From childhood to adulthood, every woman Gu Zhanzhen had ever met had behaved with perfect propriety and elegance. Never before had he witnessed a woman doing something this bizarre.
At first, he intended to step forward and help her up, but he feared that Zhu Xinyan would lose face and become even more embarrassed.
So after freezing for a moment, he awkwardly shifted his gaze away bit by bit, pretending he had seen nothing at all.
Of course, Zhu Xinyan wasn’t a worm living in his stomach—how could she possibly know what was going through his mind?
At that moment, lying sprawled on the ground, she was furious inside.
This surnamed Gu really didn’t know how to cherish women at all. He had actually stood there and watched her “die without lifting a finger”!
Fine. You’ve got guts. Just wait for me.
With Qiao’er’s help, she climbed back to her feet and moved her arms and legs around. Only after confirming she wasn’t paralyzed did she finally bow politely toward Gu Zhanzhen.
“Greetings, my lord.”
Gu Zhanzhen expressionlessly responded with an “Mm,” then strode inside and sat down in a round-backed chair.
Seeing how calm and composed he looked, Zhu Xinyan suddenly felt like teasing him. She handed him a cup of tea and immediately launched into an explanation.
“Just now, when I was lying there flat on my back with all four limbs in the air, I was actually practicing Turtle Breath Technique. Please forgive the laughable sight.”
“Pfft—”
Caught completely off guard by her sudden remark, Gu Zhanzhen lost focus for a moment and sprayed tea from his mouth before he could stop himself.
“Oh dear, my lord, be careful!”
Zhu Xinyan quickly pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth while also reminding Qiao’er beside her:
“Hurry and move those flowers away. Since they’ve been blessed by my lord’s tea spray, they won’t need watering today.”
Gu Zhanzhen nearly choked. His throat tickled, and he broke into several more coughs.
Beside him, Zhu Xinyan struggled not to laugh.
Serves you right for not helping me earlier.
I embarrassed myself once; now you’ve embarrassed yourself twice. We’re even.
Gu Zhanzhen had absolutely no idea she had done it on purpose.
Ever since overhearing her selling imperial rewards and making Ruixue eat pig brains, he had simply assumed she was amusing and naturally humorous.
Who would have thought she was secretly taking revenge?
Still, even if he knew, it wouldn’t matter.
As long as Zhu Xinyan didn’t act recklessly or court disaster, then with a face so similar to Fu’er’s, her favored status in this lifetime was secure.
Gu Zhanzhen hadn’t first gone to the palace to report to the emperor. Instead, he had rushed to see her because he wanted relief from the frustration weighing on him these past few days.
The case in Nanzhou Province was tangled with countless complications and obstructions. If he continued digging deeper, the only person who would ultimately suffer losses was himself.
For the sake of self-preservation, he could only lie low for the time being.
He intentionally turned the matter into a muddled case, randomly selecting one corrupt official as a scapegoat.
Now, listening to Zhu Xinyan chatter nonsense nonstop, not only did he not find her noisy, but more than half the gloom in his chest dissipated.
In truth, aside from that first night of intimate contact, the two of them were not familiar at all.
Zhu Xinyan simply feared awkward silence, so she kept making conversation, while Gu Zhanzhen’s only responses were “Mm” and “Ah.”
Privately, she wondered whether this lord ever spoke more than five words at a time. Could he possibly stutter?
Before she could figure it out, her stomach let out a loud protest.
Seeing the sun already high in the sky and this surnamed Gu still refusing to leave, Zhu Xinyan guessed he wanted to stay for lunch!
Not wanting herself to suffer, she proposed:
“My lord, the lotus flowers in the eastern garden are blooming beautifully. Why don’t we—”
Every word curled teasingly from her lips, and with her seductive eyes repeatedly throwing him flirtatious glances, Gu Zhanzhen—who had gone several days without female company—instantly misunderstood.
His imagination immediately supplied the rest.
Boating on the lake, lotus leaves concealing them, rippling green waters…
As expected of Lady Zhu. She really knew how to play.
The tips of his ears reddened slightly. Supporting himself against the table edge, he eagerly rose halfway to his feet and quickly answered:
“Good!”
“Since my lord likes the idea, then the sooner the better.”
Zhu Xinyan excitedly called over Qiao’er.
“Go find Granny Cui and have people gather more lotus root. Tell the kitchen to prepare some seasonal dishes. We mustn’t delay my lord’s lunch.”
“Yes, Miss,” Qiao’er replied before withdrawing.
Gu Zhanzhen was instantly struck speechless.
After all that buildup, it was only about food?!
When Zhu Xinyan turned back and saw him half-risen from his seat, she assumed he intended to leave because he didn’t want lotus root.
“My lord… are you leaving?”
Gu Zhanzhen had just been stirred into desire and was now desperately suppressing it.
Naturally, his expression looked terrible as he coldly replied:
“No.”
Another single-word response.
Zhu Xinyan secretly rolled her eyes.
Still, as a concubine, she had to ask about her master’s food preferences, so she immediately entered “menu-reciting mode,” counting on her fingers as she spoke:
“My lord, lotus root at this season is crisp, sweet, and refreshing—the most delicious time to eat it. So I racked my brains and came up with four dishes: fried stuffed lotus root, lotus root pork rib soup, lotus root tofu-skin meat rolls, and dry-pot lotus root slices. There’s meat, vegetables, and soup. What does my lord think?”
Gu Zhanzhen’s expression darkened even further.
Four dishes and she called that “racking her brains”? If there were eight dishes, would she twist her head off from overthinking?
Besides, she wasn’t even the one cooking. All she did was move her lips. What was there to show off about?
Ever since misunderstanding her earlier intentions, everything about Zhu Xinyan now irritated him—yet shamelessly enough, he still wanted to stay.
“Whatever you like.”
Looking at his dark expression, Zhu Xinyan clapped her hands happily.
Progress! This time he rewarded her with two whole words.
Just after she finished instructing the maids about lunch, she suddenly heard Jiang Li crying loudly outside the doorway.
Though the little fellow was only a three-year-old dumpling of a child, he rarely cried.
Even when badly wronged, he usually only wailed twice without shedding a single tear.
Hearing him cry so miserably now, Zhu Xinyan forgot all about propriety. Lifting her skirts, she rushed outside in a single stride.
What she saw was Mingyu gripping Jiang Li’s arm with one hand while covering the child’s mouth with the other. The little boy’s face had already turned red from being smothered.
A burst of strength surged through Zhu Xinyan. She slammed into Mingyu hard enough to knock her flying, then hurriedly pulled Jiang Li into her arms and carefully checked his injuries.
Jiang Li was naturally fair-skinned, soft and round like a plump steamed bun. After being yanked so roughly by an adult, bruises had already appeared across his little arm.
Even around his mouth, five clear finger marks were visible.
Zhu Xinyan’s heart ached terribly. Gritting her teeth, she thought bitterly that Mingyu had truly been ruthless.
Since you’re heartless, don’t blame me for showing no mercy. You chose this road yourself.
No more words needed. Just do it.
Zhu Xinyan lifted her foot, ready to kick, but from the corner of her eye she spotted Gu Zhanzhen coming outside.
Perfect timing. If she didn’t use his favor now, then when would she?
Instantly, her body went limp as she collapsed onto Mingyu.
The fierce expression vanished from her face in a second, replaced by pitiful fragility.
Her shoulders trembled, tears streaming down her cheeks in pairs as she sobbed mournfully:
“Sister Mingyu, I know that as a remarried woman entering this household, my status is lowly and unworthy of my lord. As a favored senior maid from the front courtyard, it’s only natural that you cannot tolerate me.
“So even though you repeatedly pressured and bullied me, I endured it all in silence and swallowed my grievances.
“But now you’ve actually turned your evil hands toward Li’er. You clearly don’t intend to let our mother and son live!”