TLDMDTBS Chapter 66

Chapter 66

A week later, on the day of the old man’s birthday banquet.

Ji Ruan was awakened early by Gu Xiuyi’s gentle calls. As he opened his eyes, the small lamp at the head of the bed was on, and it seemed that the outside world had not yet lit up; the shadows of the branches danced lightly.

Gu Xiuyi sat at the bedside, gently patting his back.

“Wake up, baby, we need to leave,” he said softly in Ji Ruan’s ear, as if afraid of startling him.

Ji Ruan gradually regained consciousness but found he couldn’t move; his limbs felt weak and powerless.

He always found it difficult to get out of bed, especially early in the morning.

“Ugh…” Ji Ruan sighed, “What time is it…?”

Gu Xiuyi’s eyes were filled with a hint of guilt: “It’ll take some time to drive to the dock. Sorry, baby, shall we sleep in the car a bit longer?”

Ji Ruan stared blankly for a few seconds, only then remembering that the old man wanted to hold his birthday banquet on the cruise ship. Given his frail health, he couldn’t withstand the waves and insisted on the most luxurious ship, so it had to be held on the largest river outside the city.

Everything else was suitable, but the distance was a bit far.

However, it was well-known that the old man’s health was failing, and making it to his eightieth birthday was a difficult feat. Everyone understood that this cruise ship banquet was likely a final wish, so no one would refute it.

No matter how tumultuous things were within the Gu family, as the eldest grandson, Gu Xiuyi still had to uphold these appearances.

Having thought this through, Ji Ruan rare did not act spoiled with Gu Xiuyi, pushing himself to sit up on the bed.

But awareness is one thing; the body’s ability is another. Sometimes people just can’t muster the strength—like when Ji Ruan made an effort to prop himself up but was struck down by low blood sugar, collapsing onto Gu Xiuyi.

Gu Xiuyi hurriedly wrapped his arms around him, feeling distressed: “Alright, take it slow, no rush, baby.”

While rubbing Ji Ruan’s temples, he softly soothed him.

Aunt Zhao, holding a cup of sugar water, entered and saw this scene, feeling quite disheartened: “It’s really pitiful…”

Their little Ruan’s health has been poor; they had visited a traditional medicine doctor a few days ago, and he mentioned that his qi and blood were extremely deficient. Feeling uncomfortable like this when waking up early was to be expected.

Gu Xiuyi took the cup of water and helped Ji Ruan drink a few sips, carefully observing his complexion. After contemplating for a moment, he said to Aunt Zhao, “Can you help me get his clothes?”

“Huh? … Okay.” Aunt Zhao didn’t quite understand but did as Gu Xiuyi instructed.

Gu Xiuyi gently held Ji Ruan as he spoke softly, “Sleep a bit more, baby. I won’t wake you up; I’ll help you get dressed, okay?”

After waiting a couple of seconds, the little head on his shoulder gently nodded.

Gu Xiuyi leaned down and kissed the top of his head: “So good, you’ve worked hard, baby.”

Next, Gu Xiuyi deftly helped Ji Ruan get dressed like working with a doll. After a simple wash-up, he carefully carried him into the car.

Ji Ruan slightly opened his eyes and looked over Gu Xiuyi’s shoulder, seeing the sky outside had brightened with dawn.

Worried about Ji Ruan’s stomach discomfort, Gu Xiuyi took advantage of his semi-wakefulness to feed him something to settle it.

The car drove steadily onto the highway, and Ji Ruan cuddled in Gu Xiuyi’s arms fell securely into a deeper sleep, feeling even more comfortable than at home.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to fully sleep in before being woken up again. Outside, the sky was already bright, and an impressive luxury cruise ship was docked not far from the pier.

Gu Xiuyi gave Ji Ruan some water and wiped his face with a wet towel before holding his chin to check whether he had fully woken up before taking his hand and leading him out of the car.

Ji Ruan’s cheeks were flushed from the wipe, his long eyelashes damp and stuck together. Under the natural light, his skin looked crystal clear, like a tender little sprout in a garden—the youngest and most delicate plant among them.

As he raised his hand to rub his eyes, Gu Xiuyi kissed his lips.

“Why are you back again?” Ji Ruan used the back of his hand to cover his mouth, preventing the man from being shameless and wanting to continue.

Though there were no guests present at the dock yet, there were still staff members everywhere, so any display of affection was immodest. Ji Ruan, aware of his own modesty, understood the meaning of shyness.

Seeing Ji Ruan’s ears turn red, Gu Xiuyi didn’t tease him further, brushing aside the stray hairs near his ears and holding him forward.

“Alright, your hair’s covering it, so no one can see your ears turning red, baby.”

His tone was clearly coaxing, yet it contained playfulness that made Ji Ruan glare at him a few times.

But perhaps Ji Ruan didn’t realize that people with unusually beautiful eyes, when they glare, make onlookers’ hearts flutter more than usual, capturing their attention even more intensely.

For instance, Gu Xiuyi felt a strong urge to kiss him again.

However, Ji Ruan’s shyness was thinner than the membrane inside an eggshell, so Gu Xiuyi dared not test those limits and could only restrain himself.

As they ascended the gangway and entered the central hall under the guidance of the staff, the spacious hall was adorned with a clean red velvet carpet, and the light poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, making the lamps and tableware gleam.

The main hall, serving as the banquet area, was fully set up. With no guests yet to arrive, it exuded a sense of empty luxury.

Such a grand banquet is, naturally, meant for the host to arrive early and make all arrangements before officially opening the doors, ushering in a night where wine flows and laughter mingles.

Not far from the bar, Fang Lan, elegantly dressed, waved a glass of red wine. Her sharp, painted nails mirrored the dark red of the wine.

“Money just burns a hole in their pockets…” she smirked.

“To have to go through all this before leaving, does he really expect to magically reclaim the Gu family in a night? Doesn’t he fear shortening his already limited lifespan?”

“Mom, watch your words.” Gu Xiuli, standing next to her, interjected with little enthusiasm.

Fang Lan scoffed: “What’s wrong with what I said? Can he rise up to hit me? There’s an old saying in our hometown; it goes: birthdays shouldn’t be celebrated with whole numbers.”

Gu Xiuli, having grown up in a modern environment, was unfamiliar with such sentiments. He frowned, “What do you mean?”

“It’s just some folk wisdom,” Fang Lan chuckled: “It means that when a person ages, they shouldn’t celebrate round-numbered birthdays, or else they might not make it past that threshold.”

Seeing her son still in confusion, she further explained: “For example, for an eightieth birthday, one should celebrate at seventy-nine. That way, the King of Hell sees you’ve celebrated and won’t rush to take you, ensuring you remain safe this year.”

“Or one should celebrate at eighty-one, crossing the eightieth threshold; who knows, you might even make it to ninety. If you celebrate at a round number, isn’t it like you’re hastening your own departure?”

Gu Xiuli was at a loss for words: “Mom! Isn’t this superstitious?”

“So what if it is?” Fang Lan casually took a sip of red wine: “If these old sayings held no truth, why do they persist even to this day?”

Gu Xiuli covered his mouth and coughed, pretending to be nonchalant, but inwardly, he acknowledged her words.

“Anyway, just let him be,” Fang Lan sighed: “He’s practically on his last legs; why should I argue with him? If he does die, wouldn’t that be a boon for us?”

The identity of an illegitimate child will never be acknowledged openly. Even though Fang Lan was now truly Mrs. Gu, with that prideful old man and Gu Xiuyi shielded, her son would never have the chance to shine.

While Gu Xiuyi, at his prime, could not confront the old man directly, once the old man died, they could pry a bit of shares from Gu Zhaoxu, enough to ensure a lifetime of extravagance for her and her son.

Just thinking about it brought a joyful smile to Fang Lan’s face, as she patted Gu Xiuli’s shoulder where no dust existed: “Just hang in there; as long as we play this final card well and ensure that old man passes quietly, my son will rise to prominence.”

Just then, a series of footsteps approached, causing Fang Lan and her son to turn their heads, along with the sound of the staff guiding others.

Gu Xiuyi appeared, holding Ji Ruan near the floor-to-ceiling windows. They had no idea how long he had been there, and they hadn’t noticed him at all.

Fang Lan’s expression stiffened for a moment; after all, her previous words weren’t very pleasant, and she wasn’t sure how much Gu Xiuyi’s couple had overheard.

However, in the end, Gu Xiuyi’s resentment towards the old man was not less than that of Fang Lan and her son.

The old man had always considered face more important than anything else. When her affair with Gu Zhaoxu was exposed, Gu Xiuyi’s mother had once made a huge fuss wanting a divorce. The old man, fearing the embarrassment of the situation getting bigger, had ultimately driven Gu Xiuyi’s mother into depression, effectively trapping her in a mental facility, which Fang Lan remembered all too clearly.

Gu Xiuyi must remember this even more than she did.

In these years, he had climbed the ranks, learning from the old man’s methods to confine him in the Gu residence for nearly eight years, but the whole family knew that as long as the old man didn’t die, Gu Xiuyi would never release his pent-up frustrations.

Thus, even if Gu Xiuyi had overheard completely, it wouldn’t lead to any long-term conflicts with them.

From this point, they shared a similar stance with Gu Xiuyi, both hoping for Gu Changyun’s early demise.

Some people spend their lives doing evil deeds, and when the end finally comes, no one truly mourns for them, how pitiful is that?

As this thought crossed her mind, Fang Lan calmly put on a smile and approached: “Oh, Xiuyi, you’re here! How come you didn’t announce your arrival? You scared me!”

Gu Xiuyi, still holding Ji Ruan, pretended not to hear the prior discussion between the mother and son. He politely replied: “Seeing you and Xiaoli chat so animatedly reminded me it’s been a while since you’ve seen each other, so I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“Oh, look at you, what do we have to chat about?” Fang Lan teased: “By the way, Ji Ruan, are you feeling alright? I heard you got injured before; I’ve been worried about you.”

Ji Ruan politely responded, “I’m fine now, Auntie. I recovered a long time ago.”

“Is that so?” Fang Lan faked a sigh of relief: “But you still look a bit pale. You need to rest more.”

Ji Ruan nodded with a smile: “Thank you, I will.”

Gu Xiuli gathered his courage and stepped forward, looking respectfully at Gu Xiuyi: “Bro.”

Gu Xiuyi’s gaze landed on him, and he raised a slight, indifferent smile: “Xiaoli, how long have you been back?”

“Since yesterday.” Gu Xiuli replied respectfully.

“Hmm,” Gu Xiuyi nodded: “Then relax and stay a while.”

Gu Xiuli’s eyes lit up, but before excitement could swell, Gu Xiuyi doused him with cold water: “When summer vacation ends, continue your studies abroad; don’t let your mom worry.”

Gu Xiuli’s expression dimmed considerably, mumbling: “Uh, okay, thank you for the reminder, Brother.”

The relationship wasn’t intimate, and the few exchanges exhausted the topics they had accumulated over the year, leaving the hall in silence.

Gu Xiuyi was too lazy to speak, while Fang Lan and her son struggled to find topics.

After a moment, Fang Lan cheerfully smiled: “Hey, why are we just standing here? Let’s all go see Grandpa. He’ll definitely be happy to see our family together!”

Although she didn’t believe Gu Changyun would be thrilled at the sight of her, it was indeed a courtesy to pay respects after arriving. Seeing Ji Ruan appeared indifferent, Gu Xiuyi did not decline and headed upstairs with Fang Lan and her son.

Gu Changyun resided in the quietest cabin suite. Even before entering the door, Ji Ruan heard a series of beeping sounds. Having stayed in hospitals numerous times, he recognized the sound as that of an oxygen machine.

Pushing the door open, he indeed found Gu Changyun half-reclining in bed, wearing an oxygen mask, with a male nurse standing nearby.

He looked considerably more withered and frail than a year ago, his skin dark and aged, dotted with liver spots, the flesh on his face sagging against his skull, resembling a walking corpse.

When Ji Ruan was diagnosed with a terminal illness in his past life, he witnessed many people in his ward pass away, their states resembling Gu Changyun’s current condition.

Ji Ruan understood clearly that this was a sign of nearing death.

However, because he had seen too many deaths, he feared even more witnessing such faces.

Gu Zhaoxu and Fang Qiming sat beside him. Fang Qiming glanced over and raised his eyebrow: “Oh, this is lively; everyone’s gathered?”

Fang Lan walked up gracefully in her high heels: “I ran into them in the hall, thinking since we were all going to see Dad anyway, might as well do it together. It’s more cheerful!”

As she spoke, she bent down to support Gu Changyun’s shoulder, displaying a false air of concern: “Dad, how are you feeling? Is there anything uncomfortable?”

Gu Changyun stirred slightly, the oxygen mask emitting a soft grunt, clearly displeased with Fang Lan’s touch.

Fang Lan’s smile faltered, pulling her hand away and adjusting her hair, rolling her eyes in a place where Gu Changyun couldn’t see.

The nurse brought over chairs for them, and the group settled around the bed, appearing at first glance to be a harmonious three-generational gathering.

They chatted casually for a few minutes, mindful of the old man’s health, keeping the atmosphere unusually gentle for a family caught in such tensions; at least, on the surface, they seemed polite.

After ten minutes, Gu Changyun removed his oxygen mask, gasping as he coughed a few times and hoarsely said, “Everyone… stay for dinner?”

Given his frail condition, it was evident to everyone that the old man could hardly eat, and they recognized this as a polite dismissal.

Gu Xiuyi was the first to respond, standing up while holding Ji Ruan: “We won’t impose; Ji Ruan has a weak stomach. Let’s not trouble Grandpa.”

Fang Lan also stood up in agreement: “Yes, there are still matters awaiting my attention in the banquet hall; I need to take a look. I’ll ensure you have a lively birthday party tonight.”

With that, the rest politely bid their farewells, a throng of people dispersing, leaving the room filled only with the beeping of the oxygen machine.

Once outside, Ji Ruan kept his head down, silent, with a troubled expression on his face.

Gu Xiuyi wrapped his arm around him, leading him toward the VIP suite at the ship’s bow, gently nuzzling his cheek: “What’s wrong, baby? Are you scared?”

Gu Changyun had never been kind-hearted; even in death, his features were far from gentle and revealed a deep-seated harshness, betrayed by the hardships he tried to conceal.

Coupled with the burden of a long-standing illness, the room was suffused with an invisible yet exceptionally oppressive, corpse-like aura.

If a child stumbled in and saw it, they might scream.

But in Gu Xiuyi’s heart, Ji Ruan was just such a delicate little child.

Ji Ruan was not truly frightened. However, any encounter with death would evoke unhappy memories deep within him, making him feel discomfort both mentally and physically.

“…No,” Ji Ruan shook his head, looking somewhat exhausted: “I just feel he might not last a few more days.”

“I know,” Gu Xiuyi grasped Ji Ruan’s face, softly saying: “Everyone in that room just now understood this clear as day.”

His gaze was heavy, mixed with various dark emotions, including gloom, hatred, and a sense of liberation seemingly found at the edge of a precipice.

This made Ji Ruan’s heart skip, and he even lightened his breathing.

Gu Xiuyi snapped back to the moment, realizing Ji Ruan’s palms were slightly cold, finally grasping that he had frightened Ji Ruan.

He quickly enveloped Ji Ruan in his arms, gently patting his back: “It’s fine; don’t be afraid. Let’s not think about these things; we’ll go back to our room, have something to eat, and rest a bit, okay?”

Ji Ruan understood he shouldn’t be influenced by these emotions, sinking into Gu Xiuyi’s embrace to draw warmth, making an effort to adjust his demeanor.

After a long time, Gu Xiuyi finally heard the soft “Hmm” from the person in his arms.