Gu Liyue's days passed in an orderly manner. Occasionally, she would accompany her two aunts to banquets or accept invitations from the Qin family ladies to go out and have fun. Gu Chengzhi had returned to his duty at the Beijing Guard. This time, he behaved himself as an ordinary Imperial Guard and didn't dare to cause any more trouble. As a result, he had much less time to accompany Gu Liyue.
However, he would send her small trinkets every now and then.
Gu Liyue could tell at a glance that these things were not from him but from Lu Jinchen.
Tangyuan was tidying up the gifts. With a beaming smile, she said, "Miss, it's true that Young Master Lu is the closest to you. He's sent you the most things. But Young Master Lu doesn't get his monthly stipend anymore after he started his duty. Buying all these things must have cost him quite a bit, right?"
Gu Liyue was holding Yidianhong in her arms. She pursed her lips and stared at the gifts, her thoughts wandering far away. She wondered where Lu Jinchen was and what he was doing now. These things didn't cost that much, but Lu Jinchen didn't live at home anymore. Presumably, the prince didn't give him any money either. How was he living his daily life?
She couldn't help but smile. Maybe she was used to a hard life, so she always worried that he didn't have enough money. He was the prince's heir and the emperor's nephew. How could he not have enough money to live on?
Just then, Gu Chengzhi rushed in noisily. Seeing Gu Liyue looking at the gifts, he gave a silly grin and asked, "Do you like them, sister?"
Gu Liyue blushed slightly.
It was Tangyuan who pouted and said, "Young Master Lu, the two mistresses have said many times that the young lady is grown up. You should avoid suspicion. Even if you want to come in, you should let someone announce your arrival first."
"Got it, got it. Get out, get out. I'm talking to my sister."
After Tangyuan left, Gu Liyue whispered, "Fourth brother... what is he doing now?"
Gu Chengzhi replied, "He's left the capital. There's something going on with Lord Lin, the imperial son - in - law. The emperor originally ordered the crown prince to go, but Jinchen volunteered to go as an imperial envoy."
Gu Liyue didn't know much about court affairs, so she kept silent.
"Don't worry. It's not very far, and it's convenient to come and go. He sent me a message saying that he'll be back in a few days. He wants to see you and asked me to take you out to play."
Gu Liyue blushed and said, "It's not appropriate to meet privately."
Gu Chengzhi immediately said, "That's what I said too. You think so too? Then I'll decline for you and tell him to wait until the Lantern Festival to see you."
"Fourth brother!"
Seeing Gu Liyue's anxious look, Gu Chengzhi couldn't help laughing out loud. Then he sighed and said, "It's really true that once a girl grows up, she'll soon be gone. You're not even married yet, but you're already so infatuated with him. Tsk, tsk, tsk. By the way, I'm your real brother. Don't you ever miss me?"
Gu Liyue casually picked up a belt from the basket and handed it to Gu Chengzhi. "I finished making this a long time ago and wanted to give it to you. But now that you're on duty, all your clothes are regulated, so you won't be able to use this. I was thinking of modifying it and giving it to second brother instead."
Gu Chengzhi immediately put away the belt and said, "Second brother doesn't need it. Yu Yin will give him something. You don't need to worry about it."
Gu Liyue pursed her lips and smiled.
Gu Chengzhi was quick - eyed and quick - handed. He snatched the small pouch under the basket. "This is nice. Give it to me too."
Gu Liyue's eyes turned red as she tried to grab it back. "Fourth brother..."
There were mandarin ducks playing in the water embroidered on it. It was obviously something for a sweetheart. Gu Chengzhi threw the pouch back angrily. "Are you really so infatuated with him? What's so good about him?"
Gu Liyue patted Yidianhong and let it go and play by itself. Then she picked up the pouch, patted it, and put it away.
Gu Chengzhi followed her and continued, "Sister, aren't you afraid?"
Gu Liyue asked, "Afraid of what?"
Gu Chengzhi was taken aback. After thinking for a while, he said, "Jinchen is good - looking. Whenever he goes out, how many young ladies throw their handkerchiefs at him, hoping to gain his favor. There have been many such things in the past, and there will be no fewer in the future. Aren't you afraid that he'll fall in love with someone else?"
Gu Liyue thought seriously for a moment and then asked, "If he really does that, will you help me, brother?"
Gu Chengzhi puffed out his chest. "Of course. You're my sister. If he dares to make you sad, I'll skin him alive."
Gu Liyue shook her head. "That's not necessary. If he doesn't like me anymore, just let me go. With you and our family around, I won't end up on the streets."
Gu Chengzhi was surprised. Was his sister really so easy - going?
Gu Liyue seemed to think of something. She quickly turned around and looked at Gu Chengzhi. "Fourth brother, you said that. Does it mean that he... doesn't want to marry me anymore?"
Gu Chengzhi quickly shook his head. "How could that be? He's not that kind of person."
Gu Liyue let out a chuckle. "Fourth brother, you're really strange. Sometimes when we talk, you say how good he is and that he'll never let me down. Sometimes you say that you're my elder brother and that if he dares to bully me in the slightest, you'll teach him a lesson. Why are you so contradictory?"
Gu Chengzhi himself didn't know. He said helplessly, "Actually, he's liked you for a long time. I noticed it during last year's Lantern Festival."
"He knew that A Jie invited you out to play, so he dragged me along. I didn't notice at first, but later I saw the way he looked at you. I knew... Actually, I was quite worried about him at that time. I thought you weren't good enough for him."
Do you... believe in love at first sight?
Gu Liyue remembered Lu Jinchen's words that day. So he had liked her that early? But he had never confessed his love. Just as fourth brother said, she wasn't good enough for him back then, and even now, she still wasn't.
Gu Chengzhi suddenly looked up at Gu Liyue and stammered, "Sister, at that time... did you hate me very much?"
Gu Liyue was stunned and didn't understand what he meant.
Gu Chengzhi explained, "At that time, I didn't know you were... I was so stupid that I didn't recognize you. You're my real sister! I even looked down on you and... Do you blame me?"
Gu Liyue shook her head with a smile. "No, I don't. At first, your words were a bit rude, but I didn't expect to meet you later, so I didn't have any special feelings. Later, I never thought we'd have any connection. Moreover, you just had a bad attitude. You never did anything to hurt me. Why would I blame you?"
"Then... it would be better if you blamed me."
Gu Liyue let out a chuckle. "But I was really happy that day when you saved me and believed in me."
She was referring to the time when Jiang Yingyue tried to frame her and he sent them to the Supreme Court.
"Yes, I believe you're not a bad person." Gu Chengzhi puffed out his chest and said proudly. Then he looked a bit dejected. "Actually, the reason I believed you was also because of Jinchen's feelings for you. I thought that the girl he liked couldn't be a scheming woman."
Gu Liyue looked at him. "What if I was?"
Gu Chengzhi laughed and reached out to ruffle her hair. "Liyue, I didn't know you were my sister before, and I didn't know about your experiences. But now I know. No matter what kind of person you are, you're my sister, and I'll trust you unconditionally."