Chapter 168: Auctioning Herbs

Hearing the muffled laughter coming from behind the counter, Xie Qingtang snapped back to reality. Covering her mouth with one hand, she pushed Gu Xiujin away and said with a hint of exasperated anger, "Gu Xiujin, as far as you and I are concerned, we are even now."

Standing there, Gu Xiujin glanced at her with an indifferent expression and said nothing. However, as he turned his head away, a flash of disappointment crossed his eyes.

"You two spectators should come out now." Angered, Xie Qingtang walked up to the counter, clenched her hand into a fist, and tapped on it.

Zhou Jinfan and Li Zhao stood up from behind the counter looking rather awkward, and then chimed in simultaneously, "We didn't hear a thing."

As the words fell, the two of them became even more awkward. Feeling as though a stone were blocking her heart with frustration, Xie Qingtang walked over to the back courtyard. Xiaoyu immediately landed on her shoulder and began chattering noisily at Gu Xiujin, who followed close behind.

"Xiaoyu, quiet!" Already feeling vexed, Xie Qingtang grew even more annoyed by the bird's chattering on her shoulder. She turned her head and scolded it with a slight frown.

Rebuked, Xiaoyu lowered its head with almost human-like spirituality and stopped chirping. At that moment, Xie Qingtang caught sight of Gu Xiujin following behind, and remembering what had just transpired between them, she momentarily didn't know what to say.

"I've got news about the herb you've been looking for, the Qiankun Grass," Gu Xiujin said, cutting straight to the point.

His words immediately made the awkwardly poised Xie Qingtang perk up as if injected with adrenaline. She lifted her head and stared at him in utter astonishment.

Forgetting all about her previous embarrassment, Xie Qingtang leaned in close to Gu Xiujin and asked for confirmation, "Did you really find it? Where can I buy the Qiankun Grass? I'll go prepare the money right now."

"There will be an auction in a few days, and one of the items up for bid is a stalk of Qiankun Grass. You do indeed need to prepare your money; I've heard that quite a few people have their eyes on this herb." Looking at the little woman who had proactively closed the distance between them, Gu Xiujin's mood instantly brightened, as if the sun had broken through a rainy day, and a faint smile even touched the corners of his lips.

However, Xie Qingtang, completely immersed in the joy of finally getting news about the herb, failed to notice this. Hearing that the medicinal material was at an auction, she nodded and said, "Then I really do need to prepare a bit more money. Things at auctions are always expensive."

Just as she was pondering over what method to use to secure that stalk of Qiankun Grass from the auction, the sound of Gu Xiujin coughing echoed beside her.

Xie Qingtang turned around instantly and saw Gu Xiujin looking pale, coughing with his hands clenched into fists against his lips. His complexion was tinged with an unnatural flush from the coughing, making him look exceptionally frail.

"I'm sorry, Gu Xiujin. With your health being so weak, you still have to go to such great lengths for my grandfather and A-Ben," Xie Qingtang said with a touch of emotion, momentarily at a loss for words.

Gu Xiujin raised his head, looked at her, and shook his head, saying, "Don't mention it. Have you forgotten that you and I merely have a relationship of mutual assistance? There is only one stalk of that Qiankun Grass, so you must make a decision: whether to use this Qiankun Grass to cure your grandfather or to save A-Ben."

When the words finished, Xie Qingtang froze for a moment, having momentarily forgotten about this dilemma, and sighed inwardly. At that moment, A-xiang stood at the doorway, having heard the entire conversation, a hard-to-read gleam flashing across her eyes.

"I will consider this matter, but thank you nonetheless for telling me the news," Xie Qingtang nodded and said to Gu Xiujin.

At that moment, Grandpa Xie seemed to have heard the noise in the back courtyard and emerged from his room. Seeing Gu Xiujin, he immediately waved his hand happily and said, "Xiujin, you're here. It's good that you arrived early today; you can play a couple of games of chess with me. Stay for dinner tonight—I heard your health took a bit of a hit yesterday, so I'll have Tangtang make some medicinal cuisine to help nourish your body."

"Alright, Grandpa Xie." Gu Xiujin did not refuse and agreed immediately. He then walked over to Grandpa Xie, and the two chess enthusiasts—one old and one young—began playing right beneath the large tree.

Grandpa Xie rarely seemed this happy. Seeing them sitting under the tree playing chess, Xie Qingtang smiled as well. Watching Gu Xiujin patiently accompany her grandfather in a game of chess, a deep sense of gratitude stirred within her heart.

During the period of the Xie family's decline, many people kept their distance from them out of fear of association. Only Gu Xiujin seemed indifferent to all of that, continuing to come and play chess with Grandpa Xie every day.

The mere thought of this filled Xie Qingtang with righteous indignation. Grandpa Xie had spent many years carving out a path in the business world, so he certainly must have had friends around him. Yet ever since he was imprisoned in the sanatorium by Shao Siming, not a single so-called friend had stepped forward to rescue him. That score would have to be settled sooner or later.

With this thought in her mind, a look of firm resolve flashed through Xie Qingtang's eyes. Shaking her head, she walked over to her grandfather and said, "Grandpa, you love sticky rice lotus root the most. How about Tangtang makes sticky rice lotus root for you tonight?"

"That would be wonderful! Go on, go on, don't disturb my chess match with young Xiujin here. I'm going to wipe the floor with him today," Grandpa Xie said with high spirits.

Xie Qingtang nodded and went off to busy herself in the kitchen. Zhao Xianglan watched the scene unfolding in the courtyard, smiling faintly. Then, casting a rather peculiar look at Xie Qingtang, she suddenly spoke up, "Health aside, Mr. Gu is truly an exceptional man. If he and the young miss could actually become a pair, it would be a match made in heaven."

"Aunt Lan, what are you talking about? Gu Xiujin and I have no such relationship at all. I've said this several times already," Xie Qingtang stammered, her face flushing slightly as she paused. When Aunt Lan had brought up such matters the previous few times, she had always dismissed them as utter nonsense. Yet for some reason, at Aunt Lan's words today, she felt a lingering sense of shyness.

Naturally, Zhao Xianglan noticed the shift in her attitude and smiled. Placing the soaked sticky rice into Xie Qingtang's hands, she said, "Alright, alright, you and Mr. Gu don't have the kind of relationship I have in mind. I'm just afraid Mr. Gu might not see it that way, and in the end, we'll have a situation where the cowherd is willing, but the weaving maid is indifferent."

Hearing these teases, Xie Qingtang made no further reply. However, her wandering gaze and the occasional smile playing at the corners of her lips completely betrayed her current frame of mind.