GTB Chapter 87

Chapter 87: Borrowing Flowers to Offer to Buddha

Upstairs in the Jade Shop, Ji Shutíng held the ledger that Little Bao had brought up, her eyes shining as she said, “Jiuchu, our shop is getting more and more profitable!”

“This month, we’ve added several more partners. Even the top-tier Xiāoyue Tower and Yunqing Pavilion in Kyoto are pre-ordering pastries from us. I really didn’t expect that we could make a pastry shop so profitable.”

She closed the ledger, looking at Jiang Jiuchu with gratitude, “It’s all thanks to you that I can become a little rich woman.”

“This is the result of our joint efforts, why thank me?”

After Jiang Jiuchu finished speaking, she curiously asked, “I know Xiāoyue Tower, it’s on West Magpie Street, a den of extravagance for men, but what is this Yunqing Pavilion?”

“You don’t know?” Ji Shutíng was a little surprised, not expecting Jiang Jiuchu to be unaware of such a famous place.

“Should I know?” Jiang Jiuchu was a little confused, she hadn’t paid attention to this Yunqing Pavilion, nor had she heard anyone mention it. How would she know?

She thought for a moment and asked, “Judging by the name, could it also be an elegant place like Mo Feng Pavilion?”

Ji Shutíng covered her mouth and smiled as she looked at Jiang Jiuchu, shaking her head, “Not at all. If you went to that place, the Seventh Prince would probably skin you alive.”

After she said that, seeing Jiang Jiuchu looking surprised and puzzled, she leaned closer and whispered, “This Yunqing Pavilion, naturally, is a den of extravagance for women.”

“What? Are you saying, that place, that place is…?” Jiang Jiuchu widened her eyes in shock upon hearing this, with an expression of disbelief, “Can there be business? Which girl would dare to go?”

Ji Shutíng looked like she knew better, and was about to explain when she caught sight of a white figure walking over. She quickly stopped talking and called out with some surprise, “Greetings, Young Master Fu.”

Jiang Jiuchu’s figure paused upon hearing this, and she quickly looked to the rear side.

Their eyes met, and a hint of heartache flashed in Jiang Jiuchu’s eyes. She didn’t understand why Brother Fu had lost so much weight in such a short time.

His already sculpted and stern features now looked even more defined, lacking the gentleness of the past.

Ji Shutíng could tell that this Young Master Fu had come to see Jiuchu. She hesitated for a moment, then stood up, “Jiuchu, I’m going downstairs to help my mother choose some pastries, I’ll be back up later.”

Song Fuge nodded to Ji Shutíng, who had stood up to give him her seat, and then sat down opposite Jiang Jiuchu.

Looking at the girl in front of him, who should have been flying away with him, but now bore someone else’s surname, he was at a loss for words.

He knew he shouldn’t have come to see her, but he missed her so much, he just wanted to see her up close again, he dreamed of hearing her call him Brother Fu again.

He looked at the somewhat dazed Jiang Jiuchu and gave a gentle smile, “How have you been lately?”

“Fine.” Jiang Jiuchu wanted to say she was doing well, and she wanted to say she was not, but looking at the emaciated Song Fuge in front of her, she felt that saying she was doing well might hurt him, but if she said she was not, it would seem like she was blaming him.

Song Fuge nodded, seeing the little girl looking around timidly, his heart ached, and he spoke to comfort her:

“Don’t be afraid, I am both your boss and an old friend from childhood. No matter which relationship, sitting face to face is not a big deal.”

“Okay.” Jiang Jiuchu nodded, raised her eyes and looked at Song Fuge, “Brother Fu, you’ve lost weight.”

The words “Brother Fu” made Song Fuge’s heart, which had been silent for many days, skip a beat. Seeing a hint of heartache in Jiang Jiuchu’s eyes as she looked at him, he spoke to reassure her:

“I tend to lose weight easily, I lose weight when I eat a little less, it was like this before too, Chu’er doesn’t need to worry.”

Jiang Jiuchu nodded, “Then Brother Fu should eat more, it’s not good to be too thin.”

“Okay.”

Song Fuge’s reply was earnest and firm. Listening to Jiang Jiuchu’s ears, it was like a promise, making her heart feel slightly relieved.

“Brother Fu, did you encounter something that night? Has it all… been resolved?” From the first moment she saw Song Fuge, Jiang Jiuchu felt that his absence that night must have been due to some unavoidable reason.

Song Fuge was stunned upon hearing this. He didn’t expect the little girl to ask this. Did she trust him that much?

He sighed inwardly. Yes! She seemed to have always trusted him so much. It was he, it was he who missed her.

The soreness in his eyes made him calm his emotions for a while before he slowly opened his mouth, “It’s all resolved, it’s all in the past.”

He actually wanted to explain in detail, to explain his helplessness, to explain how he had been anxiously calculating how to get away every day? To explain his regret…

But these would only increase her inability to let go. He understood her. Being able to elope with him was probably the most outrageous decision she had ever made in her life, and there was no other possibility.

He had no more chances unless the Seventh Prince did not cherish her. Only then would he have the courage to fight again.

“Okay, it’s good that it’s resolved.” Jiang Jiuchu pursed her lips, wanting to raise the corners of her mouth, but she couldn’t force out the arc she wanted.

She had thought countless times that if everything had gone smoothly that day, she would have already been in Brother Fu’s arms, riding horses, looking at the picturesque scenery, and living a free and unfettered life!

But now, he was right in front of her, and she could no longer lean into his embrace.

“I’m sorry.” Song Fuge probably sensed Jiang Jiuchu’s emotions and spoke again.

But what he didn’t know was that Jiang Jiuchu couldn’t bear to hear these three words at all.

“It’s okay, Brother Fu didn’t do anything to hurt me, it’s just… it’s just that we are destined to be apart.” As Jiang Jiuchu spoke, her voice began to choke.

She immediately stood up and said, “Brother Fu, take care of yourself,” and quickly walked towards the stairs, keeping her head down and not looking at Song Fuge again.

Song Fuge sat in his seat, staring blankly at Jiang Jiuchu’s departing back, then closed his eyes, his throat rolling, and slowly opened them.

Clearly Chu’er had worked hard, and he had tried his best, but why was it still like this? Was human calculation inferior to heaven’s calculation?

What immoral things did he do in his previous life? Why did God have to torment him like this, causing his originally happy family to be killed by bandits when he was a child, leaving him alone.

Now, once again, he was deprived of his beloved. Heaven seemed to never want him to be fulfilled.

Jiang Jiuchu stopped when she quickly reached the turn of the stairs, and quickly raised her hand to wipe away her tears before continuing down the stairs.

“Jiuchu.” Ji Shutíng was playing with Little Bao by the counter. Seeing Jiang Jiuchu coming down, she quickly walked over.

“Okay, let’s go back!” After Jiang Jiuchu finished speaking, she walked out.

Noticing that Jiang Jiuchu’s expression was not right, Ji Shutíng didn’t ask any further and quickly followed.

In the carriage, she looked at the silent Jiang Jiuchu, and didn’t know how to ask. Thinking, she guessed that Jiuchu wouldn’t say even if she asked.

But she didn’t know how to comfort her either. After thinking about it, she took the pitcher of Qiong Gan Dew from Xiangcao’s hand and handed it to Jiang Jiuchu, “Here, let’s borrow a flower to offer to Buddha and give it to you! It’s good to drink it when you’re in a bad mood, it works.”

Jiang Jiuchu glanced at the white porcelain bottle in Ji Shutíng’s hand and didn’t take it, “I’ve seen people get drunk and cry after drinking it, I’m afraid it will only make me sadder.”

“How could it? That’s just an individual case, it doesn’t count, otherwise why would there be the saying ‘drowning sorrows in wine’?” As Ji Shutíng spoke, she directly stuffed the wine pot into Luoluo’s hand.