Chapter 713: 333 Counterattack (two updates) Chapter 713: 333 Counterattack (two updates) Old Master Hou ultimately didn’t let Gu Yan foot the bill; instead, he drew a silver coin from his pouch, accidentally pulling out a pipa knot made from a red string along with it.
Gu Yan quickly picked up the knot. It looked rather worn and faded around the edges.
It was hard to imagine such an accessory inside the purse of such a stalwart man.
“Was it a gift from a special lady friend?” Gu Yan asked.
It was clearly something gifted by a woman. But it surely wasn’t the old Madam from his residence. They were only a nominal couple. He wouldn’t be carrying something she gave him.
“Cough, no, don’t talk nonsense,” Old Master Hou put the pipa knot back into his pouch.
Gu Yan didn’t buy it, and asked curiously, “I can’t believe, you have a secret admirer too? Where is she now?”
She definitely wasn’t in the residence—the old Matron of the residence had been dealt with by the old Madam Hou long ago.
Old Master Hou had kept his feelings to himself all these years, holding a lot of misery inside him. To be honest, he did feel like divulging a little.
After a pause, he said, “It belongs to a friend of mine. He left it at my place. I meant to return it.”
What a familiar start to a story!
Gu Yan, who had read all of Old Master Ji’s love stories, understood perfectly well what was going on.
He raised an eyebrow in amusement: “Where is your friend’s ladylove now?”
Old Master Hou sighed, “She… has become a nun.”
“Why would she become a nun?” asked Gu Yan.
“Her husband passed away… circumstances forced her.” He paused, “However, perhaps…she only wanted to meet my friend once more in her lifetime.”
Who could tell, the old man is quite charming to the ladies.
Gu Yan didn’t probe the reasons of her inability to act freely. Instead, he focused on the latter remark. Pondering, he continued, “It seems that this woman harbored deep feelings for your friend.”
Old Master Hou stared at the lover’s knot in his hand, “It’s a pity we met too late. I wish we had met before she got married.”
“But her husband is dead, and she has shaved her head to express her devotion to your friend. Doesn’t she… I mean, can’t your friend see her feelings?” asked Gu Yan.
Old Master Hou frowned: “You mean—”
Gu Yan stated, “I mean, she might still be waiting for your friend to take her away.”
“To take her… away?” Old Master Hou was shocked. This kid was always saying outrageous things!
Gu Yan nodded, “Yes, I asked you, why did your friend feel that she had become a nun in order to see him? Had she said that? Or did she let your friend feel her affection for him?”
“…Yes.” Old Master Hou conceded with a nod.
Gu Yan slapped the table in frustration, “There you have it! She’s a woman, to show even the slightest bit of affection is her utmost effort. She can’t just let the words ‘let’s elope’ slip out. This is something we have to do as men!”
Old Master Hou’s head spun with Gu Yan’s words. He forgot to say that Gu Yan was just fifteen, a boy, not yet a man.
“This is pure madness!”
This child had a greater audacity than his three elder brothers combined!
Gu Yan: “What’s so audacious about it? If you love her, go chase her!”
Old Master Hou hesitated, “What if she’s unwilling—”
“If she is unwilling, it just means she doesn’t have you… your friend in her heart!” Gu Yan patted his grandfather’s shoulder, then with the wisdom of a connoisseur of romance novels started analyzing for him, “She has already become a nun. What else would she be unwilling to do? If she is unwilling to elope with him, the only truth is—she doesn’t love your friend, she is just using your friend’s feelings for her!”
Gu Jiao spent the morning at the Medical Hall. The afternoon was quieter for a change. She didn’t have to refine the “Gunpowder”, so she lounged in a recliner under a tree.
Li Wanwan, from the other side of the wall, was practicing the piano.
She was now accustomed to practicing the piano at this time every day for Gu Jiao’s benefit, though she didn’t know whether Gu Jiao was always there to listen.
Her piano skills had improved vastly compared to a year ago. However, she seemed preoccupied today, causing her playing to sound absent-minded.
“You played it wrong again.” Gu Jiao commented blandly.
“Ah,” Li Wanwan turned pale, she hadn’t expected Miss to be present today. After all, Miss had not listened to her practice for several days.