Just as she stepped out of Gu Jiufei’s room, Bai Lu came up to her, pulling her cloak snugly around her while taking a brocade-wrapped hand warmer from a young maid’s hands and passing it to her, speaking softly, “I just fetched it, it’s still warm.”
“You can hold it in your hands to drive away the cold.”
Gu Wuyou took the hand warmer and casually asked as she walked, “Where is Hong Shuang?”
“She went to prepare washing and grooming essentials for you. Your clothes…” Bai Lu sighed as she spoke.
Following Bai Lu’s gaze, Gu Wuyou looked down and noticed that the hem of her skirt was stained with quite a bit of blood—likely from when she had helped support Gu Jiufei just now, accidentally getting it on herself. Things really were different now. If this had happened in the past, the delicate and pampered little Princess Gu would probably have been upset already.
Now, seeing this, she merely smiled. “It’s not like it can’t be washed off. Just be more careful later.”
Being able to save Gu Jiufei, a little dirt didn’t matter.
If anything was regrettable, it was that today’s carefully planned attire ended up wasted—she didn’t even get to have a proper meal with the Great General. Weighing the time in her mind, she asked Bai Lu, “Has the carriage driver returned?”
Hearing this, Bai Lu’s hand on her arm paused slightly, and she replied in a low voice, “I didn’t notice. Should I find someone to ask?”
Gu Wuyou thought for a moment, then shook her head. “No need.”
She had originally been worried about the Great General, but considering how much time had passed, if something really had happened, the carriage driver likely wouldn’t dare to hide it from her.
The master and servant continued walking toward the Star-Plucking Pavilion. Along the way, neither of them spoke. It was only when Gu Wuyou was bathing that she finally broke the silence. Leaning back comfortably in the steaming bathwater, she caught sight of Bai Lu behind her, lowering her eyes as she carefully wiped her hair. She finally spoke, “If you have something to say, just say it.”
After all, she wasn’t really fifteen years old.
Gu Wuyou may not have improved much in other aspects, but when it came to reading people’s expressions, she was certainly better than before.
She had actually noticed for a while now that Bai Lu had something on her mind, likely wanting to speak ever since she got off the carriage, or perhaps even earlier… As for what she wanted to say, Gu Wuyou could more or less guess.
“You want to ask me about the seventh young master of the Li family, don’t you?” Gu Wuyou took the initiative, laying bare the question Bai Lu had been wanting to ask without any pretense.
Upon hearing this, Bai Lu’s usually calm and composed face showed an unavoidable trace of surprise. She stared at Gu Wuyou in a daze for a moment before softly replying, “…Yes.”
“You guessed right. These past few days, every morning when I wake up early, it’s to be with him.”
Gu Wuyou leaned her head back, closing her eyes comfortably in the rose-scented steam of the bath. Her voice continued to resonate in the room, “I… really do like him.”
Bai Lu frowned, unable to help but call out, “…Miss.”
Gu Wuyou opened her eyes with a smile. Her fox-like, lively eyes were filled with mirth, as if she were reassuring Bai Lu of her concerns. She spoke at an unhurried pace, “I know what you’re worried about.”
“It’s not out of spite, nor is it mere infatuation.”
“I like him…”
Gu Wuyou paused slightly, as if recalling the many facets of Li Qinyuan—the man from her past memories, warm and refined like jade, and the young man of the present, unrestrained and carefree. In her mind, half the images were of him extending his hand, sheltering her beneath his wings, while the other half showed him clumsily yet earnestly offering her a sugar-coated hawthorn stick as a gesture of goodwill.
The more she thought about it, the softer the smile on her face became, and even her voice seemed to be wrapped in layer upon layer of honey, carrying a sweet and delightful tone.
“For no other reason—I like him simply because he is who he is.”
“Miss…”
Bai Lu still furrowed her brows. “You’ve only met him a few times. Do you really know what kind of person he is?”
She had grown up with Gu Wuyou since childhood. Though they were master and servant, their bond was closer than that of sisters.
Perhaps many people thought that the young lady had a bad temper, always quick to anger and difficult to serve, but only she and Hong Shuang—who had attended to her since childhood—knew how kind she truly was.
Back then, her own frail younger sister had nearly lost her life. Her parents, unwilling to spend any more money as if it were flowing water, refused to hire a doctor or buy medicine. It was the young lady who secretly used her own silver to help, allowing her sister to survive to this day.
As for Hong Shuang…
Her parents were just as heartless. They had sold her to the Wang family at a young age and, relying on the excuse of having given birth to her, would frequently try to take advantage of her. It was the young lady who stepped in and settled the matter, helping Hong Shuang break free from that dreadful household.
These were things that no one else knew, yet both she and Hong Shuang had etched them deeply into their hearts.
And it was precisely because of this—
Bai Lu regarded Gu Wuyou as family from the bottom of her heart and always feared that she would unwittingly suffer a loss again.
“I do know,” Gu Wuyou’s voice was cheerful, filled with unrestrained joy. Seeing Bai Lu’s worried expression, she smiled again and said, “He is a good person. The best, best person I’ve ever met.”
These childish words only made Bai Lu even more worried.
She sighed and was about to say something when a wet hand suddenly covered the back of her own. It had been a long time since they had shared such an intimate gesture, and Bai Lu couldn’t help but freeze for a moment. She lowered her gaze and saw an exceptionally fair hand—untouched by labor since birth, just as the ancient books described.
A few mischievous rose petals clung to it.
Even Bai Lu, who had served Gu Wuyou since childhood, found herself momentarily dazed. Before she could gather her thoughts, a voice rang in her ears again.
“Bai Lu, I know you mean well for me. I also know you’re afraid I’ll be taken advantage of.”
“But I truly like him. I like him very, very much.”
“The kind of liking where… I want to grow old with him.”
Bai Lu’s heart wavered. She couldn’t help but lift her gaze.
The young girl before her had her hair down, her eyes clear like an unknowing child. Yet, her expression was firm, carrying an undeniable stubbornness… The words Bai Lu had wanted to refute suddenly became difficult to say.
After a long silence, she could only look into her eyes and hesitantly mutter, “The Duke won’t agree to this.”
Back then, even with Young Master Zhao, who was such a good match, the Duke had been nitpicky. It was only after the young lady fought with him and firmly insisted on marrying that he relented.
But now, with this Young Master Li…
No matter how much the young lady liked him, the Duke probably wouldn’t approve.
Hearing this, Gu Wuyou, who had been full of enthusiasm just moments ago, let out a soft sigh. She withdrew her hand, crossed her arms over the edge of the wooden tub, then rested her chin on them. Her long lashes drooped as she blinked, looking somewhat melancholic.
This was what worried her as well.
If she truly set her heart on it, her father probably wouldn’t stop her, but that would only make him dislike Li Qinyuan more and more. She didn’t want things to turn out that way.
Yet she also didn’t want to force him into anything.
Thinking about it, she felt her face heat up.
Right now, she and Li Qinyuan hadn’t even reached that point—nothing had been said outright, and yet here she was, already worrying about these things. Fortunately, the bathhouse was warm, and her face had already been a bit flushed from the heat, so Bai Lu wouldn’t notice anything unusual.
Seeing Bai Lu still looking deeply concerned, Gu Wuyou, ever carefree, flashed a bright smile and said, “You don’t have to worry so much. It’ll be a long time before I get married anyway… Let’s just go with the flow.”
She was thinking that once the Great General grew a little older, perhaps things would be different.
Besides, he was already slowly changing… She believed he would only get better and better!
Even if he didn’t—
She would always stay by his side.
When Bai Lu heard the words “go with the flow,” she thought for a moment and ultimately said nothing more. After all, the young lady was still young, and her heart had yet to settle. Rather than playing the villain now by saying unpleasant things, it was better to wait for the young lady to realize it on her own.
Perhaps, before long, she would stop liking him on her own.
Thinking of this—
She no longer tried to earnestly dissuade her and instead merely reminded her of a few things—mostly about matters she should be mindful of when interacting with him, just to prevent her from being taken advantage of.
Gu Wuyou’s face turned red as she listened. She didn’t even let Bai Lu finish speaking before she refused to hear any more.
After finishing her bath—
Bai Lu helped Gu Wuyou dry her hair before letting her rest in the inner chamber. She then quietly stepped away to instruct the servants to carry out the bathwater. Calling over a maid, she asked, “How did it go?”
Earlier, she had instructed the maid to ask the carriage driver. Now that she was being questioned, the maid promptly answered, “I asked. The carriage driver said he already dropped him off earlier. However, that young master didn’t get off in front of the academy but walked down a street ahead instead.”
After speaking, she deliberately added, “That area is secluded, not many people saw him.”
Hearing this, Bai Lu was momentarily stunned. The rumors about this Seventh Young Master Li painted him as a frivolous libertine, so she had assumed that after taking the young lady’s carriage, he would deliberately get off at the academy entrance, stirring up gossip. She hadn’t expected him to be considerate enough to avoid that.
Her dislike for him lessened slightly—though she still wasn’t particularly pleased.
The little maid looked at her and asked, “Sister Bai Lu, is there anything else?”
Bai Lu snapped out of her thoughts, resuming her usual calm and composed demeanor. “No, go on with your tasks.”
For the past few days, Gu Wuyou had been going to school with Gu Yu. She had already arranged with Li Qinyuan to have breakfast at Uncle Zhang’s or Aunt Lan’s place every few days… On regular days, she ate at home.
As soon as she arrived at Pingshuo Study, she heard a lively discussion inside.
“Did you hear? Something happened to the Zhou family!”
“Which Zhou family?”
“Which else? Of course, Zhou Changbai’s family.”
Hearing the name “Zhou Changbai,” Gu Wuyou’s steps involuntarily halted. The people inside had yet to notice her and were still animatedly discussing the matter. The girl who had first brought it up, seeing that the others were unaware, appeared even more excited, as if she had exclusive news.
“You all really don’t know? It’s already spreading everywhere! They say Minister Zhou has been caught embezzling—conclusive evidence was found in his house! The Court of Judicial Review personally went to arrest him, and he’s already been thrown into the Heavenly Prison.”
Zhou Changbai’s father was the Minister of Works—a man of high status and authority.
Now that they had found concrete evidence of embezzlement in his home, even if he didn’t die, he wouldn’t escape severe punishment… After all, her uncle despised corrupt officials the most.
Sure enough, the people in the room continued discussing—
“He was embezzling? Then Minister Zhou is finished.”
“More than that! Even Consort De in the palace probably won’t escape punishment…” The girl added, “Yesterday, Consort De knelt before His Majesty for half a day, but she still couldn’t make him change his mind. I heard she was stripped of her title and placed under house arrest.”
“The Zhou family is probably done for this time.”
Zhou Changbai had always been so arrogant—partly because of his father and partly because of his favored sister… But in this world, fortunes rise and fall together.
Now that Minister Zhou was imprisoned and Consort De had been stripped of her title,
The Zhou family was like a tree with its roots cut off—unlikely to survive.
Gu Wuyou was quite satisfied with this outcome. She had always despised people like Zhou Changbai—beasts who used their family background to bully women. Now that the Zhou family had fallen, she wanted to see how he could remain so arrogant!
Then she thought of Huang Fu.
Perhaps from now on, she too could finally have some peace of mind.
She genuinely hoped that Miss Huang would be able to walk out of the shadows of her past.
The people in the room continued discussing the matter, while Gu Wuyou returned to her seat. Nowadays, the students at Pingshuo Hall were no longer as afraid of her as they once were. When they saw her approaching, some even greeted her.
Gu Wuyou naturally responded to each of them with a smile.
She had just set her things down on the table and was about to take out the unfinished embroidered sachet to stitch a few more threads while there was still time when she heard someone bringing up another topic—
“Oh right, the exchange students from Langya should be arriving soon, right?”