As the days grew colder, the date for Gu Qingyun’s cousin’s wedding finally drew near. The Gu family had set the date for the 18th. She calculated in her head; there were only six days left—it would be here before she knew it.
At the Wu hour that day, she sat grinding beads from the scraps of the lightning-struck wood.
She had been so busy lately that she hadn’t found the time to make a bead for everyone in the family to wear. Now that she had a moment, and since nothing out of the ordinary had happened during her night patrols, she began working on this task.
In truth, she wasn't particularly worried. Although her brothers were only average at martial arts, they were still stronger than common folk and could protect the family without issue.
Furthermore, they had Big Yellow at home. That fellow wandered all over the place at night. A dog's Yang energy was naturally heavy; even though it was a ghost now, it was still a natural counter to evil spirits.
With her handmade beads of lightning-struck wood, she would feel even more at ease. She planned to carve a Heart-Calming Talisman on each bead as well. After all, people’s sleep quality tended to decline as they aged. With these, they could enjoy better rest and sleep more soundly at night.
Once she finished grinding the beads for her family members, Gu Qingyun gathered them into a box. As for the talismans, she decided to draw them every morning after her shift; her success rate for creating charms was significantly higher at that time.
Seeing that it was still early, she picked up her saber, intending to practice her forms a few more times in the courtyard. However, she ran right into her third male cousin as he was about to knock on her door.
“Cousin Yifeng, do you need something from me?”
Gu Yifeng pulled back his hand, which had been frozen mid-air, and smiled.
“It’s like this: Grandma, Mom, and my aunts have finished making the invitations. They had a scholar who writes family letters prepare them, and they want me to go to Shiwa Village to deliver them. I was thinking that since you have a horse, I could borrow it.”
Hearing this, Gu Qingyun reached out a hand. Gu Yifeng looked at her, confused.
“Qingyun, what is this for?”
Gu Qingyun rolled her eyes.
“Hand over the invitations. I’ll go deliver them.”
Grandma was really something, actually making written invitations when most people there couldn't read a single character.
Gu Qingyun wasn't bragging, but if she didn't have her cheat, she wouldn't be able to understand even a cultivation manual placed right in front of her. Relying on her powerful Divine Sense, she had managed to memorize many characters; otherwise, she might not even have recognized the letter her eldest female cousin had sent back with someone last time.
Gu Yifeng shook his head like a rattle.
“No, no, that won't do. You have night patrol tonight. If Grandma finds out I let you do this work, she’ll have my hide.”
Gu Qingyun didn’t feel like arguing. It was just delivering invitations to familiar families in Shiwa Village; it wouldn’t take much of her time. She snatched the invitations directly from his hand and walked quickly toward the main gate.
“Little Black, keep up. I’m taking you to the countryside to let off some steam today.”
…
“Qing-child, why are you back today?” Aunt Lin asked in surprise, looking at Gu Qingyun mounted on her tall horse.
“Aunt Lin, I’m back to deliver invitations. My second cousin is getting married, so I came to drop these off.” Gu Qingyun replied with a smile, finding an invitation from the pile and handing it to Aunt Lin.
Aunt Lin stared at the invitation with wide eyes. Gu Qingyun looked up at the sky. She knew her grandma’s efforts were superfluous; Aunt Lin was even holding the invitation upside down.
The neighboring villagers, hearing the sound of horse hooves, all came out of their houses to watch. Seeing Gu Qingyun’s black horse, every single one of them was filled with amazement. One person wanted to pet it but feared the horse might kick.
That person asked tentatively, “Qing-child, this horse can't be cheap, right? How much silver did it cost?”
Gu Qingyun smiled wryly. “Uncle, you think too highly of me. I’m just a minor Constable; where would I get the silver to buy a horse? I had to come back to deliver invitations today, so I specifically rented this horse from the drill ground. I have to rush back and return it later.”
The man’s tone grew flatter. “Oh, it’s a rental. Still not bad. Once you earn some silver, you can buy your own.”
Gu Qingyun nodded with a smile. “From your lips to God's ears.”
She didn’t chat much with the crowd. Leading the horse, she delivered the invitations. Most people apologetically gave Gu Qingyun the gift money to take back, emphasizing that they lived too far away and the round trip was inconvenient, asking that Old Lady Zhang not be angry.
Gu Qingyun understood their thoughts, and she assumed Old Lady Zhang had guessed as much. She firmly committed to memory who had given the money and how much.
Just as she reached the door of her first-cousin-once-removed's house, a man walked out. Gu Qingyun’s eyes widened slightly when she saw him. She grabbed the man.
“Cousin Gu Si, what happened to you? It feels like you’ve undergone an earth-shattering change. And…”
Gu Qingyun leaned in and sniffed him a couple of times.
“You smell like incense and candles.”
She circled around Gu Si, rubbing her chin with one hand.
“I feel like something is wrong with you.”
Gu Si squeezed out a stiff smile. “Qingyun, I’m the same as I’ve always been. You’re seeing things.”
Gu Qingyun looked at Gu Si, only feeling that this rough man had suddenly become much more refined. Every movement and gesture he made gave off the illusory aura of a peerless gentleman.
She shook her head, thinking she was mistaken. Her cousin was illiterate; it had to be her imagination.
Gu Qingyun’s gaze gradually fell upon her cousin’s hands, and she froze again. When had his hands become so slender? This was simply inconceivable.
“Cousin, do you feel like anything is… off?”
Gu Si chuckled softly, his gaze gentle. “Qingyun, nothing is wrong with me. Are you here to see my grandma? Go on in. I have to head out for a moment.”
His voice was gentle and clear. Though it was still the same voice, Gu Qingyun found it exceptionally pleasant to listen to.
Watching her cousin’s departing back, Gu Qingyun scanned him from head to toe once more. Aside from the red thread on his hand, she couldn't discover anything else.
Could it be that the 'Red Phoenix' was moving and he was acting refined to leave a good impression on a woman?
Once Gu Si was out of sight, she stepped into the house.
“Grand-Aunt, I’ve come to bring you an invitation.”
Old Lady Mao sat in a chair, nodding with a smile as she looked at the invitation in her hand.
“Very well. I’ll certainly go over to join the festivities when the time comes.”
Gu Qingyun took a sip of hot tea and mentioned casually, “Grand-Aunt, I just saw Brother Si. He seems to have changed a lot.”
The smile on Old Lady Mao’s face almost faltered. She said perfunctorily, “He just hasn't liked going out lately, so his skin has grown a bit fairer. He’s pretty much the same as before.”
Seeing that Old Lady Mao didn't want to discuss it, Gu Qingyun tactfully dropped the subject and chatted about other things instead. After sitting for a while and running out of things to say, she stood up and took her leave.
As she walked, she pondered her cousin’s appearance. She had used her Spirit Eyes just now; he wasn't possessed, nor was there any Yin energy on him. Aside from that red thread, nothing else was different. What could be the cause of this change?
Forget it, she wouldn't overthink it. Since his life wasn't in danger, there was no need to get to the bottom of everything. Everyone has their own fate.
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