Elder sister and Ji Tang were fast asleep in the room, while Bai Ziyuan kept the same posture on the sofa the whole time like a faithful stone waiting for her wife to return.
Bai Ziyuan was on pins and needles. Her Ran Ran had not replied for two hours. Did something happen? What if her father flew into a rage and…
She did not dare continue that thought and hurried to call Gu Qianran. "Hello? Miss me, little cutie?" The instant Bai Ziyuan heard Gu Qianran's smiling voice, the last of her panic evaporated.
She nodded, then realized Gu Qianran could not see, so she answered with a soft "Mm." Gu Qianran's lips tipped up. "Then open the door."
Bai Ziyuan blinked, then sprinted to the entryway, flung the door open, and threw her arms around the person outside. She rubbed her head against Gu Qianran's chest as if she wanted to press the person in front of her into her own body.
Gu Qianran patted Bai Ziyuan's head. Smiling at the person in her arms, she said, "Little cutie, I did it." She had come straight over just to share the joy with the one she loved.
"Mm mm." Bai Ziyuan hugged her even tighter. Ever since they got together, she always wanted to stick to Gu Qianran, not separating for even a moment. They went to the living room still wrapped around each other and saw Bai Zilu coming downstairs with a yawn.
Bai Zilu looked at Gu Qianran in surprise. "Huh? Big boss, you are back? So you convinced your dad?"
Gu Qianran nodded. Bai Zilu howled in envy and flopped onto the sofa. "Ji Tang is asleep. Perfect. Let me pick your brains, how do I confess properly… I have zero experience…"
Seeing the resident goof take something seriously for once, Gu Qianran also offered advice in earnest. Only, it was very straight-coded. After Bai Zilu vetoed plan after plan, she finally wailed, "Why is confessing so complicated?" The brain cells she killed in a short while almost matched three days of sparring with Li Junyao.
"No matter what, I am confessing before graduation. No regrets." Bai Zilu settled the deadline.
"Actually you are just chicken," Bai Ziyuan jabbed mercilessly. Bai Zilu blushed and squirmed. "That is love making one timid."
Bai Ziyuan: …
A shy sand sculpture really does deserve a spanking.
The break ended in a cheerful blur. In the second half of the term, clubs were busy with activities. Li Junyao had wrangled himself a shiny student council post and, for the moment, had no time to bother Gu Qianran.
Which suited Gu Qianran just fine. Ji Tang's small company now had a surplus, so Gu Qianran contacted Li Junze to cooperate with Ji Tang's J.H on an innovative product for League of Legends.
This brand new hunk of meat in entertainment was too big for Li Junze alone, so better to team up with Ji Tang. Fat water should not flow into outsider fields. Bai Zilu, meanwhile, signed on as a special illustrator for Ji Tang's company, drawing character posters.
Bai Zilu's draftsmanship kept leveling up, and even Gu Qianran had a moment of déjà vu to her previous life when she saw the posters. Ji Tang also realized Bai Zilu was a treasure and kept finding ways to mine her value every day.
Everyone threw themselves into their work with high spirits. Except one person, Ji Zhu. Ever since Ji Tang moved out of the Ji household, his company had gone downhill day by day. In the end Ji Xiong had to take over the mess to stop the bleeding.
For that, his father tore into him. Ji Zhu inwardly scoffed and put all the blame on Ji Tang. He dragged on his cigarette, eyes going cold.
If Ji Tang did not know what was good for her, he would have to take measures.
He was a small-time boss with the local Hu clan. The next day he showed up with men and blocked Ji Tang at the school gate. Ji Tang looked at this full-blood brother who behaved like a bastard and felt a headache coming on.
She glanced at Gu Qianran beside her, who looked eager to move, and quietly took a step back. Ji Zhu thought she was scared and grew even more arrogant. "Ji Tang, what is a woman like you doing making a scene with the family. Where are your virtues. Get home and take over the company."
His voice was not quiet, and bystanders were already whispering. Bai Zilu was furious, but she stayed put because she saw Gu Qianran step forward. She knew the big boss was about to cover them.
Time for the universally beloved face-slapping segment.
Ji Zhu saw someone approach and sneered, "And who the hell are you."
Gu Qianran had noticed Ji Tang step back. "And what exactly are you."
"I am your dad." Ji Zhu cackled, and the punks behind him laughed too. Gu Qianran did not so much as frown. She simply stated the facts.
"My dad. You want to be my dad, we can discuss it. His name is Li Junsheng. He may have some power. The Ji family, right. One of my dad's fingers could probably crush you. If you were my dad, would you even measure up."
Gu Qianran gave the now-sour-faced Ji Zhu a not-quite-smile, then added at an unhurried pace, "So do you still want the title. If I call you, do you dare answer. If you do not, you are a coward and a grandson. Then scram and stop harassing Ji Tang. If you do answer…"
She nodded approvingly. "That would be courage. Deserves praise. And nothing will happen to you."
"Except that all your family's businesses will go bankrupt first."
This idiot had a head full of crap notions and came to posture at Ji Tang. Borrowing a tiger's might. Who could not play that game. If life was not exciting enough, he just had to beg for trouble.
Ji Zhu opened his mouth to say more, and Gu Qianran sent him flying with one kick. She turned back to Ji Tang. "Next time you meet this sort, one kick and you are done. Remember."
Ji Tang's eyes were cold as she nodded. If Gu Qianran had not stepped in, she would have lost her temper and swung. She had never seen such shamelessness. Family. So what. Did family mean she had to accept it. Had they ever treated her as family.
Bai Zilu frowned slightly. Ji Tang's family situation looked worse than she had let on. A fresh wave of ache spread through her. Just a glance at this kind of person made her skin crawl. Ji Tang had put up with them for years and could never cut the blood tie in a lifetime. How hard must that be.
Ji Tang's hand trembled. Bai Zilu saw it and laced her fingers through Ji Tang's. The warmth of her palm flowed into Ji Tang, and Ji Tang slowly calmed.
"Sorry," Ji Tang rasped.
Bai Zilu squeezed her hand and shook her head. "Do not apologize. This is not your fault."
"… Mm." Ji Tang fell quiet for a moment, as if drawing courage from Bai Zilu. Now Bai Zilu finally looked like an elder sister. Ji Tang could not help feeling a little comforted.
The very next second. "I am doomed, I am doomed, because of this silly goose I am behind on my drawing, I cannot finish, ahhhh."
Ji Tang: … she knew it.
"Fail to finish, and I dock your pay." Ji Tang tossed down the verdict and strode toward the dorm without looking back.
"Boss, wait for me." Bai Zilu howled and sprinted after her to rescue her salary, to no avail.
Gu Qianran walked behind them hand in hand with Bai Ziyuan. Looking at Bai Ziyuan's profile, the corner of Gu Qianran's mouth curled up on its own.
Without noticing, the empty place in her heart had been filled up to the brim by this adorable little thing.