Chapter 11: Secret

Gan Xun didn’t understand how two people could cause such a huge mess.

Her mood fluctuated up and down, which was utterly exhausting. She had told her that bringing Zhao Chiyun on this trip out wasn’t a wise decision.

She hadn’t expected these things to happen.

No wonder she couldn’t have foreseen it—even if she racked her brains for a few more centuries, she never would have imagined that one day an ancient woman would ask her what a finger cot was.

She couldn’t calmly explain it. Some things were simple when left unspoken, but explaining them just made everything weird.

She could only gloss over it. “Straight girls don’t need to know.”

She averted her eyes and used a wet wipe—previously used to clean Zixuan’s nose—to quickly pinch up the filth and toss it into the trash can. She thought Cui Can’s house really couldn’t stay like this without a deep clean.

Zhao Chiyun watched her aversion, as if she were an imperial physician handling plague-ridden waste.

“Strange. Why bring up straight girls again? Can’t they know about this thing? Didn’t you know?”

“It’s not that they can’t.”

Gan Xun struggled, trying to describe it objectively but failing miserably. In the end, she twisted and turned, gave up, and half-pleaded, half-brushed it off. “Aiya, even if I told you, you wouldn’t get it. Just don’t ask anymore.”

“Impossible.”

Zhao Chiyun spoke softly yet with conviction. “I’ve been praised for my intelligence since childhood. Even the abbot of Grand Pacifying Nation Temple commended my quick comprehension. How could I fail to understand something so trivial after you explain it?”

Gan Xun completely lost to her. “Then can we talk about it next time? This isn’t the right place.”

She covered Zixuan’s pair of fluffy orange ears. “Not in front of the child!”

“Meow~”

“Very well.”

She relented for the cat’s sake.

After confirming the cats were docile, Zhao Chiyun gently stroked their heads and smiled with delight.

She said softly, “I keep a few cats at the Prince’s Mansion too. Why don’t you keep them?”

“My landlord doesn’t allow it. I don’t have the energy to care for them either, and mainly, my finances are limited.”

Of course, she didn’t love cats that much anyway.

Loving herself had already drained most of her vitality.

She noticed Zhao Chiyun had a special relaxation around animals—no arrogance or vigilance like with people. She wasn’t tense anymore, coldly sizing everyone up.

She even pinched her throat to whisper to them, asking how old they were.

It made sense. Newly arrived in this world, animals were cuter and more reliable than people.

The two petted the cats for a bit. During that time, Gan Xun heard Zhao Chiyun’s stomach growling.

Zhao Chiyun didn’t say a word about it—probably too embarrassed. Gan Xun suddenly felt a pang of guilt.

She didn’t know how many meals Zhao Chiyun had eaten since the day before, but today, from morning until now, she’d only had one bowl of instant noodles and a few sips of water.

Gan Xun was just about to go urge Cui Can when the woman emerged, makeup complete.

Red lips, gold-flecked eyeshadow, fine wavy wool curls—and she even turned the bathroom hallway into a makeshift catwalk on her way out.

She twisted with graceful allure, leaving the strait-laced Zhao Chiyun utterly stunned.

“Cui Zihan, come here. Mama wants a hug.”

Cui Can buried her face in the cat’s soft belly and took a deep breath. She said to them, “Thanks for keeping me company today. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have made it, wuwuwuwu.”

Gan Xun went over to comfort her. “Don’t cry. Your eyes are all swollen—the makeup’s barely covering it. You said the first half of the year was nothing but bad luck. Treat this as clearing out the villains, and the second half is bound to bring you wealth.”

Gan Xun felt relieved to see her perk up, but also a touch of sadness.

For her and Zhao Chiyun, today had just been spectating an embarrassing, absurd play—they were merely the interactive audience.

Cui Can, who had truly given her all and taken the stage, was the real lead in the drama.

Her once dazzling singing and dances were now reduced to nothing but farce and madness. Besides pulling herself together, she had no other choice.

Cui Can nodded. Now calm, she apologized to Zhao Chiyun. “Sorry for the spectacle, County Princess. I didn’t scare you earlier, did I?”

Zhao Chiyun responded reservedly. “It was somewhat beyond my expectations.”

“Aiya, I’m usually just a little woman. Not like that at all.”

“And thanks for helping me curse out Xu Yanyan today. So righteous of you.”

Not buying it.

Zhao Chiyun smoothed her long hair and nodded. “The unfaithful aren’t worth clinging to. That red-haired girl acts so frivolously—utterly vulgar, not even half as good as you. Miss Xu has terrible taste. She’ll reap what she sows soon enough.”

Cui Can’s mood brightened immensely. “Exactly. Let them drop dead. I’m not upset at all.”

Gan Xun, who hadn’t received any apology, darkened her face and raised one hand. “Maybe Teacher Cui should break her habit of smashing things at random.”

Cui Can immediately caught on, suppressed her lingering disgust, and burst into laughter that wouldn’t stop. “Who told you to catch it? Martial arts expert, huh? You’re great at playing bodyguard. Good thing it didn’t hit the County Princess—otherwise, Xu Yanyan would deserve a thousand deaths!”

Gan Xun could only chalk it up to her own bad luck.

Zhao Chiyun smiled without a word.

Cui Can glanced around. “I’ll call Aunt to give the house a thorough cleaning. Time to replace the sofa and bed too.”

She added, “That was close—it’s almost two o’clock. I nearly starved. I’m treating today. What dishes does the County Princess like?”

“I don’t know what’s available here.”

“Then what have you eaten from yesterday until now?”

Zhao Chiyun listed them off. “Hamburgers, cola, and instant noodles. All delicacies.”

Cui Can turned to Gan Xun. “This is how you treat your guest?”

How did she become the guest? I didn’t invite her. Gan Xun argued inwardly.

“Anyway, she hasn’t tried these before. If they taste good, that’s what matters. The County Princess must be tired of fine delicacies from land and sea—expensive stuff isn’t anything special to her.”

Zhao Chiyun immediately replied, “Not at all. My stomach is growling unbearably.”

“You heard her. Don’t neglect her.”

Cui Can set the cats down and waved her hand. “Let’s go.”

The elevator ride down was still rough. Zhao Chiyun had prepared herself mentally but still felt uneasy, pressing close to Gan Xun.

Gan Xun said to her, “Lucky my place has stairs.”

Zhao Chiyun replied in a weak voice, “Lucky you’re poor.”

She’d zeroed in on the key connection so quickly. She really was smart.

Gan Xun let out a “hehe” and didn’t want to let her lean anymore.

Cui Can caught the scene and thought they didn’t act like they’d only met last night. It was more like Gan Xun had secretly started an underground romance and was only confessing today.

How cruel—some homes gained joy, others turned into dumps.

The lunch spot ended up at the nearest Cantonese restaurant. Cui Can drove them there.

It was nearly two o’clock, so the place was mostly empty.

With Gan Xun guiding her, Zhao Chiyun took a seat and looked around. It was her first time in a restaurant like this—everything felt novel.

Gan Xun scanned the code, showed her the screen and controls, and explained how modern ordering worked.

Zhao Chiyun said, “Aside from immortal arts, how is this possible? I truly can’t fathom the reason.”

Gan Xun teased her. “Didn’t you say you’d understand anything the moment you heard it?”

Zhao Chiyun replied, “I almost forgot. Tell me now.”

“No.”

“Cui…”

“I’ll tell you at home.” Gan Xun cut her off sharply.

Cui Can blinked in confusion. “What are you two talking about?”

Feeling Gan Xun’s knee bump against her, Zhao Chiyun shifted her leg to the side.

So brazen.

Accepting the overture of submission from her Gan envoy, Zhao Chiyun graciously relented.

She smiled faintly. “Gan Xun says she has a few private words for me—ones she’ll only share once we’re home.”

Cui Can’s gossip radar shot straight up. “What is it? Something you can only tell her? I can’t hear?”

Her eyes gleamed like she was ready to crash their honeymoon the next second.

Gan Xun had really suffered enough.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t tell Cui Can—she just didn’t want to gross out her good friend again. She swallowed it down.

“Can’t.”

“Ah, keeping secrets from me now?” Cui Can feigned heartbreak.

“Obvious.”

Zhao Chiyun couldn’t resist pouring fuel on the fire.

She even leaned close to Gan Xun’s ear, her voice brimming with smiles. “Once we’re home, do tell me all the details.”

From Cui Can’s perspective, Gan Xun’s earring-clad ear flushed red in an instant. She didn’t even dare lift her eyes.

When did her skin get so thin?