could see that there seemed to be more items than before, presumably because Gu Yun'an had been staying in the study these past few days and had acquired quite a few new objects.
As soon as Ruan Xingzhu stepped into the study, her gaze immediately fell upon that familiar figure. Gu Yun'an, whom she hadn't seen for many days, was sitting upright at the desk, his posture as straight as a pine tree.
Dressed in a white brocade robe, he exuded a gentle and refined air, yet the aloofness emanating from him was like a cold barrier, making him both unapproachable and impossible to ignore.
Ruan Xingzhu moved over in small steps, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, with a hint of caution: "Fourth brother, this is lily and lotus seed soup, it's very good for the stomach, let me serve you some."
As she spoke, she picked up a spoon, gently stirred the soup, scooped up the warm part from the bottom, and carefully prepared a small bowl for Gu Yun'an.
Even after she handed the bowl of lotus seed soup to Gu Yun'an, Gu Yun'an's gaze remained fixed on the documents in front of him, not glancing at her once, as if she didn't exist.
After handing it out halfway, Gu Yun'an still didn't say anything. Ruan Xingzhu pursed her lips, feeling a little disappointed, and whispered a reminder: "Fourth Brother... it's ready."
This sound carried a mixture of anticipation and trepidation.
Only then did the man deign to shift his gaze from the documents to the bowl of lotus seed soup. Unfortunately, he only glanced at it before quickly looking away, offering only a faint "hmm" in a voice devoid of any emotion.
Ruan Xingzhu blinked. Since she entered the study, Gu Yun'an hadn't even glanced at her. Her eyes stung, and a thin mist rose from them.
She sniffed, her nose stinging, and gently sat down beside him. She carefully looked at him and finally said, "Fourth Brother, I borrowed some silver from Young Master Liang at the temple that day, and that's why he came to return it. As for him grabbing my arm, I wanted to shake him off quickly, but Fourth Brother just happened to arrive."
She was explaining to him that she had no intention of leaving and was not colluding with anyone.
This time, Gu Yun'an finally slowly raised his head and looked down at her.
The night was growing cool, yet she was still only wearing a thin, emerald-green dress. From his perspective, her shoulders and back looked pitifully thin, not even as wide as his arm, as if a gust of wind could blow her over.
Perhaps feeling truly wronged by the misunderstanding, Ruan Xingzhu's small figure shrank slightly, her eyes glistening with tears, as if glistening pearls would roll down her cheeks at any moment.
Looking at her like this, Gu Yun'an's fingers tightened slightly as he gripped the pen, a pang of pity rising in his heart. However, the scene that had infuriated him that day flashed before his eyes like a ghost, ultimately forcing him to harden his heart and suppress his emotions.
After another soft "hmm," he looked away again, even a little afraid that if he looked at her any longer, he would lose control of his emotions and soften his heart to pull her into his arms.
That soft "hmm" sounded like a heavy hammer to Ruan Xingzhu's ears.
Her eyelashes fluttered slightly, her heart filled with mixed emotions, and she felt uneasy, fearing that staying any longer would bother him.
She then slowly stood up and said softly, "Then Fourth Brother, remember to eat."
After she finished speaking, she heard a dismissive "hmm," and Gu Yun'an didn't even glance at her.
Those three indifferent "hmm"s were like three sharp blades, piercing straight into Ruan Xingzhu's heart, causing her a tingling pain. She forced back the tears welling in her eyes and silently withdrew.
Almost at the same time she left, the man's gaze fell on her lonely figure again, and his heart felt as if it had been gripped by an invisible hand, the pain so intense that his breath caught in his throat.
An impulse surged within him, and he wanted to get up immediately, chase after her, and hold her tightly in his arms.
However, reason ultimately prevailed over emotion, and he managed to restrain himself from getting up. After all, he was worried that going there would not only fail to please her but would also make her dislike him even more.
His trembling gaze slowly fell on the lotus seed soup she had brought. By now, the steam had completely dissipated, and the soup looked like it was getting cold.
He slowly picked up the lotus seed soup, scooped a spoonful and put it in his mouth. His handsome brows furrowed as the taste spread across his tongue.
He was extremely particular about his food and had very high standards for taste. The moment he tasted this, he knew it must have been made by Ruan Xingzhu herself, since the old women in the mansion made much better food.
Although the lotus seed soup didn't suit his taste, he only frowned slightly and finished the whole bowl in no time.
The night was already deep.
Gu Yun'an looked up at his room, where Ruan Xingzhu was now sleeping every day.
Ruan Xingzhu originally had his own house in Huaiju, but ever since he took her as his concubine, he has never let her go back to live there.
The crescent moon hung high in the sky, casting a cool, clear light, and Gu Yun'an's figure gradually disappeared into the darkness.
Ruan Xingzhu hugged the blanket tightly, wrapping herself up as if it would give her some warmth and a sense of security. Her eyelashes slowly closed, but her mind was filled with Gu Yun'an's image, and she couldn't fall asleep.
Gu Yun'an's coldness these past few days has been like ice, gradually freezing her heart. He seems to truly treat her like a stranger, and today he didn't even spare her a glance.
The night was eerily quiet, with only her soft breathing as the candlelight flickered in the night breeze before slowly going out.
Gu Yun'an still hasn't come tonight; it seems he really isn't paying attention to her anymore.
A tear silently fell from the corner of her eye, leaving a small damp stain on the pillow.
Unbeknownst to her, Ruan Xingzhu gradually drifted off to sleep, filled with disappointment and sadness.
Having slept in the study for several days in a row, Gu Yun'an's body was starting to give out, and he felt tired and sore. He stretched a few times to relieve the fatigue that had accumulated over the past few days, and then got into the carriage.
As soon as he boarded the carriage, Gu Yun'an's gaze was drawn to a bright red object. He bent down slightly and picked it up. When he saw what it was in his hand, his heart skipped a beat. It was a peace talisman.
These two carriages had been idle since that day, and were only brought out again today.
The amulet in his hand seemed to gain warmth in his palm, becoming somewhat burning. Gu Yun'an's vision gradually darkened, and his thoughts churned.
Ruan Xingzhu wasn't lying to herself; she really did pray for a peace charm for herself.
Inside the carriage, the scene of him holding her tightly that day, ignoring her pain and pleas for mercy, seemed to vividly reappear before his eyes, stimulating Gu Yun'an's already wildly beating chest.
Finally, he carefully placed the amulet on his chest, and at that moment, the carriage slowly began to move.
The sun rose quietly, its morning light gentle and not scorching.
When Ruan Xingzhu woke up, Gu Yun'an had already left.
She got up, only then belatedly realizing that she had been occupying Gu Yun'an's room for quite some time. Before, Gu Yun'an had always carried her into the room every day, and she had never given it a second thought.
Looking back now, it's no wonder he's been sleeping in the study these past few days; it turns out she'd been hogging his bed. She looked around and realized she had quite a lot of stuff in the room, and it took her several trips to move it all to her usual west-facing room.
A gentle breeze rustled through the leaves in the corner of the courtyard, and soon carried them into the pond.
When I returned to the west room, exhausted from the day, it was already late at night.
Gu Yun'an did not go to the study as usual, but went straight to his room.
However, when he pushed open the door and went inside, the familiar figure was gone, along with all of her daughter's belongings.
"Where is she?" Gu Yun'an asked, his voice carrying a hint of displeasure.
Upon hearing the voice, the maidservant beside her quickly and respectfully replied, "Miss Ruan has gone to the west room."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
