[Ah, I'm dead! The pure love warrior has fallen! Screaming!] [The gifts! Ahh! Give them to me! Everyone who sees should get one!]
[Who's fangirling? It's me! Ahhhhh!]
[Little Song (apparently): Then I'll wait for you to give me a gift. But in reality, his heart must be blooming! He can't wait to get the gift the next second!]
The bullet comments flooded the screen with a chorus of "ahh"s. Meng Ruyi had no idea what they were so excited about, but the corners of her mouth still involuntarily curved upward, hinting at a trace of delight.
It was great. Now Song Huaizhi finally stopped being on guard against her. She could now consider herself to have an extra elder brother.
She took a few steps forward.
The night wind was chilly, especially since it was winter. Although it rarely snowed in this area during winter, the wind was still so cold that it made one's head ache. When it blew, it felt like knives slicing painfully across the face.
Meng Ruyi shivered. Seeing this, Song Huaizhi pulled her hat down further and said, "Let's go. It's windy outside. Let's go back first."
After Meng Ruyi was poisoned, Song Huaizhi had been helping to recuperate her body. As long as the last dose of the poison wasn't taken, it could still be treated, albeit it was troublesome and costly. After several months of recuperation, Meng Ruyi's face had become much rosier, and she was even starting to put on a bit of weight.
She mustn't catch a cold at this time.
Although Song Huaizhi phrased it as a question, his expression brooked no argument. The next moment, he pulled Meng Ruyi back.
"Hey hey hey!"
Gu Ling, who had just climbed onto the wall, couldn't hold back when he saw the two figures. He shouted at the people in front, "Don't go! Hey hey hey!"
Meng Ruyi instinctively turned back and saw Gu Ling sitting on the wall. One foot was barely hooked on, and the other hadn't crossed over yet. It seemed like he was about to fall to the ground.
It would be troublesome if he died here during the New Year!
Song Huaizhi frowned. Although reluctant, he still glanced at Meng Ruyi, then disdainfully climbed onto the wall and grabbed Gu Ling by the collar to pull him back.
Meng Ruyi: "...... Pfft."
She could tell that Song Huaizhi really didn't want to see Gu Ling.
"Brother Song! Brother Song!" Gu Ling knew that if these two left, it would be very difficult for him to find another chance to see them. So he immediately put aside his pride and said, "I have something to say!"
Song Huaizhi frowned, and his eyes gradually darkened, like dark clouds covering the moon, obscuring his original good mood.
Gu Ling's shouts kept coming from the other side of the wall. Meng Ruyi hesitated for a moment and said to Song Huaizhi, "Brother Song, why don't we leave first?"
Song Huaizhi was silent for a moment, then said, "Forget it. Let's get him over first."
After saying that, he sighed, climbed onto the wall, and casually pulled Gu Ling over from the other side.
Meng Ruyi watched as Gu Ling almost fell to the ground in a sorry state and couldn't help but look at his collar.
The quality of this fabric was really good.
"Sister Ruyi!" Gu Ling came to his senses. He nodded slightly at Song Huaizhi, then quickly walked up to Meng Ruyi, untied a small brocade pouch from his waist, and said, "This is a gift for you."
Before Meng Ruyi could refuse, he stuffed the pouch into her hand, then turned around and handed another brocade pouch to Song Huaizhi, saying, "Brother Song, this is my token of gratitude."
The two didn't expect him not to hold a grudge and even give them gifts. They suddenly felt complicated. Looking at Gu Ling's silly smile, they felt a twinge of guilt for no reason.
Seeing the hesitation on Meng Ruyi's face, Song Huaizhi gave a faint smile and reminded her not to forget that the person in front of them was Gu Ling.
"Thank you, Sister Ruyi. Thank you, Brother Song!" Gu Ling didn't wait for the two to speak and continued, "My mother told me, Brother Song..."
He stopped halfway, showing a meaningful expression, then said to the two of them, "Once the Gu family gets through this crisis, we will surely treat you well."
"Really?" A faint smile appeared on Song Huaizhi's face. He looked gentle and encouraging as he said, "Then be careful, Young Master Gu."
Meng Ruyi felt complicated. Looking at the smile on Song Huaizhi's face, she knew he was being sarcastic. She said a few words to Gu Ling to brush him off, then pulled Song Huaizhi away.
Gu Ling watched their backs in silence. He looked at the wall, then at Song Huaizhi being pulled away by Meng Ruyi. For a moment, he didn't know how to get back and could only stand there stupidly, staring blankly at the wall.
Help! He really couldn't climb back over!
Fortunately, the guards he had shaken off earlier finally found this place. When Gu Ling heard the guards calling his name, he immediately shouted across, "I'm here!"
"Master?"
"Yes, yes. Come and take me back!" Gu Ling quickly urged, "Hurry up!"
The guard looked at his colleagues and Mrs. Gu following behind him with a troubled expression. He instinctively swallowed and said across, "Okay, Master. Please wait a moment."
After saying that, seeing Mrs. Gu nodding slightly at him, he climbed onto the wall, crossed over, and scooped Gu Ling up.
As soon as Gu Ling landed on the ground and before he could catch his breath, he saw Mrs. Gu standing not far away with a group of people. She was looking at him indifferently, with a rare look of anger on her face.
"Mother!" Gu Ling immediately cowered. He shrank his neck and ran over quickly, saying to Mrs. Gu, "I just went over there to check if the information came from the other side."
Mrs. Gu gave him a half - smile, her anger barely suppressed. She took a deep breath and looked at Gu Ling, saying, "Gu Ling, don't try to fool me with this!
"I told you before that the person from the Meng family is not simple. How could you possibly hide your little schemes from him! Moreover, they've helped us once. This is like sending charcoal in snowy weather. What on earth are you trying to do!"
Gu Ling lowered his head, looking at his toes without saying a word.
"Gu Ling." Mrs. Gu only had this one son and usually spoiled him too much. But she also knew that although her son had some petty schemes, he wasn't stupid. "No one can help us with the Gu family's matters."
Gu Ling suddenly looked up. There was a glint of tears in his eyes as he sniffed and stared at her, holding his breath.
Mrs. Gu silently stared back at him. Mother and son could see the confusion and a hint of despair in each other's eyes. Who would have thought that the Gu family would fall to such a state overnight and even need Song Huaizhi, who came out of nowhere, to offer a helping hand.
Mrs. Gu took Gu Ling away from the capital because she was worried that some people might get desperate and use her and her son to threaten General Gu, who was still on the front line. Moving forward or backward seemed like a dead end.
Gu Ling looked at his mother and saw a look of helplessness and confusion he had never seen on her before. Gu Ling suddenly realized that he had been protected too well in the past. Even now, he still harbored some unrealistic fantasies, thinking that Song Huaizhi might help them.
But how could someone help them for no reason?
Gu Ling walked up to Mrs. Gu, took out a handkerchief, and wiped the tears that were about to fall from her eyes. He said in a deep voice, "Mother, we will surely make it back to the capital alive."
Mrs. Gu nodded and stroked Gu Ling's head.
...
Meng Ruyi watched the bullet comments re - enacting this scene with a complicated mood. She was a bit distracted and almost bumped into a pillar.
"Pay attention." Song Huaizhi came back to his senses and looked at her, saying, "What's wrong? Is there something else?"
"I haven't asked yet. Why did you pull me away just now, Ruyi?"