After leaving the Medical Hall, Gu Jiao took Xiao Sanzi’s carriage and made a trip to Liu Yisheng’s home.
Liu Yisheng’s home was as impoverished as ever, but she did not see Liu Yisheng sitting in the courtyard splitting grain heads as he often had before.
Only the mute youth called Anu and another aged old maid were working in the front yard, one weaving baskets and the other splitting grain heads.
Both of them recognized Gu Jiao.
Gu Jiao asked, "I’m looking for Liu Yisheng. Is he here?"
The old maid was hard of hearing and did not respond, but Anu pointed towards a room inside.
"Thank you," Gu Jiao said her thanks and stepped into the main room. Then she turned and entered the small room Anu had indicated.
It was a study room and also Liu Yisheng’s bedroom. Its size was similar to Xiao Liulang’s and Xiao Jingkong’s western room, furnished very plainly and antiquated, with a cabinet that had peeling paint and a table propped up with stones because one leg was shorter.
There were also some battered pieces of furniture that either seemed to have been scavenged from outside, or perhaps had been broken during a break-in; in any case, they were full of holes and cracks.
Liu Yisheng, dressed in coarse hemp clothing, sat behind the desk, absorbed in reading a book.
Gu Jiao recognized the book as one she had given him previously.
He had really started to read.
Without disturbing him, Gu Jiao folded her arms and leaned against the door frame.
Liu Yisheng, engrossed in his ocean of books, did not notice Gu Jiao’s arrival until the old maid outside accidentally knocked over a stool, causing a loud crash. Only then did he startle and look up.
He then saw Gu Jiao lightly leaned against the door, watching him composedly.
Ordinarily, being caught in such a situation by another person would be quite awkward, and one would instinctively shift their gaze away.
But Gu Jiao did not do so.
She was very straightforward. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did I disturb you?"
"No... It wasn’t you." Liu Yisheng concealed the surprise in his eyes, opened the window beside him to check outside, and having made sure the old maid was all right, he calmed down again.
"Why have you come?" He closed the book and seemed somewhat reserved as he scrutinized his own room, uncertain if there was any mess unfit for visitors to see.
Fortunately, there wasn’t any.
The old maid and Anu had just cleaned that morning.
"You..." He hesitated for a moment, wanting to invite her in, but then it seemed improper, so he stood up and said, "Let’s sit in the main room instead."
Gu Jiao nodded.
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