Chapter 35

His dark eyes stared directly at her. Due to his drunken state, his eyes were blanketed in a layer of haze as he ignorantly asked, “Are you angry?”

Tao Yi Xi laughed in anger, “What do you think?”

Seeing her so exasperated due to her irritation, Gu Jing Yuan’s lip arched upwards. He happily stated, “You look prettier when you’re angry, way better than when you’re smiling.” 

“…”

Tao Yi Xi was starting to regret that she did not bring along her stun gun. She could have stunned him before lugging his body home.

Gu Jing Yuan dropped his indifferent expression as he gestured for her to come closer. 

However, Tao Yi Xi stood rooted at her spot as she glared icily at him. Gu Jing Yuan felt aggrieved as he pouted his lips, “You, come over here.” 

She was not buying his pitiful display as no one was better at feigning pity than she was. 

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Through clenched teeth, she questioned, “Ge-ge, what are you doing?” 

He raised his head and his cheeks, covered in a faint blush, that only she at such a close distance could see.

His blurry gaze was completely different from his usual sharp look.  

“I like it better when you call me by my name.”

With so many pairs of eyes staring at them, she had no other choice but to comply with his wishes.

“Gu Jing Yuan, release me.”

Extremely contented, he beamed, but the arms around her waist tightened as he said, “Umm, don’t wanna.”

“…” I think you’re just begging for me to give you a good beating.

Tao Yi Xi never thought that there would be a day that she would be rendered speechless. This was probably what people meant when they say that the shameless was invincible.

The popcorn-munching crowd silently watched the exchange.

Fuck, is Brother Yuan acting coquettish? 

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Can I take a photo to keep as memorabilia?

Are you looking to be beaten to death?

Ah, this… forget about it then.

“Ahem, I think it’s time we leave.” Although Qi Yue was also deeply engrossed in watching them. He knew that if they stayed any longer, tomorrow when Brother Yuan was sober, he would kill all of them. 

“Ah? Alright then.” Before everyone left, they reluctantly turned around to take one more glance at this once-in-a-lifetime scene. 

As everyone trickled out, Qi Yue noticed that there was still one more person missing. 

Spotting the still-in-shock Shen Chen Chen, he sighed as he discerningly took her hand and led her out. 

She stared blankly, “They…?”

“They’re not blood-related.”

Shen Chen Chen was in a daze. She slowly recalled how exceptionally well Gu Jing Yuan treated Tao Yi Xi. Had he started liking her since such a long time back?

Qi Yue accompanied her silently, secretly praying that she would be able to get over this soon.

**

Only the two of them remained in the private lounge.

He was still embracing her with his head buried in her coat. The prickling sensation of her coat caused his face to become redder.

Tao Yi Xi nudged his shoulder, “Ge-ge, let’s go back as well.” 

Gu Jing Yuan nuzzled his head against her coat, “I don’t want to go.”

“Then let me go.” It was a mistake for her to come here.

“No.”

Tao Yi Xi took a deep breath as she softened her tone, “I came before completing my assignment. It’s even due tomorrow.”  

Gu Jing Yuan pouted, “If it’s not about studies, then it would be Chen Ze. When will you have time for me?” 

Tao Yi Xi paused before replying, “I’ll admit to the study part. But what does this have anything to do with Chen Ze?”

“Your name is always appearing beside Chen Ze’s…” The grievance in his words was overflowing. 

Tao Yi Xi could roughly guess how the issue arose. This was probably one of the repercussions of liking someone – being jealous. 

He was acting like a fussing child and she could only coax him.

She gently cupped his face as she softly whispered, “Then try harder. Push Chen Ze down and your name can appear beside mine next time.” 

“But I’m inadequate. I couldn’t even make it onto the Red List. I’m unworthy of your love.”

“?” Tao Yi Xi uncertainty asked, “You’re saying that I like you?” 

He tilted his head, as his dark eyes seemed to hold a brightness. At that moment, he looked somewhat innocent, “If you didn’t like me, then why did you protect me?” 

Tao Yi Xi opened her mouth, but could not find the right words to vocalize.  

“Am I correct?”

“That may be the case,” she slyly gave an ambiguous reply.

The drunk Gu Jing Yuan took it as her affirmation. He gave her a wanton smile, innocent and naive, like a child.

But not long later, he frowned again, “Why am I so bad at this? I’ve already worked so hard.” 

He leaned against her like a spoiled child, “That black thing is so bitter but I still drank all of it. And every night I study and didn’t even touch my games anymore. I haven’t played my games in a very long time.”

She hesitantly raised her hand before cautiously resting it on his head as she gently caressed his slightly stiff hair. 

“Then you’re very awesome already.”

“But I still can’t catch up to you.” 

“Results are not achieved overnight. We still have half a year before entering third grade.” 

“Then will I be able to catch up to you then?” He blinked at her as he asked sincerely.

“You definitely can,” Tao Yi Xi truly believed that he had the potential.

“En! I’ll definitely push Chen Ze down!”

“…” Guess that’s fine, as long as he’s motivated.

After much coaxing and persuasion, she finally managed to bring Gu Jing Yuan home. Nanny Yang was worriedly pacing at the entrance. When she finally spotted Gu Jing Yuan, she hurried over to help him, pushing Tao Yi Xi to the side.

Tao Yi Xi was grateful to finally have some peace and quiet. But before she managed to take a couple of steps, she heard him calling out for her.  

“Where’s Tao Yi Xi?”

“Nanny Yang, I want to find Tao Yi Xi. She says that she lik- mhh…” 

Tao Yi Xi quickly covered his mouth as she told Nanny Yang, “Nanny Yang, I think Ge-ge is about to throw up. I’ll bring him up first while you prepare some sobering soup for him.” 

He squinted his blurry eyes as he blinked suspiciously at her. But… he did not feel like throwing up.

“Ge-ge, I’ll take you upstairs.”

“Mhh…”

“Please hold it in, let’s hurry upstairs.” She grabbed onto his arm as she dragged him up. With his head lowered, he obediently followed her thus, his bent back did give the illusion of being unwell.

With her around, Gu Jing Yuan obediently followed.

Nanny Yang’s brows were furrowed. But with the stench of alcohol in the air, she worried that her Young Master was feeling discomfited. Hence, she momentarily put down the notion of investigating what was truly going on and she hurried to the kitchen to prepare some sobering soup for him.

Tai Yi Xi only dared to release her hand from his mouth after they made their way upstairs.

A drunk Gu Jing Yuan was really hard to deal with.

She brought her index finger to her lips, “Shh… Ge-ge, that’s a secret between us. You cannot tell anyone else about it.” 

He remained in that bent posture, maintaining a close proximity between their faces. He used his finger to poke the small mole under her left eye as he giggled foolishly.

“Okay, it’s our secret.”

Tao Yi Xi rubbed her mole, trying to wipe away the tingling sensation. 

With his promise, she felt more at ease as she opened his room door for him. 

“Ge-ge, you should go in and wait for Nanny Yang.”

“I want you to accompany me.”

“But I still have to do my homework.”

He held on to the corner of her clothes, “Then I’ll do it with you.”

She sighed, “It’s fine then. I’ll wait with you.”

At first glance, his room still had the same layout, but there were obvious differences. On his desk, other than his computers and gaming consoles, there were books scattered around; half-opened and black pens were strewn on the table with less than half the ink remaining inside. 

There were also empty bottles of coffee in the trash can.

Nanny Yang was efficient and soon she brought up the sobering soup. Gu Jing Yuan wrinkled his nose as he quickly gulped down the bowl of soup before passing it back to Nanny Yang and rushing her out. 

Nanny Yang was extremely worried but she dared not defy her Young Master’s words. She could only reluctantly leave as she frequently turned back to take another look.

Tao Yi Xi saw that this matter was settled and was ready to leave as well but was halted in her steps once again.

“Tao Yi Xi, you’re not allowed to leave!”

“What’s the matter now?”

“I have a lot of questions that I don’t know how to solve. Can you help me?”     

She coaxed softly, “How about we do them tomorrow?”

“Not okay. When tomorrow comes, you’ll be busy doing those difficult questions again and I wouldn’t dare to disturb you then.” He aggrievedly stated as he held tightly onto his book.

Such an unintentional sentence, but it allowed Tao Yi Xi to realize his subtle concern for her, it spoke louder than anything else he said.

No one had ever considered whether their actions would disturb her.

In a complex state of mind, she took his book. It looked like their Chinese textbook.

“What questions do you have regarding Chinese?”

“Ah, so it’s Chinese.” He was also in a daze, “Then just recite it. You recite and I’ll listen.”  

Gu Jing Yuan eagerly awaited for her to start. How he wished it was just like the beginning.   

Back then it sounded like the devil’s hymns, but now, it was like the songs of heaven. 

It had only been a short month. But the days when she pestered him to study felt like a lifetime ago. 

“Then lay on the bed.” She hoped that the boring text would lure him to sleep through his drunkenness.

She did not know how beautiful her voice sounded. Even when he hated her, she just needed to softly call him ‘Ge-ge’ and his hardened heart would melt.

Tao Yi Xi held onto the textbook as she casually read aloud. She read through them so many times that she had long memorized the texts by heart. 

When she lifted her eyes, she noticed that he was staring straight at her.  

Under the hazy reading lamp, the warm light softened his resolute features, reducing his rebellious edges. There was a heartrending sadness found in his gaze.

“You’re like my mother. When I was younger, she would also sit beside my bed and read stories to me.”

“Your mother must’ve loved you very much.”

“En, she was really gentle. But because of Gu Mu Yang and those women, she became depressed and finally…” He did not finish his sentence. His mother’s last moments were suffocating like a nightmare.

He shut his eyes tightly, “I still want to hear it.”

Her soft and waxy voice drifted in the quiet room, causing his ears to tingle.

It was different from his mother’s storytelling.

She waited until his breathing stabilized before Tao Yi Xi released a yawn and got up to leave. 

He twitched suddenly and kicked the quilt away.

As she helped pull up his quilt, he reached out and grabbed her wrist. Bringing it to his lips as he softly kissed it.

It was gentle but filled with despair.

He frowned and murmured, “Mommy, I’m sorry.”

Tao Yi Xi was momentarily stunned and the strength of his grip gradually loosened. 

Before closing the door, she glanced back at him. His eyebrows were still furrowed.

In all actuality, they were both victims in this newly re-organized ‘family’. 

If his loving mother were still around, he would have grown up to become a warm and high-achieving lad.

He would definitely not lose out to Chen Ze. In addition to his superior family background, he was at the pinnacle that most people would never be able to dream of reaching.

In the eyes of others, she was the one that was the unworthy social climber.