Chapter 17

Tao Yi Xi raised her eyebrows when she saw how defensive he was acting.

“Ge-ge, what weird things are you thinking about?”

He unconsciously retorted, “I’m not!”

She suddenly burst out laughing, “If not, why don’t you dare to look directly at me?”

“Who says I don’t dare?!”

He resolutely raised his eyes to meet hers.

Her eyes were slightly curved and her eyelashes fluttered. The mole under her left eye looked enchanting, making others flustered. The pure beauty was not what meets the eye. How many faces did she have and which one was the real her?

Seeing that he was beguiled, her eyes narrowed with a grin. He suddenly became very pleasing in her eyes. 

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“Ql-tl, usw’al alyzzu sclekldv.”

q*nj, bl oyp clokvnble.

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“Ebs pyup vbyv R’x pbu?!”

Ebyv y qyxkzkya qzso sq nsdhlapyvksd.

Fbl czkdjle yde rwaple bla zkrp kd ekpclzklq, “Mbld obu kp Ql-tl qketlvkdt ycswv?”&dcpr;

“Mnb, vbyv’p clnywpl R’x qllzkdt lxcyaaypple sd uswa clbyzq!”

Mbl rlapsd obsx bl nzykxle pbswze cl lxcyaaypple oyp pvyakdt ekalnvzu yv bkx okvb bla ckt esl-zkjl lulp.

“…” If she continued this, it was going to be very difficult for him to step down. 

He gritted his teeth, “You want to see it so badly right? Then I’ll remove it to show you. Since you don’t mind, then as a guy, it wouldn’t bother me too.” 

He then started to unbutton his school uniform. His eyes fixed solely on her. As long as she showed the slightest signs of avoidance, he would catch her red-handed.

However, he was to be disappointed.

Not only did she not duck in embarrassment, she looked more intently at him.

The youth’s figure was lean and long like a bamboo, with fair skin and a narrow waist, although his muscles were not as defined as an adult’s, he had a robust physique of a boy.

The only regrettable thing was that this beautiful scene was currently littered in black and blue.

“Does it hurt?” she asked softly.

“No.”

“Is that so?” She unexpectedly raised her hand and touched his collarbone. Her fingertips were cold against his warm skin, causing him to shiver.

But before he could understand what he was feeling, she suddenly exerted force, and the bruised area was injured once again.

“f*ck, what are you doing?!”

“Ge-ge is obviously in pain.”

“Yes, yes, it’s painful, okay?! So let go!”

She removed her hand, her expression remained vague, “Why did Ge-ge protect me today? Don’t you hate me? Wouldn’t seeing me get beaten up help vent your anger?”

He blurted, “How is beating up a girl considered venting one’s anger? Those are the actions of a scoundrel.”

This was his bottom line. He could dislike her and express his disgust in words, but he would never raise his hands against a woman.

The strength disparity between men and women was inherent. Even if he had seen Tao Yi Xi’s vicious moves, she only won due to wit and because the other side was not prepared.

Men who counted on their brute strength to overpower women were not powerful, they were trash and cowardly.

Tao Yi Xi blinked, “Ge-ge is really… very different.”

She had seen other so-called school delinquents, but none of them held such an upright principle as him. Hence, she was curious about how he became a school delinquent.

“You’ve asked me a question, so it’s my turn.”

“Hmm?”

Gu Jing Yuan held it in for a long time, “Why do you need to carry something like a stun gun with you?”

“The stun gun? Although Ge-ge’s eye-sight is not good. Objectively speaking, I’m pretty good-looking. Of course, carrying it around is for my own safety and self-defense.”

He was instantly agitated, “Who did you say is blind?!” 

Tao Yi Xi innocently raised her hands in surrender, “Ge-ge, don’t over-analyze my words, I didn’t say that.”

Gu Jing Yuan glared at her. But that’s what you meant!

He wanted to dispute further when the strong scent of Yunnan Baiyao assaulted his nose and the cooling sensation of the medication covered his chest. 

Her actions were swift. Soon, she closed the lid and was finished. 

“Done. Ge-ge can put on your clothes, I’ll leave first.”

She pursed her lips and smiled, “Also, thank you Ge-ge.”

Her sentence was uttered very softly, but she was sincere. She then walked out holding the first-aid kit and her briskly departing back showed no reluctance.

Gu Jing Yuan glanced at his exposed chest and wondered if he needed to workout more.

**

At first, she thought she had won and this matter would come to a perfect end. But she forgot that when it came to school, no matter how well she handled the situation, she was still considered a student.

In the past, her guardian was never around. So every time the teacher encountered a snag they did not call Xia Yan. In addition, she was perceived as a good student, so there was never such an issue. 

However, currently, there were two guardians, thus the dean immediately notified Gu Mu Yang and Xia Yan.

After she found out, Xia Yan was infuriated that she did not go to socialize with other wealthy wives that evening.

“Tao Yi Xi, come here.”

Hearing her mother calling out her full name, Tao Yi Xi suddenly had a sense of foreboding.

Tao Yi Xi stood humbly in front of Xia Yan, whose expression was extremely frigid.

“Tell me, what did you do today?”

“I…” She was caught off guard. Probably because she did not expect the teacher to move so quickly.

“Speak! Have you become dumb? Your teachers have called and informed me that today’s incident happened due to your Ge-ge fighting with those hooligans from the other school because of you!”

Tao Yi Xi wanted to explain, “Mom, it’s not like tha-”

Xia Yan fiercely scowled, “Not what, what is it then?! Are you crazy? Did I bring you here just for him to fight for you? Huh? Don’t you know the consequences of your actions?!”

Xia Yan took a deep calming breath before asking through gritted teeth, “How is Jing Yuan? Was he injured?”

“Yes.”

Xia Yan pressed her hands to her bulging temples, “And what about you? You came out of this completely unscathed?” 

“…” Tao Yi Xi gave a stiff nod. 

Xia Yan stood up abruptly and jabbed her fiery red nails at Tao Yi Xi’s forehead.

“Do you not comprehend who he is? He’s everyone’s precious darling! He’s injured but you’re fine? Do you think you’re nobler than he is? Don’t you feel any remorse at all?”

Tao Yi Xi closed her eyes, tightly clenching onto the hem of her shirt. Her pink fingertips turned white with the amount of force exerted. 

Nanny Yang passed by, glancing at the pair of mother and daughter.

After knowing about it, the look she threw at Tao Yi Xi was filled with even more dissatisfaction. Thoroughly blaming her for daring to bring harm unto their noble young master. She carelessly scanned Tao Yi Xi while silently condemning her for her lack of self-awareness.

Tao Yi Xi could bear the reprimand until Xia Yan’s last words jabbed at her self-esteem.

“Do you think you are worthy?” 

The tip of her nose immediately soured and her eyes turned red, filling quickly with tears. She forced herself to not blink.

She had always been well-behaved, sensible, and never caused trouble. She studied hard day and night, becoming the teacher’s pet, trying to please Xia Yan’s man, and constantly being snubbed by Xia Yan’s stepson despite showing good intentions. She had already done everything that she could.

In the end, she was graced with a sentence, ‘are you worthy?’

Indeed, Gu Jing Yuan was everyone’s precious darling. And she was just a piece of junk?

Xia Yan asked if she was worthy.

Tao Yi Xi wanted to rebuke her, why was she not?

Why was she the only one shoved to the very bottom, having to live so humbly?

“When your Uncle Gu returns, you can explain yourself to him.” Before she left, Xia Yan’s cold and uncompromising attitude was like treating a stranger who had nothing to do with her.

Tao Yi Xi went back to her room in despair. Coincidentally, Gu Jing Yuan opened his bedroom door wanting to get a Coke.

She did not seem to have noticed him; like a ghost floating by. 

Seeing that her expression was not quite right, he stopped her.

“Hey, what’s the matter with you?”

Why the drastic change in mood when it had not been even an hour since he last saw her? 

Tao Yi Xi raised her head. Tears already started cascading down her face by then, stunning him.

She sobbed softly, her thin shoulders trembling slightly. Her eyes that were always shining were currently covered in a layer of mist and tears kept rolling down her cheeks like big droplets of rain.

She tried to suppress her cry, but he could feel a familiar sense of abandonment and desperation from her.

He could not hold back, and asked another question, “What happened?”

Perhaps it was due to the concern she heard in his words, she seemed to have finally found someone to rely on. 

Her choked voice pieced a few words together, “I, can I lean on you to cry for a while?”

“Hmm?”

In the midst of her tears, she took it as his consent.

She suddenly plunged her head into his chest, frightening Gu Jing Yuan that he raised both his hands in a surrendering gesture as his whole body stiffened.

She clung to his clothes with both hands. Separated by such a thin fabric, he could vaguely feel the smooth and tender touch of her cheeks on his chest. 

Soon, her tears soaked through his shirt but there was no sign of stopping.

Why was she sobbing so heartbrokenly?

Gu Jing Yuan clenched and released his fists a few times, unsure of what to do. Finally, he slowly moved his hands and gently patted her back, attempting to comfort her.

Tao Yi Xi was keenly aware of his rare show of kindness that her hands clenched tighter onto his shirt.

How ridiculous. Turns out the one that cared about her most was the one that expressed hatred for her on a daily basis.

She should have been touched. After all, he was being so nice to her.

But what could she do? She was naturally a pessimist. Her heart barely warmed up before her rationality and sobriety took predominance.

Was he not the source of all this?

She had a good life with her grandmother in that suburban city. Her mother, who had not been in contact with them for many years, suddenly called and said she wanted to pick her up.

Just because of him.

How vexing.

Feeling that the crying person in his arms had somewhat calmed down, he carefully asked.

“Are you feeling better now?”

“Yes, but your clothes…”

Looking at his completely soaked shirt, he found that he was not repulsed by it.

“I’ll just go back and change.”

“No, I want to say that it’s smelly.”

“Isn’t that due to all the medicinal cream you applied?” His tone was soft and helpless.

She lifted her gaze to look at him. Her eyes were red and swollen, with tears still clinging onto the corners of her eyes and the tip of her nose was cried pink. Surprisingly, she looked somewhat pitiful but cute.

He seemingly admitted that she was pretty good-looking; good-looking enough that she needed a stun gun for self-defense.

Noticing that his expression was constantly changing, dark thoughts started surfacing.

It must be very satisfying if he, the arrogant son of heaven, was willing to bow and scrape for her, who was down in the dust.

Wild thoughts surfaced within but were well concealed.

She stretched out two fingers and tentatively tugged at the corner of his shirt.

“I want to wipe my tears.”

“I’ll get you some tissues.”

He had completely forgotten why he stepped out of the room as he hurriedly turned back. Only to find that she had followed him in when he turned around.

As he was about to open his mouth to ask, her index finger suddenly pressed on his thin lips, the feeling was cool and soft.

“Xiao Yuan, come down to eat. Director Gu has returned.”

He unconsciously moved the slender finger away but did not release it completely.

He replied, “okay.” 

His warm breath brushed past her fingertips, bringing with it a little bit of warmth.

Tao Yi Xi withdrew her hand and quickly explained, “I followed you in because I heard Nanny Yang approaching. Just now, thank you Ge-ge.”

“I’ll leave first,” she opened the door and left in a hurry, looking a little flustered.

He lightly touched his lips before reaching to the wet patch on his shirt. His heart was inexplicably moved.

**

After sitting at the dining table, he did not start digging in immediately. At the four-seated table, one chair was still vacant.

Didn’t she know that dinner was starting? Why hasn’t she come down yet?

Today, Xia Yan’s smile was more fawning than usual, “Jing Yuan, why haven’t you started eating? Are the dishes unsatisfactory? Shall I ask the kitchen to make a couple of other dishes?”

“No need.”

Gu Jing Yuan gave her a strange look. Did she not notice that her daughter did not come down for dinner?

In the end, it was Gu Mu Yang who asked, “Where’s Yi Xi?”

Xia Yan replied, “She might not be hungry.”

“And you know without even asking?”

Gu Jing Yuan’s words sounded like his normal daily provocation. Only he, himself, knew that he did it on her behalf.

There was only one person in this house who could upset Tao Yi Xi’s emotions, and that was her. 

How overboard Xia Yan must have gone for someone like her to weep so bitterly.

---

*low-key squealing*

So protective… I think somebody’s already falling in love…

(´▽｀)