Chapter 105: Gu Li

"What has happened? How could the young master end up in such a state? What are you people paid for?" The old butler, emerging from the courtyard, was horrified to see his young master in such a disheveled and filthy condition, and he roared at the servants.

"The young master slipped away when we weren't looking. By the time we found him, he was already like this," one of the servants replied.

"I will settle this with you later. Get the young master inside first."

"A bunch of useless fools."

With that, the servants carried the youth into the house. A large black dog, wagging its tail, slipped into the room behind them.

As the youth opened his eyes, he realized he was lying in a room at the villa. He recalled hearing a familiar voice earlier. He had come here to audit the accounts—the Gu family had business interests in this area. He had also intended to check on that heartless little chubby girl. It had been so many years; although he received letters every month, he was certain that if she saw him now, she would never recognize him.

Indeed, the youth was Gu Li, and the large black dog accompanying him was Xiao Hei, whom the Lin family had left behind for him when they departed years ago. He had initially just wanted to go out for a stroll, but being followed by a large crowd had infuriated him. He had snuck away, never expecting to be captured by a mountain bandit gang.

Looking down at the large black dog, Gu Li’s eyes darted around, and a clever idea struck him. Xiao Hei tilted its head, wondering what kind of mischief this fellow was brewing.

The next day, Fubao, dressed in male attire, went to keep her appointment with the young lady of the Chen family.

However—"I say, uncle, that item is far too expensive. There is only one decent-looking flower on this hairpin, and you have the audacity to ask for a tael of silver?" Fubao was currently haggling with a street vendor.

Truly heartless! Even the rouge sold in her own shop didn't have such an outrageous price!

Hearing this, the vendor was displeased. "Young master, you truly don't know quality! Look here, although the flower is small, it is carved from jade! Even if—well, it is not very obvious, but even a mosquito is still meat, isn't it?" The vendor spoke with a straight face, spouting nonsense.

"Carved from jade?" Fubao squinted hard at the hairpin, finally spotting a tiny, oddly colored flower tucked away in a corner.

Fubao fell silent. A mosquito might be meat, but this piece of meat felt far too small.

In the end, although Fubao paid two copper coins, she returned the hairpin to the vendor, stroked her fake mustache, twirled her fan, and walked away. The vendor remained, staring at the hairpin, now missing its only flower head, feeling like he might cry.

The young lady of the Chen family had been waiting in the teahouse for a long time before she finally saw Fubao arrive. This girl spent all day waving a fan and trying to act mature, but since she was naturally soft and cute, the added fake mustache only made her look somewhat... asking for a beating.

"Bao'er, do you see that man over there?" No sooner had Fubao entered the teahouse than she was dragged over by her little friend.

"Which one?"

"The one over there! Where are you looking?"

"Oh!"

"Well? Don't you think that young man is handsome?" That young fellow looked as if he had stepped out of a painting; he was truly stunning.

Fubao looked toward the building across the way and saw two youths sitting there. She had to admit, their appearance was top-notch. Fubao had seen many handsome men, such as her two older cousins, the Crown Prince in the palace, and her aunt's little son, Han Xiaoyu. Although he was still a little brat, he had been exquisite since childhood.

"Well, if it really comes to it, there is still Gu Yun, I suppose. He’s barely passable."

Gu Yun, who was "barely passable," remained oblivious.

Perhaps the gaze of the two young ladies was too intense, for one of the young men looked over.

Fubao gasped. The young lady of the Chen family gasped.

Then, they saw the two people who had been leaning against the window quickly pull back; one began staring intently at the tiny flower he had just plucked off, while the other began gulping down water incessantly.

The two maids were stunned.

Across the way, Gong Shaoyun thought to himself, "The young master holding the flower over there... how effeminate."

Gong Shaoyun had only looked over because he could not bear the weight of those intense stares.

"Cousin? What is the matter?" the man across from him asked, noticing his cousin's strange behavior.

Gong Shaoyun’s eyes widened in surprise—it was that girl! But what was with the mustache on her face?

Gu Li had stayed at the villa for the night before coming to his great aunt’s house to pay his respects. His aunt was delighted by his arrival and asked her son, Gong Shaoyu, to accompany him to help him get familiar with the surroundings. Gu Li did not refuse; he intended to take the opportunity to familiarize himself with the area.