The Prime Minister’s Darling - Chapter 18
Xiao Liulang left awkwardly.
There was no brown sugar at home, and the market was closed so late at night. If they wanted some, he could only borrow it from someone else.
Xiao Liulang had never asked to borrow anything from anyone, let alone brown sugar which women would consume when they had their period.
He stood under the roof, his cheeks burning.
However, after taking a few deep breaths, he still got up and headed to the east of the village.
“Auntie Zhang.” He knocked on the Zhang family’s door.
Auntie Zhang opened the door and saw him. She smiled and asked, “Oh, Liulang. It’s so late, what’s the matter?”
“I… came to borrow some brown sugar,” Xiao Liulang said, pretending to be calm.
In the countryside, brown sugar was a rare commodity and most people would not have it at home. Auntie Zhang’s daughter-in-law had just given birth and was in confinement; Xiao Liulang happened to overhear her asking Second Uncle Luo to buy brown sugar for her at the market.
“Why do you need brown sugar? Is the Gu girl pregnant?” Auntie Zhang asked.
Xiao Liulang’s face burned again. “No, no!”
“Ah, so it’s her period. What’s wrong? Her first time?” Auntie Zhang was experienced and instantly understood what was going on when she saw his expression.
Who ever knew? Liulang’s the sort to dote on others too, huh.
Auntie Zhang returned to her room and filled a bowl with brown sugar for him. She teased him, “It’s a good thing for a woman to have her period. It means that she’ll be able to bear children for you soon!”
Xiao Liulang had no idea how he left.
He boiled some brown sugar water and brought it to Gu Jiao’s room. Xue Ningxiang had already returned home, and Gu Jiao was lying on the bed, a little weak.
He looked straight ahead as he entered her room and placed the brown sugar water on the table. “Drink it first. Call me if it’s not enough.”
With that, he turned around and left.
Although he left very quickly, Gu Jiao’s sharp eyes noticed that his ears were flushed red.
Gu Jiao chuckled lightly and drank all the brown sugar water in the bowl.
She did not expect the brown sugar water to be effective. Her body warmed up, and she felt much more at ease. In no time at all, she was asleep.
That night, she dreamt again.
She dreamed that she woke up late the next day, that Xiao Liulang went out alone and met Gu Xiaoshun at the village entrance.
The two of them went to the academy together and entered the same class.
Gu Xiaoshun was a slipshod person. He slept through the entire morning class, giving everyone a terrible impression of him. When it was time for their room assignment, no one was willing to stay with him; only Xiao Liulang stood up.
The two of them were assigned to the westernmost dormitory. The building had been in disrepair for a long time, and as soon as the two of them entered, the roof collapsed—Xiao Liulang was severely injured, while Gu Xiaoshun was slightly hurt.
The next day, Gu Jiao really woke up late.
Because of her experience from her previous dream, Gu Jiao was much calmer this time.
Xiao Liulang’s not around; he must have left for school.
Second Uncle Luo’s ox cart was in town, so she walked there and arrived at the academy at noon.
Gu Xiaoshun was sleeping soundly on the desk when the student in front of him poked him with his brush. “Hey, time to eat!”
Gu Xiaoshun rubbed his eyes and sat up. “Ah, is it lunch time?”
The surrounding students looked at the creases on his face caused by his book and burst out laughing.
Everyone in the class knew that Gu Xiaoshun got in because of his connections. However, no one had expected him to be so completely ignorant and incompetent.
Even the worst class in the Divine Academy had never had such a bum.
Everyone looked at Gu Xiaoshun with a hint of disapproval.
Soon, Teacher Zhang arrived.
Teacher Zhang said, “Today, we are going to assign you your dormitories, four students to one dormitory. Discuss among yourselves, then come to me to get your keys.”
There were a total of twenty-six people in Earth-Grade Class B, which meant that there would be one dormitory with only two people.
Everyone quickly split up into their groups. Xiao Liulang’s deskmate had two childhood friends in the same class, and he asked Xiao Liulang to join them.
On Gu Xiaoshun’s side, things were much more bumpy. No one was willing to share a room with him, and he ended up completely alone. There was another student who had applied for leave yesterday and had just entered the school today; as he did not know anyone, he was also alone.
However, it was obvious that this classmate also despised Gu Xiaoshun. “I… I don’t want to be in the same room as him!”
“Hmph! Then I’ll stay in the dorm on my own!” Gu Xiaoshun folded his arms and pointed his chin at him.
Of course, he could not actually live alone. Or was that lone student going to sleep on the streets?
Xiao Liulang said calmly, “I’ll trade with you.”
The student shed tears of gratitude and thanked him several times, only stopping short of calling him father.
Gu Xiaoshun said casually, “Brother-in-law, you don’t have to stay with me! It’s not that I don’t want to stay with you, I just think…”
Xiao Liulang had already taken the key from Teacher Zhang and left expressionlessly.
Gu Xiaoshun puckered his lips and reluctantly followed.
All the best dorms had already been taken, and the last remaining one was the most remote. The two of them carried their bags and walked forward.
Halfway there, a manservant ran over, sweating profusely. “Which of you is Xiao Liulang?”
Xiao Liulang stopped and turned to him. “I am.”
The servant was panting. “Your family’s here and waiting for you outside, it’s something urgent! Please see her immediately!”
Xiao Liulang was an orphan. The only person who can be called his family… is her.
Xiao Liulang paused and said to Gu Xiaoshun, “It’s your sister.”
“My sister’s here?” Hearing that it was Gu Jiao, Gu Xiaoshun perked up. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s hurry up and go find my sister!”
They were only a few steps away from their assigned dormitory. They could drop their things inside before going to see her.
But she said, it’s something urgent.
Xiao Liulang quickened his pace. Carrying his bag and walking with his walking stick, he went to the entrance of the academy with Gu Xiaoshun.
Crowds of people were coming and going on the streets, and her clothes were inconspicuous, but Xiao Liulang still recognized her at a glance.
She stood in the cold wind, her face a little flush from the cold. Perhaps because she did not like the noise, she was frowning from time to time.
“Sister! Sister!” Gu Xiaoshun excitedly ran towards Gu Jiao.
Gu Jiao glanced at him and quickly looked away to look at Xiao Liulang behind the crowd.
Xiao Liulang happened to be looking at her too. Their eyes met, and Xiao Liulang was stunned for a moment. Gu Jiao smiled.
Xiao Liulang averted his gaze and walked towards her.
“Sister, why are you looking for us?” Gu Xiaoshun asked.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” Gu Jiao said casually. “I just came to have lunch with you.”
After saying that, she saw Xiao Liulang looking at her skeptically. She adjusted Gu Xiaoshun’s collar and said in earnest, “It’s your first day of school. I’m worried about you.”
The two of them went to a nearby noodle shop, where they had three bowls of Yangchun noodles.
It was the place where Feng Lin had brought Xiao Liulang and Gu Jiao to eat last time.
Xiao Liulang was not enjoying his meal.
Gu Jiao said, “Aren’t these the noodles from your hometown? Don’t you like them?”
“It’s not as good as your cooking.” This sentence slipped out from his mouth; after saying that, Xiao Liulang himself was stunned.
Gu Jiao was also startled for a moment. Then, she propped her chin on her hand and looked at him as she smiled and said, “Okay, I’ll cook for you tonight.”
Gu Xiaoshun had a big appetite, and after finishing one bowl he originally wanted to have another, but for some reason, he suddenly felt full.
“Huh? Why am I feeling so full?”
