During the day, Gu Jianli usually accompanied her sister to the restaurant and only returned after having dinner there. As a result, Gu Jingyuan and Madam Tao did not wait for them to have dinner together. In the afternoon, Gu Chuan was still at home, but the child was preoccupied with thoughts about Gu Jianli’s safety at the restaurant and ran there by dusk. At the moment, Gu Jianli was a bit hesitant, unsure whether to have Ji Wujing join her father and Madam Tao for dinner. She was really worried that the two of them might start arguing again.
After thinking for a while, she decided to first ask her father’s opinion.
Before Gu Jianli could approach, Madam Tao stopped her. It turned out that Gu Jingyuan had just received a guest.
Gu Jianli glanced towards the main hall and asked, “Who is it this time? When did they arrive? I didn’t hear anything.”
Madam Tao pointed towards the side door. Gu Jianli understood that it must be someone who came quietly, a person who shouldn’t attract attention.
Gu Jianli knew that there were always people watching her father’s every move.
“By the way, come with me. Choose a patterned fabric. I forgot to let you pick one in the afternoon when I was making clothes for your father.”
Madam Tao led Gu Jianli to the side room to choose a piece of fabric.
“You’re making clothes for me again.” Gu Jianli smiled gratefully.
“My skills definitely can’t compare to those of Jinxiu Fang, and my clothes aren’t as pretty as your previous ones. Just make do with them and don’t dislike them.” Madam Tao said.
“How could I dislike them? I’m happy enough as it is.” Gu Jianli said, touching the clothes on the table. They were the sleeping clothes Madam Tao had just made for Gu Jingyuan. Although they weren’t particularly beautiful, the stitches were fine, and they would surely be comfortable to wear.
Gu Jianli couldn’t help but think about how Ji Wujing didn’t have any sleeping clothes. Last night, he slept in his underclothes. But now he had taken those off, so she wondered what he would wear to sleep tonight. Gu Jianli considered whether she should make a set for Ji Wujing. But even if she did, it wouldn’t be ready tonight. She’d probably have to give Ji Wujing another set of her father’s sleeping clothes.
“Are you planning to call your father for dinner?” Madam Tao asked. “Who knows when your father will be free? You and Master Ji should eat first. Didn’t he bring two children with him? With patients and children, you can’t afford to let them go hungry.”
Gu Jianli thought it made sense, so she stayed with Madam Tao for a while longer, doing some needlework together. When she estimated that Ji Wujing was almost done bathing, she returned to check on him.
The bathhouse was empty; Ji Wujing was no longer there.
Gu Jianli returned to her room and saw that there were two dishes on the square table, covered with plates to keep them warm. Jixia was probably still busy in the kitchen with the remaining dishes.
Pushing open the inner door, Gu Jianli called, “Master Ji, dinner will be ready soon.”
But as soon as she spoke, Gu Jianli was stunned.
Ji Wujing was leaning lazily against the window, playing with one of Gu Jianli’s wooden hairpins. He was wearing one of her red cross-collar long robes, which didn’t fit him well, so he hadn’t tied it properly. The robe’s two lapels were loosely draped, revealing a glimpse of his white chest. His skin was naturally pale, and against the bright red robe, it appeared as white as porcelain.
He was also wearing one of Gu Jianli’s red skirts, even more vibrant in color than the robe, like fire or blood. This skirt was originally one of Gu Jianli’s chest-high, floor-length skirts. On Ji Wujing, it started at the waist and still wasn’t long enough, exposing his white ankles and feet. The red skirt accentuated his long legs, standing in a relaxed, lazy posture.
He was looking down, his gaze fixed on the wooden hairpin in his hand. His half-dry, half-wet black hair was uncombed and hung loosely, with a strand falling against his neck, between the white and red.
Ji Wujing lazily lifted his eyelids and slowly looked up at Gu Jianli. His eyes were seductive, with a charming tear mole that made him look bewitching.
Gu Jianli was stunned for a moment, thinking that if Ji Wujing were a woman, there might not be any rivals for her beauty in Yong’an City.
“Do I look good?” Ji Wujing asked with a smile.
Gu Jianli shook her head and said softly, “You can’t wear that…”
“I asked if it looks good,” Ji Wujing corrected.
Gu Jianli had to admit and nodded, “It looks good, but…”
“But what?” Ji Wujing’s smile disappeared, his eyes instantly turning cold. “You not only wore my clothes but also cut them. Why can’t I wear yours?”
“You can, you can…” Gu Jianli replied instinctively in a low voice. Ji Wujing’s sudden cold demeanor was indeed frightening.
But thinking about having to eat with the two children later, Gu Jianli had to muster up the courage to persuade him again, “Didn’t I prepare my father’s clothes for you? They’re new and will fit you better than mine.”
She quickly glanced at Ji Wujing’s face and then averted her eyes.
Ji Wujing turned his face to the side, pulling one lapel of the robe up to his nose. With the movement, his chest was further exposed. “Wearing your clothes feels like holding you.”
Ji Wujing walked barefoot towards Gu Jianli, the long robe fluttering and the skirt swaying lightly with his movements. Gu Jianli quickly lowered her head to avoid looking at his barely concealed chest, her gaze instead falling on his feet.
Standing in front of Gu Jianli, Ji Wujing looked down at her, his tone ambiguous and his expression unreadable. “It’s a pity, it’s still not as soft and fragrant as holding you.”
Gu Jianli’s heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly blurted out, “If you hold me, will you change out of my clothes?”
As soon as she spoke, Gu Jianli realized what she had said. She let out a soft, embarrassed “ah” and covered her mouth with her fingertips.
Ji Wujing, momentarily surprised, laughed heartily. He bent down to look Gu Jianli in the eye, his smile lingering as he asked softly, “Do you want Uncle to hold you?”
“No, it’s not that…”
Ji Wujing lowered his voice, “But Uncle wants to hold you.”
Gu Jianli’s heart was in turmoil, and the close proximity made her even more flustered. She reached out haphazardly to push him away, but her palm landed on Ji Wujing’s chest, feeling the small, firm point beneath her hand, making her palm burn. She quickly withdrew her hand.
“You, you can wear whatever you want, I don’t care anymore!” Gu Jianli’s face turned red, and she turned to flee.
Ji Wujing took a leisurely step forward, easily wrapping his arm around her slender waist and pulling her into his embrace from behind.
Resting his chin on her shoulder, he turned his face to look at her flushed cheeks up close, and slowly asked, “Why is your face so red?”
“It’s hot, hot…”
“Oh—” Ji Wujing drew out the sound, “It seems you’re hot. Do you want to take off your clothes?”
His hand, wrapped around her slender waist, moved to her waist tie, slowly winding the two hanging strings around his long fingers, teasing her deliberately.
Gu Jianli pursed her lips, barely pouting, and said softly, “Uncle, I’m hungry.”
Ji Wujing stared at her profile in silence.
As he stayed silent, Gu Jianli grew more uneasy, her heart pounding. She tentatively raised her hand, carefully holding Ji Wujing’s wrist, and said softly, “Don’t tease me anymore. Let’s go eat, okay? I heard Jixia setting the table…”
Ji Wujing suddenly let out a soft laugh. Being so close, his breath tickled Gu Jianli’s neck, making her instinctively shrink back.
Ji Wujing curled his index finger, gently grazing her flushed cheek, and said, “Next time, just tell me you’re hungry. Don’t use that sweet voice to tell Uncle you’re hungry.”
Gu Jianli silently refuted in her heart, “What do you mean by sweet voice?”
“Is there a difference?” Gu Jianli asked.
Ji Wujing released her and stood up straight, smiling. “There’s a big difference. Who knows what you want to eat…”
Ji Wujing squinted slightly, scrutinizing Gu Jianli, his tongue lightly brushing over his teeth.
Seeing Gu Jianli’s bewildered eyes, Ji Wujing paused and added, “You’ll understand when you grow up.”
Gu Jianli frowned, not comprehending.
Ji Wujing chuckled and went out to eat. Gu Jianli, no longer pondering Ji Wujing’s words, followed him out.
When Jixia brought in the dishes and saw Ji Wujing dressed like that, she was so startled that she almost dropped the dishes. She quickly put them down and hurried out with her head lowered. When she came back with more dishes, she couldn’t help but sneak a few glances at Ji Wujing, her mind filled with wild thoughts.
Ji Xinglan and Ji Xinglou were also surprised by Ji Wujing’s appearance. However, being young, they didn’t find it as inappropriate as adults might.
Ji Wujing looked at the two children and asked with a smile, “Do I look good?”
Ji Xinglan and Ji Xinglou studied Ji Wujing for a while before nodding emphatically and saying in unison, “You look good!”
Ji Wujing laughed heartily, clearly pleased.
Gu Jianli, sitting opposite, couldn’t help but smile as well. She thought to herself that Ji Wujing was really easy to please; a simple compliment could make him so happy.
Just as they finished eating, Lizi arrived from the Guangping Marquis Mansion. She always spoke in incomplete sentences, able to say only simple phrases. After listening carefully for a while, Gu Jianli understood that the palace had sent some rewards to Ji Wujing, including some medicinal herbs. Lizi couldn’t remember what the other items were.
Ji Wujing didn’t seem to care much.
Gu Jianli glanced at Ji Wujing, thinking that they would probably have to return to the Guangping Marquis Mansion in a few days, especially since the Lantern Festival banquet was approaching. Thinking about the banquet, she frowned again, realizing that Ji Wujing had neither explicitly agreed to take her nor refused.
Since Lizi was here, they didn’t send her back to the Guangping Marquis Mansion immediately. Instead, they arranged for her to stay with Jixia. Ji Xinglan, who hadn’t seen Lizi for a few days, clung to her, chatting away. Ji Wujing decided that Ji Xinglan and Ji Xinglou would stay with Lizi tonight.
After playing with the children for a while, it was getting late, and they prepared to go to bed. Gu Jianli instructed Lizi to return to the Guangping Marquis Mansion early the next morning to fetch clothes for Ji Wujing and the two children.
Feeling a bit troubled, Gu Jianli approached Ji Wujing and said, “What will you wear tonight? I brought my father’s sleeping clothes for you. They’re new and haven’t been worn.”
“I don’t want them,” Ji Wujing replied, sitting on the bed, still playing with Gu Jianli’s wooden hairpin.
Gu Jianli patiently coaxed him, “My sleep pants aren’t a skirt; they won’t fit you. Just wear the one I brought for you, okay?”
“No,” Ji Wujing repeated the same one word.
“Then what will you wear? You can’t sleep in what you’re wearing now,” Gu Jianli said.
“Nothing,” Ji Wujing replied casually.
“I won’t care about you anymore!” Gu Jianli placed the blue sleeping clothes she was holding onto the small table by the bed and indeed stopped caring about Ji Wujing. She kicked off her shoes, got onto the bed, and lay down on her side, facing the inside.
Not long after, she heard Ji Wujing get off the bed, extinguish the lamp in the room, and get back on the bed.
But what Gu Jianli didn’t expect was that when Ji Wujing said “nothing,” he meant it literally—he wasn’t wearing anything at all.
