Now that the master and servant had set their foot in the compound of the main house again, Gu Sui’er brainstormed as to how she could please and serve the third Master. As for the fear she felt when he had looked at her deeply, she had long thrown it out of her mind.
Unexpectedly, she had just walked to the door of the main house, when saw it being opened with Bao Ya and Jin Fu coming out one after the other.
Both of their expression was full of frustration. They had just raised their heads when they saw Gu Sui’er. Almost immediately, their countenance was distorted. They looked at each other and bowed to Gu Sui’er unwillingly before walking back to their rooms hurriedly.
Gu Sui’er was a little surprised seeing this situation.
Could it be that these two maids were not allowed to stay here in the night and serve the third Master? What should she do now? Her eyes glanced at the door once, and she turned around, planning to go back to her room as well.
If they are unable to serve the third Master, she won’t contend for it right now. No one would be able to win it anyway!
However, right after she took a step, she heard someone say: “Does the Young Mistress have something to say to the third Master?”
This voice was a bit familiar.
Gu Sui’er looked over. In the dim light, the man’s nose and eyes seemed familiar. It was Jiang Zheng, the guard who had accompanied her from the village to the Capital City.
She breathed a sigh of relief in her heart and whispered: “It’s nothing, I—”
The door opened before she finished talking.
Xiao Heng stood in front of the door, looking at his Concubine and his guard.
Of course he knew that his guard was going to bring her into the house on his behalf.
Seeing his Master come out, Jiang Zheng bowed his head respectfully in greeting.
In fact, when he saw the Young Mistress arriving and leaving in a hurry, he thought that she has something to say to the third Master. He didn’t know if it was something important, so he approached her.
Who knew that his Master would open the door and come out right at this moment.
This scene was quite embarrassing.
Jiang Zheng lowered his head, not daring to look up.
However, Gu Sui’er was totally unaware of this embarrassing scene.
She was a simple girl who had lived her entire life in the countryside. She had been engaged to Brother Shitou since she was a child and hadn’t thought about others in her heart. She had always felt that she would marry him when the time comes so there was no need to consider the extra things.
Therefore Gu Sui’er was thinking about fleeing at the moment: I was going to snatch him from Bao Ya and Jin Fu. Now that Bao Ya and Jin Fu are gone, I don’t need to fight them either. So I should flee away as soon as possible.
However she was unable to do so as she was caught before she even left the premises.
Therefore, after a suffocating silence, Xiao Heng stood behind the threshold and faintly ordered: “Come in.”
The words seemed familiar to her.
Gu Sui’er hesitated and dilly-dallied for a while before finally making up her mind to enter the room.
She was afraid of Xiao Heng but she also knew that Xiao Heng was the one on whom she had to depend for the rest of her life.
She must listen to Xiao Heng.
Gu Sui’er lowered her head and walked over cautiously like a little wife who had been mistreated.
When she reached the threshold, she deliberately tried to raise her leg so as to not trip and fall.
Her belly was big now causing her body to become unstable and lurch backward.
But at this time, both of Xiao Heng’s hands firmly supported her waist.
The area he was touching suddenly felt hot.
This feeling reminded her of the night in the inn.
Her face burned suddenly, and she looked at Xiao Heng at a loss.
From her present point of view, she could clearly see the degree of Xiao Heng’s handsomeness. It was almost the perfect kind of extravagant beauty that she could not reach. It was just like the fresh fruits sent out from the Imperial Palace. When the finest ice surrounding them were removed, they revealed their cold but rich aroma.
When she was in the countryside, the fruits they ate was either thrown in sacks or carried in a load to be sold in the market. Whoever wanted it would grab a handful from the baskets. And to check whether the fruit was wilted or not, people would just pick it up and a bite out of it. This method was rude but it was simple enough.
The fruits of the countryside have never been preserved in ice.
The fruits from the countryside and the fruits sent from the Imperial Palace could albeit look similar, but they were certainly different.
As a matter of fact, their appearance might not even be the same.
Similarly, his face may be very handsome but it was on a whole different level.
But now that same extravagant person was looking at her.
Xiao Heng lowered his eyes slightly and helped her to cross the threshold. It was as if these actions couldn’t be any more natural.
Gu Sui’er stepped across the threshold while trembling and felt the hands holding her waist retreating.
After the two people entered the room, Xiao Heng sat down, and Gu Sui’er stood beside him.
Gu Sui’er lowered her head and asked: “Third Master, do you want to drink tea?”
Xiao Heng raised his eyebrows and said flatly: “No.”
Gu Sui’er thought for a while and asked again: “Third Master, do you want to eat something?”
Xiao Heng: “It’s past the time for dinner.”
And he had already had some snacks.
Gu Sui’er: “… Third Master, do you want to take a rest?”
Xiao Heng: “Yes.”
He was indeed tired and sleepy.
He had gone to the Dandong Prefecture1Dandong Prefecture — Dandong, formerly known as Andong, is a coastal prefecture-level city in southeastern Liaoning Province, in the northeastern region of People’s Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese border city, facing Sinuiju, North Korea across the Yalu River, which demarcates the Sino-North Korean border. (Source: Wikipedia) to investigate the corruption case in Dandong under the imperial decree of the Emperor. Last night, he had rushed back to the YanJing City before the City gate was closed. He directly went to the Imperial Palace to report the situation to the Emperor before he returned home in the middle of the night. Therefore, he had not slept for two consecutive nights.
Gu Sui’er: “Then… Then, should I make the bed for you?”
Xiao Heng: “No need.”
He gazed at the pregnant woman.
She was slender, wearing a soft white silk shirt with a crimson outer robe draped over her shoulder, which gave the impression of being soft to touch. She appeared fragrant and soft, like a pink orchid that had just bloomed. Her big belly was covered by her loose dress, seemingly highlighting her fragility even more.
He watched her while she walked, always afraid that she would stumble and fall accidentally.
Obviously, he would not need such a weak woman— a woman who was pregnant with his flesh and blood, to wait upon himself with her current condition.
But Xiao Heng’s words were somewhat shocking to Gu Sui’er.
She didn’t know what she should do, or how she should please this third Master.
Gu Sui’er, who couldn’t please the third Master, lowered her head in frustration, thinking about what she was ought to do. Nanny An was not there, so she could not ask her. Therefore, her question was… What should she do now?
Xiao Heng looked at Gu Sui’er wringing her small hands and raised his eyebrows. Then, he pointed his finger toward the low stool next to him: “Sit.”
Gu Sui’er was a little surprised when she heard this, but she didn’t say anything. She just sat down obediently.
Xiao Heng looked at Gu Sui’er again.
He remembered that the first time he saw Gu Sui’er was at the inn. He was just standing in front of the window when he saw a little girl washing clothes in the backyard of the inn.
At that time, she was dressed in coarse clothes, and there was no hair ornament on her head.
Now she lived in his Courtyard, and was pregnant with his own flesh and blood.
“How long have you been away from your home?”
He spoke.
The clear voice was extremely cold. It lingered in the air like a gust of wind blowing straight from an iceberg.
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