Heroine Saves A Gentleman

Guo Jingyan rolled her eyes and said, “Don’t pretend to be polite. Look at you and what you’ve done to the Marquis residence.”

After getting along with Guo Jingya for a while, Zhou Xiaoxiao knew that she was just softhearted but too prideful to admit this.

She naturally didn’t argue with her, leading the two people into the east room. She ordered for servants to bring up fruits and snacks.

Gongsun Yu looked at Zhou Xiaoxiao’s sweaty forehead and flushed face, delivering an autumn-colored handkerchief over and said, “Sister-in-law, stop whatever you’re doing and wipe your sweat first.”

Zhou Xiaoxiao took it from her and felt the softness of the handkerchief which had a nude magnolia embroidered on it. The imposing branches were just splitting at the seams. The colors of the flower gradually changed by layers and it felt irregularly tender and delicate.

It was the same flower front and back, the rare two-sided stitch.

She almost didn’t have the heart to wipe her sweat with the handkerchief, so she announced her guilt and left to wash her face as well as change her clothes.

As a result, Guo Jingyan started to chat with Gongsun Yu.

“She doesn’t have good tea or anything good here, just some snacks that are edible. Try it out.”

After Guo Jingyan gave birth, her taste changed and she didn’t like sour anymore, only sweets.

Yet, Gongsun Yu seemed like the plum pellets, eating a few in a row.

Guo Jingyan teased her, “When I was pregnant, I liked this too. Now, you seem to have the same taste as me.”

Gongsun Yu’s paled but she didn’t say anything.

Coincidentally, Zhou Xiaoxiao finished changing clothes and started to greet her guests.

She gave the handkerchief back to Gongsun Yu and admired, “Cousin has incredible sewing skills. This is some fine needlework and you’re worthy of being a well-bred young lady from a prestigious family. I can’t even bear to stain the handkerchief.”

Gongsun Yu said, “You’re quite polite, but it’s just some little things. If you don’t mind, I can make two for you as a greeting gift.”

“Haha. When we first saw each other last time, you sprinted off so quickly that I couldn’t even give you a gift. How do I have the nerve to ask for your gift?”

As Zhou Xiaoxiao said this, she opened her trousseau and picked a golden jade hairpin shaped as a flower.

Gongsun Yu stood up and pushed Zhou Xiaoxiao’s hand, saying, “Handkerchief isn’t a valuable item, so how can I accept such a pricy and expensive gift from you?”

Zhou Xiaoxiao reached over and inserted the hairpin between her pitch-black but bright hair, smiling. “It’s not worth anything. Beautiful jewelry has to match someone beautiful like you.”

Gongsun Yu’s face turned red and she patted the jewelry on her head, thanking Zhou Xiaoxiao.

Then, she asked, “I’m not sure what flowers you like. Tell me so Yu’er can go find it and sew some handkerchiefs for you.”

Zhou Xiaoxiao thought of her alias, Du Juan. Yu Xingzhi enjoyed drawing the cuckoo every day and she flipped through the drawers to find a few sketches of Du Juans that she drew while she was idle, delivering it to Gongsun Yu.

“What do you think about this?”

Gongsun Yu and Guo Jingyan both looked over and gasped.

Gongsun Yu said, “I’ve never seen this before, but it looks very realistic as if it was coming to life.”

Guo Jingyan stared at it for a while before she said, “I didn’t think you have skills like this. Tomorrow, Yu Family’s sister is holding a poetry and pictorial art group. You will come with me and reveal yourself in front of them. That way, it would save me from being annoyed by them, asking me who you are.”

After a while, the two left and Zhou Xiaoxiao personally went to see them off. She even watched as they got in the horse carriage before heading back.

One of them was the young lady of State Duke residence while the other one was a noble young lady from a prestigious family.

There were many people waiting for them outside the residence. One of Gongsun Yu’s guards was tall and buff, looking extraordinary, and Zhou Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but take a few looks at him.

…