Approaching Gui Xiang's doorway, she was met with an unexpected delight.
Outside Gui Xiang's door, two circular flower beds had been built with碎石 (suì shí - crushed stones). Simple yet imbued with a wild, natural charm, they were filled with wildflowers dug up from the nearby mountains, including积雪 (jī xuě - snow piled up), 点点香 (diǎn diǎn xiāng - a type of fragrant flower), and山茱 (shān zhū - dogwood).
Purple, yellow, and red blossoms bloomed vibrantly, full of life and vitality, instantly lifting one's spirits.
Gu Qingcheng felt that Gui Xiang was such a person who understood life, possessing both taste and restraint. It was no wonder that Huang Wenming, a scholar with a mind full of knowledge, had taken a liking to her.
Huang Wenming's judgment was truly sharp!
Gu Qingcheng knocked on the door and asked:
"Gui Xiang, are you home?"
Upon hearing Gu Qingcheng's voice, Gui Xiang hurried out and said:
"Young Master Gu, what brings you to my humble abode?"
"I didn't visit when you moved into your new place. I've been busy and haven't had the chance to see you. I happened to be passing by, so I stopped in.
Here, this is a gift for you."
As Gu Qingcheng knocked, she thought it wouldn't be polite to visit Gui Xiang's new home for the first time empty-handed.
Wasn't there a tradition of housewarming? When visiting a friend's new home, one should bring a gift.
Therefore, Gu Qingcheng had rummaged through the Mountain Cat Supermarket and found a pair of antique-style blue and white porcelain vases.
"Oh, such beautiful vases, they look very valuable at first glance." Gui Xiang, though delighted, was not greedy. She said, "Young Master Gu, they are too precious, I cannot accept them. Please take them back!"
"Oh, Gui Xiang, you think too little of me. Do I ever take back what I give away?
Alright, don't be so polite. Please, invite me for a bowl of Lei Cha!"
"Okay. Thank you then, Young Master Gu."
Gui Xiang knew that Gu Qingcheng was accustomed to being generous, so she could only accept the gift for now and find a way to repay Young Master Gu later.
Gui Xiang was from Qian Southeast, so she knew how to make Lei Cha. Gu Qingcheng was quite fond of it, finding Lei Cha warm, fragrant, and body-warming.
Gu Qingcheng watched Gui Xiang prepare the Lei Cha and casually asked, "Where is Xiao Jun?"
"He's out playing with Gou Sheng and the others. Aunt He Hua lives right next door, and Xiao Jun often takes Xiao Lian to play. That child Xiao Lian, she's become quite wild playing with them now, and her personality has become much more cheerful.
Aunt He Hua says Xiao Lian used to be a scaredy-cat, but now she's much livelier and smiles more, so she doesn't object to her playing with Xiao Jun and the others."
Gui Xiang chatted intermittently, weaving in bits of everyday life, which instantly made Gu Qingcheng feel as if she had returned to her mother's side.
Ms. Hu Lanfang, her mother, also enjoyed doing things while talking and simultaneously instilling life lessons.
As for whether Gu Qingcheng listened, Hu Lanfang felt that she had said her piece, and her daughter would surely absorb some of it.
With a deluge of words, at least one sentence out of ten would stick, right?
Thus, Hu Lanfang couldn't break her habit of nagging.
Gu Qingcheng felt that this kind of "motherly" nagging was like soothing white noise to her. She enjoyed listening to it, and it never truly registered in her mind anyway.
The Lei Cha was finally ready. Besides the ground tea leaves and fried rice, it also contained toasted peanuts, sesame seeds, and sugar. It was fragrant and delicious.
Gui Xiang, following Gu Qingcheng's example, kept the pot of Lei Cha warm on a charcoal stove so it wouldn't get cold.
She poured herself a bowl as well, and the two of them slowly sipped their tea and chatted.
In Gui Xiang's eyes, Gu Qingcheng was of the opposite sex, but she was young and still had a childlike appearance. Therefore, Gui Xiang didn't observe strict gender segregation and they conversed quite congenially.
As the conversation flowed, it began to take a more informal turn.
Gu Qingcheng asked, "Gui Xiang, there's something I want to ask, it might be a bit presumptuous, but may I ask?"
"What is it?" Gui Xiang was momentarily taken aback.
"Uh, that Mr. Huang Wenming, what do you think of him?"
"He is learned, knowledgeable, and very good. It's a pity about the current disaster. Otherwise, if he were to participate in the imperial examinations, he would surely be successful."
Gui Xiang, having worked with Huang Wenming for some time, knew him and answered without hesitation.
"It seems you admire him quite a bit?" Gu Qingcheng smiled, pursing her lips.
Gui Xiang hadn't yet grasped the implication and thought Gu Qingcheng was asking about Huang Wenming's character, so she spoke truthfully:
"I do admire him indeed. He is honest, upright, and diligent. The windows and walls of the academy were all painted by him.
I suggested hiring craftsmen, but he said he could handle these small tasks. The craftsmen are very busy with the house constructions in the village now. If he can help with what he's capable of, he will."
Gui Xiang recounted it all.
It turned out that Huang Wenming paid great attention to detail, which was why Gui Xiang had a good impression of him.
Gu Qingcheng nodded and said, "Actually, I met Mr. Huang on my way here, and he said he likes you!"
"Ah? What did he say that to you for?"
Gui Xiang's face flushed crimson, and she became a little indignant, afraid that Gu Qingcheng would misunderstand.
"It's alright to say such things, mainly because he is..."
Before Gu Qingcheng could finish, Gui Xiang hurriedly explained:
"We are completely innocent at the academy. We only interact for necessary matters related to opening the school, or when discussing teaching materials that need to be prepared for the academy. I have never been overly familiar or ambiguous with him."
Seeing Gui Xiang's embarrassed defense, Gu Qingcheng smiled faintly.
Indeed, anyone who appeared to be having a relationship funded by public money and then got caught by their superior would panic.
"Gui Xiang, don't rush. I think if you like each other, it's a good thing, and I would be happy to see it.
Of course, if you don't like him, I won't force a match.
Tell me, from a matchmaking perspective, what do you think of Scholar Huang?"
In fact, Gu Qingcheng could already sense that Gui Xiang didn't dislike Huang Wenming, and perhaps even liked him a little, so she became more eager to hear the gossip.
Seeing her adorable expression, Gui Xiang couldn't help but chuckle:
"Alright, Young Master Gu, you're teasing me."
"Scholar Huang is the most cultured person in our village. He is learned, knows how to educate children, and said he would dote on Xiao Jun like his own son. I was thinking, if you are interested in him, it would be quite good for you two to be together."
"What are you saying? He even said that to you?"
Gui Xiang's face turned red with embarrassment.
"If you don't object, I'll have him prepare. He said he wants to ask me to come with him to propose in a few days."
Gu Qingcheng laid it all out.
Gui Xiang covered her face and said, "I'm too embarrassed. I'm already this old and have a child, how can I talk about getting married?"
"You're only twenty-six, very young. What do you mean by 'already this old'? If you get married, I'll cover all the expenses."
Gu Qingcheng was extremely thoughtful, giving Gui Xiang no chance to back out. She swiftly concluded her business and then quickly took her leave.
Compared to Qin Yue's indecisiveness, Gui Xiang and Scholar Huang's mutual affection brought her a sense of comfort.
Leaving Gui Xiang's house, Gu Qingcheng felt a great sense of relief, finally able to give Huang Wenming a good answer.