Chapter 182 - 174: Gu Xi
Chapter 182: Chapter 174: Gu Xi
"One’s life is full of hardship. If you give up on yourself every time you face a challenge, then what meaning does your life have? How are you any different from a trapped animal that simply accepts its fate after being caught by a hunter?"
"When we encounter difficulties, we, as human beings, should work to solve them and break through the obstacles in our path. I believe there is no such thing as an insurmountable problem in this world, only cowardly people who shrink away from challenges."
Her words didn’t just move Meng Nan and the Jin guard; even the ever-cold and silent Hu Feng showed a flicker of emotion on his face.
With that, Bai Zhi turned to leave. At the doorway, she glanced back at Meng Nan. "I brought you some egg crepes. They’re cold, but they should still taste decent. Have a couple if you’re hungry. I’m off."
Bai Zhi strode away, but Hu Feng remained standing in the doorway. His gaze swept impassively over Meng Nan’s bandaged wrist. "Don’t let her kindness go to waste. A man ought to act like one. Don’t be less capable than a woman."
Hu Feng turned and left after he spoke. It took the Jin guard a moment to process what he’d said. "Young Master, what did Hu Feng mean by that? Is he saying you’re less capable than a woman? I’m going to go settle things with him."
Meng Nan stopped him. "Don’t go. Hu Feng was right. He wasn’t trying to put me down; he was just encouraging me in his own way. He wasn’t wrong at all. How can I, a grown man, fall apart over a single setback as if the sky were falling? When you put it like that, I really can’t compare to Zhi."
His gaze fell upon the oil-paper package in the Jin guard’s hands.
"I’m hungry!"
The Jin guard was overjoyed. His young master hadn’t touched a single grain of rice in two days; he’d been so worried he couldn’t sleep. "Excellent! I’ll have the kitchen prepare something right away."
Meng Nan pointed to the paper package in his hands. "Why prepare anything else? Isn’t this ready to eat?"
It took the Jin guard a second to understand. He quickly opened the paper package, took out a beautifully rolled egg crepe, and offered it to Meng Nan.
Meng Nan took the egg crepe, and an enticing aroma wafted into his nose. His stomach, which had long forgotten the sensation of hunger, suddenly started to rumble.
Seeing his young master eating with such relish, the Jin guard’s own mouth began to water. Seizing a moment when his master wasn’t looking, he quickly grabbed an egg crepe and stuffed it into his mouth, taking a large bite.
Meng Nan saw him. He quickly pointed at the Jin guard and said, "Hey, I saw that! There are only two left. You can’t have any more."
The Jin guard wolfed down the egg crepe in his hand and, just as quickly, grabbed another from the package. Stuffing it into his mouth, he chuckled, "There were four in total. Miss Bai said we get two each."
"When did she say that? I didn’t hear anything of the sort." Meng Nan was skeptical. He had clearly heard her tell him to eat if he was hungry, but she hadn’t mentioned the Jin guard at all.
Whether he believed it or not, two egg crepes were already gone. The Jin guard just kept chewing, a goofy grin on his face.
"What are you two eating?" A surprised female voice came from the doorway.
Without even taking the time to wipe the grease from his mouth, the Jin guard went to greet her with a strained laugh. "Miss Gu, why did you come without having someone announce your arrival? Even if you couldn’t be announced, shouldn’t you at least knock before entering my young master’s room?"
Gu Xi’s face flushed. She fidgeted and said, "Oh, honestly—I just saw the door was open and came right in."
Meng Nan finished his egg crepe, his mind already on the last one in the Jin guard’s possession. He was thoroughly annoyed by Gu Xi’s sudden visit, but he had no choice but to force a smile. "Miss Gu, is there something you need?"