Destined

Liu Yu Ru was momentarily stunned, gazing into his sparkling eyes before she finally grasped his meaning. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, she lowered her head, pursed her lips, and turned away to pour him a bowl of hangover soup. "Don't squat there. Get up and drink this."

"I won't get up."

Gu Jiusi remained crouched on the ground, wrapping his arms around Liu Yu Ru's waist as he whined, "If you don't miss me, I won't get up."

Liu Yu Ru didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She reached out to help him up, but Gu Jiusi didn't budge. Left with no other choice, she poked his forehead and said with a laugh, "I miss you, I miss you. Can you get up now?"

Hearing this, Gu Jiusi lifted one hand, signaling for her to pull him up. Liu Yu Ru complied, taking his hand and helping him to his feet. In one smooth motion, Gu Jiusi leaned his entire weight against her. Seeing him go limp like a boneless creature, she pushed him lightly and said, "Stop fooling around. Get up properly."

"I really missed you."

He spoke softly, taking the hangover soup from her hands. He downed it in one gulp, then closed his eyes and leaned against her, murmuring tenderly, "I've been thinking of you ever since we parted today. There was so much to do, but you were always on my mind."

"What's there to think about? It's not like we haven't seen each other before."

Liu Yu Ru let him rest his head on her lap and began massaging his temples.

"This morning, when we drank the wedding toast together," Gu Jiusi murmured, "it felt like we were truly married for the first time."

"Nonsense," Liu Yu Ru chuckled softly. "We've been married for a long time."

Gu Jiusi lifted one hand to pillow his head, closed his eyes, and took one of her hands in his. Then, slowly, he opened his eyes and gazed at her with a smile.

"In my heart, it doesn't count," he said gently. "There's still one very important thing we haven't done. How can it count as being married?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Yu Ru immediately understood what he meant. Her face flushed bright red, and she didn't dare say another word. Gu Jiusi played with her slender, pale fingers, his expression completely earnest as he said, "These past few days, I've actually been very afraid. I kept thinking how tragic it would be if we were to perish here. I used to think life and death didn't matter, but now I realize I want to live longer."

"I haven't fulfilled my promise to Wen Chang yet, and I haven't accomplished my own wishes. Most importantly," Gu Jiusi smiled wryly and looked up at her, his eyes filled with helplessness, "I haven't had enough time with you."

"There are so many places I haven't been, so many things I haven't done—I want to experience them all with you. I also want us to have children, to raise them together and watch them grow up. I'll be a good father. I've already decided—when we return, I'll practice my handwriting so they won't be embarrassed by my messy scrawl."

"Someday, we'll return to Yangzhou," Gu Jiusi turned his head to gaze at the stars and moon outside through the fluttering carriage curtains, speaking slowly, "and when that time comes, I'll give them a peaceful and prosperous world."

"Alright," Liu Yu Ru whispered, squeezing his hand. "That day will come."

"Yu Ru," Gu Jiusi's voice sounded weary, "I want to go home."

"Soon," Liu Yu Ru comforted him. Gu Jiusi shook his head and said slowly, "There's still a long way to go."

"How could that be?"Liu Yuru found it somewhat strange. "Once Lord Fan captures the Eastern Capital and the world submits, you'll have contributed to his rise. Couldn't you just ask him to send you back to Yangzhou?"

"Yangzhou," Gu Jiusi chuckled lightly, "I'm afraid it won't be that easy to return."

Hearing this, Liu Yuru fell silent. Though she hadn't crossed paths with Luo Zishang many times, from their limited encounters, she knew he was truly not someone to be easily dealt with. She didn't know what the Lozi Merchant Guild might do, but in political matters, Gu Jiusi was far more perceptive than her. If he said they couldn't return, there were likely obstacles ahead.

Seeing her silence, Gu Jiusi reached out and patted her hand, comforting her, "Don't worry, I'll find a way when the time comes."

Liu Yuru smiled, withdrew her hand, and continued massaging Gu Jiusi's head. Shaking her head, she said, "I'm not worried. Aren't you here? Get some sleep first," she urged him. "Don't dwell on these uncertainties. You've been thinking about them for quite a while."

Gu Jiusi nodded without responding. In truth, he was exhausted. After several days of defending the city with little sleep, he was completely worn out.

The carriage rocked gently as Gu Jiusi leaned against Liu Yuru and drifted into a hazy sleep. By the time he woke, they had already arrived at the Gu residence. Liu Yuru helped him inside, had water prepared for him, and Gu Jiusi bathed himself. When he emerged, she dried his hair, and he went straight to bed. After seeing his light extinguished, Liu Yuru went to wash up. When she returned and lifted the quilt to lie down, she sensed something unusual.

There seemed to be something tucked beneath the mattress. She instinctively reached down and immediately realized it was a white handkerchief.

Suddenly, she grew tense. Noticing her stiffen, Gu Jiusi reached out and took her hand.

His palm was warm, its distinct lines pressed against the back of her hand. He didn't move, merely faced her, holding her hand in silence.

After a moment of this standoff, Liu Yuru gradually relaxed.

After all, this was inevitable sooner or later. There was no reason for her to be nervous. Yet her heart raced uncontrollably, and she couldn't help but blush.

Both of them felt their heartbeats were strangely loud, as if the entire room echoed with the sound. Gu Jiusi, somewhat embarrassed, whispered, "Don't be like this. You're making me nervous."

Hearing this, Liu Yuru couldn't hold back a soft laugh, and her tension melted away. She whispered back, "What are you nervous about?"

Gu Jiusi lifted his eyes in the darkness, a trace of helplessness in his voice. "I'm afraid you're not willing."

"To be honest," he sighed, "I know your temperament. In your heart, you've accepted being my wife, so no matter when I do this, you wouldn't refuse. But not refusing isn't the same as liking it. I've always thought that this should happen when you're happy and willing to give yourself to me. That's what I truly want."

Liu Yuru listened quietly as Gu Jiusi placed her hand over his heart and gazed intently at her. "Tell me, are you willing?"

Blushing, Liu Yuru felt the rapid heartbeat beneath her palm. Lowering her eyes, she nodded solemnly. Worried he might not have seen, she softly repeated, "I am willing."Gu Jiusi let out a soft laugh, his voice in the night like a breeze carrying the fragrance of flowers, gently brushing across her heart. He reached out and drew her into his embrace.

He said nothing, lowering his head to kiss her hair. She trembled and closed her eyes, like pear blossoms blooming with dew in the morning, quivering slightly as the dawn light gently caressed them.

Gu Jiusi's movements were tender; he seemed fearful too, yet he feigned composure and nonchalance.

He patiently helped her adjust to everything before finally saying, "This is my first time too. If anything feels uncomfortable, you must tell me."

Liu Yuru nodded, her face flushed. He reached up to brush aside the fragrant, sweat-dampened strands of hair from her face and said gently, "Don't hold back."

Liu Yuru gripped his sleeve, her voice trembling. "Alright."

She didn't hold back.

In truth, after meeting Gu Jiusi, she had rarely needed to endure anything. It was simply because the pain wasn't as severe as she had imagined, nor was the discomfort as intense as she had anticipated.

Everything since meeting Gu Jiusi seemed to have inexplicably become easier. Each time she thought she would have to bear more suffering, she found the hardship far less than she had expected.

She felt everything was beautiful—not the terrifying ordeal she had imagined in her youth, but even somewhat lovely.

She watched the snowflakes falling softly outside the window, heard the sudden crackle of the candle flame, and closed her eyes as she held Gu Jiusi.

A sob caught in her throat, but before she could make a sound, Gu Jiusi embraced her first and said gently, "I love you."

Her heart suddenly grew calm.

They lay on the bed, unmoving. Gu Jiusi rested his head on his hand, smiling as he looked at her. They gazed quietly at each other and suddenly broke into laughter.

"It's snowing," Liu Yuru said softly.

Gu Jiusi hummed in agreement, turning to look at the sky outside. "The New Year is almost here."

"Will we spend the New Year in Wangdu?"

"Most likely," Gu Jiusi replied calmly.

Liu Yuru seemed puzzled. "Won't Lord Fan take the Eastern Capital in the next few days? Will he not summon you?"

"Wangdu still needs to be settled," Gu Jiusi said with a light laugh. "He probably won't call for me before the New Year."

Liu Yuru acknowledged this, and Gu Jiusi continued, "Besides, with Brother Zhou in Youzhou, I'm not even sure if I'll go to the Eastern Capital."

"What do you mean?" Liu Yuru asked, confused. "What does Brother Zhou have to do with you?"

"Brother Zhou is in Youzhou because Lord Zhou doesn't want him to advance in the Eastern Capital. If Lord Zhou truly thinks that way and is wary of Brother Zhou at this time, do you think he would allow me to rise in rank?"

Gu Jiusi's eyes held a trace of worry. "In everyone's eyes, Brother Zhou and I are closely linked. Unless I pledge my loyalty to Lord Zhou, if he truly intends to guard against Brother Zhou, he would never let me achieve anything in the Eastern Capital. If I'm only going to be a minor official there, I'd rather stay in Wangdu as a county magistrate—at least I can do some practical work here."

Liu Yuru listened, her mind calculating. After a moment, she couldn't help but ask, "So, does that mean you can't go to the Eastern Capital?""Not necessarily," Gu Jiusi said this while frowning. Liu Yuru softly responded with "Hm?" Gu Jiusi pondered for a moment before finally saying: "This is just my random thought, don't take it seriously, and absolutely must not speak of it to anyone. Not even close people like Brother Zhou or your mother should know."

"I understand."

Liu Yuru nodded. Gu Jiusi sighed with some worry: "If Lord Zhou is keeping Brother Zhou in Youzhou not to guard against him, then there's only another possibility - he's guarding against Lord Fan."

Hearing this, Liu Yuru was stunned. Gu Jiusi continued: "If Lord Fan proclaims himself emperor in the Eastern Capital, according to regulations, high officials like Lord Zhou must keep their family members in the Eastern Capital as precaution. Brother Zhou isn't Lord Zhou's biological son and holds an official position, so it's acceptable for him to be stationed outside. When both Lord Fan and Lord Zhou go to the Eastern Capital, with Brother Zhou remaining in Youzhou, given time, who do you think will control Youzhou?"

Liu Yuru understood Gu Jiusi's meaning and continued: "So you mean Lord Zhou thinks Lord Fan might move against the Zhou family in the future, so he's keeping Brother Zhou in Youzhou in advance? If something happens, they can preserve a spark to wait for resurgence?"

Gu Jiusi nodded: "If this is Lord Zhou's intention, he will definitely have me enter the Eastern Capital, not just enter but also help me climb higher in the Eastern Capital."

"But if Lord Zhou truly has such thoughts," Liu Yuru pressed her lips, "I'm afraid the empire will find it hard to remain stable."

"Stability depends on what Lord Fan thinks."

Gu Jiusi lowered his head and held Liu Yuru's hand, playing with her fingers as he slowly said: "Lord Zhou probably has no rebellious intent. He's likely just being cautious like a cunning rabbit with three burrows. If Lord Fan does nothing, the Da Rong will continue peacefully. But if Lord Fan can't see clearly..."

Gu Jiusi said this with a bitter smile: "That's beyond our control anyway."

"Then it doesn't matter."

Seeing Gu Jiusi troubled, Liu Yuru quickly held his hand and said with a smile: "We've been through life and death anyway. No matter what happens, I'll always earn money to support you."

Gu Jiusi was amused by Liu Yuru's words. Looking at the somewhat bewildered girl before him, he couldn't stop laughing.

The two of them talked and chatted through a night of heavy snow, eventually drifting off to sleep drowsily.

The next morning, Gu Jiusi didn't wake Liu Yuru. He let her continue sleeping while he went to handle official business first.

When he reached the door, he saw the ground covered in heavy snow. Just as servants were about to sweep it away, he quickly stopped them. After some thought, he called Munan over, had someone bring tools, and busied himself in the snow.

Only after finishing his work did he leave. When Liu Yuru woke up, she found the person beside her already gone. She still felt somewhat unwell but was too embarrassed to stay in bed. She called for assistance, and Yin Hong entered carrying washing supplies, along with a bowl of bird's nest soup. She happily told Liu Yuru: "The young master instructed this before leaving - for you to get up and have something to eat first."

Liu Yuru smiled with pressed lips. For some reason, just hearing Gu Jiusi's name made her happy.She first drank the bird's nest soup, then finished washing up. When she pulled open the main door, the morning light pierced straight into her eyes. She raised a hand to shield them, taking a long while to adjust before lowering it. Then she noticed two snowmen piled in the courtyard—one tall, one short, dressed in proper clothing with noses and eyes. The snowmen stood hand in hand, looking rather amusing.

Liu Yu Ru couldn’t help but laugh. Yin Hong approached and reminded her, “This morning, the young master spent half the day building them. Shen Ming had to urge him several times before he finally left.”

“How childish.”

Liu Yu Ru chuckled lightly as she scolded, yet she still had someone fetch her Lip Rouge. She walked over to the snowmen, dipped her finger in the rouge, and painted lips on the shorter snowman adorned with flowers.

After finishing, she glanced sideways and noticed everyone smiling at her. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, she stood up and hurried to the dining hall.

In the dining hall, Jiang Rou, Gu Lang Hua, Su Wan, and the others had just finished eating but were still chatting. They seemed unusually cheerful today, and Liu Yu Ru couldn’t shake the feeling that they knew something, which made her a bit uneasy. She entered the dining hall and greeted everyone. Jiang Rou quickly stood up, took her hand, and led her to the table, saying, “We’ve all been waiting for you. Let’s eat together.”

Liu Yu Ru felt a little embarrassed and promptly said, “If I had known you were waiting, I would have gotten up earlier.”

“It’s no trouble,” Gu Lang Hua waved his hand. “Sleep as much as you need. Get enough rest and eat well—let Jiu Si handle everything else.”

Liu Yu Ru and Jiang Rou exchanged a glance. Jiang Rou nudged Gu Lang Hua and whispered, “How can you say that? When have you ever spared me from worrying?”

Gu Lang Hua looked somewhat abashed. Su Wan said gently, “Master Gu is already very considerate.”

Everyone sat down and had the maids serve the dishes. Throughout the meal, Jiang Rou kept urging Liu Yu Ru to eat this and that, making it clear to Liu Yu Ru that everyone knew they had consummated their marriage.

It seemed there was no privacy at all.

At first, Liu Yu Ru blushed and didn’t dare respond, and no one spoke of it directly. But as time passed, she grew more at ease. After the meal, she discussed New Year preparations with Jiang Rou. With only three days left until the New Year, preparations should have started much earlier, but one thing after another had kept them busy—first her escape from Yangzhou, then the siege of Wangdu—leaving no chance to catch their breath.

Now that things had finally settled, Liu Yu Ru busied herself discussing arrangements with Jiang Rou. Jiang Rou gave her a list of items to purchase, and after noting them down, Liu Yu Ru headed to the shop.

After the incident with Wang Mei, everyone at the shop was on edge. When Liu Yu Ru arrived, she gathered all the staff. She took her seat, and silence fell over the room. Liu Yu Ru took a sip of tea, then after a moment, suddenly laughed. “What are you all doing?”

She lifted her gaze to the bewildered faces and said gently, “Trying to scare me?”No one dared to make a sound. Liu Yu Ru had everyone sit down and spoke slowly, "What happened in the past is now behind us. Here, I must first apologize to everyone. The past incidents were my fault—I didn't devote enough effort to the shop, focusing solely on external matters and neglecting to care for you all. From now on, I will change, communicate more with everyone, and you can always bring any issues to me."

"Many of my past decisions were not well-considered. If you have any thoughts, feel free to speak directly to me. In the future, I will place a mailbox at the entrance, and only I will have the key. If you have any opinions but find it difficult to voice them, write me a letter and place it in the box—no need to sign it. I won't investigate who said what; everyone can speak their mind freely."

"In the future, the shop will be more systematically organized. I will select some supervisors, design a workflow, and assign separate management roles. Yun Yun will be in charge of overall coordination, while the remaining departments will handle their own affairs. All development of new products and production of existing goods will be overseen by Master Song Xiang. As for those managing product sales, you can recommend candidates to me—just write the names in the mailbox."

Though no one spoke, everyone gradually felt more at ease listening to Liu Yu Ru's words. She elaborated on the future of Floral Visage in detail, and after a long while, she finally said, "In the future, Floral Visage will be sold throughout Da Rong, and even to all the places we know, such as Xi Luo, Northern Liang, and Bai Chuan. Everyone," she smiled, "let's have some drive—this is only the beginning."

Hearing this, Song Xiang was the first to smile. She bowed to Liu Yu Ru and said gently, "As you wish, Madam."

With Song Xiang taking the lead, everyone relaxed, and the atmosphere grew lively. Liu Yu Ru arranged the remaining matters and finally dismissed the group, keeping Yun Yun behind alone. Yun Yun stood before her, feeling uneasy. She seemed to anticipate something, gritting her teeth without speaking.

Liu Yu Ru smiled and asked, "Yun Yun, what do you think I'm going to say to you?"

As soon as Liu Yu Ru spoke, Yun Yun's tears fell. She hurriedly wiped them away and said anxiously, "Madam, I'm not—"

Before she could finish, Yun Yun saw a handkerchief handed to her. Liu Yu Ru looked at her calmly and said softly, "Don't be afraid. I'm not here to ask you to leave."

Hearing this, Yun Yun looked up in surprise. Seeing Liu Yu Ru's smile, her eyes reddened further. She quickly lowered her head, using Liu Yu Ru's handkerchief to wipe her eyes, and said hoarsely, "Madam, you don't need to accommodate me out of difficulty. I've thought carefully about what Wang Mei said that day—she was right, I didn't do well. I've caused you trouble and don't deserve to be in charge..."

Yun Yun couldn't continue, breaking into quiet sobs.

Liu Yu Ru watched her silently for a long time before sighing, reaching out to hug her gently. "Don't cry," she said softly. "This isn't solely your fault—if anyone is to blame, it's me. I pushed you into the position hastily without considering your needs. Yun Yun, I see you as family. I trust you, which is why I asked for your help. Everyone makes mistakes—I do, and you do too. We must learn to forgive ourselves. If we make a mistake, so be it; we all grow through hardships."

Hearing this, Yun Yun cried even harder."Miss..." She unconsciously reverted to the old form of address, as if they were back in the past, weeping softly as she said, "I've failed you."

"How could that be?"

Liu Yu Ru laughed, speaking earnestly, "You've already tried your best and have been more than worthy. From now on, think more carefully about everything—you think, and I'll think too. Don't always focus on me or how to treat me well. You're the manager of Floral Visage, and in the future, Floral Visage will be entirely under your care. You need to consider every aspect and think more from others' perspectives. In all matters, first consider what you would do if you were in their position."

"In our business, we make a living by understanding people—nothing else matters more than learning how to be a good person first."

Yun Yun listened, wiping her tears and nodding. Liu Yu Ru looked at her and smiled gently, saying softly, "Don't cry anymore. Come back home in a couple of days and spend the New Year with me, alright?"

Yun Yun was taken aback, lifting her head to ask, "I can spend the New Year with you?"

"I brought you to Wangdu, so naturally, I consider you family. From now on, we'll celebrate the New Year together." With that, Liu Yu Ru sighed, "Later, I'll keep searching to see if I can help you find your family, and mine as well."

Liu Yu Ru smiled wryly, "After all, we need to have some hope."

After finishing her conversation with Yun Yun, Liu Yuru went to check on the new products Song Xiang had created. The scope of Floral Visage Sales was expanding rapidly. Having inspected the new items, Liu Yuru stepped outside, where Yin Hong approached her and said, "Yun Yun just gathered everyone earlier—I’m not sure what she said—but they were all hugging and crying inside. After they came out, they were chatting and laughing, and they seemed to be getting along really well."

Hearing this, Liu Yuru smiled. "She took my words to heart."

As long as nothing went wrong at Floral Visage, there would be no further trouble.

Liu Yuru felt reassured.

She was busy for the next two days, and it wasn’t until New Year’s Eve that she finally took a break. The Gu residence began bustling with preparations for the New Year. Liu Yuru personally went to the kitchen to prepare the meals, while Gu Jiusi led others in hanging lanterns and pasting spring couplets along the corridors.

The Gu household was lively and festive. When it was time for the meal, Liu Yuru had the dishes brought out from the kitchen and asked Yin Hong, "I feel like I haven’t seen Shen Ming today. Where is he?"

"I heard he’s upset with the young master," Yin Hong whispered as she handed a dish to someone else. "I heard that a couple of days ago, he asked the young master right to his face when he was going to divorce you, because he still thinks he has a chance."

Hearing this, Liu Yuru pressed her lips together. "Did Jiusi make him do something he didn’t like again?"

"I heard he was sent to the military camp to accompany others drinking for two days." Yin Hong pouted. "With his lordly temper, do you think he’d be willing to play host like that?"

"It’s for his own good," Liu Yuru said, both amused and exasperated. "Now that he’s earned military merits, what else does he plan to do if not stay in the camp? It’s just his mouth."

Liu Yuru shook her head, somewhat helpless.

As they were talking, a loud crash echoed from outside. Shen Ming had kicked open the Gu family’s front door. Standing at the entrance with a blade slung over his shoulder, he roared, "Gu Jiusi! You didn’t even invite me for New Year’s dinner—what kind of brother are you?!"

Gu Jiusi, who had his back to Shen Ming while pasting spring couplets, waved a hand dismissively and retorted bluntly, "I don’t have a brother who’s constantly coveting my wife. Leave the repair money and see yourself out."

Shen Ming’s face flushed red. He had waited all day, but Gu Jiusi never invited him over. In Hope Capital City, he had no relatives or friends, and spending New Year’s alone felt terribly lonely.

He wanted to stay for the meal, but Gu Jiusi’s attitude made him feel awkward. Fortunately, Ye Shi’an emerged from the courtyard at that moment. He had been staying at Gu Jiusi’s home for some time. Carrying a lantern, he paused at the sight of Shen Ming at the doorway and the fallen gate. Quickly grasping the situation, he glanced at Gu Jiusi, who remained expressionless with his back turned, then at Shen Ming. Clearing his throat lightly, he said, "Ah, Brother Shen, please come in quickly."

Hearing this, Shen Ming hurriedly stepped inside. Just then, Liu Yuru came out of the kitchen carrying the final dish. Gu Jiusi saw her and immediately heard Shen Ming exclaim cheerfully, "Wow, Boss Liu—"

Before he could finish, Gu Jiusi hurled a paste-covered stick at him and bellowed, "Call her sister-in-law!"

Stunned by the flying stick, Shen Ming stammered instinctively, "Sis... sister-in-law."He called out, and Gu Jiusi was finally pleased. After sticking the last corner of the Spring Festival couplet in place, he hopped down from the stool, took the handkerchief handed to him by Munan, and said cheerfully, "Alright, I, your honorable official, am magnanimous and hereby grant you permission to celebrate the New Year at my place."

With that, Gu Jiusi turned to Liu Yu Ru, his face instantly breaking into a wide grin. He hurried over and said happily, "My dear, let me carry that. Don’t burn your hands..."

Shen Ming and Ye Shi'an stood in the courtyard. Shen Ming remained expressionless for a moment before slowly saying, "I want to marry a wife."

Ye Shi'an gazed in the direction where Liu Yu Ru and Gu Jiusi had left, sighed, and replied, "So do I."

"Where could one find a wife like Manager Liu—beautiful, good-tempered, and skilled at making money?"

Ye Shi'an fell silent for a while before slowly answering, "I cannot answer that question."

After speaking, Ye Shi'an sighed and turned away to hang the lanterns.