Chapter 152

Gu Kang saw Ruoxi at that moment, and his body trembled slightly.

He instinctively wanted to turn and flee, but a plain white, slender hand reached out to him, its palm holding a handkerchief embroidered with red plum blossoms, still emitting a faint fragrance.

"Wipe it!" Ruoxi said softly.

Gu Kang instinctively dodged; back when he was still Second Master Gu, he could rely on his status and the ten thousand strings of wealth his mother left behind to win a beauty's favor.

Now reduced to this state, to her he is as different as heaven and earth, incomparable.

Just moments ago, while scrambling for food with a stray dog, the back of his hand had been bitten through by the dog's teeth, and blood welled out.

He was so hungry he didn't even feel the pain; blood mixed with spoiled rice, which he shoved mouthful after mouthful into his mouth, staining the corners of his lips with blood.

Ruoxi sighed, not minding his foul smell, leaned close, and carefully wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the handkerchief.

Gu Kang's body trembled slightly, torn between crying and laughing.

He lifted his gaze, staring fixedly at Ruoxi, his voice hoarse: "You… you go!"

After all his scheming to get close to her, he could only push her farther away.

Ruoxi sighed, gave a bitter smile, slipped the handkerchief into his bosom, rose slowly, and glanced up at the heavy, dark clouds pressing down from the sky.

Who would have thought that after the Double Ninth Festival there would still be such thick clouds, as if a final downpour were about to fall.

Even faint rumbles of thunder could be heard rolling by.

"Gu Kang! Actually…"

Ruoxi had lingered in the pleasure quarters for many years, having seen all kinds of worldly vicissitudes; even so, speaking those words was difficult for her, and she didn't know how to say them.

She was more puzzled: the Princess Consort of Rui had her speak the truth, unafraid that her own younger brother would hate her for it?

She glanced at Gu Jiu Ling sitting by the window on the second floor of the teahouse not far away, pursed her lips, and said, "Gu Kang, actually our meeting was arranged by your elder sister."

Gu Kang jerked his head up to look at the woman gazing down at him—the woman he truly, deeply liked, even willing to give her all his goodness.

He felt as if his ears were malfunctioning?

He and she were perfectly attuned; she brewed tea for him, played the zither for him, and danced for him.

He knew the people of Shang Jing looked down on him, but only she sat quietly before him, smiling as she listened to his idle chatter and his worthless talk.

He thought he had found true love, never expecting it to be a scheme set up by his elder sister.

Gu Kang's lips quivered as he tried to smile, but his tormented expression was uglier than tears.

Miss Ruoxi suppressed her sympathy and continued, "I owe your elder sister a favor; she had me string you along, coax you into spending money, and cause a fuss over the silver with the Gu family."

"I already have someone I like, and I have never liked you; it's only because your elder sister's terms were too generous that I reluctantly agreed."

"Gu Kang… you…"

Not knowing how to continue, Ruoxi steadied herself and said, "Your elder sister has already redeemed me from the Joyful Red Pavilion; I am about to leave Jing Cheng—take care!"

Ruoxi finally managed to finish delivering Gu Jiu Ling's message, then turned and walked away.

At that moment Gu Kang felt dazed; only after Ruoxi had walked far away did he crawl forward in a frenzy.

But both his legs were ruined; he could never catch up to her steps, perhaps forever.

He had become a puddle of rotting mud in Shang Jing, utterly rotten.

Crack! A bolt of lightning struck, and instantly a torrential downpour poured from heaven to earth.

Gu Kang clutched his head and burst into loud sobs, emitting a hoarse howl.

His desperate sobs mingled with the thunder's roar, echoing across heaven and earth, moving all who heard.

The Gu family had driven him to this state, and his own elder sister had shattered his last line of defense, causing Gu Kang to collapse instantly.

He lay sprawled in the icy mud as the pouring rain drenched him.

Suddenly the rain above his head was blocked off; he slowly lifted his gaze to see Gu Jiu Ling holding an umbrella over him.

In that instant, all love and hate, resentment and grudges surged into his heart.

She was his elder sister, and also the one who personally sent him to hell.

Even when the Gu family expelled him, framed him, and dragged him to the execution grounds where he nearly became a ghost under the blade, he had never felt this desperate.

Gu Jiu Ling looked at her younger brother before her, feeling little sympathy, her eyes even tinged with cold.

Having just had Ruoxi speak the truth, she had already severed any thought of reconciling with this brother; he probably hates her.

But what of it?

Gu Jiu Ling looked at Gu Kang and spoke slowly, word by word: "For the sake of us sharing the same mother, and for our mother's sake, I give you one last chance."

"I have two paths for you to choose!"

Gu Jiu Ling flung the money pouch she was holding at Gu Kang's feet; the mouth loosened, and several silver ingots rolled out.

"The first path: take this money, leave Shang Jing, find a nice countryside and become a wealthy landlord; this sum is enough to buy a residence, keep a few maidservants, I will also heal your leg injury, then give you a large sum to squander, so you can live without worry or need, no longer having to beg."

Gu Kang lowered his head, not looking at those silver ingots.

Gu Jiu Ling paused, then said: "The second path may be harder to walk; this is the Du family head's order. Take it to the clinic and find me; I will heal your leg injury and then give you five hundred taels."

"With these five hundred taels you can do whatever you wish, but it is only these five hundred taels—I will not give you even a single tael more."

"I will never again give you any assistance, whether financial or in terms of connections; I will only heal your leg, and thereafter, no matter how difficult or perilous the road, you must walk it alone."

Having said these things today, it can also be considered as having settled the affection between us siblings; from now on, the bridge returns to the bridge, the road returns to the road, each will be at peace— that's it, you choose for yourself.

Gu Jiu Ling turned and left with her umbrella, not knowing what Gu Kang would ultimately choose.

However, judging by his past weak-willed nature, he would likely choose the wealthy patron.

She also could not truly let the original host's younger brother become Shang Jing's most despised beggar; spending her own silver to raise him in the countryside would also be a good option.

But just as she had turned and walked a few steps away, a hoarse shout came from behind her— Gu Kang's voice.

Elder sister! I choose… I choose the second path.

Gu Jiu Ling froze for a moment, then turned to look at Gu Kang in the muddy water.

At that moment, the rain washed away all the bloodstains and grime on his face, revealing a pale, gaunt visage; his gaze was firm, and he raised high the Du family head's token that she had just thrown before him, his arm trembling slightly from the effort, yet he held it aloft.

Elder sister! I choose... the second path!

Gu Jiu Ling's brows relaxed a little, a hint of smile flickered in her eyes, and she said slowly: "Heh! You've opened your apertures? Come here! Help Second Young Master onto the carriage!"