Two days after the Mid-Autumn Festival, Aunt Zhao was on leave, so Gu Xiuyi decided to take Ji Ruan on a trip.
A friend had a private mountain lodge in the outskirts of the city—not too far away—just right for a two-day, one-night getaway, including an overnight stay.
The two of them casually packed a few changes of clothes. Without calling for a driver, Gu Xiuyi drove himself, and naturally, Ji Ruan took the passenger seat.
The feeling was a bit strange. The last time he sat in Gu Xiuyi’s passenger seat was when he had a bout of gastroenteritis and was rushed to the hospital. The pain had made him so dizzy and disoriented that he hadn’t had the energy to notice anything. But now, they were going on a trip together. The weather was beautiful, the sky was clear and boundless—yet no one was speaking. The silence felt too heavy.
"You ever thought about getting a driver’s license?" Gu Xiuyi was the first to break the silence.
"A driver’s license?" Ji Ruan withdrew his gaze from the treetops outside. "Why are you asking this all of a sudden?"
Gu Xiuyi replied casually, "If you know how to drive, you can go wherever you want in the future—completely free."
That was true. Ji Ruan thought about it. A road trip sounded really nice, taking it slow and enjoying all sorts of scenery along the way. "But I heard it’s really hard to get one," he said, scratching the tip of his nose. He was intrigued by the idea but also found it a bit of a hassle.
This seemed to touch on a blind spot in Gu Xiuyi’s knowledge. He frowned slightly. "Is it hard?"
"It is," Ji Ruan answered seriously, holding up three fingers. "Han Xiaolin failed the second test three times, and he’s an athlete. Even with all that coordination, he still didn’t pass."
Everyone in their dorm was lazy when it came to this stuff. Han Xiaolin was the only one who had started preparing for his driver’s license during summer break. But now school had already started, and he still hadn’t passed. Just last week, he failed the second test for the third time and spent an entire afternoon crying about it.
The whole ordeal scared Ji Ruan and the other three dorm mates into completely giving up on the idea of getting a license.
"Really?" Gu Xiuyi rested his elbow on the window frame, his index finger idly brushing against his lips. "Maybe it was easier back when we took the test. The difficulty might’ve increased now—your generation seems to have way more exams than we did."
Hearing this, Ji Ruan, a student trapped in an era of relentless academic competition, let out a sigh. "Exactly. Once this break is over, I have so many exams to prepare for. I can’t believe university even has midterms."
Gu Xiuyi's friends were mostly his peers, and in his work, he typically dealt with older, seasoned professionals. He rarely had the opportunity to spend extended time with someone more than ten years younger than himself, so it had been years since he had personally heard anyone complain about midterm exams.
As a result, this small complaint, being outside of Gu Xiuyi’s usual frame of reference, felt unexpectedly endearing.
"Hmm," he said, his voice tinged with amusement. "If there are too many exams, then we just won’t bother learning to drive. There’s always a driver at home—it’s not like we absolutely have to drive ourselves."
Now that he mentioned it, Gu Xiuyi was probably someone who mostly relied on a driver and rarely drove himself. Ji Ruan silently observed him for a moment.
He was leaning lazily against the seat, his hand loosely gripping the steering wheel in a rather casual manner. And yet, his driving was remarkably smooth—no worse than Uncle Zhang, the family’s chauffeur with decades of experience.
How could someone who almost never drove still maintain such a high level of skill? Shouldn't he be at least a little rusty?
"What are you looking at me for?" Gu Xiuyi asked, eyes fixed straight ahead on the road.
Ji Ruan quickly turned back. "Ahem… Nothing."
Before they left, Aunt Zhao had specially packed some of the mooncakes she had made the day before into a small snack box for Ji Ruan to bring along. Now, Ji Ruan opened the lid and asked Gu Xiuyi, "Do you eat mooncakes?"
Gu Xiuyi glanced over from the corner of his eye. "Did you make these with Aunt Zhao?"
"Yeah," Ji Ruan suddenly thought of something fun and grinned. "I’ll pick one for you at random—do you want to guess who made it?"
A game like this was a little silly, maybe even childish. On a normal day, Gu Xiuyi definitely wouldn’t have played along.
The car cruised smoothly along the asphalt road leading to the mountain lodge. After a brief pause, Gu Xiuyi finally said, "Sure, but—"
He seemed somewhat troubled, quietly lowering the hand resting on the window frame to grip the steering wheel properly. "I’m driving, so it’s inconvenient for me to eat. Why don’t you feed me?"
"Oh, right," Ji Ruan suddenly realized, his voice carrying a note of apology. "Sorry, I totally ignored the fact that you’re driving. I’ll feed you then."
The corners of Gu Xiuyi’s lips lifted slightly, but he quickly pressed them together to suppress his smile. He responded in a serious tone, "Thank you."
"Eh… what’s there to thank me for?" Ji Ruan’s voice stretched slightly, as if unconsciously acting coquettish.
Using a napkin, he carefully picked up a mooncake and, making sure not to obstruct Gu Xiuyi’s driving, cautiously brought it to his lips. Even so, he still felt the need to remind him, "Keep your eyes on the road—don’t look at me, okay?"
"Got it," Gu Xiuyi took a bite. The sweet red bean filling spread across his tongue, making his mood inexplicably better. "Good boy."
"Ah?"
Ji Ruan had just pulled his hand back to pick one for himself when he looked up, startled.
"…" Gu Xiuyi remained expressionless. "I said, it’s good. You made this one, didn’t you?"
Ji Ruan was a little surprised. "Wow, how did you guess?"
It was just an ordinary red bean mooncake. Aunt Zhao had made both the crust and the filling, and Ji Ruan had only learned to wrap them. In theory, there shouldn’t have been a noticeable difference. If not for the slight flaw on the edge of the one he gave Gu Xiuyi—a small imperfection from his attempt—Ji Ruan himself wouldn’t have been able to tell them apart.
His eyes curved as he smiled. "Did you just make a wild guess and get lucky?"
Gu Xiuyi shook his head, his tone light but certain. "You put in too much filling. It’s too sweet."
"…"
Ji Ruan looked at it carefully. It did seem like the one he made had a lot more filling than Aunt Zhao’s.
"Well…" Ji Ruan felt a little embarrassed and tried to defend himself. "But any stuffed pastry tastes better with more filling!"
"Oh, really?" Gu Xiuyi acted as if he were hearing this theory for the first time, looking genuinely curious.
"Of course!" Ji Ruan tried to convince him.
"Hmm…" Gu Xiuyi nodded as if deep in thought. "Then I’ll have another bite."
"Alright!" Ji Ruan once again wrapped a piece in a napkin and brought it to Gu Xiuyi’s lips. Halfway there, however, his hand suddenly paused.
Why did this feel a little strange?
***
The mountain lodge was grandly built, resembling an estate straight out of a British drama. An endless stretch of green lawn spread before them, leading to a stately castle-like building.
After they arrived, a valet drove the car away, and Gu Xiuyi led Ji Ruan along a small stone path through the lawn towards the entrance.
"Will there be a lot of people this time?" Ji Ruan asked.
"Not too many," Gu Xiuyi gave him a slight pull forward. "Besides the owner of the place, the others you already know—Song Ling and Li Suian."
Hearing familiar names, Ji Ruan relaxed a little. Fewer people meant a more comfortable experience. "That’s good."
In the small garden in front of the castle, a few people were having afternoon tea. Upon seeing them arrive, they got up to greet them. Leading the group was a man who wasn’t particularly tall but had a kind and warm demeanor. Behind him were Li Suian and an unfamiliar face.
"Old Gu, you’re late!" The man greeted Gu Xiuyi with casual familiarity.
Gu Xiuyi glanced at his watch, his tone indifferent. "Not late."
The man laughed. "Come on, what’s wrong with a little small talk?"
Li Suian, as refined as always, turned to Ji Ruan with a warm smile. "Long time no see, little friend, Ji Ruan."
Gu Xiuyi coughed lightly. "Who are you calling 'little friend'?"
"…" Li Suian was speechless. "Fine, then—Ji Ruan, little patient?"
Out of the three, Ji Ruan only knew Li Suian. He smiled generously. "Long time no see, Dr. Li."
Just then, Song Ling finally arrived, noticeably more relaxed without his usual suit. He bumped fists with Li Suian. "I’m not that late, right?"
Li Suian responded casually, "Everyone’s about the same."
The shorter man turned to Ji Ruan, speaking with enthusiasm. "So you’re Ji Ruan, huh? The legendary figure! Finally, I get to meet you in person! I’m Duan Zeping—just call me Brother Duan. And this here is Lin Qing…"
As he spoke, he pulled over the unfamiliar face beside him. Strangely enough, he looked a little shy. "I’m pursuing him."
Lin Qing appeared reserved and scholarly, not someone who talked much. He simply offered a gentle smile. "Hello, everyone."
"Oh-ho, not bad, Brother Duan," Song Ling teased. "When did this happen? So I’m the only one left single now?"
Li Suian had a girlfriend. Duan Zeping had someone he was pursuing. And their damn boss had even raced ahead of them all and gotten married. That left Song Ling as the lone bachelor, and he suddenly felt a bit bitter.
Li Suian smirked. "Where have you been? He’s been chasing him for months."
Lin Qing turned his head away, saying nothing.
Duan Zeping, seeing Lin Qing’s reaction, smiled awkwardly. "Shut up, will you? Qingqing’s shy—don’t make a fuss."
At the end of September, though autumn had arrived, the sun still burned hot, carrying the lingering heat of the season’s last warm spell. Ji Ruan wasn’t great with sun exposure. After standing for a while, his lips had already started to dry out.
Gu Xiuyi frowned and interrupted their increasingly off-track conversation. "So what’s the plan for the afternoon?"
Li Suian was the first to respond. "Fishing. We’ll have a full fish feast for dinner."
Gu Xiuyi made no comment and instead turned to Ji Ruan. "Think fishing will be boring?"
After all, fishing was a hobby for people their age and older. Ji Ruan, on the other hand, was someone who had gone clubbing with Han Xiaolin. Gu Xiuyi seriously doubted he could sit still for long.
"It’s fine," Ji Ruan licked his lips, squinting under the sunlight. "I like eating fish."
And he was also quite good at just sitting and doing nothing.
"Alright," Gu Xiuyi decided not to let Ji Ruan stay out in the sun any longer. "Let’s drop off our luggage first."
Duan Zeping chuckled warmly. "Alright, alright. We’ll head over first. See you at the fishing grounds."
***
The interior of the castle-like lodge carried the essence of old European charm—intricately designed, elegant, and breathtakingly beautiful.
Ji Ruan and Gu Xiuyi’s room was on the fifth floor. When they opened the window, they could see rolling mountains stretching into the distance, offering an expansive view.
Gu Xiuyi rummaged through his luggage, took out a thermos, unscrewed the lid, and handed it to Ji Ruan. "Your lips are dry. Didn’t you think to drink some water?"
Ji Ruan had been too engrossed in admiring the scenery to notice. Seeing the cup offered to him, he smiled, revealing tiny dimples. "Thanks."
Gu Xiuyi stared at those dimples for a few seconds before looking away. "I’m going to the bathroom. You get yourself ready—we’ll go fishing in a bit."
"Mm-hmm." Ji Ruan nodded with a smile.
The thermos contained a lightly sweetened sugar water Aunt Zhao had prepared for him. The sugar wasn’t too much, giving it a mild sweetness. Ji Ruan sipped it slowly, feeling the warmth soothing his throat. The gentle mountain breeze that flowed in through the window further relaxed him, making him feel completely refreshed.
Since Gu Xiuyi had told him to get ready, Ji Ruan took it seriously and actually prepared himself.
When Gu Xiuyi came out of the bathroom, he saw Ji Ruan sitting obediently on the bed, wearing a black bucket hat.
He had no idea where the hat came from. Its brim was wide, and it seemed a little too big for Ji Ruan’s head. Or maybe Ji Ruan’s head was just too small. Either way, the hat sat unsteadily on him. Every so often, Ji Ruan would lift the brim or push aside the bangs that kept falling into his eyes.
From Gu Xiuyi’s angle, Ji Ruan had his head slightly lowered, his features mostly hidden beneath the brim—only his fair chin and a hint of soft cheek were visible. He looked more like a little kid heading off on a school field trip.
Gu Xiuyi stood still for a few moments, watching.
Then, just as Ji Ruan tilted his head back, struggling to uncover his eyes, their gazes met.
Ji Ruan seemed a little frustrated, his brows faintly furrowed. His long lashes brushed against his skin, slightly reddened from the tickling fringe. His expression looked incredibly soft—well-behaved yet petulant.
Gu Xiuyi’s fingertips twitched. His heart burned for a second.
He stepped forward and gently pressed down on Ji Ruan’s head. "You put on a bucket hat just because we’re going fishing?"
"No," Ji Ruan took off the hat, his cheeks puffing slightly. "I don’t want to get sunburned…"
His hair was thick, and when it got messy, he ended up looking unkempt—kind of like a long-haired kitten whose fur had gone all puffy.
Gu Xiuyi held back his laughter and smoothed Ji Ruan’s hair. "It’s fine. You can sit under the shade while fishing."
Ji Ruan abruptly looked up, his eyes full of indignation. "Why didn’t you say that earlier?"
***
"Hey, don’t you think Ji Ruan… kinda looks like that guy?"
At the fishing grounds, Duan Zeping leaned in close to Li Suian and whispered.
"Which guy?" Li Suian was busy picking out fishing gear and bait, responding absentmindedly.
Duan Zeping clicked his tongue. "That Bai guy."
Li Suian’s hand paused. He immediately lifted his head and scanned the surroundings—Lin Qing was in the restroom, and the others hadn’t arrived yet. "Don’t talk nonsense. They don’t look alike."
"I don’t mean their faces," Duan Zeping frowned, struggling to find the right words. "It’s just that… that feeling, you know? Hard to explain. And their build, their frame—it’s kinda similar too."
Li Suian set down the fishing gear and said sternly, "All eighteen- or nineteen-year-old boys have about the same build. That person has been gone for years. Why are you even bringing him up? Do you even know what he looks like now?"
"It has been over ten years…" Duan Zeping muttered, a little embarrassed. "I didn’t mean anything by it. Just saying."
"What are you guys talking about?" Lin Qing emerged from the restroom and noticed the stiff atmosphere between them.
Duan Zeping quickly put on a smile and nudged Lin Qing forward. "Nothing, nothing! Come on, Qingqing, let’s go fish!"
**
In a way, fishing was indeed considered boring and required a great deal of patience. But to Gu Xiuyi’s surprise, Ji Ruan not only sat still but seemed to genuinely enjoy himself.
It was probably a skill he had honed over the summer by staying home every day.
The two of them shared a single fishing rod, sitting under a sunshade. Gu Xiuyi was responsible for fishing, while Ji Ruan served as a mascot—eating snacks on the side.
Ji Ruan ate in a refined and quiet manner. A small cake, which he could have finished in a few bites, was instead eaten bit by bit with a tiny spoon, lasting him a long time.
Fishing required patience. Most of the time, the water remained still, with no signs of movement. Gu Xiuyi, resting his head against his hand, quietly watched Ji Ruan eat.
What was fascinating was that, despite taking only small bites, Ji Ruan’s cheeks would still puff up—like a little squirrel happily stuffing itself with nuts. Occasionally, the tip of his pink tongue would peek out.
As Ji Ruan continued eating, he could constantly feel a burning gaze directed at him. At first, he tried to ignore it, but as time went on, the stare lingered on his face longer and longer.
Eventually, it became so intense that it started to affect his ability to eat. Unable to bear it any longer, Ji Ruan put down his spoon. "Why are you staring at me?"
Gu Xiuyi remained in his lazy posture, supporting his head with his hand. His expression was relaxed, completely unfazed at being caught, and he replied indifferently, "Because the fish haven’t taken the bait yet."
So, because the fish weren’t biting, he had to watch him eat instead?
He wasn’t a fish!
Ji Ruan stabbed his cake with the spoon, his tone stiff. "Stop looking at me."
Then he heard a soft chuckle. It seemed Gu Xiuyi really did turn away.
"Old Gu! Come here, quick! There’s something happening—hahaha!"
Outside, Duan Zeping’s triumphant laughter rang out.
Gu Xiuyi pressed a hand lightly on Ji Ruan’s head and said in a low voice, "Take your time eating. I’ll go check it out."
Not long after Gu Xiuyi left, Lin Qing came over. Ji Ruan had never spoken to him before, so he was a little surprised.
Lin Qing pointed to the seat beside him. "Can I sit here?"
Ji Ruan nodded. "Go ahead."
After sitting down, Ji Ruan didn’t initiate any conversation. Lin Qing seemed to hesitate for a moment before suddenly asking, "Can I ask how you and President Gu got together?"
It was clear that Lin Qing didn’t know about their contract marriage. Ji Ruan pressed his lips together and put down his spoon. "Why do you ask?"
Lin Qing met Ji Ruan’s gaze, then smiled awkwardly. "I guess it’s not something you can talk about…"
His fingers curled slightly on his knees, as if struggling with something. After a long pause, he took a deep breath and looked at Ji Ruan. "When you’re with President Gu, aren’t you afraid people will say you’re only after his money?"
Ji Ruan froze.
Suddenly, he had the surreal feeling of being in one of those cliché melodramatic novels. Characters like Lin Qing were a staple in old-fashioned dramas.
"Hmm…" Ji Ruan considered for a moment before cautiously asking, "Do you care a lot about what others say?"
"Of course," Lin Qing rubbed his arms, his body language radiating discomfort and aversion.
Ji Ruan thought for a moment longer, then asked, "This might be a bit blunt, but… do you like Brother Duan?"
Lin Qing suddenly turned to Ji Ruan, his gaze complicated—but notably lacking the emotions one usually had when speaking about someone they loved.
Ji Ruan understood.
Lin Qing wasn’t as innocent as he seemed.
If he didn’t like him that much, and he hated people gossiping about him, then why did he accept the invitation to come to the lodge? And why had he allowed Duan Zeping to pursue him for months without rejecting or responding?
Of course, Ji Ruan wouldn’t say any of this out loud.
He placed his empty dessert plate back on the small table. "Sorry, I can’t answer your question."
Then he smiled. "But I don’t care what people say about me."
After all, their relationship was never based on love to begin with.
With that, Ji Ruan got up and walked over to where Gu Xiuyi was. They had caught a lot of fish.
Lin Qing watched as Gu Xiuyi gently fixed Ji Ruan’s hair, smiling as he asked what flavor he wanted for the fish. Ji Ruan’s response was unclear from the distance, but whatever he said made Gu Xiuyi’s mood visibly even better.
***
After dinner, they had a full fish feast, with even a few fish left uncooked. Song Ling suggested having an outdoor barbecue for a midnight snack, with grilled fish as the main dish along with some side dishes.
Ji Ruan hadn’t fully recovered from his cold, and Gu Xiuyi thought barbecue was too greasy and irritating for him, so they didn’t join the others.
Gu Xiuyi went to the indoor swimming pool for a swim, while Ji Ruan sat on a lounge chair by the poolside, drinking orange juice and watching him from a moderate distance.
That man truly had an incredible physique. His naturally broad shoulders and long, straight legs were already an advantage, but years of fitness training had left his body lean and toned, without a trace of excess fat. His arm muscles and back were firm and defined as he moved through the water.
After swimming a few laps, Gu Xiuyi drifted toward the edge of the pool. "Ji Ruan—"
Seeing this, Ji Ruan set down his orange juice, walked over, and crouched by the pool. "Do you need me to get something for you?"
"No," Gu Xiuyi rested an arm on the white porcelain tiles. "Do you know how to swim?"
Ji Ruan hugged his knees and shook his head honestly.
Gu Xiuyi nodded thoughtfully. As he wiped the water off his face, a few droplets splashed onto Ji Ruan’s foot.
The cold water startled Ji Ruan, making him shiver slightly.
Gu Xiuyi remained calm, as if casually asking, "Want to come down and give it a try?"
The author has something to say:
Gu Xiuyi’s Guide to Chasing a Wife #5 – Sometimes, a little scheming is necessary. (I’ve taught you guys so many tricks, you should all have wives by now! Stop trying to steal mine!)
T/N: Don't ask.. Some nemesis of mine asked me to finish what I started so here I am...