Jixia hurriedly ran back to the carriage and brought a pair of clean spare shoes for Gu Jianli, placing them on the path in front of her.
“Lift your foot,” Ji Wujing instructed.
Gu Jianli initially wanted to ask Jixia to help her put on the shoes, but after a moment’s hesitation, she said nothing. Obediently, she raised one foot and handed it to Ji Wujing, allowing him to change her shoes.
Ji Wujing let go, and Gu Jianli promptly switched to her other foot. Worried about losing her balance, she naturally placed her hand on Ji Wujing’s shoulder until her shoes were changed.
“You shouldn’t do that in public…” Gu Jianli’s voice was low, with a hint of reproach. But for some reason, she didn’t really dislike Ji Wujing’s behavior, even though it made her feel undignified. Instead, she felt a strange and unfamiliar sense of joy.
She was bewildered by the joy that had sprung up in her heart.
Ji Wujing, however, merely let out a light laugh and casually said, “Wait here.”
“What are you going to do?” Gu Jianli asked urgently, watching Ji Wujing’s back.
Ji Wujing did not answer. He wiped his hands and leisurely strolled back to the guest seats.
Many guests immediately diverted their gaze, pretending to continue with their previous activities, but they couldn’t help sneaking glances at Ji Wujing.
The nobles of the capital loved to compare, ranking women’s looks in various tiers, hence the saying “the two beauties of Anjing.” There were countless rankings of various kinds in the capital, not only for women’s looks but also for men’s appearances. However, men had many qualities that could be evaluated, and looks were just one of them.
When the sixteen or seventeen-year-old Ji Wujing entered the Xuanjing Sect and appeared before everyone, his red attire and enchanting appearance astonished many. Among the men of the world, if Ji Zhao claimed second place in looks, no one would dare claim first. However, his subsequent actions made people overlook his appearance. No one dared to praise his looks, fearing they would anger this human-world Yama.
Ji Wujing had not appeared in public for many years. Unexpectedly, he appeared again, pale and sickly, to accompany his wife to her close friend’s wedding banquet.
Ji Wujing returned to his previous table, picked up a plate of crabapple pastries, and leisurely ate one under many blatantly curious and covertly observing gazes. He chewed without expression, his red lips moving slightly. Then, holding the remaining pastries, he walked unhurriedly back out.
He had returned just to get the plate of pastries.
Tang Honghui’s face alternated between red and white as she watched Ji Wujing approach. She lowered her head desperately to reduce her presence. However, Ji Wujing didn’t spare her a glance. Suddenly, Tang Honghui’s eyes reddened, feeling deeply humiliated as she had never been before. She glanced furtively at Ji Xuanke not far away, feeling even more embarrassed and wishing she could disappear into the ground.
When Ji Wujing returned to Gu Jianli, he still had a piece of the crabapple pastry in his hand. He frowned, looking rather disdainful, and said, “Too sweet, not very tasty.”
As he spoke, he shoved the remaining piece of pastry into Gu Jianli’s mouth, stopping her from saying anything.
Gu Jianli gave Ji Wujing a slightly complicated look, then silently turned around, stepped onto the small stool, and climbed into the carriage.
The Yu family had been nervously watching the situation. Seeing this, Yu Changhuai instructed a servant to quickly run to the kitchen to prepare some crabapple pastries and other snacks to be packed in a food box and sent to Ji Wujing. Lin Shaotang, standing beside Yu Changhuai, hurriedly said, “Is there any fish? Lord Ji likes fish; include one!”
Yu Changhuai hesitated for a moment but ultimately believed Lin Shaotang’s words. He instructed the servant to place a freshly fried tender fish in the food box. The servant ran to deliver the food box to Ji Wujing’s carriage. Changsheng accepted it, and the Yu family finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The servant who delivered the food box returned to report, “The guard smelled the fish and said it was delivered just in time!”
Yu Changhuai asked Lin Shaotang, “How did you know that Lord Ji likes this?”
“Love me, love my dog! I not only found out about the fairy sister’s preferences but also made sure to learn about the preferences of the people around her!” Lin Shaotang replied with a smile, revealing his little tiger teeth.
Yu Changhuai didn’t know what to say for a moment.
Just then, the auspicious time arrived. The master of ceremonies loudly shouted blessings, and firecrackers and gongs started to sound. The Yu family happily continued the wedding banquet.
Amid the lively celebration, Ji Xuanke’s face grew increasingly grim.
He had returned home from another place, only to find that his beloved future wife had become his aunt. The deception by his family and the double blow made him mature overnight.
Countless times, he had reminisced about her with the jade button she had given him, recalling her smile and voice. He hated his own helplessness and powerlessness. For fame and power, he had done many things he once despised.
What sustained him was the belief that his little Nan still had him in her heart.
He was sure that she had him in her heart—Ji Xuanke had always firmly believed this.
He understood her constraints, her kindness, and her sense of duty. So when Gu Jingyuan wanted to take her home and she chose to stay with Ji Wujing, Ji Xuanke wasn’t too surprised.
However… he had just seen a different emotion in Gu Jianli’s eyes. The way she looked at Ji Wujing with reproach made Ji Xuanke insanely jealous and heartbroken.
He didn’t mind that Gu Jianli had been married before, even if it was to his uncle. Etiquette and morals were meaningless to him.
What he minded was the way Gu Jianli looked at Ji Wujing and her familiar gesture of placing her hand affectionately on Ji Wujing’s shoulder.
The scenes he had forced himself not to think about rushed into his mind. They were husband and wife, accompanying each other day and night, eating and living together, inseparable. Time was a knife that had cut through the years of affection between Gu Jianli and Ji Xuanke. Time was also glue, gradually bonding Gu Jianli and Ji Wujing together. Her eyes were on Ji Wujing, so what about her heart?
Ji Xuanke didn’t know the answer, nor did he dare to seek it!
Ji Xuanke pressed his hand against his chest, trying to ease the stabbing pain. His heart felt as cold as ice, and his face grew colder. When he looked again at the distant carriage, his once warm and determined eyes had lost all warmth.
Inside the carriage, Gu Jianli turned her face to look at Ji Wujing. She should tell him about proper etiquette and how his actions today were extremely inappropriate. But…
“Gu Jianli, don’t bother me with things I don’t want to hear,” Ji Wujing said, eating the tender fish.
Gu Jianli lowered her eyes, thought for a moment, then pursed her lips and said, “I got up too early this morning, I’m tired.”
Ji Wujing glanced at her in surprise, watching as she slowly lay down, resting her head on his lap. Her soft white hand rested near her lips as she yawned and slowly closed her eyes.
Ji Wujing still had fish in his mouth, but suddenly he didn’t feel like eating it anymore.
Gu Jianli slept soundly throughout the journey, still drowsy when the carriage stopped in front of their home.
Ji Wujing endured the sweetness and ate two more pieces of crabapple pastry, but Gu Jianli still didn’t wake up. He gazed down at her sleeping face, and, with his arm slipping under her legs, he carefully carried her out of the carriage.
As soon as they stepped off the carriage, Gu Jianli woke up. She rubbed her eyes and softly murmured, “I can walk by myself…”
She pushed against Ji Wujing’s chest in protest.
No longer was it the small courtyard with only a few servants; now the mansion was full of staff, and Gu Jianli didn’t want to be carried back in like this by Ji Wujing.
Ji Wujing glanced at her drowsy eyes, then looked away, gazing ahead casually. “No,” he said.
Luo Muge had arrived early. Standing under the eaves, she watched Ji Wujing approach with Gu Jianli in his arms. She was in a good mood today, a rare happy smile on her usually indifferent face. However, as Ji Wujing drew nearer with Gu Jianli in his arms, her smile gradually faded.
“Senior Brother.” Luo Muge greeted with her usual calm demeanor when Ji Wujing reached her with Gu Jianli in his arms.
Gu Jianli pushed against Ji Wujing’s chest again, this time with a bit more force. Ji Wujing finally set her down, looking displeased. “Ungrateful.” he said curtly.
Gu Jianli glanced at him but did not argue. Instead, she turned to Luo Muge and smiled. “Miss Luo, you’ve come.”
Luo Muge nodded and looked at Ji Wujing. “Although the Zi Gu helped Senior Brother recover his internal organs, his body is still weaker than most. He shouldn’t be going out every day.”
Ji Wujing nodded casually and walked past Luo Muge, heading inside.
Gu Jianli and Luo Muge followed him in. Luo Muge hurriedly stated the purpose of her visit. “We’ve found Luo, the Poison Doctor.”
Ji Wujing responded with a lazy “Oh” as he sat down in the armchair.
Gu Jianli suddenly recalled Ye Yunyue’s last words. If Ji Wujing still had at least ten more years to live, how had the poison in his body been cured? Could it really be thanks to this Luo, the Poison Doctor?
Gu Jianli quickly asked, “Who is Luo, the Poison Doctor? Is he a highly skilled folk doctor?”
“The Heart-Eating powder has no antidote, but such a poison does not appear out of nowhere. The Heart-Eating powder was developed by Luo, the Poison Doctor,” Luo Muge explained calmly.
Gu Jianli was shocked, but her eyes quickly filled with bright joy. “That’s great!”
Ji Wujing glanced at Gu Jianli’s expression.
Naturally, Luo Muge was delighted to have located the elusive Luo, the Poison Doctor. As soon as she got the news this morning, she rushed over, even though she knew Ji Wujing was not home. She waited to give him the good news as soon as he returned.
However, Ji Wujing’s face remained expressionless, while Gu Jianli was visibly overjoyed.
Luo Muge’s joy inexplicably diminished. With a calm expression, she said, “Luo, the Poison Doctor, has a strange temperament. He only creates poisons and doesn’t save people. Even if we find him, he may not create an antidote.”
The light in Gu Jianli’s eyes dimmed, just as Luo Muge had hoped.
But only for a moment. Gu Jianli then smiled and said, “It’s still good news. Although I don’t understand medicine or poisons, finding the poison maker and learning the method to create the poison makes developing an antidote much easier.”
Ji Wujing looked at Gu Jianli again, then lazily turned his gaze away after a moment.
A maid quietly came in to report that Ji Xinglan had been looking for Gu Jianli. Gu Jianli left the room to see Ji Xinglan and to arrange lunch.
Left alone in the room with Ji Wujing, Luo Muge remained silent, staring at him for a long time. A wave of sourness welled up in her heart, a feeling she had experienced once four years ago.
