"She really knows how to..."
Before finishing the sentence, Gu Jinghui turned around and strode out of the courtyard.
Gu Shiliu hurriedly followed, panting, "Marquis, you..."
Wasn't the Marquis going to ask about what he asked him to find out this morning? Why did he suddenly want to leave again?
Gu Jinghui walked a few more steps, then paused, turned his head, and asked Gu Shiliu, "In Madam's eyes, am I someone who doesn't keep his word?"
Gu Shiliu: "..."
How was he supposed to answer that?
The fact was, the Marquis was busy with Lady Zhao and her children, leaving his wife aside.
Even his own parents said the Marquis was confused.
Gu Shiliu wasn't sure what the Marquis was thinking. He hesitantly asked, "What did the Marquis promise Madam?"
Gu Jinghui was taken aback and after a moment said, "To come back and have dinner with Madam."
Gu Shiliu just kept running around in circles after Gu Jinghui.
"Marquis, weren't you going to ask about this morning..."
Gu Jinghui strode into the courtyard looking for Qin Yuan, not having the patience to listen to him finish, and irritably waved his hand, saying, "Alright, alright, we'll talk next time."
Exhausted, Gu Shiliu found a spot outside the porch to rest.
Not long after Gu Jinghui entered, Qiujie came over, swaying with a list of gifts.
"Sister Qiuju, are you looking for Madam?"
Qiujie laughed, "So, the Marquis is willing to come back?"
Gu Shiliu let out an awkward laugh; even Sister Qiuju, who was by the Old Madam's side, knew about the Master's affairs. "Did Madam complain?"
Qiujie shook her head, "Madam just entered the mansion, how could she complain to the Old Madam? The Old Madam likes Madam, so she had Nanny Rong find out."
Gu Shiliu was a bit embarrassed for his master.
Qiujie said, "I won't talk much with you, the Old Madam asked me to bring the list of return gifts for the Marquis and Madam to review."
"The Marquis just went inside, why don't you wait outside for a while?"
Qiujie ignored him and walked straight to the front yard, softly said, "The Old Madam ordered me to deliver the return gift list, please inform them."
The maid serving outside hurried inside, and after a short while, Hong Ye came out and said, "Madam invites Miss Qiu Ju inside."
Entering the inner chamber, Qiujie saw Madam was helping the Marquis change clothes.
The Marquis, who usually did everything personally without needing maids' help, stretched out his arms, letting Madam have her way.
He even said, "Why didn't you wait for me to come back to arrange the matters at Wutong Garden?"
In that tone, Qiujie sensed a coming storm.
While tidying the Marquis's collar, the Marchioness softly and slowly said, "I had nothing to do and didn't know when the Marquis would return, so I went to mother's to chat. Mother gave me many things and had Nanny Rong help me straighten out Wutong Garden, saying since I've just arrived and am not familiar with the mansion's situations, the fences should be secured properly to prevent any cats or dogs from casually wandering in."
Qiujie's heart skipped a beat.
She really came at a bad time.
The room had already darkened, and Marquis Gu's face was half-shrouded in shadow, his eyelids half-open, long eyelashes casting deep shadows, giving an unpredictable impression.
The Marchioness didn't mind him, calmly instructing Hong Ye and Cui Ming, "Quickly light the lamps."
One by one, the room's lamps were lit.
Seeing the Marchioness looking at her, Qiujie hurriedly bowed and said, "Madam, this is the return gift list sent by the Old Madam, asking the Marquis and Madam to check if there is anything missing."
Qin Yuan didn't ask the maid to fetch it; instead, she took it herself, smiled, and said, "Mother is very thoughtful, I think there's no need to add anything more, this is quite enough. Marquis, what do you think?"
So saying, she handed the list to Gu Jinghui, who was still standing there.
Gu Jinghui frowned, glanced at it in Qin Yuan's hand, and said, "As long as Madam is satisfied, it's fine."
Qin Yuan handed the list back to her, smiling, "Qiuju, please inform the Old Madam that I think everything on the list is great and there's no need to add anything else."
Qiujie responded with a smile.
As she left, Gu Shiliu craned his neck, signaling to her and asked, "How is it?"
Qiujie didn't know what to say either.
The atmosphere inside was quite strange; the Marquis seemed to be holding back some temper, seemingly wanting to be coaxed by someone, but the Marchioness neither provoked nor ignored him, nor did she seem to put much thought into him.
"It's just okay."
Qiujie hurriedly went back to report.
Inside, Gu Jinghui stared into Qin Yuan's eyes and said, "In such a short time, you're already so close, even calling her 'Mother'."
"Mother protects me, of course, I'm close," Qin Yuan seemed to not notice the prick in Gu Jinghui's words or sense any awkwardness, and asked, "Does the Marquis want to have dinner here? I just ordered a table of dishes from the kitchen to reward Nanny Rong. Since Nanny Rong didn't eat, it's just right for the two of us."
Hearing the words 'the two of us', the awkwardness Gu Jinghui felt inexplicably dissipated, and he turned his head slightly, grunted, "Of course I'll eat. If I don't accompany you to dine, what if you get angry and complain to Mother?"
Hong Ye, standing by, couldn't help but roll her eyes.
Qin Yuan laughed, "Mother is really good to me, it feels like a blessing accumulated over eight hundred years to have such a great mother-in-law."
Pricked again, Gu Jinghui frowned, then smiled, gritting his teeth as he asked, "Isn't your husband good to you?"
Qin Yuan smiled and looked at him, not speaking.
Her expression seemed to say, what do you think?
In his heart, Gu Jinghui couldn't bring himself to say the word 'good'.
After a while, Qin Yuan slowly said, "Of course, my husband is good. He is grateful and considerate, and takes great care of Lady Zhao's family."
The dishes were served at this time, and Hong Ye and Cui Ming set them on the rosewood table by the window, inviting them to dine. Qin Yuan said, "You can stay to serve the dishes. After a busy day, I'm too tired to serve the Marquis."
Gu Jinghui's earlier sunny disposition darkened again.
Qin Yuan laughed and nudged him slightly, then began eating by herself. She ate with great relish, as if there was nothing more important in this world than eating.
Seeing how much she enjoyed her meal, Gu Jinghui, who initially didn't want to start, joined in eating.
After dinner, the two of them reclined on their chairs, slowly savoring a cup of Xiangming.
Qin Yuan contentedly sighed in her heart, life at the Marquis Mansion was truly comfortable, even the tea was Huangshan Mist Tea worth a thousand taels per pound.
Why not enjoy it well instead of making oneself upset?
Out of the blue, Gu Jinghui asked her, "Did you really mean what you said just now?"
"What?"
Qin Yuan snapped out of her thoughts, pondering for a moment, not knowing which sentence Gu Jinghui was referring to.
"What you said about me being good... that sentence."
Gu Jinghui was a bit awkward.
Qin Yuan said, "It's the truth."
Gu Jinghui felt a bit happy.
"It's just..."
Curious, Gu Jinghui quickly asked, "Just what?"
Qin Yuan looked at him meaningfully, making him feel a little uneasy before she laughed and said, "Just what, I'll tell you after we return tomorrow."