As Yu Yunshang and Ting Lan walked gracefully along the shaded path toward Jian Xu and Zhi Ye under the blooming jacaranda tree, somewhere else, far from parasols, peach trees, and noble conversations, Gu Xu was pushing open the crooked wooden door of his father's dim and dingy cottage.
He found Gui Xu kneeling in front of a wooden chest, rummaging through it with loud clinking noises. He was muttering to himself, tossing aside old cloth, a broken knife sheath, and a few copper coins.
Gu Xu stood quietly for a moment, watching.
He wondered why his father was looking for silver coins when he had already bought beer in the morning. Usually, once Gui Xu had alcohol for the day, he would not care about anything else.
Gui Xu suddenly turned and noticed him standing there.
"What are you staring at?" he snapped. Then he tossed a few small silver coins toward Gu Xu. Gu Xu barely caught them.
"Go," Gui Xu said impatiently. "Go buy ceremonial clothes. Something that doesn't make you look like a beggar. We are going to apologize to Elder Yu Mingli and his daughter. Don't embarrass me."
Elder Yu Mingli.
So that was Yu Yunshang's father's name.
Gu Xu said nothing. He just closed his fingers around the coins and turned to leave.
As soon as Gu Xu left, Gui Xu stood up and stretched.
He walked to the back of the cottage, poured water into a basin, and began to wash himself thoroughly. He scrubbed his face, his neck, his arms. Then he opened a wooden box and took out his ceremonial clothes.
They were surprisingly well maintained — deep brown cloth with dark trim, looking almost new.
Gui Xu rarely took care of anything, but he took care of these clothes. Reputation in front of nobles mattered to him more than comfort at home.
He put them on carefully, tying the belt, smoothing the sleeves, adjusting the fur.
When he was done, he looked almost respectable. Almost like a different man.
Meanwhile, Gu Xu walked toward the market area.
The shop district of the Cheetah tribe was always lively — stalls with fruit, cloth, tools, smoked meat, pottery, herbs, and wooden crafts. People were bargaining, arguing, laughing, carrying baskets, and shouting prices.
Gu Xu rarely came here to buy things. Usually he only came to sell fruit he gathered or goat milk when they had extra.
Buying things meant spending money, and Gui Xu hated spending money on him.
As Gu Xu walked through the market, he felt something strange.
People were looking at him — but not with their usual mocking expressions.
Some looked at him with pity.
And some looked away quickly.
Others whispered to each other.
Word had already spread.
Everyone knew about the lions den.
Normally people would make mean comments whenever he passed, calling him "fatty", "useless noble", "Gui Xu's pig!", or other cruel names.
But today, most people stayed quiet.
Not because they respected him.
But because they thought he was going to die.
However, not everyone was this kind or sensible.
A group of older boys who worked at a butcher's stall saw him and began laughing loudly.
One of them nudged another and said loudly, "Look who it is! It's the noble young master who's going to spend a night in the lions den!"
Another boy smirked. "Since he can't even run properly maybe the lions will get tired chasing him because he's too slow."
A third boy said, "No, no, the lions will probably die first from eating too much fat!"
They all burst out laughing.
One of them leaned on the stall and called out, "Hey! Gu Xu! How does it feel to dance with the most beautiful girl in the tribe and then get sentenced to death the next day? That's quite an achievement!"
Another added, "If I were you, I would have run away from the tribe already. But I guess with a drunkard father like Gui Xu, you never learned how to run properly, huh?"
They laughed again.
Gu Xu stopped walking for a moment. His hands tightened around the coins in his palm. His face felt hot, but he didn't turn around.
He just continued walking.
There was no point in arguing. If he fought, he would lose. If he spoke, they would laugh more. If he ran, they would chase him.
So he walked.
He stopped at a small cloth stall run by a woman and two children — a boy and a girl.
He recognized them immediately. They were the same children Gui Xu had shouted at that morning. His neighbours.
The mother recognized him too. Her expression softened.
"Young master Gu Xu," she said gently. "How can I help you?"
Her children hid slightly behind her, peeking at him shyly. They did not look scared of him — just shy.
"I… I need ceremonial clothes," Gu Xu said awkwardly. "Cheap ones."
The woman nodded and showed him a few simple but neat outfits. She did not try to overcharge him like some merchants would. She even helped him choose one that fit properly.
"This one suits you," she said kindly. "Try to stand straight when you wear it. You are still young. You will grow into it."
Gu Xu didn't know what to say. People were rarely kind to him without wanting something.
He paid her and picked up the folded clothes in a cloth bag.
"Thank you," he said quietly.
The woman smiled. "Take care of yourself."
The two children waved shyly at him. He hesitated for a moment, then gave a small awkward wave back before leaving.
On the way back home, he felt that someone was following him.
He heard footsteps behind him — not very loud, but steady.
He stopped walking and suddenly turned around.
No one.
Just an empty path, a fence, and some trees.
He frowned and continued walking.
After several steps, someone suddenly stepped out in front of him, blocking his path.
Gu Xu jumped slightly in shock.
It was a boy slightly taller than him, with bright eyes and a wide, cheerful smile.
The boy bowed slightly in an exaggerated polite way and said, "Hello! My name is De Qianfan! Family name De, from the De household!"
Gu Xu stared at him with a blank expression.
"…Am I supposed to know you?" Gu Xu said dryly.
"No!" the boy said cheerfully. "But I have heard of you and met you before!"
Gu Xu frowned. "Where?"
"Yesterday! At night!" De Qianfan said excitedly. "When you were beaten by the Chief's servant Maki! I heard everything!"
Gu Xu froze.
The bag in his hand almost slipped.
His heart started beating very fast.
He grabbed the bag tightly and stared at De Qianfan. "How many people were watching?" he asked quickly.
"Just me!" De Qianfan said proudly.
Gu Xu stared at him for a long moment, trying to see if he was lying.
De Qianfan suddenly grinned and said, "Since I kept your secret… doesn't that mean we're friends?"
Gu Xu blinked.
Then he turned and started walking again.
"I don't have any weird things like friends," Gu Xu said flatly. "Get lost."
But De Qianfan just walked beside him happily.
They were nearing the poorer area where Gu Xu lived with Gui Xu. The ground was muddy, and there were fewer people.
Gu Xu started to feel anxious.
He didn't want anyone to see him walking with someone. Especially not near his house. Especially not someone who might know his father.
"Go away," Gu Xu said quietly. "Stop following me."
"No," De Qianfan said cheerfully. "I won't leave until you say we're friends."
Gu Xu stopped walking and looked at him angrily. "Are you stupid? I told you I don't want friends."
De Qianfan smiled. "Too late. I already decided."
They were now very close to Gu Xu's house. Gu Xu could almost see the crooked roof through the trees.
"Leave," Gu Xu said again, this time sounding more nervous than angry. "Just go. Please."
"I won't leave until you say it," De Qianfan said, folding his arms stubbornly.
Gu Xu looked toward the path, then back at De Qianfan. His voice dropped to a half whisper, half hiss.
"…Okay! Okay! We're friends! Happy? Now get lost!"
De Qianfan's face lit up like the sun.
"Good! Then I'll see you tomorrow, friend!" he said, and ran off.
When he was some distance away, he turned back and waved enthusiastically.
Gu Xu quickly waved his hand in a shooing motion, signaling him to go away quickly.
Then he turned and walked into the house.
Inside, he found Gui Xu seated and dressed in the smartest, most elegant way Gu Xu had ever seen him.
His hair was combed back, his clothes were neat, his boots were clean, and he even smelled faintly of herbs instead of alcohol.
For a moment, Gui Xu almost looked like a respectable man.
When Gui Xu saw him, he frowned. "Why are you standing there? Go get ready quickly. We need to be back before lunchtime is over."
Gu Xu nodded and went into his room.
He opened the cloth bag and took out the ceremonial clothes. They were simple, but clean and properly stitched. Much better than what he usually wore.
He changed slowly.
As he put on the clothes, he looked at himself in the small bronze mirror hanging on the wall.
He could barely recognize himself.
His chest felt tight.
He thought about something.
How pathetic and sad it was that the only time his father was willing to buy him decent clothes and make him dress neatly was when it was time to go apologize and break off his engagement.
Then he thought of how his father's life and attitude reminded him of a proverb that was commonly known in the tribe:
"A man without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls."
He looked at his own face in the mirror — the round cheeks, the tired eyes, the ash still faintly on his skin from the morning.
He went to wash his face in order to prepare for the next stage of events:
...apologizing to his former fiancee, Yu Yunshang.