Two quarters of an hour had passed by the time Gu Wuyou and Gu Tiao finished their meal.
At this hour, the noble daughters of Pingshuo Hall had yet to start their classes. However, in the afternoon, Gu Tiao had to go to Buzhi Hall, and she still needed to go back to prepare for her lessons. While accompanying Gu Wuyou back, she said, “Come find me after school, and we’ll go home together.”
“Okay.” Gu Wuyou nodded and responded with a smile.
Seeing Gu Wuyou’s bright and cheerful expression, Gu Tiao’s mood also improved. Her little cousin had been beautiful since childhood, and she had always liked her. However, in the past, her cousin had a bad temper and did not get along well with the family.
As a result, they had rarely spoken to each other.
Now that her little cousin had changed, she was quite happy about it and couldn’t help but want to reach out and pat her on the head.
The dream that Gu Wuyou had mentioned…
Even if she hadn’t believed it before, she now believed most of it. However, when she thought about what her little cousin had said regarding Shen Shao’s fate, the smile on Gu Tiao’s face froze slightly. Shen Shao had been gone from the capital for over two years now—she didn’t know how he was doing now.
She also didn’t know… if his hatred for her had lessened.
“Second Sister?” Gu Wuyou waved a hand gently in front of her eyes. Only when she saw the light return to Gu Tiao’s gaze did she ask again, “What are you thinking about?”
“…Nothing.”
Gu Tiao looked at her, her eyes filled with an elegant smile, as if her momentary distraction just now had been a mere illusion. “I was just thinking about what piece to teach today, and I got lost in thought.” Before Gu Wuyou could ask further, she glanced at the not-too-distant Pingshuo Hall and chuckled. “The wind is strong outside, hurry and go in.”
“Okay.”
Gu Wuyou obediently nodded. Watching Gu Tiao enter the building, she then turned and walked toward Pingshuo Hall.
At this moment, a group of people inside Pingshuo Hall was talking about Gu Wuyou. They hadn’t seen her during lunch, nor had they spotted her upon returning. No one knew where she had gone…
Xu Wan was inspecting her nails when she overheard someone say something. She lifted her head and sneered, “She probably found class boring and, with no one to talk to, ran back home.”
“That can’t be, right?” someone hesitantly said. “It’s only been one morning.”
Xu Wan raised an eyebrow and scoffed, “It’s not the first time she’s done something like this. Back when Ah Yi had her birthday, she invited her over specifically because she knew she had returned to the capital. She sat there for just a few minutes, then turned around and said, ‘This birthday setup is way too plain.’ And then, without another word, she just left.”
Hearing this, Xiao Yi’s gentle smile stiffened slightly. After a moment, she chuckled helplessly and said, “That was so long ago, Wanwan, why do you still remember?”
Xu Wan huffed angrily, “I just feel it’s unfair for you. You’ve treated her so well, yet she—both of you are county princesses, but you’re the daughter of a prince. Why should you always have to yield to her?”
Just as she finished speaking, someone beside her tugged at her sleeve. Xu Wan was about to frown when she noticed Xiao Yi lowering her head, her hand on the table tightening slightly.
Her face paled, and she hurriedly opened her mouth, “Ah Yi, I didn’t mean—”
Xiao Yi smiled and looked up again, still with that same gentle and lovely expression. “It’s nothing. Leping lost her mother when she was young. It’s only right for me to be more accommodating toward her.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the room erupted in a chorus of agreement, all praising Xiao Yi for her good temperament.
Gu Yu, who had already been feeling displeased at not seeing Gu Wuyou, suddenly found her mood worsening as she watched this scene unfold.
Back on Xiao Yi’s birthday, she had gone out with Gu Wuyou.
She still remembered that Gu Wuyou had been in exceptionally high spirits that day. Although she tried to mask it, the joy in her eyes and eyebrows was undeniable.
But then, for some reason, the once cheerful Gu Wuyou suddenly got angry and left within just a few minutes.
“Ah Yi, you’re kind-hearted, but someone like Gu Wuyou isn’t even worth treating well.” Xu Wan, seeing Xiao Yi’s happiness return, continued, “Even Ah Yu is her biological younger sister, yet she’s never cared about her either.”
“Ah Yu.”
Xu Wan called out to her, “Don’t you agree?”
Gu Yu was lost in thought and was startled when she heard the question. “What do you mean?”
Xu Wan frowned but held back her impatience as she continued, “I said that Gu Wuyou is naturally ill-tempered and not worth treating well.” After finishing, she pursed her lips in exasperation and said, “What’s wrong with you? You’ve been absent-minded this whole time.”
She paused suddenly, furrowing her brows in suspicion. “You’re not… actually worried about Gu Wuyou, are you?”
Gu Yu was just about to refute this when a memory suddenly surfaced in her mind—it was from Xiao Yi’s birthday that day. That day, after arriving at Prince Dai’s manor with Gu Wuyou, she had stopped caring about what happened to her and went off to chat with a group of close friends.
That day, the scene had been exactly like this.
She, Xiao Yi, Xu Wan, and many others who were familiar with each other.
Xu Wan had spoken ill of Gu Wuyou, Xiao Yi had tried to defend her, and the others had then praised Xiao Yi for her good temperament. Then, someone had asked for her opinion—how did she view Gu Wuyou? Back then, how had she answered?
—”She’s spoiled and annoying. I don’t like her at all.”
—”Being her sister is such an embarrassment.”
She had never liked Gu Wuyou, not since childhood. She always felt that Gu Wuyou had nothing good about her, yet so many people still doted on her. So when others compared them, she would lash out carelessly, saying whatever came to mind without considering the consequences.
That day…
Had Gu Wuyou overheard something? Was that why she reacted that way?
Gu Yu had never given it much thought before, but now, the more she thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Yes, before Xiao Yi’s birthday, her relationship with Gu Wuyou had been bad, but it wasn’t outright hostile. However, after that day, when she went to find Gu Wuyou, she had been directly pushed away, and she had said—
—”I don’t have a sister like you!”
—”Since you don’t like me, then I won’t like you either.”
The room was as warm as a spring day, yet Gu Yu felt as if her hands and feet were frozen. She didn’t know what was wrong with her, only that it felt as if she had done something terribly wrong…
“Ah Yu, what’s wrong?” A hand suddenly grasped hers. Gu Yu looked down—it was Xiao Yi, gazing at her with concern.
Gu Yu opened her mouth and stammered, “I…”
Xu Wan, still frowning suspiciously, said, “Ah Yu, you’re not seriously worried about Gu Wuyou, are you?!”
Gu Yu wanted to say “yes”—that she was worried about Gu Wuyou. But under the weight of so many gazes, seeing their furrowed brows, as if she had betrayed them somehow, she suddenly couldn’t bring herself to say it. Even Xiao Yi, though she hadn’t said anything, had slightly furrowed her brows.
The words stuck in her throat.
“AhbYu, you…” Xiao Yi started to speak.
It was as if Gu Yu had been stepped on—she immediately denied, “I’m not! How could I possibly be worried about her? She and I… have nothing to do with each other.”
“Is that so…”
Xiao Yi seemed to sigh in relief, her face once again adorned with a gentle smile.
But Gu Yu, watching her expression, felt no sense of relief at all. She forced a weak smile, and just as she was about to sit down, her gaze suddenly fell upon the doorway—where Gu Wuyou was standing.
In an instant, she felt as though she had fallen into an ice cellar. Her already pale complexion turned even more ashen.
But at that moment, no one was looking at her anymore. Everyone’s attention was on Gu Wuyou. The expressions on their faces twisted into something unsightly. The ones who had been the most vocal just moments ago now had their faces drained of color as they stammered out a greeting.
“County Princess Leping…”
Gu Yu stood inside the room, staring at Gu Wuyou as if she had frozen in place.
She didn’t know how much Gu Wuyou had overheard, only that it felt as if a needle had pricked her heart—sharp and painful… It seemed like she had made another mistake.
Everyone was speculating about how Gu Wuyou would react. Would she throw a tantrum like before? Or would she go complain to someone? But Gu Wuyou merely cast them a calm glance, then, without a word, untied the cloak wrapped around her shoulders and walked straight to the back of the room.
As she passed by, Gu Yu’s lips parted slightly. She wanted to say something, but no words came out.
She could only watch blankly as Gu Wuyou brushed past her.
—
In the afternoon classes, Gu Wuyou seemed to be in a much better state. Resting her chin on her hand, she listened intently to the lecture, occasionally breaking into a bright smile. Every now and then, when Gu Yu turned around, she could see that radiant expression on her face.
By the time Shenshi (15:00-16:59) arrived, marking the end of the school day, Xiao Yi had packed up her things and turned to Gu Yu with a smile. “Ah Yu, let’s go. A new cosmetics shop opened on East Street—let’s check it out together.”
If this had been any other day, Gu Yu would have readily agreed.
But today, for some reason, she hesitated. Her gaze unconsciously drifted toward the back of the room, where Gu Wuyou was tidying up her belongings. She knew that it was their eldest uncle who had brought Gu Wuyou to school today.
So now, how was Gu Wuyou going to get home?
Would someone come to pick her up? Would she go back with Second Sister? Or… Gu Yu found herself wavering.
But Gu Wuyou clearly hadn’t noticed her hesitation. Once she was finished packing up, she glanced briefly at Gu Yu and the others sitting together but said nothing. Without any delay, she simply turned and walked out.
“Ah Yu?” Xiao Yi called her again. “What’s wrong?”
Gu Yu watched as Gu Wuyou left without looking back, then shook her head and said hoarsely, “Nothing. Let’s go.”
—
Buzhi Hall dismissed two quarters of an hour later than Pingshuo Hall, and since Gu Tiao was still preparing for the next day’s lessons, Gu Wuyou didn’t have to think of ways to kill time. She silently counted the minutes, and as soon as it was time, she urged, “Second Sister, are you done?”
“Yes.”
Gu Tiao put away the musical scores on the desk and smiled at her. “Let’s go.”
By the time they stepped outside, more than half of the carriages had already left. Most of the students from Changrong Hall lived on campus, so the remaining carriages in the courtyard mostly belonged to those from Buzhi Hall. Gu Wuyou looked around for a long time but did not see Li Qingyuan anywhere.
Fu Xian and the others were all still present—some on horseback, others in carriages.
But where was her great general?
Gu Wuyou furrowed her brows and stood wrapped in her cloak in the cold wind, debating whether she should wait a little longer.
Gu Tiao was intelligent and easily saw through her thoughts. She leaned in and lowered her voice, saying, “Qilang lives at the academy.”
“Huh?” Gu Wuyou was stunned.
Luming Academy provided lodging, but it was mainly for students from Changrong Hall—those with good grades but ordinary family backgrounds who lived far from the capital. Those who had homes nearby would never choose to stay in the academy.
Seeing Gu Wuyou’s dumbfounded expression, Gu Tiao sighed and said, “Let’s talk in the carriage.”
Once they were inside, Gu Wuyou immediately asked, “Second Sister, why doesn’t he go home?”
“Qilang doesn’t have a good relationship with his family.” Inside the carriage, a kettle was heating water. Gu Tiao poured a cup of homemade floral tea and handed it to Gu Wuyou. “When he was younger, he often stayed at Jintai Temple. Later, after entering the academy, he mostly lived there.”
“That household of his… I suppose he only returns home for the major holidays.”
Gu Wuyou hesitated, opening her mouth but unable to find the right words. Compared to others, she understood all too well what it felt like to lose a mother, and she knew even better what it meant when a father took a new wife.
She didn’t know what to say—she only felt even more sorrowful for the situation the great general was in now.
This mood lingered even after she returned home, to the point that Gu Wuji was convinced she had suffered some grievance at the academy. He immediately pressed, “Manman, did someone at the academy bully you?”
Today, Gu Jiufei was also present for dinner.
When Gu Wuyou arrived home and saw him, she invited him to join the meal.
Hearing Gu Wuji’s inquiry, Gu Jiufei, who had remained silent, glanced over at Gu Wuyou. Seeing her dazed expression, he frowned slightly.
He didn’t like Gu Wuyou—he even wanted to see her fall into the mud.
But seeing this proud and dazzling person with such an expression made him feel strangely uneasy.
“…No.”
Gu Wuyou snapped out of her thoughts.
She didn’t want to worry her father, so she forced a smile. “I’m just a little tired.”
“Really?” Gu Wuji still looked unconvinced.
Gu Wuyou shook her head, and seeing that he still seemed worried, she sighed and said, “Who would dare to bully me?”
Gu Wuji thought about it and agreed. With Manman’s temperament, who would actually dare to trouble her? “Then if you’re feeling tired, don’t go tomorrow. Stay home and rest for a while. You can go back whenever you feel like it.”
As soon as she heard this, Gu Wuyou blurted out, “No!”
Noticing that everyone in the room was now looking at her, she awkwardly added, “I really like the academy’s atmosphere. Besides, I’ve only been there for one day—if I stop going now, what will people think of me?”
She had only just managed to get closer to the great general—how could she not go?
Gu Wuji had always indulged Gu Wuyou, so seeing that she truly enjoyed it, he didn’t press the matter further. In truth, he wasn’t in the best state himself today. Ever since Manman had called him “Father” this morning, he had felt as if he were floating—his head light, his feet unsteady.
He wanted to ask her about it, but he was afraid of annoying her, so he simply busied himself by picking food for her while lost in thought.
The room fell into silence again, but Gu Jiufei, who had been quiet the whole time, was subtly observing Gu Wuyou.
She liked the academy’s atmosphere? Impossible.
But if not, then why had she reacted so urgently just now?
He held his chopsticks tightly, lips pressed together. Though he was still young, his sharp and intelligent eyes gleamed with a deep, thoughtful light.
—
After dinner, with thoughts weighing on her heart, Gu Wuyou didn’t linger and soon returned to her room.
Back at Zhaixing Tower, she was immediately surrounded by two anxious maidservants. It was their first time being away from her for so long, and they had spent the whole day worried. Seeing that she was safe and sound now, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Gu Wuyou let them fuss over her, allowing them to attend to her needs before drinking the special soup prepared by Nanny Meng.
Once she had finally sent Bai Lu and Hong Shuang off to bed, she sat down in front of her desk, pulling out her small notebook…
The previous page was still filled with excitement and joy, and even through the inked words, the emotions seemed palpable.
She sat there in a daze for a while before finally picking up the purple-tipped wolf hair brush hanging from the rack, dipping it into ink, and writing—
“I saw the great general today. He’s completely different from what I imagined. Second Sister asked if I liked Li Qingyuan or the Li Qingyuan who indulged my every whim. I said I liked Li Qingyuan. Although the great general of this life is different from my past life, I still like him. I want to be close to him, to stay by his side…”
Her thoughts had been too scattered today.
And the more she thought about the great general living alone at the academy, the more her heart ached.
Her mind was in turmoil, and her grip on the brush wavered slightly. A large streak of black ink spread across the page. She paused for a moment before continuing to write:
“This path may not be easy, but I still want to try.”
Once she finished, Gu Wuyou set down the brush. Unlike the night before, she did not immediately go to sleep. Instead, she sat in a daze for a while before locking away the notebook and getting into bed.
—
The next morning, Gu Wuyou got up especially early for school. She didn’t let anyone accompany her. Wrapping herself in a cloak, she got into the carriage alone.
When passing through East Street, she instructed the coachman to stop in front of a candy shop.
She had tossed and turned all night, thinking about how she could be good to the great general.
Back when she was with Li Qingyuan in her past life, he was rarely unhappy. Occasionally, when they had a quarrel, she would buy him candy… That great general, who was usually imposing and awe-inspiring, would always begrudgingly take the candy. When she smiled so broadly that her teeth couldn’t be seen, he would pull her into his arms, nibble her ear, and growl fiercely:
“Don’t think this means I’m not mad at you anymore!”
So today, she had deliberately gotten up early—sacrificing even her precious sleep—just to buy the great general some sweets.
“Fifth Miss, we’ve arrived,” the coachman respectfully called from outside.
Gu Wuyou, who hadn’t slept well the previous night, had dozed off in the carriage. Hearing his voice, she murmured a soft acknowledgment and lifted the curtain to glance outside. The cold wind stung her eyes before she could even take a proper look, but at least it woke her up completely.
She rubbed her sleepy eyes and took another look. Sure enough, it was the same candy shop she used to visit.
“Wait here,” she instructed as she stepped down.
“Yes, Miss.”
At this hour, the street wasn’t too crowded with carriages yet. Only vendors were out, calling for customers. Gu Wuyou could even smell the fragrance of wontons wafting from a stall not far away.
She had only eaten some pastries for breakfast, and now, the enticing aroma was making her hungry again.
Maybe I’ll grab some after buying the candy.
Should she get some for the great general too? She remembered that in their past life, he had loved wontons the most.
—
Holding a small bag of candy, Gu Wuyou walked out of the shop. Just as she was about to return to the carriage to store it away, she noticed a familiar figure in the distance.
That person was dressed nearly the same as yesterday, standing out starkly among the people bundled in thick cloaks and padded jackets.
“The great general?” she murmured in disbelief.
It almost felt like a dream. She rubbed her eyes and looked again—the figure was still there.
It really was the great general!
Gu Wuyou’s heart leaped with joy. She ran toward Li Qingyuan’s direction.
The coachman had been dozing off when he suddenly saw her dart away. He was momentarily stunned before calling out, “Fifth Miss, where are you going?”
“Wait here for me!” she shouted back without looking back and continued following Li Qingyuan.
However, as soon as she stepped into the alley, the figure she had just seen seemed to vanish into thin air.
This area was full of interconnected alleys, leading in all directions. She had no idea which way Li Qingyuan had gone. She stood there, momentarily lost.
“Where did he go?”
Gu Wuyou furrowed her brows and muttered to herself. Just as she was about to randomly pick a path and continue searching, a cold, stern male voice suddenly rang out behind her—
“Following me?”