The sun was already high when Hua Zhi arrived.
The Heir stood at the doorway watching her approach at a leisurely pace. Sunlight fell upon her, casting a halo-like glow that made her appear somewhat ethereal.
As if sensing his gaze, she looked over, meeting his eyes directly without evasion.
He had expected her to feel offended, but even from a distance, he could tell her expression was calm—like someone who had experienced much in life, unperturbed by his scrutiny.
This feeling was somewhat peculiar, yet if it was Hua Zhi, he found it entirely fitting.
Still, he ought to restrain himself. Hua Zhi wouldn’t tolerate anyone too sharp-edged within the residence.
"Hua Hua, you’re here!" Shaoyao darted out from beside The Heir, grabbing Hua Zhi’s arm and swinging it with a touch of affectionate coquettishness.
Hua Zhi wiped the corner of Shaoyao’s mouth with a handkerchief and led her toward the main hall, remarking, "Show some restraint. It’s almost lunchtime. Do you think it’s worth ruining your appetite over a few pastries?"
"Who told Fu Dong to make them so delicious?"
"Blaming her now? Should I have her underperform tomorrow?"
"No, no, don’t blame her! It’s my greed. Hua Hua, please don’t actually do that—she promised to make spicy beef for me tomorrow. After hearing her describe it, I feel like I could eat a whole basketful."
By then, they had reached the entrance of the hall. Hua Zhi glanced at her. "Aren’t you going to introduce us?"
"Oh, this is..." Shaoyao, her mind full of spicy beef, snapped back to reality and suddenly faltered. How should she introduce him? She couldn’t very well say, "This is The Heir, Gu Yanxi—quick, kneel and pay respects..."
"I am Lu Yanxi. Greetings, Miss Hua."
Hua Zhi had already recognized him. Not just anyone could be considered handsome with a scar on their face.
If he was connected to Shaoyao, it made sense—ordinary people didn’t frequently suffer injuries and bleed.
"I must have seemed rather foolish that day."
"Though I was surprised, I never found it laughable. Forgive my frankness, Miss Hua, but at that moment, I felt deeply warmed. To use an imperfect analogy, it was like being starving and receiving a piece of bread."
"It wasn’t that dire. Please, have a seat."
Shaoyao finally caught on. "You’ve met before?"
"We crossed paths a few days ago. He was injured and standing outside the clinic—I thought he couldn’t afford treatment." Hua Zhi smiled self-deprecatingly and steered the conversation back to business. "The Hua family does intend to hire Wu Xiansheng, but only to teach the children some basic martial arts for exercise. Someone of your caliber, Young Master Lu, would be overqualified. I hadn’t expected Cao Cao to take such initiative."
"Hua Hua, he’s one of us. It’s better to use our own people than outsiders we know nothing about." Shaoyao grew anxious. Though displeased at being deceived, compared to an outsider, The Heir was undoubtedly more trustworthy.
Hua Zhi naturally trusted Shaoyao’s companions more. Though she didn’t know the exact identity of the person who had saved Shaoyao, their interactions had shown her he was no villain—and she was inclined to extend that trust to his associates.
However, the Hua family couldn’t afford to hire someone like him.Gu Yanxi knew exactly where Hua Zhi's concerns lay. Lowering his gaze, he subtly promoted himself, "Miss surely knows I'm currently injured and likely unable to handle official duties for quite some time. However, teaching children wouldn't be a problem. Even if I cannot teach long-term, I can recommend companions to take over. To be frank with Miss, this place would also serve as an excellent retreat for us."
Hua Zhi almost asked what made it so excellent, but then she understood. For those constantly facing violence and bloodshed, lively, energetic children were probably the people they most wanted to be around.
Did Cao Cao usually have to face such fights and killings too? Hua Zhi glanced over and saw the silly girl looking at her with eager anticipation.
Smiling, Hua Zhi rubbed her wrist, which had been aching from all the writing she'd done lately. "Cao Cao truly is my lucky star, helping me solve such a big problem."
This meant she agreed. Shaoyao's delight was written all over her face, while Gu Yanxi's joy remained internal, though he couldn't understand why this feeling of happiness was so pronounced.
"I will devote myself wholeheartedly."
"Although you're someone Cao Cao knows well, I must set some ground rules in advance, so as not to spoil her kind intentions."
"Please speak freely, Miss." Gu Yanxi wasn't at all surprised by her approach—precisely because she valued their relationship, she was more careful not to damage it.
Hua Zhi took a sip of tea and noticed from the corner of her eye that Shaoyao had finished one plate of snacks and was reaching for another. She swiftly tapped Shaoyao's hand and moved the plate farther away. "Do you still want to eat lunch?"
Shaoyao wanted to say she could manage it, but seeing Hua Hua glaring at her, she immediately deflated and obediently held her teacup to drink.
Watching this, Gu Yanxi understood their dynamic—Hua Zhi indulged Shaoyao and genuinely cared for her, but didn't give in to her every whim.
"The Hua family has many female members and strict household rules. They rarely venture beyond the inner gate, so I must ask that you, Lu Xiansheng, do not peer beyond it to avoid misunderstandings. Currently, the main and central gates of the Hua residence remain closed—entry and exit are through the side gate. You may use the same gate you entered today. Additionally, given the Hua family's special circumstances, you must leave before 5 PM. If you have no other accommodation, I can arrange to rent a residence nearby for you. Would these terms be acceptable?"
"I have my own accommodations outside, so there's no need to rent another residence. Your requirements are all reasonable, and I will certainly abide by them."
"Very well then. The monthly salary will be twenty-four taels of silver. If you have no objections, we'll be troubling you from now on."
"Thank you for your confidence in me." Martial arts instructors in the capital were divided into three grades, with twenty-four taels being the highest tier. Feeling valued, Gu Yanxi was in good spirits. "I can begin teaching tomorrow. How should the schedule be arranged?"
"Starting at 5:15 AM, half an hour of physical exercise will suffice and won't interfere with their studies. If anyone wishes for additional training, we can make separate arrangements."
"Understood."
Hua Zhi glanced at the sun outside. "Then we won't keep you any longer."
Gu Yanxi looked at Shaoyao, cupped his hands in farewell, and left. Though somewhat reluctant, Shaoyao didn't dare disobey and stood up to follow. "Hua Hua, I'll see him out."
Knowing they had matters to discuss, Hua Zhi didn't stop her, only saying, "Be quick—it's almost mealtime."
This perked Shaoyao up somewhat, and she responded cheerfully before hurrying out after him.
Bao Xia entered from outside. "Miss.""Did you notice anything?"
"This servant observes that Miss Shaoyao and Lu Xiansheng appear quite familiar. Miss Shaoyao seems completely at ease in his presence, clearly showing she trusts him."
Had she not recognized Shaoyao's trust in him, Hua Zhi wouldn't have given her approval. Though he restrained his aura, this man always made her feel he shouldn't be like this - despite his deferential appearance, his eyes held a detached coolness unbecoming of someone in a subordinate position.
However, since Shaoyao's master could tolerate someone like Shaoyao, it wasn't surprising they would have someone like Lu Xiansheng under their command.
PS: Oho! Kongkong writes with such excitement!
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