Chapter 298: I Have Something to Ask
Young Master Zhou and Sister Dan stood to the side, exchanging a glance. ’Who is this young master?’
Sister Dan’s eyes lit up. Just by standing there, the young master was as graceful as a cool breeze under a bright moon, so handsome it was impossible to look away.
’He must be someone of high standing.’
Gu Fei quickly said, "Young Master Su, you should at least stay for dinner. You slept for half the day and haven’t even had lunch."
Su Chen offered a gentle smile. "That won’t be necessary. Your shop is busy, Miss. I’ll come visit you again during the festival."
With that, two servants escorted Su Chen as they pushed their way out of the crowd.
Young Master Zhou smiled at Gu Fei. "I knew you’d win this lawsuit."
’There wasn’t a shred of doubt.’
Sister Dan, meanwhile, discreetly glanced at Lan Zhi. ’This girl seems quite innocent,’ she thought. ’Not at all flirtatious or brazen. She doesn’t seem like she came from a place like that.’
Several people in the crowd were pointing and whispering about Lan Zhi. To them, the Imperial Music Bureau was the stuff of legend.
They had heard that the women there were mostly the relatives of convicted officials, each one a heavenly beauty. One look at Lan Zhi’s face was enough to know the rumors were true.
Lan Zhi kept her head down. Even without looking, she could feel the curious and contemptuous stares of the people around her.
Gu Fei took her by the hand, and together with Young Master Zhou and the others, they quickly pushed their way out of the crowd.
Gu Erlang walked beside them, holding out his arms to shield them.
Back at the inn, Gu Fei pulled Lan Zhi into a room. "I’m so sorry. I was thoughtless today. I never expected the Lord Prefect would ask those things."
Lan Zhi calmly shook her head. "It’s nothing. I did come from the Imperial Music Bureau. If people want to talk, let them."
Gu Fei bit her lip. "It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have let you come to the inn."
’I should have realized her beauty is too conspicuous,’ she thought. ’It was bound to attract trouble sooner or later.’
"How about this: when Sanlang gets here, you can take his cart home. You don’t have to come to the inn anymore."
"Besides, you’re getting engaged soon. You can just stay home and embroider your wedding trousseau."
Lan Zhi hesitated. "But what will you do if the shop gets too busy?"
Gu Fei patted her hand. "It’s fine. Lian’er can recognize a few words now, and she can do the accounts. You just go home, don’t worry, and get ready to be a bride."
Normally, this kind of talk would have made Lan Zhi blush, but today her expression was calm as she simply gave a light nod.
Clearly, she hadn’t recovered from the day’s events.
Gu Fei went out to get back to work. It was almost dinnertime, and customers were already arriving. She needed to be at the counter to supervise.
Before long, Gu Sanlang’s mule cart pulled up to the inn’s entrance. Gu Fei had Lian’er call for Lan Zhi.
When Gu Erlang saw Lan Zhi come out carrying a bundle, he stopped grilling. He hurriedly packed up his stall, shouting for Gu Sanlang to wait for him. After putting his things away, he climbed onto the mule cart to go back with them.
Gu Erlang and Sanlang sat on the driver’s seat, while Lan Zhi sat inside the carriage.
Along the way, Gu Erlang kept glancing back. Gu Sanlang shot him a sideways look. "Brother, if you keep staring, you’re going to burn two holes right through that curtain."
Gu Erlang flushed. "I wasn’t—"
He lowered his voice. "Ahem, I just have something I want to ask her."
Gu Sanlang rolled his eyes. "Then ask her. You’re a grown man. Why are you being so hesitant?"
Goaded by Gu Sanlang and seeing they were getting closer to home, Gu Erlang knew he was running out of time. Gritting his teeth, he suddenly threw back the curtain and went inside.
Lan Zhi was sitting inside, lost in a daze. She jumped when she suddenly saw Gu Erlang enter, her face flushing crimson. "Wh-what are you doing in here?"