Chapter 17

Chapter 17

On the other side, Xie Licheng had already arrived at Gu Zhangyuan's courtyard.

Xie Licheng had changed into the new clothes Gu Zhangyuan had given him. After this long period of rest and recuperation, Xie Licheng's vitality had not only improved, but his weight had also increased significantly compared to before.

When Xie Licheng first transmigrated over, he weighed only a pitiful 53 kilograms. Now he weighed 60 kilograms.

For his height, 60 kilograms was still too thin.

However, because he had been even thinner before, he looked much better now than he did back then.

Based on Xie Licheng's current rate of weight gain, another month or so of nourishment should bring him up to a normal level.

He not only ate at the Gu family's dining hall, but he would also give himself extra meals when he returned to his pocket world.

Fish, rabbit, pork, beef, lamb... he kept replenishing himself without pause.

The original owner of this body hadn't become thin due to illness, but purely from starvation.

Thinness like that was still easy to build back up.

With good food in his diet, plenty of milk, and enough exercise, his weight naturally went up in leaps and bounds.

Xie Licheng had changed into clean new clothes, which further accentuated his tall and lean figure.

He stood up straight—he was very tall, and his build was quite attractive.

His shoulders were broad, his limbs long and slender, and he didn't quite look like a typical Central Plains man.

Gu Zhangyuan looked at him and asked, "Why would you think to send me a dead rabbit?"

Holding the little wolf cub, Xie Licheng blinked his eyes, then wore a look of feigned innocence and said, "Young Master, that wasn't a dead rabbit—it was a live one that your servant caught. I thought rabbit meat was delicious and nourishing, so I wanted to give it to you to help build up your health."

Hearing Xie Licheng's answer, Yuan Qiao, who was standing nearby, chuckled softly. He thought this man was a total blockhead—the Young Master's question clearly hadn't meant that at all.

But Gu Zhangyuan didn't laugh. He still felt that Xie Licheng was playing dumb.

He motioned with his hand toward Xie Licheng, gesturing for him to bring the little wolf over for a look.

Seeing this, Xie Licheng didn't overthink it. He carried the wolf cub over to Gu Zhangyuan.

To make it easier for the seated Gu Zhangyuan to examine it, he even went down on one knee before Gu Zhangyuan with a respectful expression.

Gu Zhangyuan's gaze slowly trailed over him, then landed on the little wolf in his arms.

He said in surprise, "This little critter—when you hold it, it's especially well-behaved. It doesn't look fierce at all; it's even trembling slightly."

But when it came to his hands, the little creature seemed to know who was easy to bully—it either tried to bite him or lunged at him to scratch him.

Just like now, the moment he reached out to touch its wolf head, it opened its mouth as if to take a bite at him.

Hearing this, Xie Licheng replied, "Beasts have spiritual awareness. Like people, they push around the gentle and fear the fierce."

Gu Zhangyuan found this a bit amusing.

"You mean to say, I'm gentle, and you're fierce?"

Xie Licheng's lowered eyes flickered. He did indeed think Gu Zhangyuan was kind and he himself was cruel.

But he couldn't admit that now, or his honest-man persona would collapse.

Xie Licheng thought for a moment, then answered unhurriedly, "Not exactly. It should be that the Young Master is strikingly beautiful, and your voice is so gentle and kind. This little brute feels your gentleness, so it isn't afraid of you at heart. As for me, I've caught them before and hunted other wild beasts, so I carry the scent of blood on me. Naturally, they find me frightening, which is why they act so tame in my hands."

Gu Zhangyuan said, "Alright then, you hold it for me and let me give it a good petting."

This little pup was quite adorable, just a bit too fierce in temper.

Hearing this, Xie Licheng blinked his eyes. He instinctively looked up at Gu Zhangyuan, then gripped the little wolf as instructed.

Yuan Qiao, who was attending nearby, secretly smiled and filed out one after the other with Xuan Cui.

As soon as the two were outside, Yuan Qiao whispered, "Young Master, has he really set his heart on that horse slave?"

Xuan Cui glanced back cautiously, and only after confirming their voices couldn't be heard inside did she place her hand over her lips and whisper back.

"I'm not entirely sure either. I think... it's more curiosity than affection. That horse slave is coarse-looking and scrawny—the Young Master's standards can't be that low."

Even if there was a bit of fondness, it would definitely be for his pretty face, not for the man himself.

Yuan Qiao said, "I think so too. A beauty as precious as gold and jade like our Young Master would fancy a gentleman of noble birth, not some vulgar stable boy."

With that, the two decided to walk a bit further away, so as not to spoil the Young Master's moment.

Having watched him over this time, they had come to trust Xie Licheng, this horse slave, a little more.

Of course, the reason they dared to step away at this moment was not only their trust in Xie Licheng, but also their trust in their Young Master.

Their Young Master was no ordinary pampered youth—he knew a little kung fu.

Moreover, the Young Master had called for him himself, and had even allowed him inside his room.

The Young Master must have some feelings for him, so there was no need for them to worry too much.

Then, just as they were walking further away, a rather sharp voice suddenly came from the courtyard entrance.

The owner of the voice was Gu Tinghe. He had just arrived when he was stopped by the servants at the entrance to Gu Zhangyuan's courtyard.

Seeing this, Gu Tinghe became even more convinced that Gu Zhangyuan was up to something shady.

He started making a fuss, "I want to see my elder brother! I'm his own blood brother—I can walk in whenever I want!"

The servant at the door tried to stop him, but Gu Tinghe cracked his whip at him.

That servant was an ordinary lad, not like Gu Tinghe, who was always getting into fights.

Struck by the whip, he immediately clutched his face and started crying.

Hearing the commotion, Xuan Cui and Yuan Qiao hurried toward the courtyard entrance.

They saw Gu Tinghe striking someone and came charging in from outside.

Xuan Cui frowned and scolded, "Little Master, this is the Eldest Young Master's courtyard! What gives you the right to strike people?!"

Gu Tinghe didn't so much as look at her. He shoved Yuan Qiao aside as she tried to stop him, and rushed headlong toward Gu Zhangyuan's bedchamber.

Gu Zhangyuan wasn't in his bedroom—he was in his study, teasing the little wolf alongside Xie Licheng.

The wolf cub was restrained by Xie Licheng, too scared to bite or scratch, and could only gaze at Xie Licheng with a pitiful expression.

Xie Licheng looked at its pitiful appearance and couldn't help but think to himself: Getting petted by such a heavenly beauty—he hasn't bullied you or hit you, so what's there for you, a little wolf cub, to feel wronged about?

Gu Zhangyuan tapped the wolf cub's head and suddenly noticed the scar on Xie Licheng's forehead.

He asked, "By the way, last time my younger brother hurt you, have your injuries healed?"

Xie Licheng: "All healed. I'm a tough guy with thick skin—I've been fully healed for a while now."

Gu Zhangyuan stood up, walked to the dressing table, and found a jar of scar-removing ointment.

"Here, take this. Remember to apply it every morning and evening—it can remove the scars on your body."

That kind of ointment sounded super expensive, and Xie Licheng felt it wasn't necessary to give it to him.

He was just a rugged guy, covered in scars all over. It wouldn't even get rid of that many, and giving it to him would just be wasting something so precious.

Xie Licheng didn't take it, but instead lowered his head and said to Gu Zhangyuan, "Thanks, Young Master, but I'm just a lowly criminal slave. You should keep something this precious for yourself."

Hearing this, Gu Zhangyuan didn't get angry, but walked over to him, looking curious.

"You obviously don't see yourself as lowly, so why do you say that about yourself?"

Xie Licheng wasn't flustered when he heard this question. He knew he must have slipped up and shown some hints earlier, or Gu Zhangyuan wouldn't have said that out of nowhere.

Just as he was figuring out how to respond, the door to the room they were in was kicked open.

The one who kicked the door open was none other than Gu Tinghe, who'd been looking all over for Gu Zhangyuan.

Gu Tinghe kicked the door open and saw the horse slave kneeling on one knee before Gu Zhangyuan.

Seeing that the horse slave had not only put on weight but also had all his wounds healed, he felt a surge of irritation.

A lowly slave who dared to offend him shouldn't be allowed to live comfortably. Thinking this, he wanted to go over and whip him a couple more times.

But when he rushed over and saw Gu Zhangyuan looking at him coldly, he still held back his temper and didn't actually lash out.

Gu Zhangyuan looked at him and said, "No manners at all. Don't you know to knock before entering your elder brother's room?"

Gu Tinghe sneered at him upon hearing this, "You have manners? Do you act like an elder brother? In broad daylight, you bring a male slave into your room for fun and games—is this the example you set for your younger siblings?"

Hearing this, Gu Zhangyuan let out an angry laugh. He stepped toward Gu Tinghe, looking a bit amused.

"Let's not even get into whether I was fooling around with him. Even if I was, do you think you've got the right to tell me what to do?"

"Me? How do I not have the right? You don't want face, you don't want a reputation, and you can't get married off anyway. But... I want face, I want a reputation, and I still want to marry well."

"If you want to get married, go talk to Father about it. He'll naturally find you a good family. As for my business—whether it's Father, Uncle, or Aunt, none of them can meddle in it, so I won't trouble you, my dear younger brother, to worry about them."

As Gu Zhangyuan spoke, he raised his chin slightly and signaled to Xuan Cui and Yuan Qiao, who had rushed in, to see the guest out.

Xuan Cui quickly stepped forward to pull Gu Tinghe out, but Gu Tinghe was unwilling to leave like that. He had finally caught Gu Zhangyuan in an embarrassing situation, and he refused to leave obediently.

Gu Tinghe: "I'm not leaving! You've done something so shameless—why can't I interfere or question it?!"

Xuan Cui: "Young Master, if you keep making a scene like this, our master will truly get angry."

Gu Tinghe: "What right does he have to be angry? What face does he have to be angry? I—ah?!"

Before Gu Tinghe could finish speaking, Gu Zhangyuan raised his hand and slapped him across the face.

Probably never expecting that Gu Zhangyuan would hit him in front of so many servants, he looked completely stunned.

It wasn't until Xuan Cui and Yuan Qiao dragged him out that he seemed to snap back to reality and let out a shriek.

Gu Tinghe cursed loudly, "Bitch! You bitch! How dare you hit me! I'll tell Father, I'll tell Uncle—I'll make sure you die a horrible death!"

Gu Zhangyuan listened to the curses outside and let out a deep sigh before saying, "Go. Lock him in the ancestral hall. Only release him when he admits his mistakes and behaves himself."

An elderly maid outside received the order and immediately summoned several martial arts matrons, who gagged the young master and dragged him away.