Chapter 2410 — Xiaoshu's Problem: Yet Without Wei Zhao, She Still Seems Full of Ideas—Her Pill-Refining Methods Are Beyond Even the Grasp of Those Master Refiners

Once he and Han Jingyi had both recovered their strength, Wei Zhao took the single Minor Restoration Pill and the nine Meridian-Clearing Pills and returned to his own villa. The moment he stepped inside, he saw Gu Mengyao sitting on the sofa—no television on, no living-room lights on, just sitting there in the dark—and it gave him quite a start.

"Yaoyao? What are you doing?" Wei Zhao blinked, taken aback.

"Ah... Wei Zhao, you're back." Gu Mengyao came to herself; she hadn't even noticed him come in, and only now realized how dark the living room had grown. In December the sky darkened early and fast. When she had just seen Shen Yushu off, there had still been light in the room, but now in the blink of an eye it was black. "Let me get the light—"

"I'll do it." Wei Zhao was by the door, closer to the switch, and flicked on the living-room light as he asked, "Where's Xiaoshu? The car in the courtyard—did she drive it off? And Yaoyao, what were you just doing?"

"Ah... Xiaoshu went to buy food..." Gu Mengyao hesitated a moment, but then, as if she had summoned great resolve, she said to Wei Zhao, "Wei Zhao, do you have time now? While Xiaoshu's out, there's something I want to talk to you about..."

"Now? Yes, I do." Wei Zhao nodded, a little puzzled, and came over to sit on the sofa beside Gu Mengyao. "What's wrong? You and Xiaoshu both seem off today."

Wei Zhao had assumed Gu Mengyao wanted to discuss Wang Xinyan, but there was no need to avoid Xiaoshu over Wang Xinyan—which was why he found it so strange.

"So you've noticed something's wrong with Xiaoshu too?" Gu Mengyao brightened slightly at his words. "Then I don't need to explain. I think she's acting odd as well—as if she's hiding something from us."

"Huh? You mean Xiaoshu? Haven't you asked her?" Wei Zhao understood now—so it was Xiaoshu's problem Gu Mengyao meant. He mused for a moment. "She was fine before. It seems like it started after that one shopping trip..."

"Yes, I feel the same way," Gu Mengyao said. "Today I asked her about things several times, and she was absent-minded every time. When I asked what was wrong, she wouldn't say. I'm a little anxious, but I don't know what to do..."

"Then... what do you want to do?" Wei Zhao also found Shen Yushu baffling today—especially when she was pouring tea; he had had no idea what she was about.

"I don't know either..." Gu Mengyao shook her head. "Earlier, when she wanted to go out for food, I offered to go with her, but she wouldn't agree. I keep feeling she's carrying something heavy, as if she's afraid I'll ask... How about you ask her for me?"

"Me?" Wei Zhao pointed at himself, somewhat astonished.

"Yes. Xiaoshu is different with you. She'll listen to what you say," Gu Mengyao said. "Besides—she likes you."

Wei Zhao fell silent at once. He could hardly argue with what Gu Mengyao said: Xiaoshu did listen to him, and though she played tricks on everyone, she never tricked him—she would even tease Gu Mengyao now and then.

But that didn't mean Xiaoshu would confide her troubles in him. Wei Zhao had long felt that beneath her wild, flighty exterior lay something deeper. She disguised herself as a happy little rascal, but some things were taken too far.

"I'll try," Wei Zhao said. "I'll find a chance to ask her in the next couple of days."

"Yes, thank you," Gu Mengyao said. "Seeing her like this worries me..."

"Thank me for what? I'm worried too—she isn't your friend alone." Wei Zhao waved a hand. "Or don't you count me as part of this household?"

"Then you might as well thank me too." Hearing Wei Zhao agree, Gu Mengyao's mood improved considerably.

"I was just about to thank you. By the way, did you ask Xinyan about her side of things?" Wei Zhao asked.

"I did..." Gu Mengyao had been so caught up worrying about Xiaoshu that she had nearly forgotten; if Wei Zhao hadn't brought it up, it might have slipped her mind entirely. She said hurriedly, "I called Xinyan earlier. She said... she only thinks of you as a good friend, and that she has had a fiancé all along..."

"A fiancé? Kang Jinglong?" Wei Zhao had always known about this, but had never taken it seriously. The Kang family was a thing of the past, incapable of stirring up any trouble now; the Kang Divine Physician Pharmaceutical Group was on its last legs, and the once-small clan was all but ruined. Why would Wang Xinyan still take this engagement seriously?

"Yes, that's what she said—that her parents arranged it, that she doesn't want to make things difficult for them, and that she agreed to it back then..." Gu Mengyao said.

"I see..." Wei Zhao frowned. Something about it felt off, though he couldn't put his finger on what.

In theory, Wang Xinyan and Kang Jinglong shouldn't be on especially good terms. Otherwise—if the two of them really had become a couple—then with Wang Xinyan's character, she would never have let so many ambiguous things happen between herself and Wei Zhao. Even if she didn't cut him off entirely, she surely wouldn't have let it happen again and again and again.

But judging by how things stood between them now, it was only a matter of time before Wei Zhao and she became a couple; everything was flowing naturally into place. Though Wang Xinyan had never given a clear answer, her actions had more or less revealed something.

Yet Wang Xinyan had refused him—and the reason she gave was both bizarre and seemingly entirely reasonable! An engagement was indeed a very good reason, but Wei Zhao still felt something was odd.

"That's all she would say, and she told me not to push her..." Gu Mengyao smiled bitterly. "Sorry—I couldn't complete the task you gave me."

"Forget it, it's nothing. Let's look into Xiaoshu's problem first." Wei Zhao waved a hand. He wondered whether Wang Xinyan had some hidden difficulty, or some secret she couldn't reveal—but these were things Gu Mengyao likely couldn't find out. He would have to discover them himself.

With that, Wei Zhao rose and walked to the spot where Xiaoshu had knocked over the teacup earlier. He bent down and sniffed at the floor, frowning thoughtfully. After a moment he straightened up, and before Gu Mengyao could ask, he spoke first.

"Say no more... Xiaoshu may be back." Wei Zhao had heard the familiar sound of the car outside the courtyard and knew she had returned.

"All right. And don't bring up this topic for now." Gu Mengyao rose as well and walked out of the villa with Wei Zhao.RQ