At night Su Qing took off her dress, the blue and purple bruises on her knees and calves were enough to startle her and Chuntao.
Chuntao was full of heartache, big drops of tears kept falling while applying the ointment on her injury.
Su Qing didn"t say a word of comforting, and only sat there with her mind somewhat in a trance. Until Shuangqiao brought over the food, she ate a little bit and then went to take a bath and changed into clean clothes.
When she came outside again, she saw Gu Zifu already sat at the table and making tea. He slightly lifted his eyelids, then continued the movement in his hands, as if the person that just arrived was just a mere stranger.
Su Qing stood in place for a moment wrinkling the corner of her cloth and then walked over and sat down.
The tea last time was not fresh, so Su Ting specially bought Ya Zhuo top-quality tea from outside. In tribute tea, it is ranked number one and also called "Immortal tea". People in the palace also like this type of tea.
Even though Su Qing doesn"t know about tea, at least she has some knowledge of the tea making process. From water to tea, from tea set to brewing technique, and other specifications. Among them, the mood of tea maker has to be particularly calm and peaceful, so that can produce tasty tea. To her surprise, Gu Zifu was actually very patient about this.
He poured the tea into the tea cup, the mist was very dense, slightly pushed the tea cup with his fingers to Su Qing.
"Taste it." Having said that and also poured himself a cup.
Su Qing carefully looked at him, she then lowered her head lightly blowing the hot tea, feeling that the tea temperature is warm enough, she picked the cup and drank it.
The tea fragrance is very pleasant, sweet, and astringent.
She finished it in one gulp, "Tasted very good."
"Not afraid anymore?" Hi Zifu blowing the hot air and asked coldly.
"……." Su Qing puffed up her cheeks as she looked at him, "As long as the Seventh Lord not going to scare me, I"m not afraid."
Hi Zifu though it was funny, he put down the teacup and looked at her, lazily said: "This Lord has never scared you off, obviously you are too timid. In contrast, your earth-shattering cry has freaked me out."
"Nonsense, obviously….." Su Qing realized what she just said and quickly shut up.
Her brain must have water in it for trying to argue with this person. Even if she talks until her mouth dry, he can easily twist black to white with only a few words. It would be just a waste of energy, talking to him would only make herself angrier.
After Su Qing finished her bath, he didn"t fully dry her hair when she came out. The water droplets fell along the hairline on her lapel.
Gu Zifu narrowed his eyes slightly, then stretched out his hand to pinch her face twice.
Su Qing glared at him, "Seventh Lord let go, Chuntao said pinching the face would cause drooling at night…."
Upon hearing drooling, Su Qing could feel Gu Zifu"s hand stiffen, and then quickly retracted his hand with disgusted in his eyes.
"Why are you little girl so dirty?"
Su Qing rubbed her small face and did not answer him. Her legs still hurting, she bent down and kneaded it for a while, then went outside to have Chuntao went to get a towel to help her to dry her hair.
By the time she came back, she saw Gu Zifu has already slept inside the corner of the bed. Su Qing glanced at the cold ground and at the soft bed, with hesitation, she finally decided to treat herself better this time.
Seventh Lord said during that day that he would not use her as the bone painting fan, so it mean sleeping on the bed shouldn"t be a problem, right?
After thinking about it for a while, Su Qing finally made up her mind and walked to the bed. She slightly pulled the corner of his quilt, and said in a loud voice, "Seventh Lord, I want to sleep on the bed tonight."
No responded.
"…..I"m going to sleep then."
After speaking, Su Qing waited for a while, and saw no movement, she went to blow the candle and tried to sit back on the bed in the dark. She pulled the quilt lightly and lied carefully sideways on the edge of the furthest corner of the bed.
As soon as she touched the bed, the sleepiness has took over her.
It"s rare to have a good night of sleep.
She slept well last night and didn"t even have a nightmare. When Su Qing opened her eyes and looked at Gu Zifu, seeing that he"s still sleeping, she rubbed her eyes again and lightly tapped her little face to drive away from her sleepiness.
The quilt is warm, making her doesn"t want to move. She simply turned her body sat up halfway and stared at the Seventh Lord in a daze…..
Gu Zifu was born with a good look. He had fair skin and exquisite facial features, especially that pairs of fox eyes, which are very vivid. There was always a faint smile on the corner of his mouth, the kind of smile that always makes her feel gooseb.u.mps. Somehow, Gu Zifu"s words yesterday seemed as if she has fed with a rea.s.surance pill. Su Qing touched her neck and sighed in relief.
Fortunately, my head is still fully attached.
Her fingers accidentally touched the burned area. She retreated her hand subconsciously and lowered her eyes, covering the unusual emotions at the bottom of her eyes.
Su Yingruo…..the aura of the female lead….
While in a trance, she looked down and saw Gu Zifu was staring at her with his eyes wide awake. She backed away subconsciously in shock, but forgot that she was still in bed at the moment, and "Bang" falling to the ground with a quilt, looking very pity.
"Hurts…. "
Gu Zifu was stunned for a moment, then sat up slowly moved to the side of the bed, with his head propping and his eyes couldn"t stop smiling.
"Why are you more stupid than Da Bai?"
Su Qing muttered quietly, "I"m not stupid. Da Bai is also not stupid."
"En, not stupid at all."
Su Qing looked up and saw the mockery in his eyes, feeling a little hot on her face, she quickly got up and put the quilt back on the bed.
The clothes to be worn today were brought by Chuntao yesterday. It"s a light pink dress, swaying and shining, with peach blossom embroidery on the skirt. She hasn"t learned how to do the hair yet, so she could only casually pull them together and tie with green silk.
Su Qing opened the closet and asked, "Seventh Lord, what do you want to wear today?"
Gu Zifu stretched his arms and said in a careless way, "Whatever."
Su Qing: "……."
Ghost know, what kind of thing "whatever" is.
She murmured to herself, glanced over many clothes in the closet, and finally chose a casual black wide-sleeves robe with a thin cloud pattern embroidered on the lapel, looking unexceptional elegant.
Gu Zifu lazily got up. Su Qing lowered her head revealing the green silk behind her looking like smooth silk, covered on her face. The jet-black hair contrasts with her bright white skin, her delicate little face was pearly.
"Little dimples." He suddenly opened his mouth.
Su Qing didn"t hear him clearly, she looked up and asked again, "What did the Seventh Lord just say?"
"Smile, this lord want to see your little dimples."
Su Qing lowered her head and continued to dress him, "What is so good about dimple?"
Her voice hasn"t faded yet, she suddenly felt the pain on her cheek, raising her eyes, seeing Gu Zifu"s br.i.m.m.i.n.g.
"QingQing be good, just a smile." This is the second time Gu Zifu called her so intimate. The first time was yesterday…..
Su Qing didn"t dare to think anymore, afraid that it will pull out something she didn"t know. She gently said: "Seventh Lord let go first, it hurts."
Gu Zifu loosen his hand.
Su Qing rubbed her cheek and gave him a big smile. She then quickly lowered her head and said: "Seventh Lord, I"ll go to check in the kitchen."
After that, she immediately went out, but because she left in a hurry, her feet were stumbled and almost fell again. She could hear a burst of his laughter from behind.
Shuangqiao"s cooking skills are superb, two side dishes, a plate of pastry, and fragrant rice porridge, they are all mouthwatering. Especially the sour fish dish on the table, the mackerel cut into big pieces, burned with oil, added with sauces and vinegar, the taste is very delicious. Even Su Qing, who seldom eats fish, also ate a few more than usual.
"Seventh Lord." Si Ting walked in from outside.
"This subordinate heard the servant said last night the Third Lord"s wounds were inflamed and had a high fever, even the Imperial Doctor is still monitoring his condition."
Su Qing who was eating porridge suddenly froze.
Gu Zifu was putting the fish in a saucer, and picked up the fishbone with his chopsticks, only said "En" and then asked with a casual sound, "Did they use the Sixth Lord or the Seventh Lord"s names to invite the Imperial Doctor?"
When he asked this, Su Qing suddenly remembered the Gu Family came from merchants" background, not because these two joined the military and became great generals, but coincidentally, these two generals did not have a good relationship with the Old Madam.
"No, it was Young Miss Yue."
Gu Hanyue?
Si Ting continued, "I heard that Young Miss Yue has a good relationship with the Seventh Princess, so she especially sent the imperial doctor over and brought many valuable medicinal herbs, also mentioned that no matter what has to heal the Third Lord"s injury." After speaking, he looked up at Su Qing.
Su Qing didn"t notice his gaze, she was bowing her head focusing on drinking the porridge, but before she could swallow the last bite, all of a sudden heard the Seventh Lord knocking his fingers on the table to bring her attention back.
Su Qing looked up at him in blank.
It can"t be ah! Why is it related to her again?
"How is it going with those account books?" Gu Zifu finished eating the fish, took the handkerchief to wipe his hands.
Si Ting is very aware of the current situation and quickly retreated.
Su Qing put down the bow in her hand, didn"t expect how Gu Zifu"s conversation turned to the account books. Fortunately, she has lowered her head, and thinking about how to answer him. Although she didn"t want to, she has to admit it.
Thinking of this, Su Qing suddenly has a confidence, raising her head and said with a sincere eyes, "Seventh Lord, I don"t know how to read."
Gu Zifu, "…….."
Su Qing looks at Gu Zifu"s speechless appearance, there was a burst of happiness in her heart. The corner of her lip hooked up, revealing the shallow of her dimples, looking so adorable. But when Gu Zifu turned his gaze to look at her, she quickly collected her smile and appeared to look regret that she doesn"t know how to read.
Gu Zifu raised his eyebrow, "Really don"t know how to read?"
Su Qing shook her head pitifully, "I don"t know."
She then didn"t forget to add, "The account books that Seventh Lord had Si Ting brought over are still over there, I didn"t read a word."
"No problem." Gu Zifu looked at Su Qing"s gentle eyes, his voice also became somewhat softer, "Tomorrow will teach you to read and write."
Su Qing"s face turned white and tried to reject him, "No, no need, the teacher is so busy, how can I bother Seventh Lord to pay more effort on me."
Gu Zifu supported his cheek with one hand looking at her helpless appearance, all the unpleasantness in his heart was completely washed away instantly. He raised his eyes locked on her intently but not a bit of hostility and said leisurely, "Who told you I wanted to hire a teacher, just a trivial matter, having this Lord is enough."
Su Qing stared at him with big eyes, while the fingers in her sleeves trembled uncontrollably.
She asked in a trembling voice, "Seventh Lord, are you for real?"