The Whole Family is Reborn, But I Transmigrated into a Book - Chapter 5

“Your Highness, do you not plan to return to your own room to rest?”

Liu Qingyue blinked her large eyes at the man sitting steadily at the table, her tone a clear hint for him to leave. Gu Qingjia had his own quarters; why was he lingering here?

But Gu Qingjia acted as if he hadn’t heard her. He took his time pouring himself a cup of tea. “Princess, we have only just wed. If I am driven out of the room now, I fear the rumors will not be pleasant.”

Gu Qingjia wasn’t accustomed to sharing a bed either, but for the sake of appearances—on both sides—he had to stay with Liu Qingyue for the first three days following the wedding.

Liu Qingyue pursed her lips. She knew he was right. “Then you’d better behave yourself while you sleep. No stealing the blankets.”

She said this with a bit of a guilty conscience. When she had woken up that morning, Gu Qingjia’s sleeping posture had been impeccable, with no sign of blanket-snatching whatsoever.

Gu Qingjia stared at her for a moment before letting out a soft smile. “If you are truly worried, I can call for an extra set of bedding.”

He was not a man driven by lust, nor did he intend to force a consummation upon a reluctant wife. His priority was simply ensuring that Liu Qingyue remained on his side.

Liu Qingyue climbed onto the bed and rolled herself into the covers toward the inner wall, grinning triumphantly. “Now these blankets are mine. If you want to sleep, get your own.”

Gu Qingjia didn’t argue. Though he could have summoned a servant, he went and retrieved the extra bedding himself. “Is the Princess satisfied now?” he asked, leaning over the bed to look at the bundle that was Liu Qingyue.

“Satisfied? Satisfied with what?” Her brain felt like it had just been newly installed and hadn’t quite synced yet; she gave him a dazed look.

Seeing her charmingly naive expression, the corners of Gu Qingjia’s mouth curled up. “I have heard that the daughters of the Liu clan are traditionally gentle, brilliant, and virtuous. Why is it that the Princess is entirely different from the rumors?”

He truly couldn’t see through her. He didn’t know which version was the real Liu Qingyue.

Instead of answering, she countered, “Would the Prince prefer it if I were stiff and formal with you?”

Naturally, he wouldn’t. He found this vivid, spirited version of her far more appealing. “This way is quite good,” he said, turning to leave the bedside. He didn’t expect her to serve him while he washed or undressed.

Once he stepped away, Liu Qingyue ignored him and rolled around on the bed. This was her first night in this world, and she was far too tense to sleep. Even knowing he wouldn’t make a move, she had never shared a bed with a man before. She rolled about for quite a while, and by the time he returned, she had drifted off into an unconscious slumber.

When she opened her eyes again, Gu Qingjia was already up.

“Princess, since you’re awake, you might as well get up. Staring at me won’t fill your stomach,” he said, glancing back at her with a hint of a smile.

“Your Highness, do you think I’m that much of a glutton?” she asked curiously, starting to wonder if she really was overdoing it.

The answer she gave herself was: Yes, I definitely eat too much! But she truly loved the pastries here. In her previous life, she had been on a strict hospital diet and hadn’t even been allowed a bite of cake before she died.

“The Princess has a robust appetite. I like that very much,” Gu Qingjia said while straightening his robes.

Low EQ: She eats a lot. High EQ: She has a robust appetite.

Liu Qingyue felt her face heat up. She muttered guiltily, “In a mansion this large, what’s wrong with me taking a few extra bites?”

“Indeed. If the Princess enjoys it, then the Imperial Chefs are finally proving their worth.” He nodded solemnly, playing along with her. “But if you don’t get up soon, the food will grow cold, and the flavor will suffer.”

That was all she needed to hear. “Someone! Quickly, help me dress!”

Nothing—absolutely nothing—was going to delay her breakfast. Her passion for food was genuine, unlike her attitude toward Gu Qingjia, which she was still “winging.”

Cuihe was the one who came in to assist her. Since she was part of Liu Qingyue’s dowry, Gu Qingjia refrained from replacing her. Liu Qingyue was so focused on the meal that she didn’t spare a thought for the maid.

The food at the Prince’s estate was exquisite—color, aroma, and taste were all perfect. Though the portions were small, the variety was immense. She ate happily, ignoring her husband.

“Looking at the way you eat, one would think Lord Liu never fed his daughter,” Gu Qingjia teased. He enjoyed poking fun at her; she was most interesting when she was being lively.

“It’s not that I haven’t eaten before, it’s just that the food here is truly delicious. I want to eat as much as I can while you still find me ‘novel.’ In case I ever offend you and you stop feeding me, I’ll at least have these flavors to remember.” She spoke while holding a chicken drumstick.

Gu Qingjia knew that if the servants were in the room, she would never act this way. “I noticed you weren’t nearly this casual when your maid was present. Why do you drop the act the moment she leaves?”

It was a casual question, but Liu Qingyue took it seriously. “Cuihe was given to me by my mother; she didn’t grow up serving me. If she saw me acting so ‘uncivilized,’ I’d likely be forced to kneel in the ancestral hall when we return to my family home for the third-day visit.”

In her memories, the ancestral hall was a familiar place. Anyone in the Liu family who made a mistake was sent there to kneel. “Kneeling there is practically a routine, but doing it on the day of the formal return visit would be bad. After all, I don’t just represent the Liu family’s face now—I represent yours.”

She was half-joking, half-testing his reaction. If Gu Qingjia wasn’t a suitable partner for her “survival plan,” she needed to know early.

Gu Qingjia didn’t realize he was being tested. He simply laughed. “Since the Princess has married into the Royal Family, you are no longer someone Lord Liu has the right to punish.”

Even if he was an unfavored prince, he was still a prince.

“Prince Jing certainly has an imposing air! Then I shall have to rely on you during our visit,” she replied. In her memories, her father was a stern man who rarely smiled, even at his eldest son and heir.

“Just thinking that we’re leaving in two days and I won’t be able to eat this food… it’s a tragedy,” she said, pivoting back to the meal.

“If you wish, we can bring the chefs with us on the road.”

Gu Qingjia didn’t really care about the timeline. He had volunteered to find the First Prince, but he hadn’t specified when he would actually find him.

“No, let’s forget that. I still insist on just the two of us traveling light.” She shook her head; she didn’t want to be a “conspicuous target.” “Your Highness, don’t try to find excuses to persuade me otherwise. I won’t agree.”

Seeing she was firm, Gu Qingjia dropped the subject. “If you have the energy for it, perhaps you should think about where the First Prince might have gone so we can look for him along the way.”

Liu Qingyue actually had a route in mind based on the book, where the First Prince gathered loyal subordinates like a collector. “No rush. You can think about where you want to go, and we’ll head that way.”

She wanted to blurt out the route from the novel but feared it would make him suspicious. “Let me think on it. I’ll tell you when we set out.” She gave him a playful wink and went back to her food.

Gu Qingjia didn’t push. “Very well.”

While Liu Qingyue wanted him to stay away from the court to save his life, she knew his current power base was nonexistent. If a true war for the throne broke out, he’d be the first one killed. If possible, she hoped he could recruit some talent on this trip—not to win the throne, but to ensure they stayed alive.

The two sat there with their separate thoughts, yet there was a strange harmony between them. However, that peace was soon shattered.

The Third Prince had arrived.

As Liu Qingyue’s cousin, they should have had some familial bond. But in the book, the Third Prince had not only tried to assassinate Gu Qingjia multiple times but had also relentlessly suppressed the Liu clan. She couldn’t see through him, but she couldn’t refuse to see him either.

“Fifth Brother, Fifth Sister-in-law, you don’t mind my sudden visit, do you?”

The Third Prince, Gu Qingyi, entered with a smile. He was a notorious philanderer but had a dignified and imposing look. Perhaps because his mother was a favorite consort, he possessed an aura that rivaled the legitimate sons.

“Of course not. I am happy you came, Third Brother.” Gu Qingjia’s face returned to his practiced “mask” of a smile. He was never as relaxed with his brothers as he was in private.

Gu Qingyi was a shrewd man; he saw through the act but pretended not to. “Old Fifth has grown up in the blink of an eye. Now that you’ve married my cousin, you must treat her well, or I won’t let you off easily.”

His gaze shifted to Liu Qingyue. “Little Yue’er is married now. You’ve grown so beautiful. It’s a pity my aunt didn’t let you out of the house much, or we would surely be more well-acquainted by now.”

His words carried a hint of disrespect. Regardless of how close they had been, she was now his brother’s wife.

“Third Brother,” Gu Qingjia interrupted, “if you are here for tea, my estate has plenty. But if you continue to speak to my Princess in such a manner, I shall have to ask Imperial Father to settle the matter of decorum.”

Gu Qingyi chuckled. “Old Fifth really has grown up. With an attitude like that, I can rest easy knowing my cousin is in your hands.” He shifted back to a serious demeanor, a total contrast to his previous rogue-like behavior.

Neither Liu Qingyue nor Gu Qingjia could tell what he truly wanted.

“Tomorrow is your return visit to the Liu family. My mother specifically asked me to check on you. Our uncle is a rigid man; he might say some unpleasant things. Fifth Brother, if you find you cannot bear it, you need not endure it.”

Gu Qingyi smiled. He was a man who prioritized his own amusement above all else.