Chapter Thirty-One: Meeting Xingyun Again

“These rabbit pelts are all in excellent condition—one pelt is worth ten contribution points, so ten pelts make a hundred points. There are seventeen rainbow pheasant tail feathers, each worth two points. Thirteen clusters of figless fruit, each worth ten points, totaling two hundred sixty-four contribution points,” Grandfather Wu counted through everything Gu Weiyu handed in, tallying up with a smile. “Little Eleven, does that sound right to you?”

“Grandfather Wu, there’s no way you’d get the calculation wrong!” Gu Weiyu chimed in with enthusiastic flattery. “I also have some herbs here. Could you take a look for me?”

She took out the bi-scale grass and a dozen other medicinal herbs she’d gathered as well.

“Oh, this is bi-scale grass!” Grandfather Wu picked it up in surprise. “This one is sixty years old, worth two hundred contribution points for a single stalk. This one is fifty years old, worth a hundred points, and the other three are forty years old, worth fifty points each.

Well done, Little Eleven. You really had a stroke of luck this time. Altogether, you’ve earned seven hundred ten contribution points—enough to equal three missions for others.”

Gu Weiyu managed a strained smile, inwardly grumbling that she’d rather not have such luck. Just thinking of yesterday’s ordeal still made her shudder.

“Oh, right, Grandfather Wu, can these pheasant eggs be exchanged for contribution points?” Suddenly recalling the nest of eggs she had conveniently taken, she decided to bring them out as well.

Grandfather Wu looked at the eggs laid out before him, then at the little girl standing before him, completely unharmed, and couldn’t help but marvel again at her luck.

“Little Eleven, your luck truly is remarkable. These pheasant eggs are exceptionally rare and nourishing. I imagine yesterday was quite the adventure for you?” By the end of his sentence, Grandfather Wu couldn’t suppress a smile. “You’re quite the bold one. Remember, never touch pheasant eggs again or the rainbow pheasant clan will stop at nothing to get even!”

Gu Weiyu stared, dumbfounded; so the calamity she suffered yesterday was all because of that nest of eggs?!

“We’ll count each egg as twenty points. There are fifteen eggs here. Adding these to your previous total, your points have surpassed a thousand! All right, your contribution points are recorded. After you bind it with a drop of your blood, keep this wooden token safe.” Grandfather Wu handed her a simple, ancient-looking wooden token.

Gu Weiyu took the token. The front bore an archaic character for “Gu,” and the back was engraved with the Gu family crest—a mysterious, bird-like emblem. She bit her fingertip and let a drop of blood fall onto the token, immediately sensing a subtle connection between herself and the wood. She put the token away and took her leave of Grandfather Wu.

“Eleventh Sister!” It was already late in the afternoon when Gu Weiyu, walking through the winding corridors, unexpectedly ran into Gu Qingyun and Gu Weihuan.

Looking at her younger brother, who was growing more robust by the day, and her increasingly lovely Ninth Sister, she smiled. “What brings you two here?”

“Eleventh Sister, I was just on my way to Tenth Aunt’s to pick up some new toys. You should come too!” Gu Qingyun said eagerly. “They’re puppets from Cousin Xingyun, and I’ve heard they’re really fun!”

---

Gu Weiyu raised an eyebrow. Lu Xingyun certainly knew how to win people over. In such a short time, her brother was already calling him Cousin Xingyun every other sentence.

Noting Gu Weiyu’s lack of enthusiasm, Gu Weihuan spoke gently. “Come on, will you? I haven’t seen you in ages.”

Gu Weiyu nodded, and together with Gu Qingyun, headed for Gu Qing’s Shifei Garden.

In the garden, Gu Qing and Lu Xingyun were seated at a stone table, already surrounded by a crowd. Standing beside Lu Xingyun was Gu Weifang, who, upon seeing Gu Weiyu, couldn’t resist letting out a faint huff—though that was all she dared do nowadays.

“Tenth Aunt, this little hedgehog is really interesting,” Gu Qinghao said brightly, playing with his puppet.

“This toy can deliver ten attacks, each equivalent to the fifth level of Qi Refining. Be careful when you play with it, Little Seven,” Lu Xingyun reminded him kindly.

“Thank you, Cousin Xingyun,” Gu Qinghao said earnestly.

Gu Qingyun squeezed forward excitedly. Gu Weiyu, standing at the edge of the crowd, saw Lu Xingyun dressed in pale robes, his demeanor more refined than ever.

Sensing her gaze, he turned and, seeing it was Gu Weiyu, gave her a warm, friendly smile. “Back from your first mission, Little Eleven? How did it go?”

Gu Weiyu’s face darkened. Of all things, must he bring that up? She replied perfunctorily, “It was all right.”

The corners of Lu Xingyun’s mouth curled slightly; for some reason, her response amused him. He recalled once asking her directly about her apparent hostility, to which she had bluntly replied, “You’re Fifth Sister’s cousin—I don’t like you!” Such a direct child.

“Little Eleven, come pick one out as well,” Gu Qing called to her, smiling.

Nodding, Gu Weiyu stepped forward. Since she was here, she might as well choose one. The puppets were exquisitely crafted, no doubt expensive—how extravagant.

In the end, she chose a little pig puppet. Gu Qingyun picked a tiger, and Gu Weihuan chose a rabbit.

After a while, as evening approached, the three of them left Shifei Garden together.

---

“Cousin Xingyun may be from a collateral branch of the Lu family, but he’s always so generous! Fifth Sister says our grandmother has taken a liking to him!” Gu Qingyun said as they walked, mimicking others with a shake of his head.

“That’s right, I’ve heard Cousin Xingyun is extraordinarily talented—a rare dual-spirit root!” Gu Weihuan added. “He’s not even twenty yet, but he’s already at the twelfth level of Qi Refining!”

“I also heard Cousin Xingyun has traveled to many places and knows all sorts of things,” Gu Qingyun said, his face full of admiration.

“Cousin Xingyun and Tenth Aunt truly are a match made in heaven…” Gu Weihuan said, stars in her eyes.

Listening to them go on and on about Cousin Xingyun, Gu Weiyu thought to herself, Have you all been bewitched by him or what?

The three soon returned to their own quarters. After a long day yesterday and a morning spent foraging on Mount Wen for figless fruit, then handing in her tasks and visiting Shifei Garden, Gu Weiyu felt like a spinning top that never stopped—utterly exhausted.

“You’re back, Miss?” Crescent called out joyfully when she saw Gu Weiyu.

“Crescent, do we have any pastries? I’m starving,” Gu Weiyu said, flopping into a lounge chair.

“Just wait a moment, Miss. I’ll bring them right away,” Crescent replied, quickly fetching a plate of delicate cakes.

Gu Weiyu finished the pastries in a few quick bites, making Crescent fret. Hurrying to bring a cup of water, she said, “Miss, slow down, or you’ll choke.”

Gu Weiyu gulped down the water and at last felt her hunger subside.

“Crescent, I’m going to rest for a while. Unless it’s important, please don’t disturb me,” she said before heading upstairs.

“Of course, Miss, go and rest. I understand,” Crescent urged her on.

Gu Weiyu went up to her bedroom on the second floor, lay down on the large, comfortable bed, and quickly drifted into a deep, sweet sleep.