Baili Xiaosheng finished packing, turned around, and happened to meet Guxi’s gaze. She didn’t look away, walking straight over, and Guxi, equally open, made no move to avoid her look either, watching her approach.
“I’m leaving!” Baili Xiaosheng said, clearly in good spirits, smiling as she spoke.
“I can tell,” Guxi said, stating the obvious.
“Heh, once I’m gone, you won’t have to do this grueling job of standing watch out in the wind and rain anymore. You can go back into the manor proper,” Baili Xiaosheng added, hopping lightly onto the windowsill to sit, seemingly intending a longer conversation with him.
“That depends on the young master’s arrangements,” Guxi answered honestly.
“Jun Buli isn’t exactly easy to serve. Why don’t you go back to Aunt Qing’s side instead?” Baili Xiaosheng asked again. This girl, though usually not much of a talker, always seemed to find plenty to say when she wanted to.
“I’m used to it now,” Guxi said flatly, not shying away from the conversation. When he’d returned from Yaoshun Island, it hadn’t been to follow the young master directly—it was just that ten years ago, when the master and mistress had suddenly gone missing, he’d stayed behind to protect the young master, as a way of repaying his master’s kindness in raising him.
Ten years had passed almost without notice, life carrying on this way. The young master might seem difficult to serve on the surface, but deep down, he was actually kinder than his own master, treating servants extremely well, never being unreasonably demanding, never venting his anger unjustly on others.
Especially as a child, he’d often come to Guxi to ask for advice on things. They’d once been fairly close, though he couldn’t quite recall exactly when the young master had begun growing distant, withdrawing from many people—not just him.
“Thank you for all your hard work these past days,” Baili Xiaosheng said graciously. “That time it rained—it was you who carried me back to my room, wasn’t it?”
Guxi nodded, admitting it. “Just doing my duty. No need to thank me, Miss Baili.”
“By the way, I’m taking Shiliang with me,” Baili Xiaosheng added.
“Can I say no to that?” Guxi asked teasingly, though in truth he genuinely wanted to press the issue seriously—he just knew he didn’t have the standing to.
“No, you can’t! I still haven’t thought of any condition that could get me to trade Shiliang for it,” Baili Xiaosheng said honestly. She had indeed said before that she’d consider it, but she simply couldn’t come up with any suitable terms.
Though Guxi still wished to see Shiliang destroyed, given how firmly Baili Xiaosheng had stated her position, he couldn’t very well force the matter, and said flatly, “It’s fine. Let me know if you think of something.”
“Mm, I will!” Baili Xiaosheng nodded immediately, looking at Guxi, hesitating for a moment before adding, “Hey, do you not like smiling?”
From what she’d observed over their time together, she’d rarely if ever seen this fellow smile.
Guxi was momentarily startled, then smiled faintly, countering, “What’s there to smile about for no reason?”
“My master likes to smile for no reason all the time,” Baili Xiaosheng said. Though she’d come to terms with everything, she still thought of her master occasionally, secretly swearing to herself that the day he showed up in front of her again, she’d beat him black and blue!
“A foolish smile?” Guxi asked seriously, and this actually made Baili Xiaosheng burst out laughing. “Yes, yes, exactly! A foolish smile! He really is a fool!”
Just as they were chatting, a maid came over. “Miss Baili, the carriage is ready, waiting at the back gate.”
Baili Xiaosheng put away her smile, shrugged, and said flatly, “I’ll go say goodbye to Aunt Qing in a moment, then leave.” “Mm, safe travels,” Guxi said, rising to his feet as well.
“You’re free today too!” Baili Xiaosheng added.
Guxi smiled. “You’re the one who’s free.”
“We’re both free! Ha ha!” Baili Xiaosheng said, about to head out the door, but Guxi instead picked up his sword and bid her farewell first. “I have some business to attend to. We’ll talk again when there’s a chance.”
Baili Xiaosheng’s first thought was—what kind of business could he possibly have?
She’d only just decided to leave on a whim, and he’d immediately arranged something else to occupy himself with?
Was this it, then? Was this goodbye?
Though they hadn’t interacted much before this, hadn’t exchanged many words—there’d even been an unpleasant encounter once—this fellow had quietly accompanied her through the hardest moment of her life.
Was that all it took for it to end like this? Would they ever meet again?
Baili Xiaosheng suddenly felt an unexpected sense of loss, a hollow emptiness inside, as if something were missing. This feeling was so similar to how she felt whenever her master was about to leave—yet somehow not quite the same at all.
She wasn’t sure what exactly was wrong with her, only that she couldn’t quite manage a smile. But she hid it well enough, waving a hand. “Go on then. We’ll talk when there’s a chance… once I’ve thought of a condition, I’ll definitely let you know.”
Guxi nodded, said nothing more, and turned to leave.
Once his figure had disappeared from sight, Baili Xiaosheng slowly pouted, shifting her weight from one side to the other, unable to find a comfortable way to stand or sit. She simply slung her pack over her shoulder and headed out.
But no sooner had she stepped off the porch than she suddenly stopped, turning back to look at the railing where Guxi always sat and dozed.
“He sat there for almost a whole month—was it really that comfortable?” she muttered to herself, walking over curiously, and settling down in the same pose Guxi always took, back against the pillar, arms crossed. Very quickly, she discovered it wasn’t comfortable at all—she couldn’t imagine how Guxi had ever managed to fall asleep like this.
She stood back up, patted the railing, and smiled faintly. “Goodbye, goodbye!”
She didn’t bring any maids along, carrying just her small bundle, and made her way to Ziqing’s courtyard. The little princess would turn one month old in just a few days, and Ziqing would finally be able to leave her confinement.
But even a single day mattered when it came to the postpartum recovery period. Seeing Baili Xiaosheng arrive, Ziqing was delighted—though seeing her carrying a bundle, she could only sigh helplessly, teasing, “You’re all so eager to leave before this little one turns one month—are you afraid my daughter will demand gifts from you?”
“That’s exactly it!” Baili Xiaosheng said with a laugh, and pulled a tiny glass vial from her sleeve, no bigger than half the length of a pinky finger. Through the crystal-clear glass, a miniature, multicolored butterfly could be seen resting inside.
“The most poisonous colorful butterfly in history. Wear it around your neck for a year, then form a blood pact with it, and I guarantee it’ll create a mental bond powerful enough to rival ten shadow guards!” Baili Xiaosheng explained as she carefully fastened it around the little princess’s neck.
Ziqing praised its beauty with a laugh, then asked, “So, are you not coming back to see us for a whole year?”
“Guxi mentioned you all are heading to Mobei in a few days—is that true?” Baili Xiaosheng asked.
“Guxi? He told you that?” Ziqing was puzzled. Of everyone around her, Guxi was the most tight-lipped—even when Jun Beiyue asked him directly, he might not reveal much at all!
“So it’s not true?” Baili Xiaosheng was equally confused.
“It’s true, I was just asking,” Ziqing said with a smile.
Despite repeated attempts to persuade her to stay, Baili Xiaosheng was determined to leave. In truth, staying a few more days until the little princess turned one month old wouldn’t have been difficult, but with Situ Jing’er and Meng Duo’er both already gone, she suspected the full-month celebration wouldn’t be a grand affair anyway. Besides, given the current tension between Aunt Qing and Jun Buli, the celebration might well serve as an opportunity for mother and son to reconcile—she’d rather not get involved in their family matters.
…