Male Lead, Please Don’t Covet the Mob Character Cannon Fodder (Quick Transmigration) - Chapter 12

Gu Jiuli did not know why the topic had suddenly jumped to his memory. He detected the hidden joy in Song Qingshi’s voice. “Does Young Master hope very much that I recover my memory?”

“Uh, of course, of course.”

“Are you not afraid, Young Master, that I might kill the donkey once the grinding is done after I recover my memory? Treating a grand general of the first rank like a servant is a serious crime.” Gu Jiuli tried to intimidate him.

Song Qingshi swallowed his saliva, almost feeling the phantom pain of being beaten with clubs. He asked in a small voice: “So, have you recovered it?”

“Of course, not yet. Young Master, I have only remembered a few scattered fragments.” Gu Jiuli did not know what Song Qingshi was planning, but that did not stop him from continuing to play the fool. It would be no fun to show his hand all at once. He was looking forward to the look of shock on the Young Master’s face when he eventually discovered that Gu Jiuli had long since recovered his memory.

“Ah, I see.” Song Qingshi’s heart was going up and down. He felt as if he were already on the execution block, yet the blade simply would not fall no matter how long he waited. It was truly an ordeal.

“Second Cousin! Second Cousin!” Princess Qi Fei, dressed in men’s clothing, looked resentfully at Shen Nuo, who was drinking one cup after another. She snatched the wine pot from him. “Second Cousin, did you not agree to take me out to play? Why are you here drinking alone and brooding?”

Shen Nuo returned to his senses. “I am sorry, Fei Fei. Let us go.”

Qi Fei narrowed her eyes. “Second Cousin, I heard recently that General Gu spent ten thousand gold pieces to buy a man back to his mansion. Is that true?”

Shen Nuo paused as he stood up, saying despondently: “It is.”

“Have you seen the person he bought? Is he truly as beautiful as a celestial being, like they say?” Qi Fei asked curiously.

Shen Nuo recalled the young man standing beside Gu Jiuli. “His appearance is indeed peerless.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” Qi Fei marveled at the sight of the soul-crushed Shen Nuo. “Second Cousin, do you know what you look like right now? You look exactly like a neglected primary wife.”

Shen Nuo glared at her.

“Hahaha,” Qi Fei mocked him. “You are usually so decisive in everything you do, Second Cousin. Why are you so indecisive when it comes to matters of the heart? You have liked Gu Jiuli for so long. When I advised you to confess your feelings before, you said you could not delay his marriage or him having children. Now that he has bought a male entertainer home, you are here pitying yourself. No matter how sad you are, he cannot see it.”

“If you ask me, you should strike when the time is right. Why worry about so much?”

“You do not understand. Between him and me,” Shen Nuo sighed.

“I know. His parents died on the battlefield because my uncle submitted a memorial to reduce their grain and grass supplies. But those are grievances between the older generation. What does it have to do with you?” Qi Fei stood up and patted Shen Nuo on the shoulder. “Go for it boldly, Second Cousin. I support you!”

Shen Nuo said helplessly: “That is not how things are calculated.”

“Wait, wait! Second Cousin, is that not General Gu’s carriage?” Qi Fei pointed excitedly at the carriage passing below. “It is so late. Where is he going?”

Hearing this, Shen Nuo walked to the window and looked at the sword tassel pattern on the carriage. “It is his carriage. I heard that Master Ma’s grandson is hosting a banquet at the Spring Breeze House today. He should be on his way there.”

Qi Fei’s eyes darted around. “Second Cousin, let us go join the fun!”

“No! Although the Spring Breeze House is considered an elegant establishment, it is still a place of entertainment. You are a girl.”

Qi Fei grabbed the serious, rambling Shen Nuo. “Second Cousin, I am wearing men’s clothes right now. Besides, is this not for your sake? Do you not want to see General Gu?”

Shen Nuo fell silent.

Seeing this, Qi Fei gave a triumphant smile. “Let us go, let us go!”

Yancheng, Spring Breeze House.

“Jiaoniang, Qiaoqiao, it has been a long time. Did you miss me?” Ma Qilin was enjoying himself with a woman on each arm.

“Of course I missed you.” “You rascal, you finally remembered me after so long.”

Listening to the decadent music, Song Qingshi let out his thirty-eighth sigh of the day. He should not have listened to the male lead’s pitiful talk about how his memory had not recovered and how he only felt at ease with Song Qingshi by his side. Having a soft heart, he had come out with him.

Gu Jiuli noticed Song Qingshi’s restlessness and gave a low laugh. He leaned close to his ear and asked knowingly: “What is it, Young Master? Are you uncomfortable?”

Song Qingshi did not want to talk to him and silently moved a bit further away.

“Have you ever had wine, Young Master? Would you like to taste the specialty wine of the Spring Breeze House, the Spring Breeze Blade?” Gu Jiuli hooked his arm around Song Qingshi’s waist to pull him back, then pressed the wine cup in his hand against the young man’s lips.

Song Qingshi could not win the struggle. He extended the tip of his tongue to take a tiny sip, after which his entire face scrunched up. “So spicy!” It felt like being punched in the head.

“Haha,” Gu Jiuli was amused by his reaction. He downed the remaining liquid in the cup in one gulp and poured Song Qingshi a cup of fruit wine with very low alcohol content. “Have some fruit wine to clear your palate, Young Master.”

Song Qingshi drank the entire cup of sweet and sour fruit wine before he felt the spicy taste in his mouth fade.

Gu Jiuli said: “It seems Young Master has no fortune to enjoy a fine wine like the Spring Breeze Blade.”

Song Qingshi secretly rolled his eyes. The male lead was becoming more and more playful. He smacked his lips to taste the lingering flavor and countered: “Is the General’s health not quite up to par? Why do you enjoy drinking this kind of medicinal wine brewed with Morinda officinalis?”

“Morinda officinalis?” Gu Jiuli paused his pouring and asked in return.

Song Qingshi smiled. “A medicinal herb for tonifying the kidneys and assisting Yang.”

“Very well, Young Master. You are scolding me in a roundabout way, are you not?” Gu Jiuli whispered into Song Qingshi’s ear. “Do you not know my physical condition better than anyone, Young Master?”

His hot breath brushed past, causing Song Qingshi’s body to tremble slightly. He reached out to push Gu Jiuli away. “I would not dare. I am only reminding you not to overindulge, lest you over-tonify yourself and cannot sleep at night.”

Shen Nuo and Qi Fei, who had sneaked into the Spring Breeze House, sat in a corner.

Shen Nuo stared straight at the intimate Song Qingshi and Gu Jiuli, his eyes dim.

Qi Fei looked at the blindfold-wearing young man in cloud brocade beside Gu Jiuli, then at her useless second cousin, and sighed helplessly.

Her second cousin was good in every way, except for being stuck in a dilemma when it came to love. Despite being called the number one handsome man in Yancheng, he could not even compete with a blind man. She would have to step in and help him.

After several rounds of drinks, Song Qingshi followed Gu Jiuli onto the carriage to head home.

Because the fruit wine tasted good, he had drunk a few more cups. When he came out and was hit by the warm wind, his head felt a bit dizzy. As soon as he boarded the carriage, he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes to rest.

Gu Jiuli saw him like this and asked: “Young Master, surely you are not drunk after only two cups of fruit wine?”

“Mmph, dizzy,” Song Qingshi muttered.

Gu Jiuli sighed helplessly and pulled the young man into his arms, his hands gently massaging Song Qingshi’s temples. “Young Master, I have never served anyone like this before except for you. Truly,”

Gu Jiuli looked at the Song Qingshi’s peaceful sleeping face, the corners of his mouth curling up. “To have the courage to treat me like a servant. If it were anyone else, they would have been beaten to death long ago.”

“General, we have arrived.”

Hearing Li Ming’s words, Gu Jiuli lightly tapped Song Qingshi’s cheek. “Young Master, wake up. We are home.”

“Mhm,” Song Qingshi stood up dizzily at the call. He walked unsteadily for two steps, and his legs felt weak, nearly causing him to roll off the carriage.

Gu Jiuli hurriedly caught the drunkard and lifted him up in a bridal carry, remarking: “Your alcohol tolerance is so poor.”

Carrying the person into the mansion, Gu Jiuli gave instructions as he walked. “Li Ming, tell the kitchen to cook a bowl of sobering soup.”

“Yes.”

Gu Jiuli took the young man back to his room, received the sobering soup, and dismissed everyone else.

“Young Master, drink the sobering soup.” Gu Jiuli helped Song Qingshi up so he could lean in his arms, then fed him the soup.

The drunk Song Qingshi was very obedient, holding Gu Jiuli’s hand as he drank.

Watching this scene, Gu Jiuli’s thoughts involuntarily drifted back to when he had first woken up with amnesia. At that time, it was he who lay in Song Qingshi’s arms, surrounded by the bitter-clear scent of medicine. It was light, profound, and smelled very good.

Uncontrollably, he slowly lowered his head. His nose touched the warm skin of the neck, and a faint medicinal scent seeped out from deep within the skin into his nose. Gu Jiuli’s Adam’s apple bobbed violently. He thought that today he truly might have drunk too much kidney-tonifying wine.

“Bath, I want a bath.” Having finished the soup, the cleanliness-loving Song Qingshi began to fuss because he was covered in sweat.

“Alright, this servant will take our cleanliness-loving Young Master to have a bath right away.” Gu Jiuli gave a helpless smile. He carried the young man to the bath in the back courtyard and called two male servants to attend to Song Qingshi.

It was not that he did not want to help Song Qingshi wash himself, but he felt that if he stayed alone with the Young Master any longer today, he might do something indescribable. If he scared the Young Master away, the loss would outweigh the gain.

Gu Jiuli poured a bucket of cold water over his own head, forcing himself to calm down.

He had to admit that his feelings for Song Qingshi were indeed not as simple as he had imagined. Logically, he should have been angry after remembering the experience of being treated like a servant. But at that time, he had felt more ashamed and even jealous, jealous of that dull version of himself who had been treated so tenderly.

The General’s Mansion, Pavilion.

“Jiuli, Song Qingshi, long time no see!” Ma Qilin appeared in a flurry.

“Qilin, good afternoon.” Song Qingshi, who was leaning against the railing and fanning himself, greeted the newcomer.

Gu Jiuli, who was playing Go alone, did not even look up. “What are you here for again?”

Ma Qilin poured himself a cup of tea. “Jiuli, have you received the invitation to the Empress’s Summer Lotus Banquet?”

“I have.”

“Hehe,” Ma Qilin said with ill intent, “I am afraid they are coming for you this time. A twenty-five-year-old general of the first rank. The position of primary wife in your mansion is currently a prize everyone wants.”

Gu Jiuli gave him a look for him to interpret.

“Hmph.” Ma Qilin’s gaze shifted to Song Qingshi, and he whispered: “Jiuli, why do you not take Song Qingshi with you and let him help you ward off those butterflies and bees?”

“I have fed the meal directly into your mouth, brother. Do not tell me you cannot even catch this!” Ma Qilin winked frantically at Gu Jiuli.

Gu Jiuli set down the black piece in his hand and looked up at Ma Qilin, who nodded at him vigorously.

Gu Jiuli raised an eyebrow. “I will consider it.”

Ma Qilin was so frustrated he nearly fell over. “Do as you wish, honestly! I am going to find my Meimei!”

“What happened to Qilin?” Song Qingshi asked, hearing the sound of Ma Qilin storming off.

“Who knows.” Gu Jiuli stood up and walked to Song Qingshi’s side. “Young Master, there is a very important banquet tomorrow. Can you come with me?”

“No.” Song Qingshi refused without even thinking. He had had a soft heart last time and gone with the male lead to that Spring Breeze House. This time, no matter what, he was not going. Banquets were far too distressing.

“Young Master, this banquet is hosted by the Empress. I cannot refuse. Many eligible men and women in Yancheng have received invitations, and they are all watching me,” Gu Jiuli said helplessly. “Young Master, please help me.”

An ancient version of a matchmaking banquet. Was the male lead trying to use him as a shield?

Song Qingshi was about to refuse firmly, but to his surprise, Gu Jiuli actually knelt on one knee before him, took his hand, and placed it against his own cheek. “Young Master, please help Dahei.”

Song Qingshi’s hand trembled, and the words of refusal simply would not come out. “Alright.”

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