Chapter 55: The Old Madam’s Proposal
Shao Yao followed the Shizi out of the side gate and quickened her pace when she saw him continue walking. Grasping his robe, she urged, “I need to hurry back for lunch…”
Gu Yanxi paused, a hint of helplessness in his eyes. She had only been staying here for a day, and already she was using words like “go back.” If she stayed longer, would she even remember the way to her own home?
“Remember my new name,” he said. “Call me Yan Ge, and treat me like a normal companion.”
“Can I call you Yan Ge?” she asked, her eyes wide with excitement.
“If I say you can, then you can,” he replied with a smile.
Feeling emboldened, Shao Yao called out cheerfully, “Yan Ge!”
A flicker of emotion crossed Gu Yanxi's eyes, but Shao Yao, with her mind solely focused on her meal, didn’t notice. All she wanted was to be dismissed.
“You’re not wearing your veil,” he reminded her.
Shao Yao instinctively reached up to touch her face. Sure enough, she wasn’t wearing it. She had encountered several people on their way back, and they had all greeted her politely. If they had felt any disgust or fear, she would have sensed it.
But why hadn’t they?
A small smile played on Gu Yanxi’s lips. “Go and eat,” he said.
“Oh,” Shao Yao replied obediently as she turned to leave.
As she walked, she couldn't help but wonder about the servants' reactions. When she reached the gate, she paid close attention to the guards. They bowed to her as usual, carrying out their duties without any hesitation.
As she walked deeper into the courtyard, everyone she met bowed and addressed her as "Miss Shao Yao." The most they did was avoid looking at her, but there was no hint of disgust or dislike on their faces.
Shao Yao’s steps grew lighter and lighter until she was practically skipping. She bounded into her friend’s courtyard, calling out, "Huahua!"
Hua Zhi met her at the door, “Go wash your hands. Liu Xiang, tell Fu Dong to serve lunch.”
“Yes,” Liu Xiang replied.
Shao Yao’s eyes lit up as she spotted her veil on a rack. She tugged on Hua Zhi’s sleeve, her voice filled with excitement. “Huahua, your servants aren’t afraid of my face!”
“Are you happy?” Hua Zhi asked, amused.
Shao Yao nodded vigorously. She was overjoyed. Even at home, she didn’t wear the veil, but it was different. Most people who lived there were her companions, and the servants were trained to behave a certain way. Even so, there had been some gossip at first, until the Shizi had scolded them harshly. But it had only been two days since she had arrived at Hua Zhi’s home!
Hua Zhi’s heart softened at her friend’s puppy-dog eyes. She pulled Shao Yao towards the washbasin, saying, “It’s nothing out of the ordinary. It would be impolite to make a fuss about it.”
Shao Yao smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. She knew it wasn’t ordinary, but if Hua Zhi said it was, then it was.
"From now on, when you come to the Hua residence, you won't need to wear a veil anymore. It's great for blocking the wind in cold weather, but it must be so uncomfortable in the heat."
"Mm, okay."
With no classes in the afternoon, Hua Zhi pulled Shao Yao onto her bed for a nap. When she woke up, she saw Sao Yao curled up on one side, a posture indicative of deep insecurity.
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Blossom in Adversity
AdventureAfter hiding her skills for fifteen years, Hua Zhi thought she could live a peaceful life as a proper daughter of a prestigious family. However, when the Hua family's fortune began to decline, she had to reveal her true abilities to support the crum...