Chapter 7: He Is Getting Married

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On the quiet street lingered a faint scent of gunpowder, remnants from mischievous children setting off fireworks the night before. Paper scraps from the fireworks lay scattered on the ground, adding a touch of disorder to the stillness and preventing early risers from feeling too lonely in the cold morning. The government always had its own way of handling such litter—collecting it uniformly for recycling and reprocessing, ensuring no environmental pollution while preserving the festive spirit of the New Year.

Today marked the beginning of a new year. Many years ago, this very day commemorated the founding of the nation. After overthrowing the monarchy, the four great families established a new calendar, marking the founding day as the start of the new year.

The revelers from last night had yet to rise; many shops remained closed, and the streets were nearly deserted as most people still slept. The morning sun was gentle, casting a warm glow on passersby, and a soft breeze stirred the air, clearing the fog of hangovers.

Gu Xinyao carried Du Gu Yi on her back, steadily walking toward the end of Xinfu Road—a mere twenty minutes from her residence. Although Qin Rou had a car, she refused to borrow it, preferring to carry Du Gu Yi herself.

Du Gu Yi rested against her, feeling a twinge of disappointment from rejection and a sudden pang of self-doubt. How had he come to this point, seeking warmth from a woman? He lifted his head from her back; her short hair was soft, fluttering lightly in the breeze. It was said that girls who wore short hair tended to be tough, and she was indeed so.

As his gaze passed along the road, he realized it led to the Du Gu family home. Hastily, he called out, “I’m not going back to the Du Gu house. Let’s go to my place.”

Gu Xinyao halted, her brows knitting slightly. They were just five or six minutes from the Du Gu gate; why had he only just spoken? Unknown to her, Du Gu Yi was lost in self-reflection, and managing to redirect her before reaching his home was no small feat.

They walked the rest of the way in silence—perhaps awkward, perhaps uncertain how much longer their arrangement would last.

After a while, Du Gu Yi spoke softly, “Please take me to No. 36 Yu Bei Road. I have a place there.”

He was truly helpless. When he had first left her side, he had wanted to walk alone, but his waist and legs felt alien—aching, numb, and sore. Once his feet touched the ground, he couldn’t rise for a long time. It was only because Gu Xinyao couldn’t bear it that she had picked him up again. Since then, he dared not say another word.

Gu Xinyao paused, surprised. She had been here less than half a year, and though she had become familiar with some routes helping Qin Rou deliver goods, she was far from knowledgeable enough to know every street by name.

“Where is Yu Bei Road?” she asked stiffly, stretching her neck.

Du Gu Yi remained silent, not expecting her to be unfamiliar.

“Turn here, go straight, take a right at the third alley, walk about fifty meters, then right again. There’s an apartment there; I live on the third floor. Just drop me off at the door. The housekeeper will come get me,” he said reluctantly, then firmly shut his mouth. He hated to trouble anyone, especially her, but was helpless and forced to be bold.

Gu Xinyao said nothing, committing the directions to memory as she carried him toward the described destination.

After several twists and turns, she cursed inwardly—who designed this terrible place? It was so close to her home, yet the route was convoluted and time-consuming.

When they finally stopped beneath a small three-story apartment of red brick and white tiles, she realized how conspicuous it was among the surrounding traditional courtyard houses and ordinary residences.

Carrying Du Gu Yi up the steps, Gu Xinyao did not let him ring the doorbell but took a key from his clothing and opened the door herself.

The building had no elevator, perhaps to keep residents physically fit. The stairs were steep, forcing her to adopt a more curved posture as she climbed, though her good stamina spared her excessive effort.

Only Du Gu Yi lived on the third floor; the apartment was small, housing just one household in this unit, appearing quite eco-friendly.

The door was natural wood with a European-style round handle. A small, plain white doorbell button sat unadorned to the right.

It was clear the owner had not spent much effort decorating the place.

Ding-dong—

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The door opened from inside, revealing a man who appeared to be in his sixties, though his exact age was uncertain.

He stared wide-eyed at Gu Xinyao carrying Du Gu Yi, his expression reminiscent of a startled monkey.

“Young—young master?” The old housekeeper barely dared to believe his eyes, rubbing them vigorously before asking sluggishly.

Du Gu Yi looked at his housekeeper and simply explained, “This is my friend. I was drunk last night, and she took me in.”

The housekeeper stood stunned at the doorway. His impeccably chaste young master being carried home by a woman, dressed in such an uncharacteristic manner—it was hard to reconcile.

“Please make way!” Gu Xinyao, having no time to wait for their gaping eyes to meet, politely asked the old man to step aside.

Unexpectedly, the housekeeper obeyed without protest.

“Which is your bedroom?” Inside, the primitive layout made Gu Xinyao hesitate—should she enter the room on the left or the right? The apartment was small, with just two bedrooms and a living room, simple and clear.

“The right one,” Du Gu Yi replied softly.

They had spoken little on the way, with Gu Xinyao holding the initiative, leaving Du Gu Yi few chances to express himself. His usual solitary habits were shaken, and for now, he obeyed her lead.

Entering the right bedroom, Gu Xinyao was amazed. The room was extremely bare, save for a few legal notices pinned to the walls. Without the need for habitation, it looked as if even a bed would be unnecessary. Books filled every corner, stacked high. A small laptop sat atop a pile—much smaller than those from her era.

Carefully stepping over a stack of books blocking the doorway, Gu Xinyao laid Du Gu Yi on the bed and pulled the blanket over him. He reclined against the pillow, hands folded over his abdomen, feeling secure back in his own space. His earlier awkwardness and stiffness gradually eased.

“Thank you,” he murmured, not looking at her but at his hands.

She smiled quietly to herself; it seemed they had switched roles, with him now offering the head-to-head gratitude.

“No need. Rest well. And you’d better take a few days off, stay home and recover,” she hesitated, unsure whether to say more but settled on these words. Though she doubted he would heed her advice, she felt compelled to speak. Whether he listened was his choice.

With that, she opened the door and left.

Outside Du Gu Yi’s bedroom stood the old housekeeper, his hair completely white but his eyes sharp, fixing Gu Xinyao with a piercing gaze.

“Sir, do you have something to say?” Gu Xinyao did not beat around the bush. As a science-minded person, she valued directness.

The old housekeeper looked at her, emotions flickering in his eyes. After a moment, he walked toward the living room.

Gu Xinyao followed, unwilling to be led around but knowing she must speak for Du Gu Yi’s sake.

“Did you bully the young master?” The old man was straightforward, cutting to the heart of the matter.

Gu Xinyao was caught off guard. By the nation’s standards, she had indeed taken advantage of Du Gu Yi. But from her perspective, whether driven by medicine or mutual consent, it was a shared willingness—no one bullied the other. If anything, the physical harm he suffered was a medical issue.

“I didn’t bully him. Last night, someone drugged him. I helped him—perhaps it was a bit intense. So please, let him rest at home. You know those wounds shouldn’t be strained,” she said truthfully, though it felt awkward for a woman to admit. For Du Gu Yi’s sake, she chose honesty over brevity.

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The old housekeeper’s face flushed repeatedly as he listened. Inwardly, he cursed Gu Xinyao. Did she not know that he, this old man, had never married, never even touched a woman, and here she was talking about ‘intensity’?

“Our young master has always been chaste. You say drugged him—are you trying to shirk responsibility?” The housekeeper hailed from the remote mountains of Hexi, where people were simple and kindhearted. He had come to the city in his forties with friends from his village and was employed by Du Gu Yi’s father to care for the young master. When Du Gu Yi moved out, the housekeeper followed, and though their status was master and servant, their bond was deeper than father and son.

He believed no one was worthy of his perfect young master. But if the young master wished to be with someone, he would support him unconditionally. After so many years, no relationship had lasted—until this woman came along. Though not much to look at, the young master allowed her close, which might mean he had feelings. How could he let this rare opportunity slip away?

Gu Xinyao thought the old housekeeper was quite a character, turning the conversation toward responsibility. Even if she were willing, she doubted he would accept it.

“Sir, it’s not that I don’t want to take responsibility—it’s that he doesn’t want to marry me,” she said helplessly. She too longed for a stable home but had not found one.

The old man was stunned again. He knew the young master did not want to marry, but after all this—sleeping together even—he sighed quietly with regret for Du Gu Yi.

“Sorry, sir, I must go now.” Glancing at the ancient wall clock, it was already half past eight. Returning any later might prompt Qin Rou and her husband to question her again. She hurriedly bid farewell and left.

The housekeeper closed the door and stood in the living room, troubled over whether to inform the master.

***

The New Year passed quickly. After the seven-day holiday, shops and government offices resumed normal work. Though the holiday was brief, frequent breaks throughout the year made it acceptable.

Shortly after the New Year, Qin Rou took Gu Xinyao to the government’s household registration center. Although by 3030 residency management was quite flexible, registering upon arrival in the capital was still standard procedure.

The efficiency was impressive; in less than twenty minutes, Gu Xinyao received her new ID card—a thin chip. Once activated and pressed on the left wrist, it linked to the body. Whenever ID was needed, scanning the wrist displayed all information, saving time and effort.

Gu Xinyao marveled at the chip, examining it curiously.

The registration center was separate from the building where Du Gu Yi worked, so she had no fear of an unexpected encounter.

“Hey, did you hear? Du Gu Yi is about to marry Duan Mu Feng.” While Gu Xinyao was engrossed in studying the chip, two clerks passed by, one gossiping quietly by a stone pillar, thinking no one could hear. Unaware, Gu Xinyao stopped in her tracks.

“Really? Is that true? I’ve heard rumors, but not this soon,” the other clerk whispered.

“Of course. They’re nobles. Who knows what goes on behind the scenes? Du Gu Yi is Duan Mu Feng’s secretary; they’re always together, flirting. It was bound to happen. Luckily, they’re getting married now…”

Gu Xinyao’s grip tightened on the chip, curling it inward. Qin Rou looked at her worriedly, wanting to say something but unsure how.

“Qin Jie, I’m not going back with you yet,” Gu Xinyao said, then darted toward the government office building like a gust of wind.

Qin Rou wanted to stop her but realized this was not something an outsider could easily intervene in, so she let her go.