Chapter 14: Invitation "Are you angry?"

Gu Ci was no longer the same Gu Ci he had been before—every morning, he could expertly walk into Huo Wenyuan's room, open the curtains, and remind him to get up, just loud enough for Huo Wenyuan to hear.

Strangely enough, Huo Wenyuan, who hated having others enter his room, never objected. On the contrary, they had tacitly accepted this as an unspoken agreement.

In the mornings, Gu Ci stood by the bed as usual, his voice soft and full of energy: "Huo Wenyuan, get up."

Huo Wenyuan squinted lazily and said nothing, the blanket casually falling to his side. He only extended his bony hand.

Gu Ci understood and reached out his hand, which Huo Wenyuan grasped with practiced precision.

His white fingers were tightly gripped by a warm palm. Gu Ci carefully studied Huo Wenyuan's expression. Seeing that he still showed no sign of getting up, he reminded him again, "Huo Wenyuan, it's time to get up and go to school."

Huo Wenyuan hummed a faint "hmm," then opened his dark, deep eyes. The first thing he saw was the boy's well-behaved, serious face.

His heart fluttered again.

... He looked like he wanted to pinch him.

Huo Wenyuan lowered his eyes and said, "Come here."

Gu Ci, assuming he needed something, obediently took a step closer, leaned down, tilted his head, and asked, "What's wrong?"

Huo Wenyuan didn't say anything. In response, his cheek was pinched.

"Ah!" Gu Ci was startled. Huo Wenyuan held one hand, and his face was pinched harshly, leaving him unable to move.

He had only recently discovered that Huo Wenyuan had such a scoundrel side.

Gu Ci was at a loss, his large, innocent eyes gazing at Huo Wenyuan pleadingly. He mumbled, "Huo... Wenyuan, let... let me go..."

Huo Wenyuan, his face radiating enjoyment and satisfaction, ignored him and replied, "Don't move. Let me recharge."

Recharge? Gu Ci was bewildered. He wasn't a charger, so how could he recharge Young Master Huo?

Huo Wenyuan, however, had a wonderful experience. Gu Ci's skin was delicate, supple, and smooth, a delightful touch that instantly swept away his inner irritation. But Huo Wenyuan felt a little reluctant, haunted by those watery eyes that silently accused him.

Only then did he relentlessly release Gu Ci, rising to the relief and relief that nearly overflowed from Gu Ci's eyes.

Really? It was just getting out of bed, wasn't it? Why was he so relieved? Of course

Gu Ci was relieved. Butler Feng had said that Young Master Huo had always had a bad temper when he woke up. Besides Butler Feng, anyone else, let alone waking him up, would easily anger this erratic young master even by simply entering his room. But now, he could also help Butler Feng, reminding the young master to get up every day.

Thinking of this, Gu Ci couldn't help but glance at Huo Wenyuan, who was chewing his food slowly.

Huo Wenyuan reached out and grabbed the back of Gu Ci's head, asking him to turn back to his runny fried egg, saying, "Focus."

Gu Ci had to interrupt his elation and took a few bites of the fried egg. After thinking for a moment, he turned his head back and made a request: "Huo Wenyuan, could you please stop touching the back of my head?"

It was itchy.

A rare flicker of discomfort crossed Huo Wenyuan's face at Gu Ci's remark, but he obediently withdrew his hand.

"Got it, eat quickly."

Butler Feng's eyes narrowed into two crescents. "That's great! Our little Ci and the young master are getting along better and better. Mr. Huo will be pleased to see this when he returns."

He watched Gu Ci and the young master walk into the school side by side, then remembered the young master's request last night and immediately arranged for someone to make it happen.

He didn't say who was being hard-mouthed but soft-hearted.

Arriving

in class, Gu Ci put down his bag and took out his textbook when Xie Buruo tapped him on the shoulder and said, "Gu Ci, come out with me for a moment."

Confused, Gu Ci closed his textbook and exchanged a bewildered glance with Shang Zui. Despite Shang Zui's equally perplexed gaze, he followed Teacher Xie out.

Once in the hallway, Xie Buruo asked, "Did any of the high school students give you trouble last night?"

Gu Ci was somewhat surprised, suspecting Huo Wenyuan's request had played a role, so he told Teacher Xie everything that had transpired.

Xie Buruo nodded gravely. Gu Ci's account matched his knowledge. Thinking of such a well-behaved student being treated this way, he angrily exclaimed, "These bastards are so cocky!"

Back to this morning, he had just woken up and picked up his phone to find a text message from an unfamiliar number. It contained a video. He opened it, revealing a video of a red-haired man throwing a shot put.

"What? I'm not a PE teacher..." Xie Bu Ruo, grumbling that he'd sent the message to the wrong number, closed the video, only to discover a desperate message below:

"[Teacher Xie, this is a video of us practicing shot put for two hours. Please tell Huo Wenyuan we know we were wrong!"

Xie Bu Ruo was completely stunned. A few minutes later, he saw a notice in the school group chat for both middle and high school teachers: [Disciplinary Notice for Students in the International Department's Grade 12 AP (C) Class]. Xie Bu Ruo thought to himself, "

This is truly rare to see." After all, those kids in the International Department just pay to get in. What kind of trouble could they possibly have to cause to deserve two warnings and one expulsion?

Oh, there were reasons: harassing girls, bullying classmates...

and so on!

Xie Bu Ruo saw the expulsion target at the bottom of the list and returned to his text inbox, his fists stiffening.

The one being bullied was actually a student in his class!

He immediately issued a statement filled with condemnation and instruction, while also extending sincere greetings to their long-time overseas homeroom teacher.

"Manage your students!!!" "

But fortunately, the problems have been dealt with." Xie Bu Ruo turned to Gu Ci and showed a gentle smile, and said with heartache: "Don't worry, Gu Ci, this kind of thing will not happen again in the future."

Gu Ci raised his head, a hint of surprise flashed across his face, and then he heard Xie Bu Ruo sneer: "They have all been dealt with."

Gu Ci obviously did not expect such an ending, and exclaimed in surprise.

Xie Bu Ruo turned his head meaningfully, glanced at Huo Wenyuan who was still reading straight in the first row, and said meaningfully: "You and Huo Wenyuan have a good relationship."

Those who can study in Xichen are not students from ordinary families, not to mention the international department that relies entirely on money and connections. Now three students have been dealt with suddenly, and even the son of a corporate president has been expelled. Who can do this so easily? The answer is self-evident.

Gu Ci didn't know why Teacher Xie suddenly mentioned this, but he just thought he was concerned, so he nodded and said: "Yes, Teacher Xie, we are friends. Xie

Buruo smiled when he heard this, and suddenly felt that today's weather was really nice. He said, "Then we're relieved. Grow up well, Gu Ci."

Gu Ci returned to his seat, full of Teacher Xie's care. Shang Zui winked at him gossipingly and asked, "How are you, little Gu Ci? Why did Crab Bro ask you to go out?"

Gu Ci said, "Before, a few boys bullied classmate Liu Zhitong, and they came to bother me again yesterday and got expelled."

Shang Zui put down his textbook: "Huh? They offended you?"

Last night, he'd heard from his brother that several students in the International Department had been suddenly disciplined, one expelled, and their attempts at connections had been met with nothing. His brother had intended to use this negative example as a warning, but Shang Zui remained unmoved.

Shang Zui could only wonder who had been so unlucky as to offend such a powerful figure, only to discover that this figure was sitting right next to him.

His inner curiosity flared up again, and Shang Zui leaned over to ask Gu Ci, "By the way, Gu Ci, it's been so long, and you still don't know why you're going to live at Huo Wenyuan's house? How long will you be staying there?"

Gu Ci paused, his pen smearing ink on the paper.

He was also quite confused, and in response to his deskmate's concern, he could only shake his head and say, "I don't know either."

When he'd picked him up, Mr. Huo had only said he'd take him to live with the Huo family, but he hadn't specified how long, and he hadn't directly clarified his role there.

He considered himself Huo Wenyuan's "playmate" and "study companion"... surely there was something he could do?

Shang Zui was about to ask more questions, but he was rushed by the life committee member holding a broom to clean the blackboard, so the mystery was temporarily put on hold.

Liu Zhihe put his hands on his waist and put down the broom: "Shang Zui, clean it up for me!"

Shang Zui took the blackboard eraser and pretended to wipe it on Liu Zhihe's face. He was glared at sharply, and then he took back the blackboard eraser and concentrated on his work.

"He is a person who deserves it." Liu Zhihe summed it up.

Gu Ci smiled at her and said in a gentle voice: "He is too lively."

"You are the only one who would say such good things for him." Liu Zhihe noticed that the corners of Gu Ci's eyes were red, and asked worriedly, "Gu Ci, are you feeling unwell?"

Gu Ci rubbed his eyes and denied it unconsciously: "No."

Liu Zhihe was a little skeptical, but it was not easy to ask any more questions. Thinking of the arrangements for Saturday, he invited: "Gu Ci, it's my birthday this Saturday. Can I invite you to dinner? After dinner, we can watch a movie together, and Shang Zui and the others will come too."

Gu Ci did not expect to receive an invitation from his classmates, and he was a little flattered, but thinking of Huo Wenyuan, he neither refused nor agreed. , simply saying, "I might have to ask."

Liu Zhihe, assuming he was asking for his family's opinion, nodded expectantly, "Okay! I look forward to your reply! And..."

She mustered her courage: "You're close to Huo Wenyuan. Could you please ask him? I didn't even get a chance to thank you for helping me last time."

Gu Ci quickly said, "You're welcome. I can ask him."

During lunch break, Gu Ci approached Huo Wenyuan with a notebook and whispered, "Huo Wenyuan, can you excuse me?"

Huo Wenyuan lifted his eyes from the book, covered it, and unobtrusively pulled the chair away from him.

Gu Ci glanced at the cover.

"Thus Spoke Zarathustra."

Wow, such a profound book.

Gu Ci sat down next to Huo Wenyuan, opened the notebook, and asked, "Huo Wenyuan, did you take your medicine for lunch today?"

Huo Wenyuan replied, as usual, "Yes."

Only Gu Ci could do such a thing, asking questions every day at the appointed time. I'd have thought he was some kind of clinical doctor.

He watched Gu Ci tick the blank box, then looked up and praised, "Great! You've been taking your medicine on time for fourteen days!"

They say it takes twenty-one days to develop a new habit, and Huo Wenyuan would soon be well on his way to a regular medication habit!

Gu Ci happily closed his notebook, oblivious to the gaze of the person he was about to cultivate. "

Looks so soft," Huo Wenyuan thought.

He was about to reach out, on the verge of fulfilling his inner thought, when Gu Ci grabbed his hand and held it.

Gu Ci glanced around the room at the students taking their lunch break and lowered his voice to remind them, "Huo Wenyuan, this is the classroom!"

Luckily, the students inside were either sprawled out, asleep or engrossed in their homework, so no one noticed.

Huo Wenyuan raised an eyebrow, his fingertips carelessly scratching Gu Ci's palm.

Gu Ci: "?"

Huo Wenyuan relished the soft touch, even squinting in pleasure. Gu Ci's palm was as soft as he was, almost as soft as cotton candy.

Taking advantage of Gu Ci's fear of disturbing others' rest, he pulled Gu Ci in front of him and leaned him on his right arm.

Gu Ci had to fall forward and lean on Huo Wenyuan's shoulder to keep his balance.

Huo Wenyuan whispered in his ear: "No need to practice on the playground tonight."

Gu Ci's face moved a little further away, looking up at the tip of Huo Wenyuan's tall nose, and asked in a whisper: "Why?"

Did he think it was too much trouble and didn't want to wait for him?

Huo Wenyuan said: "Go home and practice."

"In addition to the evening, I can also practice with you on weekends."

Gu Ci's eyes lit up, and he looked at Huo Wenyuan with tears of gratitude.

He really is one of the best people in the world!

Speaking of "Saturday", Gu Ci remembered Liu Zhihe's invitation in the morning and said to Huo Wenyuan: "It may not be possible on Saturday. Liu Zhihe and his classmate asked us to go out and play!"

Huo Wenyuan couldn't keep his hand steady: "What?"

The fingers that pinched Gu Ci almost lost their strength, and the soft white fingertips instantly turned red.

Gu Ci, unsure of Huo Wenyuan's sudden excitement, could only whisper, "Student Liu Zhihe and I are having a birthday on Saturday. We're having dinner and a movie together. Shang Zui and the others are going too..."

Huo Wenyuan's face suddenly darkened.

He wanted to let go of Gu Ci's hand, but he couldn't. Instead, he flipped open the book with one hand and vented his frustration at the philosophical verses.

Gu Ci assumed Huo Wenyuan had suddenly felt like reading, so he stopped interrupting him. But... his hand was still firmly held by Huo Wenyuan.

"Huo Wenyuan, my hand..."

Huo Wenyuan commanded, "Shut up."

Gu Ci nodded obediently.

His hand was once again completely confined by Huo Wenyuan. The sunlight from the window shone through the cracks onto their folded hands, casting a shadow on the floor.

After a moment, seeing Huo Wenyuan's expression was truly stern, he leaned over and tested him: "Huo Wenyuan, are you angry?"

Huo Wenyuan: "...No."

Okay. Gu Ci tilted his head and stared at Huo Wenyuan reading, but finding it boring, he flipped open his own notebook and went back to the exercises.

Huo Wenyuan: "..."

He turned around and questioned, "Aren't you going to ask me why I'm angry?"

Gu Ci opened his mouth in surprise: "You're angry?"

Didn't he say he wasn't angry? Such a profound thought.

For the first time, Huo Wenyuan began to doubt himself. It should be said that this man was sometimes extremely smart and sometimes very slow.

He spat out three words: "You are not allowed to go."

Gu Ci: "Yeah?"

Huo Wenyuan turned around and said to him, "You are not allowed to accept other people's invitations."

"Accompany me." His tone was quite resentful.

Gu Ci asked curiously: "But they clearly invited you. Aren't you going with them?"

Huo Wenyuan: "..."