Thinking of this, a faint smile slowly spread across Li Feiqing's lips. She must have fallen for him.
The next morning, Li Feiqing got up and went straight to Gu Qingyun's residence. As soon as she entered, she almost bumped into Zhang Datou.
When Zhang Datou saw that it was her, he trembled slightly, covered his stomach with his hand, and said with a forced smile, "Miss Li, you're here so early?"
Li Feiqing hurriedly asked, "Where is Master Gu? I need to speak with him."
Zhang Datou's expression was ambiguous. He coughed lightly and said in a low voice, "I was invited to a meeting by Valley Master Ye early this morning." Seeing that Li Feiqing's face turned somewhat unpleasant, he quickly said, "Don't worry, Young Master Hua went with the Manor Lord as well."
Li Feiqing's expression softened slightly, and she said, "Okay, then I'll wait here for him to come back."
Zhang Datou cautiously leaned closer and asked, "Miss Li, I'm going to have breakfast. What would you like to eat? I'll make it for you."
Li Feiqing thought for a moment, then clenched her fist and said, "Please make me a bowl of papaya porridge, thank you."
Zhang Datou responded and walked away. As he stepped out the door, he touched his head and muttered to himself, "Why do I feel like there's something wrong with her today?"
Unexpectedly, Gu Qingyun's departure lasted for most of the day. It wasn't until after noon that the maids from Fuliu Valley came to invite Li Feiqing to the main hall for a meal.
As soon as Li Feiqing entered the room, she heard a string of silvery laughter. She saw that Gu Qingyun had already taken her seat, with Ye Hongyun sitting below her. Both of them had smiles on their faces and were chatting very amicably.
Seeing this, Li Feiqing gritted her teeth inwardly. When Ye Hongyun saw her arrive, she stood up and greeted her with a smile, "Miss Li, come and sit down. Master Gu was just talking about you with me."
Li Feiqing remained calm and sat down next to Gu Qingyun, asking, "What about me were you talking about?"
Ye Hongyun said with a grin, "Just as we were talking about how the son of the Old Man of Dragon's Hidden Abode kidnapped you and brought you up the mountain, those two beautiful maids dressed you up again, and that's how you arrived."
Li Feiqing felt extremely embarrassed, her face immediately turning red. She turned and glared fiercely at Gu Qingyun.
Seeing her shyness, Gu Qingyun smiled slightly and changed the subject, saying, "We lost track of time while discussing matters, and it's getting late. You must be hungry. Eat something first."
Li Feiqing picked up her chopsticks listlessly, just as she was about to pick up some food, when Ye Hongyun presented a bowl of soup to Gu Qingyun and said with a smile, "Master Gu, please try this. This is a beef brisket soup that I made myself. I added some herbs that are unique to the valley. It is very beneficial to your health."
Gu Qingyun smiled and said, "Valley Master Ye's hospitality is truly overwhelming." He then reached out and accepted the gift. Ye Hongyun smiled at him, her eyes filled with anticipation.
Feeling stifled, Li Feiqing suddenly reached out and snatched the bowl of soup, gulping it down in one go.
Both Gu and Ye were taken aback upon seeing this. Li Feiqing wiped her mouth with her sleeve, coughed, and said, "I think I was really hungry. I couldn't resist the aroma. Master Gu, please drink this bowl." As she spoke, she pushed a bowl of fish soup in front of Gu Qingyun.
Author's Note: Um, I absolutely did not write this chapter under duress or coercion; it was entirely voluntary.
Why don't you like it?
Although Gu Qingyun was slightly surprised, she didn't say anything. She brought the fish soup to her lips and took a sip. Li Feiqing smiled, rested her chin on her hand, and asked, "Is it good?" Gu Qingyun nodded and smiled at her.
Ye Hongyun seemed to understand something, raised an eyebrow at Li Feiqing, and smiled meaningfully.
Just then, footsteps sounded, and Hua Liran hurried into the room. Ye Hongyun smiled and led him to the table. Hua Liran frowned, his gaze shifting to the empty bowl in front of Li Feiqing, and asked, "Did you drink that?"
Ye Hongyun smiled and said, "This soup was originally prepared for Master Gu, but Miss Li must have been very hungry, so she rushed to drink it all."
Hua Liran responded faintly and then said nothing more.
After they finished lunch, Li Feiqing took the opportunity to lean close to Gu Qingyun and whisper, "Are you free later? I have something I want to tell you, it's very important."
Gu Qingyun hesitated and did not answer, but Ye Hongyun said with a smile, "Master Gu, Young Master Hua, I have thought of some clues about what we talked about during the day. Why don't I take you to see them now?"
Li Feiqing hurriedly said, "I want to go too."
Ye Hongyun did not answer, but just looked at Gu Qingyun with a smile.
Gu Qingyun looked rather helpless and said to Li Feiqing in a low voice, "I promised Valley Master Ye that I would not let anyone else get involved in this matter. We can talk about it when I get back, okay?"
Seeing the smug look on Ye Hongyun's face, Li Feiqing knew she was up to no good. Sulking, she ignored Gu Qingyun and turned to leave the house.
Li Feiqing returned to her residence and waited and waited, but Gu Qingyun did not come to find her. She thought that Ye Hongyun was deliberately delaying and had tricked him. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She felt waves of irritation and paced back and forth in her room.
It wasn't until evening that Ye Hongyun returned, her steps light and her face beaming with smiles.
Seeing her restless appearance, Ye Hongyun chuckled inwardly, but feigned surprise and asked, "Miss Li, why aren't you resting so late? Are you still waiting for Master Gu?"
Li Feiqing gave a light snort and asked, "Where is Gu Qingyun?"
Ye Hongyun smiled and said, "Seeing that it was getting late, he didn't want to disturb your rest, so he went back to rest."
Li Feiqing clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, saying, "You did this on purpose, didn't you?"
Ye Hongyun smiled leisurely and said, "So what if it is?"
Li Feiqing was stunned for a long time before looking at her and slowly saying, "No matter what methods you use, I will never give him to you."
Ye Hongyun was taken aback by what she heard. Seeing Li Feiqing turn around and start packing up the things scattered on the bed, she couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing?"
Li Feiqing said coldly, "Pack your things and move elsewhere. If I stay in the same room with you again, I'm afraid I won't be able to resist picking a fight with you."
Ye Hongyun was a little stunned when she saw her quickly pack a bundle, sling it over her shoulder, and walk out of the room. She rubbed her forehead and muttered, "Looks like she's really angry. Why is this girl so easily teased?"
Li Feiqing, carrying her bundle, stormed out of her residence, intending to find Zhang Datou to rent her an empty room. But when she looked up, she saw a tall, slender figure standing alone in the moonlight. She couldn't help but let out a soft "Eh!" and stopped in her tracks.
Gu Qingyun's face was pale, his eyes were gloomy, and he looked at her quietly. He said in a deep voice, "You really want to leave." Before Li Feiqing could understand what was going on, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her away quickly.
When he finally stopped, Li Feiqing noticed that the surrounding flowers, plants and trees were even more strange, different from what she had seen in the past few days. She knew that they had reached the depths of the valley. Seeing that Gu Qingyun still looked unhappy and was tightly gripping her wrist, Li Feiqing suddenly felt a surge of grievance and said angrily, "You're bullying me!"
Seeing that her eyes were red and she looked like she was about to cry, Gu Qingyun felt sorry for her and quickly let go of her, saying, "How did I bully you?"
Li Feiqing said in a muffled voice, "I want to talk to you, but you always look impatient and make excuses to leave."
Gu Qingyun glanced at the bundle behind her, sighed softly, and said, "So you're planning to leave without saying goodbye?"
Li Feiqing didn't know what he meant, and casually asked, "What?" She was annoyed and before Gu Qingyun could speak, she angrily continued, "Also, it's fine if you like chatting with Valley Master Ye, but why bring up my affairs to make fun of me!"
Gu Qingyun was taken aback and said, "When did I make fun of you?"
Li Feiqing bit her lip and said, "On Dragon Hidden Mountain, Rouxi Yaxi dressed me up in that strange way. You think it's funny, don't you? You have to tell everyone about it."
Gu Qingyun was stunned for a moment, then said helplessly, "I only mentioned this to Master Ye because I saw that she was very popular and had many friends in the martial arts world. I wanted to ask her to find a reliable person for Rou Xi Ya Xi to entrust her life to. Besides... I think you look very charming, so why would I find it funny?"
When Li Feiqing heard him praise her for being charming, her face flushed slightly. Her anger had subsided considerably, but she was still unwilling to give up. She stubbornly insisted, "When you pulled me just now, you looked very fierce and hurt my wrist."
Gu Qingyun was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "I was in a hurry just now, I'm sorry."
Seeing his reaction, Li Feiqing felt a little embarrassed and lowered her head, remaining silent.
Gu Qingyun reached out and took her wrist, gently holding it in her palm, and asked softly, "Does it still hurt?"
Li Feiqing shook her head, feeling both delighted and afraid. She glanced up furtively and saw Gu Qingyun looking down at her with a gleam in her eyes. Feeling shy, she lowered her gaze again.
Gu Qingyun said softly, "Don't go."
Li Feiqing was a little confused and gave a soft "Hmm?" Gu Qingyun said firmly, "I've changed my mind. The engagement won't be canceled, you don't need to leave, and you can't even think about sneaking away."
Li Feiqing seemed to understand something and asked, "Did you think I was planning to leave without saying goodbye just now?"
Gu Qingyun looked at her and said, "Isn't that right?"
Li Feiqing's lips unconsciously curved into a slight smile, a sweet feeling welling up inside her. She whispered, "Why did you suddenly change your mind?"
Gu Qingyun's ears turned slightly red, and after a long while she said, "Don't you understand what I did to you on the deck that day?"
Li Feiqing was both embarrassed and delighted. Gu Qingyun said softly, "I was in a hurry when I saw you were about to leave, so I treated you like that. Are you still angry with me?"
Li Feiqing hurriedly explained, "I really didn't mean to leave just now... I didn't blame you either, I just..." Thinking of how jealous she had been of Ye Hongyun just now, her face couldn't help but turn red.
Seeing her like this, Gu Qingyun understood a bit. He took her wrist, kissed it gently, and looked into her eyes, saying, "You were so angry just now because you have feelings for me?"
Li Feiqing's face flushed, but her gaze was firm. She said softly, "Yes, Gu Qingyun, I've waited all day to tell you that I've fallen for you."
Gu Qingyun looked down at her, a smile slowly spreading across his lips. He reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, then lowered his head to kiss her lips.
Their lips met, and Li Feiqing suddenly let out a "woof" and pushed Gu Qingyun away. Gu Qingyun was startled and saw two streams of blood flowing from Li Feiqing's nose. She touched her face and found it stained with blood as well.
Li Feiqing was so embarrassed that she covered her nose and said, "Um, I definitely didn't get a nosebleed because you were trying to kiss me."
Gu Qingyun couldn't help but chuckle. Suddenly remembering something, she took out a pill from her bosom and handed it to her, saying, "Li Ran originally asked me to bring this medicine for you to take, but I was so busy talking that I forgot."
Li Feiqing took the pill and swallowed it, her eyes filled with confusion. She asked, "Am I poisoned?"
Gu Qingyun smiled slightly, pulled her to sit in his lap, took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped the blood off her face before saying, "It's not poisoning. Li Ran said that the soup Master Ye gave me contained rare herbs from the valley. Drinking it would greatly benefit your internal strength, but your skill level is not high enough. Drinking too much would be too much for you to handle, which is why..." He smiled again as he spoke.
Li Feiqing said angrily, "Ye Hongyun watched me drink it without saying a word to remind me. She really had ill intentions."
Gu Qingyun smiled and said, "You drank so fast that even if she wanted to remind you, it would have been too late."
Li Feiqing rolled her eyes at him and said, "You're still defending her! By the way, I haven't asked you yet why you rushed to Fuliu Valley to find Ye Hongyun after returning from Wuya Island. Is it because she's beautiful, charming... and that?"
Gu Qingyun shook her head helplessly and looked at her, saying, "Whether she's beautiful or not is none of my business. Besides, she's not as beautiful as you."
Li Feiqing couldn't help but smile, then remembered what Zhang Datou had said, tugged at Gu Qingyun's sleeve, and said in a low voice, "But she has a better figure than me. Zhang Datou said that you value figure more."
Gu Qingyun's eyes turned cold, and she said indifferently, "Did Zhang Datou really say that?"
Li Feiqing suddenly became a little worried about Zhang Datou's safety, so she coughed and said, "And that Awang, I've mentioned him before."
Gu Qingyun chuckled softly and lowered her head to say to her, "They haven't even hugged her, how would they know if she has a good figure?"
Li Feiqing's face flushed red. She tried to get up, but Gu Qingyun stopped her. He looked at her with a smile and said in a low voice, "It seems the nosebleed has stopped." As he spoke, he slowly brought his lips closer.
After a series of tentative and passionate exchanges, the two gradually grasped the essence of the experience and both felt themselves entering a state of blissful pleasure, unable to stop. Li Feiqing felt her body growing weaker and weaker until she finally lost her balance and fell backward.
The two rolled on the grass, their eyes meeting. Gu Qingyun smiled slightly and said in a hoarse voice, "Continue." He leaned down to kiss her again, but Li Feiqing gasped softly, her eyes fixed on the grass not far to her left, her face full of surprise.
Gu Qingyun followed her gaze and saw a faint golden light shimmering in the grass. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a bud quietly blooming under the moonlight.
The petals resembled those of a water lily, ivory-white in color, shimmering with golden light. Their blooming form was infinitely delicate and graceful, like a beauty just beginning to intoxicate, her allure fully revealed. Gu Qingyun and Li Feiqing watched from the side, feeling the enchanting shadows of the flowers and the subtle fragrance wafting through the air, momentarily wondering if they were in a dream.
The two exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with astonishment, and exclaimed in unison, "The Moon-Surging Golden Lotus?"
Author's Note: This could be considered a form of seduction... *cough* I'm being sarcastic.
Moonlit Golden Lotus
The two got up, walked forward hand in hand, and looked down at the beautiful flower in full bloom.