During the meal,
Su Xiaoliu devoured the dishes on the table like a whirlwind.
Gu Rongxue reversed his chopsticks and gently tapped the back of her hand, scolding her in a soft voice, "Only pick the dishes in front of you. Standing up and reaching across the table is most improper."
Su Xiaoliu sat down gloomily with her bowl in her hands and whispered, "If you only eat the dishes in front of you, even a pig wouldn't get its fill."
Gu Rongxue's hand holding the chopsticks that was reaching for the plate in front of him suddenly froze in mid - air. He was at a loss whether to move forward or backward.
Wen Tong, standing aside, stifled a laugh.
Gu Rongxue glanced at Su Xiaoliu and said helplessly, "If a pig roots around everywhere while eating, it will surely be the first to be slaughtered."
Su Xiaoliu casually picked up a chopstick - full of lotus root slices and put them into her bowl without even looking up. "It's better to die with a full stomach than to starve to death."
Gu Rongxue was speechless.
It seemed that with just the two of them at this table, they had both become pigs.
After that, neither of them said a word. The only thing they seemed to agree on was to leave the plate of pork in the middle of the table untouched.
After lunch, Wen Tong cleared the table and carried the rice steamer back.
Su Xiaoliu leaned against the pavilion railing, looking out at the idle lake. She played with the delicate embroidered ball in her hand, but her almond - shaped eyes betrayed her wandering thoughts.
"I'll give you the whole Jianghu..."
A somewhat indistinct voice echoed in her mind.
The Jianghu... wasn't really far away.
Su Xiaoliu lowered her eyes. In her mind emerged the smiling face of her father doting on her, the quarreling faces of her three mothers as they vied to choose the most beautiful clothes for her, the charming yet mocking face of her second sister Su Yueru, the gentle face of her second brother - in - law Yan Yuqing as he explained the poetry she didn't understand, and the face of her eldest sister Su Lou'er whom she hadn't seen for four or five years. She wondered how her eldest sister was doing now...
"The mid - day tea lingers, the fine threads hint at lingering affection. Does the traveler know the orioles on the field, singing alone a song of fallen flowers."
"What is the third young lady writing again?" Su Ling blinked her eyes and walked over, tilting her head to look. She was wearing a small white cotton - padded jacket with blue flowers and her black hair was casually coiled into two buns on her head, looking very cute.
It was a courtyard, quiet and full of vitality. The courtyard was painted in light colors. Pink peach blossoms covered half of the courtyard wall, and willow twigs were scattered all over the ground. The whole courtyard was just a vague shape, but there was a window in particular, as if it had been carefully painted with a fine brush, with such delicate patterns.
Vaguely, a portly figure walked over, followed by several women in luxurious silk dresses.
"That so - called number one merchant is so ungrateful! I married my precious daughter to him, and he divorced her. I really misjudged him! I was so stupid!"
"Oh, master, don't make yourself ill with anger. One can't scold oneself like this..."
"Master, stop worrying. Illness comes from worry!"
"Yes, yes..."
Quietly, another shower of flowers fell to the ground. The gentle breeze carried the desolation. The courtyard was deep, and the writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone were gently placed in front of the open window.
"Xiaoliu, although your third fiancé is a bit poorer than the previous two, since he came to propose so sincerely, he will surely treat you whole - heartedly. Your father and I hope you can live a better life. This is our greatest wish..."
In a flash, the moon was bright, covering the front of the temple. The slightly cold air swept across the ground, and the vines climbed in a strange way.
The moonlight was beautiful. A white figure was sitting quietly under the tree with one leg slightly bent.
The man was dressed in a moon - white robe, and his black hair was tied up high. Although his face was not extremely handsome, he had a pair of clear and beautiful black eyes that were extremely striking in the dark night.
A beautiful woman in a peach - colored silk dress walked over and sat down beside the white - robed man.
"Si Tu Qianyue, how far is the Jianghu exactly?"
The white - robed man turned his head and looked at her quietly. His moon - white robe was like the silver glow scattered on earth, even more charming when it fluttered in the wind. He smiled and said, "As far as my lady thinks it is."
The peach - robed woman looked at him, curled her legs up and hugged them in front of her, then buried her head and said in a low voice, "I heard from my second sister that my eldest sister went to the Jianghu with her husband. I may never see her again."
The white - robed man's lips curved up. His black eyes were shining brightly, and his long eyelashes cast a shadow. He said softly, "No, you won't." He looked up at the full moon in the sky. "I'll give you everything you want."
The peach - robed woman looked up at the white - robed man. Her almond - shaped eyes were clear and moving.
"...What about the Jianghu?"
A gentle breeze blew by, and the fragrance of peach blossoms lingered in her nostrils. Her thoughts gradually drifted back.
Everything in front of her changed from blurry to clear. Su Xiaoliu gently reached out to touch the flowers, and a flower happened to fall into her palm. The dew trickled down her fingertips and into her sleeve. She gently opened her lips.
He said he would give her the whole Jianghu, but she said the Jianghu was too far away.
People always change.
A faint fragrance wafted over. Gu Rongxue looked down at her.
"Are you missing home?"
Su Xiaoliu looked up, staring quietly into his beautiful eyes without denying it.
Gu Rongxue smiled faintly and sat down beside her. The peach blossoms were reflected on his extremely beautiful face, making him look dreamy and charming.
"Do you have someone you like?" He tilted his head slightly and asked softly.
Su Xiaoliu thought for a while and said, "I can't say I like anyone." She just couldn't let go, maybe because of the guilt.
Gu Rongxue smiled after hearing this and then said, "It's not the leader of the alliance, is it?"
Su Xiaoliu nodded and looked at the peach flower on her fingertip, blinking her almond - shaped eyes.
Suddenly, a fingernail - sized flying insect landed on the peach flower.
Su Xiaoliu frowned slightly, dropped the peach flower, and then calmly stretched out her foot. With a "pop", she stepped on it. When she lifted her foot again, there was a mess on the ground.
Gu Rongxue's smiling face stiffened a bit.
"It's a bug." Su Xiaoliu stretched out her foot again and stepped on the mess in front of Gu Rongxue's stunned eyes, then retracted her foot.
The peach petals and the bug's body on the ground were gone. Probably they had all stuck to the sole of her shoe.
Gu Rongxue slowly closed his eyes and then slowly opened them.
He looked at Su Xiaoliu and asked with a smile, "What are you doing?"
Su Xiaoliu was just about to take off her shoe to wipe the sole when she heard Gu Rongxue's question. She paused for a moment, then looked up and replied, "If we leave it sticking to the ground, it will attract a lot of ants and bugs. Then we'll step on them all over our shoes. It's better to deal with it first." As she spoke, she took off her shoe.
Gu Rongxue had never seen a girl take off her shoes in front of others. He immediately turned his head away. After a moment, he sighed.
How could a person change so much after losing their memory? It was like night and day...
After Su Xiaoliu wiped the sole of her shoe with a leaf, she put it on again.
Gu Rongxue turned his head back and looked at her. He said helplessly in a soft voice, "You used to not even be able to bear to hurt an ant. How come you've become like this..."
I'm not Yun Ruo.
Su Xiaoliu said silently in her heart.
"Maybe I hit my head and damaged my brain." Su Xiaoliu said seriously.
Gu Rongxue slightly curved his lips.
Who would say such things about themselves?
"You should try to be like your former self, so as not to attract trouble."
Su Xiaoliu glanced at him and remembered what the leader of the alliance had said.
If she was exposed at the Pingshan Assembly, it would be like inviting trouble.
"Okay."
"Don't worry. If something happens, I'll take some of the responsibility for you." He added.
"Okay." Su Xiaoliu blinked her almond - shaped eyes and curved her lips.