"Please, Miss Ran, move to Guanju Courtyard. Breakfast has been laid out there." Yinshuang and the others waited for Aran to depart.
Understanding the hardships of being a servant, Aran did not want to make things difficult for them. She decided she would go to Chengyang Courtyard later to have a clear talk with Chu Hengyuan—she was no longer a three-year-old child to be swayed by a slap followed by a sweet treat.
As soon as Gu Ranran stepped out, she ran into Leng Wu and Leng Qi. Seeing a woman emerge from Aran's room who looked remarkably like her but wasn't quite the same, the two men simultaneously wondered: could this be one of Aran’s long-lost family members coming to the Prince's Estate to find her? They really did look alike.
Seeing them staring at her, Aran stepped forward and teased, "Fifth Brother, Seventh Brother, don't you know it's quite impolite to stare at an unmarried woman? It might even make me start having all sorts of fantasies."
"Are you Xiao Jiu?" Leng Wu asked.
"The one and only Xiao Jiu, Gu Ranran," she replied.
"No way! You really are little sister Xiao Jiu? The tomboy Xiao Jiu is actually a cute, fairy-like girl?" Leng Qi was astonished, as the Xiao Jiu he knew on missions had been more masculine than any man.
"Seventh Brother, you’re breaking my heart. Is that really how you see me?" Gu Ranran was speechless. Just how unkempt had she been in the past?
"No, no, Xiao Jiu, that's not what I meant. I just meant that before, you lacked a certain… feminine touch. You were a long way from being what one would call a lady." Leng Qi would have been better off not explaining; the more he talked, the messier it got.
Even Leng Wu couldn't listen anymore. He nudged Leng Qi with the hilt of his sword, signaling him to stop, but the dim-witted man completely missed the implication.
"Fifth Brother, move your sword hilt away, you're poking me." Leng Qi even pushed at the scabbard, trying to shove it further away.
Seeing Leng Qi’s brainless reaction, Leng Wu sighed with exhaustion. *Oh, Xiao Qi, with such a lack of sense and such a loose tongue, I’m afraid you'll never find a wife to warm your bed in the winter.*
"He’s just an idiot; don't listen to his nonsense," Leng Wu said to Gu Ranran, ignoring Leng Qi.
In truth, there was something he hadn't dared to tell his fellow guards. After dressing the Prince’s wounds yesterday, Chu Hengyuan had remarked, "From now on, Aran is the only mistress of this estate. You all need to know this, and treat her with the same respect you show this prince."
When he returned from his shift, he hadn't dared to disclose this to the brothers, fearing that someone like the loose-lipped Xiao Qi would let the entire Capital know. Given Xiao Jiu’s status, she was not a suitable match for the Prince, and until he found a way to resolve that, she could not be targeted by those with malicious intent at court.
He realized he needed to relay the Prince's words to the other guards. If nothing else, it would help him smooth things over if Xiao Qi’s reckless mouth ran wild. He could clearly see that the Prince was fiercely protective—even after being so severely injured by Xiao Jiu, he was still shielding her. If the Prince ever found out that Xiao Qi had been gossiping about her, Leng Wu shuddered to think if Xiao Qi would remain in one piece. *Xiao Qi, oh Xiao Qi, you’re on your own—do try to control your tongue.*
"Fifth Brother, I understand. I have things to attend to, so I’ll be going now," Gu Ranran said, giving Leng Qi a final look before leaving.
As soon as she stepped out of the courtyard, Leng Qi burst out, "Fifth Brother, why did you call me an idiot? I’m clearly very smart! If I wasn't, how would the Prince have chosen me for the estate? And what was that look Xiao Jiu gave me as she left? It was like she was looking at a fool."
"You really are a fool," Leng Wu added. Xiao Qi’s intelligence and emotional quotient were at two complete extremes.
"Fifth Brother, you..." Unable to handle the incessant rambling, Leng Wu walked out of the courtyard, but Leng Qi followed him like a little tail, still trying to prove how clever he was.