Chapter 21

It was already late. Zhao Mingzhu and An Yun were horsing around as they walked, with Gu Yu trailing behind, occasionally calling out, “Run faster—won’t kill you if you trip.”

An Yun glanced back. “She’s talking about you, Mingzhu.” Then darted off before Zhao Mingzhu’s claws could catch her.

Zhao Mingzhu stayed put, turned to Gu Yu, and wiggled her shoulders smugly, “Walk slower, and I’ll eat you for breakfast.”

The night sky was thick with stars. Gu Yu listened to the constant crackle of fireworks overhead, strolling leisurely behind them like she was out walking a pair of unruly dogs.

Suddenly, Zhao Mingzhu and An Yun stopped at the mouth of an alley. Why weren’t they moving?

Gu Yu walked up—and immediately understood. She looked at An Yun, whose face had gone pale.

Up ahead, on a carriage, sat Su Lu. Bai Mu stood beside her, chatting. Clearly, the two had come out to enjoy the night together.

An Yun lifted her skirt and strode forward. Gu Yu started to say something, but Zhao Mingzhu quietly stopped her.

Let her go. No one should intervene.

An Yun quickly reached Bai Mu and swung a fist at him, “Didn’t you say you were going to accompany Aunt Bai to the temple today?”

Bai Mu was caught off guard. He frowned and turned around, a flicker of guilt in his eyes. “I did go to the temple. You’re a young lady—don’t be so rough all the time.”

Temple, huh? Went to pray and somehow ended up watching fireworks with Su Lu. What next—praying and waking up in the same bed?

An Yun was furious. Her fists and kicks rained down on Bai Mu like a storm, “Liar! Big fat liar! Jerk!”

Su Lu had already boarded the carriage, but seeing the commotion, she stepped down to intervene. “I only bumped into Brother Bai by chance. Miss An, please don’t misunderstand.”

Bai Mu, unable to retaliate against a girl, stood there and took it. But Su Lu’s gentle words moved him—she was so much better than An Yun. So soft, so considerate.

An Yun already disliked Su Lu. Now she was grabbing her arm? She shoved her away and slapped her hard across the face.

The slap rang out loud and clear. Fire burned in An Yun’s eyes.

“It’s always you. Every time you play innocent. Were you an actress in your past life? Give you a stage and you start performing.”

She and Bai Mu had been fine—until Su Lu showed up. After that, she became worthless in his eyes.

Su Lu was the pure lotus. She was just a weed in the mud.

Seeing Su Lu get slapped, Bai Mu panicked. He shouted at An Yun, “What’s wrong with you? That’s right—Su Lu is better than you, kinder than you. You’re not even worth a strand of her hair!”

Then he shoved An Yun aside and rushed to check on Su Lu.

An Yun stumbled back a few steps—straight into someone’s arms. She turned to see Zhao Mingzhu winking at her, “Beautiful girl, back in my arms again.”

An Yun had been drowning in heartbreak, but Zhao Mingzhu’s words somehow made it all feel a little less awful.

Gu Yu walked straight up to Bai Mu and Su Lu. The two bowed respectfully.

Su Lu couldn’t help but wonder—why was Gu Yu hanging around with people like Zhao Mingzhu and An Yun?

“Your servant greets Princess Zhaohua.”

This Princess Zhaohua usually kept a low profile, but she was the only princess of the current dynasty with her own fief and income.

Gu Yu got straight to the point: “I have a few unpleasant truths I must say.”

“Su Lu, if you don’t like him, then you shouldn’t keep inserting yourself between him and An Yun. It makes all three of you look ridiculous. Or do you actually like Bai Mu? Is that why you keep showing up, trying to make yourself seen? If that’s the case, then you ought to study virtue and conduct properly. But I believe you’re not that kind of person—after all, everyone knows you’re gentle and kind. Surely you wouldn’t stoop so low as to steal someone’s fiancé.”

Her words were laced with polite venom. Su Lu’s face flickered with embarrassment and confusion, while Bai Mu only felt more pity for her.

“As for you, Bai Mu…” Gu Yu sneered. “Of all the zodiac signs, you just had to be born under the Sword.”

Everyone present understood the double meaning of “sword.” Bai Mu’s face darkened, ready to speak, but Gu Yu didn’t give him the chance.

T/n: Framing him as someone who wields charm like a weapon, leaving emotional wreckage behind.

“Hahahahahaha!” Zhao Mingzhu clung to An Yun, laughing uncontrollably. She gave Gu Yu a thumbs-up. “Savage!”

The night deepened, and a cold wind swept through the alley. Su Lu’s knees buckled, and she collapsed to the ground, watching the three figures disappear into the distance, tears welling in her eyes. This was too cruel. She and Bai Mu were innocent—was a simple conversation enough to warrant such humiliation? Where was the Gu Yu who once stood up for justice and fairness?

“Are you alright? It’s my fault and An Yun’s for dragging you into this. I’m sorry.” Bai Mu reached out to help her up.

Su Lu shook her head. “It’s not your fault, Brother Bai. They misunderstood.”

She looked delicate and fragile, tears streaming down her pale cheeks. Bai Mu’s guilt deepened.

“Don’t worry. I’ll find a chance to talk to An Yun and clear things up. I won’t let her target you again.”

Su Lu nodded silently and walked toward her carriage.

Bai Mu watched her go, resentment bubbling in his heart. Why had his parents arranged a marriage with someone like An Yun—so petty, so jealous?

Once he got home, he would speak to them. He had to find a way to break off this engagement. From now on, let them marry whoever they want—he wanted no part of it.

After Zhao Mingzhu and Gu Yu dropped An Yun off at home, the princess’s carriage took Zhao Mingzhu back to the Eastern Palace. As soon as she sat down, Zhao Mingzhu made herself at home, rummaging around until she found a hidden drawer with a packet of dried fruit—smelled like dried peaches.

Gu Yu glanced over. “…Why didn’t you let me stop An Yun earlier?”

Zhao Mingzhu chewed on the peach, savoring the sweet-sour flavor as it slid down her throat. “Gu Yu, besides being a bit of a ditz, what else do you think defines An Yun’s personality?”

Gu Yu: “Stubborn.”

Even after Bai Mu had clearly shown his fickleness, she still couldn’t let go. Even now, she only scolded Bai Mu and Su Lu, never wavering in her decision to marry him. She was the late-born daughter of Grand Tutor An. Though he seemed strict, he doted on her endlessly. Just look at how she ran wild with Zhao Mingzhu and their troublemaking duo—causing chaos everywhere and still growing up safe and sound. So yes, she had the backing to refuse the marriage—but she wouldn’t use it.

Zhao Mingzhu was about to pop the last piece of dried peach into her mouth when Gu Yu snatched it from her fingers.

Zhao Mingzhu looked betrayed. “Stingy.”

Gu Yu, unfazed, swallowed it. “It was mine to begin with.”

Zhao Mingzhu clapped her hands and got serious. “Stopping her wouldn’t have helped. Letting her go was more effective. An Yun won’t become desensitized to Bai Mu unless she takes a few hard hits. Sometimes eating a few piles of crap is the fastest way to give up hope.”

Her stubbornness was no joke. Even when Zhao Mingzhu had spoiled the plot and told her she’d die because of Bai Mu, she still liked him. That said it all.

Love makes people blind. Painful love makes them spiral—life or death.

But this time, with her and Gu Yu by An Yun’s side, they’d help her climb out of the Bai Mu swamp and dodge that fatal ending.

Zhao Mingzhu sighed. If only she could just tell people the plot outright. But she’d tried everything—nothing worked.

Gu Yu seemed thoughtful as the carriage came to a stop. She wrinkled her nose and said, “Get out. I’ll tell you something good in a minute.”

Zhao Mingzhu hopped off obediently and turned back. “What good news?”

Gu Yu urged the driver forward and smiled: “Master Lin said he’ll let the truancy slide. But since you’re a repeat offender, you have to copy the entire Book of Songs and turn it in tomorrow.”

Zhao Mingzhu: …Thunderstruck.