"Yes, Qianying. That rascal Xiao Yihao, he's usually full of tricks. He definitely wouldn't be..." Duan Xifeng started, but Ouyang Qinglin flicked his forehead.
"Shut up!"
Ouyang Qinglin glared at Duan Xifeng.
He then pushed the pastries brought by the maid towards Gu Qianying and poured her a cup of hot tea.
"Qianying, Xiao Yihao might have snuck out to play. He could be anywhere, so don't worry too much."
"Playing too wild and sleeping somewhere else? Humph, Ouyang Qinglin, do you believe that yourself?"
Duan Xifeng shot Ouyang Qinglin a disdainful look.
"You!"
"Eat your pastries and leave me alone, alright?"
Ouyang Qinglin shoved a pastry into Duan Xifeng's mouth, his attitude quite unpleasant.
He had known Duan Xifeng for a long time, and they were close friends.
Their bickering was normal, but today, he felt Duan Xifeng was particularly irritating.
"I couldn't be bothered with you! I'm comforting my sister, alright?"
Ouyang Qinglin and Duan Xifeng exchanged barbs, neither willing to back down.
Watching the two of them, Gu Qianying, finding them noisy, showed her displeasure. "Enough, stop arguing!"
Gu Qianying's cold command silenced them.
"I'm tired. Let's all go back and rest."
Gu Qianying rose and walked into the inner chamber.
Ouyang Qinglin and Duan Xifeng exchanged glares, then got up and walked out.
Baili Su, who had been quiet all along, remained behind as they left.
When Gu Qianying emerged from the inner chamber, she was surprised to see him still there.
"Young Master Bai Li, why are you still here? Is there something you need to tell me?"
Gu Qianying sat down in front of Baili Su.
Baili Su looked at Gu Qianying, his voice gentle. "I saw you barely ate during dinner. I know you're worried about Xiao Yihao, but you can't go on like this. Doctor Gu, please wait a moment."
Saying this, Baili Su stood up and walked out.
When he returned, he was holding a bowl of hot congee.
"I asked the small kitchen to make this special congee with warming ingredients. Please eat a little."
Baili Su placed the congee in front of Gu Qianying, his voice still gentle.
Besides the congee, there were also some of Gu Qianying's favorite pastries on the table.
They were exquisitely shaped, emitting a tempting sweet aroma.
Gu Qianying looked at everything Baili Su had done for her. She lowered her gaze, her eyes slightly moist, and took a bite.
In the quiet of the night.
Baili Su, who wasn't one for sweet talk, quietly accompanied Gu Qianying.
After a few mouthfuls of congee, Gu Qianying stood up. "I can't sleep. Will you accompany me for a walk?"
"Alright."
Baili Su agreed without hesitation.
He also felt that going for a walk to look for Xiao Yihao was better than sitting in his room doing nothing.
The night air was a bit cool.
Baili Su asked a subordinate to bring a cloak and then personally draped it over Gu Qianying.
Gu Qianying watched him as he meticulously fastened her cloak.
A faint smile touched her lips.
"Young Master Bai Li, do you have someone you like?"
Looking at Baili Su up close, Gu Qianying's voice was softer than usual.
"What?"
Baili Su was taken aback, his ears turning red.
"What? No? Or... are you shy to say?"
"I... I..."
Baili Su stammered.
Seeing his reaction, Gu Qianying smiled again. "Alright, I won't tease you anymore. Look how scared you are."
The two of them strolled hand in hand in the back garden.
Although it was night, some of the flowers planted in the garden bloomed at night, making it beautiful.
"It's... it's Doctor Gu."
Baili Su spoke her name.
"What?"
Gu Qianying suddenly looked at Baili Su, not quite understanding what he meant.
"I do, and that person is... you."
As he said this, Baili Su dared not meet Gu Qianying's eyes.
His cheeks turned even redder.
"Pfft!"
Gu Qianying laughed.
She reached out and pinched Baili Su's cheek. "Oh, okay, I get it."
She had come out with Baili Su intending to look for Xiao Yihao.
But she hadn't expected to hear Baili Su's confession.
Moreover, his blushing face, red as an apple, was rather endearing.
Baili Su's cheeks turned even redder after being pinched by Gu Qianying.
"There's nothing between Song Yuer and me. It was the Song family patriarch who wanted to betroth her to our Baili family. We couldn't resist, so we had to agree. My elder brother, Jingxuan, is a pillar of talent. Everyone in the Western Regions knows how arrogant the Song family is, and Song Yuer is no exception."
"My parents couldn't bear to see my elder brother ruined by the Song family. I didn't want my elder brother to marry someone he didn't like, so I stepped forward and agreed to the engagement."
"Originally, I was also gravely ill and didn't have long to live. So, while I was alive, I wanted to do more for my family."
"Song Yuer visited me a few times before. She was the one who proposed to advance the wedding date. I had planned that the day of my wedding would also be the day I left this world. But I didn't expect the Song family to want to advance the wedding date, so... I poisoned myself."
Baili Su didn't want to hide anything from Gu Qianying, so he told her everything that had happened before.
At the same time, he explained his relationship with Song Yuer.
Hearing this.
Gu Qianying turned to him. "To resist the Song family, you poisoned yourself. Was it worth it?"
Her voice was calm, but those who knew her well knew she was displeased.
Baili Su could also tell.
"It's just a broken body. It's not a pity if it's gone, as long as the Song family stops pestering our Baili family. It's just a shame..."
At this point, Baili Su's voice turned cold. "It's a shame my father is no longer here! Otherwise..."
In his gentle eyes, there was now the anger and hatred of a son.
"You want revenge?"
This was what Gu Qianying saw in Baili Su's eyes.
"First, let's find Xiao Yihao!"
Baili Su didn't say much more, but his stance was clear.
"Follow me, I'll take you to see someone."
Gu Qianying suddenly proposed to take Baili Su out of the manor.
Baili Su felt a flicker of doubt, but he followed Gu Qianying out of the Song manor.
Outside, the two of them shared a carriage. Gu Qianying didn't let Lu Zhu and the others accompany them.
Baili Su was also alone.
At the same time, Song Wuji, having washed up, had just lain down when a figure flipped through the window.
The person was dressed in black, holding a long sword. Before Song Wuji could react, the figure lunged at him.
Song Wuji was startled and dodged backward, then quickly got up. "Who are you? Why do you want to kill me?"
The black-clad figure's face was masked. Without a word, their every strike was fierce, as if they were determined to kill Song Wuji.
"Clang clang..."
The sparse furnishings in the room fell, shattering.
Ceramic shards turned to dust.
Song Wuji and the black-clad figure fought fiercely.
From inside the room to outside, until Song Wuji used a fallen branch to knock off the black-clad figure's mask, revealing their face.
"It's you?"