Glancing at the arched bridge, Gan Cai’er brushed off her skirt and stood up.
“Xiao Hong, let’s go too.”
“Is it really Gu Ye?” Xiao Hong whispered excitedly.
“Then let’s hurry, so other women don’t take advantage of Gu Ye.”
Gan Cai’er looked helplessly at Xiao Hong, whose eagerness for chaos was as if she had been injected with adrenaline.
By the time Gan Cai’er found Lan Tingzhou, he had already parted ways with Lu Yu and was strolling alone by the lotus pond.
He wore a plain, understated blue robe, but under the sunlight, faint silver patterns shimmered on the fabric, adding a touch of luxury to its elegance. This made him appear seven parts aloof and three parts noble.
Gan Cai’er had to admit that Lan Tingzhou was stunningly handsome in lavish attire, but in this simple robe, he shone like a bright pearl, radiant and distinguished, embodying the grace of a true gentleman.
Thus, it was no surprise that many women were following him.
These women either openly or seemingly casually glanced in his direction.
“Sister Wu, look! This dragonfly is actually crimson!”
A delicate voice came from not far ahead.
“Zhi’er, slow down, be careful not to fall”
Another gentle voice followed.
Gan Cai’er looked toward the sound and saw a woman in a moon-white dress embroidered with butterflies, holding a round fan as she chased something in Lan Tingzhou’s direction.
She couldn’t help but curl her lips in disdain. Why did these women always resort to such tricks?
While inwardly complaining, she lifted her skirt, gathered her strength, and charged toward Lan Tingzhou like a cannonball.
“Brother Lan, Brother Lan” Gan Cai’er shouted as she ran.
Hearing the voice, Lan Tingzhou stopped and turned to look.
Then, with a “thud,” Gan Cai’er crashed into his chest, staggering him.
Her sudden sprint and collision left everyone around stunned.
The woman with the round fan froze in place, her mouth agape in shock.
To throw herself into his arms in broad daylight, under the watchful eyes of everyone?!
This… this was utterly improper!!
Lan Tingzhou took a deep breath, rubbing his chest as he frowned at her.
Gan Cai’er was no sheltered young lady; she had grown up running wild in the countryside. Her full-force collision made Lan Tingzhou feel as though his ribs were about to break.
“Brother Lan, I heard you won first place in calligraphy and painting this time?”
“Oh, I only mentioned it casually before leaving, and you actually took it to heart, winning the top prize just to make me happy?”
Without waiting for Lan Tingzhou to respond, Gan Cai’er continued on her own.
She blinked her large eyes, gazing at Lan Tingzhou with deep admiration and affection, her hands firmly clutching his lapels.
Her voice was sweet, her eyes were sweet, and she herself was sweet. Clinging to Lan Tingzhou’s lapels, she appeared as delicate as a willow swaying in the wind, soft and boneless.
Where was the earlier whirlwind-like demeanor?
Lan Tingzhou lowered his gaze, quietly watching her antics.
“Husband, you treat me so well”
As soon as the word “husband” left her lips, faint gasps echoed around them.
So Young Master Lan was already married! The women’s gazes toward Lan Tingzhou shifted from fervent to subdued.
Gan Cai’er was satisfied.
Carried away by her emotions, she couldn’t restrain her temperament. So, she fixed her watery, beautiful eyes on Lan Tingzhou, gazing at him with deep affection.
“Husband, I’ll buy you your favorite braised pork knuckle in chili oil as soon as we get back! From ‘Guest Must Come,’ alright?”
“Hiss” The sound of sharp intakes of breath rose and fell around them.
Lan Tingzhou’s face visibly darkened.
Even Xiao Hong twitched upon hearing this. Since when did Gu Ye love braised pork knuckles in chili oil?
The thought of her own aloof, immortal-like Gu Ye holding a large pork knuckle in both hands, gnawing away with a ruddy face and greasy lips… Xiao Hong suddenly felt her whole being was not well.
In Da Yong, where etiquette and propriety prevailed, self-restraint and adherence to rituals were highly valued. Among respectable families, a preference for light and bland food was the norm; only the lower-class laborers indulged in rich, heavily sauced dishes.
The onlookers couldn’t help but cast sidelong glances before gradually dispersing.
Gan Cai’er sneered inwardly.
Hah, with things like this, let’s see who still dares to shamelessly approach!
Lan Tingzhou slightly raised his eyes, scanning the surroundings, then reached out to straighten Gan Cai’er, who was leaning crookedly in his embrace.
“They’ve all left,” he said calmly.
“Oh.” Gan Cai’er rubbed her nose and awkwardly straightened up.
“That… I didn’t mean to ruin your reputation on purpose. I was afraid they would pester you. You still have to take the prefectural exam in August and shouldn’t be distracted…” Gan Cai’er rambled on with her explanation, her head lowered, inexplicably feeling guilty.
“Rest assured, I will not take concubines.”
Gan Cai’er’s face instantly flushed crimson before turning deathly pale.
Lan Tingzhou’s calm composure made her feel both ashamed and humiliated.
She understood that Lan Tingzhou must have thought once again that she was publicly declaring her ownership over him, flaunting him like a trophy.
“That’s not what I meant,” Gan Cai’er pressed her lips tightly together.
“If there’s someone you truly like and wish to bring into the household, I absolutely won’t stand in your way. Even if… you want me to step aside, that’s fine too!”
Gan Cai’er spoke from the bottom of her heart. In this lifetime, she truly meant it.
Lan Tingzhou’s gaze turned icy, his voice cold: “What do you mean by that?!”
Meeting Lan Tingzhou’s frigid stare, Gan Cai’er felt a chill run down her spine. She nervously clenched her hands and stammered, “It… it’s just the literal meaning…”
“Gan Cai’er, you forced this marriage yourself, and in less than a year, you already want to go back on it. Hmm?”
Lan Tingzhou’s voice was very calm, the tail end rising slightly, exuding immense pressure.
Gan Cai’er’s heart trembled; she didn’t even dare to breathe heavily.
This version of Lan Tingzhou was truly terrifying.
Although Gan Cai’er usually acted recklessly and without restraint in front of Lan Tingzhou, if he truly turned stern, she wouldn’t dare to make the slightest mischief.
Lan Tingzhou reached out, pinched Gan Cai’er’s chin, and lifted her face, his dark eyes fixed on her.
“What exactly do you take marriage as? And what do you take me for?”
“Of course, I see you as my husband, my spouse, my lord! ‘The husband is the wife’s heaven’—you are naturally my sky, my entire sky!”
Gan Cai’er gestured with her hands, indicating the vast sky above her head.
Praising Lan Tingzhou and flattering him seemed ingrained in Gan Cai’er’s bones; the words flowed effortlessly from her mouth. Her survival instinct made her speak far faster than her mind could process.
Lan Tingzhou paused, the inexplicable anger in his heart stifled and unable to erupt.
He stared at her for a moment before slowly withdrawing his hand.
In an instant, he transformed back into the gentle, modest, and refined young master everyone saw.
“Madam, you must remember your words today,” Lan Tingzhou said softly.