I choked up for a moment, "Right now, you're the only one in front of me, so who else should I ask?"
"Hmph, I've been right in front of you the whole time, but you've never believed me."
"I... I didn't say anything."
He snorted and turned his back on me, probably trying to show that he was very sad and angry.
I suppressed a laugh and changed the subject, "Tell me, was what happened just now something my mother asked her to do?"
He huffed and puffed, "Hmph, you never get jealous, I bet your mother does too."
Oh? Judging from his tone, it seems he has a problem with me not being jealous. Sigh, shouldn't I be overjoyed to meet such a magnanimous woman?
Seeing the resentful look in his eyes, I could only pat him on the shoulder and comfort him, "I... I was jealous just now too."
He turned back and asked, "Really?"
I nodded and said, "Yes. I saw her feeding you grapes just now, and her mouth was watering, so I came out."
Jiang Chen pouted, "From what you're saying, it sounds more like quenching thirst by looking at plums than like being jealous. Jealousy isn't just a sour feeling in your mouth, it's a sour feeling in your heart."
Sigh, this person's standards are too high. Isn't it all just sourness? Why differentiate between the mouth and the heart? I thought about it carefully, and it seems my heart did feel a little sour a few times too.
I could only say, with a forced smile, "My heart is naturally a little sour too."
Jiang Chen's expression immediately brightened, and he smiled, his eyes crinkling. "I'm so happy."
Sigh, it seems that sometimes exaggerating is necessary.
When we arrived at Guiyun Manor, and Jiang Chen helped me down from the carriage, something even stranger happened. A small note had been nailed to the carriage door sometime during the night.
Jiang Chen pulled out the paper and slowly unfolded it. Under the light, he saw a few delicate characters written on it.
"She was reluctant to part with her clothes."
Jiang Chen and I looked at each other in surprise. Who delivered this message? "She" refers to my mother?
I suddenly remembered Yunzhou saying he had also received a letter. Could it be the same person, guiding us? Why does this person know so much about my mother's affairs?
When Master saw me hand him the note, his eyes lit up, then he fell silent. Suddenly, his eyes lit up again. "Xiao Mo, you'll come with me to Yi Yi Bu She again tomorrow."
"Alright. Master, you should go back and rest up. We'll go see Aunt Gu again tomorrow."
Back in the room, Jiang Chen instructed the servants to boil hot water for me to soak in, and also to make ginger soup for me and Xiao Hebao to drink until we were sweating profusely.
The next day, after breakfast, my master and I went straight to Yi Yi Bu She.
I'm very lucky today. Aunt Gu's cold has actually gotten better, and she's busy at the shop.
Jiang Chen called out to her, and she immediately turned away from the three young women looking at fabrics and came over with a smile.
"Oh my, distinguished guests have arrived. Young master and young mistress are here too, please come in. Xiao Qing, quickly serve some fragrant tea."
Aunt Gu's gaze towards Master remained warm. I was just about to see Master's handsome face flush, but unexpectedly, Master's expression was completely normal today, without the slightest hint of stage fright or shyness.
The master stepped forward gracefully and gave a slight bow: "Sister Gu, thank you for treating my disciple the other day. I've come today to ask you to prescribe another medicine for her to recuperate."
Aunt Gu smiled and said, "Isn't that unnecessary? The young mistress is in good health, and the madam has already arranged for tonics and supplements. Master, you can rest assured."
Master stared straight at Aunt Gu: "Hmm, I heard from Madam Qi that Aunt Gu is a reclusive master with unparalleled medical skills. I think it would be better if you could prescribe a formula for Xiao Mo to recuperate."
My master looked serious and determined, as if he wouldn't leave until he got what he wanted. It seemed he wouldn't leave until Aunt Gu prescribed a remedy. Sigh, when he gets stubborn, he's single-minded to the end; I've truly inherited that trait from him.
Helpless, Aunt Gu turned around and instructed, "Then, Xiao Qing, go and get the pen and ink."
A moment later, Xiao Qing, a shop assistant, brought over a brush and ink. Gu Sao laid them out on a tea table, dipped her brush in the ink, and picked up the brush.
I stood to the side, quite curious. My master knew I was faking my illness, and Aunt Gu had said I wasn't poisoned, so why did he insist that Aunt Gu prescribe a medicine for me? I glanced at my master and saw that he was biting his lip!
That's even stranger. What is he so nervous about?
Aunt Gu hesitated for a long time with her pen, only managing to write half a character. Master stared intently at that half-character, his hand clenched into a fist. I watched for a long time but still couldn't figure out what she was trying to write.
Aunt Gu smiled apologetically at Jiang Chen: "Young Master, um, how do you write oyster?"
She can't even write? How is she supposed to prescribe medicine then?
Jiang Chen took the pen, filled in the right side of the character "牡" (mu), and wrote the character "蛎" (li). He then handed the pen to Aunt Gu, but she refused to take it, still smiling awkwardly: "I haven't written much in years, and I've forgotten many characters. Why don't I read them and the young master can write them for me?"
Jiang Chen asked curiously, "Huh? Don't you write all the account books in the shop?"
Aunt Gu looked a little embarrassed, then smiled and said, "Those are all simple numbers, so they're easy to write."
Jiang Chen laughed and said, "Sister Gu, you are too modest. A few days ago, my mother gave me the account book so that I could learn how to use it. I saw that your account book has such beautiful and elegant small characters written in it."
Aunt Gu lowered her head and smiled without replying, reciting the names of herbs to herself. Jiang Chen remained silent, focusing on writing on the paper.
I glanced at my master and noticed he was staring intently at Aunt Gu, his eyes gleaming with a light I'd never seen before. I was utterly astonished; I never imagined my master could be so bold and unrestrained, daring to stare so intently at a woman!
But this Aunt Gu wasn't some stunning beauty, so why was Master staring at her so intently from the moment she entered? I couldn't help but look at Aunt Gu. She was around thirty years old, with an average appearance, not even considered pretty, but her eyes were exceptionally beautiful, clear and bright, as if she could see right into your heart when she looked at you.
Could it be that Master has fallen in love? The thought arose in my mind, and I felt my blood boil, as if I had witnessed an iron tree blooming.
Jiang Chen finished writing the prescription and handed it to his master. His master didn't look at it closely, let it air dry in the wind for a few moments, folded it up and put it in his sleeve, and then said to Aunt Gu, "Thank you for your trouble. We'll take our leave now."
Avoiding her master's gaze, Aunt Gu glanced at the shop's items and asked absentmindedly, "Aren't you going to pick out a few clothes before you leave?"
The master looked at her and nodded, "You can choose later."