FBC – Chapter 75 Come, Serve Me While I Bathe

The second watch had just struck.

Gu Hua could no longer delay. Resigned, she tidied up her sewing materials, and Dong Hua and Dong Qing helped her bathe and change.

“I can go by myself.” Gu Hua took the lantern from Dong Qing’s hand.

“The road’s a bit dark…”

Dong Hua pulled the straightforward Dong Qing back and whispered, “Be careful on the way, miss. Take the small path through the rear courtyard.”

“Mm.” Gu Hua nodded, her mood low, and she walked out slowly.

Dong Qing whispered, “Why didn’t you let me go with her? That little path is so dark.”

Dong Hua gave her a look. “Chi Yu and the others are keeping watch along that path. No one would dare to wander around.”

Dong Qing didn’t quite get it at first, until Dong Hua flicked her lightly on the forehead. “You’re usually smart. How come your brain turns to mush when it comes to this? Our young miss is thin-skinned. Didn’t you notice her face didn’t look good?”

Dong Qing frowned, rubbing her forehead, visibly displeased. “Well, I really don’t get it. Since she’s already the lord’s woman, why not give her a proper title? It’s making things so difficult for her.”

Dong Hua unfolded the fabric Gu Hua had folded and resumed sewing the sleeping robe.

“You still don’t know what kind of man our lord is? You think he doesn’t marry noblewomen because he looks down on them? No. He just doesn’t want to drag any woman into his mess.”

Dong Qing plopped down beside her, her round face scrunching up.

“But Miss Hua is already his woman. How can she marry anyone else in the future?”

Dong Hua turned to glare at her. “Our Miss Hua is so good. The lord is thinking for her sake too. If… if he ends up like the old Marquis, what future would she have?”

Dong Qing finally understood, though she still couldn’t wrap her head around it. She chose to stay quiet and helped Dong Hua sort out the embroidery threads.

In the main room of Guanshan Pavilion, a single lamp still burned on the desk.

Peeking through the door crack, Gu Hua could just make out the strong features of Mu Junyan under the dim glow.

He wasn’t wearing his usual black robe today. Instead, he had on a loose-fitting inner garment in a soft crescent-white color. The orange candlelight fell over his tall figure, making him look less cold and imposing, more gentle and relaxed, radiating a sense of safety.

Gu Hua’s tense nerves eased a little.

But she couldn’t clearly see his expression and had no way of guessing his mood.

“Still not coming in? Do you enjoy standing in the cold?”

That low, deep voice rang out, and Gu Hua froze.

What is he, a bloodhound?

She hadn’t made a sound—how did he know she was at the door?

She’d actually been in a good mood this afternoon. Mu Junyan had treated her well these past two days. She’d planned to give the old madam a birthday gift and win her favor, which would allow her to slowly distance herself from him.

But come nightfall, a man’s desires reared their head.

All the gratitude she’d started to feel these past two days? Gone.

Gu Hua silently cursed herself for falling into foolish wishful thinking again.

It was just an exchange, nothing more.

What was she hoping for?

That someone of Mu Junyan’s status would have real affection for a pitiful little thing like her?

She entered with the lantern in hand and glanced at the man reading his documents at the desk.

After a long moment of silence, Mu Junyan finally looked up.

The orange glow of the lamp lit up her delicate face, giving it a warm hue.

But that little face carried a faint trace of detachment, as if she were only here because he had summoned her.

His expression remained calm. “Standing there for what?”

Gu Hua muttered silently in her heart: I’m not a mind reader. How am I supposed to know what you want if you don’t say it?

But she didn’t dare to speak back.

She bowed sweetly and said, “Lord Duke… do you plan to sleep in the study tonight?”

Mu Junyan paused mid-stroke with his brush and stared at her.

Did she think he summoned her just to sleep with her?

In her eyes, he was just another man ruled by base desires?

She’d tricked fifty thousand taels in silver notes out of Pei Yi today and used those to bait Mu An, making him eagerly head off to Jinxiu Pavilion.

This little girl had jumped through hoops, pulled strings, and dug a massive pit, waiting for Mu An to fall in—shouldn’t she at least report back to him?

This was his estate, and she dared to play her tricks right under his nose?

The kitten had shown its claws.

He’d called her here to warn her not to act recklessly. The fight between the Ministry of Revenue and Ministry of War was murky and dangerous—how could a naïve little girl like her meddle in it?

Though he knew she had misunderstood, for some reason, Mu Junyan went along with her assumption and gave a low hum of assent.

Gu Hua was silently aggrieved.

See? All men are the same!

But she had no one to blame but herself—she’d chosen this path.

The only thing she could do now was devote herself to pleasing him.

Once she’d sorted her thoughts, Gu Hua showed the appropriate expression of a woman seducing a man—slightly shy and hesitant—as she asked, “Has the Duke bathed yet?”

If he hadn’t, she planned to send Dongmo in to assist him.

She had secretly brought the calming incense Shen Li had given her. While he bathed, she would light it.

After soaking in a hot bath and breathing in the soothing scent, she would massage a few calming acupoints. He’d fall asleep in no time…

Just as she was happily making plans in her mind, she heard his hoarse voice:

“You serve me.”

Gu Hua froze on the spot.

Why wasn’t this man following her plan?

Mu Junyan watched her with great interest. “What? Unwilling?”

She didn’t dare say she wasn’t.

She was just a tender little sprout and he was the golden patron—if he asked her to go through fire and water, she’d have to.

So she put on her professional courtesan’s smile. “It is my honor to serve the Duke in his bath. How could I be unwilling?”

Mu Junyan suddenly felt a strange surge of irritation.

This little girl was sewing a sleeping robe and an embroidered forehead band for the old madam, yet hadn’t made a single thing for him?

Was she planning to latch onto the old madam’s thicker thigh?

What an ungrateful little thing.

Gu Hua couldn’t read the expression on his face as he stared at her. Since he remained silent, she knelt slightly and said, “I’ll prepare your bath, my lord.”

She had just turned to leave when he stopped her.

“Come here.”

She noticed his strong fingers tapping the table, slowly and steadily. Something about his mood seemed off.

Her heart squeezed.

Could it be that he was in a foul mood and about to take it out on her?

She wilted a little, dragging her feet as she walked over.

“Did you do something wrong?”

Mu Junyan couldn’t stand seeing her like this—spiritless and droopy. The girl he kept should be bright-eyed and rubbing her little cat head against him every day.

She’d always been timid, yet now she’d dared to pull off such a grand scheme, even involving court politics. She should be anxious and on edge.

If she asked him for help, he might actually consider lending a hand.

He waited patiently for her to speak.

The little girl blinked her big, lovely eyes.

What did she do wrong?

If you want to find fault, you can always make something up.

She pouted. “Whatever the Duke says I did wrong, then that’s what I did wrong.”

Tch!

That was clearly said in a sulky tone.

It hadn’t been that long, and already this little girl’s claws were getting sharper.

Mu Junyan let out a huff of laughter, then pulled her into his lap with a swift tug around her slender waist.

The girl dutifully wrapped her jade-like arms around his neck.

There. Satisfied now?

Would he be gentle tonight, seeing how obedient she was?

She still had the old madam’s sleeping robe to finish, after all!

Mu Junyan: “…”

This was a bit too perfunctory.

And what was with those eyes darting around?

What little scheme was this fox cub plotting now?