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Xiao Liulang's scalp tingled. What kind of look was that in her eyes...
It wasn’t just Empress Dowager Zhuang who had that kind of look, but even Old Chief was in sync with her, looking at Xiao Liulang sympathetically.
As a man, this matter was a bit humiliating.
They thought he just injured a leg!
Xiao Liulang felt terrible all over. He was still digesting how the birthmark on Gu Jiao’s face could be gecko cinnabar when he suddenly felt the judging and pitying looks of others around him… Where could he go to complain?
Yao Shi looked at the crowd with indescribable expressions, and then at Xiao Liulang, who seemed to have swallowed a bitter pill. She thought to herself, do I need to explain the reason behind the gecko cinnabar? Erm, does anyone still want to hear it?
Well, whatever, she might as well just say it.
Yao Shi explained, "It's because the midwife who delivered the baby didn't know how to apply the gecko cinnabar, but she didn't dare say she didn't know. She was afraid we wouldn't give her so much money, so she went to the abbot of the temple to beg for help. Little did she know that the abbot had too much to drink that night and accidentally applied it to JiaoJiao's face..."
"It was precisely because of this 'birthmark' that the servants mistook JiaoJiao as the child I didn’t give birth to, but Jinyu without the birthmark was…"
Although this matter had long passed, Yao Shi still couldn't help but feel heartbroken and regretful every time it was brought up.
She didn't know where she should blame it. Should she not have given birth on the way or should she not have found a midwife from the countryside...
Yao Shi was immersed in her own sorrowful emotions, while everyone else in the courtyard was on a completely different wavelength.
All they could think of were the words—— gecko cinnabar, unconsummated marriage..
Gu Chengfeng impulsively grabbed Xiao Liulang's shoulder and said, "Brother, be honest, do you have something you find difficult to say?”
"..." Xiao Liulang's face darkened.
Gu Jiao, who had gone for a house visit, didn't come back until late at night.
As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, she saw the family sitting neatly in the main room. Grandaunt and Granduncle were also there. The last time the two sat together was when the Emperor came to Bishui Alley to recuperate, it was just that they were sitting there without speaking this time.
Since Grandaunt regained her memory, it was the first time Gu Jiao had seen the two of them get along so well.
Gu Changqing and Gu Chengfeng were also present.
"What are you doing here?" Gu Jiao asked Gu Chengfeng.
The corners of Gu Changqing's mouth hooked up imperceptibly. Apparently in his younger sister's eyes, this brother who had drunk, ridden horse, and played rock skipping with her didn't carry much weight, as he couldn't just come to Bishui Alley at will.
Gu Chengfeng snorted and said unkindly, "Do you think I wanted to come? Chenglin's hair growth ointment ran out!"
Gu Jiao let out an ‘oh’, having been too busy lately to remember Gu Chenglin's balding problem.
"Wait a moment." Gu Jiao went to the east room, put down her back basket and retrieved the medicine chest in it. She opened the lid and saw a box of hair growth ointment inside.
The medicine chest not only identified the necessary medicine for the patient but also remembered the patient's illness and dosage. It was very convenient to use, but... it would be better if strange things didn't appear again.
Gu Jiao took out the hair growth ointment and handed it to Gu Chengfeng, "Here you go, one hundred taels."
Gu Chengfeng exploded, "You're charging me one hundred taels for such a small box of ointment? That's too much!"
Gu Jiao remained composed and said, "Family discount!"
A special family discount just for him. If it were other people, it would be one tael!
Gu Chengfeng reluctantly took out a silver banknote.
Gu Jiao happily accepted it.
Everyone stared at her intently.
Gu Jiao had been sensing this strange atmosphere in the house since she arrived, and now it was becoming even stranger.
"Did something happen? Why is everyone looking at me like that?" She asked.
"Elderly lady, elderly lady!" At that moment Yuya'er walked over holding a tray with a bowl of tonic soup. "Your soup is ready!"
Yuya'er placed the soup on the table, a blackish bowl of soup that looked a lot like the kind Xiao Liulang would make.
Empress Dowager Zhuang pushed the bowl towards Gu Jiao, "Drink up. It's specially made for you. You've been working hard lately and you've become thin. You need to take care of your body."
She said it all without her face turning red nor her heart beating fast.
Everyone secretly gave Empress Dowager Zhuang a thumbs up. She was really something else.
"Oh." Although it didn't look very appetizing, Gu Jiao wasn't picky about food. Since it was specially prepared for her by her family, she couldn't waste it.
Gu Jiao picked up the soup bowl, took a deep breath, and drank it all up with a gulp.
"Urgh——"
It was so disgusting! Gu Jiao almost vomited!
Everyone looked at Empress Dowager Zhuang in shock. Was there something wrong with the tonic soup?
Empress Dowager Zhuang snorted. How could there be a problem? It was something that nourished the body and replenished vital energy. She had been a professional in this for thirty years! The late Emperor's imperial concubines all drank this kind of tonic soup, and they were all in excellent health!
Gu Jiao felt nauseous. She held her chest and took a deep breath, accidentally looking around and finding that everyone was staring at her.
She blinked her eyes and shook her head, "Oh, am I pregnant?"
In the study, Xiao Liulang spurted out a mouthful of tea when he heard this sentence——
Everyone's expressions twitched. How did she manage to tell such a blatant lie?
"Why are you all looking at me like that?" Gu Jiao asked.
"Have you guys consummated your marriage?" Gu Chengfeng asked bluntly.
Gu Changqing kicked him under the table!
Gu Jiao had no idea that she had already been exposed. She puffed up her chest and replied, "Of course we have! Does my face scream virgin or something?"
Everyone looked at her gecko cinnabar: Yes!!!
Gu Jiao: "..."
Xiao Liulang couldn't bear listening to it anymore. He wished he could bury himself in books!
What kind of siblings were these? One dared to ask, and the other dared to answer, and they weren't even embarrassed!
"JiaoJiao! JiaoJiao, are you there? Xiaobao has a stomachache! Can you come and take a look?" Uncle Zhao’s anxious voice came from outside the door, interrupting the conversation that was about to take a disastrous turn.
Gu Jiao went next door to check on Zhao Xiaobao.
Empress Dowager Zhuang waved her hand and said, "Alright, everyone can go now. Yuya'er, you make a bowl of this soup for JiaoJiao every three days and make sure she finishes it."
Yuya'er replied, "Yes."
Gu Changqing had come to visit the twins, but unfortunately, Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun had stayed with Nan Xiang and Master Lu’s place again today, so he had to leave with Gu Chengfeng.
"Cough cough, I, I'll go too. I want to see how Jing Kong is doing with his homework." Old Chief replied and went next door. Little Jing Kong was doing his homework with him tonight.
Empress Dowager Zhuang went to Xiao Liulang and Little Jing Kong's west room.
Eunuch Qin followed her, "Empress Dowager?"
Empress Dowager Zhuang looked at the bed and summoned out the imperial experts who were with her, pointing at the bed seriously and saying, "Break it!"
The imperial experts: "..."
Eunuch Qin: "..."
Raz P.'s Thoughts
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