The Grand Secretary's Pampered Wife

Chapter 45

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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

[K.Rom]

Y E L L O W S T A R

[Camille] [Linds] [Esther D.]

Xiao Liulang absolutely didn't want Gu Jiao to visit that old fox of a Dean, but this proposal had unanimously been approved by his family, namely his ‘grandaunt’.

Elderly woman: "En, one indeed ought to pay a visit."

Depressed, Xiao Liulang could only go back to the room with his blanket in hands.

Gu Jiao was rather surprised as she looked at him, saying, "Tonight, you… still want to sleep with me?"

Xiao Liulang felt a sudden burst of embarrassment, "...Wrong way."

Gu Jiao raised an eyebrow and crossed her hands over her chest wantonly, "In your six months living in the west room, not once you’ve gone the wrong way, but after sharing a room with me for three days, you suddenly don’t know the right way?"

Xiao Liulang choked up and his ears turned red. He said in a huff, "I really just took the wrong way!"

Gu Jiao calmly said, "Oh."

Xiao Liulang: "..."

Gu Jiao was true to her words. On that same night, she sorted and counted the New Year gifts she could use for bribing teachers.

Gu Xiaoshun came over for breakfast the next day. When he heard that his sister was going to take him to visit the Dean near the Hot Spring Villa, he cried out with excitement.

I’ve grown up! I’ve never been out this far!

I’ve grown up! My big sis has never taken me out before!

The truth was... If Gu Jiao didn’t take him with her, Xiao Liulang wouldn’t allow her, a young woman, to go out that far by herself.

Travelling there by oxcart was not possible. The oxcart was simply too slow that they would still be wandering on the way by the evening. Just, all the carriage rental shops in the town were currently closed, so they couldn’t hire a carriage either.

After much deliberation, Gu Jiao appeared in the Rejuvenation Hall with her younger brother.

In the face of Gu Jiao’s sudden arrival, Second Owner’s expression was somewhat indescribable, "Gu girl, do you have anything to instruct?"

Gu Jiao said, "I've thought about it. The Hot Spring Villa is indeed not far away. It takes only an hour at most to get there by carriage. Let's quickly set out. You have a carriage, don’t you?"

It was just yesterday when she was so determined to not do any house visits, how come she suddenly changed her mind in one night?

Second Owner looked at the bundle in her hands with suspicion, then he shifted his gaze towards Gu Xiaoshun, who was also holding a big bundle outside the door. He said, "Why did you bring an extra person, and these many things too? Are they all for medical treatment?"

Gu Jiao shook her head with a smile and replied, "These are New Year gifts for the Dean. I forgot to mention that my husband's Dean lives near the Hot Spring Villa. After seeing the patient, I can pay him a visit on the way!"

Second Owner nearly spurted out a mouthful of tea. I think your real goal here is to pay people a visit and seeing the patient is precisely the thing done on the way, right? Would it hurt your conscience to speak openly about wanting to freeload in my carriage?!!

Second Owner ultimately gave in.

Second Owner, Gu Jiao, Gu Xiaoshun and the old physician all got into the carriage.

The carriage travelled very fast, and in less than an hour they arrived at a residence near the Hot Spring Villa. In the horizontal inscribed board hanging high written the words “Li Residence.”

This should be the Dean's second residence.

It was said that the Dean was originally an official in the capital, but due to his mother’s serious illness, he resigned from his position, left the capital, and bought a second residence here where his mother could live out the rest of her life.

Gu Jiao took Gu Xiaoshun out of the carriage and knocked at the tightly closed courtyard gate.

A little while later, a household servant opened the gate for them. Seeing that they were two country folks in shabby clothes, the servant didn’t show any disdain and instead politely asked, "Who might you two be..."

Gu Jiao answered, "My husband and my younger brother are students of Tianxiang Academy. We have come to pay the Dean a visit."

"Ah." The servant was astonished.

"What’s the matter?" An old voice sounded from the house.

The servant hurriedly turned around and said, "Answering the Old Madame, it's the Master's students!"

The Old Madame said in a somewhat dazed voice, "Why don't you invite people in? It's bitterly cold outside. Let people come inside and have a cup of hot tea."

Although Gu Jiao had never met the Dean, the attitude of his family and servant made people feel very comfortable.

The servant fully opened the courtyard gate and said, "Two guests, please come in. My Master has gone out fishing. If fast, he may return soon, if slow, he may not return until dark. Just now, that was my Old Madame, Master's mother."

The servant took the two of them to see Old Madame Li, but when they reached Old Madame Li's bed, the other person was already fast asleep.

Old Madame Li was already quite advanced in age. Just like a baby, the time she would wake up and sleep everyday was unfixed.

"Both please come and sit in the tea room for a while, I'll bring you some tea." The servant took Gu Jiao and Gu Xiaoshun to the tea room, served them some tea and also burned some charcoal. She served them very thoughtfully, without any contempt for their humble status.

Gu Jiao sat for a while and guessed that the Dean would not be back in a short time. It also seemed that Old Madame Li wouldn’t wake up very soon, so she told the servant that she would go find the Dean herself.

The fishing area where he went wasn’t too far away, so the servant told her the way.

"I'm going too." Gu Xiaoshun said.

Gu Jiao coaxed, "If the Old Madame wakes up and finds that neither of us is here, she will worry that we have been neglected."

"Oh." With that, Gu Xiaoshun stayed obediently.

Gu Jiao went out of the residence and walked over to Second Owner's carriage.

"I thought it would take a long time." Second Owner said.

"The Dean is not here." Gu Jiao asked, "Where does the patient you mentioned live?"

"Of course, that place." Second Owner lifted his hand and pointed his finger to a direction where you could only see the end of the path. From there, you could have a direct view of the lush mountain, and the scenery at the foot of the mountain was a graceful landscape, courtyard houses arranged at random yet brought about a picturesque effect. It was the famous Hot Spring Villa of the Marquis Ding'an Estate.

Second Owner didn't introduce much about the identity of the other party, only saying that he was the youngest son of a Marquis in the capital, he was born prematurely and had suffered from Asthenia since he was born. After searching for renown physicians for so many years, his condition had never improved from beginning till now.

"That young master is about your age, and it is rumored that he won’t live till fifteen years old." Second Owner said regretfully.

"Then, he has only one year left at most?" Gu Jiao was already fourteen this year.

"Isn’t it? However, he may not even last half a year."

"Is his illness really that grave?"

Second Owner let out a sigh and nodded his head, "That’s right. Poor Marchioness, she has only this one biological son."

Although there was a twin sister before the young master, it couldn’t make up for the pain of losing the only son.

Second Owner didn’t explain to Gu Jiao the information unrelated to the patient’s illness.

While conversing, the carriage arrived at the entrance of the Hot Spring Villa.

Before them stood a huge archway with flying eaves. The words ‘Hot Spring Villa’ could be seen written in gilded characters, and on the far right side of it was a small line of cursive writing—— Marquis Ding'an Estate.

Several people got out of the carriage.

Gu Jiao stood under the magnificent archway, as small as a rabbit.

The grandeur belonging to a Marquis Estate was vividly and thoroughly displayed, and this was also just a villa under their name.

Second Owner had passed by this Hot Spring Villa many times, but this was the first time he really came here. To be honest, he was also shocked by the huge archway in front of him. What he didn't know, however, was that Gu Jiao was staring at the archway in a daze not because she was shocked, but rather, she was wondering if the gold on this archway was real.

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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 Nuan's 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.