NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7
At noon, the Gu family’s clothing specialist arrived to measure Mu Ci. This young and fashionable individual had vibrant red hair and was bustling around Mu Ci, carefully taking measurements of his shoulders, waist, and all busy.
Mu Ci had experienced similar measurements in the palace before, so he remained calm. He stood still and cooperated gracefully, turning when asked to turn and raising his arms as instructed. His eyebrows displayed no hint of impatience or confusion; he was incredibly docile.
Gu Huai leaned against the wall and felt somewhat restless, so he lit a cigarette and strolled over to the floor-to-ceiling window. The red-haired man cast a sidelong glance at Gu Huai and noticed that he wasn’t paying attention.
He playfully remarked to Mu Ci, “Buddy, you’re incredibly handsome. Ever thought about becoming a fashion model?”
“Huh?” Mu Ci tilted his head, perplexed. He turned to Gu Huai, asking, “What is that?”
Though Gu Huai was gazing out the window, his hearing was quite sharp. He extinguished the cigarette without turning around and coldly remarked, “Focus on your job and avoid idle chatter.”
There was a hint of jealousy in his tone, as if he didn’t appreciate others casually conversing with Mu Ci.
The red-haired man quickly deduced that the person before him might be Gu Huai’s new favorite. Everyone in the Gu family was aware of Gu Huai’s irritable temperament, which left Hong Mao somewhat intimidated. He remained silent and diligently recorded the measurements data on his tablet.
“I’ll send a batch of ready-made clothes this afternoon and customized winter clothing in a few days.” Hong Mao stated while keeping his eyes fixed on the data.
He couldn’t help but regret that someone with such an exquisite figure couldn’t be persuaded to serve as a fitting model.
Gu Huai nodded, signaling that Hong Mao could leave.
Hong Mao left, taking the freshly collected data and a few surreptitious photos of Mu Ci on his tablet. He left with a sense of contentment.
.
Mu Ci stood in front of the full-length mirror, examining his own reflection. It was his first encounter with such a clear, full-length mirror. He couldn’t resist moving closer to study it more closely.
The person in the mirror was undeniably attractive. He wore a casual light-colored sweater and jeans, his long black hair loosely tied at the nape of his neck. A few strands of hair fell to the sides of his face, enhancing his fair complexion. His brown eyes had a slightly lowered, somewhat lazy look.
Mu Ci turned around in front of the mirror and inquired of Gu Huai, “What’s a fashion model?”
Gu Huai replied casually, “Their job is to be photographed.”
While Mu Ci didn’t fully comprehend the concept of photography, he grasped the notion of it being a job. He pondered for a moment and asked, “Can I do that?”
If it was work, he thought he should be paid for it, though he wasn’t entirely certain how currency circulated in this era. Money had been a constant necessity throughout his life.
Now that he was here, Mu Ci wanted to settle down and not rely on Gu Huai’s hospitality for food and shelter. Although he could sense Gu Huai’s high status from the attitudes of those around him, it was still uncomfortable to be entirely dependent on him.
Mu Ci had a strong sense of self-esteem. If possible, he wanted to find a job that would enable him to support himself and live independently. Throughout his life, he had often imagined what it would be like if he hadn’t been born into the cunning imperial family, thinking he could have opened a shop in a bustling city or raised livestock.
“Is it difficult?” Mu Ci inquired hesitantly. “Do you think I can do it?”
Gu Huai looked at him with amusement and replied, “At least, in terms of appearance, you meet the standards. But your professionalism is still questionable.”
Mu Ci’s eyes dimmed, as if he was disappointed, prompting Gu Huai to quickly reassure him, “It’s alright. You don’t have to work. Just live in the Gu family with peace of mind. I won’t kick you out.”
Mu Ci was still somewhat disheartened, but he didn’t want to come across as rude, so he nodded and said, “Thank you.”
Gu Huai found it amusing, “Why do you keep thanking me? You used to be a prince, but you’re always saying thank you to others?”
Mu Ci pursed his lips and remained silent.
As a prince, he had never been highly regarded. Those around him didn’t take the concubine born prince seriously, and few people offered assistance beyond their duty.
Mu Ci gave a self-deprecating smile. Perhaps the person who had cared about him the most in the palace was the eldest prince, who viewed him as a thorn in his side. The eldest prince had even allowed a spy to remain by Mu Ci’s side for three years, all in preparation for a single decisive blow. Mu Ci found it somewhat flattering that the eldest prince had put in so much effort to eliminate him.
Why would the eldest prince go to such lengths? Mu Ci couldn’t fathom it. He had never harbored ambitions and had no desire to compete for the throne.
Did the eldest prince mistakenly believe that he was powerful because he was indifferent and never vied for anything?
If he ever had the chance to meet his eldest brother again, Mu Ci wanted to tell him that he wasn’t hiding anything, and he truly had nothing to reveal. He was simply a minor seventh prince with no ambitions.
Mu Ci sighed, feeling a pang of hunger. However, he was not accustomed to asking for things, so he merely glanced at Gu Huai, hoping he would understand and order food for them.
Gu Huai could discern Mu Ci’s hunger from his subtle hints. He smiled and said, “I’m hungry too, but I have to wait until after I eat. I have a medical examination later, and they’ll be drawing blood.”
“Medical examination?” Mu Ci inquired.
“I’m just getting a check-up to see if there are any hidden health issues.” Gu Huai explained.
Mu Ci pondered for a moment and said thoughtfully, “I’m in good health.”
Gu Huai looked at Mu Ci’s slender frame and chuckled, “Let’s just have it checked. You’re quite thin, and it’s better to ensure you’re healthy; you won’t be able to handle sickness.”
Mu Ci had no counterargument.
.
The physical examination was conducted by the Gu family’s personal doctor, Jiang Wenjing, who was often referred to as the “angel in white.” She began by measuring Mu Ci’s height and body mass index, jotting down notes on the examination form.
“Well, let me check. Height is 176cm, weight… Hmm, a little on the lighter side, but not too bad. You should eat more supplements,” Jiang Wenjing commented. She proceeded to measure his blood pressure, which was within the normal range, and found that his eyesight was quite good.
Of course, given Mu Ci’s background, he had never used a computer or watched TV, so there was little chance of developing nearsightedness.
Next, the doctor prepared to draw blood for testing. Mu Ci was noticeably nervous as the needle approached. He stared at it, eyes unblinking, and his entire body tensed.
Gu Huai placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and spoke softly, “Don’t be afraid, it might hurt a bit.”
The tenderness in Gu Huai’s gaze left everyone in the room momentarily stunned, and a few pairs of glasses fell to the floor. Bai Ling, however, remained unfazed and found a comfortable spot to lie down.
Even though Gu Huai offered words of comfort, Mu Ci’s face turned pale as the needle pierced his arm. The act of drawing blood seemed to frighten him, and he clutched his arm defensively, refusing to continue with the examination.
Gu Huai couldn’t force the issue. After all, Mu Ci had lived in ancient times and was only familiar with thin moxibustion needles. The thick, long needle and medical rubber tubing in modern medicine must have appeared quite intimidating to him.
The blood test results were swiftly available. As Mu Ci had claimed, his overall health was good, but he did show signs of mild hypoglycemia.
Upon hearing the word “hypoglycemia,” Gu Huai furrowed his brows with concern. He immediately made a phone call and ordered an elaborate lunch to provide Mu Ci with the necessary supplements.