When girls share a common enemy, their stances quickly become clearly aligned.
Li Shutiao was extremely excited, her misty eyes blinking as if filled with stars from the heavens. Then, clenching her fist, she declared crisply, “Yes, I’ve always thought the same way!”
Guo Luoluo Qingyao paused her motion of toying with the silver fork, her eyes widening unconsciously. “Really? Do you truly believe what I just said? You don’t think I’m being petty?”
Li Shutiao hastily raised three fingers to swear to the heavens, her attitude incredibly earnest. “Really, truly! I swear, I genuinely think this way!”
No sooner had she spoken than she realized these words seemed to contradict the original “Li Shutiao’s” character. She hurriedly continued to explain, “Long ago, before you entered the palace, I already felt she wasn’t right. Like that time Wu Momo called me to…”
Li Shutiao listed several examples in succession, talking until her mouth was parched and she had to stop. She picked up the teacup on the table and drank greedily, gulping noisily—she must have been truly thirsty.
Seeing this, Guo Luoluo Qingyao opposite her quickly fetched the teapot from nearby, ready to refill the cup the moment Li Shutiao set it down.
As soon as it was refilled, Li Shutiao picked it up and continued drinking. She downed four large cups in a row, while Guo Luoluo Qingyao, completely absorbed in her pouring duties, pushed the fifth cup toward Li Shutiao after filling it and urged enthusiastically, “Drink, have more! Look, your lips are turning pale.”
Li Shutiao held the teacup, uncertain whether to drink or not, frowning with a troubled expression as if she couldn’t comprehend how the conversation had shifted to tea.
After a moment, she asked Qingyao dryly, “Aren’t… aren’t we talking about Lianchu?”
“Oh, right.” Guo Luoluo Qingyao finally snapped back to reality, noticing that Li Shutiao didn’t want to drink anymore. She reluctantly returned the teapot to its original place.
Li Shutiao breathed a sigh of relief and quickly placed her teacup back on the table.
She relaxed her tense expression and tried to steer the conversation back on track. “You might not know…”
But just as she began, footsteps were heard outside. Lingluo entered carrying a large tray with five plates of steaming, fragrant, and exquisitely crafted pastries.
The tray was so large that she couldn’t see her feet clearly after entering, causing her to sway slightly and look quite strained. Guo Luoluo Qingyao quickly stood up and went to help steady the tray, while Li Shutiao, seeing this, hurriedly got off the couch.
Not far from the couch, there was a Zitan Round Table in the open space. The three of them worked together to place the tray on the round table.
Lingluo finally let out a breath, wiping the sweat from her forehead. A faint blush appeared on her delicate cheeks as she turned directly to Li Shutiao and said with a smile, “These pastries were developed by the Imperial Kitchen, and then our mistress adjusted the recipes based on your usual tastes. I’m not sure if you’ll find them to your liking.”
Lingluo was assigned by the Emperor to serve Guo Luoluo Qingyao after she gained favor. Before this, Li Shutiao had never spoken to her.
When she first saw her enter, Li Shutiao’s immediate reaction was to step forward and help. Only after offering assistance did she slowly recall that just yesterday, “Li Shutiao” had quarreled fiercely with Guo Luoluo Qingyao in front of her, uttering many harsh words and even declaring they should “go their separate ways and never meet again in this lifetime!”
…The original host’s vehement words still echoed in her ears, though merely six hours had passed.
Li Shutiao was instantly torn between embarrassment and unease, too ashamed to meet Lingluo’s gaze. She lowered her head and fidgeted with her fingers.
To her surprise, Lingluo proved remarkably magnanimous and forgiving—neither holding yesterday’s words against her nor resisting her visit to Qingyao. Instead, she took the initiative to extend goodwill by preparing an array of delicious pastries.
Li Shutiao looked up in disbelief.
Across from her, Lingluo waited with a smiling expression for her response.
Suddenly emboldened, Li Shutiao met Lingluo’s eyes directly and nodded with solemn seriousness. “They’re delicious—I really enjoy them! And… I should be the one thanking Sister Lingluo for her kindness.” She then glanced at Guo Luoluo Qingyao beside her and added, “Thank you too.”
Guo Luoluo Qingyao’s lovely eyes curved into crescents, though her tone carried a feigned grievance. “So I’m merely an afterthought…”
Li Shutiao: “…”
She shot Guo Luoluo Qingyao an exasperated glance before turning back to Lingluo. “Sister Lingluo, please don’t trouble yourself further. Join us and have some together.”
Lingluo shook her head with a gentle smile. “Having spent so long in the Imperial Kitchen, I’m covered in the smell of grease and smoke—it’s quite unpleasant. Combined with sweating on my way back, I’d prefer to freshen up first and attend to you later.” She placed her hands at her waist and curtsied to Guo Luoluo Qingyao.
After receiving Guo Luoluo Qingyao’s nod of approval, she turned and left the room, thoughtfully closing the door behind her.
Li Shutiao couldn’t help but marvel, “Sister Lingluo is truly kind.”
She didn’t hold any of it against me.
Guo Luoluo Qingyao cast her a sidelong glance. “How did you know she’s your elder sister?”
As she spoke, she settled at the table and picked up a pastry.
Li Shutiao took a seat beside her, explaining confidently, “In the imperial palace, everything operates on seniority, right? You’re the emperor’s newly favored consort, and since he holds you in such high esteem, why would the Internal Affairs Office assign someone inexperienced who just entered the palace to serve you?”
No sooner had she finished speaking than Guo Luoluo Qingyao popped a pastry into her mouth.
The creamy sweetness instantly flooded her palate—perfectly warm, neither cloying nor heavy. Li Shutiao let out a muffled “Mmph!” before chewing the entire piece slowly with relish.
Seeing her enjoy it so thoroughly, Guo Luoluo Qingyao ate two pastries herself.
Remembering she had to accompany the emperor in the imperial study that evening, she reluctantly set down a third pastry. Moving to the daybed, she picked up a slightly cooled teacup and took a few sips to wash away the lingering sweetness, leaving only a faint tea fragrance hovering between her lips and teeth.
Unaware of Qingyao’s evening plans, Li Shutiao stopped eating when she did and returned to the daybed.
Guo Luoluo Qingyao looked back at her. “Had your fill?”
Li Shutiao fell silent for a moment before saying, “Well… almost.”
That meant she wasn’t full yet.
Guo Luoluo Qingyao understood immediately. She pointed at the pastries on the table, “Then keep eating! Why would you stand on ceremony here?”
Li Shutiao shook her head, “Never mind, talking with you is more important.”
Pastries were precious, but friendship was priceless. Besides, she wasn’t some greedy little pig. Having finally gotten the chance to visit, how could she only have eyes for the snacks?
She’d much rather chat with Qingyao.
The two moved the leftover pastries and teacups from the small ivory table to the round table, then pushed the ivory table back against the cabinet. After that, they sat close together, whispering intimately for about ten minutes.
Through Guo Luoluo Qingyao, Li Shutiao gradually rediscovered the feeling of late-night heart-to-hearts with her college roommate, and no longer found transmigrating into a book so unbearable.
She might as well treat it as a rare experience.
…
After who knows how long, Li Shutiao suddenly remembered her original purpose for visiting today.
She abruptly sat up straight, “Oh right, Qingyao, I just remembered something.”
“What is it?” Guo Luoluo Qingyao asked curiously.
Li Shutiao said, “You must be careful of the people around you!”
Guo Luoluo Qingyao listened and fell silent.
Her expression instantly turned complicated – wasn’t this exactly what she should be warning Li Shutiao about?
She pursed her lips, unable to resist saying, “That’s exactly what I wanted to tell you.”
“Huh?” Li Shutiao looked confused.
She was still debating whether to mention that Imperial Attendant’s family name.
Then she heard Guo Luoluo Qingyao say with resentful tone, “It’s Lianchu! Didn’t we just spend a long time discussing how untrustworthy she is?”
“So after you return today, don’t speak with her anymore. If she gives you anything, don’t eat it. If she asks you to go somewhere, don’t foolishly follow without thinking – it’s best to refuse if you can. If you can’t refuse, then bring Yueshu and others along with you.”
“Also, during regular duties, if she tells you anything, you can’t completely trust her. Better spend extra time asking Yueshu instead. Yueshu is honest and steady, does everything by the book without ulterior motives. You’ll understand once you spend more time with her.”
The moment the topic of Wuya clan came up, Guo Luoluo Qingyao immediately transformed into a worried mother hen, chattering nonstop for a long while.
Li Shutiao felt dizzy listening, the sensation reminiscent of her freshman year when the class advisor dragged them into a two-hour class meeting.
She couldn’t even find an opening to interrupt!
Li Shutiao’s eyes grew vacant, losing their proud sparkle, her fingers unconsciously picking at the cushion’s embroidery pattern.
While picking, she silently counted how many words Qingyao was saying.
When Guo Luoluo Qingyao finally stopped, Li Shutiao’s expression was dazed and wooden, completely resembling someone who had lost all worldly desires.
She really wanted to give Qingyao a spoiler – in at most eight months, Wuya Lianchu would be promoted from palace maid to Changzai and move to the rear palace to become Qingyao’s colleague!
So the one who really needed to stay away from the Wuya clan was Qingyao herself!!
After being lectured by Guo Luoluo·Tang Monk·Chatterbox·Qingyao for about fifteen minutes like this, the sky outside gradually darkened.
After returning to her room to freshen up, Lingluo came back once more, bringing along an oral decree from the Qianqing Palace Imperial Study summoning Guo Luoluo Qingyao to attend the emperor.
Li Shutiao had no choice but to rise and take her leave. Standing at the entrance of the side chamber, she bid a reluctant farewell to Guo Luoluo Qingyao. Both their exquisitely beautiful faces wore identical expressions of concern.
Li Shutiao worried that Qingyao might not be able to safely guard against the undercurrents of poison and harm lurking within the side chambers.
As for Guo Luoluo Qingyao, her concern was whether Li Shutiao’s naive nature would lead her to be manipulated at will by Wuya Lianchu again soon after returning.
At this thought, Guo Luoluo Qingyao’s heart felt as if scorched by fire, filled with anxiety and endless sorrow.
This turmoil led her to suddenly conceive a bold and risky plan while walking toward the Imperial Study!