Chapter 101

After sending Xu Shi away, Shu Huan breathed a sigh of relief. She then went to Bamboo Pavilion to find Ji Danqing to practice painting, and unexpectedly met Gu Xiran there.

It turned out that he was telling the truth when he said that he needed to discuss something with Ji Danqing.

From the moment they returned from the mountain, Shu Huan started drawing illustrations of herbs, and Gu Xiran stayed beside her all this time. In addition to discussing the necessities to plant these herbs, Ji Danqing also drew some images of the common and uncommon herbs that they hadn’t managed to pick the last time.

Ji Danqing was very surprised. "Your family sells fragrances, so if you want to know these things, you can just go back and consult your esteemed father, right? Why ask an outsider like me?"

Gu Xiran smiled. "I don’t want to trouble him or upset my eldest brother."

Ji Danqing was a frequent guest at Gu household, but he wasn’t aware of the trivial matters of the family, but he did know that Master Gu had the intention to pass the family business to Gu Xitian. When he heard Gu Xiran say this, he immediately understood that the latter wanted to avoid arousing suspicions, so he didn’t ask further and just nodded.

As Shu Huan was listening to their conversation, she’d initially wanted to say something, but in the presence of Ji Danqing, it wasn’t very convenient to pose such a question. Furthermore, Gu Xiran was blinking at her meaningfully, so she kept quiet in the end. She would just wait until they got home and then ask him. As such, she turned around and went to look for Shang Xin.

As she got to Shang Xin’s room, Shu Huan saw her holding a brush and scribbling something on a paper. When Shang Xin saw her come in, she panicked and immediately discarded the brush in her hand. She crumbled the paper into a ball and hid it behind her.

Unfortunately, Shu Huan had already seen that paper, so it was useless for her to hide it.

Shu Huan was surprised. She stared at her and asked, "You’re literate?"

A woman’s virtue was to have no talent.

At this period of time, there were also many young ladies from rich families who were illiterate.

Shang Xin panicked for a moment and subconsciously denied, "No...I’m illiterate..."

Although this was the first time Shu Huan had heard Shang Xin say something, she didn’t look very happy. She frowned and stared at her solemnly as she said, "In that case, show me the paper you’ve hidden behind your back."

Shang Xin hesitated for a moment before saying, "No...don’t..."

It must be because she hadn’t spoken for a long time. Her voice was dull and sounded a bit hoarse.

"..."

Meanwhile, Shu Huan simply stared at her in silence.

Feeling her gaze on her, Shang Xin started to feel a bit uneasy. She lowered her head and tightly clenched the ball of paper in her hand.

After a while, Shu Huan sighed and said, "I don’t know what you’ve experienced to make you so wary of other people, but you’ve been living here for a while. Do you still think that we’ll harm you in some way?"

Shang Xin didn’t speak, but she shook her head.

Shu Huan didn’t force her and only said, "I was only a bit surprised when I saw you write. I didn’t mean to probe. If you don’t want to talk about what you had experienced before, you can also bury it in your heart. Even if you feel that you are not used to living here, you can also leave..."

When she talked till here, Shang Xin stood up in panic and said, "I...don’t...don’t want to leave..."

When Shu Huan saw her panicked face, she couldn’t help but laugh, "That is it! If you don’t want to leave, it’s very important to communicate. It’s not to let you talk about what you have experienced before, but it’s to let you learn to communicate with others in words. After all, you aren’t living in the barren hills now. There are people around you. You have to make many of your thoughts clear for others to know."

Shang Xin lowered her head as if she was thinking.

Shu Huan continued, "For example little fourth. If he makes you angry, you should tell him clearly. He being like that will only make you dislike him. You can be like just now; when I wanted to look at the paper in your hand, you can just tell me that you don’t want to let me look at it. If you don’t say it out loudly, it’s easy for people to misunderstand and perhaps will force you to do things you don’t want to do."

Shang Xin nodded hesitantly and didn’t speak.

Shu Huan stared at her with interest, "What do you want to say?"

"I..." Shang Xin hesitated repeatedly and then tried to open her mouth. "I...want to help do some things..."

Shu Huan laughed and then looked at her, "Is it that the days are too idle and boring or are you afraid that if you don’t do something, I will drive you out?"

She was tempting Shang Xin on purpose to speak more. As long as she could talk smoothly, there would be no more psychological barrier when speaking.

Sure enough, this time Shang Xin answered quickly, "You...saved me. I can’t be a freeloader..."

Shu Huan was a bit startled. She hasn’t spoken yet when Shang Xin knelt, kowtowed and said, "Second young mistress...take me in as a maid...I don’t...want to go back..."

She didn’t say the reason why she didn’t want t to go back, but she had opened the paper ball in her hand, lowered her head and handed Shu Huan the paper with both hands.

Shu Huan looked at it. There were only two words written repeatedly on the paper...

Jiang Yuqing.

Two graceful and poetic words.

"Jiang Yuqing," As Shu Huan slowly read it, she pulled her (SX) up and asked, "Your name?"

"Mm." Shang Xin lowered her head even more. Shu Huan didn’t know whether it was because she (SX) had a load on her mind or because she was shy.

"A good name," Shu Huan smiled slightly. "Then, from today one, let’s call you Yuqing."

Who would’ve thought that Shang Xin would panic immediately, shook her head and say, "Don’t!"

She didn’t explain why not and only looked pleadingly and helplessly at Shu Huan.

Although, Shu Huan was a bit curious, but she didn’t ask. She only nodded and said, "Alright."

Shang Xin let out a sigh of relief, "Then, I will follow you to serve you."

After speaking some more words, her speech rate and tone gradually became normal.

Shu Huan said solemnly, "I can’t stay forever at the resort. One day, I have to return to Gu residence. Here, I can still decide on everything, but when I go back, I don’t have the freedom to act independently. Moreover, Gu residence is not a place who lets anyone enter. If you want to follow me, a slave contract is indispensable. Also, you may suffer grievances. It’s better for you to think it through before you decide."

"I...," Shang Xin wanted to declare where her stand immediately.

Shu Huan put her index finger on her mouth and made a "don’t speak" gesture. "Don’t decide so soon. Your leg hasn’t healed completely yet. It doesn’t matter if you think for ten days or a half month more because there are some things you can’t regret after having decided on.

Shang Xin looked at her in daze and nodded.

While the two were speaking here, Gu Xihe raised the curtain and sneaked in to cause trouble. Fortunately, Shu Huan was watching him at a side. He didn’t do anything outrageous this time. He only complained that he didn’t want return to Gu residence first and that he wanted to stay at the resort for a while more. However, he also knew that Gu Xiran could not return but he couldn’t. Old madam wouldn’t agree. Hence, Shu Huan only persuaded him a bit. Although, he was unwilling, but he could only nod.

Although, he agreed, he was still bargaining, "I will go back a day before the Mid-Autumn festival!"

Shu Huan shook her head, "No, it’s too rushed then."

"Then, two days before?"

Shu Huan felt funny listening to this. She was just about to answer when she heard a voice at the door say faintly, "You will return tomorrow."

Gu Xihe turned and saw that it was Gu Xiran. He called dejectedly, "Second big brother..."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

His voice was full of helplessness and grievances.

Gu Xiran walked to him, patted his head and said laughingly, "Two days before, the residence sent people with a letter, saying that master and eldest big brother would leave after the Mid-Autumn festival. You should go back to keep them company two days in advance and also make old madam and master happy. You only have to endure a few days. After master have left, you can do whatever you want."

Gu Xihe didn’t say anything after hearing this.

Gu Xiran laughed and didn’t bother with him anymore. He grabbed Shu Huan’s hand, held it and said, "Wife, let’s go back."

This was simply making a public display of affection!

Shu Huan helplessly casted him a glance and followed him.

They just walked to the door when she heard Gu Xihe say to Shang Xin, "Did you see? There aren’t many loving couples like my second big brother and second sister-in-law in this world!"

It was only holding hands. It was a very normal thing. Was it worth praising with such a flaunting tone?

Shu Huan blushed, quickly quickened her steps and left like she was fleeing.