Chapter 18: 18 blushing
Editor: Atlas Studios

Xiao Liulang awkwardly stepped out.

There was no brown sugar at home, the marketplace was closed at this late hour, so he could only borrow some from other houses.

Xiao Liulang never asked for favors from others, let alone borrowing brown sugar meant for women during their periods.

He stood under the eaves, his cheeks slightly hot.

Yet after taking a few deep breaths, he still headed eastward towards the village.

“Aunt Zhang.” He knocked on the door of the Zhang family house.

When Aunt Zhang opened the door and saw him, she laughed, wondering, “Liulang, what brings you here at this late hour?”

“I…I came to borrow some brown sugar.” Xiao Liulang said, feigning calm.

In the countryside, brown sugar was a rarity. Most households didn’t have any. Aunt Zhang’s daughter-in-law had just given birth and was confined for the month. Xiao Liulang had heard her asking Uncle Luo to buy some brown sugar at the marketplace.

“Why do you need brown sugar? Is Gu Jiao pregnant?” Aunt Zhang’s daughter asked.

Xiao Liulang’s cheeks felt hot again: “No, she’s not!”

“Ah, I see, she’s having her period. Is it her first time?” Aunt Zhang, being experienced, quickly understood his situation just by looking at him.

To her surprise, Liulang was also considerate.

Aunt Zhang took a bowl, filled it with a block of brown sugar, and handed it over to him, jokingly saying, “It’s a good thing when a woman is menstruating, it means she can quickly give birth to a child for you!”

Xiao Liulang didn’t know how he managed to leave.

He carried the boiled brown sugar water to Gu Jiao’s room. Xue Ningxiang had already left, and Gu Jiao was slumped on the bed, looking a bit weak.

Without looking directly at her, he entered the room and put the brown sugar water on the table. “Drink this first, if you need more, call me.”

Having said that, he turned around and left.

Although he left quickly, Gu Jiao still noticed his ears were red.

Gu Jiao lightly chuckled and drained the bowl of brown sugar water.

To her surprise, the brown sugar water really worked. It warmed her body, making her feel much more comfortable, and she quickly fell asleep.

That night, she had another dream.

She dreamt that she woke up late the next day and Xiao Liulang had left the house alone. At the edge of the village, he ran into Gu Xiaoshun.

They headed to the academy together, and entered the same class.

Gu Xiaoshun was a slacker. He slept through the whole first morning class, leaving a very bad impression on others. When it came time to assign dormitories, no one wanted to room with him, except for Xiao Liulang.

The two of them were assigned a dormitory at the far west end of the building. The room was dilapidated, and as soon as they stepped in, the ceiling collapsed. Xiao Liulang was seriously injured while Gu Xiaoshun sustained minor injuries.

The next day, Gu Jiao really did wake up late.

Having had the experience of dreaming last time, Gu Jiao was much more composed this time.

Xiao Liulang was not there, he must have gone to school.

Uncle Luo’s ox cart had gone to town. She walked to the academy, arriving just in time for lunch.

Gu Xiaoshun was sprawled on the desk, catnapping. It wasn’t until a fellow student prodded him with a pen that he awoke. “Hey, it’s time for lunch!”

Gu Xiaoshun rubbed his eyes and sat up. “Ah, it’s lunchtime already?”

The students around him saw the creases on his face from the book and burst out laughing.

Everyone in the class knew that Gu Xiaoshun was a legacy student who got admitted through back channels. However, no one expected him to be totally uneducated.

Even the worst class at Tianxiang Academy hadn’t produced such a lazy student.

Everyone looked at Gu Xiaoshun with disapproval.

Soon enough, Master Zhang of their class arrived.

Master Zhang said, “Today we are assigning dormitories, four students to a room. Discuss among yourselves, then come to me for the keys.”

There were twenty-six students in Class Beta, which meant one of the rooms would only house two students.

The students quickly decided their roommates. Xiao Liulang’s desk mate had two friends in the class that he had known since childhood, and he also included Xiao Liulang.

Gu Xiaoshun had a rougher time. No one wanted to room with him, leaving him alone. There was also a student who had taken sick leave yesterday and only started school today. Since he didn’t know anyone, he was also left alone.

However, it was clear that this student didn’t want to room with Gu Xiaoshun either: “I…I don’t want to share a room with him!”

“Hmph! Then I’ll live alone!” Gu Xiaoshun said, looking skyward.

Of course, he couldn’t actually live alone. Was the lone student supposed to sleep plastered against the wall?

Xiao Liulang spoke calmly, “I’ll switch with you.”

The student was extremely grateful, thanking him several times. He was about to call him ‘dad’.

Gu Xiaoshun argued, “Brother-in-law, you don’t have to room with me! I am not hesitant about rooming with you, it’s just that…”

Xiao Liulang took the key from Master Zhang and walked away without showing any emotion.

Gu Xiaoshun reluctantly followed, making a clucking sound with his tongue.

All the good rooms had been chosen, and the only one left was the most remote. The two of them carried their luggage and walked on.

Just as they were halfway there, a breathless servant ran over and asked, “Which of you is Xiao Liulang?”

Xiao Liulang stopped, turned around, and said, “I am.”

The servant panted, “Your family is here! They’re waiting outside and said it’s urgent! They want you to see them immediately!”

Xiao Liulang was an orphan. The only person who could be referred to as his family… was her.

Xiao Liulang paused, then said to Gu Xiaoshun, “It’s your sister.”

“My sister’s here?” Upon hearing it was Gu Jiao, Gu Xiaoshun perked up, “What are we waiting for? Let’s go see my sister!”

Their dorm was only a few steps away. They could have left their things there first before going to see her.

But she said it was an emergency.

Xiao Liulang quickened his steps, carrying his luggage and walking with his crutch, headed for the academy gate along with Gu Xiaoshun.

The street was bustling, and she was dressed in ordinary clothes, but Xiao Liulang still recognized her at a glance.

She stood in the cold wind, her small face slightly red. Perhaps disliking the noise, she furrowed her brows from time to time.

“Sis! Sis!” Gu Xiaoshun ran excitedly to Gu Jiao.

Gu Jiao glanced at him, then quickly shifted her gaze to Xiao Liulang, who was coming out of the crowd.

Xiao Liulang also happened to be looking at her. Their eyes met, Xiao Liulang paused, and Gu Jiao responded with a slight smile.

Xiao Liulang quickly averted his gaze and walked towards her.

“Sis, why are you here?” Gu Xiaoshun asked.

“Oh, no reason.” Gu Jiao answered nonchalantly, “Just came to have a meal with you guys.”

When she finished, seeing Xiao Liulang look skeptically at her, she adjusted Gu Xiaoshun’s collar and solemnly said, “It’s your first day of school, I’m worried about you.”

The two of them went to a nearby noodle shop and ate three bowls of Yangchun noodles.

It was the same little restaurant where Fen Lin had taken Xiao Liulang and Gu Jiao last time.

Xiao Liulang didn’t particularly enjoy the meal.

Gu Jiao asked, “Isn’t this the noodle dish from your hometown? You don’t like it?”

“It’s not as good as what you make.” The words slipped out of him before he could stop them. After he said it, even Xiao Liulang himself was taken aback.

Gu Jiao was also startled for a moment, but then she propped her chin on her hand, looked at him, and laughed, “All right, I’ll make some for you tonight.”

Gu Xiaoshun had a large appetite. He had finished a bowl and originally wanted another one, but suddenly, he felt full.

“Why am I full already?”