CH 14

"You went to a disco?" 

Ji Ruan struggled to make his way through the pulsating crowd, dodging the colorful rotating lights and feeling the ground shake with every deafening sound. 

He clutched his phone to his ear and listened intently, "What did you say?!" 

There was a two-second pause before he received a response, and Ji Ruan glanced at his phone to confirm that the call was still connected. 

He pressed his ear closer to the receiver and repeated his question, "Crooked--?!" 

Finally, a voice came through, calm and composed. Gu Xiuyi expressed his opinion that Ji Ruan was simply indulging in nightlife at a disco, subtly revealing his dissatisfaction. 

Ji Ruan was left speechless, trying to clarify, "No, this isn't a nightclub... It's a party! A party, do you understand? Party!" - he emphasized the English word for emphasis. 

Silence followed. 

Gu Xiuyi seemed to say something in response, but the booming music made it difficult for Ji Ruan to hear properly. The venue erupted into a new round of drinking games, intensifying the music and vocals, causing Ji Ruan's scalp to ache. 

With a decisive "click," Ji Ruan ended the call and switched to the messaging app with Gu Xiuyi. 

He furrowed his brows and typed, [I couldn't understand a single word you said. Can you send it to me through WeChat? It's too noisy here!] 

The other party typed a message quickly and then came the response, [Get out.] 

Ji Ruan's eyes widened as he read the three words - "get out, get out, come out." 

This was the first time Ji Ruan had felt the full weight of Gu Xiuyi's emotions so directly. Gu Xiuyi had always been stable and even his disagreements were more playful. Now, his words were straightforward and intense, leaving Ji Ruan unsure of how to respond. 

The phone buzzed again, demanding his attention. [Send me the address, and I'll come to pick you up.] 

Ji Ruan snapped back to reality. He could no longer gauge Gu Xiuyi's emotions based on his words alone. With a quick tap, he sent his location and put the phone in his pocket before retrieving his bag from where Han Xiaolin sat in the corner booth, engrossed with two unfamiliar young men. 

Ji Ruan approached Han Xiaolin and tapped his shoulder, asking curiously, "What are you doing?" 

Looking up, Han Xiaolin's excitement was evident as he replied, "I'm watching them solve physics problems!" 

"Physics?" Ji Ruan wondered if his new gadget was malfunctioning once again. 

"Yes," Han Xiaolin explained with zeal. "These two are brothers who got admitted to the neighboring Tsingta University! They're competing to solve physics questions. If someone gives the wrong answer, they have to drink beer. The time it takes to finish the beer depends on how long it takes to answer the question!" 

Ji Ruan was amazed. "This bar is filled with talented people..." 

With pride, Han Xiaolin declared, "That's not all! This is a free-spirited party, where anything goes! If you don't want to brush up on questions, you can dance instead. Look at that person spinning on the ground like a spinning top - he was last year's street dance tournament champion!" 

The older brother, who was writing the questions on the table, looked up at Ji Ruan and warmly invited, "Hey, brother, want to join us? I still have a set of questions..." 

Glancing at the densely packed formulas, Ji Ruan felt a wave of nausea sweep over him and took two steps back in alarm. "No, no, I'm not interested. I'm more inclined towards liberal arts..." 

Unfortunately, his feeble voice was drowned out by the lively music. The older brother paused, pensively glancing between Ji Ruan and Han Xiaolin. 

Han Xiaolin's voice carried a note of urgency as he intervened, "He said he's not interested. We're both liberal arts students, we can't handle it!" 

Understanding dawned on the older brother, who returned to his sea of questions without another word. 

Ji Ruan pulled Han Xiaolin closer, leaning in to whisper, "I'm leaving! Gu Xiuyi has come to pick me up!" 

"Huh?" Han Xiaolin looked momentarily confused before realizing the urgency of the situation. He grabbed Ji Ruan's bag and hurriedly led him out, exclaiming, "Then hurry up!" 

The two individuals were tightly squeezed together, their steps unsteady as they struggled to find their way out of the swaying dance floor. 

Ji Ruan, feeling dizzy, was being dragged along by Han Xiaolin. He groaned in confusion, "Please enlighten me, why would anyone organize a quiz in such a chaotic place?!" 

Han Xiaolin pushed open the door and stepped onto the sidewalk. The clamor from behind was finally muffled by the door, but his high-strung voice remained suspended momentarily, "It is said to be an extreme environment meant to enhance concentration and resistance to distractions—!" 

A few shops on the street still stood open, their occupants peering curiously at the commotion outside. 

Feeling embarrassed, Ji Ruan patted Han Xiaolin's shoulder and whispered, "Alright, alright, calm down and talk normally..." 

Han Xiaolin's excitement waned for a moment as he wiped the sweat off his face, exhaling deeply before lowering his voice, "Oh, the noise was overwhelming; it made my heart race..." 

Ji Ruan shuddered and abruptly clung to a bus stop sign, retching. Han Xiaolin jumped up in alarm to assist him, blurting out, "What's wrong with you?!" 

Ji Ruan shook his head, pressing his hand against his stomach. He closed his eyes, appearing discontented, and removed his external device. 

He couldn't tolerate excessively loud environments. Just a few minutes in the bar had him feeling queasy, akin to motion sickness. 

Even in the midst of a summer night, the air remained sultry, causing Ji Ruan's T-shirt to adhere to his back with perspiration. He couldn't help but feel a sense of inexplicable coolness. 

After some time, he straightened up and put his external device back on his ears, taking a deep breath. "I'm fine." 

"Are you truly alright?" Han Xiaolin still seemed apprehensive. "If you're fine, why did you suddenly vomit?" 

Ji Ruan pointed to his ear. "It's still not quite right. The fuss and noise made me nauseous... but I feel much better now." 

Han Xiaolin's heart sank. "Don't even mention it, my legs feel like jelly..." 

The two supported one another and settled on the steps by the roadside. Han Xiaolin rubbed his arms, suggesting, "Should we eat some ice cream to calm ourselves down?" 

Ji Ruan turned to look at him, his bangs somewhat disheveled. He raised his hand and uttered, "Sure, let's have some." 

"Alright," Han Xiaolin stood up. "Old Popsicle or Pudding, which one do you prefer?" 

"..." 

"Don't look at me like that," Han Xiaolin cleared his throat. "Brother, these are the only two options within my budget." 

..." Ji Ruan waved his hand dismissively. "Pudding." 

In reality, Ji Ruan still hadn't completely recovered yet. 

The beat of the music at the party had been too intense, possessing immense endurance. Having consumed some beer, sitting on the tranquil street now, the blood in his veins seemed to still pulsate and pound, leaving him in a peculiar state of both excitement and fatigue. 

After Han Xiaolin bought the ice cream, he handed it to Ji Ruan. Ji Ruan unwrapped it and silently consumed it with a distant gaze. 

Han Xiaolin observed him for a while before suddenly asking, without any preamble, "What if Mr. Gu ends up genuinely liking you in the future?" 

Ji Ruan looked puzzled and furrowed his brows. "Have you had too much to drink?" 

In truth, Ji Ruan could be considered strikingly attractive in any crowd. His fair complexion was exquisitely delicate and cool to the touch. On the summer night, after perspiring slightly and feeling the gentle breeze, the area around his eyes turned rosy, even giving a drowsy appearance when he half-closed his eyes. 

Stunning yet not intimidating, as gentle as water. 

Judging from Han Xiaolin's limited experience in relationships, Gu Xiuyi's preference should lean toward a delicate beauty like Ji Ruan. 

"I'm being serious," Han Xiaolin gazed at Ji Ruan and unabashedly praised, "You know, right now, it feels like you're the protagonist in a movie, one of those arthouse films directed by a renowned filmmaker." 

Ji Ruan found it amusing, alternating between nibbling on the ice cream and responding softly, "Let's not discuss that now..." 

"What?" Han Xiaolin's old popsicle was beginning to melt, hastily catching his treat with his mouth. 

"Let's wait until Gu Xiuyi starts liking me." Ji Ruan handed a piece of paper to Han Xiaolin. "The situation hasn't arisen, so why worry about it beforehand?" 

Han Xiaolin accepted the paper and wiped his mouth. "There's a saying about preparing for the worst." 

Ji Ruan lazily tugged at the corner of his mouth. "This is such a hassle." 

Glancing at the time, he changed the subject, "So, are you heading home? I'll send you up later?" 

Han Xiaolin waved his hand dismissively, "I'm not going anywhere. We're going to switch locations..." 

"Still switching?" Ji Ruan was taken aback. "It's already late... You guys are incredible..." 

Han Xiaolin replied calmly, "The nightlife has just begun. Let's wait for the smaller group to engage in scripted killings. Will you join us?" 

"This late at night and there's still scripted killing?" Ji Ruan asked, crossing his arms. 

"Of course, there's a 24-hour establishment on Zhanghua Road. This is the most exciting time to go. It gets spooky in the middle of the night! How intriguing!" Han Xiaolin raised an eyebrow. "Still not coming?" 

"I'm not going," Ji Ruan chuckled. "Gu Xiuyi is here to pick me up..." 

As they spoke, a black luxury car pulled up from the end of the street and parked in front of the two. It was the same Mercedes-Benz that Han Xiaolin had seen before, an understated model. 

The backseat door opened, and while Han Xiaolin sat on the steps, he caught sight of an astounding pair of long legs. The person, although dressed casually, displayed a slim, straight, and commanding presence. 

Boss Gu, who was usually seen only in the news, appeared before Han Xiaolin with an air of prestige. 

And Ji Ruan, his dear friend, discarded the remnants of his little pudding stick and approached Mr. Gu naturally. Despite not reaching his nose in terms of height, he dared to get close and be friendly, smiling sweetly. "You're here, I've been waiting for a while now." 

Gu Xiuyi, who rarely smiled, now appeared like a kitten playing with a grand tiger by its tail. 

But a grand tiger could easily devour a kitten with a single bite! 

Mr. Gu glanced at his phone with a tinge of helplessness. "Twenty minutes." 

Ji Ruan pouted. "But I've already had my little pudding." 

... Mr. Gu ceased entertaining the kitten and turned his gaze to Han Xiaolin. "Are you Ji Ruan's classmate?" 

"Yes, his good friend," Ji Ruan affirmed. 

Only then did Han Xiaolin snap out of his daze, standing up and dusting off his pants. "Hello, Mr. Gu!" 

Mr. Gu smiled casually. "Hello, thank you for looking after Ji Ruan today." 

"It's no problem..." Han Xiaolin said awkwardly. "We take care of each other." 

Gu Xiuyi pursed his lips again and politely suggested, "It's getting late. Would you like us to drop you off on the way?" 

"No, no, no," Han Xiaolin waved his hands repeatedly. "I'll leave later. Just take Ji Ruan home quickly." 

Accepting Han Xiaolin's response, Gu Xiuyi nodded toward Ji Ruan before speaking softly, "Goodbye, classmate." 

This caused Ji Ruan to dimple with laughter, raising his hand in farewell at Han Xiaolin. "Let's go." 

"Hey, okay," Han Xiaolin watched as they got into the car, leaning against the window. "Drive safely, take care!" 

As the Benz drove off, disappearing at the corner of the street, Han Xiaolin withdrew his hand awkwardly, feeling a strange sense in his chest for no apparent reason. 

"Goodbye, classmate?" 

Han Xiaolin silently pondered this for a while. 

Why did it sound so similar to what his father said when he came to pick him up from school on the first day? 

Inside the car, Song Ling had been summoned overnight to serve as the driver, diligently navigating the roads. 

Gu Xiuyi sat beside Ji Ruan, his fingers clasped in his lap, adopting a casual sitting posture that didn't indicate whether he was in a good or bad mood. 

"I had a great time tonight," he casually mentioned. "Didn't you tell Zhao Ma the meeting at the arcade?" 

"It was in an arcade," Ji Ruan leaned against the window, gazing at the streetlights outside. "But we played so many games. They have day games and night games." 

Extending one hand, Ji Ruan counted on his fingers. "First, we went to the arcade, then dinner. At night, we went to the karaoke lounge, followed by indulging in barbecue at a food stall. And then, we attended the party just now. You know, Han Xiaolin and the others are planning to continue exploring later. He wants to play scripted killings, and I couldn't keep up and say no." 

Gu Xiuyi nodded, his lips slightly downturned. "Very eventful..." 

"What?" Ji Ruan turned to look at him. 

Outside the car, the streetlights flickered one after another, and each time they illuminated Ji Ruan's eyes, they reflected stars or fireworks, creating a beautiful radiance. 

Gu Xiuyi and Ji Ruan locked eyes for a moment before he spoke softly, "You said script killing. Why don't you join?" 

"I thought you came to pick me up?" Ji Ruan laughed, his eyes sparkling like stars that couldn't contain their brilliance, overflowing and transforming into fireflies that fluttered toward Gu Xiuyi. 

"Cough," Gu Xiuyi averted his gaze, his tone inadvertently softening. "So obedient?" 

"Of course." 

"But you're obedient and still going to a nightclub in the middle of the night?" Gu Xiuyi changed the topic. "Don't you know how dangerous society can be?" 

Ji Ruan was left speechless, laughing uncontrollably. 

He sat upright, facing Gu Xiuyi directly. "Everyone says it's a party! The big graduation party is filled with people our age, and you need an admission ticket to get in!" 

Gu Xiuyi snorted softly. "Your age... why wasn't I like this when I was your age? Our graduation activities were all positive." 

Ji Ruan had never seen Gu Xiuyi's mischievous expression before. He laughed until his body leaned over, feeling the energy of the party flowing through his veins, making him feel a bit high. 

"We're the epitome of yin and yang," Ji Ruan decided to playfully challenge Mr. Gu. "Why don't we go together? Our theme is also bright and positive. How about 'Dancing Dreams and Singing Youth'? Listen, listen, if we unravel it, it can be a university banner!" 

"That's right, that's right," he snapped his fingers. "We even have people competing in physics problems inside, and the losers have to drink." 

"Impressive," Mr. Gu dismissed it but paused for a moment before his expression turned serious. "Have you been drinking?" 

"Hmm..." Ji Ruan pouted. "I don't understand physics..." 

Gu Xiuyi let out a sigh of relief. 

"But I still had some," Ji Ruan smiled, delighted by the widening of Mr. Gu's eyes in response. 

Waving his hands to divert the topic from drinking, he challenged Gu Xiuyi, "What about you? Let me hear about your healthy and uplifting graduation." 

Upon hearing this, Mr. Gu adjusted his collar, feeling a surge of pride. "Of course, we went on a picnic." 

Gu Xiuyi had spent the entire day confined at home, with no meetings, no projects to discuss, and no subordinates to scold. His desire for expression was nearly overflowing, and he found himself unexpectedly provoked by Ji Ruan. 

He did his best to contain his excitement and responded with restraint, "In Lake Top Park, a group of ambitious young people gathered to reflect on the past and present, share their aspirations, and look forward to the future. The teachers and dean were all there." 

"Come on," Ji Ruan burst into laughter. "Anyone who didn't know would think you were leading the May Fourth Movement*..." 

[T/N: The May Fourth Movement in Chinese is called 五四运动 (Wǔsì Yùndòng). It was a Chinese cultural and anti-imperialist political movement that grew out of student protests in Beijing on May 4, 1919. The students protested the Chinese government's weak response to the point Treaty of Versailles decision to allow Japan to retain territories in Shandong that had been surrendered by Germany after the Siege of Tsingtao in 1914.] 

Gu Xiuyi choked up, but he still managed to hold himself together and pressed on, "Ji Ruan." 

Ji Ruan was completely enthralled, paying no attention to Gu Xiuyi's expression. "Let's return to Lake Top Park..." 

He took out his phone and tapped on it before showing it to Gu Xiuyi. "Look at the demographics of Lake Top Park. Seventy percent of the visitors are elderly people over the age of fifty. You guys, eighteen or nineteen years old, discussing your aspirations there. Can aspirations truly take flight? It's so old-fashioned." 

"Damn... I've been played..." Gu Xiuyi adjusted his collar with a tug. "Ha, that's quite amusing." 

At his age, he hadn't been called old-fashioned before, and he couldn't deny that he was slightly intoxicated by Ji Ruan's energetic presence. 

Gu Xiuyi glanced at the flushed face of the slightly drunk Ji Ruan several times and eventually decided not to argue with him. 

Ji Ruan still found the idea of Lake Top Park amusing and leaned back against his seat, joking, "Wasn't that the place your dean decided?" 

From this angle, Gu Xiuyi could see Ji Ruan's eyes from above. 

The bright eyes of the slightly drunk Ji Ruan, with their incredibly long eyelashes that swept when he blinked. 

He may have had a few drinks, as evidenced by his flushed face, neck, and exposed arms, resembling a steamed cake. 

Gu Xiuyi remained silent, confirming Ji Ruan's suspicions. 

"Really?" Ji Ruan couldn't help but squeeze his face, suppressing a smile. "That's alright, they're just getting old." 

Gu Xiuyi took a deep breath, forcing himself to avert his gaze from the blushing little drunk. 

With an impassive expression, he tapped the bottom of the front seat with his shoe: "Song Ling, what did you do after graduating from high school?" 

The people in the car laughed, almost reporting the two of them in the back for distracting the driver. 

In his memory, Gu Xiuyi's scolding only made an appearance briefly in college. After that, he packaged himself as an emotionless big boss. Caught off guard, the settings of his true self almost killed Song Ling tonight. 

Initially, Ji Ruan was slightly repulsed by Gu Xiuyi, who had kidnapped him as a driver in the middle of the night. But now, he felt fortunate that he was able to witness the rare sight of Gu Xiuyi verbally sparring with others. 

"We went on an outing too," Song Ling tried his best to hold back his laughter. 

Gu Xiuyi immediately straightened his back, as if he had received great recognition, and gestured towards Ji Ruan. "See?" 

Song Ling continued, "But the science and technology museum we visited was quite fascinating, not to mention the oddities." 

Gu Xiuyi: "..." 

Ji Ruan smiled and rolled his eyes, imitating Gu Xiuyi's posture and raising his hands even higher. "Look! How sophisticated they appeared!" 

Unable to hold back any longer, Gu Xiuyi opened and closed his lips for a moment before uttering, "Ji Ruan, how much have you had to drink?" 

Ji Ruan raised an eyebrow, "What's wrong with half a glass of cold beer?" 

"Not much." Gu Xiuyi crossed his arms. "I just hope you remember what you're saying now when tomorrow comes." 

"Of course, I'll remember if I'm not drunk." 

"What have you eaten?" 

"Barbecue beer pudding," Ji Ruan tugged at his collar and sniffed. "I just finished walking around outside. Any objections?" 

"No." Gu Xiuyi cast a sidelong glance at Ji Ruan, and the atmosphere suddenly grew quiet. 

Ji Ruan's eyes appeared hazy and unfocused, like a butterfly unsure of where to land. It fluttered for a while before finally settling on Gu Xiuyi's shoulder. 

Gu Xiuyi raised his hand, lightly tapping Ji Ruan's Adam's apple with his fingertip, and spoke in a relaxed tone. 

"Just be prepared for your voice to be hoarse tomorrow, so don't cry then." 

----- 

Author's Note: 

Ruan Ruan: Yesterday, you showed me the life of a wealthy family. Today, I'll show you what it means to be an eighteen-year-old youth! 

Mr. Gu: I didn't win the argument, but it's quite interesting. [Expressionless.jpg] 

Little Ruan Ruan's mom wants to know: What is the standard recipe for barbecue beer pudding? (Star-struck)