TLDMDTBS Chapter 9
by VolareGu Xiuyi had a high body temperature, and his fingers, accustomed to years of fitness, were not delicate. When they touched the skin on Ji Ruan’s inner wrist, it sent a strange tingling sensation through him.
He seemed to focus intently on Ji Ruan’s hand; his tone of voice was light, yet it was enough to touch one’s heart, like ripples suddenly spreading across the surface of water.
Perhaps this kind of behavior held no particular meaning; maybe that was just how he spoke when relaxed. But if the Ji Ruan from the original book were sitting here, he might have felt his heart flutter.
At eighteen, heart flutters could be handed over in the tiniest details, investing every subtle action with special meaning.
Truly, he was the protagonist’s love interest in a tragic story—able to be gentle with you yet never fall in love; and once you had already fallen for him, he would still maintain a general kind of gentleness, seeming to suddenly love deeply only when he was about to lose you, playing the part of someone who was suddenly enlightened.
But Ji Ruan despised such complicated and entangled feelings.
Gu Xiuyi admired his hand, while Ji Ruan quietly examined Gu Xiuyi in return.
In a sense, he and Gu Xiuyi were both a bit cold-hearted, but while Gu Xiuyi’s disposition stemmed from his nature and upbringing, Ji Ruan’s coldness was one of laziness.
He had no need for love, weary of actively expressing affection; if he were not the only one in a relationship, he would be too lazy to pursue it.
Fortunately, the relationship between him and Gu Xiuyi was not based on emotions either; they interacted in a half-truthful, half-fake way, pretending to become familiar each day, only to eventually part ways with dignity.
Ji Ruan gently withdrew his hand, slightly spread his fingers towards the dazzling chandelier in the living room, glanced at the ring on his ring finger, and slowly said, “Gu Zong, I’ve had a question I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
It was the first time Gu Xiuyi heard Ji Ruan call him “Gu Zong.” Leaning on his chin with a smile that was neither completely serious nor completely playful, he replied, “Hmm?”
Ji Ruan tilted his head back, that angle making him look rather innocent: “The ring you custom-made, what’s different about it from the ones in the store?”
He genuinely couldn’t tell. Men’s plain rings were not meant to be too flashy; in Ji Ruan’s eyes, the various styles looked largely similar.
After hearing this, Gu Xiuyi didn’t react much. He just tilted his head slightly and smiled, “Perhaps it’s because I’m picky; Song Ling and the others say the same.”
Ji Ruan raised his eyebrows; so you’re aware of that too?
Understanding Ji Ruan’s gaze, Gu Xiuyi shook his head noncommittally and stood up to pat Ji Ruan’s back: “Alright, go change your clothes; we need to head out.”
·
The Gu Family Old Residence was located on the outskirts of the city, an ancient garden-style building that had withstood many years and had been renovated numerous times.
The car stopped in front of the quaint main gate, and a butler respectfully led them inside.
This house resembled the deep mansions from period dramas, with blue bricks and black tiles, ancient trees providing shade, stretching endlessly to the eye.
Entering through the main gate and passing through the foyer led to a deep rockery garden, with tall trees and several ornamental streams flowing through, making it significantly cooler than the outside.
Ji Ruan and Gu Xiuyi walked side by side, with the butler maintaining a respectful distance in front, silently leading the way.
After a while, with the scenery unchanged and no sign of a main building, Ji Ruan sighed lightly: “Is this your residence or a royal park?”
Gu Xiuyi turned his head to look at him: “Are you tired of walking already?”
“……” Ji Ruan shot him a glance and touched his nose: “Not yet.”
Gu Xiuyi calmly stated a fact: “You still have to go through another corridor to reach the main hall.”
“Really?!” Ji Ruan’s expression slightly unraveled.
Ahead was an arched bridge, and on the steps, several patches of moss had not been fully cleaned. Ji Ruan and Gu Xiuyi were bickering and didn’t pay attention, almost slipping and, with a startled “ah,” stumbled as he grabbed Gu Xiuyi’s arm.
Gu Xiuyi turned his head just in time to see Ji Ruan, still in shock, patting his chest: “So slippery…”
“……” He paused, then pulled Ji Ruan’s hand down to hold it: “If it’s slippery, walk slowly.”
Gu Xiuyi’s hand was large enough to encompass all of Ji Ruan’s, their skin touching, the rings on their fingers knocking together, causing Ji Ruan to freeze for a moment.
The butler ahead caught the movement out of the corner of his eye and turned slightly. Upon seeing it, Ji Ruan instantly understood and, feeling no burden, responded by clasping Gu Xiuyi’s hand, their fingers interlocking.
Fearful of slipping again, he looked down and walked carefully.
Gu Xiuyi aimlessly observed the red koi in the pond, and only when he realized Ji Ruan had fallen silent did he return his attention to him.
This young friend was holding his hand, delicately taking each step.
“……”
Gu Xiuyi was both amused and bewildered: “Should I prepare a palanquin for you?”
Hearing the teasing in his tone, Ji Ruan quietly rolled his eyes, not even raising his head, but tightly squeezed Gu Xiuyi’s hand: “Gu Zong, you’re not suited for joking.”
Gu Xiuyi’s low laughter sounded beside him: “Hmm, is that so…”
He was holding a bag, a sturdy paper bag sealed tightly, clearly containing something very important yet unrelated to Ji Ruan, brought back along with the ring from the afternoon.
Seeing this, Ji Ruan suddenly remembered something and asked Gu Xiuyi: “I’m visiting your house for the first time, shouldn’t I bring a gift or something?”
Though he didn’t know what the environment of that family was like, it was customary to bring something when meeting the parents of a marriage partner for the first time to avoid rudeness. However, this visit had come so unexpectedly that Ji Ruan hadn’t had the chance to consider it.
Gu Xiuyi didn’t respond immediately, looking at Ji Ruan in surprise before shaking his head: “No need.”
After a moment of thought, he continued, “When you meet the people inside later, don’t worry about them; just be comfortable yourself.”
This statement felt both like reassurance and like emphasis.
The corridor was built over a large pond, and the wind was stronger than elsewhere. Ji Ruan frowned and coughed twice, “What?”
His voice was still not fully healed, making his cough drag on.
Gu Xiuyi moved slightly closer to him, explaining, “Inside, there’s my grandfather, father, stepmother, and two brothers. The older one is from my stepmother’s former husband, and the younger one is her illegitimate child with my dad.”
He looked at Ji Ruan, his eyes showing little emotion: “So when you see them, you can ignore everything they say or do; if you find it bothersome, you can just turn off your cochlear implant.”
Ji Ruan chuckled lightly: “Didn’t you say you don’t like me turning off my cochlear implant casually?”
Gu Xiuyi kept his tone steady: “This time it’s fine; it’s not important.”
Ji Ruan raised his eyebrows. Indeed, it was complicated family intrigue; Gu Xiuyi seemed to hold no feelings for those so-called “family members.”
But Ji Ruan had always been impatient with such scheming and plotting. He didn’t even watch palace dramas; using his simple mind to brush it off, he asked Gu Xiuyi:
“So, are they bad people?”
Bad people?
Gu Xiuyi’s brow twitched slightly.
It had been a long time since he had encountered someone like Ji Ruan, who simply categorized people as “good” and “bad.”
In fact, he hadn’t tried to define human nature long ago.
Gu Xiuyi couldn’t provide an answer to this question immediately.
After a long pause, he met Ji Ruan’s warm eyes, and his back relaxed unconsciously: “From my perspective, it can be said that way.”
He curved his lips: “So you don’t need to think about anything else; just follow me.”
Ji Ruan nodded thoughtfully, perfectly content with not having to ponder complex issues.
He was always adept at simplifying the complicated.
The butler was still surreptitiously observing them, and Ji Ruan affectionately hugged Gu Xiuyi’s arm, whispering: “So I’ll just pretend to be deaf and dumb, right?”
Responding to him was Gu Xiuyi’s chuckles: “Hmm.”