Chapter 29
Auntie Zhao whispered, "I've informed Xiao Gu. He said he'll be back in twenty minutes."
"Alright," Ji Ruan sighed, "I'll wait for twenty minutes and then sleep."
He took a couple of steps into the living room. As Fang Lan looked up, their eyes met. With her meticulously applied makeup, she immediately rose to greet him, her eyeliner lifting with her smile.
"Ji Ruan! It's been such a long time!" Fang Lan took hold of Ji Ruan's hand as if she were a genuinely warm elder. "Look at you, still so handsome... Come, come, have a seat!"
Before Ji Ruan could get a word in, Fang Lan had already pulled him down onto the couch.
Holding his hand, she examined his face closely, then patted the back of his hand, "You seem to have lost some weight. Are you not liking the food? Or perhaps not feeling at home?"
Feeling a tad uncomfortable under her scrutinizing and overly affectionate gaze, Ji Ruan withdrew his hand, "It's fine. I've just had a cold recently, so I've been eating less."
The grip she had on his hand suddenly loosened. Fang Lan's smile faltered momentarily, but she quickly recovered, rubbing her hands together, "Do take care. Although a cold might seem minor, it can be quite taxing."
"Yes, you're right." Auntie Zhao brought Ji Ruan a cup of warm water. After taking a sip, he still felt an itch in his throat and coughed a couple of times.
Fang Lan pushed a paper bag from the coffee table towards Ji Ruan, "Look, Ji Ruan, these are snacks I've made myself. They're delicious! Xiuli and Qiming love them!"
"This bird's nest is especially good," she exclaimed, pulling it out with a beaming smile, "Top-grade bird's nest, sourced especially for me through a friend. You can't find such quality in stores! And this tea-"
"Mom," Fang Qiming interrupted impatiently, "Why are you fawning over him? Remember, he's the junior here, and you're the senior!"
"Qiming, watch your words!" Fang Lan shot him a sharp look before turning back to Ji Ruan, "Pay him no mind, Ji Ruan. He's always been like this."
"I..." Fang Qiming, agitated, ran his fingers through his hair. But under Fang Lan's stern gaze, he refrained from saying anything further and started fiddling with his phone.
With Fang Lan's shrill voice and Fang Qiming's loud retorts, Ji Ruan, already feeling under the weather, grew even more distressed, his temples throbbing.
He closed his eyes momentarily, then said softly, "Auntie Fang, if you have something to say, please be direct."
"Oh, what could I possibly have to say?" Fang Lan replied, waving her hand dismissively. Her thin eyebrows furrowed sincerely, "I just wanted to apologize to you."
"Apologize?" Ji Ruan took another sip of water.
"Yes," Fang Lan admitted with a look of remorse, "Xiuli acted recklessly before and hurt you. His words weren't kind either. I've been feeling terribly guilty about it, so I've brought Qiming along to offer an apology."
Half a year has passed, and only now she thought to apologize?
Besides, at that time, Gu Xiuyi only used that incident as an excuse to send Gu Xiuli abroad, mainly to keep him out of sight and out of mind. Fang Lan must be well aware of this. How could she act as if nothing had happened and even offer an apology?
Is she trying to coddle me like a child?
Ji Ruan pressed his temples, looking slightly pale, "Auntie Fang, I'm not feeling well. If you're reluctant to speak, I'll head upstairs."
Without waiting for a response, he stood up.
"Wait, Ji Ruan!" Fang Lan, seeing him about to leave, swiftly grabbed his wrist. Caught off guard, Ji Ruan stumbled and fell back onto the couch, momentarily dazed.
Fang Lan raised a finger, hesitating, "Well... there's a small favor I'd like to ask..."
Ji Ruan adjusted his external device, took a deep breath without speaking, and frowned at Fang Lan.
Clearing her throat, Fang Lan adjusted the fur collar of her coat. Her gemstone ring sparkled in the bright living room light, "With the New Year approaching..."
She implored, "Could you perhaps speak to Xiuyi and ask him to let Xiuli come home for the New Year?"
Ji Ruan raised an eyebrow, staying silent.
Fang Lan continued, "He's matured a lot during these few months abroad. I promise he won't cause any trouble if he returns. We're all family here. Could you please convey this to Xiuyi for me?"
Ji Ruan pursed his lips, remaining silent.
Fang Qiming huffed, "We're speaking to you. Are you deaf?"
Fang Lan hastily tugged at his sleeve. He shot her a glance, pulled his hand away irritably but chose to remain silent.
"Ji Ruan..." Fang Lan began, her voice quivering as she touched the tip of her nose, looking on the brink of tears, "Can't you help me out? After all, Xiuli is my own son. Isn't it reasonable for a mother to want to see her child during the New Year?"
Ji Ruan pushed the paper box towards her, calmly asking, "Don't you know how to video call?"
"Hey! What kind of way is that to speak?" Fang Qiming flared up again.
Ji Ruan, getting a headache from Fang Qiming's voice, shot him a glance, "Can you lower your voice?"
Fang Qiming stared wide-eyed.
"Oh..." Fang Lan began, tears streaming as she clutched a tissue, "Why has life been so hard on me? My son, whom I've gone through so much hardship to raise, can't even come home to see me during the holidays..."
Fang Qiming quickly sat down beside Fang Lan, draping an arm around her shoulders, "Mom, please don't cry."
Ji Ruan couldn't help but roll his eyes and discreetly moved away. Glancing at the time, he realized they had already been waiting for over twenty minutes.
But Gu Xiuyi still hadn't returned!
The incessant crying only made Ji Ruan feel more irritated. He rubbed his temples in frustration, wondering why he had to deal with this family's issues.
"Ji Ruan... Xiuyi doesn't like me. I can't persuade him. Can't you do me a favor and help?" Fang Lan said tearfully, reaching out for Ji Ruan as if he had wronged her deeply, and she was merely trying to reconcile.
Exhausted to his core, Ji Ruan leaned against the couch and said calmly, "You've come to the wrong person. I don't have any influence over Gu Xiuyi."
Having said that, he no longer wanted to be involved. He rested his head in his hands, ignoring Fang Lan's cries.
After attempting to console his mother for a while, an increasingly frustrated Fang Qiming pointed accusingly at Ji Ruan,
"Ji Ruan! Show some decency. My mother is begging you. You'd best call Gu Xiuyi right now and tell him to bring Xiuli back properly! What right does a cripple have to act so high and mighty?!"
Ji Ruan slightly curled his lip in a subtle but mocking gesture that struck a nerve in Fang Qiming. Slamming his phone on the coffee table, Fang Qiming shouted, "Are you deaf or something?!"
Ji Ruan blinked slowly, his casual demeanor juxtaposed against the brilliant living room lights, making him all the more captivating.
Pointing to his ears, he said, "I've been deaf all along, so of course, I can't hear what you're saying."
The way Fang Qiming spoke was distasteful. He had called Ji Ruan "crippled" more than once, and Ji Ruan hadn't forgotten.
Now thoroughly enraged, Fang Qiming leapt up, grabbing Ji Ruan by the collar, his other fist raised. The movement knocked a glass off the table, sending it crashing to the floor.
Everything happened so quickly. Ji Ruan only had time to hear the shattering sound of the glass and felt a gust of wind beside his face. Instinctively, he shut his eyes and turned his head to dodge.
A moment passed... then another...
The expected punch never landed. Instead, there was a pained grunt from Fang Qiming.
Clutching his painfully twisted wrist, Fang Qiming turned to see Song Ling, the ever-present sidekick of Gu Xiuyi.
Their eyes met, and Song Ling offered a polite smile, "Apologies, Young Master Fang."
Fang Qiming's pupils dilated in shock. He saw the smirk on Song Ling's face vanish instantly. The next moment, his vision went black as he was flipped over onto the ground. He landed hard on the uncarpeted floor, feeling as if all his internal organs were jarred.
"Qiming-!" Fang Lan's scream pierced the air.
How could a playboy who indulges in luxuries and can't enjoy a day without wine stand a chance against Song Ling, the judo champion?
Ji Ruan was stunned, sitting frozen, his heart racing.
Suddenly, someone touched his face. Then he felt a warmth enveloping him as Gu Xiuyi pulled him into an embrace. Ji Ruan hesitated for a split second before instinctively nestling into Gu Xiuyi's arms, where he was held tightly.
Gu Xiuyi, while holding Ji Ruan, moved him away from the shards of broken glass on the floor. He carefully examined Ji Ruan's wrists, checking for any injuries.
Still in shock, Ji Ruan took a few quick breaths and then pulled Gu Xiuyi up, murmuring, "I'm okay..."
Wearing long sleeves and pants in winter, it's not easy to get scratched.
Ignoring Ji Ruan's reassurances, Gu Xiuyi meticulously checked every exposed bit of Ji Ruan's skin. Only when he was sure Ji Ruan was uninjured did he gently hold him, removing his hearing device and placing it in his jacket pocket.
Leaning in, Gu Xiuyi whispered into Ji Ruan's ear, "Were you scared?"
Ji Ruan was terrified.
All having received nine years of compulsory education, Ji Ruan genuinely never expected Fang Qiming to resort to violence in Gu Xiuyi's home.
"Mmm..." Ji Ruan responded softly, his voice quivering.
Gu Xiuyi's palm rested against Ji Ruan's neck, sensing his rapid pulse. Ji Ruan's face was pale. He had always been easily startled. Sometimes, even a slight noise from Gu Xiuyi could frighten him, let alone a scene like this.
With these thoughts, Gu Xiuyi struggled to suppress his rising anger.
Taking a deep breath, he covered Ji Ruan's ears and whispered, "It's okay, let's not listen anymore."
Fang Qiming still lay on the ground, unable to get up. Fang Lan, petrified, rushed over, crying a mixture of tears and mucus, "Xiuyi, what are you doing? Qiming is technically your elder brother! How could you just attack him?"
Without lifting his head and while protectively holding Ji Ruan, Gu Xiuyi replied, "Didn't you see him about to punch Ji Ruan?"
"I... cough, cough!" Fang Lan choked on her tears, covering her mouth.
Song Ling stood with his hands clasped in front of him, no longer laid-back, embodying the utmost respect of a personal assistant, and reminded, "My apologies, madam. I was the one who acted against Young Master Fang."
"What difference does it make!"
With a mix of sorrow and anger, Fang Lan exclaimed, "You know how Qiming is! Besides... besides, he didn't actually hit him, did he?!"
Gu Xiuyi responded as if hearing a joke, "That's an amusing statement. If he had really hit Ji Ruan, do you think he'd be calmly lying on the ground?"
He enveloped Ji Ruan entirely within his embrace, gently patting his back, comforting him as one would a child. He looked at Fang Lan with a smile, yet his eyes were devoid of any humor, sending an inexplicable chill down one's spine:
"I have the same temperament, didn't you know?"
"You... you..." Fang Lan's pupils constricted momentarily before she buried her face in her hands, sobbing pitifully.
"Gu Xiuyi... don't push it too far!"
Fang Qiming, clutching his abdomen, struggled to sit up. He had been kicked by Song Ling again, making even speaking a laborious task.
"My mother humbled herself, pleading with Ji Ruan, only hoping to see Xiao Li during the New Year. This... thing..." He raised his hand, pointing at Ji Ruan, his fingers trembling in pain.
"This thing, not only does he not help, but he's also disrespectful and arrogant. He shows no signs of deference! If I don't teach him a lesson-ah!"
"Qiming! My son..."
Fang Qiming doubled over in pain, as Song Ling delivered another kick.
Protectively holding Ji Ruan, Gu Xiuyi's gaze turned cold, "Who did you call 'thing'?"
Fang Lan, embracing Fang Qiming, cried heart-wrenchingly, "I just wanted to see Xiao Li once! What's wrong with that? He's my son!"
Gu Xiuyi smirked, "I know. That's why I've arranged for you to go abroad to be with him. Why did you rush over here so impatiently?"
"Wha-what?" Fang Lan's tear-streaked face froze, "Abroad? You're sending me away too? ...No, I can't leave," she murmured, "My home is here. Why should I leave? Xiao Li's home is here too; he should return!"
Ji Ruan was exhausted and the commotion had robbed him of sleep. Any noise from outside made his scalp tingle. He rubbed his face uncomfortably against Gu Xiuyi's shoulder.
Gu Xiuyi immediately bent his head down, comforting Ji Ruan by patting his back.
Having had enough of Fang Lan's ruckus, without lifting his head, he commanded, "Song Ling, see them out."
"Understood."
"-No! Xiuyi, you can't treat me like this..." Fang Lan pushed away Song Ling's arm and, beating her chest, lamented, "With all sincerity, haven't I been good to you all these years? Do you think it's easy for me, being a stepmother? And yet you won't even let me see my own son..."
Her pitch was unbearably high. Even if Ji Ruan had removed his hearing aid, he could almost hear her. Her loud voice irritated his delicate nerves, causing a sensation of ringing in his ears.
Ji Ruan had mostly figured out the ways of his stepmother, Gu Xiuyi. She wasn't particularly intelligent, but she was persistent and incredibly troublesome. Song Ling tried to deal with her several times but was always repelled.
Ji Ruan sighed inwardly, deciding to help Gu Xiuyi end this quickly.
Nestling into Gu Xiuyi's arms, he positioned himself comfortably and closed his eyes.
"Oh my God, Xiao Ruan!"
Aunt Zhao shrieked in surprise.
Gu Xiuyi felt a sudden weight in his arms and looked down in astonishment. Ji Ruan was sliding down weakly, his eyes tightly closed, his brow beaded with cold sweat, and his face was as white as snow.
"Ji Ruan?..."
There was no strength in Ji Ruan's body. Only Gu Xiuyi's support kept him from collapsing to the ground. He was as limp as a cloud without an anchor or water that can't be grasped.
Gu Xiuyi felt his heart plummet.
The ruckus that had echoed throughout the villa suddenly ceased.
Fang Lan sat on the ground, her tears yet to dry, too stunned to make a sound. The sudden shift in atmosphere and the rising aura of menace from Gu Xiuyi even made Fang Qiming gulp.
Gu Xiuyi lifted Ji Ruan horizontally, his gaze briefly flitting over the two before he swiftly ascended the stairs.
Even though his gaze hadn't lingered on them for more than a moment, they both shuddered involuntarily.
"Song Ling, throw them out."
The voice was deep, resonating clearly and chillingly throughout the room.
Author's Note:
Ruan Ruan: Finally, some peace. Everyone should realize I was faking it, right?
Mr. Gu: "I have no damn clue! I'm freaking out!"