Chapter 11: Eyes Like Cold Stars

Although Gu Yuzhu was in her twenties at heart, her manner of eating meat, while quick, was not at all crude.

But in Yan Fengru’s eyes, her daughter must have suffered some great grievance. After all, this child had been frail since birth, and as her mother, she hadn’t even dared to speak harshly to her.

And now that wretched girl Han Hui had dared to order her daughter to climb a tree and pick loquats?

At this moment, Yan Fengru completely disregarded what Gu Yuzhu had said earlier about picking loquats to make syrup for her. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She ended up barely eating a few bites before setting down her bowl and chopsticks in frustration.

Gu Dapeng had been having a very difficult time at home lately. Why? Because he was caught between his “beloved wife” and his children from his previous marriage, stuck in a perpetual tug-of-war. In Gu Yuzhu’s view, Gu Dapeng, as a man in ancient times, was quite rare—honest, dutiful, and without a trace of male chauvinism.

Ever since Yan Fengru had married into the family, she had taken charge of everything inside and out. All of Gu Dapeng’s earnings were handed over to her—he was, by modern standards, the very model of a “good man.”

But even good men have their troubles. Torn between his children from a previous marriage and his younger wife, Gu Dapeng constantly tried to play peacemaker. In the past, Yan Fengru had at least made an effort to cooperate for the sake of appearances, so the Gu household had seemed harmonious on the surface. But now that Yan Fengru had stopped cooperating, life for an honest man had become quite miserable.

His eldest daughter had been mistreated by her in-laws and came running to him in tears, wishing death upon his “young wife.” Meanwhile, the younger wife kept a frosty face and was doing everything she could to nourish her ailing daughter. Neither side seemed willing to back down. Gu Dapeng’s expression looked as bitter as a gourd.

He did want to buy some gifts to soothe the in-laws at the Han family, but all the family money was in Yan Fengru’s hands. When he mentioned wanting to make amends with the Han family, Yan Fengru either didn’t hear him—or pretended not to—and didn’t even acknowledge him.

This left Gu Dapeng feeling incredibly unsure. And what was worse—saying it was to take care of her daughter—Yan Fengru had moved into the child’s room, leaving Gu Dapeng all alone with an empty bed…

Truly tragic!

As for the eldest son and his wife, they hadn’t shown their faces in days—likely out of guilt. Gu Dapeng found the whole thing improper.

The family hadn’t even officially separated households, yet the eldest son, his wife, and their child were no longer living at home. What kind of impression did that give to outsiders? Even an honest man had pride.

But all Gu Dapeng could do was think. The unresolved conflict between both sides gave him a constant headache. A man like him couldn’t come up with a solution.

Still, when he looked at his obedient little daughter eating meat quietly without fuss, his mood improved a little.

At his age, he and Gu Yuzhu looked more like grandfather and granddaughter than father and daughter. His gentle expression made Gu Yuzhu feel like she was being lovingly watched over by a doting grandfather.

“Sweetheart, eat slowly. Does your body still hurt?”

Gu Yuzhu instinctively shook her head, then glanced at Yan Fengru. Her big eyes widened before she quickly nodded. “Daddy, it hurts.”

Gu Dapeng’s heart broke on the spot.

His soft, delicate little girl was like a pink dumpling. Gu Yuzhu’s appearance was truly outstanding, likely taking after Yan Fengru’s younger sister, Yan Fengjiao. Her skin was fair and tender like snow, her face radiantly white and smooth. No girl in the village could compare to her.

Her eyes were large, her nose delicate and well-shaped, and her lips were rosy like cherries. Even a rough man like Gu Dapeng couldn’t help but secretly rejoice. How had he managed to father such a beautiful daughter?

But when he remembered that it was someone else’s fault she’d fallen from the tree, Gu Dapeng became embarrassed. “Be good. Eat more meat, darling. If you eat more, you’ll recover quickly.”

Yan Fengru watched coldly from the side and let out a snort. Gu Dapeng’s face turned even redder with embarrassment.

Gu Yuzhu played along generously. She took a ladylike yet hearty bite of the meat.

The remaining meat broth was used by Yan Fengru to make wide noodles—thick, chewy sheets made from coarse grains. They were pulled thin and flat, full of bite and flavor. Gu Yuzhu looked so satisfied eating them that Yan Fengru’s mood lifted slightly. She thought for a moment, then scooped out a bowl of noodles, took a small chicken leg and a few meaty chicken pieces from the locked cabinet, and headed out.

Gu Dapeng looked like he wanted to speak, but didn’t. In the end, his wife left without him getting a single word in. All he could do was sigh.

Gu Yuzhu, being an adult, could easily tell what Gu Dapeng was thinking. But she was protective of her own and pretended not to notice a thing.

Not long after, Yan Fengru returned, looking visibly more relaxed than before. Realizing he couldn’t get a word in at all, Gu Dapeng gloomily slung a hoe over his back and left the house.

As soon as he was gone, the air in the Gu family courtyard instantly felt fresher.

“Big Sister Yan, are you home?”

“Xiao Yuzhu, are you feeling better?”

Gu Yuzhu was stunned for a moment—it seemed they had visitors. She recognized the voice; she’d heard it while she was bedridden. After thinking a bit, she figured it must be one of the village women who had a good relationship with Yan Fengru. But when the woman approached, Gu Yuzhu was surprised again—she wasn’t alone. A young boy had come with her.

Even with two lifetimes of experience, Gu Yuzhu had never seen such a stunningly handsome young boy. His face was pale as jade, his lips red, his teeth white. Dressed in a plain blue short robe, his good looks were only further emphasized.

His expression was aloof, and his eyes gleamed like cold stars—truly beautiful. But a bit cold.

Gu Yuzhu saw that although he walked behind the woman, his back was straight and his steps steady—likely to keep pace with her. Still, he moved with the grace of a pine tree in the wind. Her previous-life adoptive father, the old Taoist, hadn’t been a fraud; he had some genuine skill. So when she saw how the boy moved, Gu Yuzhu was genuinely surprised.

Oh? A trained martial artist?

Her eyes instantly lit up. A good-looking boy with martial arts skills—in ancient times, no less?!

She had always been a sucker for good looks. A pretty little brother like this deserved only the best hospitality.

“Mom! Mom! We have guests!” the little girl’s clear voice rang out.

Yan Fengru came out from the stove with a smile on her face.

“Oh? Didn’t you say you’d come by later to pick it up?”

Her voice was warm and friendly. Gu Yuzhu immediately knew she hadn’t guessed wrong. In front of people she didn’t like, Yan Fengru was never this pleasant.

The woman had a round face but wasn’t overweight. Her features were warm and naturally inviting. She spoke softly, “With you saying that, Big Sister Yan, how can we ever accept anything from you again?”

“This is homemade. Just a little something. Please don’t refuse,” she said as she reached into the basket hanging from her right arm and pulled something out.

Yan Fengru gasped in delight, “Oh my!”

After the guests left, Yan Fengru immediately pulled her daughter into the house. “Come on, your Aunt Zhou’s cooking is famous in the village. If she brought this over, it’s bound to be something good.”

Gu Yuzhu: “…”