The owner of the Feng Family Commercial Firm was Feng Zhong, a middle - aged man in his forties. He was plump and looked kind - faced, without a trace of the shrewdness typical of a businessman.
If Gu Liyue didn't know that he was the head of the Feng Family, she really wouldn't have believed that this man was the owner of a large commercial firm. It truly proved that one shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
Mrs. Feng was extremely beautiful. Although her charm couldn't match that of Mrs. Lin, she was still very outstanding. Adorned with pearls and jewels, she looked approachable.
Besides the owner and his wife, there was their son, Feng Sui. Feng Sui took after his mother and was good - looking and delicate.
After Gu Liyue met them, she got into the carriage behind. There were already two maids sitting inside, one named Hongyu and the other Ziyu. Unlike their masters, the maids were not easy to get along with. They didn't even give Gu Liyue a proper look.
Thankfully, Gu Liyue wasn't a person who liked to socialize. She just leaned on Yunniang and took a nap. She behaved herself while resting and didn't cause any trouble.
Every time they got off the carriage to rest, Mrs. Feng would invite Gu Liyue over, tell her about the prosperity and things in the capital, and even gave her many pieces of jewelry and clothes.
"This one is an agate, and this is a ruby. However, even among the same kind of gemstones, there are differences. The purity inside, as well as whether it's a whole piece or a spliced one, makes a difference."
Gu Liyue was a bit confused. Although she didn't understand, she knew that such precious things couldn't be accepted. So she shook her head and said, "I'm deeply grateful for Mrs. Feng's kindness, but I really can't accept such precious things. People say one shouldn't accept rewards without merit. Madam has already paved the way for me, and I'm extremely thankful. If I were to accept these, I'd be being ungrateful."
Mrs. Feng inserted the agate hairpin into Gu Liyue's hair and gently patted her hand. "Liyue, from the first time I saw you, I felt a connection with you. I only have a son and no daughter. If you're willing, I'd love to adopt you as my god - daughter and treat you well for the rest of my life."
Gu Liyue quickly took a step back, removed the hairpin from her hair, and respectfully presented it to Mrs. Feng. "Madam, I'm just an orphan girl. Please don't tease me."
Mrs. Feng was stunned for a moment, then just sighed softly, took back the hairpin, and didn't say anything more.
After that, Mrs. Feng still asked her to come over every day, saying that she wanted to learn embroidery and hoped Gu Liyue could teach her. Since Gu Liyue had received favors from the Feng Family, she spared no effort and taught Mrs. Feng carefully, step by step.
When they reached Chaozong Prefecture halfway through their journey, consecutive days of heavy rain blocked the road, making it difficult to continue. The group stayed in an inn and couldn't go anywhere.
Gu Liyue had nothing to do. She passed the time by writing and doing embroidery, which was quite relaxing.
Yunniang finished packing up and came over to gesture to Gu Liyue: Why don't you go and teach Mrs. Feng embroidery?
Gu Liyue shook her head. "She doesn't like embroidery."
Yunniang was stunned. Clearly, Mrs. Feng had been asking Gu Liyue to teach her every day.
Gu Liyue put away her needle and said seriously, "She really doesn't like it. But in order to get closer to me, she has to pretend to like it every day and ask me to teach her. Half an hour is enough. Now that she hasn't called me, why should I go and be a nuisance?"
Yunniang didn't understand and gestured again: What does she want?
Gu Liyue said, "I guess that noble family has some influence and the Feng Family can't afford to offend them. They got this opportunity to send me there, so naturally they want me to side with the Feng Family. This is a precaution. They originally planned to win me over with gold and silver, but since I don't like those things, Mrs. Feng has to work hard."
Yunniang still didn't understand. "But I think Mrs. Feng is very good to you, and Mr. Feng is also nice."
Gu Liyue pursed her lips and smiled. "That's just an appearance. Look at the maids who travel with us and you'll know that the Feng Family doesn't think much of us. But don't worry, Yunniang. I'm just a pawn for them anyway, so I don't really care if they look down on me or not. Respect is something abstract. If we haven't reached a certain status, why should we expect others to respect us?"
Yunniang nodded. She deeply agreed. Everyone was like this. They only respected those in high positions and looked down on those below them.
Gu Liyue propped her face up and looked out of the window. She remembered the gatekeeper in the Lin Mansion who didn't look down on her because of her shabby clothes. Mrs. Lin was a cold and distant person, but it was obvious that she treated everyone the same way, regardless of their status.
Such a family must have had excellent family education since childhood.
For some reason, Gu Liyue thought of her father again. She couldn't remember what her father looked like. Everything she knew about him was just what others had told her, her uncle, aunt, Yunniang, and the neighbors.
But if her father were still alive, he must have been as humble as Mrs. Lin.
The rain was pattering outside. A drenched man ran from the front and stopped right in front of Gu Liyue's window, taking shelter under the eaves.
When he turned around and their eyes met, both of them were startled.
Gu Liyue didn't expect Feng Sui to go out in such heavy rain, and Feng Sui didn't expect that this girl would open the window in such bad weather.
Feng Sui subconsciously glanced inside and saw the embroidery on the table. So this girl was doing embroidery.
Gu Liyue forced a smile and greeted Feng Sui. "Young Master Feng."
Feng Sui also smiled.
Yunniang took a clean handkerchief and handed it out through the window.
Gu Liyue said, "Young Master, wipe yourself quickly and go back to drink some ginger tea to ward off the cold."
Feng Sui took the handkerchief and turned to leave. But for some reason, he turned back, looked at Gu Liyue seriously, and blushed as he showed his dimples.
The heads of the Feng Family lived on the second floor, while the servants and Gu Liyue lived on the first floor.
Gu Liyue heard the window next to her slam shut. She was a bit stunned, then helplessly shook her head and didn't say a word.
The next day, it was still raining heavily. Moreover, Mrs. Feng didn't call Gu Liyue up to teach her embroidery for two consecutive days.
Gu Liyue went out and saw the maids next door bustling around. She smiled and asked, "Sister Hongyu, is Madam in good health?"
Hongyu was stunned. "What?"
Gu Liyue explained, "Madam hasn't called me to teach her embroidery these two days. I was wondering if she's not feeling well and doesn't have the energy for embroidery?"
Hongyu embarrassedly looked upstairs and explained, "Oh, Madam is fine. But the young master went out in the rain the other day and caught a cold. Madam has to take care of him, so..."
Gu Liyue quickly said, "I see. The other day when the young master came over, I was just sitting at the table doing embroidery. I saw that he was completely soaked. Yunniang gave him a handkerchief in time, but I didn't expect him to still catch a cold."
Hearing this, Hongyu's expression softened. She looked at Yunniang behind Gu Liyue. "So it was Yunniang..."
Gu Liyue scratched her head. "Of course it was Yunniang. I'm so stupid. How could I think of so many things... Sister, are you going up to serve the young master? Go quickly. I won't bother you anymore."