Chapter 32

Upon the elevated table stood a long box made of red cypress wood and a small, palm-sized box crafted from sandalwood. Gu Changjin was well aware of the contents within these two wooden cases.

They held a painting by Master Spring Mountains and a string of Buddhist beads from Daci'en Temple.

These were the gifts Xu Fu had prepared for Lady Rong and the elderly matriarch of the Rong family as a return visit after her wedding to the Duke of Cheng'an. Now, these items had appeared on the high table.

Had they not had time to deliver them, or were they never intended to be sent in the first place?

Chapter 15

Just as he pondered, the scene before him dimmed as a slender figure caught his eye, having moved past the stone screen adorned with drum-shaped pillars.

Gu Changjin lifted his gaze and heard a gentle voice from a maiden nearby inquire, "How do you feel, my lord?"

Lying down with only his eyes and head capable of movement, Gu Changjin paused slightly before responding in a calm voice, "I'm doing alright. There's no need for Madam to worry."

Of course, Rong Shu was not worried.

Doctor Sun from the Imperial Medicine Court was indeed an exceptional physician. In his previous life, Gu Changjin's jaws were clenched tightly, preventing any medicine from being administered. Yet, after a few acupuncture needles from Doctor Sun, Gu Changjin's jaws relaxed.

Chang Ji was utterly amazed and eager to learn this needle technique for himself. However, Doctor Sun insisted that it was difficult to master and not suitable for frequent use, thus refusing to teach it to anyone.

Doctor Sun administered the acupuncture treatments to Gu Changjin morning and night. Within less than a week of staying in the Songsi Courtyard, Gu Changjin was able to get out of bed.

"I heard that Doctor Sun has been ordered by the Emperor to stay in the residence and tend to Lord Gu. Thus, I instructed my servants to tidy up Chang Ji and Heng Ping's quarters and offered them to Doctor Sun. For the time being, they will have to squeeze together in the back chambers."

Chang Ji and Heng Ping's quarters faced north and were located next to the Wutong Lane, which made them poorly lit and noisy. It was an unavoidable decision to let Sun Daoping reside there due to the scarcity of suitable living spaces in the Gu household.

Initially, Rong Shu had struggled to find a comfortable place for Mother Zhang and the others. After much deliberation, she decided to partition off the eastern secondary chamber of the Songsi Courtyard, finally resolving the issue.

Fortunately, Sun Daoping was not fussy and willingly accepted any accommodation without complaint.

At this thought, Rong Shu couldn't help but reflect on her own situation. In the Songsi Courtyard, apart from the main house, only the eastern and western secondary chambers were suitable for habitation.

The eastern secondary chamber was currently occupied by Mother Zhang and her two companions, while the western one was filled with miscellaneous items, leaving no space for a bed. There was a small monk's bed in the study that could be used for sleeping, but it was primarily where Gu Changjin worked and composed official documents, so it was not accessible to others casually.

This left Rong Shu and Gu Changjin with no choice but to share the same room.

In her previous life, to take better care of Gu Changjin, she had indeed slept on the same bed with him.

But now, there was no real need for them to share a bed. He disliked it, and she was unwilling as well.

Aside from the large bed where Gu Changjin slept, there was a couch by the window that could accommodate someone, albeit not very comfortably.

In times of urgency, one must adapt. Rong Shu didn't have much of a choice right now. After some deliberation, she proposed to Gu Changjin, "My lord is injured. I have poor sleeping habits, so I'll rest on the couch by the window for these few days."

Poor sleeping habits.

Gu Changjin glanced at her sideways.

Whether in his dreams or on their wedding day, this lady's sleeping posture had always been extremely proper. She would sleep and wake up in the same position, which was far from the "poor sleeping habits" she described.

However, since Rong Shu had suggested not sharing the same bed, Gu Changjin naturally wouldn't refuse. He even felt a subtle sense of relief.

"I'll leave it to your arrangement, my lady," he said.

Saying that, he fell silent.

Rong Shu also had nothing to add, and for a moment, the inner chamber was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.

The sky outside had already turned dark. Earlier in the afternoon, Rong Shu had eaten a few pastries, but after Gu Changjin was carried back, she had been through quite an ordeal. Now, her stomach was empty, and she was feeling ravenously hungry.

Just as the sensation of hunger struck, a loud rumble echoed abruptly in the stillness.

Startled, Rong Shu touched her lower abdomen and said instinctively, "It's not me."

As she spoke, her delicate brows arched, and her long, almond-shaped eyes widened, unintentionally revealing a hint of coyness.

This was quite different from her usual gentle and composed demeanor; it reminded him of the tipsy version of her in his dreams.

Gu Changjin lowered his gaze, and his thin lips curved up slightly as he admitted, "It's me."

In fact, after her words, Rong Shu realized that it was indeed Gu Changjin's stomach growling. It wasn't his fault, considering he hadn't eaten anything all day except for two bowls of medicinal soup. Anyone in his position would feel hungry.

Under such circumstances, most people would feel a bit awkward.

Rong Shu was all too familiar with Gu Changjin's unwavering disposition. Rarely would one see expressions of embarrassment, panic, or sorrow on his face.

Take, for instance, his dislike for offal. Even though he disliked it, if it were cooked into porridge, he could still eat it without altering his expression, not even uttering a single complaint.

In her previous life, she had trusted Lin Qingyue's words and, despite her mediocre culinary skills, prepared offal dishes for an entire month. Surprisingly, he didn't show any disdain and consumed every bit of it.

It wasn't until Chang Ji casually mentioned to Ying Que that their master disliked offal that Rong Shu stopped her endeavors.

When Rong Shu later asked him why he didn't express his dislike, he simply replied, "Since it's just food to fill the stomach, what difference does it make whether I like it or not?" He valued a food's function more than his personal preference for it.

With such a tepid desire for taste, he seemed like a man devoid of worldly desires. Yet, whenever Rong Shu thought this, she couldn't help but recall another side of Gu Changjin.

The man with fiery eyes, walking amidst the blood-stained streets of Changan Avenue.

Rong Shu slightly tilted her head, meeting Gu Changjin's dark gaze. There was tranquility in those depths, revealing no trace of embarrassment.

If he felt no awkwardness, then neither should she. She said openly, "Chang Ji has just gone to the kitchen to fetch porridge for you, it will be back soon."

Gu Changjin nodded, "It's not early, my lady should also have your meal."

Indeed, Rong Shu was feeling a bit hungry. She would never torment herself, so she gently acknowledged his words and left the room.

Just like the day before, she dined in the courtyard.