Su Huanfeng had never paid attention to her before. She rarely appeared in front of everyone. Occasionally when he heard about her, it was usually some unsavory rumors. He thought that no matter how beautiful a woman with such a dirty reputation could be, it would not amount to much.
Later, when he heard that she had fallen in love with top scholar Jiang Yin and refused to let go, he disliked her even more. He just wanted to bring up dissolving the engagement as soon as possible.
But now, under the bright moonlight, seeing her play tricks in the night, her bright eyes were as clear as the stars. His heart couldn't help but beat faster by a few pulses.
After all, she would become his wife in the future. Getting closer now would not hurt.
"You silly girl." He curved his fingers and knocked on her fair forehead. "What if you left her here and she froze to death?"
Gu Ying was stunned.
"Doesn't the young master think I'm cruel and sinister, with evil thoughts?"
"What's wrong with that? She tried to harm your horse first, so you just scared her. She's lying here comfortably, breathing normally, pulse steady. You can't be considered cruel."
Gu Ying was surprised. "Young master heard all that?"
Su Huanfeng stuck out his chest proudly, his beautiful fair face smug. "This young master is not deaf. My ears are not just for decoration. If someone doesn't offend me, I won't offend them. But if someone offends me, I must offend them back. This is the code that we martial artists live by."
Gu Ying blinked. This young master had an unexpected contrasting side.
She really could not connect him to the doting husband from her previous life who treated Gu Jia as his equal.
She tentatively asked, "So what does the young master think I should do?"
"How about this, I'll help tie her up in the stables. It's sheltered from the wind there so she won't freeze. The smell is pretty bad though, most young ladies can't stand it." Su Huanfeng thought for a bit, eyes bright. He primly covered his nose. "Hehe, but the stable smells are sure to sober big sister up."
"The smells in the stables are certainly strong medicine for big sister. But-" Gu Ying's pitch black eyes rolled around as she thought of an even better idea.
"Go on." Su Huanfeng didn't ask further. In fact he seemed a little excited. "Leave these things to me. I'll make sure you're satisfied."
The woman on the ground was Su Huanfeng's wife in his previous life... Treated this way by her own "husband", it was somewhat fresh.
Gu Ying's fine brows quirked up as she met Su Huanfeng's lacquer-like eyes.
Her nominal brother-in-law doted on Gu Jia in their past life to the point he granted her an imperial decree. Not only that, he used his marquis authority to get one for Mrs. Liu as well. After that Gu Jia often exploited his manor to suppress her, bully her... and cripple her.
Although Su Huanfeng had never directly gone against her, the might of Yong'an Marquis Manor was the blade Gu Jia used to deal with her.
Thinking of those past events, Gu Ying was quite complicated inside. But in the end she sighed softly, a faint smile on her lips.
"So this is what the young master is like."
"And this is what second young miss is like."
They paused and exchanged knowing smiles.
Gu Ying had wanted to help carry Gu Jia over with him initially.
But Su Huanfeng didn't let her touch the other woman. With a masculine attitude he said, "Letting my elder sister-in-law be handled this way, I don't need a young girl's help. I'm a proper adult man."
As he spoke, he casually slung the limp Gu Jia over his shoulder.
Gu Ying gazed at his tall, broad back, somewhat distracted.
No wonder after Gu Jia married Su Huanfeng her days became better and better. Even her looks grew more and more beautiful.
Su Huanfeng looked like a scoundrel, but he was actually a gentleman. If he set his heart on treating someone well, he would spoil them to the bone.
What woman wouldn't want to marry such a husband?
"What are you staring for?" Su Huanfeng glanced at her, smiling. "Mesmerized by your handsome husband?"
Gu Ying was annoyed and embarrassed. "Young master, don't speak nonsense."
Su Huanfeng appraised her blushing cheeks, feeling airy inside, like feathers brushing his heart, a numb tingling spreading. "It's not nonsense. This young master is as elegant as jade, strong as an ox, overflowing with domineering aura. This is common knowledge in Bianjing. If not for our prior engagement, who knows how many matchmakers would be pounding down my doors at Yong'an Manor."
Gu Ying smiled wryly. "Young master, about our engagement..."
Carrying Gu Jia, he wasn't posed very gracefully but still lowered his body to speak into her ear, deliberately flaunting his masculine appeal and deepening his voice. "Do you still like that bookworm surnamed Jiang?"
Gu Ying's long lashes quivered. She said solemnly, "Who said I like him? He's my elder sister's fiancé. Now that our families are engaged, young master shouldn't say such outrageous things."
Su Huanfeng's brows twitched and he said regretfully, "Nevermind, we'll get married once you come of age."
Having said that, he lightly coughed, embarrassed, then carried the woman off.
Gu Ying watched the red tingeing the tips of his ears as he left. Her heart felt torn between laughter and tears.
She hadn't even agreed to marry him yet... How did he suddenly stick to her?
Seeing the young master leaving, Rouge covered her smile, eyes curving. She earnestly spoke on his behalf, "Miss, the young master is quite good. Handsome, strong, I heard his martial arts are great too. You wouldn't lose out marrying him."
Gu Ying neatly folded the yellow talisman to tuck into her sleeve. Head lowered, she smiled faintly. "Of course I wouldn't lose out, I'm just worried he would. With his status, bringing me into his manor now would inevitably invite ridicule from those powerful families."
After transmigrating, she had no intention of actually marrying into Yong'an Manor. She just wanted to borrow their influence so Mrs. Liu and Grandmother wouldn't dare force her marriage.
Most importantly, he was once Gu Jia's husband.
Thinking of sharing a bed with him if she married him, her heart stuck on the past. And his status concern was just one of the obstacles she couldn't get over...
Rouge grumbled, "Miss is virtuous and innocent now, not the waster stuck on Scholar Jiang like in rumors. What is there to ridicule? Miss, think it over carefully!"
Gu Ying didn't reply, she had her own plans.
"Let's head back. The winter hunt starts tomorrow, we need to conserve energy."
...
After tying Gu Jia up in the Gu stables, Su Huanfeng saw Gu Ying and her maid back to camp, then hummed a tune as he headed towards his own camp.
"Where did you go?"
He halted as a familiar tall shadow stood outside his tent.
Rubbing his eyes and making out the face, Su Huanfeng was surprised. "Ah Du, why are you here so late?"
Huai An stood far away keeping watch. He stretched his neck to peer this way, sending Su Huanfeng a look wishing him luck. Su Huanfeng was even more confused.
He thought only he and Gu Ying were still awake this late. He didn't expect this guy to be up too.
Zhao Changdu narrowed his slender phoenix eyes slightly, a coldness in their depths.
"Went to see Gu Ying?"
Su Huanfeng had never paid attention to her before. She rarely appeared in front of everyone. Occasionally when he heard about her, it was usually some unsavory rumors. He thought that no matter how beautiful a woman with such a dirty reputation could be, it would not amount to much.
Later, when he heard that she had fallen in love with top scholar Jiang Yin and refused to let go, he disliked her even more. He just wanted to bring up dissolving the engagement as soon as possible.
But now, under the bright moonlight, seeing her play tricks in the night, her bright eyes were as clear as the stars. His heart couldn't help but beat faster by a few pulses.
After all, she would become his wife in the future. Getting closer now would not hurt.
"You silly girl." He curved his fingers and knocked on her fair forehead. "What if you left her here and she froze to death?"
Gu Ying was stunned.
"Doesn't the young master think I'm cruel and sinister, with evil thoughts?"
"What's wrong with that? She tried to harm your horse first, so you just scared her. She's lying here comfortably, breathing normally, pulse steady. You can't be considered cruel."
Gu Ying was surprised. "Young master heard all that?"
Su Huanfeng stuck out his chest proudly, his beautiful fair face smug. "This young master is not deaf. My ears are not just for decoration. If someone doesn't offend me, I won't offend them. But if someone offends me, I must offend them back. This is the code that we martial artists live by."
Gu Ying blinked. This young master had an unexpected contrasting side.
She really could not connect him to the doting husband from her previous life who treated Gu Jia as his equal.
She tentatively asked, "So what does the young master think I should do?"
"How about this, I'll help tie her up in the stables. It's sheltered from the wind there so she won't freeze. The smell is pretty bad though, most young ladies can't stand it." Su Huanfeng thought for a bit, eyes bright. He primly covered his nose. "Hehe, but the stable smells are sure to sober big sister up."
"The smells in the stables are certainly strong medicine for big sister. But-" Gu Ying's pitch black eyes rolled around as she thought of an even better idea.
"Go on." Su Huanfeng didn't ask further. In fact he seemed a little excited. "Leave these things to me. I'll make sure you're satisfied."
The woman on the ground was Su Huanfeng's wife in his previous life... Treated this way by her own "husband", it was somewhat fresh.
Gu Ying's fine brows quirked up as she met Su Huanfeng's lacquer-like eyes.
Her nominal brother-in-law doted on Gu Jia in their past life to the point he granted her an imperial decree. Not only that, he used his marquis authority to get one for Mrs. Liu as well. After that Gu Jia often exploited his manor to suppress her, bully her... and cripple her.
Although Su Huanfeng had never directly gone against her, the might of Yong'an Marquis Manor was the blade Gu Jia used to deal with her.
Thinking of those past events, Gu Ying was quite complicated inside. But in the end she sighed softly, a faint smile on her lips.
"So this is what the young master is like."
"And this is what second young miss is like."
They paused and exchanged knowing smiles.
Gu Ying had wanted to help carry Gu Jia over with him initially.
But Su Huanfeng didn't let her touch the other woman. With a masculine attitude he said, "Letting my elder sister-in-law be handled this way, I don't need a young girl's help. I'm a proper adult man."
As he spoke, he casually slung the limp Gu Jia over his shoulder.
Gu Ying gazed at his tall, broad back, somewhat distracted.
No wonder after Gu Jia married Su Huanfeng her days became better and better. Even her looks grew more and more beautiful.
Su Huanfeng looked like a scoundrel, but he was actually a gentleman. If he set his heart on treating someone well, he would spoil them to the bone.
What woman wouldn't want to marry such a husband?
"What are you staring for?" Su Huanfeng glanced at her, smiling. "Mesmerized by your handsome husband?"
Gu Ying was annoyed and embarrassed. "Young master, don't speak nonsense."
Su Huanfeng appraised her blushing cheeks, feeling airy inside, like feathers brushing his heart, a numb tingling spreading. "It's not nonsense. This young master is as elegant as jade, strong as an ox, overflowing with domineering aura. This is common knowledge in Bianjing. If not for our prior engagement, who knows how many matchmakers would be pounding down my doors at Yong'an Manor."
Gu Ying smiled wryly. "Young master, about our engagement..."
Carrying Gu Jia, he wasn't posed very gracefully but still lowered his body to speak into her ear, deliberately flaunting his masculine appeal and deepening his voice. "Do you still like that bookworm surnamed Jiang?"
Gu Ying's long lashes quivered. She said solemnly, "Who said I like him? He's my elder sister's fiancé. Now that our families are engaged, young master shouldn't say such outrageous things."
Su Huanfeng's brows twitched and he said regretfully, "Nevermind, we'll get married once you come of age."
Having said that, he lightly coughed, embarrassed, then carried the woman off.
Gu Ying watched the red tingeing the tips of his ears as he left. Her heart felt torn between laughter and tears.
She hadn't even agreed to marry him yet... How did he suddenly stick to her?
Seeing the young master leaving, Rouge covered her smile, eyes curving. She earnestly spoke on his behalf, "Miss, the young master is quite good. Handsome, strong, I heard his martial arts are great too. You wouldn't lose out marrying him."
Gu Ying neatly folded the yellow talisman to tuck into her sleeve. Head lowered, she smiled faintly. "Of course I wouldn't lose out, I'm just worried he would. With his status, bringing me into his manor now would inevitably invite ridicule from those powerful families."
After transmigrating, she had no intention of actually marrying into Yong'an Manor. She just wanted to borrow their influence so Mrs. Liu and Grandmother wouldn't dare force her marriage.
Most importantly, he was once Gu Jia's husband.
Thinking of sharing a bed with him if she married him, her heart stuck on the past. And his status concern was just one of the obstacles she couldn't get over...
Rouge grumbled, "Miss is virtuous and innocent now, not the waster stuck on Scholar Jiang like in rumors. What is there to ridicule? Miss, think it over carefully!"
Gu Ying didn't reply, she had her own plans.
"Let's head back. The winter hunt starts tomorrow, we need to conserve energy."
...
After tying Gu Jia up in the Gu stables, Su Huanfeng saw Gu Ying and her maid back to camp, then hummed a tune as he headed towards his own camp.
"Where did you go?"
He halted as a familiar tall shadow stood outside his tent.
Rubbing his eyes and making out the face, Su Huanfeng was surprised. "Ah Du, why are you here so late?"
Huai An stood far away keeping watch. He stretched his neck to peer this way, sending Su Huanfeng a look wishing him luck. Su Huanfeng was even more confused.
He thought only he and Gu Ying were still awake this late. He didn't expect this guy to be up too.
Zhao Changdu narrowed his slender phoenix eyes slightly, a coldness in their depths.
"Went to see Gu Ying?"
