Back home, the indignant Best Actress Gu grabbed her phone and went on a clicking spree.
She ordered chicken, duck, beef, mutton, fish, and every mountain delicacy available. Finally, to top it off, she ordered a massive Australian lobster. A delivery driver personally drove a BMW to the Royal Palace gates to deliver it. Three young property managers assisted in carrying the mountain of food to her front door.
The lead manager, recognizing Gu Xiaofeng, asked tentatively, “Ms. Gu, are you hosting a dinner party? Do I need to register your guests at the gate?”
Gu Xiaofeng remained expressionless. “No need. I’m eating it myself.”
Standing before the heap of gourmet food, she pulled out her phone to summon “Tu the Fool” to witness the feast. Only then did she realize she didn’t have her number—she’d forgotten to ask for it in the car that morning. Just as she was debating whether to shout across the balcony or walk over, the doorbell rang.
The monitor showed Tu Yiyi outside, tidying her clothes. Gu Xiaofeng opened the door.
“Apologies for the intrusion,” Yiyi said with a polite, practiced smile.
As she entered, Yiyi took her first real look at the house. No curio cabinets, no calligraphy or paintings, and the teacups weren’t fine porcelain from imperial kilns. The overall look was clean and minimalist—or, in Yiyi’s eyes: “Poor.”
“How did you know the food was here?” Gu Xiaofeng asked as she invited the seemingly pitying girl to sit.
“I smelled it,” Yiyi said honestly, her eyes locked onto a tray of roasted lamb chops.
Gu Xiaofeng chuckled. “Do you have the nose of a dog?”
I have the nose of a fox.
Gu Xiaofeng wasn’t stingy. Want to stay and eat?
Yes, yes! I didn’t get full at dinner, Yiyi said, sitting up perfectly straight. Did you order all of this?
Gu Xiaofeng nodded. I can order more if you want.
Yiyi’s eyes sparkled. I want! I want!
Gu Xiaofeng was a woman of her word, so she kept ordering.
What else? Mouse, frog, snake, or quail would be great. Gu Xiaofeng: … Never mind, I won’t argue with a fool.
“How about spicy bullfrog and roasted squab?” Yiyi nodded frantically. “Dessert? Cake?” “Yes!” Yiyi thought she might as well try everything once.
As the meal progressed, Yiyi decided Gu Cao-cao” was a wonderful person—unlike her siblings, she didn’t steal food. Cao-cao barely ate anything, just a bowl of “grass” salad, and spent the rest of the time staring at Yiyi in shock.
Yiyi wondered if she was being too refined. Her mother had always said that a girl who eats gracefully is easier to marry off. To maintain that grace, she usually let her brothers snatch half the food at home. What a waste that was!
“Are you done with this?” Yiyi asked politely as she pulled a plate of grilled ox tongue toward herself. Gu Xiaofeng just nodded, still stunned by the girl’s appetite.
“Miss Tu… are you okay? Don’t force yourself.” “I’m not forcing anything,” Yiyi said, finishing the tongue and grabbing the lobster. “You’re sure you don’t want any? Because if not, I’m eating it.” “I’m sure. Go ahead.” “You’re the best, Cao-cao!”
Six wine bottles were soon empty—five of them drained by Yiyi alone. Gu Xiaofeng decided to use the opportunity to learn more about her mysterious neighbor.
“What does your family do?” “Farming and raising chickens.” (Managing hundreds of acres of spirit mountains and feeding a family of eleven, basically.) Ah, agriculture, Gu Xiaofeng noted.
“Do you live alone? Where is your family?” “Just me, Zhuo Jin, and Jian Lei. My parents and siblings are back in the old country.”
The conversation drifted, and the wine kept flowing. Gu Xiaofeng, trying to keep up, eventually drank too much. Her pale face flushed a beautiful, grape-red. Yiyi, slightly buzzed herself, felt an odd urge to lick that rosy cheek. In her daze, Yiyi saw a blurry shadow in her mind—a shy, smiling face that looked just like a red grape.
A sudden pang of sorrow hit Yiyi’s heart. It felt heavy and aching.
Beside her, Gu “Cao-cao” had slumped against her chair, hair veiling her face. She was out cold.
“Cao-cao? Cao-cao…” “Mmm…”
Thinking of her sister who used to get drunk and run wild through their village, Yiyi felt responsible. She reached out, easily lifted Gu Xiaofeng in a “princess carry,” and walked to the bedroom.
The Movie Queen was dead to the world, leaning quietly against Yiyi’s chest. Yiyi found the closeness strangely endearing and smiled softly as she laid her on the bed. She removed her shoes, used a bit of spiritual power to whisk away the scent of alcohol from the room and the woman’s body, tucked her in, and slipped away.
The next morning, Gu Xiaofeng was woken by her phone. Her voice was raspy. “Hello?” “Sis, are you up? It’s 8:00 AM! Should I rebook your flight? I’ll pick you up at 10:00?”
Her brain slowly cleared. She was supposed to fly out for the next leg of Hidden today! She quickly checked under the covers. She was fully dressed in yesterday’s clothes. She let out a massive sigh of relief.
She stared at the ceiling. She never lost control like that. Tu the Fool must have put me to bed. She’s small, but I guess she’s strong from all that eating. She also realized she didn’t have a hangover—in fact, she felt remarkably fresh, and there wasn’t a hint of alcohol on her.
After a quick shower, she packed her bags with the efficiency of a veteran traveler. As she sat by the window drying her hair, she saw Yiyi again.
The girl was “jogging”—but it looked more like a frantic sprint, as if she were fleeing for her life. Gu Xiaofeng looked behind her, but there was no pursuer. Only Zhuo Jin and Jian Lei were standing on the lawn, cheering like fanboys. “Miss, you’re as light as a swallow!” “Your form is so graceful and vigorous!”
Gu Xiaofeng’s lip curled. Graceful? Vigorous, sure. But “man-miao” graceful/sultry? She watched Yiyi run closer and noted her physique. Actually, the fool does have a great body.
At 9:30 AM, Gu Xiaofeng headed downstairs, expecting a mess. Usually, after parties with Tang Sarah, the house was a disaster zone. But the living room was spotless. The trash was gone, the table was wiped, and the windows were sparkling. It looked brand new.
She called the property manager. “Wait… never mind.” She realized Yiyi must have cleaned it.
At 10:00 AM, her assistant arrived. As the Mercedes drove out of the Royal Palace gates, Gu Xiaofeng didn’t look at her scripts as she usually did. She looked back at Villa No. 1 until the roof disappeared.
She thought of the scene from With My Lord—A-Sheng waiting in the sunset for her lover.
For the first time, Gu Xiaofeng found herself wishing she were that lover—someone who had a person waiting for them with such pure, unyielding devotion, no matter how long or lonely the wait.