Chapter 51: The News

It suddenly started to rain outside. The wind pounded against the window, causing it to rattle.

Gu Xichao got up to close the window, but the wind and rain rushed in.

He wiped his face, and when he looked down, his shirt was completely wet, half bright and half dark, with spots scattered across it.

Su Nianmei emerged from the bathroom, her head wrapped in a towel and wearing slippers, her face flushed from the heat. She stretched her back, feeling relaxed after a long day, and let out a lazy yawn. “Is it raining?”

The towel on Su Nianmei’s head slipped loose, falling down her neck and hitting the floor with a soft thud. She stood still, stretching her neck, her eyes half-closed.

Gu Xichao, wearing only a tank top, sat in a chair with his back to her. His broad back and the muscles in his arms were clearly defined from exertion, and Su Nianmei instinctively licked her lips.

Hearing the noise, Gu Xichao quickly hid the item he had been fiddling with, stuffing it into a drawer.

He turned to stand up and said, “It just started to rain a little while ago, but it’s coming down pretty hard now.” He took two or three steps toward her, bent down, picked up the wet towel from the floor, and grabbed a dry towel from the bathroom, shaking it out a couple of times.

Su Nianmei watched Gu Xichao and leaned forward, asking, “What were you hiding just now?”

Gu Xichao was about to wrap the towel around Su Nianmei’s head. “Nothing, just some work stuff.”

Su Nianmei nodded, not really paying attention. Her hand rested on Gu Xichao’s wrist, and she spoke in a playful tone, “Can you bring me that towel you had earlier? I don’t want this one from outside.”

Gu Xichao pressed down on her hand. He was well aware of Su Nianmei’s habits, so he gently draped the dry towel over her head, his voice clear. “This towel is one I brought from home. Look at the pattern on it; you picked it out yourself back then.”

Su Nianmei tugged at the towel along Gu Xichao’s hand and noticed a small floral pattern in the corner; indeed, it was one she had bought. She felt a little embarrassed and scratched her head, giving a sheepish laugh.

As Gu Xichao dried her hair with the towel, Su Nianmei wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest, obediently snuggling in. Gu Xichao couldn’t help but think of the little cat that had once nestled by his feet, its head resting on his leg while its tail wagged behind it.

Gu Xichao raised his hand to dry her hair, inadvertently brushing against the area near Su Nianmei’s temple. He imagined what it would be like if white ears sprouted from her head, her little ears twitching as she smiled. His body tensed up, and his abdomen tightened, muscles becoming defined. Su Nianmei noticed his change and tilted her head back to look at him.

From her angle, she caught sight of the stubble on Gu Xichao’s chin. In a moment of impulse, Su Nianmei used her grip on his waist for leverage, stood on her tiptoes, and let her tongue glide over that stubble.

Gu Xichao’s breath hitched, and he sucked in a sharp breath. His hand holding the towel slipped down to her waist, pulling her closer to him. Su Nianmei felt confined and a bit uncomfortable, her body twisting restlessly.

With a sharp sound, Gu Xichao’s palm landed on Su Nianmei’s waist. Although he hadn’t exerted much force, it didn’t hurt. Still, Su Nianmei froze suddenly, her eyes turning slightly red.

The placement of his hand was significant. If it had moved lower, it would have landed on her backside, reminiscent of the playful teasing between lovers. It might have resembled a friendly slap among friends if it had gone higher.

But it had landed in that ambiguous and sensitive spot. Su Nianmei didn’t know how to respond, so she stood there, frozen. Even her breathing seemed to pause.

Gu Xichao’s expression immediately changed, and he became flustered, trying to comfort Su Nianmei. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry, I was just being careless for a moment.”

As he spoke, he raised his hand and gave it a light slap, his palm landing on the back of his hand. When Su Nianmei looked up, she saw that the back of Gu Xichao’s hand had turned red. She quickly grasped his hand when he was about to hit himself again.

“Are you stupid?” Su Nianmei said sharply.

In return, Gu Xichao held onto Su Nianmei’s hand, cupping her fingertips in his palm. Her damp hair brushed against Su Nianmei’s ear, and her eyes glistened with moisture.

“I’m glad you’re not mad,” Gu Xichao said shamelessly, which made Su Nianmei chuckle in response.

Gu Xichao raised his arm, using his free hand to run through Su Nianmei’s hair from the top of her head, his fingers weaving through her locks.

He measured the length of her hair and then compared her height by resting his hand on her head. Su Nianmei’s head almost reached his collarbone. “Wife, have you grown a bit taller lately?”

Su Nianmei’s eyes brightened, quickly dismissing the earlier incident from her mind.

She hadn’t noticed it herself recently. Her body was still growing, and she could shoot up a bit with better nutrition.

Excited, Su Nianmei tilted her head back, using Gu Xichao as a reference point as she stretched her arms to gauge her height. Gu Xichao lowered his head, and her elbow accidentally bumped into his collarbone.

Her excitement dimmed slightly as she said, “I thought I would reach your shoulder.” Su Nianmei pouted.

Gu Xichao half-squatted down, perfectly supporting Su Nianmei’s head with his shoulder. His voice was filled with tenderness. “Now you’ve reached it.”

Su Nianmei let out a barely noticeable sigh, wrapping her arms around his neck and whispering softly in his ear, “You’re so good to me. What would I do if you suddenly let go of me one day?”

Gu Xichao looked at Su Nianmei, his tone sincere. “That day will never come.” Su Nianmei locked her gaze onto his, and he added, “I won’t let go unless I die.”

Su Nianmei quickly covered Gu Xichao’s mouth. “What are you talking about, saying things like death? Hurry up and ‘spit, spit, spit.” Although she said that, her heart was filled with joy. How could she be so lucky to have met such a lovable person?

Then, Su Nianmei thought of herself, her eyes turning as she said, “What if—I mean if there were a day when I’m no longer in this world, would you still love me?”

Gu Xichao wrapped his arms around Su Nianmei’s waist, his nose brushing against her brow, slowly sliding down to her nose. Su Nianmei tightly closed her eyes.

“Be good, wife.” Gu Xichao held her hand. “Open your eyes.”

When Su Nianmei opened her eyes, she happened to see Gu Xichao’s gaze, his pupils dark and deep, reflecting her image as if she were the only person in his world.

Su Nianmei was captivated by the moment when Gu Xichao suddenly picked her up around the waist. Her feet dangled in the air as she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, treating him like her sole support.

Outside, the rain fell more fiercely, pounding against the ground with a relentless rhythm. The leaves swayed back and forth, casting trembling shadows of branches on the bed.

Su Nianmei lay on the bed, with Gu Xichao propping himself up on his elbow, supporting his body above her. He leaned in close to her ear, his words seeking to burrow into her heart.

“I tied a red thread on the Naihe Bridge in my last life. We are destined to be husband and wife for all eternity. Even if the Meng Po pours a belly full of her soup over my head, I can still follow that red thread to find my wife.” ^[1]Naihe Bridge – “Bridge of Helplessness”, a bridge every soul has to cross before being reincarnated, they are said to drink the Mengpo soup (孟婆汤) at Naihe Bridge so they will … Continue reading

After saying this, Gu Xichao chuckled a couple of times, repeating, “Wife, wife.” Still, his elbow gave way, and he fell onto Su Nianmei, his head resting beside hers.

Su Nianmei felt a sharp pain and pushed against Gu Xichao, but he didn’t budge. “Then you’d better pull that string tight.”

Gu Xichao’s face flushed unusually red, and he let out a small “hmph.” When Su Nianmei reached out to touch his forehead, it felt scorching hot. She hadn’t noticed until now—Gu Xichao was burning up with a fever!

Gu Xichao kept his eyes closed, but his mind was alert, replaying memories like a film flashing before him.

Why did he like Su Nianmei? Gu Xichao couldn’t explain it himself. Love had always been blind; his heart would occasionally skip a beat, and he found himself trapped, sinking into a mire he could never escape.

Su Nianmei hadn’t slept well that night, and for the Ji family, it was also a night filled with restless thoughts.

—o—o—o—

Su Huailin’s message to Ji Yuan carried significant weight. Su Huailin had mentioned that Su Nianmei might actually be his sister. Ji Yuan felt a mix of joy and apprehension about the possibility of disappointment.

From the very first moment he saw Su Nianmei, he sensed that she was different from others. A wave of familiarity washed over him, making him want to get closer, to protect her—not in a romantic way, but with a deep desire to care for her with all his heart.

He had never understood the reason behind it, but after Su Huailin shared the news with him today, Ji Yuan felt it was almost certain. The Su family village and his position in the northwest seemed to align. Yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was secretly trying to obstruct him.

The more Ji Yuan thought about it in the middle of the night, the more excited and anxious he became. Sleep eluded him entirely. Grabbing his car keys, he decided to head out.

Even if it meant spending the night waiting outside Su Nianmei’s school, he felt that it would ease his heart.

He was really terrified that his sister might vanish again by morning.

As soon as he stepped out of his room, Ji Yuan bumped into Ji Wenzhong.

The Ji family’s uncle typically didn’t return to the old house unless necessary, but for some reason, he had come back tonight.

Ji Wenzhong shook off the water that had splashed on him when he got out of the car. Seeing his nephew about to leave, he asked, “It’s so late, little nephew. Where are you off to?”

Ji Yuan hadn’t planned on telling his uncle about the situation, but seeing his uncle’s expression made him spill everything that had happened.

Ji Wenzhong pulled Ji Yuan aside, insisting they should carefully think this through.

The two sat on the sofa in the early hours, engaged in an intense discussion, while the elderly matriarch, who had woken up for a late-night trip to the bathroom, quietly leaned against the back of the sofa, listening in.

With a loud thud, her pearwood cane fell to the floor. The matriarch pieced together a startling realization: the Su girl she had taken a liking to might just be her long-lost granddaughter!