Gu Xiuyi's body temperature was high. His fingers, honed by years of fitness, were not delicate. When they touched the inside of Ji Ruan's wrist, they brought a peculiar tingling sensation.
He seemed to be very focused on looking at Ji Ruan's hand, speaking in a light tone that was just right to tug at one's heartstrings like ripples suddenly spreading out on the water's surface.
Perhaps this behavior itself held no special meaning. Maybe he spoke in this manner when relaxed, but if the person sitting here now were the Ji Ruan from the original book, he might have already been moved.
At eighteen, feelings could always be invested in every little detail, attributing special significance to every subtle action.
No wonder he's the protagonist of a tragic romance. He can be very gentle with you without falling in love; even after you fall for him, he maintains an ordinary gentleness, only to act deeply in love when he's about to lose you, as if suddenly enlightened.
But Ji Ruan hated this kind of complex and entangled emotion.
Gu Xiuyi admired his hand, and Ji Ruan quietly scrutinized Gu Xiuyi in return.
In some sense, he was actually a bit cold-hearted like Gu Xiuyi, but Gu Xiuyi was this way by nature and upbringing, while Ji Ruan was simply lazy.
He had no need for love and was tired of actively expressing affection. If he wasn't the only one in a relationship, he couldn't be bothered.
Fortunately, his relationship with Gu Xiuyi wasn't based on emotions. They interacted with a mix of truth and falsehood, pretending to grow more familiar each day, only to part gracefully in the end.
Ji Ruan gently withdrew his hand, spreading his fingers slightly under the dazzling chandelier in the living room, carefully examining the ring on his ring finger. Slowly, he said, "Mr. Gu, there's a question I've been wanting to ask you."
It was the first time Gu Xiuyi heard Ji Ruan call him "Mr. Gu." Supporting his chin with a half-smile, he responded, "Hmm?"
Ji Ruan tilted his head back, making him look innocent at that angle. "Is there any difference between the custom-made ring and the ones in the store?"
He genuinely couldn't see any difference; men's plain rings were not meant to be too ostentatious. To Ji Ruan, the various designs all looked the same.
Gu Xiuyi didn't react much after hearing this, only slightly tilting his head and smiling, "Maybe it's because I'm picky. Song Ling and the others all say that."
Ji Ruan raised an eyebrow.
So you know it too?
Gu Xiuyi understood his look, shook his head noncommittally, stood up, and patted Ji Ruan on the back, "Alright, go change your clothes. It's time to head out."
The Gu family's old residence was built on the outskirts of the city. It was an ancient garden-style building that had weathered many years and had been renovated many times.
As soon as the car stopped in front of the quaint main gate, the butler respectfully guided them inside.
The residence was identical to the large, deep courtyards seen in period dramas, with blue bricks, dark tiles, and ancient trees providing shade, extending as far as the eye could see.
Entering through the main gate and passing through the front hall, they found themselves in a deep rock garden, with towering trees and a few ornamental streams flowing through, making the temperature much cooler than outside.
Ji Ruan and Gu Xiuyi walked side by side, while the butler maintained a respectful distance ahead, silently leading the way.
After walking for a while without seeing any buildings resembling the main house, Ji Ruan sighed softly, "Is this your residence or a royal park?"
Gu Xiuyi turned to look at him, "Tired of walking again?"
"..." Ji Ruan glanced at him, touching his nose, "Not quite yet."
Gu Xiuyi calmly stated, "We still have to pass through another corridor to reach the main hall."
"Really?!" Ji Ruan's expression showed a slight loss of control.
Ahead was an arched bridge with a few spots of moss that hadn't been completely cleared off the steps. Distracted by their bickering, Ji Ruan almost slipped on it and, with a startled cry, grabbed Gu Xiuyi's arm.
Gu Xiuyi turned his head and saw Ji Ruan patting his chest in relief, "So slippery..."
"..." After a pause, he pulled Ji Ruan's hand down and held it, "Walk slower if it's slippery."
Gu Xiuyi's hand was large enough to completely envelop Ji Ruan's. As their skin touched and their rings clicked together, Ji Ruan was momentarily stunned.
Hearing the noise, the butler ahead turned back quietly. Seeing this, Ji Ruan understood and, without any hesitation, tightened his grip, interlocking his fingers with Gu Xiuyi's.
Afraid of slipping again, he walked carefully, looking down at the ground.
Gu Xiuyi, casually observing the red carp in the pond, realized belatedly that Ji Ruan had fallen silent and turned to look at him.
This young man, holding his hand, was walking delicately step by step.
"..."
Gu Xiuyi couldn't help but laugh, "Do I need to prepare a sedan chair for you?"
Ji Ruan, catching the teasing tone in his words, rolled his eyes silently and squeezed Gu Xiuyi's hand harder without looking up, "Mr. Gu, you aren't suited for jokes."
Gu Xiuyi's low laughter echoed in Ji Ruan's ear, "Oh, is that so..."
He was carrying a paper bag, tightly sealed, which had been brought back with the ring from the afternoon, though it was clearly something important and unrelated to Ji Ruan.
Seeing this, Ji Ruan remembered something and asked Gu Xiuyi, "Shouldn't I bring a gift for my first visit to your home?"
Though he wasn't sure what the family's environment was like, it seemed impolite to visit the home of his future in-laws without bringing something. The suddenness of the situation hadn't given Ji Ruan time to consider this.
Gu Xiuyi didn't answer immediately. A look of surprise flashed in his eyes as he gazed at Ji Ruan, then he shook his head, "No need."
After a moment's thought, he added, "When you meet the people inside later, don't worry about them. Just make yourself comfortable."
These words sounded both like reassurance and emphasis.
The corridor was built over a large pond, where the wind was stronger than elsewhere. Ji Ruan frowned and coughed twice, "What?"
His throat hadn’t fully healed, so his coughing trailed off into a long sound.
Gu Xiuyi stepped slightly in front of him and explained, "Inside live my grandfather, father, stepmother, and two brothers. The elder one is from my stepmother and her ex-husband, and the younger one is her illegitimate child with my dad."
He looked at Ji Ruan with no particular emotion in his eyes, "So when you see them, you don’t need to care about anything they say or do. If you find it annoying, you can just turn off your cochlear implant."
Ji Ruan smiled softly, "Didn’t you say you didn’t like it when I turn off my cochlear implant?"
Gu Xiuyi’s tone was calm, "This time, it’s okay. It’s not important."
Ji Ruan raised his eyebrows. It was indeed a complicated rich family drama. Gu Xiuyi seemed to have no feelings for those so-called "family members."
But Ji Ruan had always been impatient with these kinds of intrigues. He never even watched palace drama TV series. Using his simple mind to think it over, he asked Gu Xiuyi:
"So, are they bad people?"
Bad people?
A slight twitch appeared at the corner of Gu Xiuyi’s forehead.
It had been a long time since he had met someone like Ji Ruan, who simply categorized people as "good" or "bad."
In fact, he had long since stopped trying to define human nature.
Gu Xiuyi couldn’t immediately answer this question.
After a while, he met Ji Ruan’s gentle eyes, his back unconsciously relaxing a lot, "From my standpoint, you could say that."
He curved his lips, "So you don’t need to worry about anything else. Just follow me."
Ji Ruan thoughtfully nodded. Coincidentally, he didn’t like dealing with complicated matters either.
He was always good at simplifying things.
The butler was still sneaking glances at them. Ji Ruan affectionately hugged Gu Xiuyi’s arm and whispered, "So, I should just play deaf and dumb, right?"
Gu Xiuyi responded with a series of low laughs, "Yes."
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The author has something to say:
Ji Ruan: Simple-minded, pretending to be deaf and dumb.
President Gu: My innocent and sensible wife