Chapter 4

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Li Shuyao felt so overwhelmed with guilt that she almost forgot the purpose of her visit. She raised her hand to cover her face and cried even more deeply. Guo Luoluo Qingyao was at a loss for how to comfort her. After standing there dazed for a moment, she snapped out of it and quickly moved closer to Li Shuyao, wrapping her arms gently around her and softly shaking her while lowering her voice to soothe her, “Big sister, please stop crying…”

“Did I say something wrong just now? But… but I didn’t say anything. Was it the cabinet you didn’t like? Or the earrings? It can’t be… it can’t be that you don’t like silver, right?” Guo Luoluo Qingyao’s guesses grew more and more absurd.

Li Shuyao was speechless.

She was still deeply immersed in overwhelming guilt, the sourness in her throat spreading constantly, choking her so she couldn’t utter a word. Only two clear tears kept falling down her cheeks.

She found herself inexplicably strange, having come over to apologize to Guo Luoluo Qingyao but ending up the one being comforted.

And the one who actually made the mistake was the “Li Shuyao” in the book, not her. So why was she feeling guilty?

How pretentious of her.

With that thought, she finally broke free from the crushing guilt, took a deep breath, and tried hard to suppress the sourness in her throat. Just then, unexpectedly, she heard Guo Luoluo Qingyao murmuring beside her ear, “…It can’t be that you don’t like silver, right?”

Li Shuyao suddenly lifted her head. “That’s not it at all!”

“I’m not an idiot. Who doesn’t love silver?”

Guo Luoluo Qingyao’s eyes widened. “So you think half is too little?”

Only then did Li Shuyao realize something was wrong. Their conversation had suddenly galloped wildly into an entirely unknown territory.

She blinked twice, more tears falling down her cheeks. She wiped them away casually and hoarsely asked, “Half of what?”

Guo Luoluo Qingyao blinked too, then said, “Weren’t you crying because I only gave you half the silver?”

Li Shuyao was at a loss. “No, I was crying because of guilt. I feel like you’ve been so good to me, and I scolded you so harshly yesterday. That was really wrong of me.”

Guo Luoluo Qingyao suddenly remembered the two sentences Li Shuyao had said before crying and immediately understood. “So that’s how it is.”

Li Shuyao continued, “Yes, and didn’t I say right when I came in, I’m here to apologize to you.”

Guo Luoluo Qingyao explained, “But I also said, big sister, you don’t have to apologize to me at all.”

“And I actually think what you said was quite right. It’s really me who is at fault. If it weren’t for me, the person the emperor favored now should have been you.”

She said this with a sincere expression as if from the bottom of her heart. Li Shuyao instantly believed her.

—Because she originally did believe it.

In the novel, it was written that “Li Shuyao’s” death was the trigger for Guo Luoluo Qingyao’s dark turn. After Wu Yashi killed her, Guo Luoluo Qingyao secretly investigated the culprit. She spent over half a year ruling out most palace maids in the Qianqing Palace before finally suspecting Wu Yashi.

After multiple tests, Guo Luoluo Qingyao was almost certain that even if Wu Yashi wasn’t the direct murderer, she was deeply involved. Without hesitation, she spent decades avenging “Li Shuyao.”

How could such a kind-hearted girl become the “villain”?

Li Shuyao felt extremely uncomfortable reading this. Yet the comment section was full of praise for Wu Yashi’s decisiveness and ruthlessness, so she couldn’t even find a chance to criticize.

If it weren’t for the fact that the cannon fodder shared her name, she would have abandoned the novel long ago!

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No, abandoning the novel wasn’t enough—she should report the author for having “distorted values”!

…

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Li Shuyao puffed up her cheeks unhappily and grumbled, “The emperor favors you because you’re beautiful and charming, with a face like a blooming flower and a moonlit night; your grace and beauty, your elegant posture, your radiant looks, your charm and allure—all of that, yes, and your exquisite beauty, so exquisite it’s almost edible!” She rattled off several idioms, using every bit of knowledge she had.

After a pause, Li Shuyao continued, “So it’s your own qualities that make the emperor like you. If it were me, the emperor wouldn’t favor me at all.”

Otherwise, why would he have been especially angry when “Li Shuyao” climbed into bed, ordering her to be beaten to death?

Hearing Li Shuyao’s choice of words, Guo Luoluo Qingyao could hardly keep the smile off her face. Her dark eyes sparkled as she leaned closer, looking both surprised and delighted. “Really?”

Li Shuyao nodded. “Of course it’s true!”

“Big sister really thinks I’m beautiful?” Guo Luoluo Qingyao couldn’t help but ask again for confirmation.

Li Shuyao instinctively sensed something odd, tilting her head to look at the lovely girl beside her. “Why don’t you ask the emperor?”

Guo Luoluo Qingyao blinked. “I’ll definitely ask the emperor, but I also need to hear it from you to feel reassured.”

Reassured? About what?

Li Shuyao was puzzled but followed the topic, “I obviously think you’re beautiful too.”

At these words, Guo Luoluo Qingyao’s smile brightened even more.

Happily, she shook her little feet for a while, then leaned close again. “Say it again, say it again.”

Who doesn’t like to be praised?

She especially loved praise from Sister Shuyao.

Li Shuyao was speechless.

Fearing that this girl would be overjoyed to the point of floating away, she pressed her lips tightly and refused to say another word no matter how much Guo Luoluo Qingyao begged.

Guo Luoluo Qingyao had to give up reluctantly.

Just then, Ling Luo brought in two cups of clear tea and several plates of snacks.

Guo Luoluo Qingyao reluctantly separated from Li Shuyao, pulled out the small table on the couch, and they quietly ate the snacks for a while.

These snacks were specially crafted by the Qianqing Palace imperial kitchen to suit Guo Luoluo Qingyao’s taste. They were delicately shaped, sweet but not greasy. Li Shuyao, still hungry, ate more than half a plate before stopping.

Seeing how much she enjoyed the food, Guo Luoluo Qingyao soon put down her silver fork by the tray’s edge, propping her chin on her hand and watching Li Shuyao eat with a serious expression.

Li Shuyao felt a bit embarrassed.

Putting down her fork awkwardly, she asked, “Did I… eat too much?”

Guo Luoluo Qingyao shook her head quickly. “Not at all. Ling Luo is still preparing more—about five or six more plates. Eat as much as you can, and if you can’t finish, take some back to share with Yue Shu and Ling Ru and the others.” Then she lowered her voice, speaking mysteriously, “But remember, don’t give any to Lian Chu. I don’t really like her!”

Li Shuyao was suddenly startled, feeling like she had stumbled upon a juicy secret. The snack in her hand suddenly lost its appeal. She couldn’t help but ask repeatedly, “What’s wrong with her?”

Guo Luoluo Qingyao hesitated, unsure whether to reveal the friction between her and Wu Yashi to Li Shuyao. After all, in her impression, Sister Shuyao and Wu Yashi had a good relationship. If she said it, would Shuyao think she was stirring up trouble?

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But if she didn’t say anything, what if Wu Yashi bullied Shuyao later on?

After much hesitation, Guo Luoluo Qingyao decided to test the waters first.

She asked Li Shuyao, “So, what do you think of Lian Chu? How is she usually?”

Li Shuyao answered without hesitation, “The original green tea, the queen of white lotuses.”

Guo Luoluo Qingyao was speechless.

What was Sister Shuyao talking about? She didn’t understand.

Seeing Guo Luoluo Qingyao’s confused expression, Li Shuyao thoughtfully explained, “It means she’s very good at acting. On the surface, she looks like a pure, innocent white lotus, but behind the scenes, she’s filthy and dark mud. Her thoughts are very deep and evil.”

But Guo Luoluo Qingyao still didn’t get it.

Li Shuyao had to rummage through the original owner’s memories and gave several examples.

Guo Luoluo Qingyao finally grasped a little and pondered, “I understand white lotus, but what does green tea mean?”

Li Shuyao was at a loss.

She realized she couldn’t explain it.

The two stared at each other for a long moment.

Finally, Guo Luoluo Qingyao looked away, thinking that it was probably a new phrase Sister Shuyao made up, and didn’t ask further.

The topic finally returned to normal.

Guo Luoluo Qingyao had prepared in her mind and then slowly recounted several experiences she had while working with Wu Yashi. Although these incidents weren’t very serious, they made Guo Luoluo Qingyao feel a little uneasy.

For example, once when they went to the Imperial Household Department to collect some items, they saw that a stern and sharp-tongued lead eunuch was in charge. Wu Yashi would stand behind Guo Luoluo Qingyao, claiming she was new and should go first. When it was Guo Luoluo Qingyao’s turn, Wu Yashi would quietly step aside. After Guo Luoluo Qingyao had collected her things and returned, Wu Yashi would use the excuse of an urgent matter to ask if Guo Luoluo Qingyao could give her the items so she could go collect a new set.

Another time, a palace maid asked Wu Yashi about something. Wu Yashi asked Guo Luoluo Qingyao for the answer, and Guo Luoluo Qingyao gave a clear response. But Wu Yashi remembered it wrong and gave the maid incorrect information. When the maid made a mistake and was questioned, Wu Yashi acted innocent and said she was only relaying what Guo Luoluo Qingyao told her.

Her expression was so pure and innocent that Guo Luoluo Qingyao momentarily couldn’t tell if she had really said something wrong, causing the maid to be unfairly punished…

“These are really trivial matters, but after so many times, I just feel that Lian Chu isn’t very trustworthy,” Guo Luoluo Qingyao said solemnly, furrowing her brows.

Li Shuyao nodded repeatedly as she listened.

Right, right, Wu Yashi was no good friend—more like a secret enemy.

She declared that from now on, Guo Luoluo Qingyao would be her best ally—no, her best friend!

With that thought, she smiled at Guo Luoluo Qingyao, her eyes curved like a bright, clear crescent moon.