Zhaixing Tower.
Gu Wuyou looked at the table full of items with amusement. She placed the silver hairpin in her hand onto a dish and looked at Gu Yu, asking, “Everything was fine, so why did you buy so many things?”
Gu Yu seemed a little awkward.
Her gaze swept over the group of maids in the room before she started to dismiss them. “You all, go out first.”
Gu Wuyou knew she had something to say to her and went along with her words. “All of you, leave.” Once Bai Lu and the others responded and retreated outside, she finally looked at Gu Yu, smiling. “Alright, they’re gone now. What do you want to say to me?”
“How do you know I must have something to say to you?”
Gu Yu, looking awkward, pouted but still sat down beside Gu Wuyou. She didn’t look at her, keeping her head lowered while her small hands absentmindedly fiddled with the tassel of the scented sachet tied at her waist. It was a habit she had since childhood.
Whenever she didn’t know what to say, she liked to tug at something.
She didn’t know how long she had been fiddling before she finally stopped. Tilting her head slightly to glance at Gu Wuyou, she hesitated for a while before speaking. “Yesterday, at the racecourse, I already knew it was Xiao Yi’s doing.”
Her gaze met Gu Wuyou’s stunned eyes.
Gu Yu belatedly realized that her words had sounded too ambiguous. Her face flushed red, and she quickly waved her hands to explain, “Not during the horseback riding. It was after you all had left—I saw Jing Yubai there, so I walked over to take a look.”
“Jing Yubai said the needle holes on the saddle were even smaller than those made by an ordinary embroidery needle. I…”
“I guessed it at that moment.”
“She… she recently had someone specially order a box of embroidery needles from the Jiangnan Weaving Bureau. They’re finer than the ones we use.”
Gu Wuyou recalled Gu Yu’s unusual behavior yesterday and finally understood. Leaning against a brocade pillow, she asked, “So, you suddenly left yesterday to find Xiao Yi?”
“…Yes.”
Gu Yu pressed her lips together and lowered her head again, as if she didn’t dare to meet Gu Wuyou’s eyes. She spoke softly, “I wanted to catch her before Uncle found out and make her confess on her own…” That way, perhaps things wouldn’t have ended up like this.
But she hadn’t expected Uncle to act so quickly, nor had she expected that Ah Yi… wouldn’t agree.
Gu Yu felt awful. She had tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. On one side was Ah Yi, who had grown up with her since childhood, and on the other was Gu Wuyou, whom she liked more and more. She had hoped that both could be well.
But clearly—
That was no longer possible.
After what Ah Yi had done, let alone Gu Wuyou, even their family would never allow her to associate with her again.
And—
She and Ah Yi could never go back to the way they were.
From Gu Wuyou’s angle, she could see Gu Yu’s face. Seeing her once proud and arrogant face now clouded with sorrow, how could she not know what she was thinking? She wasn’t good at comforting people, so she could only hum softly before asking, “So you bought all these things to apologize to me?”
If this were before, Gu Yu would have refuted such words immediately.
But today, she only pursed her lips, then raised her head, looking at Gu Wuyou and nodding cautiously. She asked carefully, “Will you… accept it?”
“I was never angry with you in the first place,” Gu Wuyou said with amusement. “It wasn’t something you did, so why would I be mad at you?”
Gu Yu was stunned. “But…”
She had indeed first thought of Xiao Yi yesterday, which was why she had initially concealed the matter and tried to find a way to lessen the punishment Xiao Yi might receive.
Knowing what she was thinking, Gu Wuyou propped her head up with a smile and asked, “Did you ever think of harming me?”
“Of course not!” Gu Yu’s response was immediate and resolute, almost as if she was about to stand up and swear to the heavens on the spot.
“Then when you went to find Xiao Yi yesterday, was it to help her cover up this matter?” Gu Wuyou asked again.
Gu Yu hurriedly explained, “No, I just wanted to bring her to apologize to you voluntarily, thinking that this way… perhaps her punishment would be lighter.” After struggling to finish these words, she added, “But I absolutely, absolutely never intended to help her hide anything. No matter what she was thinking, I would have dragged her to apologize to you.”
Even if Ah Yi would hate her for it.
“Then isn’t that settled?” Gu Wuyou sat up with a smile and held Gu Yu’s hand. “Since you never intended to harm me and didn’t try to cover for her, why would I be angry?”
“But…”
“You’ve known her since childhood, and your relationship is far from ordinary. Wanting to protect her isn’t wrong.” Gu Wuyou’s eyes curved in a smile as she said, “I wouldn’t blame you for that.”
People naturally have varying degrees of closeness with others. If she were in Gu Yu’s shoes, she might not have handled things as well as Gu Yu did.
“This matter is over, so let’s not bring it up again…” After thinking for a moment, Gu Wuyou added, “And don’t mention it to others either.”
Lest it cause unnecessary speculation.
Gu Yu looked at Gu Wuyou, feeling a mix of shame and regret. She didn’t say anything, only tightened her grip on the hand holding hers. After a long moment, she finally murmured, “Mm.”
Seeing that she had responded, Gu Wuyou smiled again and asked, “So, what did you buy for me?”
Gu Yu had already collected herself. Hearing this, she returned to her usual young lady demeanor, though her voice was softer than before. “Who knows what you like? I just bought some things at random…”
Before she could finish speaking, Bai Lu’s soft voice came from outside the curtain. “Miss, Young Master Fu and the others have come to see you. They are currently in the main hall, paying respects to Madam.”
“Fu Xian?”
Gu Wuyou was momentarily stunned. Then, suddenly, she broke into a bright smile. It must be the Great General coming to see her!
She knew it—he would never lie to her.
The eastern windows were all wide open, and she was smiling so brilliantly that it was as if the sun itself had risen in her expression. “Quick, invite them in—no, I’ll go myself!”
As she spoke, she was about to stand up.
But before she could move, Gu Yu, who had also realized what was happening, grabbed her.
Holding onto her arm, Gu Yu scolded, “What are you going for?” Just look at Gu Wuyou, grinning from ear to ear like this—if word of it reached Uncle and Grandmother, she’d be in serious trouble!
But before she could finish speaking, she saw Gu Wuyou looking at her with a pitiful expression. She pursed her lips, and all the harsh words she had planned to say suddenly got stuck in her throat. With an exasperated look, she let go of her hand reluctantly and said helplessly, “Fine, I’ll go instead, alright?”
As soon as she said that—
Seeing Gu Wuyou’s face instantly light up with joy again, Gu Yu couldn’t help but lower her voice and say fiercely, “You better sit still and not run around!”
“Alright~”
Gu Wuyou’s eyes curved as she responded cheerfully.
Gu Yu looked at her like this, feeling both angry and helpless. Yet, staring at that face, she found herself unable to say anything else. In the end, she could only lift the curtain and step out.
At this moment, in the main courtyard.
Fu Jiang had just finished meeting with a few stewards and was speaking with Gu Jiufei when she heard that Fu Xian and the others had arrived. She was quite surprised. “So early? What are they here for?”
Though she found it odd, it wasn’t proper to keep guests waiting outside, especially since one of them was her own nephew. Naturally, she had them invited in immediately.
She had food and drinks prepared first. When Fu Xian and the others were led inside, she waited for them to finish their greetings before smiling and having them seated. Then, she turned to Fu Xian and asked, “What made you come at this hour?”
“Cough…”
Under the weight of her gaze, Fu Xian, feeling reluctant, grumbled, “Isn’t it because Xiao…” Fearing that his aunt would get upset upon hearing that name, he pursed his lips and quickly corrected himself, “Didn’t Leping get injured? Since we don’t have classes today, we came to visit her.”
“When did you and Manman become so close?” Fu Jiang still looked at him suspiciously.
She had watched this nephew of hers grow up, and since childhood, he and Manman never got along. She had suffered many headaches over their squabbles. Eventually, she could only instruct Fu Xian that if Manman was at home, he should just avoid coming over to prevent another argument.
Though they had matured now and wouldn’t quarrel as soon as they met, making a special visit because of an injury—this didn’t seem like something her nephew would do. Especially at this hour… If this were before, this brat would still be in bed, sleeping well past sunrise.
Fu Xian’s face turned red under her scrutiny—not out of embarrassment, but from frustration.
Why did his aunt always take the other side? Did she think he would bully that little pepper? He didn’t even want to come! He had been dragged out of bed early in the morning, still grumpy from lack of sleep. But if he left now, Qilang would probably beat him up the moment they stepped outside.
Stuck in an impossible situation, Fu Xian huffed, “It was me who sent someone to report what happened to her yesterday!”
Hearing this, Fu Jiang became even more displeased. Ignoring the others present, she immediately reprimanded him, “And you dare bring that up? Manman got into trouble yesterday—how could you not keep an eye on her? Thankfully, Qilang was there! I had specifically told you to look after her more at the academy.”
After saying that, she turned to Li Qinyuan.
Unlike the look of disapproval she had given Fu Xian, her expression was now warm and gentle. Even her gaze softened as she said, “Qilang, it was all thanks to you yesterday. You saved both our Jiufei and Manman—I don’t even know how to properly thank you.”
Upon hearing this, Li Qinyuan immediately stood up, cupped his hands, and said, “You are too kind. It was nothing but a small effort.”
He wasn’t usually this polite. But today, his demeanor was respectful, his voice was gentle, and his words were courteous—he truly appeared as a proper junior should.
This caught Gu Jiufei’s attention. He had remained silent after greeting everyone, but now he turned his head slightly to glance at Li Qinyuan. And as he did, he noticed the small squirrel inside the cage beside him.
The little squirrel had glossy fur and was holding a large walnut in its tiny paws, nibbling on it slowly.
Perhaps sensing someone watching, the squirrel lifted its head in confusion and looked in Gu Jiufei’s direction. It tilted its head slightly, appearing curious about this unfamiliar face, and stared at him for a long time.
This adorable expression…
A figure suddenly flashed through Gu Jiufei’s mind.
Meanwhile, Fu Jiang was still speaking with Li Qinyuan. The more they talked, the more satisfied she became. Just as she was about to have him sit down, her peripheral vision caught sight of the squirrel. She let out a soft “Hmm?” and asked, “What’s this?”
Fu Xian, seeing his aunt staring at the squirrel, felt his heart nearly leap out of his chest. He was terrified she might realize something. Instantly on edge, he jumped up and blurted, “A squirrel!”
His voice was so loud that Fu Jiang was startled, giving him an annoyed glare. “Do you think I don’t know what a squirrel is? I was asking—”
Before she could finish, Fu Xian, guilty as a thief, hurriedly interrupted again, “It’s mine!”
“I brought it as a gift for Leping.”
Fu Jiang was momentarily stunned. “What?”
Before she could say anything else, a maid outside announced, “Seventh Miss has arrived.” Fu Jiang had no choice but to put the matter aside and invite her in first.
Gu Yu walked in a hurry all the way, and despite the cold weather, she broke out in a sweat. She managed to steady her breathing before properly greeting everyone, then turned to Fu Jiang and said, “Aunt, I was the one who invited them over.”
“Fifth Sister was bored at home, so I thought it’d be livelier with more people around.”
“Oh, so that’s how it is.” Fu Jiang smiled and didn’t say much, simply giving the order, “Then off you go.”
Once the younger generation had all paid their respects and left, Fu Jiang sat in her chair, furrowing her brows. Gu Jiufei, who was peeling an orange for her, noticed her expression and asked, “Mother, what are you thinking about?”
“You tell me…” Fu Jiang hesitated. After dismissing the servants, she lowered her voice and said to Gu Jiufei, “Could your cousin have taken a liking to Manman? Getting up so early, bringing a squirrel as a gift…”
Gu Jiufei paused in his movements, remaining silent for a long time before finally saying, “You’re overthinking it.”
Fu Jiang sighed in distress. “If I were overthinking, that’d be fine. But if it’s true, I need to make it clear to that brat so he can give up early. That troublesome child—if your father finds out, who knows how he’ll deal with him.”
Gu Jiufei didn’t respond.
A squirrel, coming over early to check on her—wasn’t it all because of that person?
Thinking of the note in the carriage yesterday, then recalling the way the two of them had locked eyes at the academy, Gu Jiufei didn’t say a word. He simply continued peeling the orange. If she liked it… then let her be.
But when it came to Father… Gu Jiufei furrowed his brows.
Then, realizing how ridiculous his own thoughts were, he found himself amused. Why was he worrying about this? Did Gu Wuyou’s matters require his help? He was both frowning and chuckling to himself, prompting Fu Jiang to ask, “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing.” Gu Jiufei smiled, saying no more as he resumed peeling the orange.
—
After leaving the courtyard with Gu Yu, Fu Xian no longer felt the nervousness and anxiety he had when facing his aunt. Normally, he wasn’t like this at all—his aunt was straightforward by nature, and he had enjoyed following her around since he was a child.
But today was different. He had been worried that others might catch on to Qilang’s thoughts.
His uncle was not someone easy to deal with. If he found out about Qilang’s feelings, who knew what he would do?
Fu Xian had actually wanted to advise Qilang again. There were so many beautiful girls in the capital—why insist on choosing Little Pepper?
However—
As he glanced at Li Qinyuan from the corner of his eye, he saw him looking down at his little squirrel with a faint smile on his lips, his expression softer than it had ever been. Fu Xian had never seen Qilang this happy before.
His heart softened a little.
Since he liked her, then let him like her. At worst, Fu Xian would just have to resign himself to playing matchmaker.
Finally feeling at ease, Fu Xian was in the mood for mischief again. Seeing Gu Yu, he couldn’t resist teasing her. As expected, he stepped forward and jeered, “Hey, why are you here? Where’s Little Pepper? Why didn’t she come in person?”
Gu Yu shot him a glare, not even bothering to respond.
But when her eyes swept over to the cage in Li Qinyuan’s hand, they nearly popped out of their sockets.
She had gone to great lengths to hide everything, fearing that someone might catch on, yet the two main culprits weren’t worried at all—one was so eager to see her that he had rushed over, and the other had blatantly brought a gift in broad daylight. They had absolutely no sense of discretion!
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but the words wouldn’t come out. In the end, she could only grit her teeth and stomp forward. “Hurry up!”
Fu Xian watched her, pursed his lips, and couldn’t help but complain to Li Qinyuan, “Look at her—just as fierce as Little Pepper. I swear, those two sisters—”
Before he could finish his sentence, someone smacked him on the head.
“Ow!” Fu Xian clutched his head, turning around unhappily. “Qilang, why did you hit me?”
Li Qinyuan, half a head taller than Fu Xian, looked down at him while carrying the cage, frowning. “Stop calling her Little Pepper.”
How was his little girl fierce?
She was clearly as soft as could be.
“Huh?”
Fu Xian was stunned. “Then what should I call her?”
Li Qinyuan tilted his head, thinking for a moment. A certain name surfaced in his mind, and he almost said it aloud, but upon realizing how embarrassing it sounded, he cleared his throat lightly and simply said, “Just don’t call her Little Pepper.”
With that, he strode forward, following Gu Yu’s pace.
Fu Xian, left standing there, watched his back and muttered under his breath, “Fine, fine, I won’t call her that… but why is your face red?”
—
Gu Wuyou had already changed into a fresh outfit. Now, she stood under the corridor, craning her neck expectantly. The people hadn’t arrived yet, but she kept lowering her head, checking her appearance, and even turned to Bai Lu. “How do I look? Good or not? Should I change again?”
Bai Lu had never seen her like this before.
She found it both amusing and helpless. “You already look good enough. No need to change again.”
Perhaps it was always like this when meeting one’s beloved—even after changing outfit after outfit, right before the moment of meeting, dissatisfaction would still creep in, leading to endless pickiness.
Right now, this was exactly how Gu Wuyou felt.
She furrowed her brows, about to say something more, when she suddenly saw a group approaching from a distance—five young men and women, each with their own unique charm. But the first person she noticed was still Li Qinyuan.
The young man was dressed in white, just like before, but today’s white robe was noticeably more proper. It had a high-collared neckline, with intricate circular patterns embroidered in gold thread.
A scented sachet and a jade pendant hung from his waist, the standard attire of a noble young master.
Perhaps sensing her gaze, Li Qinyuan lifted his eyes and looked in her direction. The expressionless face he had worn moments ago suddenly softened, his lips curving into a smile as radiant as sunlight shimmering on water.