Campus Ace Girl-Chapter 497 - 498: Anxi! This is a ginseng mountain! Take it!
After they had chatted for about two hours, the old gentleman started to feel rather bored. Even looking at the enormous wild ginseng couldn’t lift his spirits, so he went for an afternoon nap, leaving his wife to manage the guest.
The old lady was a shrewd woman; how could she fail to see the truth? This girl claims to be here to see me, but isn’t she most likely thinking about Jingyao?
She didn’t voice her thoughts, merely sighing inwardly. When it comes to matters between men and women, if there were even the slightest possibility, a young girl wouldn’t need to chase a man all the way to his home.
She mused further, The Gu family is actually very prestigious, quite prominent even in Beicheng. But Gu Mingzhu, as a daughter from such a high-profile family, utterly lacks self-restraint. She truly is the kind of child a mistress would raise. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞
Though the old lady was inwardly displeased, she didn’t show it on her face. However, she also didn’t invite Gu Mingzhu to stay for dinner. Gu Mingzhu was perceptive enough to take the hint and, not wanting to impose, decided to leave.
Her car had just driven off when King Jingyao’s car drove in. She immediately told her driver to stop. Opening her car door, she walked over gracefully and bowed. "Mr. Wang."
The Secretary General opened the car door for King Jingyao. The dignitary alighted, his expression perfectly serene. "Here to chat with the Old Lady?"
Saying this, he looked at the Secretary General. "See? So considerate. If the Old Lady’s own daughter were half as thoughtful, we’d be thanking our lucky stars."
Gu Mingzhu’s heart skipped a beat. The Old Lady has a daughter?
The Secretary General smiled accommodatingly. "Indeed, Miss Mingzhu is very understanding; few can compare."
At this praise, Gu Mingzhu smiled shyly. She had hoped King Jingyao would invite her to dinner, but after waiting for a moment, it seemed he had no such intention. She couldn’t very well linger, so she said softly, "Then I’ll be heading back."
As she spoke, she felt a little aggrieved. I, a young woman, have gone to such lengths, and it’s not as if he doesn’t know my feelings. Yet, he remains unmoved. Could the recent rumors about his interest in Lin Hua actually be true?
King Jingyao replied calmly, "Alright."
Then he suddenly added, "By the way, I saw your design. It’s very good; it has a master’s flair."
That design was modified by one of Master Xunyi’s current students, so it inevitably bore some resemblance to Master Xunyi’s style. Uncle Wang’s praise wasn’t wrong.
Gu Mingzhu’s heart instantly warmed, her eyes sparkling.
King Jingyao smiled and walked straight into the mansion, leaving the Secretary General about to depart. Gu Mingzhu softly called out to him, "Secretary Wang, is there any hope for my design?"
Wang Jingchuan gave a mysterious smile. "Perhaps. After all, it made it into the top ten."
Gu Mingzhu still felt somewhat confident. Mr. Wang did say my drawing had a master’s flair.
***
When King Jingyao entered the mansion, his gaze immediately fell upon the two large wild ginsengs. He lightly brushed his trousers, sat down, and toyed with one. "Gu Mingzhu brought these?"
The old lady sighed softly. "Your father’s health is so frail; how could he possibly consume such potent tonics? When Anxi comes later, let her take them home to eat. Jingchuan told me you went to a lot of trouble to find this ginseng for her."
King Jingyao simply smiled. "I’m so good to that little brat, and she’s so ungrateful."
The old lady couldn’t help but laugh. "That’s because you, her roguish Uncle Wang, have ulterior motives! You think she doesn’t know? She sees things clear as day!"
King Jingyao was rather speechless. "Old Madam, please don’t bring up that old sore spot. It’s all in the past; let’s not ruin the good brother-sister relationship I have with her."
The old lady burst into laughter. "Alright, alright, I know how much you dote on her. You save all the best things for her, yet you’re so stubbornly evasive about it."
King Jingyao just smiled.
The Secretary General stood by, also enjoying the cheerful atmosphere.
By this time, Gu Anxi had arrived. She entered carrying a bag of snacks—the same type of savory braised snacks her younger uncle had bought last time, which smelled wonderfully fragrant.
No sooner had she stepped in than the old gentleman, drawn by the aroma, hurried out. "What’s that enchanting fragrance?"
Gu Anxi handed him a bag. "Eat slowly, it’s a bit hot."
King Jingyao was both exasperated and amused. "What was your speed?"
"Oh, a little over a hundred," Gu Anxi grinned, handing the other two bags to him and Secretary Wang.
The dignitary was reluctant to eat, acting rather aloof. Secretary Wang, on the other hand, ate while praising it profusely. "Delicious! A true delicacy of the mortal world."
King Jingyao was a bit skeptical. "Is it really that good?"
The old gentleman also exclaimed in admiration, "So fragrant! You’re the one who gets me, child! That girl from the Gu family brought two huge wild ginsengs; how am I supposed to gnaw on those?"
Gu Anxi laughed, nudging King Jingyao. "Uncle Wang, your charm is truly potent."
The Secretary General, while eating, surreptitiously watched the goings-on.
The old lady and the old gentleman were also relishing the snacks.
King Jingyao tried a piece, then looked up. "Just because she has feelings for me doesn’t mean I have to accept them."
Gu Anxi nodded. "True. Otherwise, if you really did get together with her, you’d have to call me ’Big Sis’ from then on."
The dignitary paused in his eating and shot her a glare. "Don’t talk nonsense! Do I look like someone who hasn’t seen the world?"
Gu Anxi just smiled.
King Jingyao then said, "By the way, I called you over today because there’s something I want to discuss with you."
Gu Anxi waved her hand dismissively. "Is there anything that can’t be said over the phone?"
He glared at her again. She said impatiently, "Alright, alright. You can say it now."
The old gentleman glanced at the old lady. Our son has met his match! To be bullied like this and still speak so gently!
King Jingyao, indeed, found he had no anger left in him. He smiled faintly and said, "Master Xunyi is coming the day after tomorrow. You should join me for dinner with him."
Gu Anxi went "Ah?" and said, "The day after tomorrow? I might not have time then; I have some things to do."
King Jingyao couldn’t resist interjecting, "No matter how busy you are, you have to go. This is Master Xunyi. Aren’t you quite interested in design?"
"Yes, I’m interested. I even submitted a design to you," Gu Anxi grumbled. "If you care about me so much, just give me first prize."
King Jingyao, amused despite himself as if he were her exasperated older brother, said with a laugh, "First prize just because you say so? Let me show you what others have drawn, and then you’ll see the difference."
Gu Anxi propped her chin on her hand.
The Secretary General smiled.
The old lady spoke up, "Jingyao, don’t bully your sister. She’s still so young; you’re being too demanding with her."
King Jingyao couldn’t help but retort, "Old Madam, you all can’t just keep doting on her endlessly. She needs to understand the seriousness of things. It’s not good for someone so young to be spoiled rotten."
The old lady, laughing more heartily than she had in a while, countered, "But aren’t you the one who spoils her and indulges her the most, Jingyao?"
"I certainly do not," the dignitary called over Wang Jingchuan. "Go to the car and get that design drawing. It’s time to open this little brat’s eyes."
After finishing the last of the braised snacks, the Secretary General wiped his hands. "Alright." With that, he went to fetch it and, upon returning, handed it to his superior.
King Jingyao held the design drawing, glancing at Gu Anxi. "Take a look. Now this is what you call design."
