What Bad Intentions can the Yandere Crown Prince have?-Chapter 442 - 438: Master Tao’s Innate Goodness—Tao Gu Extra (Part 4)

Chapter 442: Chapter 438: Master Tao’s Innate Goodness—Tao Gu Extra (Part 4)

The sunset shone obliquely, fragmented by the leaves, and the light and shadows in the mountains were mottled. Looking far, everything was in disarray and hard to distinguish.

"Are you sure it fell here?" Tao Fen asked as he looked around.

Gu Qinglan let out a low "hmm," and said, "After the last polo game, I only went out once on the first day of the month, which was to come here."

She then carefully described to Tao Fen, "It’s water-drop shaped, three inches long, two and a half inches wide, made of silk cotton, embroidered with a cloud pattern, with a string of twelve white beads inside, somewhat old in color—" Suddenly noticing Tao Fen turning back to look at her, his eyes fixed, her heart involuntarily panicked, "What is it?"

Tao Fen smiled, "Is it an old item? You remember it so clearly?"

Gu Qinglan felt her face heat up and nodded.

It was indeed an old item, just an old sachet, yet she cried over it here.

In his eyes, would he think she’s both spoiled and pretentious?

But Tao Fen said nothing, just turned away and continued looking.

Gu Qinglan took a few steps forward, hesitated for a moment, and explained, "It’s an old item given by my mother!"

Tao Fen suddenly stopped, looked back at her, smiled again, and nodded, "Alright!" and continued to search.

Gu Qinglan felt even more embarrassed.

Her mother was perfectly fine at home, yet she treated the old sachet given by her mother as a treasure.

Isn’t it odd?

She couldn’t help but speculate if that glance from Tao Fen meant he already guessed something?

But he said nothing, asked nothing.

Gu Qinglan’s mind was in chaos, so much so that she forgot to keep searching for the sachet, only following behind Tao Fen, asking, "Why don’t you ask why I’m here alone?"

Tao Fen looked back at her with a somewhat helpless smile, "Miss Gu, would you like to recall? I did ask this question."

Gu Qinglan suddenly blushed.

Oh...

He already asked; it was she who didn’t answer.

"I... it’s because my family doesn’t allow me to go out..." Gu Qinglan whispered.

Tao Fen suddenly stopped again, looked back at her, and his smile faded away.

Every time Gu Qinglan saw him, he was always smiling, and his sudden stern expression revealed a fierce aura, which scared Gu Qinglan into silence.

Then Tao Fen restrained himself a bit and asked calmly, "Why doesn’t your family let you out?"

Gu Qinglan said, "Recently, things have been unstable in the capital, and my family worries it’s not safe for me to go out..." Her eyes dimmed, "It’s just an old item, and there’s no one who thinks it’s worth noticing..."

In fact, Tao Fen didn’t understand why she placed such importance on it either.

But for a young lady to value it so much, she must have her reasons, and Tao Fen didn’t want to ask more; finding it was all he needed to do.

However—

"It’s already late, and you left home secretly. If someone sees you, I won’t be able to explain," Tao Fen pondered, "How about this? I’ll take you back first and then help you find your item."

Gu Qinglan looked at the setting sun, knowing he made sense, so she nodded gratefully and said, "Thank you... You’re truly a good person."

Tao Fen laughed heartily, thinking he had received so much praise today that he couldn’t help but want to give Yuwen Hao a piece of his mind for the young lady’s sake.

"My uncle is visiting friends in Chongren Village today. Could I trouble Master Tao to send me to Chongren Village?" Gu Qinglan said again.

Tao Fen, being an outsider, wouldn’t be appropriate to take her directly home.

She couldn’t explain herself if she went back alone either.

It would be better to have her uncle cover for her.

Such a reasonable request, Tao Fen agreed wholeheartedly, and added, "Chuchu is nearby, listening to books at the tea house. She came by carriage, I’ll let her take you to your uncle—"

"No!" Gu Qinglan refused immediately.

Tao Fen looked back at her.

In the dim twilight, the young lady’s face was tense, full of resistance, and seeing him turn back, she reiterated emphatically again: "No need to trouble Miss Zhong, I can go back myself!"

Tao Fen shook his head with a laugh, "What grudge do you have against our Chuchu?"

"None!" After answering, Gu Qinglan suddenly glanced at him, with eyes seemingly unwilling, "You... you and Miss Zhong... when are you getting married?"

"Next year!" Tao Fen answered straightforwardly, "Next spring, I will take the Ministry of Personnel exam, and if I can attain the rank of jinshi, Chuchu won’t be wronged."

Gu Qinglan was taken aback.

Tao Fen, with his towering physique and gallant demeanor, looked more like a warrior. She hadn’t realized that he was also one of the top students at Huntian Academy, no less learned than her cousin Gu Hui.

Moreover, she had heard Cousin Tang mention that Tao Fen used to practice martial arts, and had only studied for three to five years before being admitted to the top class of the academy, which showed his diligence.

Giving up martial arts to study seemed to be for an important goal—

Gu Qinglan looked at him complexly and softly said, "Master Tao’s affection for Miss Zhong is evident..."

Tao Fen chuckled and said, "Years ago, I accidentally injured Chuchu, almost causing her to die. Even though she survived, she’s suffered from ailments for years. Of course, I must take responsibility. She’s also an orphan, with no one to rely on, so I might as well take care of her for a lifetime."

Gu Qinglan listened and was silent for a long while before faintly saying, "You really are a good person."

Tao Fen felt the words sounded somewhat sarcastic, but couldn’t pinpoint the source of this tone, so he smiled and continued to lead her down the hill.

The two walked in silence, one behind the other.

As they approached the temple gate, Gu Qinglan suddenly asked again, "What if she betrays you?"

Tao Fen turned back in surprise, "Who? Who betrays me?"

Gu Qinglan suddenly lowered her head and said nothing.

Tao Fen then realized and couldn’t help but laugh, "Are you talking about Chuchu?"

Fifth Miss Gu continued to lower her head in silence.

Tao Fen said, "If Miss Gu has any evidence, you can show it directly, and Tao will judge it himself. But if not, Tao will not suspect Chuchu based on mere rumors."

Gu Qinglan remained silent, her head down the entire way, as if she had done something wrong, with an attitude of accepting any punishment.

Until she saw Zhong Chuchu.

Zhong Chuchu was called out from the tea house, her face still full of reluctance.

Seeing her, Tao Fen couldn’t help but scold her, "It’s getting dark, don’t tell me you wouldn’t know to go home unless I called you?"

Zhong Chuchu defended herself, "Why wouldn’t I? When the storyteller finishes, I go home, don’t I?" Then, with a sidelong glance, she noticed the young lady behind Tao Fen.

"This..." Zhong Chuchu blinked, without revealing Gu Qinglan’s identity, just gave Tao Fen a teasing look, "Where did you pick up this little girl?"

Gu Qinglan suddenly stepped forward, stating seriously, "I was accidentally lost outside, and luckily Mr. Tao passed by and kindly brought me here!"

She spoke so solemnly and seriously, fearing any misunderstanding.

Zhong Chuchu smiled and asked, "Do you need me to help send her home?"

Tao Fen explained the arrangement that was previously agreed upon to Zhong Chuchu and was particularly attentive to Gu Qinglan’s reaction while speaking.

Gu Qinglan kept her head down, without voicing any objection.

But Zhong Chuchu did object, "Why send her to her uncle’s place? Can’t I directly take her home? Just say she was with me today listening to books and having tea, isn’t that fine?"

Gu Qinglan was stunned.

She looked up, only to see Zhong Chuchu’s eyes filled with indifference.

...

"Rest assured! I’m not interested in your uncle!"

Gu Qinglan hadn’t expected the question she didn’t dare to ask would be so casually answered by Zhong Chuchu.