Several people had arrived at the rented courtyard.
The landlords, an elderly couple around fifty years old, had already been waiting there.
Upon witnessing Gu Shengyin’s entourage, they hesitated for a moment.
Gu Shengyin said with a smile, "We just moved here from North City not long ago. I happen to be studying in this area, so I rented the courtyard in advance. In a few days, the rest of my family will join us. That’s why we have so many belongings."
Naturally, she couldn’t reveal that she was living there with just two servants. Although the landlords seemed nice, one can never know what’s in someone’s heart. It could be problematic if they harbored ill intentions.
Indeed, upon hearing her words, the landlady smiled and said, "No wonder you brought so many things; you’re moving. My husband and I also plan to move in with our son, which is why the courtyard was available."
The two parties quickly agreed on the price, and Gu Shengyin rented the place for an entire year. They signed the agreement, Shengyin had Shiao Shiao pay them, thus concluding the formalities.
"Miss, what will we do from now on?" Shiao Shiao was actually somewhat bewildered. Having only ever done one thing since she was young, even serving Yan Ruohua, suddenly moving out left her feeling quite at a loss.
Auntie Lin gave her a glance: "You should serve Miss just as you did before."
Gu Shengyin herself hadn’t really thought everything through yet.
She was capable of many things, but she didn’t know what was suitable to do in this world.
The simplest and most comfortable option was to do nothing. Yan Ruohua’s dowry was enough to ensure a luxurious life for her and her servants for a lifetime.
She only needed to eat, drink, and be merry. Then, by publishing the works that Yan Ruohua had written, she could easily gain a reputation for refinement.
But then, what was the purpose of her coming to this world?
Yan Ruohua’s greatest regret at the end of her life was the lack of courage to fight back when she was divorced, choosing to endure when she was neglected by her family, and having talents that were never fully utilized, being "imprisoned" within a small courtyard her entire life. She had hardly ever struggled for her own life.
If she couldn’t make Yan Ruohua’s life brilliant and without regrets, then why bother making the journey as Gu Shengyin?
Wait a second! Eat, drink, and be merry.
A spark lit up in Gu Shengyin’s eyes. This was also a great idea.
A vague vision for the future formed in her mind.
Liu Yunyi, the leading actress of the renowned Yunxi Troupe in Cloud City, was singing the tune of "The Noble Consort’s Drunkenness" on stage.
However, what was different this time was that her audience consisted of only one person.
With her water sleeves gently fluttering, Liu Yunyi’s tender and affectionate eyes were constantly filled with love as she looked at the young man sitting upright on the hardwood chair.
The man had a sharp gaze, a high nose bridge, and his lips tightly pursed. His military uniform was impeccable, with every button fastened right up to the top, sitting straight-backed on the chair.
He seemed unresponsive to Liu Yunyi’s intentional or unintentional provocations.
Only after the song ended and Liu Yunyi descended from the stage, while still in her elaborate opera costume, did she gracefully perform a curtsey toward the man and said in a melodious voice, "Liu Yunyi, at your service, Young Marshal Huangfu."
She raised her head and met Huangfu Qi’s gaze.
In an instant, she felt as though she was engulfed by an endless coldness and murderous aura, her face beneath the heavy makeup turned deathly pale, and she couldn’t help but start to tremble uncontrollably.
This man... he was terrifying.