Chapter 48: Chiyu Misses Guyuan Part 2

Gu Yuan eyed the three empty seats opposite them and was about to sit in the middle one when Zhou Chiyu beat him to it.

Zhou Chiyu had no other intentions; the middle seat was just convenient for grabbing all sorts of delicious pastries, nothing more.

Gu Yuan’s expression darkened, and he silently took the seat to Zhou Chiyu’s right.

Dragon Saliva Incense burned in the hall, mingling with a faint osmanthus scent.

The surrounding guests focused intently on the performance, but only Gu Yuan felt utterly irritated.

Laughter and chatter from Zhou Chiyu and He Zhao kept coming from beside him. Gu Yuan held his breath, the pervasive fragrance stinging his throat and making his head throb painfully.

“Young Master Yu, here’s your tea.”

Zhou Chiyu thought he’d misheard and asked curiously, “Did he just call you that?”

“Oh, my nickname is He Yu—the yu from ‘holding jade while embracing brocade.’”

He Zhao poured a cup of Golden Melon Tribute Tea for each of them, his voice gentle. “My father bought this at an auction a few days ago. It has a rich, mellow taste and strong aroma. Give it a try and see if you like it.”

Zhou Chiyu picked up a cup and handed it first to Gu Yuan. “Brother.”

Gu Yuan lowered his gaze indifferently, not taking it for a long time.

“Brother?” Zhou Chiyu held the tea right in front of Gu Yuan’s face, tilting his head and waving it in front of his eyes. “What are you thinking about?”

Gu Yuan gripped the teacup, his knuckles turning slightly white. “Nothing.”

“Oh.” Zhou Chiyu pulled back and continued discussing nicknames with He Zhao. “I think the character yu is great—beautiful jade, flawless, of noble character.”

Poems from the Book of Songs praising the character yu flashed through his mind. “It really suits your vibe.”

“Really?” He Zhao smiled. “Thanks for the compliment.”

Beautiful jade? Flawless?

Gu Yuan let out a low chuckle and tossed back the now-cold tea, his temples throbbing.

How had he not known Zhou Chiyu was so good at flattery?

“But your name has ‘fish’ in it too.” He Zhao’s smile deepened. “So we’re practically family.”

Zhou Chiyu appreciated He Zhao’s way of handling things—no aggression, always considerate of everyone’s feelings.

“Barely, I guess.” Zhou Chiyu took a piece of Longan Crisp and nibbled on it. “This pastry is delicious. You brothers should try some too.”

At the word “brothers,” Gu Yuan immediately turned to look at Zhou Chiyu. The movement was so obvious that even the guests in the back row noticed Gu Yuan’s displeasure.

But Zhou Chiyu was too busy eating to notice Gu Yuan’s unusual mood.

“Little Fish, you and your brother have a really close relationship.” Seeing Gu Yuan stand up and leave, He Zhao reminded Zhou Chiyu. “Your brother went out.”

Zhou Chiyu turned back and saw that the seat beside him was indeed empty.

“Did he go to the bathroom?”

He Zhao shook his head. “I think he might not be happy.”

“Not happy?” Zhou Chiyu stood up, picked a few more pastries onto a tray, and held it. “I’ll go check on him.”

“Need me to come with you?” He Zhao didn’t fully understand why Gu Yuan was upset, but as a de facto host, he felt he should look after the guests. “I can help talk him around.”

“No need. Only I can coax my brother when he’s mad.” Worried He Zhao might misunderstand, Zhou Chiyu added with a smile, “He’s been like that since he was little.”

He Zhao’s lips curved thoughtfully, a hint of amusement in his smile. “Alright then.”

With that, his gaze followed Zhou Chiyu. He watched as Zhou Chiyu balanced the tray on his head while weaving through the guests, like a lively little fish, spirited and adorable.

He Zhao’s lips quirked up; he found Zhou Chiyu quite interesting.

After asking two servants, Zhou Chiyu quickly found Gu Yuan standing alone in front of the flower bed, lost in thought. Gu Yuan’s head was lowered, his expression unreadable, but the air pressure around him was so low it seemed to condense into ice.

Hearing footsteps, Gu Yuan lifted his eyes for a glance. Upon seeing it was Zhou Chiyu, his tense mood instantly relaxed, as if gaining some comfort—only for an inexplicable irritation to flare up in the next moment. He stared coldly ahead.

“Brother.” Zhou Chiyu took a small step forward, holding the pastries and eyeing Gu Yuan cautiously.

He knew Gu Yuan was angry.

But he didn’t know why.

Gu Yuan adjusted his breathing, trying to make his tone sound as calm as possible. “What is it? Weren’t you chatting with the beautiful jade Young Master Yu who holds jade while embracing brocade?”

Zhou Chiyu froze, his eyes timid. “No more. We stopped.”

“So you’ve realized we have a Little Fish who’s quite the poet, versed in so many verses.”

Zhou Chiyu stared at Gu Yuan, seeming to grasp what had upset him. He murmured, “Your name has lots of poems with beautiful meanings too.”

Gu Yuan raised his eyelids. “Hm?”

Zhou Chiyu cleared his throat. “Chiyu Misses Guyuan.” (TL: Poetic reference to longing, playing on their names)