Ten Months On

Chapter 32: Gu Li

A/N: I'm really touched by the comments and especially the votes from the few who are so kind to encourage me all the time :)

I'll be off the grid this week so today will be a mass release to make up for it and one extra chapter to celebrate Ten Months On hitting 1k views!

Thank you!!

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A young girl who was at the herbs institute's counter sneezed.

Su Chen rubbed her nose as she wondered if that pervert was still looking for her.

It has been three month since she managed to slip away by following a travelling doctor on the road as his apprentice. In her third month, she had unluckily been found by that yatou Yuan when the doctor made her replenish his stash of herbs. But luckily, she managed to con Yuan to mislead the other Silver Wolf members. Su Chen was not a noble miss any longer. Yuan had to live her own life someday, and Xiao Qiang (Jun Qiang) would be a good fit for her.

For some bizarre reason, ever since she followed the doctor on his journey, she had grown by 10cm.

She was obviously at the age where she should no longer be growing, but the doctor had said that she was poisoned. In her meridians, someone had placed a poison patch when she was young that inhibited growth.

From then on, Su Chen had been following the middle-aged solemn doctor around the country while getting continuous treatment.

To be honest, she was surprised that Yuan managed to recognise her. But she had changed even more as the doctor continued to treat her.

She was far different from her small figure from before.

No longer as short with a more full figure despite remaining slender, and sharper lines on her face, Su Chen's beauty was mesmerising.

To be honest, she had appreciated how she had looked before, no matter if it was average, and did not really care to change her looks, but the doctor had cautioned her that if the poison was left in her body, it would assimilate inside her organs, reducing her life span.

Hence, she had decided to follow this eccentric person around as his assistant.

When Su Chen thought about Shen Yi, she did feel a twinge of pain in her heart. If she was to say she was not moved by him, that would be a lie.

But after the divorce, she had learnt to value her freedom and did not want to be a slave to feelings. She needed to grow more. She was not going to live a life for others anymore. She was going to live for herself.

And save money for her harem of young boys.

Yet, remembering what that pervert did reallly made one deeply unhappy. Deeply angry. Deeply furious!!

But her angry thoughts were interrupted by the loud angry sounds behind her. Su Chen turned to see a brash servant arguing with a Young Master of another household.

Su Chen averted her eyes and kept her face low. Although her face was hidden by a hat and veil and she had worn slightly manlier clothing, she did not want to draw attention to herself. All she needed to do was grab some herbs before the doctor and they will leave for another obscure village.

"Master Gu. This servant has said already that Young Master He Xian needs the cordyceps you have just bought. Can Master Gu please gift the cordyceps to the He Family? Mayor He will be really grateful."

The servant spoke courteous words but his brash tone made the people around them who were listening to crinkle their nose and mouth in distaste. Who has ever heard such a rude servant before? To ask for a request so loudly and yet his actions showed he did not care about the person whom he was asking a favour from.

Gu Li looked down on such hooligan actions.

The He Family was really too much. He once again felt deep regret that his grandfather had given his responsibilities away to the He Family to be the next governers of North Wind.

Gu Li kept quiet, his arms behind his back as the He servant continued to rain curses upon him. Finally, without a word, he ignored the man and walked away as the crowd dispersed.

The He servant trembled with anger and walked away huffily.

Yet Su Chen sighed in resignation.

Gu Li found himself being stopped by a slender lithe finger who bowed cautiously, keeping his/her (?) face hidden.

"Young Master Gu. This humble servant has a debt to pay to you and would like to give a warning." A low voice seemed to indicate this figure was a male, yet this slender disposition was rare among men unless this person was a weak scholar. But what debt was this person referring to?

Gu Li somberly replied, "If gentleman wants to warn me of the He Family's revenge, you do not need to worry. Mayor He will not do anything to me."

Su Chen kept her face and body low.

"Young Master Gu. This servant is acquainted with Miss Mei Ren from Stork Pavillion and is aware of how Young Master Gu had helped to manage ruffians several times for my sworn sister."

Gu Li furrowed his eyebrows but continued to listen patiently.

Su Chen sighed at her actions but came closer and talked lowly, not allowing others to listen in

"This one has some medical knowledge. The cordyceps in Young Master's hands are not real. This one advises you to check the goods in your hands before giving to Senior Gu."

Gu Li's eyebrows raised in surprise before surreptitiously glancing at the box in his hands.

"This one just wants to warn Young Master. Farewell."

Su Chen nodded then left with her bags of herbs.

To think that a reputable herb establishment would dare to scheme against the Gu Family, even working with He Family to shed suspicions off them by making the servant act as if the goods in Gu Li's hands were authentic and desirable.

Remembering the old sickly Patriarch Gu, she sighed.

Politics in the capital were not things she wanted to be involved in again. But she will take it that she has repaid what Gu Li has done for her people.

Su Chen walked away but unbeknownst to her, someone was watching her in the shadows.

An ecstatic smile played on the handsome man's lips.

"I've finally found you."