Gu Fuzhou was also startled, and the atmosphere turned a bit weird.
After a brief silence, Gu Fuzhou spoke. “What kind of reaction was that? Do you think your hand will break out in boils if you touch it?”
For some reason, envisioning that made Lin Qingyu want to laugh. “No. I don’t think so.”
“You weren’t like that before, though. Before, you were like—” Gu Fuzhou began to imitate Lin Qingyu’s tone. They were so close that he could sound even more like Lin Qingyu than like Xiao Cheng. “What hasn’t a physician seen? You needn’t be shocked.”
Gu Fuzhou had mimicked him so well that Lin Qingyu couldn’t retort to his words at all. He truly had seen a lot, and to him, this body part was just a bit of flesh. Back when Lu Wancheng was impotent, Lin Qingyu was even able to calmly suggest that he check it. So he didn’t know why he’d reacted like that just now either.
After some thought, he said, “Maybe it’s because you’re currently using Great General Gu’s body.”
“What’s that got to do with it?”
“I’ve admired Great General Gu for a long time, and I don’t want to disrespect him.”
Gu Fuzhou scoffed. “Hypocrite. You already crawled into my bed, and now you’re claiming that you’re not used to my current body?”
Lin Qingyu had nothing to say to that. He decided to give up. “You were right—I think my hand will break out in boils.”
Gu Fuzhou clapped, smiling. “Okay, okay. I’d expect that of Physician Lin.”
For the rest of the day, as soon as Gu Fuzhou saw Lin Qingyu, he grabbed his hand and examined it. “Why is your hand still fine, Physician Lin? When will it break out in boils…?”
Lin Qingyu couldn’t help but doubt his decision to marry Gu Fuzhou. That very night, he ordered servants to move the bunk bed from the Lin manor into their new bedroom.
After the wedding, Gu Fuzhou didn’t need to go to court for three days. When Lin Qingyu ordered the servants to put away his belongings, Gu Fuzhou stood idly by. Seeing a locked wooden chest, he asked casually, “What’s in there?”
Lin Qingyu glanced at it, then dismissed the servants and opened the chest. “Great General Gu’s spirit tablet. Is there a private room in the manor?”
“I’ll have Yuan Yin help you find one later… There are two tablets here, though. Who’s the other one for?”
“You can pick it up and see,” Lin Qingyu said. His tone was a bit odd.
Gu Fuzhou took out both tablets out. One was indeed dedicated to Great General Gu, but the other one…
Gu Fuzhou nearly threw the thing away. “What the heck is this? Who’s Jiang Dazhuang?!”
“On the day you passed away, I didn’t know whether you had truly died or not, so I set up an altar for you. That way, if you’d really died, you could still accept incense in the afterworld.”
“Thanks for the consideration,” Gu Fuzhou said, but he looked a bit conflicted. “Why did you think this was my name, though?”
The barest hint of a smile ghosted across Lin Qingyu’s face. “You told me yourself. At first, you said that your name was Zhu Dazhuang. Then you changed your mind and said that your family name was Jiang. So, naturally, that meant your name was Jiang Dazhuang.”
Gu Fuzhou laughed incredulously. “You clearly knew that I was joking. Why did you take it seriously?”
Lin Qingyu slammed the lid of the chest closed with a bang. “What else could I do? I stood no chance of guessing your real name.” He swallowed. “I asked you, but you wouldn’t tell me.”
Gu Fuzhou furrowed his brow, looking serious. “When did you ask?”
“During the first week after your death.” Lin Qingyu knew that it had only been a dream, and he felt ridiculous even talking about it, but he couldn’t help himself. “I asked you. I asked you so many times—I chased after you asking. But you still walked away without looking back.”
“That wasn’t a dream…?” Gu Fuzhou murmured. “Fuck, can you dream in co-op mode?”
Lin Qingyu’s eyes flashed. “What does that mean?”
He sat by the table, watching as Gu Fuzhou dragged a chair over and sat next to him. Although both were seated, Gu Fuzhou was still much taller and had to lower his head as he spoke. “I’m sorry, Qingyu. I didn’t know at the time that I would survive.”
Lin Qingyu was surprised. “You…know about that dream?”
Gu Fuzhou nodded. “After it, I woke up in Great General Gu’s body.”
“So that was you?” Lin Qingyu stood up abruptly. “You really didn’t want to tell me your name…”
“I just thought that, if I died, it might be easier to forget me if you didn’t know my name.”
Lin Qingyu gritted his teeth. “You know I never forget anything. I can’t even forget that rooster I prostrated myself with. Why would you think that I could forget you?”
Gu Fuzhou laughed softly. “I’m sorry.” He took Lin Qingyu’s hand. Since Lin Qingyu was standing now, he was the one who had to gaze down at Gu Fuzhou, who looked back up at him. “I’ll tell you now, okay? My name’s really pretty.”
“I don’t want to know anymore,” Lin Qingyu said calmly, turning his head away. “I don’t care what you’re called. It has nothing to do with me.”
“Oh no, oh no,” Gu Fuzhou said seriously. “This seems like the angriest you’ve been since we reunited, Physician Lin. You’re even angrier than you were when Shen Huaishi failed to assassinate the crown prince—whether that was due to a mistake, or a decision to show Xiao Cheng mercy.”
Lin Qingyu truly was angry. When he thought of his feeling of loss after he’d awoken from that dream, he wanted to choke Gu Fuzhou to death.
“You probably won’t feel better even if I let you touch my abs,” Gu Fuzhou added. “So how about you bury your face in them?”
Lin Qingyu was already irate, and this young man was in the mood to joke?
His face expressionless, Lin Qingyu replied, “No. I’m afraid my face will break out in boils.”