Rebirth of an Idle Noblewoman

Panda Novel

“That car…” Sheng Yin was dumbfounded, half because of the car, and the other half was because Gu Xiqiao didn’t bother hiding it and got into the car in broad daylight.

Was she not intending to hide it?

Du Yixin glanced at Sheng Yin, something flashing in his eyes, and finally he just said, “Look at the number plate.” Compared to the license plate, the car was nothing, really. Du Yixin lowered his eyes, and turned to follow his assistant to leave.

Sheng Yin was still thinking about what Du Yixin had just said, only to turn around to see Fu Xuejun looking straight ahead. Her eyes were deep, and there was something off about her. Sheng Yin couldn’t help but shudder. “Miss… Miss Fu?”

Fu Xuejun spared her a glance, nodding lightly at her. Anyone could feel the coldness that she was radiating.

“Sister Sheng, she doesn’t place you in her eyes at all, why are you still…” Sheng Yin’s assistant had driven over to see Fu Xuejun’s silhouette leaving, a bit puzzled as she asked. Sheng Yin was still someone with a name in the entertainment industry, with good looks and not bad acting skills. She was only slightly unlucky that when she debuted, she couldn’t find someone to back her. Luckily she still managed to climb up, and although she couldn’t compare to those first-rate artists like Li Yu and Song Guanjing, it was still more than enough.

Now she was kissing up to this newbie, the assistant really didn’t understand it.

Sheng Yin got into the car and just stared out the window, why? Obviously it’s because Fu Xuejun was born with something that she didn’t have, but Sheng Yin didn’t voice her thoughts.

***

Gu Xiqiao opened the door, climbing into the car.

“Why are you out so early today?” Jiang Shuxuan stepped on the accelerator of the car, driving the car slowly into the crowd. It was only six o’clock, and the sky had only just started to darken, the street lights coming on.

She had initially told him she would be done at ten, but she had come out four hours early.

Gu Xiqiao took out her phone, swiping through her phone to see who she should be chatting with. “There was a small problem, so Director Cheng called it an early day for us.”

According to Cheng Zhou’s attitude, he wasn’t someone who would delay the shooting lightly. What had happened for them to wrap up early? Jiang Shuxuan felt that something was wrong, but he didn’t press further, but placed the matter in his heart.

Gu Xiqiao was currently chatting with Zhu Yuan.

Zhu Yuan: Come out!

For A Millenium: How did you know I’m here?

Zhu Yuan: Yesterday you said that you were busy until your head was exploding, and this afternoon you posted that you’re so free?

For A Millenium: …

She would never be so cheap again!

Zhu Yuan: My master has been looking for you for a very long time, and he’s been talking my ears off. If you don’t come, I’m gonna be smothered by him.

For A Millenium: … Does Divine Doctor Rong have time now?

Zhu Yuan: He must!

Zhu Yuan was making a call to Rong Feishuang immediately after receiving her message. He had finally managed to get ahold of Gu Xiqiao, even if he didn’t have time now, he had to MAKE time!

“Brother Jiang, stop at that cafe over there.” Gu Xiqiao rubbed her chin thoughtfully, her clear eyes sparkling. “Divine Doctor Rong is looking for me.”

The last time she saw Rong Feishuang, she had felt that his gaze on her was… very strange.

Jiang Shuxuan didn’t ask anything, just pulling over at the cafe that she had indicated. He then leaned over to unbuckle her seatbelt for her. “Then, I’ll go and buy a bottle of soy sauce for Aunt Tang. Go ahead and wait for me.”

Gu Xiqiao nodded her head, then pushed open the door to get down.

Behind her, Jiang Shuxuan watched Gu Xiqiao find a seat beside the window. She waved at him through the glass before he drove the car away slowly. However, he didn’t head for the supermarket as he had said, but back to the set.

***

On the set of ‘Divergent Paths’, Cheng Zhou and a group of staff were still present. He was frowning and talking to one of them, while some of the others were rushing around. Some people were checking the surveillance, and there were some looking on the ground carefully with flashlights in hand.

Jiang Shuxuan didn’t bother containing his aura, and Cheng Zhou’s head snapped up the moment he walked in.

“What happened?” Jiang Shuxuan glanced at the shattered stunt wire in his hand, his expression darkening.

Although Cheng Zhou didn’t know Jiang Shuxuan’s identity, based on how Xiang Kun and Tang Qingqiu treated him, he knew that Jiang Shuxuan wasn’t any ordinary noble. With that, he didn’t dare to conceal anything from him either, explaining everything that happened in the afternoon.

The air around them seemed to drop another few degrees, and Jiang Shuxuan reached out toward the wire in Cheng Zhou’s hands. “Let me have a look.”

The director immediately handed the wires to him.

The filament on it had already cracked, and though the fracture wasn’t neat, the distance between each crack was consistent. Jiang Shuxuan’s eyes roamed over the wire for a moment, and he knew the reason for it. “This, you don’t have to check anymore. Director Cheng, please send me the names of all the crew members.” He rattled off an email address for Cheng Zhou.

How can regular people investigate something that had been done by someone from the ancient martial arts world? Jiang Shuxuan’s eyes were lowered, concealing the frosty chill in them. From Cheng Zhou’s words, he knew that this was an act that was targeted at Gu Xiqiao.

Cheng Zhou nodded in a hurry and agreed. Even if Jiang Shuxuan hadn’t come, he didn’t plan to investigate anymore, because there really were no leads or evidence at all. They couldn’t find anything, no matter on the set or the recordings. It made Cheng Zhou feel that it really was just an accident.

Having settled the matter for the moment and giving his orders, Jiang Shuxuan left for the supermarket to buy the soy sauce.

***

On the other side, Gu Xiqiao had only waited a few minutes before Rong Feishuang appeared.

“Miss Gu, I actually have a question for you,” Rong Feishuang paused for a long while before he continued, “The painting that you drew, who was it?”

Those pair of muddy eyes were staring at Gu Xiqiao, with anticipation in his eyes.

Gu Xiqiao’s hand on the teapot paused, she didn’t expect that Rong Feishuang would find her for this matter. She raised her head slightly, looking at the expression on his face a while before muttering, “It’s my foster mother.”

“Foster mother?” Rong Feishuang traced the opening of the teacup with a finger, a slight tremble in his voice. “Your foster mother, she… where is she now?”

With Yu Man being mentioned, Gu Xiqiao’s eyes clouded over slightly. She was silent for a while, before answering, “She’s gone.”

“What?!” Rong Feishuang’s hand trembled, knocking over the cup that he had been touching. The warm liquid spilled on the floor, but it seemed that he didn’t notice. He sat in the chair in a daze, unmoving like a statue.

Gu Xiqiao sat across from him, not knowing why he would suddenly look for her regarding Yu Man. She looked at his face carefully. “You know her?”

“She… she’s my daughter. Because of some disagreements, I… I kicked her out of the house…” Rong Feishuang’s voice cracked, a disbelief look on his face. His hands continued to tremble as he tried to pick up the teacup again, but it shattered in his hands instead.

He lowered his head, and was silent for a long while before saying, “I want to see her.”

Gu Xiqiao’s head snapped up, and she looked at Rong Feishuang. “I’m sorry, Divine Doctor Rong. I still have something to handle, I’ll leave first.”

In just a few conversations, she had once again changed his title from ‘Grandpa Rong’ back to ‘Divine Doctor Rong’.

When she walked out, she found that Jiang Shuxuan had yet to return. She sat down beside a flowerbed, hugging her knees to her chest as she waited.

“Xuejun, what are you looking at?” Shi Haixuan followed Fu Xuejun’s gaze, only seeing a girl sitting by a flowerbed. After a day of trying to get in contact with Fu Xuejun, she finally managed to get hold of the other girl, but she wasn’t interested at all. She had mentioned Baili Bin several times, but Fu Xuejun hadn’t reacted.

Fu Xuejun walked slowly toward Gu Xiqiao, and said in a condescending tone, “It’s cold outside, why are you out here, Miss Gu?” Could it be that she had been abandoned? That was great then!

Gu Xiqiao raised her head, an indifferent expression on her face. She glanced at Fu Xuejun. “Get lost.”

Words that were completely uncaring about her sent a shock through Fu Xuejun. She squeezed the bag that was in her hands, cold sweat breaking out on her back.

“What the h*ll are you! Daring to speak to Xuejun like that!” Shi Haixuan glanced at Gu Xiqiao, a completely unfamiliar person to her. Whether in the ancient martial arts world or the Imperial Capital, she had never seen this person before, so she should just be some commoner. She pointed her finger at Gu Xiqiao’s face as she scolded her. Her actions were because she wanted to be in Fu Xuejun’s good grace.

As expected, after hearing Shi Haixuan’s words, Fu Xuejun’s face eased. However, her heart still felt a slight fear, and she looked at Gu Xiqiao’s expressionless face. “Let’s go.”

But after the words that Shi Haixuan had spoken, Fu Xuejun still felt slightly satisfied. “I don’t have time today, but I’ll bring you to see my cousin tomorrow.”

Hearing this, Shi Haixuan’s eyes lit up. After being busy for so long, she was finally seeing a ray of hope at the end of a tunnel. “Xuejun, thank you so much…”

Before she could finish her words, she slipped suddenly.

Bang!

The two fell into the road on all fours. Since the two were not afraid of the cold, they were wearing skirts. Although they had worn thicker stockings, wearing skin-colored ones were as good as not wearing any in terms of appearance.

Their hair was in a mess, and their postures were awkward, and they had even flashed their underwear.

Even a gangster standing at a corner whistled, using a lewd gaze to look at their… butts.

Gu Xiqiao had also gotten up at this time, walking slowly. She glanced at the two without any change in their expression, as if looking at ants.

“Hurry up and get lost!” Fu Xuejun said with anger on her face as the corner of her skirt was held down by Shi Haixuan.

Shi Haixuan got up in a hurry, helping the other girl up once she had done so. Fu Xuejun grabbed the hand and stood, looking at Gu Xiqiao’s figure. She could feel all eyes around on her, and some were even pointing at them and whispering. The flush on her face became darker with anger.

Gu Xiqiao didn’t wait long after when the familiar black car pulled up slowly to her side.

“Brother Jiang.” Jiang Shuxuan got out of the car, opening the door for her. Before he could turn around to let her in, she had wrapped her arms around his waist.

Holding her hands, he turned and placed his arms around her instead. “What’s wrong?” His voice held a slight tone of panic underneath it.

Gu Xiqiao took a deep breath, feeling the warmth seeping into her. She tightened her arms for a moment before dropping it. “It’s nothing. Let’s go home, Brother Jiang.”

It’s been nearly twenty years. Yu Man had always been alone. If a person wanted to find someone, wasn’t twenty years more than enough?

Even the Gu family could find her, how could Rong Feishuang not be able to?

Jiang Shuxuan studied her expression, and gently rubbed the top of her head, ushering her into the car. After closing the door, he turned to glance at the cafe.

***

The next day, Cheng Zhou didn’t start work, but asked the props team to transport another batch of machines over. Gu Xiqiao was happy for the break, and got up in the morning for her usual jog.

Haha ran ahead of her, being accustomed to the freedom lately. Everyone in the small community knew it, Gu Xiqiao let it run around freely, until—

“Ah! Where did this stupid dog come from!” Shi Haixuan had come early in the morning to look for Fu Xuejun, and wasn’t looking where she was walking at all, and seemed to have kicked something with her feet. She looked down, not knowing where the dog had come from. Her face darkened, lifting her leg and intending to stomp down hard on the dog.

“Just try it.” Her leg seemed to stop midair without her consent, and Shi Haixuan raised her head, seeing a beautiful face. The incident yesterday night was still fresh on her mind, how could she forget this face?

Shi Haixuan smiled coldly. “If I want to, I will step on it. What can you do?” If it was in the ancient martial arts world, she would still be slightly more mindful of her attitude. But this was the secular world, what was there to be afraid of?

Gu Xiqiao picked Haha up in her arms, and smiled at Shi Haixuan. “Soon, you won’t be anything.”

Shi Haixuan opened her mouth to retort, but she suddenly caught sight of Fu Xuejun from the corner of her eyes. Shen then decided that Gu Xiqiao wasn’t worth her time, and she spat out some harsh words before turning to catch up with Fu Xuejun. “Xuejun, we’re going to see your cousin today, right?” A look of anticipation was on her face.

Fu Xuejun’s face was stiff when she saw the other girl, and then she recalled what she had arrogantly said yesterday night. Look for Baili Bin? It would be strange if he did bother about her! Fu Xuejun felt irritated inside, and wanted to find some excuse to deny her, but then Shi Haixuan was already dragging her forward.

Shi Haixuan had seen Baili Bin, and he was dressed in sportswear, standing on the grass area. It seemed that he was punching, his figure tall and imposing. His punches were timed with the wind, and many passing women couldn’t help but turn back every three steps they took.

He looked even better than he did in the past.

He really was standing up, Shi Haixuan thought with a dazed look. She pulled Fu Xuejun along as they walked to Baili Bin. Shi Haixuan couldn’t help but exclaim, “Ah Bin.”

Baili Bin paused, his eyes sliding across from Shi Haixuan’s face to Fu Xuejun, his gaze not lingering on either of them.

“Xuejun, talk!” Seeing that Baili Bin was about to walk away, Shi Haixuan couldn’t help but shake Fu Xuejun. “Ah Bin, don’t go. I’m a friend of Fu Xuejun, a very very good friend!”

Embarrassment was creeping onto Fu Xuejun’s face, and she opened her mouth to say stiffly, “That’s right Cousin, Haixuan is a good friend.”

Baili Bin stopped suddenly, turning around to look at Fu Xuejun. “I’m not your cousin.”

Don’t mention Shi Haixuan, even Fu Xuejun was stunned at the declaration. She didn’t expect Baili Bin to embarrass her outright like this. If he wasn’t her cousin, then whose was he? Gu Xiqiao’s?

Thinking about this, Fu Xuejun’s face immediately changed. She smiled at Baili Bin. “Cousin, you must be joking. Are you still angry with me about the last time, I…”

“Whether or not I am, you know it in your heart.” Baili Bin’s gaze shifted to something behind her, a smile breaking out on his face. “Qiao Qiao.”

Gu Xiqiao had walked over slowly, Haha still in her arms. “Brother Baili, Mama Tang has prepared a lot of breakfast due to her trying out different dishes this morning, how about joining us for the meal?”

“Sure.” Baili Bin’s eyes lit up. “Let’s go then.” This was the first time Gu Xiqiao had initiated an invite to a meal, it was a good sign.

“Ah Bin!” Shi Haixuan panicked, hurriedly stepping forward, she tried to grab the corner of Baili Bin’s clothes. Before she could, a figure appeared in front of her and said, “Miss, have some respect.”

Shi Haixuan naturally recognized that this was Uncle Tai, who had been by Baili Bin’s side since he was young.

Uncle Tai used to be all smiles for her before this, but there was only cold disgust in his eyes now.

Under this kind of gaze, she couldn’t help but take a step backward. Seeing Fu Xuejun beside her, her eyes darkened in anger. “Miss Fu, you’re really something!” After playing along for so long, Fu Xuejun really wasn’t as favored as the rumors said. Listening to Baili Bin’s words, he completely didn’t acknowledge Fu Xuejun’s position at all!

She had wasted so much time on a useless person the past few days, and with no progress at all. All she did was make Baili Bin even more disgusted! Thinking back to the rumors about the ‘prodigal lady’ of the Baili and Fu family that was favored, how she would be sure to have a bright future, and how she didn’t place anyone in her eyes at all, now look at her, she’s not different than dog shit! Baili Bin didn’t acknowledge her at all!

It was no different than using an ordinary person, useless!

Shi Haixuan thought of the woman just now, and her chest constricted. She had already offended her twice in the span of two days, it was obvious that the other girl wouldn’t help her.

Shi Haixuan became angry again when she thought about it. “You’re so great, Miss Fu. I’ll definitely spread your reputation across the ancient martial arts world!”

Fu Xuejun’s face was stiff, but when she heard Shi Haixuan’s words, her face turned from red to green, and then black.

Even her fingertips were shaking in anger. How was she to know that Baili Bin would say such words?!