Chapter 49 The discussion
This was the first time that Shu Huan saw Gu household’s master.
Gu Da was already forty years of age, but he lived a comfortable life and maintained himself properly. Therefore, from the appearance he looked a lot younger than her unfamiliar father. If it wasn’t because the ancient people liked to marry from a young age, Shu Huan really wouldn’t be able to believe that he had such a big son like Gu Xiran! The shape of his face was square and his facial features were neat. It was completely unlike Gu Xiran’s handsomeness and brightness. She guessed that Gu Xiran probably looked more like his mother who had already passed away.
Like the rumors in Gu household, Gu Xiran was not favored. The way Gu Da looked at him was indifferent like how one would look at a stranger without any blood ties to him. It was even inferior to the strict way old madam looked at Gu Xiran that still carried some concern.
However, one thing made Shu Huan feel a bit strange.
When she paid her respect, Gu Da also only swept a indifferent glance over her, the daughter-in-law. However, when he saw concubine Yun, his eyes showed kindness and he even nodded at her.
Of course, if it was only this, it still couldn’t be considered as strange. Concubine Yun was the type that would easily leave a good impression on someone. That Gu Da felt that she was pleasing to the eyes and treated her with amiability was also normal. The strangest thing was that concubine Yun didn’t dare to raise her head and Lin shi’s expression turned a bit ugly.
Could there be something more to this?
Shu Huan stabilized her mind to not let herself guess wildly because the facts were never as simple as what the eyes saw. Moreover, this has nothing to do with her.
While her thoughts got to this point, she saw Gu Da threw that wanted poster in front of Gu Xiran. He said with a bit of anger, “Look at the good thing you did!”
Gu Xiran wasn’t a bit affected. He indifferently picked up that wanted poster, opened it and looked at it. Next to him, Shu Huan glanced twice over it. She discovered that the portrait really did look like him! However, that fat man probably only remembered how Gu Xiran looked like. There was only one of such wanted posters. She felt greatly relieved. However, concubine Yun frowned slightly when looking at the wanted poster.
After having looked at it, Gu Xiran handed back the wanted poster. He didn’t justify himself and only asked, “Does master think I did it?”
Gu Da’s face showed hesitation first. Then, he said, “Is the one painted not you?”
Gu Xiran’s expression didn’t change and said, “It looks a bit similar. Whether it’s me or not, I don’t know.”
Gu Da was obviously blocked by his words. In fact, he was also skeptical whether the person on the wanted poster was his son. After all, the wanted poster said to detain a bandit who caused a disturbance. It didn’t mention a name nor a surname. Moreover, after he got the news, he sent someone privately to go investigate. That person said that this bandit threw the county magistrate’s brother-in-law naked on the street of the downtown area. The bandit also smashed the restaurant and beat the shopkeeper before he left.
This kind of thing didn’t look like something his weak and ill son could do. If he had the means to hurt people, would there still be the need to marry a daughter from a poor family in hope that the great event of joy would drive away bad luck and hasten his recovery?
Thinking till here, Gu Da changed his tone, but still stared in Gu Xiran’s eyes and said, “When the incident happened, it was the day of your birthday. Did you go out that day?”
Gu Xiran still retorted, “When had master seen me go out?”
He was made speechless once again. Gu Da frowned. He suddenly felt that this son’s mouth became much sharper than before.
Shu Huan wanted to help him justify, but suddenly she remembered that when she opened her mouth the first time she met old madam, she was berated. This father-in-law also didn’t seem to like her much. Therefore, she pressed down her impulsiveness and felt that she should remain silent. At least, she wouldn’t be more of a hindrance than help.
Concubine Yun was observant. She picked up her courage and said, “Master, wasn’t the day of second young master’s birthday, the day you returned to the residence? When second young master returned from paying his respect, he got the cold and became ill. He stayed in bed for the whole day. It was definitely impossible to say that this matter had anything to do with him…”
After her voice fell, Gu Da didn’t react yet, when Gu Xiran’s body shook once first. It was as if his legs went soft and he didn’t have any strength. He put his hand on Shu Huan’s shoulder. Then, he put his hand on his mouth and coughed.
Seeing this, Lin shi quickly said, “Your body is not good. Don’t stand there anymore. Sit down.”
Gu Xiran coughed for a while, took two breaths and shook his head, “Doesn’t matter.”
Although he said that, but his face turned very pale and a thin layer of sweat formed on his forehead. Then, it was Gu Da who couldn’t look any longer at this. He cleared his throat and said, “Madam let you sit, then sit.”
Gu Xiran asked for pardon and then sat down on a chair.
Shu Huan was very puzzled. Sweating was not like crying. No matter how good his acting was, how could sweat come and go when he wanted? Moreover, the weather was relatively cool today and this Glorious Building used ice. The air was cool and would definitely make people feel cool and sweat-free. Although, she was puzzled, she still passed him a handkerchief.
Gu Xiran took over the handkerchief to wipe his sweat. Unexpectedly, the more he wiped, the more sweat there was. Even sweat could be pinched out of that thin handkerchief.
This was the symptom of a fragile body.
Gu Da sighed slightly and felt that he had probably overthought. Although, his son’s illness got a bit better than before, but in the state he was now, not to mention going out of the residence to cause trouble, it would even be a question whether he could walk to the entrance. The thought of asking the doorkeeper also dispatched. Just when he wanted to gesture to let him (GXR) go back to rest, he suddenly heard footsteps outside. Gu Xihe rushed in full of sweat. Ranmo was chasing after him…
“Fourth young master, slow down. The threshold. Be careful of the threshold!”
Seeing him, Gu Da frowned again. He reprimanded, “Doesn’t know the rules!”
Gu Xihe was a bit afraid of him. He shrank a little and went a few steps to Lin shi’s side. Ranmo probed outside of the door. When he saw that the situation wasn’t right, he immediately retrieved his head.
Lin shi quickly pulled him into her embrace. While she wiped his sweat, she rebuked Gu Da, “Don’t berate the child the moment you came back. He is still young. How could he know so many rules?”
Gu Da’s expression turned a bit ugly.
Lin shi quickly turned the subject, “It wasn’t that I spoiled him. On such a hot day, old madam doesn’t feel that well. If she heard that he was punished again, what would you do if something happens to her because of heartache?”
One sentence destroyed the fire in Gu Da’s heart. He helplessly casted a glance at Gu Xihe and only threw one sentence, “When there is a kind mother, there is a useless son!”
To Gu Xihe, his father was a tiger made from paper. After putting out old madam, he (GD) wouldn’t be able to show his prestige again. So, he reached out to grab the watermelon on the table. While he ate, he said, “So thirsty!”
While talking, he looked at Gu Xiran, “Why is second big brother here?”
He didn’t wait for people to answer when he made a “oh” sound. He picked up that wanted poster on the table. While he looked, he laughed, “So alike! Really alike to second big brother! However, how could second big brother go out and cause trouble? Master, is it that our family is being schemed against and framed?”
A seemingly unintentional sentence made Gu Da’s heart skip a beat. When he looked at the wanted poster that was stained with watermelon juice, his eyes became unfathomable.