The little heroine investigates a mysterious case

Chapter 411 Familiar Taste

Wu Yulan couldn't resist reaching out and poking Zhao Xuan on the forehead.

"You're just as troublesome as you were when you were little!"

Then, Wu Yulan looked at Gu Zhanghua and kindly made a suggestion.

"Your Highness, look how sleepy she is... Why don't you accompany Xuan'er to my room to rest for a while?"

Gu Zhanghua nodded.

"That would be wonderful, thank you for your help, Aunt Lan."

Qin Chuyun hurriedly said, "Brother-in-law, I'll take you there."

"Alright, I'll tell the servants something and then I'll be there in a bit."

Wu Yulan smiled and nodded.

After turning down a long corridor and passing through a moon gate, Gu Zhanghua and Zhao Xuan followed Qin Chuyun and soon arrived at Wu Yulan's bedroom.

The bedroom was simple and elegant. As soon as Qin Chuyun entered the room, he quickly spread out the pillows and bedding.

Zhao Xuan lay sprawled on the bed, her feet, still wearing shoes, dangling over the edge, completely disregarding her appearance.

Qin Chuyun stepped forward to help Zhao Xuan take off her shoes, but Gu Zhanghua stopped him in time.

"Don't spoil your sister. She's not really sleeping; she's just taking a break. Let her be."

Qin Chuyun withdrew his hand, not insisting, and asked Gu Zhanghua with a smile.

"Brother-in-law, would you like some tea? I'll go pour you a cup."

"Thank you for your help, Yunmei."

Qin Chuyun walked to a table and touched the teapot.

"Brother-in-law, the tea is getting a little cold. I'll go get a hot one and be right back."

Qin Chuyun walked out of the bedroom as she spoke. Gu Zhanghua sat on the edge of the bed, turned to look at Zhao Xuan, and couldn't help but take off Zhao Xuan's shoes.

"Aren't you uncomfortable lying like this? Why don't you get some sleep..."

Qin Chuyun quickly returned with a pot of hot tea. Seeing that Gu Zhanghua had just helped Zhao Xuan take off her shoes and lifted her legs onto the bed, he couldn't help but laugh and tease her.

"Brother-in-law, you were just telling me not to spoil my sister, but it turns out you want to spoil her yourself!"

Zhao Xuan rolled over on the bed, smelling the scent of the bedding, and suddenly put her head on Gu Zhanghua's lap, looking up at him.

"Xiao Wu, I want to sleep with Aunt Lan tonight."

Before Gu Zhanghua could answer, Qin Chuyun, who was carrying a teacup, walked over with an excited expression.

"Okay, okay, I'll be happy to hear that! If I'm not comfortable with it, you can sleep with me, sister!"

Gu Zhanghua smiled helplessly.

"You've arranged everything, how could I possibly disagree?"

Zhao Xuan smiled and said, "Yes! You may disagree, but it's just a suggestion."

Don't you think you're becoming increasingly domineering?

"Haven't I always been like this?"

Zhao Xuan rolled over in bed, suddenly realizing the truth.

"Now I finally understand what it means to be spoiled and arrogant. Compared to my mother, I'm nothing but a small fry!"

Gu Zhanghua smiled but remained silent, though he knew perfectly well what was going on in his mind.

Ever since Zhao Xuan learned the truth about the attack on the mission, she has been depressed. She has a deep bond with her master and finds it hard to accept such a heartbreaking truth.

Wu Yulan was a perfect place for Gu Zhanghua to express his longing for his master, so how could he refuse?

Gu Zhanghua stroked Zhao Xuan's hair and said softly, "As long as Aunt Lan doesn't find you annoying, it's fine for you to stay a couple more days."

At this moment, Wu Yulan finished her chores in the mansion and came in. Qin Chuyun hurriedly stepped forward.

"Young lady, I want to sleep with you tonight and not go back to the manor. Is that alright with you?"

Wu Yulan subconsciously replied, "Okay!"

But then he quickly cast a questioning look at Gu Zhanghua.

Gu Zhanghua laughed and said, "I have no objection, it's just that she doesn't sleep well, she likes to kick off the covers, and she also likes to put her legs on other people..."

As Wu Yulan listened, she suddenly burst out laughing.

“Your Highness, I have been serving the young lady since she was a child. How could I not know what you are talking about? I just didn’t expect that she would still have those childhood habits after all these years! Please rest assured, I am a light sleeper and I will take good care of Xuan’er.”

"Of course I believe you will take good care of her, I'm just worried that you might get hurt by her..."

Gu Zhanghua touched his nose and smiled.

Qin Chuyun's eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Gu Zhanghua and then at Zhao Xuan, who was yawning.

"She'll get accidentally injured? My sister practices martial arts even while she's asleep? That's incredibly diligent!"

"Don't listen to your brother-in-law's nonsense! I like to kick off the covers when I sleep, and if I think he's the blanket, I'll kick him. Isn't that normal?"

Zhao Xuan's explanation was worse than no explanation at all; Qin Chuyun instantly realized the truth.

"I understand, this is what they call the pleasures of the boudoir!"

Zhao Xuan and Gu Zhanghua both coughed twice, embarrassed, to cover up their awkwardness.

Wu Yulan pulled Qin Chuyun aside and quickly changed the subject.

"Yun'er, why don't you sleep with your sister and me tonight? The three of us can have a good talk. Your sister is going on a mission to the Song Kingdom in a couple of days, and we don't know when she'll be back."

Qin Chuyun clapped his hands excitedly.

“That’s great! My sister has traveled all over the country and must have encountered many interesting things. Let her tell us about them.”

The four chatted for a while longer before Gu Zhanghua got up to take his leave.

Zhao Xuan saw Gu Zhanghua to the door, feeling a little reluctant to part, and gently shook Gu Zhanghua's arm.

"I don't know what happened just now? Lying in bed, smelling the bedding, it felt so much like when I was little, sleeping in the same bed with my master. She was holding me, and I was lying in her arms, smelling her scent. It was so familiar and comforting... and I just didn't want to leave..."

“I understand. You can settle in comfortably and don’t worry about me. I’ll go back to the manor, read a book in the study for a while, and then go to sleep. I’ll come to pick you up early tomorrow morning. If you don’t want to go back yet, you can stay one more night.”

"Xiao Wu is the best!"

Zhao Xuan kissed Gu Zhanghua on the cheek before the two reluctantly parted.

Zhao Xuan returned to her bedroom, while Qin Chuyun had already gone to his own room to wash up.

Wu Yulan instructed her maids to place a bucket of hot water in her bedroom's side room. Seeing Zhao Xuan return, she smiled and waved to her.

"Xuan'er, come quick, the water temperature is just right."

"Aunt Lan, I can wash it myself..."

"You come here when I tell you to, are you being disobedient again? Why are you still like a child? Giving you a bath is such a hassle! Don't you feel comfortable sleeping smelling nice after a bath? You're always covered in mud..."

Zhao Xuan couldn't help but chuckle as she listened to Wu Yulan's rambling. Wu Yulan then realized what she had said and laughed along with her.

Xuan'er has grown up, and Zhao Xiaoman has passed away, but Wu Yulan still misses the old days.

Zhao Xuan was soaking in warm water when Wu Yulan gently wiped her back with a wet cloth.

Zhao Xuan was about to tell Wu Yulan about her childhood memories when she heard Wu Yulan's soft sobbing behind her, which startled her.

"Aunt Lan? Are you missing my master?"

Zhao Xuan asked tentatively.

“Yes…” Wu Yulan choked up, “I remember once when I was helping Miss take a bath, I mentioned that I wanted to buy a pretty hairpin, and later Miss bought me a jade hairpin, it was very beautiful… She was so indifferent to her own affairs, but I just casually mentioned it, and she remembered it…”

"Is that hairpin still there?"

Zhao Xuan asked in a hoarse voice.