Chapter 14 Chapter 14

She stood beside him and asked him softly, as if it was just a simple inquiry, without any other thoughts. Or maybe Aunt Liu had taught her something recently, probably that she should be polite when talking to men outside of her family, so she didn't dare to get too close to him.

But perhaps it was because she asked in a rather subtle way, for a moment, Gu Huaisheng was a little confused about what she was thinking.

He couldn't help but turn his head to look at her. He saw that she was walking with her head lowered. The blue ribbons hanging on her two buns swayed slightly with her steps. Seeing that he didn't say anything, Jiang Jingchun turned her head to look at him, and their eyes almost met. He saw some doubt in her eyes.

Jiang Jingchun asked him, "Cousin, what do you think I am doing?"

Gu Huaisheng turned around and said honestly, "I don't quite understand why you're asking this."

Jiang Jingchun was a little nervous. She bit her lip and then explained, "My grandmother allowed me to go to the street to play tomorrow. Is my cousin free? The street is very interesting. There will be dragon boat racing and lanterns tomorrow. It's very beautiful."

She said so much just to ask him, "Cousin, do you want to go and have a look?"

Just like coaxing a child, she talked about how interesting tomorrow's street would be, trying to coax Gu Huaisheng to go shopping with her.

She looked at him expectantly, but Gu Huaisheng still didn't seem interested. Jiang Jingchun's voice was as soft as a mosquito's as she finished speaking, and she could almost imagine him rejecting her.

So that's how it is.

I guess she was afraid that he would refuse her, or that he would think she was playing around, so she spoke so quietly and without any confidence.

Gu Huaisheng did not answer her, but suddenly asked an irrelevant question. He looked at her hand and said, "Are you healed?"

Jiang Jingchun first said "Hmm?" with a hint of doubt, as if she had not expected him to ask such a question out of the blue, but she quickly replied, "It's not healed yet, but it doesn't hurt anymore."

Having said that, she raised her hand and showed it to Gu Huaisheng. It was still wrapped in gauze, but compared to the two or three layers of gauze before, it was much better.

Gu Huaisheng looked at her hand, and then had no intention of continuing to speak. He nodded, turned around and left.

Jiang Jingchun finally reacted and called him, "Cousin, you haven't said whether you will go tomorrow or not?"

Compared to the previous question, this voice was a little more urgent.

Seeing that Gu Huaisheng was unwilling to answer her, Jiang Jingchun no longer cared about the etiquette she learned from Nanny Liu. She lifted her skirt and chased after him. The bun on her head swayed wildly as she ran, and her dress was blown by the wind, and at this moment it seemed to have taken shape.

She stopped in front of Gu Huaisheng, her red lips slightly parted in haste, still gasping for breath, the fragrance from her body powerfully entering his nose as she approached.

Gu Huaisheng looked at the person in front of him and was silent for a moment. His throat was slightly hoarse. He coughed lightly and was about to answer when he heard the voice of Nanny Liu from the side.

"Miss, why did you take so long? The old lady asked me to call you back for dinner."

He came out to see someone off, but no one knew where he was sending him. People who didn't know would think he was going back to Gu's house with Gu Huaisheng.

Jiang Jingchun was afraid that she would not be able to wait for Gu Huaisheng's answer. Listening to the nanny's urging, she said to him, "Cousin, whether you are going or not, you must have someone pass a message to me. I will wait for you."

After saying this, Jiang Jingchun turned around and followed Nanny Liu back.

Gu Huaisheng was born with a pair of extremely generous peach blossom eyes. Peach blossoms are affectionate, and they always look at people with a smile and affection. Even if you are born cold and unkind, so what? Your eyes will express your feelings for you. But such eyes on him don't seem to make him look more affectionate. No matter who he looks at, he is still so indifferent, and there seems to be frost in his eyes.

But at this moment, the icy mist that had lingered in his eyes for thousands of years seemed to have faded a little.

Dragon Boat... Lanterns...

It seemed like he really hadn't seen these things for a long time.

*

Soon it was the second day, May 5th, the Dragon Boat Festival. Mugwort and calamus had been hung in all the rooms in the Jiang residence. The Yang energy is strong during the Dragon Boat Festival, and people often hang mugwort and calamus to ward off evil spirits. The mansion was also already invaded by the smell of rice dumplings, and the maids were running back and forth, preparing for the family dinner on the Dragon Boat Festival evening.

Jiang Jingchun learned needlework well and could make things quite well. Some time ago, she made a few sachets and put mugwort in them to ward off evil spirits and pray for blessings. She first gave them to the old lady and Madam Liu, and then returned to Chongming Hall to give them to her mother and brother. As for her father, she was a little afraid of him, so she asked the servants to deliver them.

Not only that, thinking that she had invited Gu Huaisheng tonight, she also made one for him.

During the Dragon Boat Festival, all officials were resting at home. In the main hall of Chongming Hall, Li sat with the brother and sister.

Jiang Runchu took the sachet Jiang Jingchun gave him, grabbed the sachet's string, and looked at it from hand to hand. Although the sachet was indeed well made, he couldn't help but sneer at her, "Your dog's paws can really hold a needle and thread."

The two had been bickering since they were little, and Jiang Jingchun had long been accustomed to Jiang Runchu's stubbornness. Upon hearing his words, she wanted to take back the sachet from his hand, saying, "Okay, if you don't want it, give it back to me."

Jiang Runchu was one step faster than him and put away the sachet. "Why would I not want it if it's given to me for free?"

Jiang Jingchun rolled her eyes at him. Anyway, he had always liked to bully her over the years. When others wronged her, he stood by them. She was magnanimous and forgiving, not even leaving him a share of her things, but he still knew how to attack her. What kind of person was he?

She was too lazy to pay attention to him, so she turned to Li and said, "Mother, can you see how well I embroider it?"

Li took the sachet in her hand and looked at it carefully. In the past, Jiang Jingchun was considered good if she could embroider a sachet shape, but the ones she made now were top-notch in terms of stitches and line flow.

Her grandmother really taught her well, which is something she couldn't do.

She was so immersed in her own emotions that she forgot that Jiang Jingchun was still waiting for her answer.

I don't know how much time had passed, but I heard her sigh and then said, "You can get married now."

When Jiang Jingchun had her period, she didn't think about it. When her body was growing, she didn't think about it. Even when she said she liked Gu Huaisheng, she didn't think about getting married.

But when I saw her embroidering one nice sachet after another, the reality of her growing up became clear to me.

Jiang Runchu reminded from the side: "She is already sixteen years old, and her mother should have arranged a marriage for her a long time ago."

Li then realized that, yes, her daughter seemed to be of marriageable age. Although Li didn't want to admit it, she had to admit it. She sighed and said, "I know, there's no need for you to remind me again."

Talk about kissing......

When it comes to marriage, Jiang Jingchun only thinks of Gu Huaisheng.

Thinking of him, she remembered that she had invited him out yesterday.

It was almost time for dinner, but no one came to pass on the message.

*

In the mansion of Heyang Marquis.

Mrs. Gu was sitting with Gu Huaisheng.

Madam Gu said to him, "Last time you said that you didn't like the young lady from the Lou family. I've been thinking about someone else these days. I think you like Miss Meng San from the Minister of Rites. I've been in touch with her mother a few times these days, and she thinks you like her, too."

Although she liked Lou Yanxin last time, there was nothing she could do. Gu Huaisheng didn't like him, so what could she do even if she liked him more?

She knew that he was picky about everything, especially marriage.

But he was picky and unwilling to take this matter into his own hands. If she, as a mother, did not worry about it, he would probably never be able to get married in his lifetime.

Madam Gu said, "I have an appointment with the Shangshu's wife. Today is the Dragon Boat Festival. The streets will be busy later. How about you accompany Miss Meng San to go shopping?"

Gu Huaisheng did not answer immediately after hearing this.

Mrs. Gu didn't know what he was thinking. Was he willing or unwilling?

"Today?" Gu Huaisheng suddenly asked her.

Mrs. Gu was a little confused as to what the difference was between today and tomorrow. She said, "Today the streets are bustling, and you can have more fun with her."

She asked again, "What's wrong? Is it inconvenient for you to do something today?"

Gu Huaisheng pursed his lips and remained silent for a moment. His fingers unconsciously rubbed the cup in his hand, thinking of Jiang Jingchun's words yesterday.

She also invited him out tonight.

However, it seems a very strange thing to go out alone with her.

A brother and his cousin went alone to see the lanterns and parade...

It's not obvious what this means.

Especially since his mother wanted him to accompany her to find a marriage partner today, things would become even weirder if he refused because of Jiang Jingchun.

"Fu Yan, what are you thinking about?"

After hearing what Mrs. Gu said, Gu Huaisheng came back to his senses and agreed with her.

"Okay, I'll go there tonight."

Mrs. Gu did not expect that Gu Huaisheng would agree so readily. She originally thought that when he was silent just now, he was thinking about how to find an excuse to shirk.

After hearing his answer, Mrs. Gu said to him happily, "Go change your clothes later. Don't wear white clothes anymore. It's so inhumane. Young girls don't like these."

Mrs. Gu kept nagging, but Gu Huaisheng finally listened to her and let her pick out a dress for him.

*

Soon it was night, and lanterns had been hung in the streets and alleys, the lights shining brightly in the night. There was no curfew tonight, and the streets were still crowded even in the dark. The sounds of children playing and making noise in the streets seemed particularly lively. The dragon boat teams were already rubbing their hands on the shore, waiting for the competition that would take place soon.

Jiang Jingchun had finished her dinner but was still at home without going out.

She was still waiting for news from Gu Huaisheng without giving up.

At this time, there was still no news. If Gu Huaisheng had agreed, he should have sent someone to tell him. But Jiang Jingchun was still unwilling to wait until the last moment.

Finally, a servant came in with a message. Jiang Jingchun hurried out the door and asked anxiously, "What's the news from the Gu family?"

Seeing that she was anxious, the servant nodded quickly.

Jiang Jingchun asked him again, "What did your cousin say?"

The servant said, "The young marquis said he has something to do today and cannot come."

Can't come.

Even though it was something that was expected, Jiang Jingchun couldn't help feeling uncomfortable when he heard it so suddenly.

She had been looking forward to it since yesterday, but in the end, she still had to wait for him to say "I can't come".

The expression on Jiang Jingchun's face faded, and even the expectation in his eyes disappeared completely.

He won't come.

She felt as if tears were coming out of her eyes. She felt powerless at this moment, and an endless sense of loss filled her chest. He was just going shopping with her, so why was he unwilling to do so?

Gu Huaisheng is so stingy.