WWML 09

chapter 09

He beckoned with his hand, and Gu Qingning looked at him in confusion.

She bent down slightly, lowering her head.

The next second, the man’s long, jade-like fingers pressed gently against her forehead.

Gu Qingning froze, her dark eyes snapping wide open.

“The fever’s gone,” the man’s low voice carried a deep, magnetic timbre.

Startled, Gu Qingning quickly straightened and took a step back. The calm in her eyes was broken, rippling with a faint disturbance.

She cleared her throat and said, “Thanks. I’ll be going now.”

Without waiting for a response, she hurried off.

Fu Juncheng’s sharp eyes caught the faint blush coloring the tips of her ears. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he let out a low, amused chuckle.

So, the fierce little lion could blush after all.

As noon approached, waves of heat rolled through the air, scorching and relentless.

A taxi came to a stop in front of the Gu family residence.

The driver turned his head and said, “We’re here. One hundred fifty.”

Gu Qingning pulled two red banknotes from her pocket — the two hundred yuan she’d borrowed from Fu Juncheng.

Right now, she didn’t have a single cent to her name — a penniless pauper, through and through.

She got out of the car, took the change from the driver, and shoved it absentmindedly into her pocket.

Turning around, she started walking toward the nearby villa.

However, as soon as she neared the gate, the guards at the entrance stepped forward to block her way.

The brim of her cap cast a shadow over most of her face. One of the guards eyed her warily. “Who are you?”

Gu Qingning said nothing. She raised a hand and removed her cap.

Under the sunlight, her delicate face was revealed — skin pale as porcelain, and eyes dark and sharp, radiating a chill so piercing that just one glance felt like stepping into a thousand-year ice cave.

The guards were struck at first by her beauty, then a chill crawled down their spines.

“Miss Qingning?” one of them said uncertainly, shock tinging his voice.

The butler, who happened to be passing by, froze at the sight of her. He quickened his pace, his eyes widening in disbelief as he took in the girl standing at the gate.

The old Gu Qingning used to walk with her head down, always covered in dust, lifeless and timid.

But the girl before him now — her features were stunning, her entire presence commanding and unapproachable, like she was an entirely different person.

If he hadn’t looked closely, he might not have recognized her at all.

The guards beside him were even more stunned.

You’ve got to be kidding — this breathtaking beauty was that ugly Gu Qingning they all knew?

The butler let out a breath of relief and stepped forward. “Miss Qingning, where have you been these past few days? We’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

So she was back. At least now, he could report to the Third Young Master.

Gu Qingning gave a faint, mocking smile. Looking for her?

No — they just wanted to see if she was dead or not.

She shot the butler a sidelong glance, her tone cool and detached. “What, am I not allowed in here anymore?”

“Of course not—”

The butler’s words caught in his throat as his eyes widened, disbelief flooding his face.

“Miss Qingning, y-you can talk?”

Everyone in the Gu family knew that Gu Qingning was mute. But now, not only was she speaking — her voice was steady and clear, completely unlike before.

What on earth had happened in the days she’d been missing? How had she changed so much — from timid and silent to calm, confident, and capable of speech?

Gu Qingning didn’t bother to answer him directly. Her patience was running thin. “Can I go in now?”

Her cold, clear voice rang out again, and the butler still couldn’t quite believe his ears.

Snapping back to himself, he met the chill in her eyes — and a shiver ran down his spine.

“Y-yes, of course.”

He waved his hand, and the guards at the gate immediately stepped aside.

Gu Qingning pulled her cap back on and walked past them without another glance.

Her solitary figure exuded an aura so cold and distant that no one dared approach.

The butler watched her go, unease knotting in his chest. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen.

Stepping into the Gu residence, Gu Qingning went straight to the backyard.

The warehouse door wasn’t locked. With a simple twist, the rusty handle turned, and the iron door creaked open with ease.

Hands in her pockets, Gu Qingning strolled inside with casual indifference.