When the people on the boat saw that the man who had fallen into the water was swimming straight toward them, they all tried to drive him away.
Even Wan Niang screamed, clearly terrified.
The Gu family servants had never seen their mistress like this before. They whispered among themselves until Cheng Bi silenced them.
"What are you all standing around for, gawking?"
A few sturdy servants, jolted back to their senses, began throwing things at him from the boat. Cheng Bi grew even more furious.
"Do you want him to drown?"
While everyone was puzzled, Wan Niang was on the verge of collapse.
She grabbed Gu Lanyin's clothes and demanded, "You don't actually want to save him, do you? You've already given him so much silver. Isn't that enough to repay his life-saving favor? Chase him away!"
Gu Lanyin picked her up and said, "He's been following us the whole way. Ever since we left home, he's been following."
"Then beat him to death!"
Gu Lanyin glanced at Cheng Bi and agreed readily, then carried Wan Niang into the bedchamber.
He closed the door, leaving just the two of them.
"Don't be afraid, Wan Niang, don't be afraid." Gu Lanyin brought her medicine and said gently, "Since there are so many eyes watching, we'll just beat him half to death for now."
Wan Niang drank the medicine, her fingers trembling uncontrollably.
Gu Lanyin stroked her hair. When he saw she wanted to speak, he reached out and covered her mouth.
His fingertips were a little moist. He looked up and saw that the frail young woman had already shed two streams of tears, her chest heaving violently as if she had just had a nightmare.
Gu Lanyin held her and said softly, "Those painful days are all in the past."
He pressed his index finger to his lips, shushed her, and glanced toward the closed window.
"Do you hear that?"
It was the sound of punches and kicks.
Wan Niang closed her eyes. Only by burying her head in his chest could she find a moment of peace.
Those days had truly made her suffer too much.
She couldn't bear to look at Zhang Tu, couldn't even bear to hear his voice.
Why wasn't that butcher ever satisfied?
Just thinking about his so-called love made her nauseous.
Already exhausted and unwell from the long journey, now she was even more miserable.
Wan Niang tried hard to suppress the nausea, but with one uncontrollable heave, she vomited all over Gu Lang.
The room was filled with the stench of vomit.
A large patch of vomit stained the young man's plain blue silk robe. Wan Niang felt humiliated and wished she could die.
She pushed him hard, but to her surprise, he just patted her head without the slightest trace of disgust, then stood up to remove his robe and wiped the floor clean with it.
"It's good that you threw up. Now your stomach won't feel as uncomfortable."
Gu Lanyin opened the window to let in some air. Seeing how thin-skinned she was, he smiled and said, "This is no big deal. Don't take it to heart. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have had to travel so far."
He called for a maid to clean up and then moved her to his own clean bedchamber.
Wan Niang rinsed her mouth and lay down on the bed.
Gu Lang's bedchamber was incredibly plain. In her eyes, it was almost shabby—nothing more than a bed, a table, and a chair. No other furniture.
Why was it like this?
Wan Niang couldn't fathom it. But remembering how he used to pretend to be poor, she couldn't help but chuckle.
If not for his habits, no matter how hard he tried to act poor, he wouldn't fool anyone. No wonder he had managed to deceive her.
She rolled around on the bed. Soon, Bao Niang entered to attend to her.
Since she had just vomited, Bao Niang brought in a pot of hot tea.
Her face was still red and swollen, and her eyes were moist, as if she were nursing a great grievance. When she looked at her like that, Wan Niang naturally felt guilty.
"I lost my temper just now. You've been wronged, Bao Niang." Wan Niang beckoned her over. Knowing Bao Niang liked to eat, she took out a banknote from her sleeve and said, "I've talked to Gu Lang. The cook will make whatever you want for dinner. Just say the word. I'm sorry about today. It hurts me too."
Bao Niang chuckled and retorted, "Even if I wanted dragon liver and phoenix marrow, could they make it?"
"Maybe our cook really could."
Wan Niang touched her swollen cheek, took medicine from the low table, and carefully applied it.
"If I hadn't been slapped, I'd never have had the chance to be served by you, miss." Bao Niang hissed from the sting, then laughed and hugged Wan Niang. "I won't hold a grudge. You're a kind person, miss. It must have been that awful man who offended you and made you so angry."
Wan Niang felt a warmth in her heart.
In the afternoon, she lay in bed while Bao Niang kept her company.
She poured out the grievances of those months. Bao Niang was first incredulous, then lowered her voice and asked, "Has that vile man already deflowered you, miss?"
Wan Niang shook her head.