It was hot and hard, and Gu Fengyan caught fire from it.
"How annoying!" He kicked off the blanket and glared at Huo Duan with his bright eyes.
Knowing that this meant he had given his consent, Huo Duan dared to take another step.
The wet and hot touch almost made Huo Duan's mind go blank... Twice, twice in a row, he still held back, afraid that Gu Fengyan would hit him.
Then he suddenly pressed down on Gu Fengyan and pulled him into his arms.
Gu Fengyan's voice was hoarse, and her breathing was intermittent, like a cat's, delicate and soft, almost dripping with water. Huo Duan couldn't control himself and finally had to tell Gu Fengyan to put her legs together.
Only when the snow-white skin was covered with a layer of red did he regain his senses slightly.
It started raining in the middle of the night. Huo Duan carried the person to wash them clean, changed everything on the bed, and then fell into a deep sleep.
That night, Gu Fengyan felt as if he were soaked in the rain, wet and hot, struggling and floating, swaying back and forth.
When he opened his eyes, he felt short of breath. It turned out that it wasn't rain, but Huo Duan holding him so tightly that he couldn't breathe.
"Mr. Huo, even murder doesn't go this far." He said in a hoarse voice, pushing Huo Duan.
Huo Duan chuckled and released his arm. "Awake? Are you feeling unwell? Do you want some water?"
Not wanting to hear his own hoarse voice, Gu Fengyan nodded and then shook his head.
Huo Duan immediately took a bowl of water from the outside and gave it to him to drink.
I don't know when it was prepared, but the water was just the right temperature, neither too hot nor too cold.
Gu Fengyan's anger dissipated by more than half immediately.
"Aren't you going to sleep all night?" He finished his water and handed the bowl to Huo Duan.
Huo Duan chuckled to himself.
Gu Fengyan was baffled, only then realizing that what he said was ambiguous... as if Huo Duan hadn't slept all night because of something.
"Your head is full of filthy rubbish!" he muttered, trying to cover up his true feelings.
Huo Duan raised an eyebrow. "Hurry up and get dressed. I'll make breakfast."
He handed the clothes to Gu Fengyan, took the bowl and walked out, and somehow he had already dressed properly.
This person has so much energy... Gu Fengyan looked at the sky outside the window, which was just before dawn, and tried to move his body, secretly clicking his tongue in amazement.
...
With the village's medicinal herb procurement temporarily concluded, Gu Fengyan and Huo Duan ate something quickly and then headed to the county before noon.
Liu Zhengshan was also with them. When they arrived in the county, Liu Zhengshan went to the county government office to invite Zhu Kuo, while Gu Fengyan and Huo Duan went to Dongfulou to arrange a banquet.
Dongfulou opens early, and at this time, a small window was open selling breakfast, with a long line of people in front of it.
Gu Fengyan and Huo Duan went straight through the gate. Manager Li was working on an abacus at the counter, while Master Zhao was slurping down a large bowl of thin porridge, occasionally exchanging a few words with Manager Li.
Hearing the voice, the two looked towards the door. Seeing that it was them, Manager Li came out from behind the counter and said with a smile, "Please come in, you two."
Master Zhao put down the large bowl, wiped his hands clean on his apron, and asked, "Have you eaten yet? There's freshly cooked dried fruit porridge in the back kitchen. Tell them to bring you two bowls."
Huo Duan smiled and waved his hand, "No need to bother, we have something we'd like to ask Dongfulou to handle..."
Seeing their hurried manner, Manager Li instructed the shop assistant to serve tea and led the two to a private room upstairs. "It's quiet here. We have some newly served Jade Mountain Green Mist tea. Let's drink and talk."
Along the way, Gu Fengyan was really thirsty and felt inexplicably nauseous, so he took a sip of the drink that Manager Li had poured for him.
The nausea in my chest finally subsided.
"I'll trouble Master Zhao to prepare a feast today. Huo Duan and I have invited Magistrate Zhu to discuss the medicinal herb business, and he should be arriving this afternoon," Gu Fengyan briefly explained.
When Manager Li heard it was about the medicinal herb business, he became very concerned, but then there was Magistrate Zhu…
"Do you two know anything about Magistrate Zhu's character?" Manager Li asked, his brow furrowed with worry.
Zhu Kuo had been to Dongfulou before... and was quite difficult to please.
Chef Zhao never minced words, and snorted coldly, "This corrupt official doesn't deserve to eat my cooking—oh dear!"
Manager Li knew he was loose with his tongue, so he kicked Master Zhao in the calf.
"Please don't mind him, he's just like that... Just leave this to us, Magistrate Zhu will definitely make all the arrangements before he arrives."
Gu Fengyan and Huo Duan were naturally at ease. They selected several teas, side dishes, and fruit platters before hurrying downstairs to wait.
Despite their impressive display of respect and deference towards Zhu Kuo, neither of them truly took him seriously.
After all, they were all worldly-wise and powerful figures. Back when they were at the height of their influence, able to turn the world upside down with a flick of their wrist, Zhu Kuo? Even if the Heavenly King himself came, no one would dare to disobey him.
We've given him plenty of face, and we just hope Zhu Kuo won't take advantage of that.
...
Liu Zhengshan put on his best clothes, dusted off his sleeves and tidied his hair, and finally entered the county government office to meet Zhu Kuo.
After explaining his purpose, Zhu Kuo remained silent for a long time, only focusing on teasing the red-feathered bird in the gilded cage.
The advisor beside him reminded him with a fawning expression, and he glanced sideways and said lightly, "Since we've already invited them, I'll give them face... Someone, prepare the carriage."
Gu Fengyan and Huo Duan leaned against the window frame, looking rather disheveled. The wealthy-looking Zhu Kuo arrived in his carriage at the entrance of Dongfu Restaurant. A handsome young man lifted the curtain, delicately outlined with gold and silver threads depicting the Five Gods Bringing Blessings…
Gu Fengyan raised an eyebrow and whistled, "They're here, President Huo."
Huo Duan followed his gaze... revealing a pair of gold-embroidered boots, followed by a dark purple silk robe with auspicious patterns, and a gold-threaded cage in his hand, with a red-feathered bird hopping around.
The middle-aged man's eyes gleamed with shrewdness as he looked at Dongfulou with disdain.
Everyone around him recognized him, and out of intimidation, no one dared to pass by him.
Zhu Kuo appears to be a refined and easy-going middle-aged man, but Gu Fengyan and Huo Duan are the best at judging people.
I could tell how capable this person was at a glance.
Moreover, as soon as this person got off the carriage, his eyes turned towards Gu Fengyan with a hint of surprise, and then he looked at Huo Duan with amazement.
"Who invited me? Hurry up and pay your respects." As he spoke, his eyes never left the two people beside him.
This old man is not easy to deal with.
Gu Fengyan got goosebumps all over his body.
Chapter Forty-Five
Huo Duan went to greet them, and Liu Zhengshan, wiping his sweat, introduced them to each other.
Then, Huo Duan bowed slightly and gave a respectful salute, "This humble subject, Huo Duan, and my wife pay our respects to Lord Zhu."
Although he looked down on Zhu Kuo, he still had to show some respect when asking for favors.
It also prevents the other party from criticizing it.
Huo Duan thought he had made a grand entrance, but no sooner had he finished speaking than he heard the mustachioed clerk next to Zhu Kuo shout, "You audacious scoundrel! You dare not kneel down to greet Magistrate Zhu!"
Does this guy really think he's something special?
Huo Duan raised an eyebrow, his expression indifferent. He neither knelt down nor got angry, but simply squinted at Zhu Kuo in front of him, showing no fear and not giving the clerk a single glance.
Zhu Kuo teased the red-feathered bird in the cage, and after waiting for a while without receiving a response, he looked up at them.
The red-feathered bird in the cage flapped its wings, hopping and chirping incessantly.
Zhu Kuo scolded, "This beast is a beast! It doesn't know how to judge the situation. It has no right to interrupt when people are talking. It's been around people for a long time, and it's started to think of itself as a human being... It doesn't even know what it is!"
Upon hearing this, the clerk quickly replied with a smile, "You're right, sir!"
He slapped himself repeatedly, left and right, "Damn it, look at my mouth, I can't even speak properly..."
The slaps were crisp and clear, seven or eight in a row. Zhu Kuo teased the bird for a long time before slowly saying, "I'm cursing the beast, what's your hurry? Go back and accept your punishment."
Having used all his strength, the clerk's face was already swollen and reddish-purple, but he chuckled and said, "Yes, sir, you are right."
After making an example of someone, Zhu Kuo slowly lifted his eyelids to look at Gu Fengyan and Huo Duan. "Manager Huo, I have heard about this... Alright, take a seat."
Huo Duan's smile remained unchanged. He let Zhu Kuo go first, while the clerk pushed them aside and served them attentively from both sides.
As the hosts, the two followed closely behind.
"President Huo, this Zhu Kuo is no pushover. We'll have to play it by ear later," Gu Fengyan whispered to Huo Duan, avoiding the crowd.
Huo Duan glanced at him. "You've really gone all out with that act, making veiled accusations and putting on quite a show... But don't worry, if he doesn't agree, I have ways to force him to agree."
A hint of hatred flashed in his eyes... He stared at Gu Fengyan for a moment, then asked with concern, "Are you feeling unwell?"
At this time, the entire street was lined with lunch stalls, the aroma of food and snacks filling the air. The moment Gu Fengyan smelled it, his stomach churned…
"I felt nauseous all morning, I don't know why." He covered his nose, his face turning pale.
Huo Duan was very worried, fearing that he might have suffered from heatstroke or eaten something bad. He reached out to check his forehead for temperature, but found nothing unusual.
"Don't go in. Go home and lie down. I'll ask Mr. Lin to come and take a look this afternoon. I'm afraid it's because of the hot weather and you ate something unclean."
Gu Fengyan suppressed the nausea in his throat and shook his head with a smile, "If I go back, President Huo will be devoured alive by Zhu Kuo. You didn't see the way he looked at you..."
It's strange... Huo Duansheng was extremely handsome, but his handsomeness fell into the category of "heroic". If he were a boy, he wouldn't fit the aesthetic standards of this era.
Everyone likes the soft and beautiful style.
Zhu Kuo was an exception; his eyes practically lit up with greed when he saw Huo Duan.
Encountering this situation for the first time, Gu Fengyan felt both like laughing and disgusted, his expression changing repeatedly.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Go back quickly, I'll find someone to take you..." Huo Duan didn't care too much about this, his mind was only on Gu Fengyan, he was worried and anxious.
The group had already turned past the stairwell and were about to go upstairs.
Gu Fengyan smiled and squeezed Huo Duan's wrist. "Don't worry, I'm fine. I'm much better now."
It seemed that the smell of oil had made him nauseous, but now that the smell had faded a bit, he felt much better.
"real?"
Gu Fengyan shrugged. "Why would I lie to you?"
Huo Duan pressed his face against his, looking at him carefully from left to right, and found that his face had regained some color than before.
"Tell me if you're not feeling well, and listen to me." Zhu Kuo and the others had already gone upstairs. They shouldn't linger too long. Huo Duan pulled him to a secluded spot at the bottom of the stairs and gently kissed him... He pulled away with a soft "pop," leaving a trail of silver threads hanging down.