He had never waited for someone like this before.
Li Qingyuan didn’t know what had come over him. Holding onto this scorching-hot burden in his hands, he had no idea how long he had been waiting. He just leaned against the tree trunk, occasionally glancing in the direction of the moon gate.
This place was lush with foliage. Though it was the boundary between two academies, people rarely passed through. Now that class was about to start, it was even more secluded.
He stood there, leaning against the tree, tilting his head slightly, his long fingers occasionally tapping on the oil-paper package.
Perhaps because it had been well-preserved along the way, the meat pie inside was still warm. If one sniffed carefully, they could still catch a whiff of its rich aroma.
Who knew what that girl would say when she saw it?
She would probably be very happy. She had always been someone who was easily satisfied—just eating a bowl of wontons without scallions could make her delighted for half the day. If he bought her a skewer of candied hawthorn, the smile on her face wouldn’t fade for an entire morning.
Now that he had deliberately brought her a meat pie, she would definitely be thrilled. She would probably widen those big, bright apricot eyes and tilt her head up to look at him. Just thinking about that scene made the corners of his lips curl up involuntarily.
But just as the smile emerged, he forcefully suppressed it again.
No way was he going to tell her that he had specially gone to Aunt Lan’s place to buy her a meat pie today. Otherwise, that little head of hers would start overthinking things again.
At that moment, he heard approaching footsteps.
Li Qingyuan lifted his gaze, and sure enough, he saw that little chili pepper walking toward him. She wore a red cloak, blending into the plum grove’s dense blossoms so well that it was hard to distinguish where the flowers ended and she began.
It wasn’t until she got closer that her figure became clear.
Li Qingyuan watched as she approached, saw the breeze shake a few plum petals loose, letting them fall onto her shoulders. Yet the silly girl seemed completely unaware, still walking toward him with a bright smile.
What was she so happy about all the time? He silently complained in his heart, but despite himself, a faint smile appeared on his face as well.
Just as he was about to step forward, something made him pause. Instead of going out to greet her, he retreated.
After all, he hadn’t told the errand boy to mention his name. By all logic, this girl shouldn’t know it was him who had asked for her.
So she had come out without even knowing who had called for her? And she was smiling this brightly?!
He wasn’t sure why, but irritation flared in his chest. Watching Gu Wuyou approach, his expression grew darker and darker.
Gu Wuyou, unaware of his thoughts, continued walking leisurely through the secluded plum grove. She wasn’t afraid at all. Carefree and relaxed, she strolled along, and when she estimated she had walked far enough, she stopped and spoke into the empty surroundings:
“Aren’t you coming out?”
Did she know who was looking for her? And she just told them to come out? Not even the slightest bit cautious? Smiling so happily—if she ran into another bastard like Zhou Changbai, she’d have nothing but tears left!
Li Qingyuan frowned, deeply displeased. With a brooding expression, he stepped out from behind a plum tree. He didn’t move forward, just stood behind Gu Wuyou, watching her as he spoke:
“Do you even know who’s looking for you? You just came out so casually?”
Hearing his voice, Gu Wuyou immediately turned around. The smile on her face hadn’t even faded yet when she caught sight of Li Qingyuan standing there with a sullen expression.
With her understanding of the great general, she could tell immediately—he was angry.
But what was he angry about now?
Gu Wuyou ran his words through her mind, and in an instant, she understood.
She wasn’t afraid at all. She beamed at him, quickly running up and tilting her head as she said, “I knew it was you.”
Li Qingyuan was stunned. “What?”
Gu Wuyou saw his dumbfounded expression, and her smile grew even brighter. Her sparkling eyes and pearly white teeth made her look radiant as she continued explaining:
“At this time of day, it definitely wouldn’t be anyone from Pingshuo Hall looking for me, and it couldn’t be the instructors either. That only leaves people from Changrong Hall or Buzhi Hall.”
“But I haven’t been at the academy for long, and I don’t know many people. Fu Xian and the others wouldn’t call for me…”
She counted on her fingers as she listed off possibilities. When she got to the last one, she lifted her gaze and smiled at him.
“So the only person who could have called me out at this time… must be you.”
The little girl spoke clearly and logically, leaving Li Qingyuan momentarily stunned. In the end, he could only blurt out in confusion, “Why wouldn’t Fu Xian look for you?”
Gu Wuyou lifted her head to glance at him, her gaze suddenly turning somewhat indescribable, as if silently saying, You’re so dumb.
Li Qingyuan was momentarily stifled by her look. Just as he was about to speak, the little girl in front of him continued, “If Jing Yubai wanted to see me, he would have made things clear in advance and then invited me to meet with Mr. Xu or Second Sister. Either way, he would have involved someone familiar. He would never have asked to meet me alone in private.”
“As for Fu Xian, he and I have never gotten along since childhood. If he wanted to see me, he would have made a big fuss about it and, in the end, even asked me whether I dared to come or not.”
“As for Qi Xu…”
Gu Wuyou let out a small “hmm,” tilting her head in thought. “I’m not very familiar with him. If he wanted to find me, he would definitely involve either Fu Xian or Jing Yubai. Those three would never meet me alone in a place like this.”
After she finished speaking, she looked up at him again. Her bright apricot eyes gleamed with laughter, and her lips curled slightly as she smiled and asked, “Am I right?”
Li Qingyuan suddenly realized he was wrong—this little chili pepper wasn’t dumb at all.
No, not only was she not dumb, but she was also incredibly smart. In just a few days, she had managed to grasp people’s personalities so well. Meanwhile, he was the fool, inexplicably feeling jealous over something he couldn’t even pinpoint.
And the worst part? He had no idea where this ridiculous jealousy was even coming from.
Gu Wuyou seemed to think of something, and her eyes suddenly curved mischievously, like a little fox. She leaned in closer and said teasingly, “Are you…”
But before she could finish, a firm male voice cut her off.
“No!”
She pouted in grievance. “I haven’t even finished talking.”
Li Qingyuan refused to look at her, turning his head to the side. His ears were completely flushed, yet he still stubbornly insisted, “I don’t care what you were going to say. The answer is no.”
“…Oh.”
Gu Wuyou responded in a pitiful voice, but inside, she felt like two little figures were dancing with joy. He doesn’t admit it? But I already know. He was obviously worried about her, yet he refused to acknowledge it.
The young general in his teenage years was truly both awkward and easily embarrassed.
She stole a glance at him and saw that his ears were bright red, even his exposed neck was tinged with a peachy hue. Gu Wuyou’s eyes curved into a smile again, and the corners of her lips lifted slightly. But fearing that he would get mad at her again, she quickly suppressed it, cleared her throat, and asked, “Why did you call me out?”
Li Qingyuan was reminded of his original purpose.
He hesitated for a moment before finally bringing out the oil-paper package he had been hiding behind his back. He handed it to her, and when he saw her staring at him in confusion, he spoke stiffly, “Meat pie.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Wuyou’s face lit up with an even brighter smile than before. Li Qingyuan’s gaze flickered, and he hurriedly turned his head away. For some inexplicable reason, he hastily added, “Don’t overthink it. Aunt Lan insisted that I bring this to you.”
The lie was clumsy—too easy to see through.
Yet, in his current state of extreme awkwardness, the young man didn’t notice it at all. Or perhaps, deep down, he knew but just didn’t want to meet those bright, delighted eyes at this moment, afraid that his already turbulent emotions would be completely thrown into chaos.
Gu Wuyou blinked. I haven’t even said anything yet…
But seeing his flushed face and evasive gaze, her heart softened into a puddle, as warm and gentle as a spring breeze.
She took the oil-paper package from his hands. Feeling its lingering warmth, she couldn’t help but feel even more touched.
Aunt Lan’s place wasn’t exactly close to here.
Who knew how carefully he had guarded it along the way to ensure that it was still warm when she received it? Holding the package gently, she looked up at him and said sincerely, “Thank you.”
“I told you, it was Aunt Lan.” The awkward young man was still as awkward as ever, and his ears turned even redder.
Gu Wuyou chuckled. “But you carried it all the way here. If I should thank Aunt Lan, then I should thank you too.”
Before he could argue any further, she quickly unwrapped the oil-paper package right in front of him.
The two golden, crispy meat pies were still steaming, their fragrance rich and enticing.
“So fragrant.” She took a light sniff.
Seeing her happy expression, Li Qingyuan finally broke free from his own tangled web of awkwardness. He lowered his gaze to look at Gu Wuyou. Her cheeks were tinged with a faint peachy hue, and her long, raven-like eyelashes trembled slightly. He was momentarily lost in thought.
Before he could snap out of it, she tilted her head up and smiled at him. “Let’s eat together.”
“…What?” Caught off guard, Li Qingyuan froze again.
“You haven’t eaten either, have you? Let’s eat together.” She gazed at him with crescent-moon eyes, her clear gaze resembling a fawn’s innocence, yet the mischievous glint within them was like a cunning little fox—quick-witted and playful.
“Class hasn’t started yet.”
Before Li Qingyuan could refuse, Gu Wuyou grabbed his sleeve and pulled him aside.
He stared dazedly at her hand—her nails were pale pink, her fingers delicate and fair. They looked soft, as if they had no strength at all, yet her grip on his sleeve was firm, as if even if a mountain of swords or a sea of flames lay ahead, she wouldn’t let go.
He wasn’t sure what was wrong with him, but he actually let himself be led by her without any resistance.
There was a stone table and stone stools nearby, all clean and well-maintained, with only a few scattered plum blossoms resting on the surface.
Gu Wuyou brushed the petals away with a handkerchief before sitting down. Seeing him still standing there like a statue, she chuckled and urged, “Sit.”
Li Qingyuan said nothing. He simply stood there, looking at her for a long while before finally sitting down beside her, as if conceding to some unseen force.
He didn’t know what kind of feelings he had toward this little girl beside him.
All he knew was that every time he saw her, he couldn’t help but want to get closer. Yet, every time he did, hesitation and retreating thoughts followed. This wasn’t good at all. It didn’t suit his nature. He should be keeping his distance from her.
But… this girl beside him always had a way of pulling at his emotions, making him compromise, making him reluctant to let go.
Li Qingyuan glanced at her again. He wasn’t sure how Gu Wuyou felt about him either. Her trust and affection came too quickly, too inexplicably. If it were in the past, he might have had the courage to ask her directly.
But now, he remained silent.
“Here.” Gu Wuyou handed him one of the meat pies. Seeing the absentminded look on his face, she asked, “What’s wrong?”
Li Qingyuan looked at her, shook his head, and replied, “Nothing.”
As he took the meat pie from her, his usual carefree demeanor seemed to return. Catching her staring at him without blinking, he raised a hand and flicked her forehead lightly with a curled finger, raising an eyebrow as he teased, “Still staring? Are you planning to be late and skip class again?”
Gu Wuyou’s face instantly flushed. She covered her forehead, unsure whether it was red from the flick or from embarrassment. Her eyes, shimmering like a pool of autumn water, glared at him as she muttered in protest, “I wasn’t planning to skip class.”
The general always wronged her.
She was obviously very well-behaved! She had only skipped… two days. That was way better than him!
But she didn’t argue further. Hugging the still-warm meat pie wrapped in oil paper, she lowered her head and ate carefully, as if savoring some rare delicacy.
Neither of them spoke again, quietly eating their food.
A breeze passed through, shaking a few plum blossoms from the branches.
Li Qingyuan had already finished his portion. He turned slightly to the side and saw that she was still eating, taking small, deliberate bites. By now, several plum blossoms had settled on her shoulders.
Unable to resist, he reached out and gently brushed them away.
“Hmm?”
Gu Wuyou was still holding her meat pie, her cheeks slightly puffed as she chewed. She turned to look at him, no longer resembling a fawn or a fox, but more like a little squirrel.
It reminded him of a squirrel he had seen once while hunting in the forest as a child.
That squirrel had stood in the middle of the path, clutching a large walnut. Even when he approached, it didn’t run away, just stupidly stared at him with its round eyes. The adorable foolishness of that little creature overlapped perfectly with the expression of the girl beside him now.
His heart softened into a puddle, and a trace of laughter flickered in his eyes. But his face remained unchanged, still putting on a stern act as he barked at her, “Hurry up and eat, or you’ll be late.”
Only the hand that had just brushed the plum blossoms from her shoulder quietly tucked itself behind his back.
Perhaps even he didn’t realize it himself—
That at this moment, with gentle restraint, he curled his fingers inward, secretly keeping the lingering warmth of that touch to himself.
Yet he was still urging her along…
Gu Wuyou pouted slightly, but she still wore a smile. She didn’t get upset, simply took a few more bites before tilting her head and asking, “What did Dean Xu punish you with?”
“…What?”
Li Qingyuan’s fingers, which had been idly rubbing against each other, stilled. He seemed momentarily caught off guard.
Gu Wuyou continued, “Didn’t he say before that he was going to punish you? But he never mentioned how.” She was a little concerned, fearing that Dean Xu’s punishment might be too harsh. She was just about to ask again when the boy beside her abruptly stood up, his face already tinged red.
“You done eating? Let’s go!”
There was no way he was going to tell her that the old man had sent him here to sweep the grounds.
Too humiliating.
And so, the young man walked away just like that.
“Hey, wait for me!” Gu Wuyou had no idea what had suddenly gotten into him. She quickly lifted her skirt and ran after him.
Although he appeared to be walking fast, he was actually adjusting his pace to match hers. It wasn’t until they reached the moon gate that he finally slowed down, turning his head to glance at her. His gaze landed on the small satchel swaying at her side, and for some reason, his expression darkened slightly.
“Hey.”
He called out.
Gu Wuyou stopped and looked up at him. “What is it?”
Li Qingyuan didn’t look at her, his gaze drifting to a random spot as he asked, “The candy you were supposed to give me last time—where is it?”
Candy?
Gu Wuyou blinked, taking a moment to register what he was referring to. Finally realizing, she reached into her small satchel and pulled out the half-empty bag of sweets. “This one?”
“…Yeah.”
Li Qingyuan turned his head and glanced at it. Seeing that the once full bag of candy had deflated by more than half, he instantly looked displeased.
Even though he already knew the answer, he still asked, “Why is there so little left?”
“Uh…”
Gu Wuyou hesitated, unsure how to explain. In the end, she could only mumble softly, “Didn’t you say you didn’t want it before?”
Li Qingyuan was at a loss for words.
The one who had refused was him. And yet, the one feeling jealous now was still him.
If Dabai and the others saw this, he’d never hear the end of it…
Yet, even so, he still reached out and took the candy from her hands.
He held it carefully, as if he were holding something rare and precious.
But his mouth remained stubborn. “From now on, anything you give to me, you’re not allowed to give to anyone else. Even if I don’t want it, you still can’t give it away.”
After saying that, he leaned in aggressively, his tone fierce. “Got it?”
Suddenly, he was so close.
Both of them seemed startled, especially Li Qingyuan.
The moment he sensed her breath and the faint fragrance coming from her, he—who had been the one to lean in first—ended up blushing before she did. Quickly stepping back, he clenched the candy pouch in his hand, turned his head away, and avoided eye contact. Even his speech, usually so smooth, became slightly hesitant.
“L-let’s go, class is starting soon.”
“…Ah?”
Gu Wuyou stared at him blankly. A few seconds later, she finally caught up with what had happened. Her face flushed red as well, and she responded in a barely audible voice, “…Oh.”
She lowered her head and walked a few steps in the direction of Pingshuo Hall, but then she stopped again.
From the corner of her eye, she noticed that the young man in white was following behind her—not too far, not too close—just keeping a steady distance.
It felt as if he was guarding her in his own way.
A warm, sweet feeling bloomed in her heart, as if she had hidden away a jar of honey.
“Li Qingyuan,” she called softly.
The young man turned his head to look at her but didn’t say anything. His slightly raised brows indicated he was waiting for her to continue.
“You—”
Gu Wuyou stood in front of him, her delicate fingers lightly pinching the hem of her sleeve. She seemed hesitant, but still, she looked up at him and spoke.
“From now on, don’t skip class anymore, okay?”
She didn’t know what Li Qingyuan was thinking at this moment.
But if she put herself in his shoes, at his age, being told what to do was probably the last thing he wanted. She worried he might be annoyed, so she was extra careful in her wording, even sounding a little unsure.
Li Qingyuan noticed this. And for some reason, his heart skipped a beat.
The wind rustled through the trees, shaking the plum blossoms.
He lowered his gaze to her. The distance between them wasn’t too far, yet not too close. The wind lifted the edges of their robes—white pressing against red, red against white. The scene was unexpectedly soft and intimate, like an ink painting full of lingering emotion.
“…Alright.”
His voice was low and steady when he finally spoke.
He rarely made promises. But when he did, he almost never broke them.
Now that he had agreed to her request, he would follow through with it.
Hearing his answer, the hesitation and unease on Gu Wuyou’s face instantly disappeared, as if clouds had parted to reveal the clear sky.
Her original, most unfiltered expression emerged—bright, lively, and filled with joy.
She had nothing more to say. Like a happy little sparrow, she chirped, “Then you should go quickly! I’ll be off too.”
And with that, she beamed at him one last time before turning toward Pingshuo Hall.
“Hey.”
Li Qingyuan suddenly called out.
Gu Wuyou stopped, turned around, and looked at him with a bright smile. “What is it?”
“…Tomorrow—”
Li Qingyuan seemed to struggle with his words. His hands, clasped behind his back, were tightly clenched. But as his gaze fell on her smiling face, his thin lips pressed together for a moment before he finally spoke.
“Let’s go to Aunt Lan’s together for breakfast.”
As if afraid she might overthink it, he immediately lowered his head, his foot lightly scuffing the ground. His voice, still carrying his usual awkwardness, followed quickly after.
“You’ve helped me a lot this time.”
Gu Wuyou’s eyes lit up instantly.
She didn’t care why he was asking. She was simply happy.
“Alright!” she answered cheerfully.