Long Feiye and Gu Beiyue were already at the door, but neither Han Yunxi nor Lil Thing noticed as they glared at each other. Abruptly, Han Yunxi straightened up and pointed a finger at the squirrel.
“Well well, Lil Thing. You don’t think you’re wrong, do you?”
Lil Thing didn’t under what Mama Yunxi was saying, but it more or less guessed that she was blaming it for bullying Fourth Young Miss Ren. It didn’t pick on her, not really, when it hadn’t even touched her a bit. At most, it was trying to scare the girl. It could yield to Mama Yunxi on a hundred other things, but not this one! It wanted Mama Yunxi to know that it didn’t like Fourth Young Miss Ren, much less want her to fantasize about the gentleman.
Lil Thing placed its claws against the table before arching forward to cheep noisily at Han Yunxi.
“I see! You’ve gotten so bold after we just reunited! Are you rebelling?” Han Yunxi demanded.
“Cheep…!” Lil Thing cheeped loudly.
“I’ll give you one last chance. Admit your wrongs! Will you or won’t you?” Han Yunxi asked, then added, “Otherwise, the consequences will be severe!”
Lil Thing could hear the warning tone in Mama Yunxi’s voice, but it didn’t understand any details. It stood up on its hnd legs to look at her doubtfully. Seeing this, Han Yunxi grew doubtful too. Did it get my threats or not?
Han Yunxi thought of something before rolling up her sleeve to reveal the priceless jade crystal bracelet. She fomed one hand into a fist while touching the bracelet with her fingers and fixing Lil Thing with a cold look. Lil Thing stared and stared before its fur stood on end. At last, it understood her threat.
“What does she mean by that?” Long Feiye was clueless.
Han Yunxi and Lil Thing whipped their heads over. As soon as Lil Thing saw Long Feiye, it flew to the ceiling rafters and curled up into a furball. After learning the truth about Lustbite energy, Lil Thing feared Long Feiye more than ever. It didn’t count the man’s “hug” as the real thing. For all it knew, they’d only bumped briefly.
“Princess is using Your Highness’s name to warn Lil Thing!” Gu Beiyue smiled as he walked inside.
Long Feiye’s gaze swept past the ceiling rafters, but he quickly shelved the topic. “Have you finished packing your things.”
“I had Mingxiang organize them for me. I can leave any time, what about Qishao?” Han Yunxi asked.
“No need to mind him,” Long Feiye’s attitude was as frigid as ever to avoid leave any traces.
“Are we going right now?” Han Yunxi asked. Scheduling their departure was still different from leaving in real life. She suddenly felt reluctant to leave Gu Beiyue behind.
“Mm. If you’re tired, rest a bit. Otherwise, we’ll set off,” Long Feiye replied.
Gu Beiyue was standing to the side, looking up at Lil Thing while beckoning it with his hand. Lil Thing would rather throw itself into the gentleman’s chest. It always used to hide in its arms to avoid Papa Long. But now it couldn’t bear to while knowing the gentleman’s chest still sported scars. They were remnants of his four claw marks.
“What’s wrong with Lil Thing?” Gu Beiyue smiled helplessly.
Lil Thing could be dazzled all day simply staring at the gentleman’s smile. It was so soft and warm and lovely, like spring sunshine upon Earth making all the flowers bloom. Meanwhile, Han Yunxi told them all about Lil Thing bullying Fourth Young Miss Ren.
“What do you think is wrong with it?” Han Yunxi asked helplessly.
Long Feiye wasn’t interested in the topic one bit. He had already started packing up his desk. Han Yunxi was the only one allowed to pack his things but she was pregnant now, so he’d forbidden her from touching his things. Gu Beiyue had infinite patience towards Lil Thing and smiled as he beckoned to it again.
This is the second time! Lil Thing couldn’t resist and leaped down from the ceiling, but chose to land on Gu Beiyue’s shoulder, then ran down his arm to sit in his hand.
Han Yunxi felt helplessly. “Give it a good talk. It has to stay here. If it doesn’t learn its lesson, it might end up pestering Fourth Young Miss Ren everyday!”
As Lil Thing had eaten the poison fruits, it also possessed an undying body that could help out Gu Qishao and Gu Beiyue. Just like the past, Gu Beiyue teased Lil Thing’s ears and tail with his index finger. Lil Thing knew that Mama Yunxi had tattled about its wrongs, so it sat there waiting for the gentleman to interrogate it. But he simply continued to smile and tease him as if nothing had happened. Lil Thing was perturbed at fist, but it gradually relaxed before the gentleman’s warm smile.
Han Yunxi looked at them doubtfully and asked, “Gu Beiyue, this is how you’re talking to it?”
Gu Beiyue replied, “Lil Thing probably dislikes Fourth Young Miss Ren. I’ll tell someone to keep her visits sparse in the future.”
“Fourth Young Miss Ren is your most able assistant…” Han Yunxi reminded him.
Although she was Lil Thing’s master, she couldn’t let Gu Beiyue spoil it so much!
“It’s fine. She can simply find Vice Academy Head Shen, who can better call the shots,” Gu Beiyue said lightly. “The Ren Clan will marry her off sooner or later.”
Han Yunxi wasn’t very clear on the factions of Medical City, but she could hear the inklings from Gu Beiyue’s words. Fourth Young Miss Ren was a friend worth making, but her Ren Clan was the second most powerful family in Medical City. Thanks to Gu Yuntian’s affair, the Gu Clan fell and it took its place at the top.
“Whatever you say goes,” Han Yunxi gave up. “But Lil Thing wouldn’t dislike someone for no reason, right?”
“There must be a reason. How about you ask it after it recovers?” Gu Beiyue grinned. “It didn’t hurt Fourth Young Miss Ren, right?”
“Nothing as bad as that. It just scared her,” Han Yunxi said honestly.
“Then that’s good. I’ll keep an eye out so it doesn’t run about in the future. Later on, I’ll give her an apology,” Gu Beiyue concluded.
A passerby who overheard might assume Lil Thing was Gu Beiyue’s pet instead of Han Yunxi’s. Lil Thing remained ignorant of their conversation, but it knew the gentleman wasn’t angry. Someone as good-tempered as him would rarely get angry, it reasoned.
After Gu Beiyue and Han Yunxi chattered casually for a bit, Chu Xifeng showed up.
“Your Highness, princess, the carriage is waiting out the back. It can leave at any time.”
Long Feiye had finished packing as well. Without wasting words, he simply told Gu Beiyue, “No need to send us off.”
“The state of those blood samples change often, so you should hurry back to the study. Don’t escort us, just have Xu Donglin report the latest updates,” Han Yunxi added.
“Safe journeys,” Gu Beiyue said simply and respectfully cupped his hands. Silently, he wished, Princess, I hope this subordinate can give you good news before the little master is born.
There were four months left to his birth. If Gu Qishao couldn’t be cured before then, he wouldn’t have much hope left.
Han Yunxi was clueless to the pains of Gu Beiyue’s heart. She hugged Lil Thing and couldn’t help lecturing, “Be good and listen to him. Don’t think you can act as you please just because Gu Beiyue spoils you! If I come back to hear someone tattling on you again…” She narrowed her eyes, leaned in close, and muttered, “Then I’ll stuff you into Long Feiye’s sleeve!”
Lil Thing was completely left in the dark. However, the sight of Han Yunxi’s evil grin made it nod furiously in response.
Gu Beiyue really didn’t send them off. Once the group left the doors, he carried Lil Thing with him back to the study. Time was tight!
Meanwhile, nobody mentioned Gu Qishao. Han Yunxi and Long Feiye had already set out for four hours when he caughtup to them on horseback. It was lunchtime now and he was carrying a large bundle of things on his back. One hand held an oversized basket of food. Besides Han Yunxi, even the driver and guards were happy to see him. With Gu Qishao here, they didn’t have to eat dry rations or make fires to cook the princess hot food.
Gu Qishao took out a single box from his basket and presented it to Han Yunxi with a smile. “Here!”
Long Feiye took it for her and opened it up to see four dishes and one soup, the ingredients arranged with excellent taste. Both the colors and flavors complemented each other perfectly. Judging from the portions, it was meant for two people and even had matching chopstick pairs.
Han Yunxi wasn’t hungry until she saw the fancy lunchbox. Throwing away all pretense, she dug in.
“What are you looking at? The other portion’s for you. I came here after I ate my fill,” Gu Qishao said before handing over the basket of food to Chu Xifeng. “Split these up with the other fellows.”
Chu Xifeng was rather taken aback. Since when has Gu Qishao been so generous? He’s never brought food for anyone besides the princess before.
“We’re heading different ways, so this is the only time we’re traveling together! Nothing there will poison you to death!” Gu Qishao chuckled.
“I’m not afraid of your poison,” Chu Xifeng retorted as he accepted the basket.
Long Feiye alternated between eating his lunchbox and staring at Gu Qishao’s back, his gaze complicated. After lunch, they had a rest break before continuing the trip. As usual, Gu Qishao chose to ride on ahead on horseback. When Han Yunxi fell asleep, Long Feiye silently descended the carriage and took Chu Xifeng’s horse to catch up to the man.
Long expecting this, Gu Qishao slowed his pace before he finally stopped.
Long Feiye got straight to the point. “Your arm!”
“It’s not like you’ll understand what’s going on. Don’t be so nosy,” Gu Qishao turned towards him with a smile that was asking for a beating.
“Do you believe me when I say this crown prince will cut off your hand?” Long Feiye asked in a heavy tone.
If this was the past, Gu Qishao would still be smug, but now...Long Feiye really had the skills. He glanced back and saw the carriage was still far behind, then rolled up his sleeve to reveal his arm. At the sight, Long Feiye violently sucked in a cold breath.
This is even worse than I thought!
He saw…