Chapter 153 The sky was about to change

Gu Xiran threw the towel back into the washbasin, turned and looked at Shu Huan.

“You go with me.”

“How is that possible?” Shu Huan shook her head. “I already lied that I’m sick and that I need to rest. If I say that I want to go with you now, isn’t it the same as slapping myself in the face?”

Gu Xiran stared at her silently for a while and then said, “Then, you have to be careful about everything. If there is something you can’t deal with, wait for me to come home before deciding to do something.”

Shu Huan was a bit puzzled and asked, “Are you leaving now?”

“Mm,” Gu Xiran answered and let Meijing go pack up the things. Then, he gave Shu Huan some reminders, saying that if she couldn’t find anyone to discuss about matters with, she could go find Ji Danqing.

Shu Huan felt that it was a bit funny. She wasn’t a child anymore. Of course, she knew about these kinds of things. However, it was rare for Gu Xiran to nag. As it distracted her, it also let her heart be filled with sweetness.

She would feel very lonely when they are separated.

“Bring Ranmo with you. With someone you can trust at your side, you can do things more smoothly.”

Gu Xiran frowned slightly and said, “No, I can only be assured if I leave him at your side.

“…”

Shu Huan suddenly felt that this kind of dialogue made her very uncomfortable. Although, they yielded to each other because of their concern for each other, but this was overly careful. She coughed twice, turned her face away and said, “Don’t talk more nonsense. I let you take him with you, then, just take him with you. I don’t need him here!”

Meijing came back at the right time. Hearing this, she grinned while covering her mouth.

Gu Xiran didn’t mind and also smiled. He didn’t speak more. He took over the baggage from Meijing, looked once deeply at Shu Huan, turned and left.

Shu Huan leaned on the doorframe and watched him leave. After she was lost in her own thoughts for a moment, she said, “Pass my words. Say that the feng shui of third young miss’s place was not good and had offended a fiend. That was why she did such a deranged thing.”

• Feng shui: Chinese geomancy

Meijing went blank for a moment. After she thought for a while, she said, “I got it. I will go find big sister Qiaoyun.”

Shu Huan nodded, turned and went back into room. She continued to paint her stones.

Such a thing like gossips, if you dealt with it seriously, it was even more unable to suppress. She could only think about to fight poison with poison. It wasn’t that she wanted to attack Gu Xuan, it was that she couldn’t afford to offend the people of Gu household. She also couldn’t reveal the ugly hidden scandal. She could only use superstition and while she was at it use it as a high-sounding reason to explain Gu Xuan’s heinous behavior. Like this, even if old madam found out that the person who released this rumor was her, it wouldn’t be a big deal.

While she was in deep thoughts, she didn’t have the mind to paint. Shu Huan looked out of the window and saw Meijing whispering with Qiaoyun. She sighed. She truly didn’t like her own changes.

Attacking rumors with rumors was still somewhat effective.

In the next few days, after Shu Huan had painted her set of twelve hairpins of Nanjing on the stones, the rumors that Gu Xuan had been possessed by an evil spirit had spread through the residence.

This was thanks to Gu Xuan’s good acting. In the eyes of others, she was sweet-tempered and quiet. Everyone was in disbelief that she suddenly became so fierce and ruthless. The rumors explained her transformation. In this era, the people were very superstitious. After they heard that, they completely believed it. Some people didn’t even dare to approach her place. If they were forced to go, after they came back, they would burn paper offerings and took a bath to remove the bad energy.

In contrast, not many people mentioned Shu Huan’s rumors anymore, but Shu Huan knew that these rumors were spread privately. Such a clever person like old madam couldn’t be ignorant of them. Therefore, she didn’t dare to carelessly and continuously pay attention to the movements of Pine Crane Hall. However, a few days had passed and there was still no reaction from there at all. She didn’t know whether old madam didn’t have the energy to deal with this matter or that she planned to turn a blind eye and let the rumors spread.

Since old madam didn’t care, she was happy to stay peaceful. She began to draw the court ladies of the twelve hairpins of Nanjing using traditional Chinese brush technique, making Meijing curiously ask from where the beauty came from and why her clothing was so strange.

Shu Huan had become silent because of her questions. She only asked, “Is it beautiful?”

“Beautiful!” Meijing said with envy, “Unfortunately, my needlework isn’t good. Otherwise, I would make clothes like that and wear them.”

Was this the cosplay of ancient times?

Shu Huan laughed, “Don’t talk nonsense. Can you wear whatever you want?”

There were too many restrictions in this era. Bizarre clothes weren’t allowed to be seen by people. Moreover, Meijing had the identity of a maid. If she wore such clothes out, it would be strange if she wasn’t scolded severely.

“Alright, don’t make any more noises at the side. Go look for Shang Xin to learn reading,” Shu Huan gathered her energy and was ready to continue painting.

Meijing agreed and went out, but after a short while she returned and said, “Second young mistress, your little sister is asking to see you.”

Shu Huan’s hand trembled. The beautiful fingers of the woman on the painting became red, making her (SH) very annoyed. She removed the painting paper and made it into a ball. She faintly said, “Say that I’m sick and don’t want to see her.”

“This…,” Meijing said hesitantly. “She came to pay her condolences. Madam said to let her come visit you.”

Shu Huan still said the same thing, “Don’t want to see.”

Heavens knew what kind of morality and conduct this little sister of the original owner had. If it was good, then it would be fine. If it wasn’t good, wasn’t she (SH) then bringing trouble into her own place? By then, they would have an acrimonious falling out and their hatred would deepen.

Meijing was stumped for words and finally went out. After she sent Shu Yue away, she came in and smiled, “Second young mistress, I think this little sister of yours is lovable and sensible. When I said to her that second young mistress is sick, she was deeply concerned and said to let second young mistress take care of your body.”

Shu Huan smiled faintly, “Third young miss also looked like someone lovable and sensible.”

Meijing went blank, secretly sighed and went out.

The quiet days didn’t last long before a new rumor began to spread in the household. It said that Tong shopkeeper who had worked for more than a decade for Gu household had been roped in by a competitor.

Forget it if only the person was gone, but the secret fragrance formula of Gu household was about to be leaked. Doing business in fragrances, aside from the fine materials, the most important thing was the formula of the fragrance. Every secret formula of each household was different. The unique aroma usually only came from one household. Even if you pay a huge sum of money, you couldn’t buy the formula. It was conceivable how much losses Gu household would suffer if the formula was leaked. Plus, some people said that that shopkeeper Tong was a confidante of Gu Da. Most of the secrets of the business was known to him. If these were also leaked out, it would also be a great blow to Gu household.

After getting to know this, Gu Da fell ill once again. He was completely bedridden. Old madam was also old. Where would she get the energy to manage the business again? she called all the shopkeepers and accountants and negotiated behind closed doors for one day. The next day, she collapsed from exhaustion. At this time, aside from Lin shi, there was no one in charge. Hence, the whole residence was anxious. They had the panic that the sky was about to change.

• Shi: clan

Shu Huan was also somewhat panicked. She was worried that Gu Xiran would be implicated by this matter when he was dealing with the matters outside. She had never inquired about this kind of business. Naturally, she didn’t know anything about it. She could only let Meijing collect some of her money and jewelry and quietly find a house to keep them.

This was a precaution to give herself a way to retreat to.

However, Meijing had just left when Zisu came to pass a message. She said that old madam asked Shu Huan to go over because she (OM) had something to say.

Shu Huan wanted to inquire, but seeing that tense face of Zisu, she knew that she wouldn’t get anything out of her (Z). She tidied her clothes, took Shang Xin and went to Pine Crane Hall together.