Her fingertips unconsciously glided over the man’s seductive Adam’s apple, and the next second, Gu Ran’s soft lips brushed against it as if by accident.
Fu Sijue’s steps faltered, a tingling sensation shooting from his feet throughout his entire body. His originally clear eyes were now tinged with desire, and the hand holding Gu Ran’s waist tightened slightly.
“Ranran, you…”
The somewhat restrained, hoarse voice came from above her head. Clearly, he was startled by Gu Ran’s sudden action.
Gu Ran finally snapped back to reality. Oh no, what have I done…
Whimpering inwardly, she was supposed to be an adorable, cute girl, not a soft, flirtatious little vixen!
Don’t look up, don’t respond—yes, just pretend to be an ostrich.
With that thought, Gu Ran buried her head deeper into Fu Sijue’s embrace, rubbing her head against him while making incoherent murmurs.
“Brother Jue, if I said I just wanted to touch your Adam’s apple, would you believe me?”
Fu Sijue was already utterly defenseless against Gu Ran, and now, with her unintentional teasing, he was on the verge of losing control.
But this woman seemed completely unaware, carelessly fanning the flames. Was a man’s chest something to be rubbed against so casually?
Suppressing the fire raging within him, Fu Sijue took a deep breath and strode swiftly into the study, placing Gu Ran on the sofa in a few quick steps.
The emptiness in his arms left Fu Sijue feeling hollow, but at the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief.
This woman was truly playing with fire. Feeling the tension in a certain part of his body, Fu Sijue feigned composure as he walked back to his desk and sat down, using the desk to conceal his discomfort.
“There’s a tablet over there. Feel free to use it. I still have some work to finish.”
After calming his emotions, Fu Sijue spoke. Gu Ran nodded, picked up the tablet nearby, downloaded a game, and began playing casually.
The study fell into silence, punctuated only by the occasional sound of keyboard tapping.
Gu Ran was engrossed in her game, unaware that Fu Sijue would occasionally glance at her.
Hmm, “Candy Crush” was quite fun. In her previous life, she had been solely focused on revenge and never wasted time on such trivial matters.
Just as she was deeply immersed in the game, Dan Zuo knocked and entered.
“Milord, Miss Gu, all the items from the master bedroom have been moved back to the main building. Is there anything else you require?”
Fu Sijue looked at Gu Ran, who shook her head. Fu Sijue then dismissed Dan Zuo from the study.
Suddenly remembering her arrangement with Second Brother, Gu Ran thought for a moment and spoke up.
“Jue, I need to go out tomorrow.”
As her words fell, the study grew silent.
Gu Ran’s game was down to its last two moves, so she didn’t notice the change in the atmosphere. It was only after she cleared the level that she sensed something amiss.
Looking up, she met Fu Sijue’s restrained yet somewhat dejected gaze. Suddenly realizing what was wrong, she immediately put down the tablet, stood up, and walked over to him, nestling into his embrace and sitting sideways on his lap.
“Jue, I’m just going out to meet a friend. You didn’t think I wanted to leave here, did you?”
Fu Sijue didn’t want to admit it and replied, “Why do you have to go out to meet them? You could invite your friend here.”
Inviting Second Brother to Tan Palace? How would she explain her relationship with him then? It wasn’t that Gu Ran didn’t trust Fu Sijue, but Tan Palace was full of prying eyes. If her identities were exposed, it would bring her endless trouble.
Gu Ran pursed her lips and furrowed her brow, an expression that Fu Sijue interpreted as someone scrambling to cover up a lie after being exposed.
Fu Sijue sighed softly, releasing his arm from around Gu Ran’s waist. Leaning back in his chair, his gaze turned cool and distant.
Seeing this, Gu Ran’s heart ached. This man was so insecure, yet she had to meet her second senior brother tomorrow—only the Qingdu Pills from the valley could suppress the poison in her body.
As for a complete detoxification, Gu Ran needed to first identify the exact poison she had been afflicted with before she could administer the right treatment to eliminate the residual toxins.
This matter concerned not only her health but also her ability to stay by his side in the long run. After much deliberation, Gu Ran could only say:
“Brother Jue, if you’re worried, you can arrange for Assistant Dan to accompany me. I’m just going to meet someone and retrieve something. It’ll only take two hours round trip.”
Fu Sijue wanted to ask why she would rather have Dan Zuo accompany her than him, but he swallowed the words. Compared to before, Gu Ran was already treating him so much better—he couldn’t be too greedy. In the end, he simply nodded and said:
“Alright, I’ll have Dan Zuo drive you.”
Just then, the study door was knocked on again. Gu Ran immediately pulled away from Fu Sijue’s embrace, and the door swung open to reveal Dan Zuo standing at the entrance once more.
“Milord.”
Dan Zuo entered, addressed Fu Sijue, and then fell silent.
Gu Ran tactfully spoke up:
“I’ll leave you to your work. I’ll take a walk outside.”
With that, she stepped out of the study, considerately closing the door behind her.
However, as she was about to leave, she paused, drawn in by Dan Zuo’s words from inside.
“Milord, Dr. Lan is arriving in Nancheng tomorrow. Our people found out he’ll be staying for five hours. Didn’t Young Master Li say Dr. Lan is an exceptionally skilled pharmacology expert in the country? Should we consult him?”
Hearing this, Gu Ran’s heart tightened.
If her guess was correct, the Dr. Lan Dan Zuo mentioned was likely her second senior brother, Lan Ke—the most renowned pharmacologist in the country and a leading expert in complex and rare diseases.
A few years ago, a toxic gas weapon emerged in a warzone overseas, baffling countless specialists and professors. In the end, it was her second senior brother who stepped in and developed an antidote within half a month.
While Lan Ke was celebrated for his achievements in pharmaceuticals, his reputation in treating complex and rare illnesses was even more prominent and widely recognized. In truth, his expertise in pharmacology and drug development was just as formidable as his skills in treating difficult diseases.
Regardless, Fu Sijue seeking out her second senior brother couldn’t mean anything good—after all, who would seek out a doctor without a reason?
At this thought, Gu Ran felt an urge to push the door open and intervene, but the next moment, Fu Sijue’s words from inside dissuaded her.
“Not for now. If anyone discovers our people contacting Dr. Lan, it will raise suspicions. For now, the special medicine from Jun Nan can suppress the poison in my body. Let’s continue trying to find the Poison Doctor.”
“But…”
Dan Zuo was anxious. He knew all too well how difficult it was to cure the poison in Fu Sijue’s system. Young Master Li’s special medicine could only alleviate the pain during flare-ups—it couldn’t eradicate the poison entirely.
Before Dan Zuo could finish, however, Fu Sijue cut him off.
“No buts, Dan Zuo. You know my temperament. Moreover, the fewer people who know about my poisoning, the better. You should understand what kind of turmoil would ensue if this matter were exposed.”
Dan Zuo was worried about Fu Sijue’s health, but he had no choice but to follow Fu Sijue’s orders. He knew Fu Sijue was right.