For a mere quarter of an hour, Baili Jingxuan had visited the privy several times. He felt his earlier praise had been premature, realizing Gu Qianying's culinary skills still needed improvement. However, since it was a kind gesture, he couldn't say anything.
This was precisely because Baili Jingxuan lacked guile.
Had Song Wuji or Baili Su consumed the pastries that night, they would likely have felt Gu Qianying was deliberately toying with them.
While Baili Jingxuan suffered, Gu Qianying was not faring much better.
Seeing Xiao Yihao run out, Gu Qianying extinguished the lamps in the room and went to sleep.
However, shortly after falling asleep, she felt as if knives were twisting in her stomach. As a physician, she naturally knew she had eaten something bad and was suffering from diarrhea. This ailment wouldn't be life-threatening, but it would require frequent trips to the privy.
With this thought, Gu Qianying gritted her teeth and thought of her unlucky son, the son who had caused his mother so much trouble. She would settle the score with him when he returned. For now, she had no choice but to head to the privy.
Unaware of their situations, the children were still congratulating themselves and planning their next move.
The next day.
Xiao Yihao arrived at Gu Qianying's room with a joyful expression.
"Mother, are you awake?"
Gu Qianying looked at her son, who was full of energy, clearly having slept well the previous night. She didn't want to tell him what she had gone through.
"Awake. Is there something you need?"
Gu Qianying asked, but the dark circles under her eyes and the paleness of her face couldn't be hidden.
"Mother, what's wrong? Did you not sleep well last night?"
Xiao Yihao couldn't help but ask again. After all, his mother was a woman who was second to none. Even if she hadn't slept all night, she would be radiant the next day. Why was she so tired today?
Xiao Yihao pondered and finally attributed the reason to Baili Jingxuan, believing his mother missed him.
"It's nothing, I just had a dream last night."
Gu Qianying offered a perfunctory excuse, deciding it was better not to mention the previous events, as they were not pleasant memories.
"I came to find you today, Mother, to ask if you have anything to give back to the eldest young master? After all, he showed you concern."
Xiao Yihao thought it over and over. He had read in storybooks that the affections between scholars and young ladies often began with mutual gifts, leading to familiarity.
"This... let me think about it."
Gu Qianying was stumped for a moment. She was just a physician, at most a physician who knew a little martial arts. What else did she have to give?
After a long while, when Xiao Yihao was starting to get sleepy, he saw Gu Qianying get up, go to a corner of the room, and hand him a dagger. She said, "Mother needs to see the second young master later and cannot pass through the eldest young master's courtyard. Could you help me deliver this to him?"
Gu Qianying instructed him, then left with her medicine box.
Xiao Yihao looked at the item in front of him with great satisfaction. Without saying anything, he took the item and left.
He met Baili Mengran in the garden. Baili Mengran looked at the dagger in his hand and asked, "Is this for my elder brother?"
Xiao Yihao nodded heavily. Now, it was finally possible to find a breakthrough, and things would be much simpler.
Baili Mengran looked at the dagger, which was carved with black gold and looked very sturdy. He wanted to take it to examine it, but Xiao Yihao refused.
"Mother said this dagger is very sharp, and young ladies shouldn't touch it."
Baili Mengran was also an understanding young girl and naturally understood. She handed it to a nearby maid. The maid was five or six years older than her and handled things steadily, so she wouldn't easily injure herself.
Xiao Yihao was finally relieved.
Baili Mengran waved goodbye to him and took the dagger to find Baili Jingxuan.
Meanwhile, Baili Jingxuan, who was in his own courtyard, had just finished his boxing practice when he saw his troublesome sister arrive again.
"What is it?"
Baili Jingxuan took a tissue from a servant nearby, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and looked at Baili Mengran, asking softly.
"Elder Brother, guess what I brought you?"
Baili Mengran kept him in suspense, her face beaming.
"Xiao Yihao's mother sent you another dagger today. I thought the quality was excellent."
Baili Mengran brought her hands from behind her back, holding a dagger made of black gold, with a hint of anticipation on her face.
"This dagger... the quality is indeed excellent."
Baili Jingxuan's eyes lit up when he saw the dagger before him. He took it and immediately drew it, glancing at the blade that gleamed coldly in the light. He marveled, thinking it was a good item.
"Since Elder Brother likes it so much, do you have anything to give back to Miss Zhu?"
Baili Mengran asked again, but Baili Jingxuan only thought for a long time before finally saying, "I'll consider it."
Baili Mengran thought he was preparing something good and excitedly turned to find Xiao Yihao.
Unexpectedly, after several days of waiting, Xiao Yihao heard nothing about Gu Qianying receiving a return gift. He couldn't sit still and went to ask Baili Mengran.
Baili Mengran, also confused, went to find Baili Jingxuan. To her surprise, Baili Jingxuan said, "I don't like Gu Qianying's character. Since this dagger is a good item, I'll give more money when my second brother is cured."
His first meeting with Gu Qianying was certainly not a good one, so he had no good impression of her.
Baili Mengran and Xiao Yihao were naturally disappointed for a few days upon hearing this news. They had thought their matchmaking attempt had succeeded.
However, these two little ones became more determined and did not give up, wholeheartedly wanting to bring the two together, thus leading to a second plan.
...
That night, in the backyard of the Baili Manor.
"Why did you bring me here?"
Gu Qianying looked at the empty backyard before her and then at Xiao Yihao, feeling puzzled.
"Uh... I saw the moonlight was perfect tonight, and the cherry blossoms were blooming so brilliantly. I specifically asked Mother to come out and see."
Xiao Yihao couldn't find a good excuse for a moment. Seeing the cherry blossoms beside him, he immediately came up with a good reason.
Gu Qianying glanced at him suspiciously, then turned to look at the flowers.
In this vast desert, the moonlight was different from that of the central plains, casting a cool halo that made the cherry blossoms appear exceptionally tender pink.
Xiao Yihao watched as his mother was captivated and inwardly grumbled about why Baili Mengran hadn't arrived yet.
Unexpectedly, Baili Mengran encountered a major snag.
Outside Baili Jingxuan's courtyard.
Baili Mengran was pulling Baili Jingxuan out when they encountered Song Wuji, who was holding a gift box and dressed in a green robe.
Baili Jingxuan froze, somewhat surprised. Why was Song Wuji outside his courtyard?
"Young Master Song? Visiting so late, is something amiss?"
Song Wuji was a cunning person, and Baili Jingxuan cautioned himself to be wary.
"Nothing else. I obtained an excellent weapon. Knowing that the eldest young master is skilled in martial arts and fond of weapons, I specifically brought this as a gift."
Song Wuji smiled faintly, exuding the etiquette of a noble young master.