"Can you wake up on time?" Gu Jinli was a little worried. After a sleepless night, it wouldnât be good to oversleep and be late.
Qin San Lang laughed and said, "Itâs okay, being a bit late doesnât matter."
Gu Jinli thought for a moment and decided, "You sleep, Iâll watch over you, and then Iâll wake you up after an hour."
Qin San Lang was delighted and didnât refuse, nodding, "Okay."
Because she was there, Qin San Lang didnât want to go back to sleep in the inner room, so he lay down on the table instead.
However, his other hand slowly grasped hers, holding her hand as he slept.
Gu Jinli felt her face heat up, thinking she was doomed.
Qin San Lang saw her stunned for a moment but didnât let go, the corner of his mouth bent as he smiled and drifted off to sleep.
Gu Jinli stayed with him, watching his profile facing her... Truth be told, Brother Qin was quite handsome, with angular features that looked very heroic; his lips were thin but just a slight curve at the corners could raise the warmest, brightest smile.
But at that moment, he seemed to be having a bad dream, his brows tightly furrowed, making her heart ache.
She raised her hand, gently smoothing his brow with the pad of her finger, whispering softly, "Donât sleep with a frown. If someone bullies you, tell your sister, and sheâll beat them to death for you."
Perhaps heâd heard her words, as Qin San Langâs brow relaxed, and he smiled.
Gu Jinli was startled, lying on the table face to face with him, poking his cheek, "Having a sweet dream? Smile more, it makes you look so happy."
Perhaps she tickled him, as his head moved a little before settling back onto the table to sleep.
Gu Jinli was afraid of waking him up and dared not poke him anymore. She just watched him, counted the time, and after an hour, she woke him, "Get up, itâs daylight."
Qin San Lang was sound asleep, and she called him for a while, shaking him a bit before waking him.
Gu Jinli grumbled a bit angrily, "How can you sleep so deeply? Youâre a soldier, if an enemy ambushed us, youâd be dead!"
With this level of alertness, how could you fight in a battle? Youâd end up dead.
Qin San Lang looked at her and said, "Itâs not usually like this. Today with Xiao Yu here, my heart feels at ease, so I slept deeply."
Otherwise, in the past, whether she poked his face or there was just a slightest rustle, heâd wake up.
Gu Jinli heard this and the corners of her mouth curved, obviously pleased inside, pressing her joy down and saying, "When Iâm not around, stay vigilant."
Qin San Lang nodded, "I know, donât worry."
As he spoke, he looked at their hands still clasped together, reluctant to let go, then looked up at her, "Xiao Yu, grow up quickly."
Gu Jinli blushed, pulled her hand back, and scolded, "Iâll be coming of age in a month, how much faster do you want? Canât you wait?"
Qin San Lang nodded seriously, "Hmm, Constable Xiao Jiang is younger than me by a few months and heâs already a dad."
He also wanted to be a dad.
But now Xiao Yu wasnât married yet, so he could only keep waiting, eager to see what their future children would look like.
Gu Jinli was at a loss for words, advising him earnestly, "Donât look at those who became dads while young, look at my brother, heâs older than you and isnât married yet, why are you in a hurry?"
Afraid he might say something else she couldnât handle, she quickly urged him, "Hurry up and go, or youâll be late if you dawdle."
Qin San Lang was quite satisfied with todayâs outcome, didnât continue pressing her, but smiled and nodded, "Okay, Iâm leaving. You should go back and sleep."
Gu Jinli nodded, walking out of the house with him, the two parted in the Qin family yard, one went to get a horse back to the Military Office, and the other climbed over the wall to return home.
With a thud, when Gu Jinli landed feet-first in her own yard, she paused, "Why am I the one climbing walls?"
Wasnât it supposed to be Brother Qin who climbed walls to see her?!
Ah, angry, next time she must be reserved and not climb walls to find him.
Though thinking this way, Gu Jinli still walked toward the front yard, opened her gate, going to see Qin San Lang off.
Qin San Lang perhaps knew she would come out again and waited a short distance from the Gu family gate for her, seeing her come out, he rode toward her and said, "Iâm leaving now, Liu Eniangâs matter will be resolved at the latest within five days, donât worry."
Gu Jinli waved her hand, "I understand, you go ahead."
Qin San Lang chuckled, leaned down to look at her for a while, and before she could get annoyed, he rode away.
Gu Jinli stomped back home angrily, cursing herself for having no backbone, and asked herself, "Gu Jinli, how did you fall into this trap?"
Wasnât I always reminding myself not to get into trouble? Not to jump into a blood trap?
"Second Sister, did you fall into a trap?" Brother Cheng had just woken up, rubbing his eyes, planning to take Xiao Tuan to the pharmaceutical workshop to practice martial arts with Qiu Lang and the others, and heard Gu Jinliâs words before heading out the door.
Gu Jinliâs expression stiffened, "Donât talk nonsense, I didnât fall into any trap. Quickly go and practice, when youâre done, come back for breakfast, and weâll go to Grandpa Ouyangâs house together."
"Really?" Brother Cheng looked skeptically at his second sister, seeing her about to get annoyed, he quickly took Xiao Tuan and fled.
Gu Jinli returned to the yard where the two sisters lived, practiced with Gu Jinxiu, Sister Li, Xiao Ji, and Tong Xiaoxue for half an hour, then followed Gu Dashan to the workshop to handle the morning tasks.
After shipping the morning goods, they went home for breakfast, then took Brother Cheng to Ouyang Huâs house, found Gu Jinâan, and told him about Gu Dashan being schemed by Liu Eniang, Qin San Lang deploying people to investigate the Liu sisters, and the possibility that their family might be under watch.
Gu Jinâan, hearing this, wasnât surprised and instead reassured Gu Dashan, "Dad, donât be afraid; our familyâs business has grown, itâs natural to evoke jealousy and be watched, as long as we topple those targeting us, itâll be fine."
Seeing Gu Jinâan not panicking, Gu Dashan finally relaxed and told him, "Donât worry, Brother An, Dadâs not afraid, this matter will be settled by San Lang, you shouldnât worry too much, focus on your exams."
Gu Jinâan said, "Yes, Dad is also at ease, donât be overly anxious, wait until San Lang finds out more about Liu Bin before making decisions."
Liu Eniang is not to be feared, the key issue is Liu Bin, who has been in the prefecture for years; how did she learn so much about their family?
Despite being full of doubts, Gu Jinâan didnât want to worry Gu Dashan, so he didnât express his concerns, chatting casually with Gu Dashan for an hour before sending them off.
...
After Gu Dashan returned home, he immediately shared the situation with several families, advising them to be cautious these days to avoid being deceived.
After a brief panic, several families quickly calmed down, saying, "Rest assured Dashan, weâll be careful and wonât let anyone take advantage."
Mrs. Chen, upon learning that Gu Dashan was schemed by a young widow, looked at Gu Dagui with a scolding expression, and after leaving Dashanâs family, she grabbed Gu Dagui and cursed, "If you dare to get involved with a young widow, Iâll castrate you!"
Gu Dagui felt truly wronged, paused before reacting and angrily said, "Youâre insane! Whatâs this got to do with me? Youâve got all the Silver in the house, even if I wanted to support a young widow, I wouldnât have the money!"