After everyone in the Gu manor went back to rest for the night, Gu Baozhu sneaked into the kitchen to find something to eat.
Seeing some leftover white steamed buns in a basket, she quickly grabbed one and bit into it, then carried three more to the ancestral hall.
Under the dim candlelight, Gu Jinghong was kneeling on a futon, nodding off. Having traveled all day, he was already exhausted and sleepy.
Hearing the door open, the startled Gu Jinghong jolted awake.
Turning his head and seeing that it was Gu Baozhu, he stubbornly turned his back to her.
Gu Baozhu wasn't angry at this sight. With an ingratiating smile, she walked over to Gu Jinghong, took out a steamed bun, and offered it to him.
"They wouldn't let you eat, and they wouldn't let me eat either. I just stole these from the kitchen, quickly have a bite to fill your stomach."
So his little aunt had been punished too.
The anger pent up in Gu Jinghong's chest instantly dissipated by more than half.
But the moment he remembered how she had thrown all the blame onto him, Gu Jinghong still felt a bit resentful.
Keeping a straight face, he gritted his teeth and turned his head away again, giving Gu Baozhu the back of his head.
"If you had just stayed at Yunshan Temple, Father wouldn't have been so angry."
"Not only did you not plead for me, but you also threw me under the bus. I'm never taking you out with me again."
Gu Baozhu crouched down and leaned her head in front of Gu Jinghong, blinking her large eyes pitifully.
"It's better to save at least one of us. If I didn't say that, who would bring you food? Besides, your grandfather punished me by grounding me for a month after I finish hosting County Princess Linghui tomorrow. That's way worse than you kneeling in the ancestral hall."
Gu Jinghong's expression suddenly changed. "Really?"
Gu Baozhu pouted and nodded. She stuffed the steamed bun into Gu Jinghong's hand, her face falling into a depressed look.
"Exactly. When the time comes, you have to plead for me."
Gu Jinghong's stomach was already growling with hunger. He bit off a third of the steamed bun in one go, the awkward resentment in his heart completely vanishing.
"Don't worry, Little Aunt. Once I'm out of here, I'll definitely plead for you in front of Grandfather."
Just as the two were eating their steamed buns, the door to the ancestral hall was suddenly opened.
In a panic, Gu Jinghong hastily shoved the rest of the bun into his mouth. He didn't expect it to be so big and nearly choked, swallowing hard several times before finally getting it down.
"Congwen, why are you here?" Gu Baozhu stared in surprise at Gu Congwen, who was closing the door.
Gu Congwen was Gu Gaoyuan's son, and also Gu Baozhu's eldest nephew.
"I heard from the servants that Jinghong was punished by Uncle to kneel in the ancestral hall and hadn't even eaten dinner, so I wanted to bring over some food."
"Little Aunt, why are you here?"
Gu Baozhu held up the half-eaten steamed bun in her hand and smiled, "I'm here to deliver food too."
Gu Congwen walked over and opened his food box, revealing a sliced roast duck inside.
"I was originally going to save it for a midnight snack, but it comes in handy right now."
Seeing the roast duck, the aunt and nephew's eyes lit up.
The steamed buns were too plain and they were craving meat, and now they had it.
"Cousin, I knew you were the best to me."
Gu Jinghong said excitedly to Gu Congwen, then picked up a duck leg and took a big bite of meat.
Gu Baozhu picked up the other duck leg, eating just as boldly.
Watching the two devour the food, Gu Congwen felt both helpless and heartbroken for them.
"Wiping out the mountain bandits is Uncle's job. Don't take such risks next time. If something were to happen to you, Grandmother and Aunt would be worried to death."
After finishing the duck leg, Gu Jinghong picked up a wing.
"Cousin, you devote yourself entirely to reading the books of sages. Whenever Uncle talks about you, his face is full of smiles, and he is full of praise in front of outsiders."
"But my dad treats me like a personal servant and won't let me participate in any important matters. I just want to prove myself to him."
Gu Congwen replied, "Uncle is just worried about you. Besides, you are still young and have a lot to learn. What better way to learn than by staying by Uncle's side?"
Gu Baozhu kept her head down and silently ate the roast duck. While the two were talking, she had already eaten over a dozen pieces.
Her eldest nephew was even more long-winded than her father and eldest brother. She wondered who he learned it from.
After lecturing his younger cousin, Gu Congwen looked toward Gu Baozhu.
Just as he was about to speak, Gu Baozhu jumped up and ran outside, her figure blurring as she moved faster than a cat.
"I'm full, I'm going back to sleep first!"
Gu Jinghong shoved the food box, now full of bones, into Gu Congwen's hands.
"Cousin, you should go back quickly. It won't be good if my dad finds out."
Gu Congwen glanced at the bones in the food box, stood up, and took off his outer coat, handing it to Gu Jinghong.
"It's cold at night, drape this over yourself."
Gu Jinghong nodded his head rapidly like a chick pecking at rice.
"Don't worry, Cousin. I have a strong physique, I won't freeze."
