Gu Xichan, enchanted by Zanying’s soft, melodious voice, moved closer and couldn’t help but gently touch the delicate skin of Zanying’s neck with her fingertips, teasingly praising, “Sister’s voice is truly lovely, and you are indeed beautiful. But I can’t agree with this hairstyle covering your eyebrows. Is it the latest fashion in the capital?”

In the Southern Dynasties, young girls aged twelve or thirteen would part their hair to the sides, using small hairpins, and tie it in the back to show off their delicate demeanor.

A fringe style like this was typically reserved for young girls, but even for children, the bangs were not this thick—both for practicality and aesthetics. So Gu Xichan was puzzled.

Zanying’s neck was quite sensitive and she flinched slightly when touched.

She had not expected Gu Xichan to be so lively and charming.

Though she felt some envy, she wasn’t repelled.

She replied softly, “I don’t like it either. I’ll change it once it grows longer.”

Gu Xichan clapped her hands. “That’s very good.”

In front of the guests, Gu Gong endured his granddaughter’s chatter for a while but finally couldn’t bear it any longer and cleared his throat.

Gu Xichan quietly stuck out her tongue at Zanying.

Zanying smiled faintly.

It turned out that making friends was not as difficult as she had imagined.

Thanks to Gu Xia’s good nature, she welcomed Zanying warmly on their first meeting, easing her initial nervousness about visiting strangers.

Once the meal was ready, the host and guests gathered around the low flowerwood table to eat.

Gu Yuan did not treat them as outsiders and did not instruct the kitchen to prepare elaborate dishes.

The former head of Jiangzuo’s first family was like an unpretentious country elder, serving simple wheat rice, fresh vegetables, fish slices, and duck breast.

Gu Xichan introduced that all the vegetables were homegrown.

Zanying savored the food in her lacquered bowl, finding the taste fragrant and different from the imperial meals.

However, as she ate a little over half a bowl, she began to feel uneasy.

On the way here, she had snacked on some pastries, thinking it was just to fill her stomach a bit.

Now she felt full.

In someone else’s home, not finishing the food might seem like she was being disdainful of the Gu family’s hospitality.

Thinking this, Zanying slowly swallowed the rice in her mouth and used her chopsticks to pick up more rice to eat.

Leaving food on her plate was a shameful thing for her, and she resolved to finish it, bit by bit.

“Ah Nu,” Wei Yi suddenly said, “help me ladle some soup.”

He was sitting to her right, and the carp soup was on her left.

Hearing this, Zanying hurriedly put down her chopsticks and took a bowl to ladle the soup.

Wei Yi took her bowl and transferred some rice into his own bowl.

He continued eating with his usual demeanor.

Zanying’s face turned pale, and her mind went blank for a moment.

Wei Yi then promptly took the slightly tilted soup bowl from her hand, preventing the fish soup from spilling on her sleeve.

“Oh,” Gu Xichan, forgetting the dining etiquette of not speaking while eating, remarked teasingly, “Uncle is even snatching food from the younger ones. Is there anyone who bullies his sister like this?”

It was clear that the two families had a very good relationship.

Despite being teased by a little girl, Wei Yi remained unperturbed and continued eating, joking back in a manner that Zanying couldn’t quite catch.

At this moment, Zanying’s mind was filled with the thought of the food she had touched now being in someone else’s mouth.

Could it be that the Grand Marshal had sent worms to patrol her stomach?

Otherwise, how could he find out that she couldn’t eat more?

Are all military men so unrefined?

Yet, in some respects, he was indeed surprisingly meticulous, unlike a typical martial man.

Amidst Gu Xichan’s laughter, Zanying’s tender earlobes gradually turned pink.

But this was not the most surprising part.

After the meal, Wei Yi asked Gu Gong to take her pulse.

Zanying’s eyes showed surprise as she began to have a vague idea of the reason for his visit today.

She did not want to trouble the elders, but Wei Yi insisted.

The head of the Gu family, who was skilled in medicine, did not decline.

He washed his hands and rolled up his sleeves to check Zanying’s pulse.

“Hm, Ms. Fu, do you feel short of breath at night? The young lady’s qi is weak; her body is a bit more frail than ordinary.”

As Gu Yuan took Zanying’s pulse, he said, “There is internal accumulation of heat and wind-cold, and also some food stagnation.”

Hearing the mention of food stagnation, Zanying’s ears turned red again, though not completely faded.

She was reluctant to admit that her embarrassment was due to her own sensitivity.

Discussions about such matters were somewhat beyond her ingrained upbringing.

Every time she thought of it, she felt awkward.

Wei Yu, shifting his gaze away from the young girl’s face, asked, “Anything else?”

Gu Yuan glanced at him and nodded, “Nothing else.” He then instructed his granddaughter, “Ah Chan, take Miss Fu around the Tongguan Bamboo Pavilion and medicinal garden. Miss Fu has been in the capital for a long time and must find this new. Be attentive and don’t neglect your duties.”

Gu Xichan, understanding that her grandfather and Wei Yu had matters to discuss, assured, “Understood. Sister Zanying, if you’re tired, you can sit in my room and rest. Our house has many interesting places to visit.”

Zanying thanked Lord Gu, glanced at Wei Yu, and seeing that he had no objections, followed her new acquaintance.

Their respective maidservants accompanied them.

Once the fragrant figure had disappeared, Gu Yuan pointed to a bamboo stool for Wei Yu to sit down.

“You are so focused on the daughter of an old friend that you haven’t let me check your pulse.”

Without giving Wei Yu a chance to protest, he pulled his wrist.

The pulse at the Lieque acupoint is one of the most vulnerable places in the body, especially for someone who practices martial arts.

Wei Yu’s arm tensed momentarily, his muscles firm.

Then, he relaxed, allowing Lord Gu to hold his wrist, his posture sinking into a more relaxed stance as though he had released the tension from a bowstring.

The summer breeze was gentle, and the garden outside the bamboo pavilion was clear and serene, with cicadas singing.

The day was long and pleasant.

From a distance came the sound of girls’ cheerful laughter.

The young girl’s voice was like a delicate jade bell, even more delightful than the summer itself.

It was Ah Chan speaking, lively and chatty.

Wei Yu didn’t hear the other person’s voice, perhaps because it was softer or because she remained as shy as when she was by his side.

Even without hearing her, Wei Yu could imagine that when Zanying listened to others, she must have been earnest and attentive, with eyes that sparkled with the light of sincere interest, making one feel that she truly absorbed every word spoken.

She was still as obedient as she had been as a child.

In fact, perhaps she shouldn’t be so obedient.

Wei Yu closed his eyes and listened for a while.

Gu Yuan furrowed his brows and, after checking both hands, finally spoke, “There are still a few herbs missing.”

Wei Yu opened his eyes and didn’t conceal anything, “Black stone of Buddha’s eye, dragon scales, and fern vine. They are rare and still being sought.”

“Seven lacks two,” Gu Yuan released his grip, looked at the young man from the Wei family with neither joy nor sorrow, and suddenly thought of his late son who had passed away over ten years ago.

A deep wave surged in his dark eyes.

“Ah Nu,” the old man suddenly asked, “have you ever considered laying down your armor?”

Wei Yi’s movement paused slightly.

The man standing in the light and shadow of the bamboo door, with jet-black hair and a jade-like face, spoke in a voice as cold and sharp as wine, “As the inheritor of the General’s will, as long as the northern lands are not pacified, the Central Plains are not restored, and the world remains in famine and chaos, I cannot afford to slacken.”

Gu Yuan gazed at him steadily. “If you do not see bloodshed and do not have the desire to kill, perhaps you can hold out for another five years.”

Wei Yi’s sharp eyes seemed to darken with the shadow of the setting sun.

For a long while, he remained silent and bowed deeply to Gu Gong.

On the way back in the carriage, Zanying fiddled with the small embroidered sachet that Madam Gu had given her as a farewell gift, carefully tying it to her waist sash, thinking about what to give in return next time.

Wei Yi, seated opposite her, rested with his eyes closed, as if he were in a military tent.

When she couldn’t see his casually warm eyes and only saw his imposing eyebrows, Zanying mistakenly felt that his whole demeanor had become sharp and fierce.

One advantage, however, was that she felt less afraid of being caught staring at him.

“What are you looking at? Is there something on my face?” Wei Yi, with his eyes still closed, suddenly spoke.

Zanying was startled.

How did he know?

Did he have eyes on his face as well?

How did he know that what she was thinking about at that moment was precisely the embarrassing issue she had not spoken of?

His words hit the mark exactly.

Previously at the Gu residence, despite her not showing any signs, the Grand Marshal had immediately seen that she was full and had helped her maintain her dignity.

This ability to read people’s hearts was something Zanying lacked in her previous life.

She sincerely admired him and asked, “Uncle, could you teach me how to discern people’s hearts?”

Wei Yi’s sharply defined eyebrows were stirred.

He suddenly opened his eyes.

“What did you call me?”