Chapter 162: Gossip
In the evening, Wan Jing followed Li Xiaonan into the cart. Before she could even settle in, she asked with a gossipy expression, “Do you know who spoke to me during lunch?”
“Who?” Li Xiaonan helped Wan Jing with her skirt, urging her to sit properly.
“Yin Xing, the head maid by our cousin girl’s side!” Wan Jing chuckled a few times.
“She doesn’t usually talk to you? It’s unusual?” Li Xiaonan asked.
“She doesn’t talk to me much, but it’s not exactly unusual.” Wan Jing sat next to Li Xiaonan. “I never intended to work in the manor since I was young. After the Young Lord appointed me to manage the fabric storeroom, I followed him south within days, so I’m not familiar with anyone in the inner court.
“Those who are to work in the manor are summoned within the second gate from the age of seven or eight. Those of similar age have grown up together.
“When Yin Xing was a third-class maid by the cousin girl’s side, she often accompanied the cousin girl to our manor. She even stayed for half a year sometimes. Yin Xing is quite familiar with many people in our manor, just not with me.”
“You seem like an outsider, it must be tough.” Li Xiaonan patted Wan Jing’s arm.
Wan Jing was similar to when she transferred schools in the third year of junior high. Almost all the girls in the class had been classmates from elementary school to junior high. She was an outsider who had suddenly arrived. They never excluded her, but there was no need to exclude her; their growth histories were shared, and hers was completely different.
“I think it’s fine; no friendship means no grudges. My mother also says it’s good this way. Guess what Yin Xing told me?”
Wan Jing and Li Xiaonan put their heads together.
“What did she say? Is your Young Lord getting engaged?”
“No! It’s about Miss Shi, and it’s also about our Young Lord.” Wan Jing giggled.
“Tell me quickly!”
“Yin Xing first sighed, saying her young lady had been very worried lately. I didn’t respond, as I’m not familiar with her, right?
“Yin Xing then said her young lady was worried that Miss Shi might do something rash and was anxious every day. Hearing this, I also became a bit worried; Miss Shi’s state is not good.
“Then Yin Xing said that early this morning, Miss Shi was staring blankly at a folding fan. Yin Xing even asked me to guess why Miss Shi was staring at a folding fan, but I didn’t guess.
“Yin Xing said that the fan’s surface was painted by our Young Lord! This time I couldn’t help but ask what he painted.
“Yin Xing said he painted a cluster of orchids on a cliff, saying our Young Lord used to often praise Miss Shi as a secluded orchid, with noble character and fragrant virtue, tsk!”
Wan Jing made loud “tsk” sounds a few times.
“Miss Shi is like a secluded orchid? I don’t think so; I think she’s like bamboo. Her leaves can cut ghosts, her stalks can be sharpened to kill people, and her roots spread everywhere underground, choking the life out of big trees.” Li Xiaonan also made a “tsk” sound.
“I think so too! Our Young Lord~” Wan Jing drew out her words, giggling.
“His eyes are quite blind. Continue,” Li Xiaonan urged.
“Yin Xing said our Young Lord and Miss Shi used to be very close. She said her young lady couldn’t believe that our Young Lord had broken off Miss Shi’s engagement, saying they couldn’t believe it. Yin Xing also said,” Wan Jing lowered her voice, “our Young Lord has really wronged Miss Shi.”
“It is quite tragic,” Li Xiaonan said, genuinely sympathetic.
“Yin Xing said her young lady wanted to comfort Miss Shi but didn’t know how. If you say there are plenty of fish in the sea, you really can’t find someone like our Young Lord. If you say to move on, how can one move on from this?
“Yin Xing said her young lady once said that if this happened to her, she definitely wouldn’t want to live. Her young lady is very worried about Miss Shi.”
“It is quite worrying,” Li Xiaonan sighed, thinking of Miss Shi’s gaunt appearance.
“Yin Xing said her young lady and the Second Madam take turns watching Miss Shi, not daring to leave her sight for a moment, alas.” Wan Jing let out a long sigh.
“I think if your Young Lord were already engaged, or had already married someone, Miss Shi might be better. Once the heart is completely broken, one can live on.”
“But our Young Lord insists on dragging it out. Who knows what our Young Lord is thinking? Perhaps one day he’ll turn around and want to marry Miss Shi again.” Wan Jing pouted.
“Your Young Lord is quite erratic; you really can’t say for sure.” Li Xiaonan agreed.
“Exactly! Shi Gun thinks our Young Lord is often erratic, and I think so too. You’ve also felt it, right? You can’t say for sure!” Wan Jing made a “tsk” sound.
As the two were making “tsk” sounds with their heads together, the cart door slammed shut, and the cart stopped abruptly.
Li Xiaonan fell onto Wan Jing. Wan Jing reacted much faster than Li Xiaonan, grabbing Li Xiaonan and immediately sitting up straight, her smile completely gone.
The cart door was pulled open, and Gu Yan waved his whip, signaling Wan Jing to get out.
Li Xiaonan’s eyes widened involuntarily.
When did he arrive? Did he hear them talking? He had a history of this!
Seeing Gu Yan step in, Li Xiaonan met him head-on and asked, “Were you eavesdropping on us?”
“How can you speak like that!” Gu Yan retorted irritably.
“You heard everything?” Li Xiaonan asked again.
“Am I that kind of person? Is that how you see me?” Gu Yan poured himself a cup of tea.
Li Xiaonan frowned, looking at Gu Yan. After a moment, she bowed slightly and confirmed, “You really didn’t hear?”
Gu Yan snorted and tilted his head, drinking the tea in his cup.
Li Xiaonan breathed a slight sigh of relief. “You just happened to run into us? You just returned from Pingjiang City? Wan Jing said you were very busy.”
“Yes. Did you have dinner with Wei Si and the others today as well?” Gu Yan asked.
“Not today. What’s wrong?” Li Xiaonan relaxed.
“Miss Shi isn’t doing well, is she?” Gu Yan asked.
Li Xiaonan nodded.
“If you have a chance, please try to persuade Miss Shi for me. I have no fate with her. Tell her to move on and quickly find a good family to marry into; she’s not young anymore.” Gu Yan said.
“Me?” Li Xiaonan pointed at her own nose in disbelief.
“It’s just you and me in this cart. Who else is there besides you?” Gu Yan asked irritably.
“How should I persuade her? ‘There are plenty of fish in the sea’? ‘Out with the bad, in with the good’? ‘No man is good’?” Li Xiaonan asked in a rapid-fire manner.
“Whatever you want!” Gu Yan replied curtly, then frowned and asked, “Who told you that no man is good? Where did you hear such nonsense?”
“Miss Shi is such a smart person; she must understand all sorts of reasoning. Who can persuade her?
“You’re not engaged yet, and you could suddenly break off an engagement for no reason. Who knows if you’ll go back for seconds? If I persuade her to marry someone else, and then you… well, decide Miss Shi is still the best, then I’ll be caught in the middle. I won’t persuade her.” Li Xiaonan flatly refused.
“I have someone I intend to marry, and that person is definitely not Miss Shi. Don’t worry, there’s no going back. Please persuade her well, tell her to cheer up, and preferably find a family and marry quickly. If you persuade her for me, whether it succeeds or not, I’ll owe you a favor. My favors are very valuable.” Gu Yan said seriously.
“I won’t persuade her to marry quickly or anything like that. At most, I’ll persuade her to think more positively.” Li Xiaonan considered.
“Fine. As long as she doesn’t continue to be like this, as long as she can recover her health and make the journey back to the Capital City, as long as she can be safely sent back to the Shi family, then everything will be fine.” Gu Yan sighed in annoyance.
Li Xiaonan glanced sideways at Gu Yan, her lips twitching downwards, and snorted.
He was so close to Miss Shi back then, and now he’s turned his back like this.
Ha! Men!
