My Love Rivals Have All Reborn - Chapter 24.1

“Then Go Sleep in My Bed.” …

There was no lamp lit in the room. When the lightning flashed, one could see Xie Yu’s pale face in a fleeting glimpse.

Xiao Kuning was startled. Xie Yu is afraid of thunder?

This was not her first acquaintance with Xie Yu. She was always as steady as a mountain. Was her courage this small?

While she was still wondering, another flash of lightning streaked across the sky. The light in the room flickered. Xie Yu covered her ears and carefully looked back: “Jiejie, there are ghosts in your room. They are all moving.”

The lightning flashed, and the shadows cast by the tables and chairs looked like ‘ghosts’ to Xie Yu.

Xiao Kuning climbed up, clutching her head. She fumbled for the flint and lit the lamp. The room instantly brightened. Xie Yu opened her eyes, patted her chest, and hurriedly hid under the quilt.

Xiao Kuning, who had intended to send her away after lighting the lamp, turned around and didn’t see anyone. Seeing the quilt moving, she sighed and rubbed her forehead. She took a deep breath and endured it.

Arguing with a fool will only make herself a fool.

She gave up the bed to her and slept on the chair.

The chair could not be lied on, only sat upon. She sat dryly all night. When she woke up in the morning, her back ached, and she wanted nothing more than to kick Xie Yu out.

Before anyone could discover Xie Yu sleeping in her bed, she quickly changed her clothes and went out to stroll in the courtyard.

As soon as she opened the door, the ground outside was wet. Water droplets condensed on the trees, making the air fresh and crisp. The doors to Gu Ning and Su Ying’s rooms also opened. Su Ying, carrying her medicine box, smiled and greeted her in the morning mist: “Miss Xiao is up early today.”

It’s not early. She was up half the night. Xiao Kuning gave a faint smile. Su Ying was very different from Gu Ning. Her nature was gentle, her smile carried kindness, and her watery eyes were rare in Chang’an.

In her previous life, she became the Empress. Only after falling from a high position to the dust did she realize that everyone wore a mask. Outside the mask, they were all kind and upright people, but what lay beneath the mask?

Ugly? No, ugliness was not scary. The scary thing was viciousness.

Su Ying was different. Everything she said gave people a feeling of warmth, like a spring breeze. Gu Ning was lucky to have run off with her.

Xiao Kuning didn’t say much, but she had nowhere to go. After thinking about it, she decided to wait in the kitchen. It was a bit chilly in the early morning, and it would be nice to warm herself by the fire.

Su Ying saw her move and went to meet her: “I’m just about to take Master Xie’s pulse. Why don’t we go together and see her?”

Taking a pulse this early in the morning? Xiao Kuning felt Su Ying was being deliberate. There was no malice in her gentle eyes, but rather a deep concern.

She wanted to curse.

You could openly curse a wicked person, even if they hadn’t offended you, but you couldn’t refuse the kindness of a benevolent doctor.

The problem was that Xie Yu was not in her own room, but in hers. How was she going to explain?

Seeing Su Ying’s hand about to push the door open, she had to speak first: “Master Xie was afraid of the thunder last night and slept in my room.”

Su Ying’s hands stopped abruptly in front of the door. Her expression seemed to carry disbelief and a hint of skepticism.

Xiao Kuning’s face flushed. Su Ying liked women, so she would naturally assume that two women sleeping in the same bed must have some intimacy. Thinking this, she quickly explained: “She slept in the bed, and I slept in the chair.”

A deeper confusion flashed in Su Ying’s autumn-water eyes. She glanced at the door behind her: “It’s impossible to sleep on a chair.”

If you’re going to make up a good excuse, at least make sure it’s believable.

Su Ying didn’t believe it, but the young girl was thin-skinned, so she couldn’t deny it directly. She tactfully said: “Actually, Master Xie is quite nice. At least no one will dare to bully you in the future.”

Su Ying’s tone was always gentle and kind, without any sharp edges.

Xiao Kuning blushed and defended herself: “No, you’re overthinking it. She was afraid of the thunder. I didn’t sleep all night.”

Su Ying was enlightened: “You didn’t sleep all night. You’ll be sleepy later. Staying up all night is bad for your health.”

Xiao Kuning felt there was something wrong with Su Ying’s understanding. However, Su Ying walked over and took her hand to check her pulse, radiating an air of closeness.

Su Ying said: “It’s fine. You have a good constitution since you’re young. Staying up late is okay.”

The doctor’s benevolent tone, yet she was unconsciously confirming her ‘belief.’ Su Ying was very smart and knew how to ‘confirm’ something in her own way.

Just like when others ‘determined’ that Gu Ning ran away with her, instead of her pulling Gu Ning to elope.

Xiao Kuning was too lazy to argue. She opened the door and invited Su Ying in.

Xie Yu inside the room was awake, dressed, and standing straight by the bed. Seeing Xiao Kuning, she gave a warm smile: “Jiejie, good morning.”

Seeing the fiery, passionate Xie Yu, Su Ying instinctively felt that perhaps the poison was beneficial to her. After all, no one liked a cold piece of wood. Who wouldn’t like a warm, thoughtful older sister?

“You’re awake. Perfect. Let’s take your pulse.”

Xie Yu obediently walked over. Xiao Kuning couldn’t bear to watch, so she covered her face and went inside to tidy up the bed.

While checking the pulse, Su Ying didn’t forget to ask questions. Her peripheral vision swept over the person tidying the bed. She quietly asked, “Did you sleep well last night?”

A patient must answer the doctor’s question. Xie Yu thought seriously, her eyes sincere: “Yes, Jiejie’s bed is very soft.”

Su Ying understood. She checked the wound on her face. The wound had scabbed over. Once the scab fell off, she would apply the scar-removing ointment. The rest was up to fate. She said, “Jiejie’s bed is soft. Just keep sleeping here tonight. Don’t move.”

Xie Yu looked confused: “Where will Jiejie sleep?”

Su Ying stood up to tidy her medicine box. Seeing Xiao Kuning still busy, she gently pulled Xie Yu: “That bed is so big. There’s plenty of room. It might thunder again tonight.”

“Thunder…” Xie Yu’s face turned pale. Upon seeing Su Ying’s gentle eyes, she nodded with conviction.

Su Ying was already kindly and gentle. She could fool Xiao Kuning, and the intellectually regressed Xie Yu was even easier.

After checking her pulse, she suggested: “Let’s go to the shop outside for breakfast. Do you want to go? Gu Ning is treating. Don’t miss out.”

Xiao Kuning didn’t want to show her face. But the usually quiet Xie Yu’s eyes widened with longing. She tugged at Su Ying’s sleeve: “What are we eating?”

Su Ying said: “Whatever you want. Gu Ning tricked Elder Princess Jingyang last night and got quite a bit of silver.”

Xiao Kuning heard this and walked out from the inner room. She was curious about Gu Ning’s ‘trick’: “How did she trick her?”

“What trick? I sold it with my eloquent tongue! It was that qin you tricked me into buying. Since Xie Yu didn’t want it, I sold it to her for eight thousand taels. Who told her she was easy to fool? No, no, it should be that all the Yan family are easy to fool.” Gu Ning walked in, smiling, her face full of pride. Who else could turn a profit of four thousand taels in a heartbeat? Not even Xie Yu had this skill.

Xiao Kuning knew Elder Princess Jingyang was extravagant. After all, the late Emperor was her brother, her nephew was the Emperor, and her husband was a powerful official. The Emperor relied on the Yan family, making her the most noticeable person everywhere. But she was curious about one thing: why didn’t they support Zhao Ji as Emperor in the first place?

Instead, they waited until Zhao Mian died to make him Emperor. Didn’t they take a roundabout path?

Gu Ning was too proud. Su Ying couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow: “Tsk, then she is a fool. After all, she’s foolish and rich.”

Xiao Kuning felt that these two, though seemingly uninvolved in court politics, were not necessarily ignorant of it. Since Xie Yu was at the center of power, they were likely not completely innocent.

Gu Ning chimed in: “Yes, yes, foolish and rich. The Yan family are all unintelligent. After all, that young man from the Yan family sold me quite a few things. It shows he’s not doing well.”

Xiao Kuning seized the opportunity: “Is Shopkeeper Gu very familiar with Young Master Yan?”

“Young Master? Don’t give him face. He’s a son of a concubine. He’s acting as Princess Jingyang’s dog, hoping this adoptive mother will petition for him to be granted the title of a Prince. He should look at his own virtue.” Gu Ning scoffed. She turned around and saw Xie Yu staring at her with great interest, her eyes gentle and bright.

So, the ruthless Xie Yu also had such pure eyes. Gu Ning sneered. Xie Yu remained calm. After a moment, she looked at Xiao Kuning: “Jiejie, should we go out and eat meat patties?”

Su Ying frowned, but Gu Ning interrupted her: “What’s so good about meat patties? I’ll take you to eat something better. Even huntun (wontons) are better than that.”

Xie Yu didn’t argue. She stubbornly tugged at Xiao Kuning’s sleeve: “I want to eat meat patties.”

The Moxiang Study was in a bustling part of the long street. The alleyways led to neighborhoods filled with taverns. People in Chang’an loved to drink and celebrate. They would invite a few friends, get a private room, a few jars of wine, and sing poems, living freely.

Xie Yu insisted on meat patties. Su Ying chose a small breakfast shop. The owners were an elderly couple who had been doing business in Chang’an for many years, supporting their son’s studies and marriage. Everyone in the constant flow of people knew about this shop.

After the four entered, the elderly woman greeted them warmly. Seeing Gu Ning, she said: “Shopkeeper Gu, you’re early today. I don’t have many customers yet.”

There were six tables in the shop. Besides the four women, there were two men. They glanced at the four people across from them. One of them spoke: “I heard that women are allowed to take the imperial examination next year. Do you think there will be many Grand Tutor Xies in the world? Is it even useful for women to take the exam?”

The man speaking was a scholar, dressed in a long robe with his hair tied up. He looked somewhat refined, but his words were rather harsh.

Xiao Kuning glanced at him, her eyes showing surprise. This man was the Third-Place Scholar who had passed the exam under Xie Yu in her previous life. He was very talented but sat on a cold bench in the Hanlin Academy for a few years, feeling his talent was unappreciated. He wrote a poem to satirize Xie Yu and resigned in anger.

There were no women in the imperial examination next year. In fact, no women were taking the exam. What official’s family would allow their daughter to show her face publicly? Merchants were forbidden from taking the exam for three generations. With such secular rules, Xie Yu’s hope was naturally dashed.

The man opposite him also sneered: “Who was Grand Tutor Xie’s teacher? It was the great scholar Old Master Zhou. Not every woman has that opportunity.”

Gu Ning couldn’t hold back and was about to go forward to argue. The silent Xie Yu spoke first: “Judging talent by gender is a waste of scholarly study. I suppose these two gentlemen have no mothers and were born from stones.”

Xiao Kuning’s expression changed. Su Ying smiled at her, as if to say, it’s exactly what you’d expect from Xie Yu.

The robed man’s face flushed crimson. For a moment, he didn’t know how to respond. The man next to him spoke for him: “The sage once said, ‘Only women and petty men are difficult to nurture,’ meaning women are no different from petty men.”

Gu Ning exploded in anger. She immediately walked over and slapped him: “I’m teaching you a lesson for your mother! You call your mother a petty person. She should have strangled you at birth to save food!”

The sudden move stunned the man. Xie Yu glanced at him and said coolly: “Jiejie said it wrong. If his mother is a petty person, he is naturally a petty person, no different from a woman.”

Su Ying poured Xiao Kuning a cup of clear tea and whispered to her: “Let them be. Before Xie Yu came to the capital, she cursed not just scholars but even officials. Gu Ning even hit a member of the Yan family. Two men are nothing to them.”

Xiao Kuning: “…” This doesn’t seem to be the Xie Yu or Gu Ning she knew.

Su Ying told her: “Xie Yu’s mind is only eight years old. Gu Ning’s mind is only ten years old. Just let them make a scene. They won’t lose, even if they end up at the Jingzhao Yin’s office.”

With Xie Yu around, they wouldn’t lose even if they made a scene in front of the Emperor.

Gu Ning picked up a stool and threw it. The two men were scholars. Seeing such a scene, they were so terrified their legs turned to jelly. They helped each other and ran out, still shouting from outside the shop: “Vulgar! A disgrace to scholars!”

Gu Ning chased after them. Xie Yu watched her go. The young ‘child’ sighed with emotion: “Whoever falls for them must be blind.”

At this moment, Xiao Kuning naturally agreed: “Yes, blind.”

Xie Yu nodded in agreement: “Jiejie is right.”

Her voice was clear, like a mountain spring.

Xiao Kuning’s mouth twitched. She had been secretly mocking Xie Yu, but Xie Yu agreed. So, who was she actually cursing?

Something felt wrong. Especially Xie Yu’s eyes, which looked at her with warm reverence, as if she were a god.

Had she become Xie Yu’s goddess?

Gu Ning returned, carrying two bowls of douhua (tofu pudding), one for herself and one for Su Ying. Xie Yu stared with longing, as if asking: Where is mine?

Xiao Kuning looked around. The old couple who owned the shop were busy serving douhua and meat patties to passersby. They probably didn’t have the time to bring them over.

She also walked over like Gu Ning and carried over a bowl of douhua. She also saw the fragrant meat patties and grabbed a few, placing them on Xie Yu’s plate.

Business was good at the small shop. While they ate, no less than a dozen people came and went.

Just as they were about to finish, the elderly woman walked over and apologized for the earlier incident: “These people read a few books and look down on women, especially after that Master Xie opened a school for girls. They just can’t stand it. They say women should stay at home, but Master Xie has such elegance. Even so, she doesn’t hold a high office, showing that women are useless. You were angry to hear that. My ears have grown calluses. Don’t be angry. Is the douhua good? Have another bowl.”

Su Ying waved her hand, saying no. Xiao Kuning also politely refused. Gu Ning refused too. After the three refused, Xie Yu, sitting in the corner, poked her head out: “I-I want the sweet one.”

The woman happily agreed: “Wait, wait. You’re such a pretty girl.”

Gu Ning glared at her, exasperated: “All you care about is eating! People were cursing you right in front of your face, and you’re still eating!”

Xie Yu didn’t answer. She looked out until the woman brought the douhua, then she smiled.

She didn’t speak, but her expression was warm and gentle.