Gu's father was about forty years old, tall and slender, and his blue robe and simple scarf made him look even more refined and elegant. His appearance was somewhat similar to Gu Nanjiao's.
This…this seems to be the original owner's father. It's our first time meeting today, and I'm a little nervous. Gu Nanjiao didn't dare to step forward and stood there, feeling conflicted.
Gu Xiucai looked at his dazed daughter and said, "Jiaojiao, what's wrong? Don't you recognize your father?"
Gu Nanjiao pinched the hem of her clothes, lowered her head and whispered, "Father!"
Upon hearing this, Mr. Gu frowned. "Jiaojiao got married and has become estranged from her father."
"Father, I didn't."
Father Gu snorted coldly: "Then why haven't you come to see your father for so long?"
Worried that her father might have noticed something, Gu Nanjiao quickly stepped forward and tugged at his sleeve.
"My daughter has been quite busy lately!"
"By the way, Dad, do you know why Lu Yanzhao was summoned by the dean?"
Upon hearing this, Gu's father affectionately tapped Gu Nanjiao's forehead and said, "I knew you were waiting for that boy. You asked him right away. I've wasted my time raising you."
Gu Nanjiao stuck out her tongue, a little embarrassed.
It's really unreasonable that a biological daughter doesn't care about her own father and instead shows concern for another man right away.
"That kid Lu Yanzhao is quite lucky. I heard he happened to save a student on his way here, and now that student is vouching for him so he can take the prefectural exam after the New Year." Father Gu stroked his beard and told Gu Nanjiao about Lu Yanzhao.
"Oh?" Gu Nanjiao was a little surprised! Lu Yanzhao is so lucky, he can run into something like this.
Seeing his daughter's surprised expression, Mr. Lu seemed to have thought of something, and his tone suddenly became serious:
"Daughter, Lu Yanzhao is no simple man. You must be careful in the future," Gu's father said earnestly, patting her shoulder.
Gu Nanjiao was even more confused and puzzled by these words. What did this have to do with whether Lu Yanzhao was simple or not? She felt that her father's words were implied, that he was only saying half of what he meant.
Mr. Gu glanced at his daughter's bewildered expression and smiled meaningfully, though the smile didn't reach his eyes. He patted Gu Nanjiao's shoulder: "Yanzhao should be out soon. I'm going back now. I won't disturb you two any longer. Remember to come visit me often when you have time."
As the saying goes, "A woman follows her husband after marriage," and it was getting late, so Gu's father felt embarrassed to call his daughter to his home.
After finishing speaking, Gu's father was about to leave when Gu Nanjiao called out to him, "Dad, wait a moment."
As she spoke, she opened the bamboo basket. She gave half of the meat and bones she had just bought to Gu's father, who repeatedly waved his hand in refusal.
"Jiaojiao, your in-laws have a lot of family members, you take it and eat it. Dad is all alone, he can't eat it."
After a few shoves, Gu's father refused to take the meat and bones, and taking advantage of Gu Nanjiao's inattention, threw them into the bamboo basket. Then he ran away like the wind.
Gu Nanjiao watched her father walk away, then turned around and arranged the meat in the bamboo basket.
With a "thud," something fell out. Gu Nanjiao picked it up and saw that it was two taels of silver.
It must have been her father who slipped it into the bones and meat when she wasn't looking. Looking at the silver in her hand, Gu Nanjiao felt a mix of emotions.
The original owner's father really loved her.
Putting the silver in her pocket, Gu Nanjiao thought to herself that she would visit her adoptive father more often in the future and fulfill her filial duties.
...
As soon as Lu Yanzhao stepped out of the academy, he saw Gu Nanjiao standing there motionless, seemingly lost in thought.
"Ahem-- Lu Yanzhao coughed softly, interrupting her thoughts."
Gu Nanjiao looked up at the sound and saw Lu Yanzhao standing on the steps at the entrance of the academy.
Thinking that she would need his help to carry the bamboo basket later, she raised the corners of her mouth and gave him a bright smile.
Lu Yanzhao was stunned for a moment.
Her smile was as radiant as the warm winter sun, like a feather brushing against his heart, a tingling, ticklish sensation. He felt his heart skip a beat. Startled, he quickly averted his gaze, unable to look her in the eye.
"What are you doing here?" Lu Yanzhao quickly composed himself, reverting to his usual faint aloofness.
"I bought some meat in town, but I couldn't carry it all, so I came to you for help," Gu Nanjiao explained.
"Is it just because of this..." that she came to see me? Lu Yanzhao didn't finish his sentence. He still thought Gu Nanjiao had come to see him specifically, like before. Thinking of this, he felt a strange sense of loss.
"Hmm? What else?" Gu Nanjiao chuckled softly.
Lu Yanzhao didn't answer her. He silently walked to the bamboo basket, picked it up, and walked away. The two walked one after the other, neither of them speaking.
Halfway there, it started to get dark. Lu Yanzhao suddenly quickened his pace. He had long legs and walked very fast, while Gu Nanjiao could barely keep up by running.
Gu Nanjiao was panting heavily, her body drenched in sweat. She couldn't help but shout at Lu Yanzhao, "Slow down, wait for me!"
After hearing her words, Lu Yanzhao quickened his pace.
Gu Nanjiao hurried to catch up with him, giving him a disdainful glare: "A man who has neither warmth nor manners, I wish you would never find a wife in your life."
Hearing Gu Nanjiao's words, Lu Yanzhao stopped in his tracks. He turned to look at her, a hint of a smile appearing in his eyes: "Now look what I've done, I've married her."
Gu Nanjiao...
"I'll divorce you sooner or later anyway!" Gu Nanjiao muttered softly.
"You'd be willing to divorce?" Lu Yanzhao sneered, his eyes full of mockery.
"How could I not want to part with you? I have no feelings for you."
After Gu Nanjiao finished speaking, she suddenly remembered how the original owner of the body had shamelessly insisted on marrying Lu Yanzhao, even at the cost of ruining her reputation, and couldn't help but blush.
I really don't understand what the original owner saw in him. He has no manners, no warmth, and besides his face, what else does he have to offer?
Thinking of this, Gu Nan, in a huff, quickened her pace, not caring about being tired, and walked even faster than Lu Yanzhao.
Watching Gu Nanjiao walk away, Lu Yanzhao pursed his lips, staring intently at her retreating figure, lost in thought.
When Lu's mother saw Gu Nanjiao and her son arrive home one after the other, she glanced at the bamboo basket her son was carrying on his back. Her son had finally seen the light; he'd realized how good his wife was and was now actively helping her.
Seeing this, Lu's mother couldn't stop smiling. Hearing that Lu Yanzhao had someone vouch for him and could take the exam next spring, she was overjoyed and tears welled up in her eyes. She immediately knelt on the ground, saying, "Thank God! Thank our ancestors for their blessings!"
...
Gu Nanjiao took out a hair accessory from the bamboo basket and handed it to Lu Xiaomei, who jumped for joy.
"Mother, these are for you," Gu Nanjiao said, taking out a pair of knee pads and handing them to Lu's mother.
"Oh dear, why did you buy me this? You're spending money again."
"Mom, your knees hurt a lot in winter. If you put these knee braces on your knees, it won't hurt as much. Besides, they didn't cost any money; they were a free gift with the clothes I bought." Gu Nanjiao quickly comforted her, afraid that Lu's mother would be upset about the money.
Lu Yanzhao leaned against the wooden table and waited for a long time but Gu Nanjiao did not bring him anything. He looked at Gu Nanjiao with a dark expression. Gu Nanjiao was stunned. What had she done to offend him this time?
"What's wrong with you? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"What about mine?" Lu Yanzhao asked, staring intently at Gu Nanjiao.
Gu Nanjiao was stunned again. What?
Lu Yanzhao slowly stood up and walked to Gu Nanjiao, saying indifferently, "You bought hair ornaments for your little sister, knee pads for your mother, and even made clothes for yourself, so why did you forget mine?"
Upon hearing Lu Yanzhao's words, Gu Nanjiao suddenly realized something and slapped her forehead:
"Oh dear, I forgot to take it out. You wait here."
Watching Gu Nanjiao walk away, Lu Yanzhao smiled and a gentle light appeared in his eyes.
only……
When Lu Yanzhao saw what Gu Nanjiao had bought for him, his eyes widened in fury, and he almost coughed up blood.
"Here, I bought these pork kidneys especially for you. They're very nutritious. I'll cook them for you tonight." Gu Nanjiao ignored Lu Yanzhao's increasingly dark face, weighed the pork kidneys in her hand, and looked very proud.
"Gu Nanjiao—"
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