The day after their appointment, Gu Qinghuai received an invitation from Lin Xihe, inviting him to a gathering at "Qingmingxuan" at 5 PM.
At dusk, when the sky was just about to darken, Lin Xihe thought that even if she looked unwell, Gu Qinghuai would hardly notice anything amiss.
So she and Ling Shuang arrived at Qingmingxuan early and waited quietly in the private room.
Before long, Gu Qinghuai arrived gracefully in a moon-white robe, his posture as upright as a pine tree.
It had been more than two months since he parted ways with Lin Xihe. He looked a little better, his dark hair was neatly tied up in his crown, and he seemed to be walking slowly out of an ancient painting, exuding an extraordinary temperament.
As soon as he stepped into the house, Gu Qinghuai's gaze was drawn to Lin Xihe, who was dressed in a light yellow dress.
For a fleeting moment, a slightly unnatural smile unconsciously appeared on his lips.
In his memory, Lin Xihe had never worn such bright and lively colors. In the past, although she was young, she preferred a simple and elegant style. The completely new Lin Xihe in front of him made Gu Qinghuai feel a little dazed.
Upon seeing Gu Qinghuai enter, Lin Xihe's heart raced uncontrollably. She quickly stood up, bowed gracefully to him, and said softly, "General Gu, I'm truly sorry for making this sudden appointment."
"Xihe, there's no need to be so polite."
Gu Qinghuai looked at Lin Xihe in front of him, his heart filled with mixed feelings.
He longed to see her, but when they finally met face to face, he was completely at a loss, unsure how to deal with this woman who felt both familiar and strange to him.
But one thing he was very clear about was that his longing for Lin Xihe was never fake.
Lin Xihe broke the deadlock by picking up the teapot and pouring Gu Qinghuai a cup of fragrant tea.
"General Gu, please have some tea."
Gu Qinghuai gazed at her, a hint of expectation in his eyes, and said softly, "Can you call me by my name? Even if you're not her, there's no need to be so formal. After all, we..."
He hesitated, as if the rest of his words were stuck in his throat.
Upon hearing this, Lin Xihe was slightly taken aback, and the teacup in her hand trembled slightly. For a moment, she didn't know how to respond.
In her panic, she could only pick up the teacup in front of her, take a small sip, and try to hide the turmoil in her heart.
“Xihe, even if you hadn’t come to me these past few days, I was planning to go looking for you anyway.” Gu Qinghuai bowed slightly, looking at Lin Xihe with sincere eyes.
Lin Xihe slightly raised her eyes, a hint of doubt in them: "Hmm?"
"The latest news is that someone has seen Zhihao in Cang'erdu and Wangyun City in Nanzhao. I have decided to go to Nanzhao myself to see if I can bring Zhihao back safely."
"You found my brother?" Lin Xihe's eyes widened instantly, filled with surprise, as if the light in her eyes had instantly illuminated the entire room.
"Yes, I promised you I would bring Zhihao back." Gu Qinghuai stared at her intently.
"You want to go yourself? Can't you send someone else?" Lin Xihe frowned slightly, her face showing hesitation.
She really didn't want to owe Gu Qinghuai any more favors because of this, and she didn't know how to repay them.
"It would be more appropriate for me to go in person. Firstly, I have never set foot in Nanzhao before, and few people there know me; secondly, Zhihao's identity is extremely special to Nanzhao, and the slightest mistake could cause unforeseen changes. Moreover, I can take this opportunity to investigate the true situation of Nanzhao. I will set off next month."
"But I don't know how to thank you enough for helping me like this." Lin Xihe lowered her head, her eyes filled with a complex mix of gratitude and guilt.
Gu Qinghuai didn't rush to reply. Instead, he reached for the cup of tea that Lin Xihe had just poured, took a small sip, and slowly asked, "Is he good to you?"
The tone seemed calm, but it concealed a hint of bitterness.
Lin Xihe hadn't expected Gu Qinghuai to ask this question so directly, but she still answered truthfully, "Yes, he is very devoted to me and cares for me deeply."
Upon hearing Lin Xihe's unhesitating answer, a fleeting hint of melancholy flashed in Gu Qinghuai's eyes.
He paused for a moment before continuing, "Over the years, Ji Zhuo has been helping His Majesty with his work style. He is decisive and ruthless, which has offended many people. Now, there are quite a few people who want him dead. You must be more careful in the future."
Upon hearing this, Lin Xihe steeled her resolve and decided to strike while the iron was hot, asking directly, "So, are you willing to grant our wish?"
"I don't want to."
"I don't want to either." Gu Qinghuai frowned, his face full of struggle. After a moment, he said, "But you never seem to have given me a chance."
"Hesitation will only lead to chaos. I hope General Gu will grant my request," Lin Xihe pleaded earnestly once more, her eyes filled with determination.
"You invited me here today just for this?" Gu Qinghuai raised his eyes and looked directly into Lin Xihe's eyes.
“Yes, yes, General Gu, the spring hunt is in a few days, and you will definitely be participating. If the three of us happen to run into each other, the situation will be awkward. So I am taking the liberty of disturbing you today, and I want to have a thorough discussion with you.”
Lin Xihe spoke frankly and directly. Even though she still harbored feelings for Gu Qinghuai, she tried her best to suppress them and not show them.
However, as she uttered these blunt words, the expectation that Gu Qinghuai had initially shown when he first met her vanished like melting snow in spring, replaced by an indescribable sense of desolation.
“Xihe, perhaps I should have let go when I realized you were no longer the person you used to be. I tried so hard, but I still want to see you and know how you are doing. I really wanted to let you go, but when I'm with you, I don't want to let go.”
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