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S T E L L A R C L O U D
[Azurixa] [Celeste S.] [Christine G.-L.]
O R A N G E S T A R
[J Jean] [K.Rom] [Lily J.] [Mel Melz] [Tori D.]
Y E L L O W S T A R
[Leticia P.] [Maria P.] [Nicole] [Pa.s.serby] [Smurfinbatik]
G O L D S T A R
[Cindy] [Fav Akira] [Nanashi D. Y.] [Reece P.]
R A I N B O W S T A R
[Amanda] [Book W.] [Britnae M] [Caroline] [Christigale M.] [DetectiveGeek421] [Haruka N.]
[Hlau V.] [Ine O.] [Kiiayame] [kuroneko_chan] [Liznel M.] [Mich.e.l.le K.] [onepiece] [Oushna]
[Quae] [Ray] [Scorpion Princess] [Victoria]
In the reception pavilion of the Marquis Ding"an Estate, Old Madame Gu was currently entertaining a guest from the Ling Family, her older sister-in-law Old Madame Ling.
Generally, people at their age rarely went out and walked around, and simply left everything to their sons and daughters-in-law to handle. For Old Madame Ling to pay a visit herself, one didn’t have to guess that it was a big deal.
"You"re his grandmother, what can"t you decide for him? I know the Ling Family is in the wrong with regards to Concubine Ling’s incident. The Ling Family did not teach this concubine-born daughter well, but sister-in-law, you are also a Ling Family’s daughter, and yet you have become so dignified…"
Old Madame Ling uttered over-the-top praises, blowing Old Madame Gu’s horn so much so she couldn’t tell which was north and which was south.
However, Old Madame Gu really couldn’t make decisions when it came to Gu Changqing’s marriage. As a matter of fact, Old Madame Gu couldn’t make any decisions concerning Gu Changqing at all.
Old Madame Ling was also an understanding person. Old Madame Gu thought that as long as she saw and fancied Gu Chengfeng or perhaps Gu Chenglin, Old Madame Gu could make the decision to tie the knot.
But for now, Old Madame Gu went to ask her son to make a decision. However, Marquis Gu had just been beaten by his old man not long ago and was still in pain. How could he dare go beyond his father and interfere with Gu Changqing"s marriage?
Marquis Gu then asked Huang Zhong to go find Old Marquis.
Huang Zhong, however, came back quickly. He hurried into the drawing room and looked as though he found things hard to explain.
Old Madame Gu asked, “Where is His Lordship?”
Huang Zhong was embarra.s.sed and said, "His... His lordship said he has an important matter and cannot come back for the time being!"
Old Madame Ling felt like collapsing from anger!
He had already resigned. What other important matter could he still have? Cearly, it was just a perfunctory excuse for their Ling Family to hear!
"At the beginning, when brother-in-law still wasn’t prosperous, you married low to him, but in the end, this is how your Gu Family repays the Ling Family!" said Old Madame Ling coldly, turning to leave.
Old Madame Gu felt apologetic and became stirred up as well, quickly holding her hand and saying, "Sister-in-law, don"t be angry, why don’t... we go directly to Changqing? If he agrees himself, surely His Lordship will not object to anything!"
Old Madame Ling agreed as soon as she heard this. Without delay, she went to Gu Changqing"s courtyard with Old Madame Gu.
Unexpectedly, Gu Changqing wasn’t there either!
Old Madame Gu"s expression changed, "Nonsense! He"s still injured! How could he be out of the estate right now?!"
Gu Changqing had promised Gu Yan last month that he would teach him how to ride a horse, and today was the day they had agreed upon.
Gu Changqing insisted on leaving the estate despite his injuries.
He rode his own Ferghana horse to Bishui Alley.
Gu Yan took an indirect approach to ask Yao Shi for permission. Yao Shi was against him riding the horse, fearing that his fall would lead to a heart attack, so Gu Yan did not tell his family the details.
Gu Yan waited at the courtyard gate after coming back from school. From time to time, he would poke his little head out, looking left and right, and then pulling his head back quickly, resembling a little quail.
When Gu Changqing entered Bishui Alley, the first thing he saw was his little quail of a younger brother, with a silly little feather attached on his head.
Gu Changqing was suddenly in a good mood.
He urged the horse over.
Gu Yan heard the sound of hoofbeats from far away and crossed the threshold in a big stride, his eyes overflowing with joy.
Gu Changqing stopped his horse in front of him and bent down to extend his hand to him.
Gu Yan put his hand into his.
Gu Changqing"s hand was very wide, and years of martial arts training made the palm of his hand full of calluses; on the other hand, Gu Yan"s hand was a little smaller, slender and fair. Although he worked for Little Jing Kong, shoveling chicken p.o.o.p every day, it wasn’t enough to give him any calluses.
Soft and feeble.
Gu Changqing was afraid that he might accidentally break his hand.
Gu Changqing lightened the force, pulled him onto the horse and let him sit in front of him.
Gu Yan sensed something was wrong as soon as he sat on top of the horse. He looked down and said, "Huh? Your saddle has been changed?"
"Well, didn’t you find it hard to sit on last time?" Gu Changqing replied.
"I... didn’t mind it." Gu Yan opened his eyes wide and said seriously.
His mouth was saying he didn’t mind it, but when he was sitting on the previous saddle, he obviously couldn’t keep still, always moving in discomfort. Gu Changqing wasn’t stupid to not notice, hence, he had people change the saddle afterwards.
"Don’t you like that saddle?" Gu Yan asked.
Gu Changqing answered, "I don’t."
I liked whatever you liked.
Gu Yan smiled. Hearing some movement in the yard, Gu Yan urged, "Hurry, hurry! Don"t let my mother find out! Otherwise I can"t leave!"
Yao Shi: "..."
Gu Changqing tugged on the reins and nodded at Yao shi from afar, indicating that he would take good care of Gu Yan and send him back safely.
Seeing his son clinging onto Gu Changqing, Yao Shi didn’t know whether to be happy or upset for a moment.
Her son grew up wishing to have a brother, and now there really was one who spent time with him, but it was the same person who hurt him when he was a child. Yao shi wondered what his son would feel once he found out the truth.
"Ya, ya, ya!”
Gu Yan sat in front of Gu Changqing, tugging on the reins with both hands, and kept on driving the horse.
Actually, it was Gu Changqing who was in control of the horse.
It made Gu Yan think that he was good at riding horses.
Gu Changqing couldn"t help laughing at his excited appearance.
His laugh was low and magnetic, especially in a noisy street market.
Gu Yan looked back at him.
"What"s the matter? asked Gu Changqing.
There was a smile on his face that had not yet faded.
Gu Yan felt blinded by the smile and said, "You have a nice smile."
Gu Changqing did not like to smile, which was probably a trait inherited from Old Marquis. No one knew what his smile was like, or how good and warm he looked when he smiled.
Gu Changqing had been praised for his excellent martial arts skills and for being young and promising, but he had never been praised for his smiling face.
Gu Changqing was speechless for a moment.
Good thing that Gu Yan"s attention was quickly drawn back by the horse, and he began to concentrate again on ‘riding’ the horse, “Go, go, go! Faster, faster! Aiya, someone’s there! Slow down a little!"
Gu Changqing"s long and powerful legs clamped down the horse"s belly, and used the strength of his legs to let his horse know how fast or slow he should go.
This horse had been following Gu Changqing since he was a foal, and there had long been an indescribable tacit understanding between the man and the horse.
After it had matured into a warhorse, its hooves were used to trample the heads of the enemies. But right now, it could only be used to coax a child...
The horse felt bitter inwardly, but it couldn’t express it.
Gu Yan played madly all the way, sweating all over.
Gu Changqing didn"t want him to get tired and said to him, "How about we take a break?"
“Are you tired?" Gu Yan looked back at him, with a face saying ‘I"m not even tired’.
Gu Changqing couldn"t help but nod his head with laughter and said softly, "Yes, I"m tired."
"Alas, alright! Then let us rest for your sake." Gu Yan tightened the reins, "Donkey..."
Horse: I"m a horse!
Gu Changqing"s horse never needed these calls.
The horse didn’t stop, refusing to admit that he was a donkey.
Gu Yan was anxious, "That"s how you call its attention, right? Donkey— donkey— " He shouted again twice. "Why isn’t it working?"
Gu Changqing kicked the stirrup and gave his old friend a warning.
The horse stopped unwillingly.
There happened to be a restaurant nearby, the very famous Red-Crowned Crane Restaurant in the capital.
It was said that a red-crowned crane once came and rested quietly on the eaves of the restaurant for a long time before leaving, but even though the crane flew away in the end, the crane’s blessings remained, and everyone who came to eat at the Red-Crowned Crane Restaurant could have good fortune and great luck!
Naturally, this was just a gimmick spread by the Red-Crowned Crane Restaurant for the sake of business. However, one dared to make up a story and the other dared to believe. It was unknown how many guests came to eat in the Red-Crowned Crane Restaurant every day.
Luckily for them, a private room upstairs had just become available.
"The price... of the private room..." The waiter made a gesture of the price which wasn’t cheap at all.
If Gu Chengfeng spent hundreds of taels of silver to eat a meal, he would probably be beaten to death by Gu Changqing. But now that Gu Yan wanted to eat, Gu Changqing actually took out the money without saying a word.
The double standards of the Gu Family people were actually pa.s.sed down from their ancestors!
The two of them entered the private room and ordered a table of dishes.
Gu Yan hadn’t eaten yet, and right now he was really hungry, so he ate with gusto.
Gu Changqing was still recovering from his wounds. After a b.u.mpy ride and a blow of cold wind, he didn’t feel like eating at the moment.
Gu Yan gave him a dish, "You eat too!"
Gu Changqing could only pick up the chopsticks and say, "Okay."
As the two people ate, a bold and unrestrained laughter suddenly came from next door.
Gu Changqing frowned strangely.
This laughter... Why did it sound familiar?
In the next room, Old Marquis and Gu Jiao raised their gla.s.ses and drank.
After the incident of Little Jing Kong learning the song she sang while drunk, Gu Jiao became deeply aware that she was a bad drinker, so she subst.i.tuted tea for wine.
Old Marquis couldn’t replace wine with tea. He drank the wine alone and got himself drunk.
It was mainly because he was happy to have met such a wonderful little brother today.
From now on, he and Gu Chao were brothers in Jianghu!
Old Marquis lay on the table and said to Gu Jiao drunkenly, "Brother... You... Rest a.s.sured... My son... Will be... Your son... I will... Let him be... Filial… To you...... If you say east... He can"t go west... If you point south... He can"t go north! If... He dared not... call you father... I will beat him up!"Raz P."s Thoughts
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