Chapter 241: Mr. Xu
Gu Fei collapsed to the ground, watching as Housekeeper Wu, flanked by several servants, went through a small door into the rear courtyard of the Prince Qi Mansion up ahead.
She pushed herself up from the ground and looked at her left palm. The skin was scraped off, and it was smeared with sand and dust—a messy mixture of black and red.
Her expression grim, she started walking back. ’I never thought this Housekeeper Wu would be so hard to deal with.’
’Judging by what he said, if I don’t close the shop this morning, is he going to take matters into his own hands this afternoon?’
’What is he planning to do?’
Gu Fei quickened her pace, and it was nearly half an hour before she got back to the inn.
Just as she reached the entrance, a horse-drawn carriage pulled to a stop.
An elegant, handsome young man stepped out of the carriage. Gu Fei froze for a second—it was Su Chen!
Su Chen saw Gu Fei as well, his eyes filled with a delight he couldn’t hide. "M— Miss Gu—"
Gu Fei smiled faintly and gave him a curtsy. "Young Master Su."
Just then, another young man stepped out of the carriage.
The man’s eyes lit up when he saw Gu Fei. "So, your surname is Gu."
Gu Fei glanced at the man—he looked somewhat familiar. After a moment of thought, she realized. ’Isn’t this the young master who found Lan Zhi’s handkerchief during the Lantern Festival?’
Young Master Su gestured to the man and said, "This is my classmate from the academy, Mr. Xu."
"Have you two... met?"
Mr. Xu tapped the folding fan in his hand against his other palm and smiled. "I had the good fortune of running into Miss Gu on the street during the Lantern Festival."
As they were talking, Lian’er came out. She was startled when she saw Gu Fei. "Miss, where on earth did you fall?"
She began brushing the dust off Gu Fei’s skirt as she spoke.
As she was brushing her off, Lian’er let out a soft cry. "Oh, Miss, your hand is all scraped!"
Only then did Su Chen notice Gu Fei’s left hand, covered in dust and streaked with blood. His heart clenched. He quickly said to Lian’er, "Quick, help your lady inside."
Lian’er immediately reached out to support her, but Gu Fei just smiled. "I don’t need help. Just go get a basin of water for me to wash my hands." She headed inside, and Lian’er hurried off to fetch the water.
Lan Zhi, who had been craning her neck from behind the counter to peer outside, heard that Gu Fei was hurt. She immediately put down her embroidery hoop, rushed out, and took Gu Fei’s arm to help her to a seat. "Oh my, how did you fall so badly? Where did you go so early this morning?"
Standing nearby, Mr. Xu’s face suddenly broke into a delighted smile when he saw Lan Zhi. "So you’re here, too."
Lan Zhi looked at him in confusion.
Seeing that Lan Zhi clearly didn’t recognize him, Mr. Xu flicked open his folding fan. "Surely you remember? The Lantern Festival. I picked up your handkerchief."
Only then did Lan Zhi remember. She curtsied to Mr. Xu, then turned slightly away from him and fell silent.
Lian’er came out with the water, and Gu Fei washed her hand. Lan Zhi then took a needle from the lapel of her dress and started to pick out the sand embedded in the broken skin.
Su Chen watched from the side. With every flick of the needle in Lan Zhi’s hand, his own heart gave a little tremor.
When all the sand had been picked out, he involuntarily let out a long sigh of relief.
Lian’er brought some ointment and clean cloth strips, and Lan Zhi carefully bandaged Gu Fei’s hand.
As for Mr. Xu, he seemed completely mesmerized, his gaze glued to Lan Zhi’s face.
When Lan Zhi finished bandaging Gu Fei’s hand, she looked up and suddenly met Mr. Xu’s gaze. Her face reddened slightly. Then, as if recalling something, she looked annoyed, got up, and went back to the counter, lowering her head to her embroidery work.
Mr. Xu made no attempt to hide it, his gaze still following Lan Zhi.
Gu Fei found it impossible to pretend she hadn’t noticed. ’That stare is just too brazen.’ Her brow furrowed, and she cleared her throat. "Mr. Xu!"