SGEIRS -Chapter 114 The One Loved

Afternoon, around the You hour.

Gu Jingxi returned from his duties and had just entered the room when the young lady called him to sit down.

Today, she was unusually warm and attentive—she even poured him a cup of clear tea and pushed a plate of snacks toward him.

As the saying goes, “Unwarranted attentiveness is either cunning or theft.”

Gu Jingxi found himself in complete agreement. He pursed his lips in a faint smile, lifted the cup, and took a sip. The tea was fresh, mellow, and familiar in flavor—it seemed the young lady had brewed it herself.

He leisurely finished the cup before setting it down and asked, “Madam, do you have something to tell me?”

Meng Jinyao smiled and nodded. “Yes, there is something I wish to discuss with you.”

Gu Jingxi’s smile deepened; it seemed his guess had been correct. He spoke gently, “Madam, please, go ahead.”

Meng Jinyao said, “The thing is, soon it will be the birthday of Old Madam Song, the matriarch of the Sacrificial Wine Household. I selected a jade ornament from the storeroom as a birthday gift for her.”

Gu Jingxi was momentarily surprised, then laughed softly. “As I said before, anything in the storeroom, you may use freely. Such small matters need not be reported to me—you may decide for yourself.” He paused, then added, “However, some of the calligraphy and paintings in the storeroom are my personal collection. If you wish to give them as gifts, you should ask me first. Those that aren’t specially collected may be given; the specially collected ones depend on the circumstances.”

“I understand.”

Meng Jinyao nodded repeatedly. She had seen those calligraphy works—they were masterpieces by renowned artists, highly valuable and well preserved. Clearly, Gu Jingxi took great care of them, so she did not dare handle them lightly.

After a moment, she added, “By the way, husband, there’s one more thing.”

Gu Jingxi said, “Please, go ahead.”

Meng Jinyao stood and brought out the set of white mutton-fat jade hair ornaments she had discovered in the storeroom earlier. She spoke softly, “Today, I found a set of hair ornaments in the storeroom, but there’s no record of them.”

Gu Jingxi glanced at the redwood box and had no recollection of it.

“It’s a plum blossom design, made of white mutton-fat jade. I think the design is quite beautiful—elegant and refined,” Meng Jinyao said, opening the wooden box to reveal the set of jade ornaments, her eyes showing a touch of delight. “Husband, may I use this set?”

Upon hearing this, Gu Jingxi’s gaze fell on the ornaments. He lingered for a few moments before looking away and asked gently, “You like the plum blossom design, the white mutton-fat jade hair ornaments?”

Meng Jinyao shook her head lightly. “It’s not that I simply like the plum blossom design or that it’s made of white jade. I just think this set is beautiful. It would be a pity for it to lie unused in the storeroom. What do you think, husband?”

Gu Jingxi replied casually, “It’s just a set of jade hair ornaments. There’s nothing to feel sorry about.”

Then he glanced again at the ornaments, but his eyes moved to the young lady’s bright and striking face. He continued, “Although the set is beautiful, it is too plain. Madam’s features are more vibrant; wearing something plain, while still beautiful, won’t be as striking as a more colorful set. Perhaps you should choose another set?”

Meng Jinyao was not foolish—she could tell he was politely refusing. Her features were indeed more vibrant, but she could also pull off a plain, elegant look. After all, she sometimes dressed gently and elegantly, yet Gu Jingxi did not want her to wear this particular set.

She could use any of the treasures in the storeroom freely, even give them as gifts. Yet this long-forgotten set was off-limits. A girl’s intuition told her there was more to it.

Some things are better left unsaid; speaking of them would only embarrass her.

Keeping her expression calm, she followed Gu Jingxi’s lead and replied smoothly, “Hearing you say that, husband, it seems this set really isn’t suitable for me. I’ll choose another.”

Gu Jingxi nodded. “Mm.”

Meng Jinyao did not dwell on the matter, closed the box, and casually shifted the conversation elsewhere.

The next morning.

After breakfast, Meng Jinyao went to her inner chamber, took the storeroom key, and brought along the redwood box containing the white jade hair ornaments.

Qingqiu, seeing this, asked with curiosity, “Madam, where are you taking the ornaments?”

Meng Jinyao replied calmly, “Back to the storeroom.”

Ningdong looked over and saw her mistress holding the set of ornaments she had taken out yesterday, confused. “Madam, these ornaments are very beautiful. Weren’t you going to use them? Why put them back now?”

Qingqiu was equally puzzled. Yesterday, the young lady seemed to like them; why suddenly return them?

Seeing their confused faces, Meng Jinyao smiled faintly and said, “I suddenly felt this set is too plain and doesn’t suit me, so I won’t use it.”

The two maids exchanged glances.

Ningdong said in puzzlement, “But when I helped you try them on yesterday, paired with a light-colored dress, they looked very nice, and you liked them too.”

Qingqiu nodded in agreement. “Yes, Madam, they suited you well, giving you a graceful and gentle appearance. Perfect for attending a banquet.”

Meng Jinyao put down the box and smiled faintly. “I originally thought they were beautiful. But yesterday afternoon, when I asked the marquis, he said this set wasn’t suitable for me and told me to choose another. Clearly, he refused me using this set.”

At these words, Qingqiu and Ningdong sensed something unusual. Although they had no romantic attachments themselves, young ladies were very sensitive to such matters. There were many items in the storeroom that the marquis allowed Madam to use—why was this long-forgotten set different?

Moreover, this set was not even recorded in the inventory—it was the exception, the only exception.

Ningdong glanced at the redwood box on the table and asked hesitantly, “Madam, could it be that the marquis had prepared this set of hair ornaments for the lady he loved, but never managed to give it to her, so it stayed in the storeroom gathering dust, unrecorded?”

Meng Jinyao nodded lightly. “Probably. I didn’t ask yesterday.”

Qingqiu and Ningdong were silent. The white mutton-fat jade set was valuable, made of excellent jade, finely crafted, with a simple, elegant, and refined design. The lady the marquis intended to give it to must have been gentle and graceful, favoring a plain style.

The marquis was gentle and refined himself, quite a match for a gentle, graceful lady. As for why the set was never given, perhaps she had a hidden ailment that prevented him from giving her happiness, so he left it in the storeroom to gather dust.

The ornaments, gathering dust in a corner, symbolized the lady forever kept in his heart—the only white moonlight of his life.

So what did their mistress amount to?

She was Madam Gu, nothing more, nothing less.

Seeing their shocked expressions, Meng Jinyao smiled and asked, “Why such a reaction? He’s twenty-nine this year. Isn’t it normal to have a girl he likes? Gu Xiuming is only sixteen, yet there’s a girl he loved so fiercely he would have eloped with her, disregarding his reputation.”