The little girl looked at Xu Chang'an with eyes that went from surprise to shock, finally turning into disdain and disgust.
They were eyes reserved for seeing particularly dirty things, like bugs that would dirty one's foot if stepped on.
Gu Qiancheng was deeply shocked.
Is this what a man is?
Xu Chang'an clearly has a sister at home who amazed her at first glance, yet he still comes out looking for women... and the ones he's looking for aren't even particularly pretty.
"What are you talking about." Xu Chang'an sighed, saying: "I and this lady…"
"Don't lie to me." Gu Qiancheng shook the bell at her waist, pointing at the slightly bewildered face of the Wine Lady: "Look at how she's looking at you, clearly taken with you, it must be you, this shameless man, who seduced her."
After all, she is the Little Princess of Hehuan Sect, she can manage this much.
"I..." The Wine Lady instantly blushed to her neck, no longer daring to meet Xu Chang'an's eyes, completely unsure of how to explain.
Xu Chang'an's attention was mostly focused on the little girl at the moment.
Who are you?
However.
Xu Chang'an was amazed to hear the little girl constantly calling his wife "Ms. Yun."
This child of cultivation appeared to be standing up for his wife.
His wife hadn't mentioned having good relations with this newly-arrived little girl?
In fact, given his wife's cold nature towards everyone, it would be odd for her to get along well with this fiery tempered child.
Xu Chang'an thought he didn't dislike this girl; for starters, her residence was arranged by Zhu Pingniang, so she was considered one of Zhu Pingniang's people, and the little girl seemed to be considering Yun Qian's perspective.
But Xu Chang'an indeed felt there was no need to explain to a child.
He gave the Wine Lady an apologetic glance and told the little girl she misunderstood, then turned and left the tavern just like that.
He left decisively, unconcerned about the Wine Lady facing any trouble.
The Wine Lady had once been someone from the brothel under Zhu Pingniang's command, and this little girl came specifically to buy wine... surely recommended by Zhu Pingniang, just like him.
"How could you just leave!" Gu Qiancheng stared at Xu Chang'an's back, momentarily stunned before wanting to chase after him.
"Miss, you really misunderstood." The Wine Lady promptly said.
"Misunderstood?"
"Young Master Xu's wine... is bought for Miss Yun, he's about to go home." The Wine Lady softly explained.
"You like him, right." Gu Qiancheng glanced sideways at the elegant Wine Lady.
"Yes." The Wine Lady nodded in acknowledgment: "The sisters all like Young Master Xu, but the Young Master has no interest, and we know our place."
Even though she originated from an artiste-courtesan, she was in fact despicable to the extreme; Xu Chang'an could choose not to mind her dirty body and was willing to drink her wine, which has already delighted her greatly.
Gu Qiancheng looked at the clean gaze of the Wine Lady, slightly stunned, muttering: "I misunderstood?"
"Mm."
"Do you like Miss Yun?" The Wine Lady asked.
"Ms. Yun is the most beautiful person I've ever seen, of course I like her." Gu Qiancheng snorted: "It's a shame she married a man with no prospects."
From the first glance at Ms. Yun, she felt Ms. Yun was most suitable to be her mother.
Gu Qiancheng pouted: "He's going home to get Ms. Yun drunk, then do this and that to her."
"Young Master Xu and Miss Yun are indeed husband and wife." The Wine Lady looked helplessly at the adorable teenage girl before her.
"What's so good about him, he's just a steward from the Outer Sect of Chaoyun Sect; his status is so low…" Gu Qiancheng told the Wine Lady: "Ms. Yun lacks vision, there are countless people in Chaoyun Sect who hold higher status than him."
"Is Miss a cultivator?" The Wine Lady looked at the little girl.
"Yes." Gu Qiancheng had no intention of hiding.
Having lived in Beisang City for many years, the Wine Lady had long become accustomed to cultivators; she shook her head sympathetically: "It's not just about status; to us, the Young Master is not like others."
"I disagree, though he's presentable, he's not that good-looking." Gu Qiancheng frowned: "There's a fishy smell about him, not sure what dirty things he's touched."
"People aren't so easily dirtied, even if touched by a bit of filth, it can be washed clean." The Wine Lady smiled lightly.
Gu Qiancheng didn't quite understand.
The Wine Lady pursed her lips.
If dirtied, just wash it clean; there's nothing in the world water can't clean.
These were words Xu Chang'an had said to her when she was so self-deprecating she couldn't face others.
It was Xu Chang'an who gave her the courage, allowing her to choose not to become a concubine of a wealthy merchant after redeeming herself, but rather to show herself and run a tavern.
"Miss wants Ti Yue Wine, right." The Wine Lady, having realized the little girl was a cultivator, naturally wouldn't treat her as just an ordinary child anymore.
"Mm." Gu Qiancheng looked at the Wine Lady and shook the bell on her waist: "My name is Gu Qiancheng, if Sister is free, join me for a drink."
"...Alright." The Wine Lady went to fetch the wine, then began listening to Gu Qiancheng complain, quite helplessly.
This young girl of Immortal Sect said her newly purchased mount was killed, sought out her aunt for vengeance, only to be ignored by the other party and chased out, so she came to buy some wine to drink.
Despite being of Immortal Sect, she was yet a child at heart.
No wonder her temper was so fiery at first, she had been bullied.
Not knowing who could be so heartless.
…
As the culprit for disturbing Gu Qiancheng's mood, Xu Chang'an returned home cheerfully, only to see an unexpected scene.
A bamboo chair stood in the center of the courtyard, and his wife, Yun Qian, lay on the chair with a book spread open covering her face, her curvy figure fitting the bamboo chair perfectly.
"..."
During his absence, Yun Qian had been reading the book he wrote, falling asleep alone in the courtyard.
Xu Chang'an felt a pang of guilt rise within him as he returned to the room, set the wine down, and retrieved a blanket to cover Yun Qian's body, carefully removing the book from her face.
Yun Qian wore no makeup; her lips were glistening, soft enough to make him want to take a bite.
However, watching his wife's peaceful sleeping face, Xu Chang'an did nothing; he simply brought over a small stool and quietly sat beside the bamboo chair, watching her intently.
The system had released a task for him to peacefully enjoy half a day, fully relax.
Xu Chang'an believed that at this moment, nothing brought him more peace and relaxation than watching his wife sleep.
He would certainly complete this task well.
The Great Sun was moving west.
After drinking at the Wine Lady's place, Gu Qiancheng returned to her small courtyard; she stealthily climbed a tree to peek into Xu Chang'an's courtyard.
The scene she imagined didn't occur; instead, she saw Xu Chang'an quietly keeping Yun Qian company.
Lightly humming to herself, she returned to her room to begin her daily cultivation.
"..."
Not knowing how much time had passed, as a touch of crimson dusk arose in the sky and the air took on its first coolness, Yun Qian slowly opened her eyes to see the young man beside her, her gaze devoid of surprise or delight, incredibly tranquil.
Yun Qian, groggy with sleep, asked: "How long have you been back."
"Just got back."
"Weren't you going to be gone for three months?"
"There's something I need to discuss with Miss, but it doesn't have to be now." Xu Chang'an stood: "You must be hungry, I'll go make food."
"I'm tired, want to lie down in the room for a while." Yun Qian stated.
Xu Chang'an understood, placing one arm around Yun Qian's bend of the knee, and the other supporting her slender waist, he gently lifted her from the bamboo chair.