Chapter 36: Trouble, Trouble

Chapter 36: Trouble, Trouble

Xie Guiluan pinched Cen Wu's cheek, squeezing it a few more times before suddenly asking, "Why aren't you stuttering anymore, Second Master?"

"..." Cen Wu was momentarily confused. His entire face flushed a deep red. It was fine when he wasn't thinking about it, but once he did, his lips moved slightly, and his throat became incoherent again, "Uh... uh..."

Xie Guiluan somewhat regretted asking.

Cen Wu looked up at Xie Guiluan, intending to say something, but before he could, he heard hurried footsteps behind him. He turned his head and was immediately stunned.

Chu Zijian had arrived, bringing along Cen Xiao and Guan Xingxue.

"I didn't have any other choice," Chu Zijian quickly explained, worried that Cen Wu would scold him. He looked troubled and said, "I was worried about you, so I had to tell Guan Xingxue and the others."

He had told the people at the racetrack that Cen Wu must have gone to find Xie Guiluan, but those fools didn't believe him. Now he understood that Cen Wu would do anything for Xie Guiluan.

Chu Zijian felt a bit of a headache coming on. The whole business with Wang Yue and the card passing was one thing—there weren't many people present, and everyone had kept their mouths shut, so it definitely wouldn't get out.

But this time, Xie Shangjing would find out for sure.

He could no longer deceive himself into thinking that Cen Wu still hated Xie Guiluan. Hated him? Cen Wu was head over heels in love with him.

But seriously, why does Xie Guiluan get to be his big sister's husband?

"Xiao Bao," Guan Xingxue, draped in a thin cashmere shawl, had come in a hurry, only wearing a pair of slippers. She reached out and touched his burning forehead, "Your fever's back, and it's burning up. Why is it so high?"

The Cen family had many businesses abroad, and Cen Junshan had left Huai Jing on a flight the previous night. The storm in Huai Jing was so bad that all flights were canceled; otherwise, he would have come too.

It was past 1 a.m., and the storm had reached a point where it was nearly impossible to go out. Cen Wu's throat tightened, dreading the thought of how dangerous it must have been to drive here from the city.

Even though Guan Xingxue and Cen Xiao had made it safely to the hospital, his palms were still sweating.

Cen Wu had intended to lose his temper at Chu Zijian, but when Guan Xingxue saw the fresh wounds on his legs, her eyes turned red, and she understood what he was worried about. She told him, "A little rain doesn't matter. No matter where you are, Mom will always come."

Cen Wu's pale lips trembled, his eyes growing misty. He reached out and touched Guan Xingxue's soaked shawl.

The rain was pouring heavily. Even with a car, the dozens of meters from the parking spot to the hospital would soak anyone through.

Cen Xiao went to ask the nurse for a blanket and draped it over Guan Xingxue. His own suit jacket was soaked too; he had rushed over after receiving Chu Zijian's call.

Cen Xiao took off his jacket, hanging it over his arm, and stared at Cen Wu with a meaningful look.

Cen Wu was confused, meeting Cen Xiao's somewhat complicated gaze, before suddenly realizing with a jolt that Xie Guiluan was still holding him.

His face immediately heated up, and he hurriedly pushed Xie Guiluan away, trying to get up. But then he panicked again, thinking that maybe he didn't need to be so flustered. There was nothing between him and Xie Guiluan, after all.

Acting like this would only make it seem like he had something to hide.

The hospital conditions weren't great, but it was too late to drive back. The storm had engulfed the entire Huai Jing, and it wouldn't be safe to leave. Cen Wu was also running a fever, so it was better to stay here for the night.

Guan Xingxue asked Cen Xiao to check with the nurse again to see if they could get a hospital room and if there were any beds available.

When no one was paying attention, Cen Wu gripped Xie Guiluan's cold, hard finger bones and leaned over to whisper, "I... I'm hungry. Go... buy me something to eat."

"Hmm." Xie Guiluan gave his fingertips a gentle squeeze in return. With Guan Xingxue and the others taking care of Cen Wu, he could go get some food.

After Xie Guiluan left, Cen Wu took the opportunity to tell Guan Xingxue about the competition. The competition couldn't be delayed. Right now, the news of Xie Guiluan's cheating hadn't fully spread yet. The longer they waited, the more people would find out.

The reason rumors were so damaging was that once they took shape, even if they were clarified, there would always be people who didn't see the truth or pretended not to. Only a few people truly cared about the facts.

It must be nipped in the bud right from the start.

Guan Xingxue held him, gently stroking his soft black hair, listening patiently even as Cen Wu stumbled over his words.

The Liao family has been in the jewelry business since the last century, with deep-rooted connections. Once, a sapphire necklace from their collection fetched an astronomical price at auction and ended up in the hands of a European queen.

Though Guan Xingxue, a legendary actress, doesn’t act much anymore, her status in the industry remains deeply entrenched, and she’s still incredibly popular. She has been the spokesperson for Liao Jewelry for ten years.

As for the Cen family, they’ve had a personal relationship with the Liao family for generations. This issue isn’t major, but pursuing it would certainly damage the dignity of both families.

"Xiao Bao," Guan Xingxue paused for a moment, then reached out to touch Cen Wu’s face and asked him, "Do you really need to help him?"

Cen Wu’s face was pale and haggard, but his fever made his eyes misty and his lips reddened, giving him a sickly allure. He stubbornly looked at her and nodded.

"..." Guan Xingxue said, "Alright."

Cen Wu’s heart finally settled. This was different from Wang Yue. Wang Yue had given him a hard time and made him uncomfortable, so the Cen family wouldn’t let Wang Yue off anyway.

Besides, Wang Yue’s company was nothing compared to the Cen family’s business. It would only take a word from Cen Xiao to crush Wang Yue.

But the Liao family’s conflict was only with Xie Guiluan. Maybe Xie Guiluan was really framed, but so what?

Guan Xingxue was not Meng Liangping. She wouldn’t lament her student being framed and pull him up at any cost.

The fact that Guan Xingxue agreed showed just how much the Cen family doted on the original owner, to the point of indulgence.

They didn’t even ask for a reason, just because he was her child, and they were willing to do anything for him.

Cen Xiao went to ask the nurse and found out that it was no longer possible to admit him for the night, and there were no spare beds.

But someone in the outpatient department had just finished their IV drip and, rushing to get home in the rain, vacated a bed. Since Cen Wu had a leg injury, the nurse told him to lie down on the bed.

After settling Cen Wu, Guan Xingxue went out to get hot water, leaving Cen Xiao and Cen Wu in the ward.

Sitting by the bed with his legs crossed, Cen Xiao asked Cen Wu with interest, "Now that Mom’s gone, can you tell me the truth? Do you like Xie Guiluan?"

Cen Xiao was different from other rich kids. His only hobby was e-sports, but Cen Junshan cruelly put an end to that. But not playing didn’t mean he wasn’t aware.

Chu Zijian told him that Cen Wu had driven up the mountain, and Cen Xiao’s blood ran cold. He couldn’t believe Cen Wu dared to do that.

In his life, he had only been this shocked twice, the last time being when Cen Wu was born.

Back then, Guan Xingxue was filming in the mountains, and the rain was as heavy as it was tonight. Both he and Cen Junshan were stuck at the foot of the mountain.

Guan Xingxue’s assistant had initially messaged them, saying that she might give birth prematurely, but as the rain grew heavier, the floods overwhelmed the night, and they didn’t receive any more news for days.

The rain, like it had been falling from that night over a decade ago until tonight, made him realize that he was still afraid.

Cen Xiao had wanted to tap Cen Wu on the head to see what was going on in his head to make him so infatuated, but in the end, he couldn’t bear to. He just reached out and rubbed his hair.

In his life, he would only do this for his parents or Cen Wu, and no one else.

Cen Wu was confused again, his snow-white ears turning red with embarrassment. No, how could anyone think he liked Xie Guiluan? Couldn’t it just be pure brotherly love?

"I… I don’t," Cen Wu said, red-faced and stammering, "like him."

Cen Xiao actually knew that the original owner was gay. Although he didn’t know that the original owner had a harem of three thousand people, Cen Xiao was aware that the original owner frequently visited male models at Blue Night.

However, the original owner, fearing that Xie Shangjing would get jealous and cause trouble, had never been intimate with anyone, at most just admiring some abs.

Cen Xiao hadn't bothered with any of it.

"What's the big deal about showing off some abs? Are his abs really that special?"

"You don't like him? Are you out of your mind?" Cen Xiao immediately put on a cold face. "You, for his sake, wouldn't even want your life, and now you're telling me you don't like him?"

Cen Xiao was hostile toward Xie Guiluan, and Xie Guiluan reciprocated. After the Lu family's banquet, the night he drove Xie Guiluan and Cen Wu home, their eyes met in the rearview mirror.

They both became wary of each other.

Of course, he had never had a good impression of Xie Guiluan to begin with, not because of his illegitimate status, but because of Xie Guiluan himself. His peach blossom eyes were dark and gloomy, giving off a cold and ruthless appearance.

The Xie family was a mess, and he didn’t want Cen Wu anywhere near them—especially not Xie Guiluan.

But what Cen Wu had done was beyond normal, and even regular affection wouldn't drive someone to this extent.

If Cen Wu was set on this guy, that was fine—but Cen Xiao needed to look into Xie Guiluan first.

Song Lingwei used to be a hostess and spent ten chaotic years in Huai Jing. It was said that after she had a child, she continued to entertain clients for a while.

With someone like Song Lingwei, it was hard for Xie Guiluan to stay out of trouble.

"If you don't admit it, it doesn't matter," Cen Xiao glanced at Cen Wu, "Once I'm done investigating, I'll go tell Mom and Dad."

"…Brother!" Cen Wu hurriedly grabbed him.

If Cen Xiao dug too deep, he might uncover the truth about the usurpation. And Cen Wu just remembered something critical—he had been so focused on Xie Guiluan's affairs that he hadn't prepared any money for running away. Cen Xiao had just reminded him.

He needed at least ten or twenty thousand; otherwise, how could he escape?

Besides, Xie Guiluan really couldn’t withstand scrutiny.

The Cen family wasn't familiar with Xie Guiluan yet, and some things weren't suitable to be known right now.

Cen Wu still had a fever. His lashes were wet and stuck together. He lay on the hospital bed, pale fingers clutching Cen Xiao’s clothes, eyes pleading.

Cen Xiao, who had already stood up, sat back down, frustrated. It was obvious that Xie Guiluan definitely had issues, but Cen Wu insisted on protecting him.

Cen Wu grabbed his wrist again and shook it lightly, "Brother."

"Just wait," Cen Xiao said, tucking him in, "I better not find out you’re hiding something big from me."

-

Cen Wu was receiving an IV on the second floor of the hospital, and Xie Guiluan went to buy food. As he climbed the stairs, he ran into Guan Xingxue, who was waiting for him with a blanket over her shoulders.

Xie Guiluan’s dark eyes met hers, and he paused, his voice hoarse as he said, "Director Guan."

"Xiao Xie," Guan Xingxue’s eyes softened with fatigue, but not coldness. She got straight to the point: "I need to talk to you about the competition. Wu asked me to help you."

Xie Guiluan pressed his thin lips together. He knew what it meant to ask for the Cen family's help—this kind of debt was harder to repay than money—and maybe he’d never be able to pay it back.

It was late, and the hospital corridor was dim. Guan Xingxue gently gripped his arm, saying, "I mean you no harm. Wu cares about you a lot, and I don’t want to see him hurt. This isn’t a big deal, and you don’t need to feel burdened."

Xie Guiluan's deep eyes were swallowed by the darkness, and his complexion carried a cold, stark pallor.

"You understand your own value better than I do," Guan Xingxue looked up at him, noticing for the first time how handsome his peach blossom eyes were, "Since we’re making an equal exchange, don’t feel indebted."

Guan Xingxue spoke bluntly, without any comfort or pity, which made it easier for Xie Guiluan to accept.

Xie Guiluan paused, thinking of Cen Wu's injured leg, his Adam's apple bobbing as he spoke in a hoarse voice, "Thank you, Director Guan."

Guan Xingxue smiled with her lips curved and gently pushed Xie Guiluan's back, saying, "Let's go, you haven't had dinner either, right?"

Cen Wu guessed that Guan Xingxue must have gone to find Xie Guiluan, but since she cared so much about the original owner and could tell that he wanted to save Xie Guiluan, she wouldn't make things difficult for him.

Xie Guiluan followed Guan Xingxue to the ward, and his mood didn't seem abnormal. Cen Wu blinked, and when Guan Xingxue and Cen Xiao weren't paying attention, he reached out to touch Xie Guiluan's arm.

Xie Guiluan: "..."

Actually, touch and embrace were the best ways to perceive emotions. He held Xie Guiluan's wrist and didn't sense any unhappiness from him, so he finally felt relieved and had dinner with Xie Guiluan.

There wasn't much to eat in the hospital at night, so Xie Guiluan went to the supermarket on the first floor to buy some bread and millet porridge.

After finishing his meal, Cen Wu felt like going to the toilet, but his legs were still weak, and he couldn't stand up at all.

He couldn't ask Guan Xingxue, and asking Cen Xiao felt awkward since he wasn't his brother. Finally, he grabbed a few of Xie Guiluan's fingers, leaned close to his ear, and said with a red face, "Xie... Xie Guiluan, I... I want to..."

Xie Guiluan's lips curved up slightly, and he wrapped his arm around his waist, lifting him up to take him to the bathroom.

This ward didn't have a bathroom, so they had to use the communal restroom. Guan Xingxue was on the other end of the corridor talking to Cen Junshan on the phone and didn't notice them, but Cen Xiao saw and, meeting Cen Wu's flushed face and pleading eyes, could only pretend not to see.

What the hell.

Carrying each other right in front of him.

Cen Wu's legs were too weak to stand, and his hands trembled uncontrollably. Xie Guiluan wrapped his arm around his waist, and Cen Wu's snow-white ears were flushed bright red.

He hesitated for a long time, unable to manage anything, his hands trembling so much that he couldn't even steady himself several times, causing a flurry of activity.

Xie Guiluan held his waist and looked down at him, and Cen Wu, for some reason, felt embarrassed and annoyed, glaring at Xie Guiluan and saying, "What... What are you looking at? Haven't you seen someone bigger than you?"

Xie Guiluan, who was watching to make sure he wouldn't fall, upon hearing this, had a slightly wicked smile on his lips and said, "I haven't. I'd like to see for myself."

Cen Wu: "..."

Cen Wu was utterly flustered and angry; he tried to stomp on Xie Guiluan's foot with his limp leg.

But he couldn't stand steadily, and after struggling for a while, he was instead caught by Xie Guiluan from behind, tightly held in his arms.

Xie Guiluan was half a head taller, and it was just the right fit to hold him tightly. He hadn't stopped resisting, but Cen Xiao's rough hands reached over.

This time, it was accurate.

Cen Wu's mind buzzed, and his ears and neck flushed bright red. The stall was dim, his heartbeat amplified in an instant, and his lips trembled, "What... What are you doing?"

"Helping you," Xie Guiluan's voice was naturally cold but had a hoarse tone. Looking down, he could see the small red mole on Cen Wu's ear and seemed to chuckle softly, saying, "Don't worry. Worst case, you can just pee on my hand."

Cen Wu: "..."

Bro, calm down, bro.

Cen Wu didn't know how he got out; his face was too red to lift. He made Xie Guiluan wash his hands several times with the hospital disinfectant before finally letting him go.

Xie Guiluan carried him back to the ward, and he almost died of shame, burying himself under the blanket and unwilling to come out, while Xie Guiluan seemed completely unfazed.

Is this what straight guys are like? He doesn't mind at all?

Cen Wu hid under the blanket for a long time; it was too stuffy, his eyes were watery, and he had to pull it down a little. He had never had a boyfriend, and no one had ever touched him like this.

How did this happen? It felt like they were starting a relationship, but shouldn't it just be brotherly love?

The hospital bed was too narrow, so Cen Xiao had Xie Guiluan stay with Cen Wu in the ward while he went to buy a few thick mats. He made sure they wouldn’t be cold, laying them out in the corridor so Guan Xingxue could get some rest.

There was no space left in the ward. That night, many patients and their families were sleeping in the corridor, huddled together for warmth.

Cen Xiao also leaned against the wall nearby, closing his eyes to rest.

Late at night, the hospital grew quieter. Cen Wu’s bed was against the wall. Xie Guiluan placed a quilt behind him to keep him from catching a chill, then covered him with a blanket and wrapped his arm around him.

Curled up in Xie Guiluan’s arms, Cen Wu wasn’t cold anymore, but those long, slender fingers of his were really getting on his nerves. He buried his head to avoid looking, deciding that out of sight was out of mind.

Xie Guiluan held him, and Cen Wu, exhausted from the night, soon breathed evenly in his sleep. Xie Guiluan’s cold, thin eyelids drooped as he looked at his hand, lifting it to sniff.

There was no scent at all.

Earlier, Guan Xingxue had made Cen Wu drink a lot of water, and now he woke up in the middle of the night needing to use the bathroom. Xie Guiluan was also tired, with faint dark circles under his eyes. Cen Wu didn’t have the heart to wake him. His legs weren’t as weak anymore, but his knees still hurt, though he could manage.

He quietly got up and went to the restroom. On his way back, he saw Guan Xingxue’s blanket had slipped down a little, so he tiptoed over to cover her back up.

Guan Xingxue was a light sleeper and woke up when Cen Wu approached. She reached out to touch Cen Wu’s face. “Xiao Bao isn’t asleep yet?”

She also sensed that something was off with Cen Wu. The boy wasn’t very fluent in his speech, but he seemed to have suddenly grown up, taking care of her in ways he never had before. Cen Wu wouldn’t have covered her with a blanket in the past.

“I went to the restroom,” Cen Wu whispered.

It was pouring outside, and the hospital conditions were terrible. Guan Xingxue couldn’t help but recall the time she gave birth in the mountains.

Not wanting the film crew to fall behind because of her, she had relied on her relatively young age and good health to continue filming in the mountains. But then a heavy rainstorm hit, and she went into early labor.

The hospital’s blood supply was running low, and she almost died on the operating table. After giving birth, she remained unconscious for several days before waking up.

“You were so red and tiny,” Guan Xingxue gently scratched Cen Wu’s cheek and held him, her voice soft. “All wrinkled, so different from your brother when he was born.”

Cen Junshan took good care of them, and Guan Xingxue had experienced very little discomfort during her pregnancy. Everything had gone smoothly, and Cen Xiao had been born looking healthier and fairer than other babies.

Cen Wu lay beside her, his lips moving, but he couldn’t say anything.

On the night Guan Xingxue gave birth, Song Lingwei switched her baby. When she opened her eyes, she didn’t see her own child.

Song Lingwei had done drugs and taken other medications. Her health was already poor, and the doctors had advised against her having the baby. She refused, which led to the original child being born weak.

Even though Guan Xingxue had given birth prematurely and the baby was small, if she had seen the baby, she might have realized it wasn’t hers. But she hadn’t seen him at all.

“You were so small when you were born,” Guan Xingxue touched Cen Wu’s cheek. “Sickly, and already wronged. Back then, I promised myself I’d never let you suffer again. Whatever you want to do, I’ll help you. My Xiao Bao has always been the most well-behaved.”

Cen Wu’s eyes reddened, his lashes trembling as tears fell. Guan Xingxue wiped his tears and soothed him, “Go to sleep. You’re still running a fever.”

Cen Wu nodded.

Guan Xingxue got up and watched him settle back into the ward before lying down to sleep again herself.

As Cen Wu reached the ward door, Xie Guiluan woke up, frowning when he found his arms empty. He was about to get up to look for him when he saw Cen Wu walking over with tears in his eyes.

After Cen Wu wrapped himself in the blanket and lay down, Xie Guiluan reached out to wipe away his tears and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“You… you broke it,” Cen Wu’s lashes trembled as another tear fell, his eyes red. “You have to… pay me back.”

He couldn’t explain it to Xie Guiluan, but it felt true. After Xie Guiluan touched him, it felt like something had changed. He had stared at it for a long time earlier.

Xie Guiluan paused, then glanced at himself with his peach blossom eyes, his voice low and teasing. “How should I pay you back? You can break mine off and give it to me as payment.”