TLDMDTBS Chapter 41

Chapter 41

After that day, Lin Qing calmed down quite a bit; at least Ji Ruan hadn’t heard anything from him.

However, their social circles were originally different. If it weren’t for Gu Xiuyi taking him to the mountain villa, if he hadn’t met Cheng Zizhang, he probably would never have known that Lin Qing existed in this world.

Ji Ruan followed his routine of attending classes, occasionally hanging out with friends, and often being dragged out to dinner by Gu Xiuyi. Life returned to its most peaceful state.

Until one leisurely Friday afternoon, when the entire dormitory had no classes, he and Han Xiaolin and Qin Shan were holed up in the dorm watching horror movies.

Ji Ruan didn’t like these jump-scare films. If given the choice, he would definitely pick a heartwarming romance animation to complement this beautiful afternoon.

But there was no choice; he lost at dice, so he had to go along with the preferences of his two straightforward male roommates.

At the height of a tense moment when a female ghost crawled out of the elevator, Li Yu rushed in, flinging open the dorm door.

Bang——!

Startled, Ji Ruan almost jumped out of his chair.

Han Xiaolin and Qin Shan were also frightened out of their wits, stunned for a second before rushing to embrace Li Yu and start hitting him.

“What the hell are you doing?! Ah? Don’t you know to open the door carefully when you come back?! Huh?!”

“You scared me to death, Qin Ye! Are you trying to give me a heart attack? Do you think the finance world can afford to lose a star like me?!”

Li Yu struggled to escape from their grip while holding his phone up, eyes sparkling, bringing a major piece of news—exclusive firsthand information for art students.

“Lin Qing dropped out.”

He dragged a chair over to sit in front of Ji Ruan and casually hit pause on the video. “Did you guys know? Lin Qing actually dropped out!”

“What?!” Han Xiaolin and Qin Shan were also stunned, quickly leaning in. “What’s going on?”

Ji Ruan was sitting closest to the iPad, and the paused image was quite beautiful, just as the female ghost’s bloodied eyes were approaching the surveillance camera. Ji Ruan could turn his head and see that stunning face.

He swallowed hard and disdainfully reached out to turn off the screen before looking at Li Yu. “Elaborate.”

Li Yu was clearly out of breath from running back, sweat pouring down his neck. He fanned himself with his hand, taking the tissue that Ji Ruan handed him, wiping while speaking. “Lin Qing was quite famous in our department.”

Qin Shan scoffed. “What fame could he possibly have?”

Han Xiaolin chimed in, “Just him?”

“Believe it or not, it’s really him.” Li Yu threw the used tissue into the trash can and sat back down.

“He’s not bad-looking, though. Some girls in our department like him. Plus, he’s Master Cheng’s disciple, always presenting himself in an ethereal manner, making quite an impression. Not long ago, it seemed he got a rich boyfriend, but I don’t know who it is; have you guys heard about it?”

Han Xiaolin scoffed, “Where would I hear that? I’m not close to him or rich… Hey, Ji Ruan, what about you?”

Ji Ruan actually knew, but the version he had wasn’t about a boyfriend. He only knew that Duan Zeping had been pursuing Lin Qing for over a year without success.

He didn’t expect that the version circulating in the art school was different; Duan had finally managed to attain the status of a legitimate boyfriend among people’s discussions? Was it begrudgingly considered a shared secret?

Ji Ruan pinched his earlobe but still didn’t want to mention this matter, asking Li Yu, “And then what?”

“Then he was expelled from his master’s teachings, right?” Li Yu said seriously. “It caused quite a stir.”

“Yes, yes, yes, I heard about that too. It really made me laugh.” Han Xiaolin added gleefully.

Li Yu looked around at their faces and continued, “Then he couldn’t handle it, right? Doing those things is like stealing stuff, right? His reputation is ruined, and the persona he built up has completely collapsed. He looked so high and mighty before, but now it’s all disgrace.”

“Anyone expelled by Master Cheng can’t survive in that circle. The live broadcast from that day also made it online, and people are watching it for fun. Our whole department knows about it now; he’s completely famous, though it’s a negative kind of fame.”

Ji Ruan nodded thoughtfully. “So he dropped out?”

“Isn’t that obvious?” Li Yu shrugged. “That’s the only reason. A person like him can’t take all the pointing and gossip; he’s probably looking to hide out for a while, avoiding the limelight since he’s currently treated like a rat scurrying across the street.”

Han Xiaolin laughed, “He can’t be planning to wait until the next two graduating classes leave before coming back, can he?”

Qin Shan moved his chair back to his own desk, saying, “Hiding out now doesn’t change anything; the internet and campus gossip have long memories. No matter how many classes he graduated after, it’s the same.”

After hearing enough, Ji Ruan got up to pack his things and casually asked, “Do you know where he went?”

“That’s unknown,” Li Yu shrugged. “It seems he didn’t tell anyone. Guess he probably went back to his hometown…”

“Oh…” Ji Ruan nodded, collected the candy jar into his bag, and didn’t ask any further.

“Hey, Ji Ruan, are you going home now?” Han Xiaolin suddenly asked, noticing his movements.

Ji Ruan turned around. “Yeah, why? Do you want to come along?”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Han Xiaolin quickly climbed onto his bed to grab his things, speaking rapidly. “Just wait for me a minute; I’ll get ready and we can go together.”

Ji Ruan watched him grab onto the railing and bounce onto the bed like a monkey.

He laughed, leaning on the table, leisurely nibbling on a piece of candy. “Don’t rush. Take your time packing.”

In the dormitory, only Ji Ruan and Han Xiaolin were local. Han Xiaolin occasionally went home, while Ji Ruan returned every weekend, or else Gu Zong would nag him, even barging into the school to drag him back.

The other two stayed back for the whole semester, turning the horror movie back on without looking back, waving to them, “See you Monday.”

“Monday has the most classes,” Han Xiaolin groaned, feeling the entire weekend would be less enjoyable, slamming the door shut. “Fine, we won’t see each other!”

In March and April, the spring sun was beautiful every day. From outside, it looked warm and cozy, but once you stepped out, the wind carried a hint of chill.

Han Xiaolin had already started wearing fashionable spring outfits, while Ji Ruan was still dressed slightly warmer than winter. He really was quite afraid of the cold.

The willows along the roadside began shedding fluff, and Ji Ruan’s bronchial issues frequently acted up. Whenever the fluff floated down from the sky, he easily started coughing.

Han Xiaolin dashed out of the dorm building, basking in the sunlight, running around a couple of times while shedding the last of his outerwear, leaving just a thin long-sleeved T-shirt. When he turned back, Ji Ruan was fully geared up, wearing both a sweater and jacket, frantically fumbling to pull a mask from his pocket to put on.

Han Xiaolin couldn’t help but click his tongue, walking up beside Ji Ruan. “How about I rent you a glass dome instead? You can just live in there, avoiding the wind, and the sun won’t burn you to a crisp.”

Ji Ruan shot him a sidelong glance. “Sure, but can you stop being so stingy? Do you really have to rent a simple glass dome? With our friendship, isn’t it worth it for you to buy one for me?”

“Tsk, look at what you’re saying,” Han Xiaolin patted his wallet, making a pained expression. “All my savings went to Sister Zhang; have some understanding, go back and let your boss Gu buy one for you.”

The “Sister Zhang” he referred to was the owner of a spicy hot pot stall outside the school. Han Xiaolin inexplicably loved it so much that if he didn’t eat it for a day, he felt uneasy.

Ji Ruan had accompanied him for a few meals, at first it was fine, but he couldn’t stand going there every day afterward. It nearly made him want to throw up and he swore he’d turn into a little dog if he went once more.

“Crazy,” Ji Ruan laughed. “With the way you eat, aren’t you going to get an ulcer?”

He wore a big mask that left only his bright eyes visible, with a gentle breeze and sunshine around him, looking more beautiful to Han Xiaolin than the peach blossoms on the trees.

Han Xiaolin smacked his lips; no wonder Gu Zong was so captivated—if even Han Xiaolin, a straight guy, felt enchanted, let alone Gu Zong, an older man who had been in the game for a lifetime.

After fully acknowledging his friend’s beauty, Han Xiaolin nodded confidently, confirming his analysis.

He laughed heartily. “I guess I’m just talented that way; I can eat all sorts of hot pot and spicy food without any problems, whereas you can’t handle it, so it seems we’re destined to never be food partners…”

Ji Ruan chuckled. Just then a breeze blew carrying willow fluff, making him cough slightly. He hurriedly pressed his mask tighter.

Han Xiaolin instinctively raised his hand as if to pat Ji Ruan’s back, but when his gaze landed on Ji Ruan, his hand froze midair.

The sun was exceedingly beautiful now; he remembered someone saying natural light was the best weapon during photography.

But perhaps it was the way the light scattered, he noticed that Ji Ruan’s hand and forehead exposed to the natural light seemed overly pale, almost ethereal, as if he might truly melt under the sun.

This gave Han Xiaolin the vague impression that if he touched Ji Ruan, he might just disappear.

Han Xiaolin awkwardly retracted his hand. “Goodness, that’s a bit much; only Gu Zong would dare cater to you…”

Ji Ruan, still slightly coughing, didn’t catch what he said. “…What?”

“Nothing, nothing,” Han Xiaolin waved his hand hurriedly. “You go on coughing; take your time.”

After walking for a bit, he suddenly remembered something and asked Ji Ruan, “By the way, have you thought about that apprenticeship thing?”

Upon hearing this, Ji Ruan’s expression dimmed a bit, pressing against his chest as he coughed a couple of times. “I haven’t decided yet.”

The day before, Cheng Yunxiu had come specifically to find him, bringing a lot of homemade snacks and gifts, and plenty of tools he would need for Han embroidery, saying she really liked him and asking if he would like to formally come learn Han embroidery.

Ji Ruan did enjoy it; among all things in the world, he was most familiar and confident about Han embroidery.

But it was precisely because of this that he also knew that once he made a decision, it wouldn’t be easy to change. Han embroidery required a long commitment, possibly even a lifetime, needing patience and dedication.

No matter how luxurious and exquisite a piece appeared outwardly, it concealed countless hardships and efforts behind it.

Ji Ruan wasn’t sure if he had the energy and patience for that.

Han Xiaolin wouldn’t think so much; he stretched out his hand to reach for a branch as they walked by. “I see that Teacher Cheng really likes you; the senior also thinks highly of you. This just shows you’re suitable. If I were you, I’d agree; being an artist is so exciting.”

Ji Ruan remained silent for a moment, eventually shaking his head with a smile.

·

Today, Ji Ruan was picked up by Zhang Shu.

He sat in the car, momentarily taken aback.

He couldn’t recall precisely when it started, but for the past few months, it had always been Gu Xiuyi waiting for him at the school gate every Friday, and opening the car door meant seeing Gu Xiuyi lazily flipping through documents in the back seat.

But today, he wasn’t there.

Ji Ruan felt a strange sense of unease.

After returning home, Gu Xiuyi was still absent. Knowing how he typically never missed any opportunities to have dinner with Ji Ruan in recent months.

Although it was quite normal when Ji Ruan had just married Gu Xiuyi for him not to come home, it gradually became something Ji Ruan started to get unaccustomed to.

That night, after Ji Ruan took a shower, as nine o’clock approached, he sat at his desk sketching for a while, trying to calm his mind.

Yet when the clock struck nine, the door remained silent, and the milk he was counting on someone to bring him did not arrive, making Ji Ruan feel a vague sense of emptiness wash over him.

He suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.

He couldn’t quite articulate why, but it just felt wrong, as if that clumsy cat at home had jumped onto his heart and was bouncing around, making it ache.

Ji Ruan pulled out his phone, scrolling to Gu Xiuyi’s contact interface, hesitating for a moment before hitting the dial key.

Beep——

Beep beep——

Ji Ruan quietly listened until his palms began sweating and the call still had not connected.

Ji Ruan was stunned.

Gu Xiuyi… actually wasn’t answering his phone?!

His lips involuntarily pressed into a straight line as he dialed Song Tezhu.

Song Tezhu wasn’t picking up either?!

Just as Ji Ruan felt inexplicably stuffy, his phone suddenly vibrated. He looked down to see a call from Li Sui’an.

“Hello, Doctor Li?”

“Hey, Xiao Ruan,” Li Sui’an sounded quite calm on the other end. “Could I ask you for a favor?”

The next moment, what he said made Ji Ruan’s calm vanish.

“Old Gu is drunk, shouting that he wants to see you. If you don’t come, he won’t leave. What do you think we should do…”

Ji Ruan: “…?”

“What… no, wait,” Ji Ruan couldn’t believe it. “Is that true?”

Li Sui’an chuckled awkwardly. “What would I gain from lying to you? It’s real! Can you come over?”

Ji Ruan felt a bit dizzy.

Gu Xiuyi was drunk?

How could someone like him ever get drunk?!

Ji Ruan didn’t know what he thought of, and with a swift movement, he stood up, his eyes lighting up.

If he went over now, wouldn’t he be able to record Gu Xiuyi’s drunken antics for an extraordinary, collectible video?!

Such good luck?!

The slight feeling of frustration in his heart immediately disappeared, and he said into the phone, “I’ll be right there; tell him to wait for me.”

After hanging up, he quickly rummaged through his wardrobe for a set of sportswear, putting it on and heading out to grab a taxi.

Li Sui’an managed to pick Ji Ruan up in front of the bar in just twenty minutes, but the expression on Ji Ruan’s face was not at all what he had imagined; he was completely without worry and instead… seemed excited?

Holding his phone tightly, Ji Ruan turned on the camera as soon as he got out of the car, with a few strands of hair sticking up on his head, and the sportswear made him look youthful. He was even stopped for a moment by the security guard when trying to enter.

Li Sui’an exchanged a few words with the manager, allowing Ji Ruan to pass smoothly.

This seemed to be quite an upscale bar, with a quiet atmosphere and elegant decor, entirely different from the place where Han Xiaolin took him to dance.

Following Li Sui’an while glancing around, he asked, “Where’s Gu Xiuyi?”

“Uh…” Li Sui’an revealed a slightly awkward smile. “Sorry, Ji Ruan, I—”

“Ji Ruan?” His unfinished sentence was interrupted.

Ji Ruan turned in response, spotting Gu Xiuyi at the end of the hallway.

He had removed his suit jacket and was wearing a white shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, with two buttons undone. As he walked over, he appeared tall and formidable, exuding a presence that caused the waitstaff passing by to glance back.

Ji Ruan’s expression, however, shifted from initial excitement to confusion.

Why did Gu Xiuyi look so steady while walking?

He could actually walk in a straight line?!

As his wrist was captured, Ji Ruan hazily looked up into Gu Xiuyi’s eyes; under the dim lights, his brows and eyes appeared particularly deep.

“Why did you come here?”

Ji Ruan was taken aback. “You’re not drunk?”

The young man’s eyes were round and bright, genuinely adorable, yet Gu Xiuyi inexplicably saw a hint of disappointment within.

He looked incredulous, as if hearing something absurd. “How could I possibly be drunk?”

Ji Ruan’s lips immediately pressed together, lifting a finger, “But Doctor Li said…”

The empty hallway behind them had long seen Li Sui’an disappear, hiding his abilities and reputation.

Gu Xiuyi pinched Ji Ruan’s cheek, turning his head back. “Did Li Sui’an trick you into coming?”

God knows what he felt the first time he saw Ji Ruan.

The boy was in sportswear, his hair tousled and unruly, with those big eyes wide open, completely unaware of how sought after he was in this place.

If Li Sui’an hadn’t been standing there, Gu Xiuyi would have undoubtedly ordered his bodyguards to pin that guy down.

Ji Ruan was so angry that his cheeks puffed up, letting out a humph, unwilling to admit that he had been tricked.

Gu Xiuyi quietly regarded him for a while, finally pinching his puffy cheeks, chuckling, “You’re such a fool.”

As they were close, Gu Xiuyi caught a whiff of the pleasant scent on Ji Ruan; it seemed to be from the shower gel at home.

He seemed to have taken a shower already.

“…”

Gu Xiuyi paused for a couple of seconds, suddenly feeling a jolt in his heart.

He actually dared to go out smelling so good?!

Gu Xiuyi felt a rush of blood surge to his head.

When someone passed by, he instinctively pulled Ji Ruan closer to himself, as if the passerby were some predatory animal.

Ji Ruan didn’t understand why Gu Xiuyi suddenly hugged him, but Gu Xiuyi was warm, and Ji Ruan liked that temperature.

He didn’t break free, instead extending his index finger to poke Gu Xiuyi’s shoulder.

Gu Xiuyi lowered his head to look at him. “What is it?”

Ji Ruan blinked obediently:

“Why didn’t you answer my call?”

Then he saw the corner of Gu Xiuyi’s brow twitch slightly.