When Song Yuer spoke the name Li Feng, Gu Qianying's gaze deepened. The maidservant behind her instinctively glanced towards the screen, but Gu Qianying stopped her with a look. The little maidservant, startled, quickly lowered her head. At that moment, movement came from behind the screen. Song Yuer looked over, finding it strange. "Sister Qianying, is there someone in there?"
"No, it's a cat." Gu Qianying blocked Song Yuer's view with her body as she pushed tea towards her. "Yuer, who is Li Feng? What does he look like?"
Mentioning the name Li Feng, Song Yuer immediately came back to her senses. She quickly said, "Young Master Li is a merchant. He saved my second brother and has been with me frequently these past few days." As she said this, a hint of shyness appeared on Song Yuer's face. Suddenly, she changed the subject. "Yesterday, he clearly said he would come to find me today, but I waited all day and he never came."
By this time, the sky outside the door was gradually darkening. As Song Yuer spoke, she began to cry. "Sister Qianying, do you think something might have happened to him? Sister Qianying, can you help Yuer find him?"
Seeing Song Yuer so distressed, Gu Qianying had many concerns in her heart. At the same time, she glanced towards the screen several times. Song Yuer, lost in her sorrow, did not notice Gu Qianying's expression at all. She was completely immersed in her own world of sadness, her heart occupied only by Li Feng.
"Yuer, some things are not as they appear. Yuer, there are thousands of men in this world, why must you fall for Li Feng? Besides, Yuer, you and Li Feng, do you truly know him well?" As she spoke, Gu Qianying watched Song Yuer's expression closely, subtly probing her. Li Feng was from the Han family, and his approach to Song Yuer was deliberate and purposeful. She had not expected Song Yuer to be so deeply infatuated with this "Li Feng."
Hearing Gu Qianying's words, Song Yuer looked up at her, tears still on her face. *Sister Qianying, what do you mean? Do you know Li Feng? Why are you speaking of him like this?* Because she loved someone, she had suddenly become very sensitive, a change Gu Qianying had noticed.
"No, Yuer, I have never met this person, nor do I know him. But... I want to say, Yuer, this person is from out of town. You don't know him well, so why are you so deeply attached to him? What if he already has a wife and children elsewhere? What would you do then?"
"Do you intend to be his concubine? Our Yuer is a young lady of noble birth. If that were the case, how could our Yuer lower herself... like this..."
"Sister Qianying, I know you say these things for my own good. But Li Feng said he has no wife or children elsewhere. Li Feng would not lie to me. Sister Qianying, you don't know him, you don't understand him. He is very good to me, and he is a good person." Hearing Gu Qianying speak ill of "Li Feng," Song Yuer's expression clearly showed displeasure.
"Besides..." At this point, Song Yuer changed the subject, her face flushing with shyness. "Besides, I already have his..." As she spoke, Song Yuer placed her hand on her stomach.
Seeing this, Gu Qianying was suddenly shocked. She looked at Song Yuer incredulously. "You... already... But you are not married yet, Yuer, how could you..." She was actually pregnant. This was something Gu Qianying had never anticipated.
Song Yuer proactively took Gu Qianying's hand. "Sister Qianying, when lovers are deeply in love, they cannot control themselves. You are also a woman who has experienced this, you should understand. Besides, Li Feng said he would marry me. Sister Qianying, Li Feng is very attentive to me. After we marry, I will be very happy. But... Li Feng has disappeared. Sister Qianying, can you help Yuer?" As she spoke, Song Yuer began to cry, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.
Gu Qianying, who had intended to persuade her to break ties with this "Li Feng," could no longer do so seeing Song Yuer like this. "Alright, don't cry, Yuer. How about this, you draw a picture of Li Feng, and I'll send people to look for him?" A pregnant person's emotions are easily agitated. To appease Song Yuer's emotions, Gu Qianying could only deceive her for now.
"Yes, yes, yes, Sister Qianying, Yuer knew you were the best to me." Song Yuer wiped away her tears, quickly got up, and took the brush and ink provided by Lu Zhu. Moments later, Song Yuer handed a portrait to Gu Qianying. Gu Qianying looked at the portrait drawn by Song Yuer; it was almost identical to "Li Feng's" appearance. Moreover, Song Yuer usually detested drawing. To be able to draw such a likeness showed how deeply infatuated Song Yuer was with this "Li Feng."
Her eyebrows furrowed, Gu Qianying glanced sideways at Song Yuer, her heart filled with worry for her. To play the part well, after receiving the portrait, Gu Qianying gave it to Lu Zhu, telling her to pretend to search for the person. "Yuer, it's getting late. You should stay here tonight." She was worried about Song Yuer returning to the Song mansion alone. Song Pan Yang had returned to the Song mansion. Whether he would treat Song Yuer the same way he treated Wu Ji, she did not know. Furthermore, Song Yuer was now pregnant and should not be overexerted. Letting her stay here was the most suitable arrangement.
"But... Sister Qianying, my mother is still at home. She caught a cold and hasn't seen anyone for two days. I'm worried about her and want to go back to take care of her." Besides worrying about "Li Feng," she was also concerned about her mother's health.
"Caught a cold and hasn't seen anyone?" Gu Qianying frowned. The medicinal formula for strengthening the body that she had given to Madam Song before leaving the Song family, if drunk consistently according to the instructions, would prevent Madam Song from easily catching a cold while recuperating. Thinking this, something must have happened at Madam Song's end.
"Yes, Sister Qianying, I'm also very worried about Mother's health. When I went to see Mother, my second brother was there and wouldn't let me see her, saying he was afraid Mother would infect me with the cold." I know my second brother is doing this for my own good. Oh, and my eldest brother hasn't been eating well these past few days. I made him some of his favorite dishes and took them to him. When I went in to see him, I found that he hadn't touched a single bite of the meal on the table. The maidservant attending him said my eldest brother had no appetite these past few days. Speaking of her eldest brother, Song Yuer began to worry about Song Wu Ji again.
Hearing her words, Gu Qianying sensed something was amiss. "Alright, Yuer, I understand. Are you hungry? Shall I ask the kitchen to make something you like?" Gu Qianying had a maidservant bring a new cloak and draped it over Song Yuer. Song Yuer nodded at her. "I am indeed a little hungry."
While accompanying Song Yuer for a meal, Gu Qianying had her subordinates tidy up a side room. After escorting Song Yuer to the side room, she returned. Lu Zhu closed the door. Sitting at the desk, she took a sip of tea. At this moment, Lu Zhu dragged "Li Feng," who had been hidden behind the screen, out. Li Feng had been knocked unconscious by Lu Zhu's palm. When he was dragged out, he was still not awake. "Pfft!"