"Hey, do we really have to go to the Marquis Residence for the New Year celebration? Don’t you know that group of women there, including your favorite disciple, all dislike me?"
As they approached the entrance to the Marquis Residence, the woman dressed in a pale green jacket kept tugging at the sleeve of the tall man walking in front of her.
Meanwhile, Abao seemed quite pleased. The path to the Marquis Residence was familiar territory for it, leading the way and occasionally turning back, tilting its head and looking curiously at its awkward master trailing behind.
Jin Zijin said, "Marquess Yue has been kind to me. He invited us, and it wouldn’t be polite to refuse."
"This is a case of ’suffering for the sake of face,’ and I’m the one who suffers," Gu Youyou asserted righteously.
"Don’t you trust me? Or are you scared?"
"I believe you can handle them, they’re just a bunch of no-hopers."
That annoying goading tactic.
Gu Youyou was actually susceptible to such provocation. They were just a few maidens, a bunch of no-hopers; what did she have to fear?
"Fine, fine, fine, I wasn’t even scared staying at his place for a few days, why would I be scared of having a New Year’s Eve dinner?"
This was challenging her to show her true strength.
Outside the Marquis Residence hung the biggest and brightest red lanterns in all of Lingnan City, casting the entire vermillion-painted gate in a radiant glow.
Speaking of which, Marquess Yue really did give Jin Zijin a lot of face, bringing his only son, Yue Rujing, to welcome them personally at the gate, his face always adorned with a kindly smile.
Cold flakes of snow flew outside the gates; it was quite chilly, a rare occurrence indeed.
Huh! She thought the weather in Lingnan was warm and would not bring snow. Unexpectedly, come winter, the snow flew thick and heavy, no less than the snow in Qingshui Town.
"Ayan, you’re here. Come inside quickly and get warm!"
Ayan? Gu Youyou was taken aback. That must be Jin Zijin’s nickname, huh? Their relationship was indeed extraordinary.
Yue Rujing instructed a guard to take Abao inside.
"Take Lord Abao to the back yard, pamper him with good food and drink, alright?"
The guard replied affirmatively, and Abao abandoned its master, scampering off with the other man.
Gu Youyou rolled her eyes; now she understood why Abao had been so happy—it had become a favored ’Lord’ in this Marquis Residence.
Jin Zijin entered with Marquess Yue arm in arm, while Yue Rujing stood there with ill intentions, waiting for Gu Youyou to enter first.
Gu Youyou gave him a sideways glance and quickly followed in Jin Zijin’s footsteps.
Alright, she would just act as if she was shamelessly freeloading a meal.
However, it seemed Yue Rujing did not intend to let her off so easily. Back in Qingshui Town, he had endured much humiliation and suffered under Gu Youyou’s bullying.
Getting up earlier than the chickens and working harder than an ox, and then having his wages docked or threatened with dismissal at the drop of a hat.
With a smile that was not quite a smile, he said to Gu Youyou, "Manager Gu, where did you buy this outfit? It’s quite lovely, makes you look just like a sprout of green beans."
Gu Youyou’s lips curved into a wicked smile, thinking to herself: When it comes to wit, I, Gu Youyou, have never been afraid of you, Yue Rujing.
She appraised Yue Rujing from head to toe and said, "Isn’t that white robe the one you said was bitten by a dog? You mean to say they couldn’t even spare you a new outfit for the New Year’s celebration?"
The malevolent smile on Yue Rujing’s face momentarily stiffened, and he instinctively looked down at the sleeve that Abao had bitten.
He had removed and remade that whole sleeve, so who would be able to tell it had been bitten by a dog?
"This is the Crane Immortal White Moon Robe, the one and only exquisite rarity in the world!"
Gu Youyou nodded and said, "Yeah, a robe bitten by a dog and still worn for the New Year’s celebration is indeed the one and only."