Time Travel: The Best Doctor in Ancient Times

Chapter 357: Chapter 231: The Gaze of Shang Xie_2 Chapter 357: Chapter 231: The Gaze of Shang Xie_2 Yuan Bao caught sight of Gu Changsheng from a distance and rushed over with a face full of excitement, bombarding her with questions, “Lady Changsheng, the boy who came to deliver the message said you’re going to acknowledge Mr. Ban Shan as your foster father and you’ve invited our master to the ceremony, is that true? You really managed to invite Mr. Ban Shan and he agreed to take you as his foster daughter?”

Facing Yuan Bao’s barrage of questions, Gu Changsheng sighed helplessly, “If I hadn’t invited him, what ceremony would you be here to witness? Are you just pretending to be clueless?”

After saying this, Gu Changsheng’s gaze shifted to Zhou Mu, who was looking at her with deep affection; she ignored the love in his eyes and let out a cold snort of disdain, pointing at him, “You evildoer dare to play mind games with me, speaking in half-truths, don’t you feel choked by holding back?”

“If it weren’t for my quick wits, I might have really been stumped by the foster father. You’re pushing me to commit the great indecency of lashing out at my foster father!”

“How could my love not handle even such a trivial matter? I have great confidence in my love,” Zhou Mu said with a smile, unfazed by Gu Changsheng’s accusation, as he took her hand and led her toward the back courtyard.

“You have confidence, but I’m really anxious!” Gu Changsheng muttered as she was pulled forward.

Heavens knew she had been truly nervous at that time; who knew what Mr. Ban Shan would ask?

“All right, shall I not apologize to you right here? Will that not do?” Zhou Mu said, affectionately stroking her hair with a gentle, spring-breeze-like smile on his face.

“Hmph!” Gu Changsheng huffed unappreciatively, turning her head away.

Zhou Mu shook his head at this and changed the subject, “Have all the items needed for the ceremony been properly prepared? Have you had someone prepare the filial shoes, socks, robes, and hats for the teacher?”

“Uncle Song has already gone to take care of these things. Being a meticulous man himself, and with Little Monk Bu Jie there to remind him, there likely won’t be any oversights,” Gu Changsheng remarked, her tone suddenly became much more serious.

Ancients valued rituals; such secular ceremonies were seen as extremely important, even by Gu Changsheng, especially for the matter of acknowledging Mr. Ban Shan as her foster father.

Having lacked a father’s love for two lifetimes, now that she finally had the opportunity to fulfill her desire, how could she not cherish it?

“That’s good!” Zhou Mu then nodded.

“It’s just that the foster father doesn’t like pomp and show, otherwise, I would definitely host a grand feast, setting up hundreds of banquet tables in celebration. Evildoer, I now have a father. If you dare to bully me in the future, I’ll have a place to complain!” Gu Changsheng’s eyes and brows beamed with laughter, her mood utterly radiant.

“Ha ha! Good! But I won’t give you a chance to complain…”

The two left together, leaving Zhou Zongbao and Yuan Bao in disarray amidst the autumn breeze.

The wind blew the curtains hanging from the corridor, striking against their bodies and making their silhouettes appear even more desolate.

“Yuan Bao, don’t you feel like they’re the real family, and we’re just extra?” Zhou Zongbao said pitifully.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Bao nodded his head vigorously, like a pecking chick, and empathetically said, “Every time those two are together, they create their own world, completely ignoring everyone else. Yuan Bao always becomes an overlooked invisible presence. Your Highness, I also feel superfluous…woe is me!”

Zhou Zongbao looked sorrowfully at their departing figures and spoke passionately, “We’re both down on our luck in this world, especially me. I raised Little Wood all by myself, playing both father and mother, and now I’m treated like an ungrateful dog, forgotten by a son the moment he takes a wife!”

Yuan Bao, sympathizing with Zhou Zongbao, suddenly remembered what Lady Changsheng had said: comparison brings contentment.

Compared to His Highness Prince Bao, he immediately felt better!

There’s nothing worse, only worse still; between the two, His Highness Prince Bao was indeed the most wretched!

Realizing this, Yuan Bao’s mood brightened as if clouds had parted after a storm.

Zhou Zongbao looked at Yuan Bao, baffled by how his mood had improved in the blink of an eye, and said, “Why are you suddenly in good spirits? Must be some happy thought? Come on, share it with me, let me have some joy too!”

“Mr. Ban Shan has joined the Gu Residence, and he even acknowledged Gu Changsheng as his foster daughter. Knowing that that Mother Tigress respects Mr. Ban Shan, she has been even more arrogant, and now she’s bolder than ever. Young Master, I dread the thought of having to live with them in the future; it really makes me feel awful.”

Yuan Bao felt deep sympathy for Zhou Zongbao, but he certainly wasn’t foolish enough to reveal how he found equilibrium from his situation.

If His Highness Prince Bao found out, wouldn’t he chase him around the courtyard beating him?

Smart as he was, Yuan Bao wouldn’t commit such a foolish act.

“Your Highness, let’s go check how the preparations in the main hall are coming along, we can’t just wander aimlessly in the corridors when there’s nothing else to do!” Yuan Bao kindly steered the conversation in another direction to distract Zhou Zongbao from his gloom.

However, Zhou Zongbao clearly wasn’t in the mood to cooperate, “Don’t mention it. The whole day, Shang Xie has been mumbling to himself, and the way he looks at people is sharp like a knife, kind of hair-raising. With him in the main hall, I’d rather not go there and make myself uncomfortable.”

“How could that be? Little Monk Bu Jie is always amiable and easy to get along with; how could he look at someone with a knife-like gaze? Your Highness, you’re overthinking it.” Yuan Bao hurriedly explained, having quite a fondness for Little Monk Bu Jie, because he always knew in advance when Yuan Bao was coming, hehe…

“Would I lie to you? Shang Xie has been off all day today, his gaze peculiar when looking at people. Ever since that Mother Tigress invited Mr. Ban Shan to the house, Shang Xie’s gaze has become even more unusual. You didn’t see the way he looked at Gu Changsheng; how to put it, it was full of scrutiny and investigation.” Zhou Zongbao whispered to Yuan Bao in a hushed tone, “I have a feeling something is about to happen; you know the Secret Sect is always very mystic!”