"Come, have some dry food and drink some water to moisten your throat," Jin Zijin said to Gu Youyou in a kind voice.
Gu Youyou took them with a smile, ate a bit of dry food, and took a sip of water. Suddenly, she felt the rumbling in her stomach lessen a bit and smiled contentedly.
"How many more days will it take to reach your home?" she asked.
Jin Zijin thought for a moment and said, "Judging by the rate we’re traveling, probably another five or six days."
With a ’pfft,’ Gu Youyou spat out the water she had just sipped.
Five or six more days even at a gallop? Hearing this made her feel as if her body had been hollowed out instantly.
"Ah, you might as well just kill me!" Gu Youyou, like a deflated ball, slumped to the ground, her upper body flopping onto Jin Zijin’s legs, limp as a lump of mud.
Jin Zijin raised his hand, feeling her soft body on his, and was somewhat at a loss.
Although they slept together each night, and he often held her to cool off, this was the first time she had taken the initiative to throw herself into his arms.
This feeling was different.
"Youyou," he called her name softly.
Gu Youyou raised a hand and waved it, saying, "Don’t call me; just let me perish on my own."
He chuckled and finally put his uncertain hands to use, gently patting her back with one and stroking her soft long hair with the other.
Meanwhile, Yue Rujing tethered the horses and turned around to witness this scene.
He rubbed his eyes, turned away, then back again, and rubbed his eyes once more.
No way, I’m not seeing things.
The setting sun was peaceful, and the young man and woman rested together quietly. The woman’s inelegant pose was momentarily overlooked, and his handsome senior brother’s face wore a gentle smile, softly comforting the woman’s back. Under the sunset’s glow, they both shone with a faint golden light, which was blinding to his eyes and infuriating to his lungs.
This shameless woman, seducing my senior brother again.
Yue Rujing’s expression darkened, and he strode toward them.
"Hey, Gu Youyou, you..."
"Ah, Jing!" Yue Rujing was cut off by Jin Zijin’s warning gaze before he could finish.
"She’s fallen asleep, keep it down."
"What? I..." Yue Rujing’s throat felt as if he’d swallowed a fly, disgusting and unable to spit it out.
He glared fiercely at Gu Youyou, sat down in frustration on the other side of the fire, and had no choice but to take on the task of adding firewood.
This was infuriating, not a hint of sleepiness after a tiring day.
Was his senior brother smitten?
With Gu Youyou? No way!
Of all people to be smitten with, why that bundle of problems, Gu Youyou?
Ah, there’s just no justice! His senior brother was so great, yet he had such peculiar tastes. A whole field of fine cabbages awaited him, yet he had to go and pick a crooked, split melon?
No, this won’t do. When they reached Lingnan, he’d have to get his mother to find a few well-bred young ladies worthy of his senior brother, ones who could outshine Gu Youyou in seconds.
Lu City was a small fortress a tad larger than Qingshui Town but several times smaller than Tongguan.
The bustling crowd, sparse shops, it seemed even less lively than Qingshui Town.
After entering the city, Jin Zijin said, "Let’s rest here for a day, replenish our dry food and water, and give the horses a chance to rest as well."
"Yes, yes!" Gu Youyou, having been tired for several days, was naturally very happy.
"It’s about time to rest; we’ve been running the horses for three days straight, which is just too cruel—animal abuse."