Night Meeting with Gu Xin

Lin Rou went straight to a ready-made clothing shop and bought several sets of garments.

As soon as she stepped out, she caught sight of Gu Xin walking down the street. She hurried forward and said with a smile, "Brother Xin, what a coincidence! I never expected to run into you here."

Gu Xin’s path was blocked, causing a flicker of irritation in his heart. Upon seeing that it was Lin Rou, a look of annoyance flashed across his eyes, though he quickly masked it.

He uttered a lukewarm, "Mn."

Noticing Gu Xin’s indifference toward her, Lin Rou felt a pang of sadness. She wanted to defend herself and stepped forward to catch hold of his hand, pleading, "Brother Xin, I didn't mean to deceive you. You..." *Please forgive me.*

Before she could finish, Gu Xin took a large step backward, his face plastered with disgust. "Anything else? If not, I'll be leaving."

In his heart, he had always believed that Lin Rou was the one who had saved him, which was why he had fallen for her. In his past life, bound by this connection, he had fathered a child with Lin Rou and failed Jiang Shuwang, a mistake he deeply regretted.

Now granted a chance to mend his relationship with Jiang Shuwang, he wished to have nothing more to do with Lin Rou.

Faced with his reaction, Lin Rou felt heartbroken. "Brother Xin..."

Her eye rims welled up with tears as she gazed at him with a aggrieved expression.

Had it been in the past, Gu Xin's heart would have softened. But now, with Jiang Shuwang occupying his entire mind, and recalling the various schemes Lin Rou had played on him, the sight of her filled him only with loathing.

"From now on, please address me as the Heir, Miss Lin."

Leaving those words behind, Gu Xin walked right past her and continued forward.

His current task was to arrange the estate in the West City so that he could spend a blissful night with Jiang Shuwang tomorrow evening.

Watching his unfeeling back, Lin Rou’s aggrieved expression vanished instantly, replaced by a sinister look. Her hands clenched tightly at her sides.

Gritting her teeth, she muttered viciously, "Jiang Shuwang, all of this is your fault. If, after tomorrow night, Brother Xin and I reconcile, I might spare you."

The following evening, night had completely fallen, though the starlight still cast a faint glow from above.

Lin Rou stealthily slipped out of her room, locked the door with light footsteps, and headed toward the outer gates with a smile curving her lips.

No sooner had she left than a manservant arrived at the courtyard of the Dowager Madam Jiang, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Terrible news, terrible news, Madam!"

Dowager Madam Jiang had just drifted off to sleep. Awakened abruptly, she furrowed her brow and asked her accompanying nanny, "Who is making such a ruckus outside?"

"Reporting to the Dowager, it is Ma Liu, the fellow who sprinkles water in the front yard," the nanny replied, tucking the quilt around her.

"Is there an emergency? If not, chase him out—he has no sense of decorum whatsoever." Hearing that it was merely a servant shouting, the Dowager Madam Jiang’s face was filled with irritation.

Making such a loud commotion in her master's courtyard in the middle of the night.

"This..." The nanny hesitated, looking as if she had more to say.

Nanny Li had served by her side for years, and Dowager Madam Jiang naturally knew her best. Sitting up, she asked, "Has something happened?"

After a few seconds of silence, Nanny Li finally spoke, "Ma Liu says that the cousin—no, the young miss—has left the estate."

Nanny Li remembered how, a few days prior, Jiang Xunnian had declared that Lin Rou was a daughter of their Jiang household. Though they had all been shocked, no one dared to gossip openly. Consequently, everyone had changed their form of address for Lin Rou from "Miss Cousin" simply to "Young Miss."

"What?" Dowager Madam Jiang wore a look of utter shock. "Where would she go at this hour?"

Advanced in years, her sleep had never been sound. Compounded by the numerous events that had occurred in the manor recently, she had been retiring very late.

By now, it was nearly the hour of midnight, yet Lin Rou had actually snuck out of the manor.

Given that she had already been driven out of the Marquis's Mansion, the Dowager had strictly ordered her to reflect behind closed doors within the Jiang family until an opportunity arose for her to return to the Marquis's Mansion of Pingning. She never expected Lin Rou to sneak out in the dead of night. If anyone were to find out, not only would Lin Rou suffer the consequences, but the entire Jiang family would be implicated.

Thinking of this, Dowager Madam Jiang somewhat regretted letting Lin Rou acknowledge her ancestry.

She immediately got out of bed, and Nanny Li hurriedly draped a robe over her shoulders. "Dowager, are you...?"

"Call Ma Liu inside," Dowager Madam Jiang commanded anxiously.

"Understood, this old servant will go at once." Nanny Li turned and hurried out.

Assisted by other maidservants, Dowager Madam Jiang finished dressing.

Stepping outside, she found Ma Liu waiting there.

Gazing at the medium-built, round and chubby Ma Liu before her, she demanded straight away, "You said just now that the Young Miss went out. Did you see where she went?"

"This... this servant wouldn't dare say..." Ma Liu lowered his head, fidgeting awkwardly.

The maidservant beside the Dowager murmured softly, "Dowager, this maid heard in the manor that His Lordship the Heir has been in poor spirits lately and has gone to his residence in the West City to recuperate and calm his mind, and may even live there temporarily for a while. Do you suppose the Young Miss went...?"

The maid did not dare finish the sentence.

Recalling Lin Rou’s infatuation with Gu Xin, and how she had now been driven from the Marquis's Mansion, Dowager Madam Jiang realized she certainly wouldn't let such an opportunity slip by easily.

Understanding the situation in an instant, she scolded, "That wretched girl must have gone there! What a disgraceful creature. If others find out, it will utterly ruin our family's reputation. Hurry up and drag her back!"

"Yes." Dowager Madam Jiang hurried toward the outer gates.

Meanwhile, a triumphant Lin Rou secretly arrived at the outskirts of the West City.

Following the location indicated on the note, she groped her way in the dark into a dwelling. Pitch-black though it was inside, she felt not a shred of fear. The thought that Gu Xin would soon arrive brought a smile back to her lips.

She retrieved a porcelain vial from her sleeve, poured out a small amount of liquid, dabbed it behind her ears, and carefully stowed the vial away.

As long as Gu Xin touched her tonight, she would have the chance to make him fall in love with her all over again.

This was something she had paid a hefty sum to acquire in the past; otherwise, Gu Xin would never have been so captivated as to abandon Jiang Shuwang.

"You've come?"

Suddenly, Gu Xin’s familiar voice rang out from nearby.

*So Brother Xin couldn't wait and was waiting here for me early on,* Lin Rou thought, a smile gracing her lips as she replied, "Mn."

The moment her voice fell, she was pulled tightly into Gu Xin’s arms. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her fragrance. He felt his entire body grow blazing hot, and his arms tightened around her waist. "I knew it—you still couldn't forget me."

A wave of delight washed over Lin Rou’s lips. It seemed Brother Xin hadn't stopped loving her after all. She turned and wrapped her arms around him, lowering her head shyly. "Mn."

Gu Xin lifted her and carried her toward the bed.

A gentle breeze blew past, swaying the tree leaves left and right. As the wind grew stronger, the branches of the entire tree began to thrash about.

Half an hour later, Gu Xin sat up looking thoroughly satisfied. He picked up a burning ember and lit a nearby candle.

Lin Rou embraced his lean back, her voice turning husky. "Heir."

That water-smooth, melting voice was enough to turn one's bones to jelly.

The mere memory of Jiang Shuwang's prowess earlier, combined with this voice, stirred Gu Xin into a fresh wave of excitement.