Chapter 14: Follow Me.

Mu Zhiming discovered one thing from his past life: ‘Gu Heyan has always treated me coldly when compared to how he treats others. When having a usual conversation with other people, Gu Heyan looked quite approachable, but as soon as I appeared, Gu Heyan would immediately become silent. Not only that, but when I talk to him, he barely replies. As if he was sparingly using his words, like they were gold.’

‘Now that I think about it, back then, the most Gu Heyan had ever spoken to me was when he was driving me away.’

At that time, Mu Zhiming served as an Assistant Minister1 in the Ministry of Rites2. He went to the Northwest Frontier to learn the language of the Northern foreign country with the locals, in order to prepare for his future missions as an ambassador. At the time, Gu Heyan was the Great General stationed on the frontier, so Mu Zhiming lived in a tent in the barracks for convenience.

In the beginning, both were at peace with each other. After all, they didn’t meet much. Unexpectedly, a month later, when the bitter cold of winter approached, Gu Heyan became aggressive all of a sudden and drove Mu Zhiming away with cold words.

Mu Zhiming had always been the kind to repay kindness with kindness, and animosity with animosity.

After seeing that Gu Heyan seemed to loathe him, Mu Zhiming didn’t bother to talk with him anymore and immediately left for the Capital the next day, without mentioning a single word to Gu Heyan.

Now, Mu Zhiming suddenly understood why Gu Heyan would treat him like that in his past life.

After all, Gu Heyan had saved Mu Zhiming’s life, but Mu Zhiming never mentioned it. Meaning that such favor was never repaid.

‘Back then, Gu Heyan must have felt that I was a cold, frivolous firstborn son of a powerful family. Of course he would hate me that much.’

‘But, in this life, I came personally to his house to thank him. Why is he still being cold to me? Am I really that unlikable in Gu Heyan’s eyes?’

Mu Zhiming was bitterly sighing in his heart, when all of a sudden, Gu Heyan spoke: “….Pastries….”

“Ah?” Seeing that Gu Heyan had taken the initiative to speak, Mu Zhiming hurried to raise his head and listen carefully.

“The pastries, you didn’t like them?” Gu Heyan asked. “You didn’t take any.”

Mu Zhiming was stupefied for a long time, until he realized that Gu Heyan was talking about the snacks that were brought along with the tea in the main hall: “You’re talking about the plate with the osmanthus poria cakes? To tell Gu-xiong the truth, I’ve liked the pastries of the Jiyue Restaurant since I was young. But since I was a guest, I should stick to etiquette. Although the pastries were a treat of hospitality, as a younger generation, I shouldn’t eat while General Gu and my father talked.”

Gu Heyan understood: “Hmm….”

Mu Zhiming felt embarrassed.

Gu Heyan said: “Follow me.” After saying that, Gu Heyan turned around and strode towards the East wing.

“Ah? Gu-xiong? Gu….Gu-xiong?” Mu Zhiming hurriedly chased after him.

After passing the shade of a swaying, dappled parasol tree, Gu Heyan stopped in front of a wing room. Without hesitation, Gu Heyan opened the door. Mu Zhiming, on the other hand, stood beside Gu Heyan, puzzled: “Gu-xiong, where are we?”

“My wing room.” Gu Heyan replied.

“Ah? Your-….why….? Forget it, sorry for the inconvenience.” Mu Zhiming gave up thinking rationally and simply followed Gu Heyan inside the wing room.

In the General’s Residence, not only was the courtyard simple-looking, but even the interior of the room had simple furnishings. In front of a wooden window with an antique pattern, there was a desk. On the left side of the desk, there was the Qilin jade bow, which had been given to Gu Heyan as a reward by the Emperor not long ago. On the right side, there was a crossbow with an odd shape, the size of an arm. In front of the desk, on the left, there was a bed with a green veil curtain, and in front of the bed, there was a round yellow rosewood table.

On the round table, there was a delicate-looking wooden food box the size of three palms. Inside the food box, were the snacks from the Jiyue Restaurant.