Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 1521: Chapter 1521: Special Treatment for Dengdeng_1

At noon, the Empress Dowager invited Bai Ruozhu and Dengdeng for a meal at Cining Palace. After eating, Bai Ruozhu, thinking of Dengdeng’s naptime, took her leave from the palace.

As the horse carriage was traveling on the road, suddenly the coachman exclaimed and stopped, ”Madam, someone is blocking the road.”

Bai Ruozhu’s heart tightened, and she was about to lift the curtain to look when she heard Jianqi, who accompanied her, say in a low voice from outside, ”Master, it’s Gao Zhou.”

That handsome uncle? He left without a word last time. What was he doing stopping her carriage now?

The next second, Gao Zhou’s voice rang out, ”Is that Bai Xiao-you inside the carriage? Last time I received a distress signal from my servant and didn’t get the chance to bid farewell to Bai Xiao-you. We wasted a good meal, for which I truly apologize!”

Since the other party was so polite, Bai Ruozhu felt it wouldn’t be right to stay inside the carriage, so she instructed Dengdeng to sit tight inside the carriage and got out to pay her respects to Gao Zhou.

”Senior is too courteous. I wonder if your servant is safe now? If there is any way I can be of help, please do tell me,” Bai Ruozhu said.

Gao Zhou opened his folding fan with a swish and began fanning himself, looking very much like a middle-aged scholar.

”All is well now. He was blackmailed and even took a beating but has learned his lesson. From now on, he knows that it’s necessary to be on guard.”

At this point, Little Dengdeng inside the carriage grew impatient and curiously lifted the carriage curtain to poke his head out and look, ”Mother, who is it?”

Seeing Little Dengdeng, Gao Zhou’s eyes immediately lit up as he said with a chuckle, ”Is this your son? He looks like a clever little fellow.”

Dengdeng pouted his little mouth, ”Grandpa, I’m not a little fellow; I am a man.”

Gao Zhou was amused and laughed heartily, attracting the attention of many people on the street. But he was very calm and did not mind the eyes of others.

”Bai Xiao-you, I was in such a hurry last time that I failed to observe proper etiquette. How about I host a meal for you and your son today?” suggested Gao Zhou cheerfully.

Bai Ruozhu suddenly recalled his earlier words about the necessity of being on guard and felt nervous. After all, she was not alone at the moment; she had her precious son with her. Until she was more familiar with Gao Zhou’s background, she felt it was better to keep Dengdeng away from him.

After thinking it through, she replied, ”Senior’s kindness is much appreciated, but we have just finished eating. Perhaps some other day.”

Gao Zhou showed a look of embarrassment and said, ”Then how about tea? It’s rare to meet, and I have no friends in Danliang. It’s quite boring to dine and drink tea alone.”

Little Dengdeng bounded down from the horse carriage, his movements quite agile. He walked up to Bai Ruozhu’s side and looked towards the distant Gao Zhou, ”Why don’t you have friends? Isn’t my mother your friend?”

Bai Ruozhu felt a bit awkward, ”Dengdeng, the senior is your mother’s lifesaver.”

Little Dengdeng mimicked a bow and said, ”Thank you for saving my mother, Grandpa Benefactor.”

Gao Zhou laughed again, ”The child is indeed clever. My name is Gao Zhou, and you are called Dengdeng. Could it be that we are fated?”

Little Dengdeng, not understanding the difference between ’Deng’ and ’Zhou’, tugged at Bai Ruozhu’s sleeve, ”Mother, Benefactor Grandpa has a name like mine.”

Bai Ruozhu was surprised that Dengdeng had struck up a conversation with Gao Zhou. Dengdeng was a polite child, not shy, but he only spoke with family and acquaintances. If it was someone he was meeting for the first time, he wasn’t timid but simply didn’t care to interact.

”Dengdeng is his nickname. He was very naughty in my belly, always kicking me, so I gave him this nickname,” Bai Ruozhu explained to Gao Zhou.

Gao Zhou laughed even harder this time, his eyes brimming with affection as he looked at Little Dengdeng, ”So you’re a little mischief-maker.”

Having reached this point in the conversation, Bai Ruozhu couldn’t really refuse Gao Zhou any longer. Thinking of how he was all alone, hadn’t had lunch yet, and in the end, she decided to go to Yingkelai.

Dengdeng seemed to really like Gao Zhou, even taking the initiative to pour him wine. Calling him ”Benefactor Grandpa” with every other word, he made Gao Zhou somewhat embarrassed. Gao Zhou tapped the boy’s little head and said, ”Call me Grandpa, saving your mother was just a small effort, I don’t deserve the title of benefactor.”

Little Dengdeng then started calling him ”Grandpa” with every breath. Bai Ruozhu found it strange and thought of Achun’s prematurely deceased father, Jiang Xuerui—could there be a connection between Gao Zhou and Jiang Xuerui?

Like maybe they were sworn brothers in life? But if that were the case, why wouldn’t he just say so?

Caught up in her wild guesses, Bai Ruozhu became somewhat distracted, only reacting when Dengdeng called out to her several times.

”Mommy, I want to go to sleep.” Dengdeng was used to his afternoon nap, and after talking excitedly with Gao Zhou, he was now struggling to stay awake, his little head nodding off, unable to keep his eyes open.

”Senior, this child is used to his nap, so I will take him back first. We’ll invite you for a meal another day,” Bai Ruozhu hastily said.

”Hurry back. I have kept you too long. Next time, we’ll eat earlier, and you bring Dengdeng along, okay?” Gao Zhou said with a cheerful smile.

Little Dengdeng was so tired he could barely stay awake but still said to Gao Zhou, ”Grandpa, next time I’ll show you my mechanical beast, okay?”

”Alright, alright, Grandpa will be waiting,” Gao Zhou seemed to really like children, his eyes creasing into a smile.

Bai Ruozhu stood up to take her leave, carrying Dengdeng downstairs, but before they even reached the horse carriage, he had fallen asleep.

When the carriage had traveled all the way back to the Bai Family’s residence, and Bai Ruozhu had settled Dengdeng in the yard, Jianqi suddenly said to her, ”Master, I think Gao Zhou’s affection for the young master is extraordinary.”

Bai Ruozhu nodded absentmindedly, ”I’ve sensed it too. Do you think we should have the Commerce Association look into him?”

Yet, it seemed somewhat inappropriate. After all, he was her savior, and it would appear highly disrespectful to investigate him.

Jianqi cleared his throat, ”I have already checked the records in the Commerce Association, but there’s no information about this man.”

Bai Ruozhu glared at Jianqi—he really had a habit of acting first and reporting later.

”What are the usual circumstances when there’s no information?” Bai Ruozhu wondered aloud.

”Generally, there are four possibilities: one is a recluse, who rarely appears, so the Commerce Association has no records; second is too ordinary, not significant enough for the Commerce Association to document deliberately; third is someone of too high status, beyond the reach of the Commerce Association; and fourth is using face-changing techniques to hide one’s identity, making them untraceable,” explained Jianqi methodically.

”Which situation do you think applies to him? Do you think his face looks like it has been altered?” Bai Ruozhu pondered, thinking about Gao Zhou’s eyes and how his appearance should perhaps be even more notable.

Jianqi shook his head, ”I observed him up close today and didn’t see any signs of face changing, but we can’t rule out the possibility that he’s using a particularly special technique that even I can’t detect.”

Bai Ruozhu stroked her chin thoughtfully, ”So is he a friend or a foe? It seems he really wants to get close to Dengdeng, could he have an ulterior motive?”

”I dare not say for certain, but it seems like he has no malice, and that he genuinely likes the young master,” Jianqi spoke in a low voice.