Chapter 267: People from the Hometown

The matchmaker’s eyes went wide. "That’s impossible! A man of Mr. Xu’s standing and talent? Countless young women would die for the chance to marry him and can’t!"

"I don’t believe you. Have Miss Lan Zhi come out and tell me herself."

"Otherwise, I won’t know what to tell Mr. Xu."

Gu Fei’s expression darkened. She then called for Lian’er, "Go get Lan Zhi. Let her say it herself."

A moment later, Lan Zhi came out with Lian’er.

Seeing the matchmaker, Lan Zhi looked irritated. "I won’t marry him. You can go back and tell that ’Mr. Whoever’ to never come again."

After saying her piece, Lan Zhi turned and walked toward the back.

The matchmaker called out after her repeatedly, "Miss Lan Zhi, Miss Lan Zhi, don’t go—"

Lan Zhi’s pace quickened, and she soon disappeared through the back entrance.

The matchmaker tried to chase after her, but Lian’er stepped in her way. "Ma’am, we have guests staying in the back. You can’t just run around back there."

The matchmaker resentfully flicked her handkerchief. "So ungrateful! Hmph—" She turned and stormed away in a huff.

Gu Fei rolled her eyes dramatically.

As she watched the matchmaker walk away, Gu Fei suddenly spotted a woman in tattered clothes at the side of the street, holding a broken bowl and begging from passersby.

Gu Fei stared at the woman for a while, then abruptly stood up, walked outside, and stopped in front of her.

Seeing someone before her, the woman quickly thrust her bowl right under Gu Fei’s nose. "Have pity, please spare something. I haven’t eaten in two days."

Gu Fei stared at her filthy face. "What—what’s your name?"

The woman snapped her head up and stared at Gu Fei, her eyes growing wider and wider. The broken bowl suddenly slipped from her grasp and clattered to the ground. She let out a cry of both shock and joy, "Little Fei, it’s me! It’s Sister Tao’er!"

"SOB SOB SOB... I’ve finally found you all." Taotao threw herself at Gu Fei.

Gu Fei quickly took a step back—her cotton dress was a moonlight white, a light color that stained easily. "Sister Tao’er, come inside with me."

Taotao’s lunge met empty air. Wiping away her tears, she took a long, hard look at Gu Fei.

She saw that Gu Fei was wearing a fine cotton dress of moonlight white, with a pearl-flower hairpin adorning her hair. Her skin was fair with a rosy glow, and her jet-black hair shone with a healthy luster, clear signs that she was living very well.

Taotao followed Gu Fei through the shop’s entrance, her eyes darting left and right. The shop was spacious and grand, complete with a decorative rockery and a small pond. The tables and chairs were coated in a gleaming black lacquer, and the counter was painted with flowers, creating an indescribably exquisite and beautiful scene.

Taotao tugged at her ragged clothes and followed Gu Fei toward the back, looking timid and out of place.

Aunt Liu, having just finished cleaning, was coming out of a room when she saw Taotao and gasped. "My heavens, is that you, Taotao? How did you end up in this state?"

Taotao burst into tears with a wail. "Auntie, fleeing the famine... you have no idea how hard it’s been."

Gu Fei said gently, "Don’t worry. Let’s get you something to eat in the kitchen first, then we can talk."

Leading Taotao into the back kitchen, Gu Fei ladled a bowl of congee for her. "Have some of this first. You can eat a steamed bun later. Since you haven’t eaten in two days, you need to start with something soft to settle your stomach."

Taotao took the bowl and, heedless of the scalding heat, immediately started gulping it down. SLURP! SLURP!

Aunt Liu watched from the side, clicking her tongue in astonishment.

After she finished the bowl, a bit of color returned to Taotao’s face. "Is there any more? I’m not full yet. And my husband... he’s still in the ruined temple outside the city, too weak from hunger to even walk."

Gu Fei handed Taotao two steamed buns. "Eat these. The congee is just to line your stomach; it’s not filling."

"Don’t you worry. After you’ve eaten, we’ll go get your husband. Oh, and where are my two nephews?"

Cradling the steamed buns, Taotao’s tears began to fall, drop by drop. "They’re gone. They’re all gone."

Her expression was desolate. "We just couldn’t go on... we sold one."

"The other one starved to death."