In the dimly lit room, Fu Sijue stared blankly at the ceiling, his gaze gradually deepening. He lowered his head and tenderly pressed a kiss to Gu Ran’s forehead.
“Ran Ran, let’s stay entangled like this for a lifetime, alright? Even if you never love me, even if you hate me, let’s remain intertwined like this forever, okay?”
Mm… hmm…
Suddenly, the woman in his arms let out a soft, drowsy murmur, as if responding to Fu Sijue’s whispered soliloquy.
Fu Sijue snapped out of his thoughts, his eyes falling on the nearly empty IV bottle. After waiting about ten more minutes, he prepared to get up and remove the needle from Gu Ran’s arm.
But the moment he shifted slightly, the woman in his arms let out a dissatisfied whimper, her small hand flailing about restlessly.
Seeing this, Fu Sijue’s heart softened instantly. He immediately grasped the hand with the IV needle, murmuring gently in her ear with a tender tone.
“Be good, Ran Ran, I’ll help you remove the needle.”
As if truly hearing Fu Sijue’s words, Gu Ran grew much quieter, even smacking her lips slightly, looking just like a child who hadn’t grown up yet.
Fu Sijue couldn’t help but smile, thinking how wonderful it would be if she could always be this clingy.
After removing the needle, Fu Sijue initially intended to leave directly, but remembering the warmth from holding her earlier, he admitted to himself that he was being greedy.
Finally, Fu Sijue lay back down on the bed. The moment he settled, the woman’s petite frame burrowed back into his embrace.
This time, Fu Sijue’s movements were much more natural than before, holding the woman in his arms almost instinctively.
That night, the entire Tan Palace was exceptionally quiet.
Outside, snow fell throughout the night, but compared to previous days, this night seemed filled with warmth everywhere within Tan Palace.
The next day at 8 AM, Gu Ran slowly awoke. After a night’s rest, she had recovered from the complex emotions following her rebirth.
The familiar room, the familiar furnishings – in her previous life, she had wanted to escape this place countless times, yet now she felt immensely grateful for this second chance.
Gu Ran coughed lightly, her dry throat still somewhat painful, though much better than last night.
Just then, the bedroom door opened, revealing a familiar face in the doorway. The girl, seeing the person on the bed awake and looking around, cautiously approached.
“Miss Gu, you’re awake. Doctor Li said you haven’t eaten for days and can only have liquids now. Would you prefer to eat in your room, or shall I help you freshen up first before having breakfast downstairs?”
Every word the girl spoke carried careful caution, revealing how difficult Gu Ran had been to serve in the past.
“Sister Xiao Ya, where’s A’Jue?”
Gu Ran had thought she would see Fu Sijue when she woke up, but when she felt the spot beside her, though there were signs someone had slept there, it had long gone cold.
Xiao Ya, who was being questioned, visibly startled. It wasn’t her fault – Gu Ran had always addressed their master by his full name before, so this sudden intimate form of address took her by surprise.
“The master… The master is handling official business at Elegant Garden. Miss Gu, are you looking for him?”
Hearing that Fu Sijue was still in Tan Palace, Gu Ran said nothing more and shook her head. She pushed aside the covers and prepared to get out of bed.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Ya rushed over in a flash, immediately reaching out to support Gu Ran as if serving an empress dowager. But the next second, Gu Ran pushed her away.
“Unnecessary. I’m not an invalid.”
Her voice was somewhat hoarse, her throat had been hurting for several days. Although she had been treated with special medicine, it still ached whenever she spoke.
Upon hearing Gu Ran’s words, Xiao Ya trembled, her legs went weak, and she nearly knelt right there.
“Miss Gu, you…”
Xiao Ya looked at the stunningly beautiful girl before her, feeling that the light shimmering in her eyes was different from before.
Ever since Gu Ran arrived at Tan Palace, Xiao Ya had been taking care of her closely. Over the past month, she had always been cautious and careful, and through their interactions, she had gained some understanding of this young lady’s temperament.
To be honest, everyone in Tan Palace couldn’t understand why their noble and aloof master would fall for such a troublesome, irritable, and crude girl. Was it just for her face?
The previous Gu Ran had fierce eyes and showed no mercy to servants like them. The slightest mistake would incur her scolding.
But now, Xiao Ya clearly sensed no hostility from the person before her. Her slightly sickly pale face, coupled with those eyes that seemed veiled in mist, actually evoked pity—like a soft, helpless little kitten.
Gu Ran noticed Xiao Ya’s doubts. Some things were hard to explain, so she just smiled faintly and said softly, “It’s nothing. I’ve just come to understand some things. You may go now. I’ll come downstairs to eat after I freshen up.”
After speaking, Gu Ran passed by Xiao Ya and walked straight to the bathroom.
It had to be said, Tan Palace was an extravagantly luxurious private estate. The master bedroom’s bathroom alone was probably larger than an ordinary person’s entire home.
The oversized circular jacuzzi could easily accommodate three or four people. The nearly three-meter-wide double-sink vanity was filled with skincare products for girls, though many of them remained unopened.
The previous Gu Ran had only wanted to escape this place, to get away from the man she believed was her father’s murderer, so she never touched anything Fu Sijue had provided for her.
Looking at the spacious bathroom now, perhaps because her mindset had changed, she could see Fu Sijue’s thoughtfulness everywhere.
Gu Ran felt dazed. How blind had she been in her previous life to not see Fu Sijue’s efforts?
After a quick wash without any makeup, Gu Ran went to the walk-in closet.
She remembered that half of this space used to hold Fu Sijue’s clothes. But a week after moving in, after another failed escape attempt, she had angrily taken scissors to all of Fu Sijue’s clothes in the closet and thrown them out the window.
It was worth noting that all of Fu Sijue’s clothes were custom-made. Even the most ordinary white shirt could cost tens of thousands, not to mention the high-end tailored suits.
Yet Fu Sijue hadn’t been angry at all at the time. He only told her to be careful not to hurt her hands while cutting the clothes.
After that, the walk-in closet was completely taken over by Gu Ran.
Fu Sijue would have people deliver the latest fashion every few days—casual wear for outings, formal dresses for occasions. Even though Gu Ran never wore many of these clothes, Fu Sijue still arranged for regular additions.
The walk-in closet was about seventy to eighty square meters, with closets on three sides and rows of jewelry cases in the middle. The jewelry inside were all pieces Fu Sijue had acquired from auctions around the world over the years.
Gu Ran walked around the walk-in closet and had to admit that Fu Sijue had excellent taste—the clothes he selected suited her perfectly.
She picked out a beige knit sweater and paired it with slim-fit jeans, simple and comfortable.
After changing, Gu Ran left the room and saw Xiao Ya still waiting there. She sighed softly in resignation; it seemed these people had been thoroughly worn out by her former self.
How could she change their perception of her in the shortest time possible? Urgent, really urgent. Otherwise, facing their cautious and guarded expressions every time would be utterly exhausting.
“Let’s go.”
Without pressing further, Gu Ran uttered these two simple words and walked out of the bedroom.