Touching the copper lock, he hesitated for the first time.
"Should I unlock it? Or maybe not, it’s better if she doesn’t come out. Every time she leaves this courtyard, she is bound to cause trouble."
As for her illness, just have someone grab medicine for it.
When Gu Youyou and Lin Qianqing returned, Xie Qinyun’s hairpinning ceremony had already finished, and the guests were eating at the banquet.
All were women, so there were no concerns, and laughter abounded.
Concubine Du occupied the hostess’s seat, chatting and laughing with several Madams, while Xie Qinyun sat at another table, looking around anxiously.
Apparently, she had been worried because the two of them had spent too long strolling in the garden and had not yet returned.
Lin Qianqing hurried over and said, "Don’t look anymore, we are here."
"Oh my, where have you guys been?" Xie Qinyun patted her chest in relief and said, "You must have gotten lost, right?"
Lin Qianqing exchanged a glance with Gu Youyou, both conveying mutual understanding, and then turned to Xie Qinyun with a smile, "Yes, your family’s garden is so big, we did get lost!"
"Oh, then you must have run into my second brother."
"Hm?" The two looked at Xie Qinyun in surprise, "How do you know?"
Xie Qinyun said, "Since you two hadn’t come out, I had my maid go look for you. After asking the other maids, it seems you wandered into my second brother’s rear residence! She swallowed hard and whispered, "In our house, my second brother’s rear residence is almost off-limits now. The outside maids usually don’t go there, and I rarely visit. For one, father forbade it, and for two, my second brother would be unhappy. And three, I don’t want to see his women, one is too arrogant, the other too pathetic; it’s upsetting. So I let my second brother go look for you!"
Hearing Xie Qinyun’s words, Gu Youyou and Lin Qianqing both swallowed hard.
It turned out that Jie’s second young master had been looking for them. It was good they hadn’t... How well their lies coincided. Otherwise, it would have been really awkward and would have shamed the Lin Residence.
After the meal, when most of the guests had left, it was time for Gu Youyou and Lin Qianqing to bid farewell.
Before leaving, Lin Qianqing pulled Xie Qinyun aside and said, "My cousin and I strolled to the vicinity of your second sister-in-law’s courtyard, and by chance, we met your second sister-in-law’s maid going out to seek a doctor. My cousin then treated her. She has been sick for a long time because she was grounded and hadn’t been able to take any medicine! But my cousin has already prescribed her medicine."
Having hinted sufficiently, it was up to Xie Qinyun to fan the flames, depending on Concubine Du’s luck.
In the carriage, Lin Qianqing asked, "Cousin, do you think it was okay what I told Xie Qinyun?"
"Yes, it was good," Gu Youyou said, "Her second brother... who knows, it’s quite a pity if Concubine Du dies in that courtyard. Seeing as Xie Qinyun doesn’t seem to like Concubine Du very much, she will probably make a fuss about the whole affair."
"Hmm, that makes sense," Lin Qianqing nodded.
Looking at Gu Youyou, she grew curious and asked, "Cousin, you don’t seem the type to meddle in others’ affairs, so why did you get involved with the Jie Family’s household matters?"
Gu Youyou thought to herself: When did this girl get so clever?
She replied seriously, "How can it be considered meddling? I am a doctor, and a doctor feels itchy to treat the sick. Oh, I’m telling you, but you wouldn’t understand since you’re not a doctor. Plus... the medicine is indeed quite expensive. ’A fool won’t pick up money lying in front of him,’ do you think I’m that fool?"