Transmigrated Female Official

After delivering Wu Yang to Miao Yin Fang, Chu Qingluo, along with Gongsun Yu, Jiuwei, and Tongmu, had lunch there.

This was the first time that Nine-Tails and Kirito had dined at the same table as Chu Qingluo outside, and they were incredibly excited. Nine-Tails even pretended to wipe away a tear: "Miss, you're so kind!"

"Don't pretend with me, or I won't let you eat anymore." Chu Qingluo showed no mercy and tried to put down the nine-tailed fox's chopsticks.

Nine-Tailed Fox cried out urgently, "No!" and stopped crying.

"Pfft." Gongsun Yu burst out laughing.

Although Wu Yang was still a little reserved, he kept secretly glancing at Chu Qingluo and grinning foolishly.

……

The meal was enjoyed with laughter and conversation, but Chu Qingluo dared not linger any longer, remembering that her mother had already arranged to visit the mansion bestowed by the Empress in the east of the city that afternoon.

Seeing her get up, Wu Yang also stood up: "Is my lord going back?" His tone was full of reluctance.

Having already eaten together, Chu Qingluo felt that he was at least an acquaintance, so she said, "From now on, don't call me 'Master' anymore, just call me Qingluo."

Wu Yang nodded, and said shyly, "Okay... Qingluo."

Only after Chu Qingluo and the others' carriage had left and Wu Yang's figure was no longer visible, did Gongsun Yu say, "He really does like you."

Chu Qingluo stared at his face with amusement, trying to catch a hint of jealousy in his expression, but he remained calm. "Don't you... feel there's anything wrong with that?"

Gongsun Yu's eyes were filled with laughter as he stared intently at her, getting closer and closer as if to touch her lips... but then he suddenly stopped, giving a wicked smile: "No."

Chu Qingluo's pupils dilated instantly, and her heart skipped a beat.

...Was she just teased by Gongsun Yu, who always presented himself as a gentleman? She was the one who was supposed to tease him!

She looked at him suspiciously, still processing what had just happened, but he had already put on a relaxed expression, as if it had just been her imagination.

……

Intermittently recalling bits and pieces of information about Gongsun Yu, could it be... that he was actually a wolf in sheep's clothing, outwardly kind but inwardly cunning? ...Given his intelligence, it wasn't impossible. Just as she was pondering this, the sound of the carriage wheels abruptly stopped.

Unbeknownst to them, they had already arrived at the mansion in the east of the city.

Gongsun Yu got out of the car first, and as usual, turned around and extended his hand to her. Chu Qinglu pouted, looked him up and down, and then took his hand.

To everyone's surprise, Gongsun Yu showed no sign of letting go, holding her hand tightly. Seeing her struggle slightly, he smiled innocently at her again: "What's wrong?"

What would it mean if she shook off his hand now? Besides, Chu's mother was still waiting inside, so Chu Qingluo simply smiled and said, "It's nothing." After saying that, she generously used her small hand to grasp his large hand in return.

This gesture made the smile in Gongsun Yu's eyes deepen.

She tilted her head back and read the gold characters on the black wooden plaque: "Sixth-Rank Minister of State." Then she looked at him and asked, "Is that right?"

Gongsun Yu looked at her with affection and nodded.

Looking to the side, one can indeed see exquisitely carved peony flowers on the top of the pillars connecting the eaves.

Pushing open the black lacquered gate... it was completely different from what Chu Qingluo had imagined. What greeted her eyes was not a magnificent mansion, but a thick layer of withered leaves and dust.

Desolate...truly desolate!

Chu Qingluo was so shocked that she blurted out, "How can this courtyard be so desolate?!" The so-called imperial favor... is this what it looks like?

Gongsun Yu shrugged, indicating his lack of understanding. After all, the Gongsun mansion he had seen since birth was always adorned with carved railings and jade ornaments. "Let's go take a look at the main hall."

Chu Qingluo nodded, and the group entered the main hall together.

At this moment, Chu's mother and Uncle Sihan were already in the main hall. As soon as they saw Chu Qingluo and the others enter, they immediately smiled and said, "Qingluo, this house is really nice!"

Chu Qinglu asked, puzzled, "Besides being spacious, what makes it seem good?"

“What do you know? This house has been abandoned for so many years and it doesn’t look old at all, which is already quite good. When the time comes, I will help you hire a feng shui master to fix the feng shui of this house properly.” Mother Chu held a silk handkerchief in her hand and pointed here and there: “This is definitely not good… then we need to change it.”

"Huh?" she said, indicating that she didn't understand.

"But let me make this clear first, you'll have to prepare the money for renovating this house yourself."

"Ah!!" Chu Qingluo was startled again.

"What do you mean, 'ah'? You've already become a sixth-rank female official, do you expect your mother to support you for the rest of your life?!"

Chu's mother's words were all reasonable, and Chu Qingluo immediately lowered her head and obediently replied, "Oh..."

Although she has become a sixth-rank female official, she is still penniless. It seems she needs to find a way to make money from that hundred taels of gold.

"Mother, who used to live in this house?"

Chu's mother glanced at her: "Who else could it be? Of course, it's one of the tenth-rank female officials who committed a crime and had her home confiscated!"

Chu Qinglu pursed her lips. It seemed to be someone like Ji Jie. Ji Jie's family property had also been confiscated, but her mansion must have been reserved to be distributed to other newly promoted female officials... for reuse.

However, she's not in a hurry to move out. She'll renovate it when she has the money, and then let it air out for a while before she can move in... To put it bluntly, she wants to stay at the Chu family's house for a while longer.

……

Back at the Chu family home, Chu Qingluo tossed the clothes given to her by the Eighth Princess to Chu Yilin. "Here, the Eighth Princess asked me to bring these to you."

Chu Yilin looked utterly dejected: "...Why did you give me clothes?!"

Chu Qinglu rolled her eyes: "How would I know? Maybe the Eighth Princess wants you to put on a live dress-up show for her alone?" She then gave a mischievous grin.

"Chu Qingluo! When did you become so... so evil?!" Chu Yilin was so angry that he hiccuped as he spoke.

Chu Qinglu made a few faces at him, thinking to herself that her mother had always been like this.

She happily returned to her room, only to find that Gongsun Yu, unlike his usual gentle self, was waiting for her with a serious expression.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her smile fading.

He stared at her: "You said you accepted gifts from the Eighth Princess and the Sixth Princess, but not from the Fourth Princess?" Before Chu Qingluo went to find Chu Yilin, she mentioned this matter to Gongsun Yu.

“Yes, I also feel it’s a bit inappropriate. But the Eighth Princess didn’t give it to me. The Sixth Princess’s was just a painting, which she painted herself, so I was too embarrassed to return it… The Fourth Princess’s was too precious, so I returned it.”

"You..." Gongsun Yu flicked his index finger, tapping Chu Qingluo's smooth forehead. "How could you be so reckless?"

Chu Qingluo rubbed her forehead: "What's wrong with me? Not being swayed by money, how noble, how principled!"

Gongsun Yu rolled her eyes at her, both amused and annoyed: "This is troublesome." Seeing her confusion, she continued: "Aren't you usually quite clever? These three are giving you gifts now simply to win you over. If you want to remain neutral, you can't accept any of their gifts. Otherwise, you can accept them all, at least making it impossible for them to understand your intentions."

After being lectured by him, Chu Qinglu pouted and protested, "...Those things from the Eighth Princess weren't given to me."

Gongsun Yu stared straight at her: "The gift was sent to you, but who knows who the contents are for? To outsiders, it looks like it was for you."

"Damn it! Looks like I've been tricked by the Eighth Princess!" Chu Qinglu frowned, feeling indignant. "I never knew she had such a sharp mind."

Gongsun Yu frowned: "There must be a master behind you guiding you. And the Sixth Princess... a painting by her own hand, leaving you with no choice, that's no small feat."

"What do we do now?" Chu Qingluo was truly forced into a corner, looking at him pitifully with her bright, innocent eyes.

Gongsun Yu coughed lightly, unable to bear continuing to criticize, and said, "Now that we've accepted their gifts, we can only take it one step at a time and be careful of the Fourth Princess." After saying that, she gently instructed, "In the future, if you encounter something like this again, be more careful... don't make me worry."

"Fine, I won't even accept the Emperor's own painting!" Chu Qingluo nodded obediently, her manner sweet and charming, her words resolute.

"Okay, I'm going back to my room." Gongsun Yu looked at her with amusement, secretly sighing in his heart; she was just too lovable. He turned back at the door and suddenly planted a gentle kiss on her forehead: "Have a good night's sleep."

Chu Qinglu was stunned. Before she could react, Gongsun Yu had vanished.