The Grand Secretary’s Pampered Wife

Chapter 17

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S T E L L A R C L O U D

[Celeste S.] [Azurixa] [Robert K.]

O R A N G E S T A R

[Talia R.]

Y E L L O W S T A R

[Camille] [Linds] [Esther D.]

”Ah——” Xue Ningxiang screamed in alarm.

Gu Jiao turned around and kicked the man away.

Xue Ningxiang was dumbfounded. She simply had no idea how Gu Jiao did it!

After beating people up, Gu Jiao left with the basket on her back without sparing Xue Ningxiang a single glance, which made people think that she really made a move only because these shameless people blocked her way.

Xue Ningxiang recovered from the great stupor and stood up trembling, ”You... Hold on!”

Gu Jiao kept going.

Xue Ningxiang wanted to chase her, but her clothes had been torn up by those men. If she were to walk out of the alley, people would see her naked. She was so anxious that she burst into tears.

Gu Jiaoʼs steps halted. She irritably pushed her hair behind her ear, took out her cotton-padded overcoat from the back basket and threw it at Xue Ningxiang.

Xue Ningxiang was startled. She looked at the overcoat, and then at Gu Jiao. She asked, ”You... Don’t you feel cold?”

”Give it back if you’re not going to wear it.” Gu Jiao held out her hand.

”I’ll wear it! I’ll wear it!” Xue Ningxiang quickly put on the overcoat without another word.

Gu Jiaoʼs overcoat was a little thin, especially in the chest area, which flustered Xue Ningxiang a bit.

After she put on the coat, Xue Ningxiang bent down and picked up the medicinal herbs that had fallen to the ground. Then she told Gu Jiao in a soft voice, ”Thank you just now.”

She really didnʼt expect to encounter such a thing, much less Gu Jiao rescuing her. Her mood was somewhat complicated, but no matter what, her gratitude came from the bottom of her heart.

At this moment, she became certain that Gu Jiao was different from before.

”You... Are you not a fool anymore?” She asked carefully.

Gu Jiao didnʼt answer her.

”No, you’re still a fool...” Otherwise, why would she save her when she used to bully her?

Gu Jiao, “…”

Suddenly, Xue Ningxiang saw the blood dripping from Gu Jiaoʼs left hand, ”You’re hurt!”

Gu Jiao said faintly, ”Itʼs not my blood.”

She wasn’t lying, it wasnʼt hers.

However, not knowing what was on her mind, she still wiped the blood off with a handkerchief.

Xue Ningxiang turned her head to look at the four scoundrels who were lying on the ground, and then thought to herself: Those four didnʼt bleed, so where did this girl get the blood on her hand? What on earth did she do before this?

The two of them got out of the alley.

Gu Jiao looked at the sky.

Suddenly, Xue Ningxiang grabbed her sleeve and looked at her pitifully, ”I... Can I go back to the village with you?”

Gu Jiaoʼs eyebrows frowned slightly.

She wasn’t going back to the village yet.

Xue Ningxiang thought it was reasonable for Gu Jiao to refuse. After all, her relationship with Gu Jiao wasn’t good. As a fellow villager, she had already done her utmost to save her. There was really no need for her to bring her back to the village.

Xue Ningxiang withdrew her hand in silence.

Gu Jiao said faintly, ”I still have to go to the academy.”

Xue Ningxiangʼs eyes lit up. She raised her head and asked, ”Can I come with you?”

Gu Jiao didnʼt say a word and merely walked towards the east side of the town.

Xue Ningxiang tentatively took two steps, attempting to follow her, and when she saw that Gu Jiao didnʼt drive her away, she happily caught up to her.

Xue Ningxiang was practicing foot binding[1]. Women with bound feet tended to walk slowly.

Gu Jiao scratched her little head irritably, but she would still stop and wait for her from time to time.

When they arrived at the academy, classes were already over.

Xiao Liulang carried a bookbag as he came out and caught a glimpse of Gu Jiao at the entrance of the opposite alley. He froze for a moment.

With his usual expression, he walked over to her and said, ”Were you nearby today?”

”En.” Gu Jiao responded vaguely.

Xue Ningxiang was dumbfounded. From the market to here, there was at least seven or eight Li of distance. This, this, this... This could still be called nearby?

Xiao Liulang finally noticed Xue Ningxiang beside Gu Jiao at this moment. A trace of surprise flitted through his eyes. He tried to rack his brain but still couldn’t figure out how the two people ended up together. Moreover, Xue Ningxiang was even wearing Gu Jiaoʼs clothes.

Second Uncle Luoʼs oxcart had been waiting in the alley. He had been asked this morning to pick up Xiao Liulang at the period of youshi[2].

The three people got on the cart and Gu Jiao was sitting between the two people.

Xue Ningxiang used to have a good impression of Xiao Liulang, but she just went through that terrible thing and her heart still had some lingering fear towards men, so much so that she didn’t even say a word of greeting to Xiao Liulang.

Xiao Liulang didnʼt care about Xue Ningxiangʼs attitude towards him either. He just thought she was a bit strange, but he didnʼt ask.

Gu Jiaoʼs cotton-padded overcoat was given to Xue Ningxiang, so she only had a thin undercoat on her body. It was still alright when you were hurrying on your way, but once you sat down, it was somewhat cold.

Xiao Liulang looked down at his academy uniform and couldn’t help but feel hesitant. Give it to her, but their relationship didn’t seem that good; Donʼt give it to her, but then she would freeze in this cold. In the midst of his hesitation, he saw Xue Ningxiang leaning weakly against Gu Jiao, giving Gu Jiao her body warmth.

Xiao Liulang, “…”

After the oxcart passed through the alley, they saw Gu Dashun waiting there.

Gu Ershun had been ”kicked out” and already returned home, so Gu Dashun was the only one waiting for the oxcart.

Gu Dashun ignored Xue Ningxiang who was also on the cart and only looked at the calm-looking Gu Jiao and Xiao Liulang. When he thought that they also had this same calm appearance in the morning, he suddenly realized that they might have guessed this result from the beginning.

But they didnʼt say anything and just watched Gu Ershun get kicked out. Even he himself was almost suspected by his teacher.

Whose idea was it? Xiao Liulangʼs? Or was it this little fool?

As the breeze blew, Gu Jiao gently brushed aside the hair on her face without the slightest concern that the birthmark on her face was exposed.

This kind of Gu Jiao was something Gu Dashun had never seen before.

No, he had actually seen it before. On the morning of the exam, when she pulled him off the oxcart. At that time, she was also like this, relaxed and indifferent. It was just that he was so angry that day that he didnʼt have the mind to pay attention.

What exactly happened to this little fool? How come she suddenly changed her temper, suddenly stopped coming to the Gu Family for meals, and suddenly had a good relationship with Xiao Liulang?

”Are you thirsty?” Xue Ningxiang untied the water bag around her waist and handed it to Gu Jiao.

Even the widow Xue, who never got along with her before, became her friend now?

Gu Dashun frowned deeply.

When the oxcart arrived in the village, Gu Dashun jumped off the oxcart first.

Gu Jiao didnʼt compete with him. She remained sitting on the cart while looking at him with a faint smile, then she said, ”Remember to send Xiaoshun to the academy tomorrow.”

Gu Dashun clenched his fist.

…...

After returning home, Gu Jiao felt especially cold today and her hands and feet were freezing. At night, her period arrived.

People in the countryside were lacking in nourishment, and many would start having their period late. This body was already fourteen years old, but this was only her first time having a period.

She didnʼt know if falling into the water some time ago still had some effect on her, but she felt a heavy chill right now. Furthemore, the wind was blowing hard again today, making the pain in her stomach terrible.

In fact, after being in the organization for many years, she had long been used to all kinds of pain, but she was simply unable to tolerate this kind of abdominal pain during the physiological period.

Xue Ningxiang dropped by to return Gu Jiaoʼs clothes. As soon as she entered the room, she found Gu Jiao sitting in a chair with a pale face and immediately asked, ”Whatʼs wrong with you?”

”Nothing.” Gu Jiao replied faintly.

A woman who could beat four men with one punch during the day was now too weak to even stand up. How could it be nothing? Xue Ningxiang looked at her hands covering her stomach and exclaimed, ”Your period has arrived?”

Gu Jiao didnʼt even have the strength to talk to her.

Hearing the noise in this room, Xiao Liulang came over and asked, ”Whatʼs the matter?”

Gu Jiao didnʼt speak, but Xue Ningxiang said, ”Her period has come, and she’s in great pain. Do you have brown sugar at home? Boil a bowl of it and let her drink it.”

Xiao Liulang suddenly froze.

Xue Ningxiang didnʼt think so much. She thought that both of them had been married for half a year now, so they must have consummated their marriage long ago. Therefore, talking about this kind of thing shouldn’t be a big deal.

1. ↑ — Foot binding was the Chinese custom of breaking and tightly binding the feet of young girls in order to change the shape and size of their feet; during the time it was practiced, bound feet were considered a status symbol and a mark of beauty. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot_binding)2. ↑ — 5-7 pm (in the system of two-hour subdivisions used in former times)

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Also, please also have a look at our other translations!

Everyone But Me Is Reborn

Her father is a coward and senselessly filial. Her mother is weak and gullible. Her elder brother is a wastrel.

When she married into the Wangfu, she suffered and was coldly treated. And by the time she was in labour, she was fated to die with the unborn child in her belly.

This was supposed to be Ning Nuanʼs life.

However this time, everyone but her is reborn.

Ning Nuan is at a loss. She felt that her dad has suddenly become the pillar of the family, her mother’s temper became fierce, and even her elder brother, who would only walk the dogs and play with birds all day, has begun picking up books and reading them carefully.

There is also that juvenile that shows up at the wall of her courtyard everyday, calling her “Ah Nuan, Ah Nuan” with an honest face.