Chapter 49: Pretending to be Pure

Chapter 49: Pretending to be Pure

Cen Wu just wanted nothing to do with him, but Xie Guiluan grabbed him and wouldn't let go. If this kept up, everyone in the bar would be staring at him. Cen Wu could only sit back down, his face flushed, and wait for Xie Guiluan to get off work.

Damn it.

He hated straight men the most in this lifetime.

The school was organizing a three-day fall trip starting the day after tomorrow. However, Song Lingwei was having surgery tomorrow, so Xie Guiluan definitely wouldn't be able to go.

Cen Wu hadn't planned to go either, as it would be a nightmare for someone with social anxiety. But Lu Wang kept pestering him, insisting he had to go. After failing to resist, Cen Wu had no choice but to agree.

At least he could stay holed up in the hotel, and the resort for the fall trip was located on the outskirts of Huai Jing, just a one or two-hour drive from the city center. Even if something happened with Xie Guiluan, he could still rush back.

Cen Wu didn't have the driver wait outside Blue Night. These past few nights, Xie Guiluan had been giving him rides home on his motorcycle.

It was still the same motorcycle borrowed from Ji Changyu.

Ji Changyu had been staying on campus these past few months, and No. 13 High School was closer to Blue Night than No. 1 High School. His motorcycle had been gathering dust in the garage, so it was better to lend it to Xie Guiluan. However, there was only one helmet, so Xie Guiluan bought Cen Wu another one.

When Xie Guiluan went to pick up the motorcycle, Ji Changyu squatted beside it and grumbled, "Xie dog, you’ve never bought me anything."

Of course, he knew that Xie Guiluan had no money and could barely afford to eat. Even if Xie Guiluan had bought him something, he wouldn't have accepted it.

But Cen Wu had everything. For the Cen family, millions or tens of millions were just numbers. Yet, Xie Guiluan still bought Cen Wu a helmet.

Crazy.

Was he really that attentive?

Under the pitch-black night sky, only dim neon lights flickered by the back door of Blue Night. Xie Guiluan sat astride the motorcycle, his long legs supporting it on the ground. He twisted the throttle a few times before finally asking Ji Changyu, "How... how do you usually confess to someone?"

Ji Changyu was about to mock him for stuttering like Cen Wu, but thought better of it—he’d probably get killed if he opened his mouth.

He was numb, unable to make any expression, and didn't even want to ask much.

It was obvious who Xie Guiluan wanted to confess his feelings to.

Even a fool could see it.

Ji Changyu's parents had divorced many years ago. His father was a strict and rigid university professor who wanted his son's life to be as standard as a textbook. But their own marriage wasn't standard, so what right did they have to demand that of him?

Ji Changyu skipped classes, worked part-time at Blue Night, and had dated many people. He was determined to be a slacker.

Xie Guiluan was different from him.

Ji Changyu knew that someone as cold and ambitious as Xie Guiluan, who never allowed himself to fail and sink into the mud, would have already made many plans if he said he liked someone.

When it came to relationships, he only aimed for that one person.

It couldn't be just anyone else.

Ji Changyu scratched his head; he couldn't offer any useful advice. "Just kiss them."

In the bars and nightclubs he frequented, people were just looking to have fun. Sometimes it wasn't even about dating, just spending the night, so there wasn't much talk.

When Xie Guiluan heard this, his cold, narrow eyes widened instantly, and his brows furrowed as if he had seen something repulsive.

Ji Changyu: "..."

What the hell.

"What's that disgusted look for?"

"Let's go," Xie Guiluan said, starting the motorcycle. He headed to the front entrance of Blue Night to pick up Cen Wu.

Cen Wu stood obediently as Xie Guiluan put the helmet on him. In truth, he enjoyed it when Xie Guiluan rode the motorcycle to take him home.

Xie Guiluan always tucked his hand into his jacket pocket. The night breeze blew from the side, but Xie Guiluan's body temperature was scorching, and Cen Wu didn't feel cold. The stillness of the night gave him a unique sense of freedom, like Xie Guiluan could take him anywhere.

Cen Wu hopped off the motorcycle, waved goodbye under the villa’s streetlight, and dashed home.

As usual, Xie Guiluan watched him run from one small light to another, and then the bedroom light came on.

Xie Guiluan never imagined he'd feel this way. Even without meeting in person, just seeing that person's light come on under the night sky filled him with warmth.

"Cen Wu: Goodnight!"

"Cen Wu: Cat covering with blanket.jpg"

Cen Wu said he would talk to Xie Guiluan again the day after tomorrow, but he still sent a message to Xie Guiluan that night. When Xie Guiluan received the message, he headed home.

The next day, Song Lingwei was scheduled for surgery.

Song Lingwei knew Xie Guiluan wouldn’t heed her. When she first arrived in Huai Jing, she was plagued by nightmares, dreaming that she was the one who fell off the building on that rainy night, covered in blood.

After the Xie family took Xie Guiluan away, she deliberately avoided meeting him, pretending she didn’t have a child. She hadn’t had those nightmares in years, but they’d started up again recently.

Xie Guiluan’s affection for Cen Wu gnawed at her. She knew Xie Guiluan; when he set his mind on something, he always succeeded, and when he wanted someone, he would get them.

The situation had spiraled out of her control.

The surgery was set to begin in thirty minutes. Song Lingwei felt inexplicably panicked, crying for a bit. Seeing Xie Guiluan only made her already troubled heart feel worse.

She didn’t know whether she had taken away everything from Xie Guiluan or whether Xie Guiluan had taken away everything from her.

"Get out!" Song Lingwei's red eyes glared as she grabbed an infusion bottle and threw it at Xie Guiluan.

"Miss Song," the startled nurse said, trying to calm her down. "Your surgery is soon. You need to stay calm. We can discuss this afterward."

Song Lingwei lowered her head to wipe her tears, but her shoulders continued to shake, and she covered her face, crying again.

The nurse had no choice but to approach Xie Guiluan helplessly and speak in a low voice, "Xiao Xie, your mother’s too upset to go into surgery right now. Why don’t you wait outside? We’ll take care of everything, and the orderlies will assist. It’ll be fine."

Xie Guiluan had long since severed ties with Xie Mingcheng. Though Xie Mingcheng hadn’t visited Song Lingwei in a long time, no one dared to neglect her, even when Xie Guiluan hadn’t paid the full amount before. She was still allowed to stay in a luxury ward.

And now that Xie Guiluan had paid the balance, they would, of course, proceed with her surgery on time.

"Alright," Xie Guiluan said, his eyes cold as the infusion bottle shattered at his feet, the liquid splashing his pants. He agreed, saying, "Thank you."

Song Lingwei’s heart stent surgery took five hours, and she slowly came to in the evening. As soon as she saw Xie Guiluan, her emotions flared, and if she hadn’t been lying down, unable to move, she would have thrown something again.

The nurses had never seen such a mother and son.

There was an unfathomable hatred in Song Lingwei's eyes, making the nurses feel very uncomfortable. They didn’t dare to imagine how Xie Guiluan felt.

Xie Guiluan's cold, dark eyes lowered as he stared at Song Lingwei for a moment. This time, without waiting for the nurse to speak, he picked up his backpack and left the ward.

Song Lingwei’s fingertips suddenly curled, her breathing rapid under the oxygen mask, a huge fear overwhelming her. She wanted to call out to Xie Guiluan but didn’t open her mouth.

She knew Xie Guiluan had truly left and likely wouldn't return to the hospital for some time, just like a few years ago.

Back then, Xie Mingcheng had nearly slapped Xie Guiluan deaf in one ear. During that time, Xie Guiluan's hearing in his right ear was severely impaired. Xie Mingcheng didn’t come to see her at the hospital and attended a banquet with Zhou Li instead. She was terrified, thinking Xie Mingcheng didn’t want her anymore. She cried and begged Xie Guiluan to go to the Xie family and find Xie Mingcheng, but Xie Guiluan refused to go.

She grabbed Xie Guiluan and hit him a few times, and then Xie Guiluan didn’t come to the hospital for half a month, until she needed surgery. With no one by her side, the doctor called Xie Guiluan, and only then did he come.

Besides, there was Cen Wu’s matter this time.

-

The school arranged for everyone to gather at seven in the morning. When Cen Wu arrived, the school bus was already parked at the school entrance.

The school required them to wear their uniforms on the way, but they could bring their own clothes to change into. Everyone was already tired of the uniforms, and many just wore their jackets over them.

He Yao wore a sleek leather jacket, clearly dressed up with care. He pestered Lu Wang, wanting to switch seats with him.

There were two seats together on the bus, and since the whole class was going on this autumn outing, Cen Wu would definitely sit with Lu Wang.

Lu Wang stubbornly refused, looking unhappy, and said, “Don’t you have your own best friend?”

He Yao: “……”

What he needed was a boyfriend, okay?

Lu Wang spoke without thinking—not that it would’ve helped even if he had. Sometimes he was quite blunt, but He Yao didn’t get angry. He tried to make Lu Wang happy, maybe Cen Wu would pay more attention to him.

But before he could cheer Lu Wang up, he looked up and his face fell.

Sitting in the back, Cen Wu was also stunned. Xie Guiluan was actually here, knocking on his window with a bent knuckle from outside the bus.

Xie Guiluan wore the black jacket Cen Wu had bought for him. He had a dangerously alluring cold aura, nurtured by ambition and sin, attracting people despite the danger. Standing at 1.9 meters tall and with his striking looks, it was hard not to draw attention.

Many people nearby the bus were secretly looking at him.

Xie Guiluan didn’t care. He glanced at He Yao, confident his looks rivaled He Yao’s, then boarded the bus and walked toward Cen Wu.

“Bro Xie,” Lu Wang didn’t want to give up his seat for He Yao, but upon seeing Xie Guiluan, he quickly moved aside, pointing to his seat and saying, “Sit here.”

He really wanted to sit with Cen Wu, but he was willing to stand all night for his brother’s sake, let alone give up a seat.

He Yao almost ground his teeth in frustration.

What, wasn’t he worthy of being Cen Wu’s love???

With a dark face, He Yao could only switch seats with another boy and sat behind Cen Wu.

The bus was exactly full with their class, with only a seat next to Meng Liangping left. No one wanted to sit next to him, and Lu Wang walked over and plopped down. He tilted his head and stared at Meng Liangping.

“……” Meng Liangping pulled a straight face and turned to the students on the bus, saying, “Everyone, pin on your school badges!”

The school had made new badges and planned to distribute them after the holiday, but since Meng Liangping had just picked them up, he decided to hand them out immediately.

It was a bit tricky to pin it on correctly by yourself.

“Bro Xie,” Xie Guiluan took the badge and glanced up, saying to Cen Wu, “I’ll help you.”

Cen Wu handed it over to him.

He Yao watched from behind with a grim expression. He wanted to get closer to Cen Wu but ended up in the best spectator seat.

The way Xie Guiluan pinned the school badge on Cen Wu was very skillful. His slender fingers adjusted Cen Wu's collar, making it seem like a wife fixing her husband's tie, with an intimate closeness that seemed oblivious to others around them.

After the badge was pinned on, Cen Wu felt embarrassed. It was always Xie Guiluan taking care of him, so he stammered, “I… I’ll help you too.”

“It’s my duty to take care of the second young master,” Xie Guiluan said, but as Cen Wu leaned in to pin the badge on him, Xie Guiluan subtly moved back a little.

Cen Wu didn’t react in time and instinctively leaned closer, his body’s center of gravity shifting, making him a bit unsteady. He didn’t touch Xie Guiluan, but just then, the bus lurched, and he ended up bumping into Xie Guiluan’s chest.

Flustered, Cen Wu reached out to steady himself but had nothing to grab. Finally, he ended up holding onto Xie Guiluan’s arm.

Xie Guiluan seemed prepared for it all along. He had already grabbed Cen Wu’s shoulders, preventing him from hitting his head. His voice, naturally cold, now carried a hint of concern. “Young master, are you okay?”

“I’m… I’m fine,” Cen Wu said, his ears warming as he sat up.

He Yao watched intently, having witnessed Xie Guiluan trick Cen Wu into falling into his arms. He almost laughed coldly.

Xie Guiluan only seemed to notice He Yao’s gaze then, and turned to ask with concern, “Is He Yao alright too?”

Cen Wu was surprised. He didn’t expect Xie Guiluan to care about others. This was a guy who wouldn’t bat an eye if he killed someone, a devil born without a heart. It was surprising to see him care about a classmate.

It was as if the darkness surrounding him had developed a crack.

Cen Wu thought he might be able to leave a month earlier. Maybe after he was gone, Xie Guiluan and the Cen family, along with the rest of Class 2 of the second year, would still get along fine.

He Yao kept talking to Xie Guiluan. It seemed like Xie Guiluan had a pretty good relationship with He Yao.

This was what brothers were like, he supposed.

Cen Wu’s lashes lowered. Xie Guiluan never participated in these group activities. His sudden appearance this time made Cen Wu wonder if it was because his crush was in their class.

At first, he thought it was Xu Lingling, but in the original story, Xie Guiluan never ended up with her, and it was unlikely now too.

Cen Wu felt a pang of heartache. He had been clinging to Xie Guiluan like a ghost, but Xie Guiluan never reacted, always coldly rejecting him. But when you fell for someone, you became like this.

Once Xie Guiluan confessed, there would be no need for him to follow Xie Guiluan anymore. He just needed to return everything to Xie Guiluan and leave as soon as possible, without ruining his future life.

Xie Guiluan’s dark eyes were still fixed on He Yao.

He Yao: “……”

Damn manipulator.

He Yao shook out his stylish leather jacket and weakly brushed his forehead. “I think I hit my head just now.”

Hearing this, Cen Wu turned around, leaning over the back of the seat. “Is it serious?” he asked, trying to spot any injuries on He Yao’s face. He had heard some noise from behind earlier.

He Yao: “……”

That was the sound of his heart breaking.

“It feels pretty serious,” He Yao coughed a few times.

He had seen Cen Wu tending to Xie Guiluan’s wounds before. He thought Cen Wu might show some concern for him, maybe turn around to check his forehead for injuries. He hadn’t even held Cen Wu’s hand yet.

But instead, Cen Wu raised his hand and, gathering his courage, said to Teacher Meng Liangping, “He Yao seems to have hit his head.”

Meng Liangping jumped in surprise and hurried over to see what happened. He Yao spent a long time explaining that he was perfectly fine.

Meng Liangping was still worried that He Yao might have a concussion. Only after He Yao nearly started hopping around did Meng Liangping finally believe him, but he still couldn't help saying, "If you feel unwell, you must tell your teacher, okay?"

Xie Guiluan hadn't taken He Yao seriously, but now his expression grew somber. Cen Wu usually stammered and avoided speaking, but just then, he had spoken up in front of everyone for He Yao's sake.

Xie Guiluan's face was pale and stern, his eyes dark and glistening. Cen Wu asked, "Y-you... what's wrong? Carsick?"

Cen Wu figured Xie Guiluan might be upset again, though he seemed fine just a moment ago. Maybe the sudden jolt of the bus made his face so pale. Some people really did get carsick on buses like this.

Cen Wu didn’t have any motion sickness pills and was about to ask the teacher for some when Xie Guiluan said, "I’ll be fine if I take a nap."

Cen Wu didn’t push it and said, "Then lean on me to sleep."

"The second young master," Xie Guiluan suddenly became formal and asked, "Is this appropriate?"

Cen Wu: "..."

He had already rested on his thigh, and now he’s pretending to be proper?

Cen Wu let him lean in, and Xie Guiluan rested his head on Cen Wu's shoulder, shooting a cold look at He Yao.

He Yao: "..."

Back to being weird again, huh?