Seeking Happiness

Chapter 42 Can’t provoke a black belly

When Gu Xiran’s group left the restaurant, it was very chaotic outside. No one paid attention to them.

However, just going back like this didn’t seem appropriate.

While Gu Xiran was still thinking that, the young man suddenly asked, “Should I go hire a carriage?”

He looked once at that young man and nodded. He also asked Ranmo to go to an unobtrusive ready-to-wear shop to buy some clothes.

When everything was ready, they went to a quiet place and went into the carriage that the young man had hired.

Gu Xihe was puzzled. He wanted to ask, but didn’t know how to ask. When the carriage departed from the city, he couldn’t hold it in anymore, “Where are we going?”

“Go out of the city to throw off the tail and then come back.”

Gu Xihe was shocked, “Is someone following us?”

“I don’t know.”

“You said to throw off the tail…”

Gu Xiran gave him a look as if he was asking a useless question, “Prevention before it happens!”

“…”

Gu Xihe turned his head dejectedly and looked at the young man, he was still holding onto the things that they had bought. He silently sat at a side in front of the door. No matter whether he looked left or right, up or down, he still felt that this person was very ordinary except for the cleanliness of his body. There was nothing out of the ordinary about him.

He couldn’t help but mutter, “Your skills are unexpectedly pretty good. When we entered the restaurant, you suddenly disappeared. I thought you stole the things and escaped!”

“Little fourth.” Gu Xiran shouted to stop him. “Don’t be rude!”

While talking, he cupped his hands at the young man to give him courtesy, “Thanking knight for lending a helping hand just now. Xiran is grateful for it.”

He reported his name. That meant he was very sincere and grateful, but his voice was very low. He was afraid to be heard by the driver who was driving the carriage outside.

The expression of that young man didn’t change. He lowered his eyes and said, “I’m not a knight. I was weak when I was young. To build up my health, I practiced punching and kicking for two years. I lend a helping hand because I was afraid that you will get into trouble and that I can’t get my money. You don’t have to thank me.”

Who would’ve thought that he saved people for this reason?

Gu Xihe’s eyes widened and he said resentfully, “I thought that you saw injustice! After half a day, it was because of money…”

There was a bit of disdain in his voice.

So deserving of a good spanking!

This time, it was Shu Huan who knocked on his head, “What’s wrong with exchanging labor for money?”

Gu Xihe gasped.

What the…? He had no way when second big brother knocked him. Now, even his second sister-in-law who came from a poor family dares to knock him?!

Naturally, he wouldn’t put importance on Shu Huan. He said angrily, “I know your family is poor. Naturally you like money just like him. How would you understand what chivalry is?!”

Gu Xiran’s expression turned dark, but his tone was still faint, “You understand?”

“How can I not understand?” Although, Gu Xihe didn’t like to study, he had read a lot of those legendary novels about swordsmen and knights. Now, he carded up his sleeve and said, “To help those in distress is the public spirit!”

“Puhh…,” Shu Huan didn’t hold back and laughed out loud.

Gu Xiran also didn’t know whether he should laugh or cry.

Ranmo didn’t dare to laugh, but it was very uncomfortable holding it back. His expression was strange.

Only that young man’s expression remained the same. He didn’t even lift his eyelashes, but the slightly raised lips still revealed some deride.

“What are you doing?! What are you all doing?!” Gu Xihe got irritated. The veins on his neck almost exploded, “Could it be that I said it wrong?”

“Rare!” Gu Xiran reached out and touched his (GXH) head. He said with deep sorrow, “It’s rare that you still remembered some words even though you don’t like to study.”

Was this a praise or a denunciation? How come he didn’t feel right listening to it?

Gu Xihe glared at him suspiciously.

“There was nothing wrong with what you’d said. However, at home, you will throw a temper when you don’t get what you want. When the servants say a word wrong, you would beat them and also insult the teacher. Are these chivalrous? Gu Xiran smiled slightly, “Let’s not talk about those that are far away. You look down on those who came from poor families. When others are in trouble, do you still expect yourself to reach out a helping hand?”

“…”

Gu Xihe’s face turned red by his questions, but he still was unwilling to admit to it and muttered, “What do these small matters have to do with chivalry?”

“Mm, they indeed have nothing to do with chivalry. That is just to use one’s status to bully people.” Gu Xiran said faintly, “If in the future, you don’t control your tyrannical temper, you may grow up to have the same personality as that fat man that we just met.”

Gu Xihe got angry, “You compare me with him? Am I such a jerk and so shameless?”

Although his heart was still pure and wasn’t as shameless as the fat man, if he became hateful, it would really make people feel that he was unbearable! Shu Huan turned her face to not look at him and also didn’t answer him.

Gu Xiran was just smiling as if nothing was the matter.

This made Gu Xihe angrier than just telling him the answer directly. He got angry, reached out, grabbed Ranmo’s clothes and said, “You say it.”

“This little one…,” Ranmo said awkwardly. “It’s not good if this little one says it…”

Gu Xihe gritted his teeth, “Even if it’s not good you have to say it!”

Ranmo had an expression like he was at a funeral, “Fourth young master…you are extremely honorable and righteous…you help the needy for justice, you…can you first let go of this little one…”

Shu Huan got pain in her stomach from laughing. With the bumps of the carriage, she almost rolled down to the bottom of her seat if it wasn’t because Gu Xiran had reached out to hold her.

Only now did Gu Xihe discover that forcing people so aggressively didn’t seem like a good behavior. He humphed very dejectedly and glared once at Shu Huan. He let go and shrunk to a side and sulked.

Angry! So angry! They actually put him on the same level as scums like the fat man!

Gu Xiran looked at him with a smile and let him think about it himself. He also ignored him (GXH). Then, his gaze fell pensively on the young man.

In fact, after hiring this person, when they turned into a corner, he inadvertently looked back. he saw that group of idlers gathered in one place and whispered. Some people looked up from time to time in the direction they departed. Hence, he felt that there was someone going against them. He wasn’t sure. Until when the young man appeared again after having disappeared did he guess what had happened.

Presumably, those idlers were unreconciled that their territory and business had been infringed by the young man. They wanted to teach him a lesson in private. For one, they could beat him and to let him know the rules. Secondly, they also could steal the things and plant the name of a thief who stole the properties of the master on him.

A trap of killing two birds with one stone. Presumably, they didn’t expect that the skills of this young man were quite good. One could imagine how they ended up…

While he was in deep thoughts, he suddenly felt his sleeve being pulled lightly twice. He lowered his eyes and saw that Shu Huan was pulling his sleeves. He couldn’t help but ask warmly, “What’s the matter?”

“That, what was the thing in the bottle you poured in the restaurant?”

It seemed to be very useful!

She had long wanted to ask so that she could put two bottles on her in case something happens.

Gu Xiran looked at her and laughed, “Hot pepper water.”

“…”

As he said that, his hand turned over and revealed  a paper bag in his hand, “It’s a pity that this stuff wasn’t used.”

Shu Huan was a bit surprised, “What is this?”

Gu Xiran didn’t answer, “Take a look at it yourself.”

She took the paper bag over and carefully opened it. She discovered that some gray powder was wrapped inside. She hesitated, “This is…”

Ranmo leaned over, looked once and said, “Limestone!”

Right! It was definitely quicklime!

• • Quicklime causes severe irritation when inhaled or placed in contact with moist skin or eyes. Inhalation may cause coughing, sneezing, labored breathing. It may then evolve into burns with perforation of the nasal septum, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting (Wikipedia).

Hot pepper water, quicklime…

He took these things with him when he went out?!

Shu Huan raised her head speechlessly. She didn’t know whether she should praise or scorn Gu Xiran!

Black belly, especially an unscrupulous black belly like him really couldn’t be provoked!