After a cup of tea.

Shen Jinyan followed the maid into the backyard of the inn.

Bafang Inn is quite famous in the capital, in addition to the upper, middle and lower rooms, there are several neat and elegant courtyards, suitable for female dependents to stay. Merchants from the south to the north like to live in such inns when they enter the capital.

Miss Qi rented the entire inn and lived in the most secluded courtyard. After that, he was invited by the enthusiastic third lady of Dingbei Hou Mansion to live in the Gu family, and he only stayed here during the day.

Most of the businessmen who come and go every day are greeted by stewards. Miss Qi didn't really show up much.

Shen Jinyan's eyes swept quickly, and he suddenly understood it.

There were more than a dozen guards on the open side of the inn, and even more hidden in the shadows. These guards are all secret guards that the Gu family has secretly cultivated for many years, and each of them is extraordinary. With them always accompanying and guarding, Miss Qi is safe and sound.

The maid knocked softly on the door.

"Come in. ”

A brisk and pleasant young woman's voice came.

Shen Jinyan felt a trace of warmth in his heart, and pushed the door in.

The young woman sitting in the small hall was smiling, and their eyes were on each other in the air.

Then, they were all stunned.

If you think about it, they haven't seen them for twelve years. What remains in each other's minds is still what they were when they were young. At this time, when I saw it, I was shocked to realize that the other party had already grown up, and it was completely different from the person in my memory.

……

The maids quickly withdrew.

There were only two people left in the room staring at each other.

Shen Jinyan was the first to break the silence: "Fourth sister, I haven't seen you for many years. ”

This familiar salutation instantly drove away the strangeness and embarrassment between each other.

Gu Wanqi had a smile in his eyes and shouted softly, "Fourth brother."

More than ten years ago, Shen Jinyan was still the fourth young master of the Dingbei Hou Mansion, and Gu Guanqi was also ranked fourth among the sisters. When the two meet, one is called the fourth sister and the other is called the fourth brother, which is also interesting.

Since leaving the Dingbei Hou Mansion, no one has called him like this.

Shen Jinyan's heart swelled with strong sourness, and there was some strange joy.

He came from an embarrassing background, and the Gu family would never accept him again. Gu Jinxing, who is as close as a brother, takes care of him everywhere in the border army. After returning to the capital, he automatically and spontaneously kept his distance from him.

He could understand Gu Jinxing's distress, but he couldn't help but be gloomy in his heart.

Gu Guanqi faked his death and fled, and changed his name to Yi's surname. Now she is back in the capital as Qi Wan'er. Although his situation is different, there are subtle similarities.

He mustered up the courage to see her today, perhaps out of the sigh of "the same person who has fallen from the end of the world".

Thinking about it, Gu Guanqi also had the same subtle emotion, looking at him in his eyes, there was no sympathy, no contempt, only open-mindedness and calmness.

Under such a bright and clear gaze, Shen Jinyan only felt that the shackles that he had carried for several years suddenly disappeared, and the whole person was indescribably relaxed: "Fourth sister, in fact, I want to come and see you." My sister didn't know at all. ”

Gu Wanqi smiled: "I guess too." When the maid came to report just now, I knew that you had come to see me quietly on your own initiative. With the temperament of the second sister, how could she let you come to the inn on this day at the end of the year. ”

The tone was light and lively, just like the fourth sister he remembered. But the handsome, cheerful and bright face in front of him is completely different from the one in my memory.

This feeling of familiarity and strangeness is quite novel.

Shen Jinyan subconsciously glanced at Gu Wanqi more, and naturally told the truth: "There is a palace banquet in the palace today, and I am always a little embarrassed when I am caught in it, so I slipped out alone." After leaving the palace, there was nowhere to go for a while. I went to the inn to try my luck, but I didn't expect you to be here. ”

Shen Jinyan said frankly, Gu Guanqi didn't have the heart to hide it, and smiled helplessly: "I, an outsider surnamed Qi, just live in the Dingbei Hou Mansion on weekdays. Today is the end of the year, a family banquet is held in the Hou Mansion, I, an outsider, should I be cheeky enough to participate in the Hou Mansion's family banquet?"

After finishing speaking, the two glanced at each other again, and they both saw the sadness and embarrassment in each other's eyes.

Do you know what that feels like?

In the midst of the hustle and bustle, there are many familiar faces around you, but you just can't fully fit in.

If no one deliberately rejects you, you will retreat yourself.

"You're not in the mansion, aren't Gu Shangshu and the Third Lady sad in their hearts?" Shen Jinyan asked in a low voice.

There was a hint of gloom in Gu Wanqi's eyes, but his tone was very calm: "With me, the Hou Mansion will be uncomfortable." I avoided it with interest, which was the most correct thing to do. ”

Then, he asked, "Aren't you the same?"

refused to stay in the palace, and did not want to disturb the joy and harmony of the emperor's family.

Shen Jinyan laughed a little helplessly, and a wonderful warmth passed through his heart.

In this world, there are finally people who understand his helplessness and sadness.

……

The two were silent for a moment, each sad and each lamenting.

Soon, this gloom was left behind.

"Speaking of which, God treats you and me well. Gu Guanqi said with a smile: "I am now a well-known wealthy businesswoman with a net worth of one million. You are a serious five-grade official, and you will lead the border army and military doctor in the future, and you will stand on your own merits. No one dares to underestimate you anymore. Wouldn't that be nice?"

Shen Jinyan smiled: "It turns out that the fourth sister cares about me so much, and she knows everything about me. ”

Gu Guanqi raised her delicate eyebrows and said with a smile: "In the battle of the border army, you have made great contributions, who else in this world does not know who does not know? ”

The same praise, from Gu Guanqi's mouth, always has a different kind of freedom.

Shen Jinyan's originally slightly gloomy mood melted away under Gu Wanqi's bright smile, and then became clearer: "Being said by the fourth sister, I also feel that I have become much taller and more powerful. ”

Gu Wanqi was amused and laughed: "Okay, okay, don't be poor in front of me." Also, you and I now have a surname Shen and a surname Qi, and we don't have four sisters and four brothers, which sounds weird and awkward. I call you to be cautious, and you call me Wan'er. ”

Gu Guanqi was already lively and jumpy, and in the past few years, she has traveled overseas, becoming more and more free and easy, and better than men. Speaking of his current name, he is unrestrained.

Shen Jinyan was infected by her free and easy, and he didn't feel abrupt, and responded with a smile: "Okay, in this way, I will take advantage of it greatly." You are three years older than me, and I call him by his first name. ”

Gu Guanqi pretended to be angry and glared at him: "Hey, hey, what do you mean by deliberately emphasizing that I'm three years older? Could it be that I'm too old and still pretending to be tender?"

Shen Jinyan arched his hand again and again: "Don't dare, don't dare! Miss Wan'er's face is tender, and she is younger than me looking." ”