Chapter 196

Gu Xixi turned toward Mu Nan Zhao, smiling calmly.

Like a spring breeze sweeping over the Xi Bei wilderness, unhurried, without selfish thoughts, merely a pure narration.

"Your heart holds such vast hills and valleys; you can't keep relying on my little courtyard forever, can you?"

Mu Nan Zhao stared blankly at Gu Xixi.

Earlier he had blamed her for rushing to drive him away.

But now, looking into her eyes, he could no longer utter those words.

Mu Nan Zhao averted his gaze, looking at the fire in the stove about to die out.

"In a couple of days, in a couple of days I'll leave."

Gu Xixi tilted her head to observe his expression, "This 'couple of days' you mention—is it specific or just a vague reference?"

Mu Nan Zhao said irritably, "My affairs are none of your concern."

Gu Xixi furrowed her brows, guessing, "You wouldn't be planning to drag it out day by day, would you?"

No answer.

Gu Xixi asked again, "Does General Ho know about your return to the village this time?"

Still no sound.

Gu Xixi held her breath and closed her eyes; it seemed everything had been guessed correctly.

She grew a bit anxious, lowered her voice but intensified her tone, "I knew there was a problem; by now, with General Ho's temperament, how could he possibly agree to you idling away in Flower Pool Ford Village?"

Mu Nan Zhao still didn't look at Gu Xixi, merely displeased and whispering a rebuttal, "Am I idle? Don't forget who saved you today."

Gu Xixi said, "Without you, I could manage on my own; it would just take more effort, but I wouldn't die."

Mu Nan Zhao snapped his head toward her, "Do you really think that useless barbarian could protect you?"

Gu Xixi also turned to stare at Mu Nan Zhao.

"Speak politely; don't keep calling him a useless barbarian."

Mu Nan Zhao sneered mockingly, "Isn't that true? You spend all day chasing after a woman, utterly lacking your own judgment."

Gu Xixi's face darkened, "As a merchant, Brother An not only has his own ideas, his ability is beyond reproach."

"My delayed return was because he helped me resolve the issues with every Pingbo fruit tree grower; thanks to him, I didn't break my word."

"Moreover, today, precisely because he is an outsider barbarian, he could escape from Gu Youfu and their sight."

"Besides him, who else at that time could have helped me bring Gu Daye over?"

Mu Nan Zhao had wanted to say, "You could have simply come to me; who made you forsake the near and seek the far?"

But he merely lifted his eyes to the sky, nodded slightly, and let out a cold laugh.

"Fine, only he can help you, right? You place your whole trust in him."

Gu Xixi found his reaction even more puzzling, and she genuinely felt a bit angry.

"Why can't I trust Brother An?"

"Those who treat me well, who have done me favors, I always keep a clear account of, remembering them in my heart—including you."

"Since you started living in my home, aside from the matter of Gu Qingye, have I ever wronged you? Why must you now speak to me like this?"

"Even if I disregarded your wishes and tried to match you with Gu Qingye, afterward I did my best to make amends for what I ought to."

"Later make amends?" Mu Nan Zhao suddenly glared at Gu Xixi, resentful.

"So you went to great lengths, seeking the firefly bone flower, sparing no cost to save my life—just to make up for this matter?"

Gu Xixi froze; she really hadn't thought of it on that level.

Seeing her silence, Mu Nan Zhao assumed he had hit the mark.

He stood up, "Boss Gu really keeps a clear score; our accounts are quite transparent."

Mu Nan Zhao laughed angrily, "Quite right; from the very beginning you had no choice."

"You were forced to buy me, forced to let me stay, forced to seek medicine for me."

"Afterward you were coerced by me, entangled in my troubles, bound together, having no choice but to walk this path with me to the present."

Gu Xixi thought, "That seems to be exactly how it went."

But…

Clearly, the losses in what Mu Nan Zhao said all fell on Gu Xixi.

Yet his tone and expression make it seem as if she were the unfaithful one?!

What nonsense is this!

Mu Nan Zhao continued, "So you refuse to marry me, push another woman onto me, reject the silver notes I give you, fearing I'll send people to watch you—all just to draw a clear line, so we owe each other nothing."

"After I leave this time, you can pretend you never knew me."

Gu Xixi told herself she shouldn't feel guilty, lifted her head, straightened her chest, and retorted, "Otherwise what?"

Her inner reasons were quite sufficient:

"If I truly dared to take you as a husband living in my household, once you regain your ministerial seat in a few months, I'd surely die a miserable death."

"If I don't set boundaries early, am I supposed to stay in touch with you, waiting for the day you kill me?"

"Besides, besides, wasn't it you yourself who told me to never look down on you?"

Mu Nan Zhao stared straight at Gu Xixi, a half-smile, his eyes desolate, as if he had suffered some grave blow.

He didn't speak for a moment.

Gu Xixi's gaze wandered, her heart uneasy—what wire had this person crossed tonight?

She was about to say she'd go back to sleep.

Mu Nan Zhao suddenly grabbed her wrist, "Then how should we reckon the favor of you saving my life?"

"Are you asking me to repay with my life?!"

Gu Xixi's pupils trembled.

Afraid of waking the whole family, she put on a cold face and whispered a reprimand: "Everyone else is sleeping; I don't want to argue with you, let go!"

Seeing Mu Nan Zhao still not letting go.

Gu Xixi's gaze turned completely cold, she stared at him icily.

"What use is your life to me? Can it make my grain yield more, or let me succeed at whatever I plant?"

"You say you'll give me this, give me that, but I refuse to accept, insisting on drawing a clear line."

"Then let me be clear: I only want what I myself desire, and I never covet anything else."

"What I want, I will reach out and grasp myself; I don't need you to arrange it for me."

Mu Nan Zhao's expression shifted slightly, his eyes dark as ink as he looked at Gu Xixi, waiting for her to continue.

"You sent Master Liu here, placing your people around me."

"You gave me banknotes, wanting a lump sum to settle the trouble, so I could leave Huachi Du Cun."

"You and Master Liu arranged that, should trouble arise, you could send my family to a safe place."

Gu Xixi said, raising her eyes to look at Mu Nan Zhao: "When you made these decisions, did you ever consult me, ask for my opinion? You didn't even think to inform me."

"What makes you think I shouldn't guard against you, shouldn't draw a line with you?"

She felt the pressure on her wrist loosen—it was Mu Nan Zhao releasing his grip.

Gu Xixi smiled faintly: "I actually didn't want to say so much."

"But before we part, it's good to have these things said clearly."

She glanced at the sky; at this time there was no moon, just pitch darkness.

She then waved her hand and walked toward her own bedroom.

"Go to sleep early; you now need to conserve your strength, I don't want you to run into trouble, after all you have the talent to make the future of the great undertaking even better, and I too am just a humble commoner under heaven."

Mu Nan Zhao kept watching until Gu Xixi's bedroom door closed.

He lowered his head, asking himself in his heart, "Did I really make a mistake?"