TLDMDTBS Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Song Ling, as the most capable assistant, always diligently fulfills his duties.

Fang Lan and her son were indeed thrown out the door.

In front of countless lawn workers in the yard.

Fang Lan’s high heels stepped on the cobblestones of the path, causing her to stumble and grip her ankle in pain.

Song Ling stood respectfully at the door, watching them as the car he called arrived. Fang Lan still wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Song Ling.

“—Madam, you should go back first.”

Fang Lan, both angry and resentful, remarked, “Gu Xiuyi is unfilial to me, and you dare to speak to me like this?!”

Her voice was loud enough to draw the attention of the workers on the lawn, who began to whisper.

Fang Qiming, embarrassed, leaned closer to her and whispered, “Mom, there are too many people here, let’s talk once we get back…”

Only then did Fang Lan come to her senses, remembering that she was no longer in the house.

The winter cold wind made her skin feel stiff. She glanced around and noticed many mocking yet suppressed gazes.

After all, a person’s reputation matters; in broad daylight with everyone watching, Fang Lan couldn’t continue to act out. After a few seconds of hesitation, she leaned on Fang Qiming’s arm and staggered to stand up.

“I will definitely bring my son back,” she gritted her teeth, her bloodshot eyes fixed on Song Ling.

Song Ling nodded with a smile, gesturing for her to return, “Yes, Madam, please go back.”

Today’s wind was indeed quite chilly; when Fang Lan looked up, the wind made her squint. She stared at the enormous gray villa for a while, as if feeling unwilling.

In the end, she said nothing, and with Fang Qiming’s help, got into the car.

·

Gu Xiuyi hastily carried Ji Ruan back to the room: “Zhao Ayi, call the doctor!” His voice could not hide his anxiety.

Zhao Ayi was startled, trembling as she rushed downstairs to call.

Gu Xiuyi rarely lost his composure; he had long learned to control his emotions and expressions, not allowing anyone to catch even a hint of his inner turmoil.

But now, he could at most guarantee that his actions were not frantic.

Ji Ruan had fainted…

Ji Ruan had fainted in his arms!

Gu Xiuyi’s mind went blank, but then he quickly considered various possibilities, yet found no clue.

Ji Ruan didn’t have a fever and showed no serious ailments, so how could he suddenly faint? However, Ji Ruan’s various health indicators suggested that his body was indeed not well, with a multitude of minor issues that could strike at any time.

This unknown fear made Gu Xiuyi’s scalp numb; he held Ji Ruan by the bedside, too anxious to let go.

“Okay…”

A hand patted his chest, and Gu Xiuyi lowered his head in panic, meeting Ji Ruan’s clear eyes.

Those eyes were bright and clear, characteristic of Ji Ruan’s usual cunning and cuteness, completely unrelated to someone who had just fainted.

“…?”

Gu Xiuyi’s arm was stiff, unable to move.

“I’m fine, let me down.” Ji Ruan spoke again.

His voice was pleasant to hear, slightly hoarse from the recent cough.

Gu Xiuyi’s throat felt dry; he opened his mouth but could not utter a word, standing there awkwardly.

A slight frown appeared between Ji Ruan’s brows; he sighed and struggled to jump down. Although Gu Xiuyi’s arm was stiff, he instinctively held Ji Ruan’s waist to steady him.

Ji Ruan leaned on his shoulder and gently pushed away, pulling an external device from his pocket to wear, then slowly sat down on the bed.

He leaned against the headboard, his face pale, still feeling somewhat uncomfortable after all the commotion.

Gu Xiuyi’s fingers tightened slightly as he squatted down in front of Ji Ruan, gently lifting his face: “What happened?”

Ji Ruan smiled with his pale lips, “What else could it be? I was pretending.”

“Pretending…?” Gu Xiuyi’s throat felt dry and he was lost in confusion.

Ji Ruan was genuinely tired; once the surrounding noises faded away, he wanted nothing more than to fall into a deep sleep immediately.

Gu Xiuyi’s hand cradling his chin trembled slightly, but Ji Ruan was so fatigued that his senses dulled, lacking the energy to notice his subtle reactions.

He lowered his eyelids, pulled down Gu Xiuyi’s hand, and in a hushed voice, said: “Otherwise, if I didn’t faint, when would they stop making noise?”

Gu Xiuyi paused, his voice heavy: “Sorry, I won’t let them come here anymore.”

Ji Ruan curled his lips slightly: “That’s best.”

Gu Xiuyi carefully observed Ji Ruan’s condition, his gaze deep.

Ji Ruan really did not look well; his breathing was light, and there was little color in his cheeks and lips, appearing overly calm and silent.

Gu Xiuyi still could not quickly recover from the fright of Ji Ruan fainting; he cautiously touched his hand: “Are you feeling uncomfortable?”

Ji Ruan opened his eyelids slightly, locking eyes with him for a moment before finally revealing, “Of course, they were so loud I got tinnitus…”

He paused, his eyes gradually filling with grievance as he hoarsely said: “It’s really uncomfortable, Gu Xiuyi…”

Gu Xiuyi knew very well that this grievance was laced with an overwhelming hint of complaint, reminiscent of a child’s sulking.

It seemed to imply more about why he hadn’t returned earlier than truly addressing Fang Lan and her son.

Gu Xiuyi felt a bitter pang in his heart and hugged Ji Ruan’s shoulder: “I’m sorry… let’s wait for the doctor to have a look, alright?”

Ji Ruan closed his eyes, his voice a mere whisper: “I just want to sleep.”

Seeing him like this, Gu Xiuyi dared not let him drift off easily. Instead, he gently patted his back, coaxing: “Be good, let the doctor check…”

·

Gu Family Old Residence.

Fang Lan sat on the sofa, allowing the family doctor to apply medication to her ankle. She had stumbled when Song Ling kicked her out, and now her ankle was swollen terribly.

She cried out in pain while feeling angry enough to grind her teeth.

Yet this son of hers only knew how to play on his phone and showed no concern for his mother.

“What the hell?!”

Fang Qiming bolted upright, staring at his phone in shock.

“What happened?” Fang Lan asked in annoyance.

“Xiao Li said he’s not coming back,” Fang Qiming said incredulously, raising his voice: “This brat said he’s not coming back himself! What does that mean for our trip today?!”

“What nonsense?” Fang Lan did not believe it at all, reclining on the sofa.

She knew her son well; Xiao Li was the most sensible child who surely understood that staying abroad for extended periods equated to being exiled, with no benefits. There was no way he wouldn’t want to come back.

“Really!” Fang Qiming slammed a fist down on the sofa, “Look at what he said! — He said that guy Bai has also come to M country, and he wants to meet that Bai! Does he think he’s out of his mind?! What does that Bai have to do with us? He should care about his own shares more!”

Fang Qiming’s continuous tirade left Fang Lan stunned for a moment; her brows furrowed as she vaguely sensed something: “Which Bai?”

Fang Qiming scoffed: “Mom, are you really that dull? Which Bai could it be?”

Fang Lan suddenly widened her eyes: “The Bai family’s young master? Bai Yue? The one Gu Xiuyi has known since childhood?!”

“Who else?”

“Ah!” Fang Lan screamed, the anger from being kicked out of Gu Xiuyi’s house turned into exhilaration: “Truly my good son, Xiao Li!”

“What does that mean?” Fang Qiming queried, confused. Before he could ask again, Fang Lan had already dialed Gu Xiuli’s phone number.

“Hello, Xiao Li? … Yes, yes, it’s mom… Did you say the Bai family’s young master also came to M country? … Wasn’t he in D country before? … Oh, you don’t know either…”

“…Alright, whatever, have you been in contact? … Not yet? … It’s fine, having a contact number is good enough… Ah, you don’t have a contact number either? … Doesn’t matter; you’re both in the same place. You’ve known each other since childhood; you’ll find a way to reconnect.”

“Listen to mom, you must connect with Bai Yue properly, take your time… You understand, right? … Hahaha, truly my good son…”

Fang Qiming listened to the whole call, still bewildered: “What are you guys talking about? What’s up with Bai Yue?”

Fang Lan hung up the phone, glaring at her son in exasperation: “You, if your brain functioned even half as well as your brother’s, I wouldn’t have been bullied by Gu Xiuyi and that little vixen!”

“What does this have to do with me?” Fang Qiming retorted, laughing.

Fang Lan sighed, then explained: “What’s the relationship between that Bai Yue and Gu Xiuyi?”

“How could there be any relationship? They were just childhood acquaintances.”

“Is that not enough?” Fang Lan’s eyes lit up, excitement bubbling just beneath the surface: “Is that merely an acquaintance? That’s childhood sweethearts!”

She pinched a tea cup with her elegant fingers: “That monster had a terrible temper as a child; how many friends could he have? Bai Yue was his only friend! Understand? They’ve only been married to Ji Ruan for a short time; how could that compare to the ties formed since childhood?”

“Ah…” Fang Qiming seemed to understand: “So, you want Bai Yue to come back and compete with that little vixen for a man?”

As he spoke, he found it ridiculous, chuckling: “Can that really compete? Bai Yue has been gone for so many years, I can barely remember what he looks like; has Gu Xiuyi ever mentioned him in recent years?”

“—Besides, I see that Gu Xiuyi seems to care for Ji Ruan. That sickly child is always leaning and falling over; he doesn’t seem strong enough to compete.”

Fang Lan let out a derisive hum: “There’s no need to compete; just a little chaos in his heart would suffice.”

Fang Qiming was puzzled: “What do you mean?”

Fang Lan straightened her posture, lightly scratching her temple with her blood-red nails: “The arrival of the Bai family’s young master, whether it stirs Gu Xiuyi’s feelings or makes him prefer Ji Ruan more, is good for us.”

“The Gu family isn’t an impenetrable fortress; it’s been years just because Gu Xiuyi has been firmly in control, leaving you with no opportunity. But what if he gets distracted later?”

Fang Lan raised her eyebrows, patting Fang Qiming’s shoulder: “You and your brother don’t have to worry about finding an opportunity, do you?”

That pat on the shoulder seemed to work like magic; Fang Qiming’s eyes brightened, feeling enlightened: “So that’s how it is…”

“Mom, you’re amazing!”

·

Ji Ruan ultimately didn’t wait for the doctor to arrive; he fell into a deep sleep in Gu Xiuyi’s arms. When the doctor came for a simple examination, he didn’t disturb Ji Ruan much.

After confirming that Ji Ruan was mostly fine, the tension Gu Xiuyi had held in his heart finally dissipated. He left the room, gently closing the door, and went to the study to call Song Ling.

“Choose a time to take Fang Lan to accompany Gu Xiuli.”

On the other end of the phone, Song Ling paused for a moment and seemed hesitant: “She just contacted me, stating that she won’t go abroad and doesn’t want Gu Xiuli to come back for the New Year, even… she apologized.”

“Apologized?” Gu Xiuyi frowned, “So sudden?”

“Yeah, I also found it strange.” Song Ling was momentarily confused: “She just came over this morning causing a scene, insisting her son come back. How could she calm down so quickly?”

Gu Xiuyi remained silent, tapping his fingers on the desk. Snow began to flutter down outside.

“Check in on Gu Xiuli’s studies,” Gu Xiuyi turned in his chair to admire the snow scene, speaking casually: “See if he’s been studying properly or if he’s been playing around.”

Song Ling was silent for a moment: “Alright, I understand.”

·

Entering the last week before the final exams, Ji Ruan began a sleepless life of cramming and reviewing.

The content of the Chinese department’s exam wasn’t difficult for him, but there was an excessive amount to memorize. Ji Ruan’s cold had not fully recovered, and after reading for a while, he felt a headache. He hadn’t felt this exhausted while in school before.

In just a few short days, Ji Ruan was worn down to the point of mental exhaustion.

Gu Xiuyi occasionally returned to have dinner with him and could see that Ji Ruan’s eyes were empty, resembling a tender sprout that had just broken through the soil, now wilted and pitiful.

At the dinner table, Ji Ruan said nothing and didn’t smile at him sweetly either. He took a bite of his dish while mumbling a phrase; Gu Xiuyi listened carefully and realized he seemed to be reciting something from “Journey to the West” about artistic characteristics.

He was reciting quite smoothly, without stumbling, but the voice was too soft and the pace too fast, sounding almost like a chant when not paying attention.

With Ji Ruan’s hair in disarray and dark circles under his eyes, he looked like one of those shameless swindlers who hadn’t mastered any skills but wandered the streets, trying to beg for money, only to end up pitifully snacking on steamed buns in a corner.

Gu Xiuyi chuckled at his own imaginative thoughts, covering his mouth, and placed a piece of pork rib on Ji Ruan’s plate, pinching his brow: “Alright, stop memorizing for now, eat your meal.”

Ji Ruan was slow to respond, as if memorization had become a mechanical motion. It took a few seconds before he finally stopped, lazily replying, “Oh,” and then listlessly eating the pork ribs in his bowl.

Feeling pity for him, Gu Xiuyi took over Zhao Ayi’s task in the evening, personally delivering milk to Ji Ruan.

He knocked on the door, waited a moment, and Ji Ruan, perhaps thinking it was Zhao Ayi, obediently said, “Come in,” with clear enunciation.

Gu Xiuyi opened the door and saw his little friend leaning on the desk, surrounded by a stack of books and materials, full of underlines, annotations, and highlights.

Ji Ruan was pressing down on a ballpoint pen, resting his head on his arm with closed eyes.

Gu Xiuyi gently placed the milk on the table, watched Ji Ruan for a while, and, perhaps inexplicably, reached out to rub his cheek.

Ji Ruan was sensitive to any touch, clearly reacting by trembling slightly. Upon opening his eyes and seeing who it was, he immediately straightened up.

Though he was wearing a fuzzy coral fleece pajama, his shoulders and back were still chillingly thin.

“Why are you here?” Ji Ruan asked in surprise, had Gu Zong not needed to chair a meeting tonight?

Gu Xiuyi pulled out a chair and sat down with a smile: “Just came to check on our college student’s studies.”

Ji Ruan sighed and leaned back down: “What do you think the situation is? It’s just like this.”

Gu Xiuyi looked at the dark circles under his eyes, quietly asking: “Tired?”

“Of course,” Ji Ruan squeezed the ballpoint pen, as if venting frustration: “I really don’t want to take the exam…”

His desk lamp was on eye-protection mode, casting a gentle light on Ji Ruan’s face, highlighting his long, curled eyelashes.

Gu Xiuyi suddenly found it amusing.

Before their marriage, when he looked at Ji Ruan’s information, it was all about how he was an outstanding scholar, an overachiever, someone who would study all night even while sick.

However, now it seemed that the reality didn’t quite match the packaging.

This little salted fish Gu Xiuyi had taken home was indeed a scholar, but clearly not one who loved to compete; every little glance from him seemed to scream exhaustion, weariness, and a desire not to study.

Yet Gu Xiuyi had to admit, Ji Ruan looked particularly cute with his head down, diligently pecking away at his studies, letter by letter.

He couldn’t help but gently pinch Ji Ruan’s cheek, soft and pink, so obedient.

“Didn’t you like school before? Why is it like this now?” Gu Xiuyi rested his elbow on the table, casually supporting his chin.

“Is that contradictory?” Ji Ruan blinked: “I like school; I want to experience college life, make friends, attend classes, and have fun, but I don’t want to take exams.”

He leaned closer to Gu Xiuyi, using a notebook as a pillow under his cheek, tilting his face up to look at him: “Is it wrong not to want to take an exam?”

They were very close; Ji Ruan’s hair lightly brushed against Gu Xiuyi’s arm, as if nestled in his embrace. Gu Xiuyi could clearly see his beautiful gaze.

Gu Xiuyi’s lips pressed into a soft line, his gaze gentle: “Isn’t it?”

Ji Ruan lightly huffed: “If it is, then I’ve just made the mistake that every student would.”

His tone was too natural, his gaze straightforward, staring directly at Gu Xiuyi: “Also, memorizing that book gives me a headache.”

His eyes were glistening, immensely deceptive.

Gu Xiuyi chuckled, speechless, choosing not to argue with him.

He had long known that being with Ji Ruan, regardless of whether or not logic prevailed, he would not win a debate.

“Alright.” Gu Xiuyi stood up, sitting at the side of Ji Ruan’s bed. Meeting Ji Ruan’s gaze that followed him, he patted the mattress softly, lowly saying:

“Come here, I’ll give you a massage.”