Chapter 32: Yan Zun's Reward

Gu Qingyu knew Yan Zun was trying to tell her to treasure the present. Her friends have treated her very well. Jia Qizhe bought buns for her, Qi Yichen defended her in the face of danger, Mo Bai answered her cry for help and solved her problems, Xiao Qi stayed by her side without a complaint. Murong Zuoyu cared deeply for her despite his cold demeanor, and Yan Zun who did all this for her and taught her quite a lot of things. There’s even Qi Wan, who accompanied her to the roof and sang with her on the top of their lungs in the dead of night.

“You figured it out? Good then, this took quite a lot of time to put together.” Yan Zun raised his eyebrows. “And it’s about time, they’re all waiting for you. Are you ready to see them?”

“Yes!” Gu Qingyu nodded, her excitement evident in her voice.

“Remember, today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.” Yan Zun waved his red sleeve.

Gu Qingyu opened her eyes and Jia Qizhe came into view.

“You’re awake!” His eyes lit up as Gu Qingyu finally woke up. “Mo Bai!”

“Yes.” The gentle voice rang out and Gu Qingyu felt someone wrapped their fingers around her wrist. Ah, it was Mo Bai checking her pulse.

“How do you feel?” Mo Bai frowned slightly.

Gu Qingyu sat up. “Um...Not much...I’m good...” Before she could finish her sentence, Gu Qingyu felt lightheaded and her throat itched, she coughed when she tried to clear her throat.

It seemed that only Jia Qizhe, Mo Bai and she were in the room. Gu Qingyu instinctively touched her forehead, then touched Mo Bai’s forehead...

Oh no, it seemed to be a fever! Oh my!

Mo Bai flushed at her touch. “Brother Zhu, you’re afflicted with the cold.”

“The cold?” Gu Qingyu blinked. “This is a fever, right?”

“Fever?” Mo Bai tilted his head as he asked, “What do you mean?”

“Um...Should be...Probably...Maybe...Possibly...Perhaps...Could be...a...cold?” Gu Qingyu said with hesitance.

Mo Bai nodded. “A few doses of medicine should cure it.”

“Ah? Medicine?” Gu Qingyu widened her eyes. “Mo Bai, can I not drink that?”

“This…” Mo Bai looked at Gu Qingyu’s pleading eyes, hesitated for a bit and said. “No.”

“Sob…” Gu Qingyu turned and looked to Jia Qizhe for help. “Jia…”

“Now you remember that I’m here?” Jia Qizhe slightly raised his eyebrows as he cut off Gu Qingyu’s sentence.

Gu Qingyu said again, “Jia…”

“Fire away.” Jia Qizhe said. Gu Qingyu dropped her jaw.

Why does this guy keep interrupting me?

Gu Qingyu said again, “Jia…”

“I’m listening.” He interrupted her again.

Gu Qingyu finally lost her patience. “Damn you! Get out!”

“Finally back to normal?” Jia Qizhe lifted his eyebrows, his whole being almost seemed lazy. He added, “I like you better when you’re lively. Say whatever you want, I’ll stop.”

“I…” Gu Qingyu instinctively flinched.

What was I going to say?

She could only growl in reply. “I’m fine!”

I had a problem but I can’t remember it!

“Good that you’re fine, now drink your medicine.” Jia Qizhe jutted his chin towards a bowl Mo Bai was holding.

“Wait, medicine? Mo Bai, when did you bring it over?” Gu Qingyu widened her eyes in fear, “I...I won’t drink it!”

“Let me handle this.” Jia Qizhe plucked the bowl from Mo Bai’s hands.

“You can go.” A cold light briefly flashed in Mo Bai’s eyes. He looked at Gu Qingyu, then left the room. Jia Qizhe smiled, unperturbed by Mo Bai. He waved his hand and the door closed.

“Where are the others?” Gu Qingyu spoke weakly.

Jia Qizhe raised his eyebrows. “You kept them up for the whole night, where do you think they are now?”

“Um...haha,” Gu Qingyu laughed awkwardly. “Got it, haha…”

“Drink up.” Jia Qizhe held up the bowl of medicine.

Gu Qingyu tried her best to turn her head away from the medicine. “Aren’t you going to rest too?”

“I’m not tired.” Jia Qizhe rubbed in between his brows. He looked very tired but he seemed handsomely chill. “Are you drinking this or not?”

“I…” Gu Qingyu bit her lips, “No...Ooh!” Jia Qizhe surprised her by pressing on the bowl against her lips, one hand pinched Gu Qingyu’s nose, the other poured the medicine in her mouth.

Gulp, gulp, gulp. Gu Qingyu squeezed her eyes shut, her brows furrowed as she finished the medicine. “Pfft!” Surprisingly, the medicine was not bitter. It even had a sweet and tangy taste!

“How was it?” Jia Qizhe looked at her, almost smiling.

Gu Qingyu exclaimed, “It’s delicious!”

“Would you like more?”

Gu Qingyu nodded innocently. “Yes!”

He brought over another bowl of medicine. Without thinking twice, Gu Qingyu drank the medicine in a single gulp.

“Ooh...Ah! So bitter!” Gu Qingyu instinctively threw the bowl away but Jia Qizhe caught it with his fast reflexes. Gu Qingyu was sad to find that she had finished the medicine before she could spit it out.

“Be good! If there were other sweet things added in it, then the medicine would not have much effect.” With the flick of his wrist, Jia Qizhe tossed the bowl and it automatically ‘flew’ back on the table.

Is this the legendary ‘Bait and switch’?

Gu Qingyu glared at Jia Qizhe, “Jia Qizhe! You jerk!”

Jia Qizhe’s face darkened. He stood up. “Ha, oh well. I stayed here and kept watch for the whole night. Only to get scolded by you like that… Whatever, just get some rest.” With that, he turned to leave.

“Wait!” Gu Qingyu pulled onto Jia Qizhe’s sleeve.

“What?” Jia Qizhe leaned closer, his eyes were extremely harsh and cold but there was a tinge of hurt and sadness that swirled within them. And Gu Qingyu saw it.

Guilt washed over her and Gu Qingyu said, “Sorry, I was wrong!”

“You’re not wrong.” Jia Qizhe averted her gaze. He pulled his sleeve out of her hand and left the room. His tone was flat but his lips curled slightly at its ends, and a small smile could be seen in his eyes. Gu Qingyu missed that tiny smile.

Gu Qingyu watched the closed door, a sinking feeling ate away her insides. To chase? Or not to chase? Urgh, Gu Qingyu, grow a backbone! Gu Qingyu gritted her teeth and hastily put on a robe. She jumped off her bed and chased after him.

Gu Qingyu came to Jia Qizhe’s door. She lifted her right leg to kick down the door, but she stopped. She sighed as she lowered her leg. Instead, she raised her hand and gently knocked on the door.

The door opened, Jia Qizhe stood at the doorway, still dressed in his usual blue robe. He said flatly, “Anything?”

“I’m sorry, Jia Qizhe!” Gu Qingyu apologised immediately, “I should not have called you a jerk. I didn’t even thank you.”

Jia Qizhe’s cool demeanor dissipated. He leaned against the door frame and gave off an indescribable air of dominance. “So you've realised your mistake?”

What is the situation now?! I was being played from the start?! To think I felt guilty for you! And that I was so troubled by it!

“Jia Qizhe!” Gu Qingyu yelled, “Just die!”

“That depends on whether you can kill me,” Jia Qizhe teased. “Ok, rest up. We’ll continue our journey tomorrow.”

Gu Qingyu relented. “Yeah.”

Initially, she wanted to leave in the afternoon. But she wanted to find Qian Cheng first and ask him a few questions. After all... she could not believe Qian Cheng would just drop her from the sky, even though they had only met once… But she still hated the feeling of being abandoned. Just like back then.

“Don’t think too much about it.” Jia Qizhe patted her head. “Go.”

Gu Qingyu rolled her eyes and left without turning back.

Are you treating me like a child?

Jia Qizhe watched Gu Qingyu return to her room with a small smile on his face.

Just as Gu Qingyu returned to her room, there was a knock on her door.

“Who is it?” Gu Qingyu looked at the door with a slight frown

“Boss, it’s me!” It was Qi Wan.

“Come in.” Gu Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief.

Qi Wan opened the door, “How are you feeling?”

“Just fine!” Gu Qingyu stuck out her tongue. “Luckily we travelled to a world with magic. If it weren’t for it, who knows what would happen to me? I remember the cold was very deadly in this era!”

“I can’t believe that you’re actually the kind that paid attention in history class.” Qi Wan’s eyebrows rose.

Gu Qingyu gave another eyeroll. “Same to you, teacher’s pet.”

After Qi Wan left, Gu Qingyu looked at the darkening sky. It looked like it was going to rain. She decided to find Qian Cheng before it started pouring.

She arrived at the place where she first met Qian Cheng. Gu Qingyu may not provoke others deliberately but she would bear grudges to anyone who did offend her. Thus, Qian Cheng really made her mad! She believed that Qian Cheng would come back! She knew it in her guts!

Gu Qingyu copied the line of the ancient times, “I will have my revenge!”

It was strangely amusing to say that…

“Pff.” A chortle came from behind Gu Qingyu.

Gu Qingyu turned, crossed her arms and asked, “Oh, you’re here?”

Qian Cheng gave a firm nod. “Yes! I am here to answer for my crimes against you!”

“You seem self-aware.” Gu QIngyu raised her eyebrows. “Since you’re mentally prepared, then… Hehe!”

Qian Cheng broke into a cold sweat as Gu Qingyu chuckled ominously.

“What do you want?” Qian Cheng seemed frightened, it was not clear if his fear was real or pretend, but probably...the latter?

“Oh, you really don’t know what I want?” Gu Qingyu laughed again.

“Ah, I really don’t know…” “Oh, really?”

“Ah, really. Please spare me…”

“Oh, spare you?”

“Um, maybe not…”

“Oh, you said so yourself?”

“Um, What I’m saying is…”

“Boss!” Just then, Qi Wan hopped over. “Why did you leave your room? Don’t you have a fever...Um, a cold? And it’s going to rain!”

“The cold?” Qian Cheng quickly caught on and looked at Gu Qingyu. “Zhu Fan, you have a cold?”

“Yep.” Gu Qingyu crossed both her arms across her chest. “It’s your fault, what are we gonna do about that?”

Qian Cheng apologised immediately. “I’m sorry, Zhu Fan. Since it came to this, I’ll be honest with you. Actually, I’ve been hunted down by someone all this time and I felt this murderous intent coming my way last night. I did not want to implicate you so I left…”

“Then how do you explain letting go of me in mid-air?” Gu Qingyu’s face softened a little.