【Host, did you anticipate the male lead would show up?】
The system was puzzled. 【What exactly are you planning to do?】
Jiang Yumo leaned against the car window, appearing to watch the rapidly passing scenery outside, but in reality, he was observing the man’s expression through the reflection on the glass.
Gu Yu kept his eyes forward, his face unreadable.
The left corner of Jiang Yumo’s mouth remained still, but the right corner, pressed against the window, lifted slightly into a subtle curve.
【Host, you seem to be in a very good mood.】
The system was confused. 【Why did you deliberately drift into the other car just now…】
Yes. Earlier, he could have drifted normally around the curve without causing any accidents, but Jiang Yumo intentionally shook the steering wheel while passing the other car, destabilizing the vehicle and sending it flying.
The system warned: 【Aren’t you afraid the consequences could be disastrous?】
A car accident that breaks an arm or a leg is commonplace, host, your courage is unbelievable. You’re really gambling with this?
“This is fine, isn’t it?” Jiang Yumo said. He wouldn’t gamble with his life recklessly. He knew the car’s performance and his own maneuver, and at worst, he might sustain minor injuries. Everything was within his expectations.
The only truly unlikely scenario would be the guardrail breaking and the car flying off the road.
He just didn’t expect the car to end up balanced on the guardrail.
Overall, there was an element of risk, but the outcome, though somewhat unexpected, was a victory for him.
Jiang Yumo hadn’t forgotten Gu Yu’s expression when he opened the car door; it made his blood race and his heart feel as if it were being clawed by several cats at once.
He narrowed his eyes and licked his lips.
This image would linger in his mind for a long time.
It felt like he had found a new kind of thrill. He still couldn’t be completely sure Gu Yu was a reborn person, but the man’s reaction was undeniably captivating, wasn’t it?
“Last time you saved Youyou, I never properly thanked you.”
While waiting at the traffic light, Gu Yu suddenly spoke: “Have you decided what you want?”
Jiang Yumo caught Gu Yu’s slightly upturned, gentle eyes in the rearview mirror and raised an eyebrow. “Anything I want?”
“As long as I have it.”
Gu Yu smiled faintly, but his hands on the steering wheel subtly tightened. Jiang Yumo’s gaze flicked over discreetly, noticing clearly the long, defined finger bones, the pale knuckles, and the visible veins on the back of the man’s hand.
He squinted, partly to hide the deep amusement and mischief in his expression, and raised his hand to cover his mouth as he looked out the window. If he didn’t, Gu Yu would see the corners of his mouth lifting.
Gu Yu’s eyes flicked toward the boy. He was earnestly tilting his head to admire the colorful neon lights outside. Not long had passed before the bruises on the exposed parts of Jiang Yumo’s body looked darker, as if he had been thoroughly beaten.
Setting aside Gu Yu’s knowledge of Jiang Yumo from the previous life, the boy now appeared to be nothing more than a fresh, innocent teenager who had just finished this year’s college entrance exams.
Who would have thought that such a seemingly pure and clean boy could be ruthless enough to use all kinds of schemes to harm everyone around him?
Gu Yu’s fingers brushed lightly over the steering wheel, and he suddenly felt like having a cigarette.
“Do you mind if I smoke?”
Although it was phrased as a question, Gu Yu had already taken a pack of cigarettes from the compartment. He held one between his fingers, already biting it with his mouth.
“What if I said I minded?” Jiang Yumo asked.
The boy seemed genuinely curious. His black-and-white eyes were slightly wider than before, making them appear rounder and emphasizing the pure, clear aura he radiated.
He leaned a little toward the center, like an innocent child curiously inspecting the cigarette pack and lighter in Gu Yu’s hand.
Gu Yu rarely said this; he didn’t smoke in public and wasn’t addicted, he might not even finish a pack in a year. But after everything Jiang Yumo had done in the previous life, Gu Yu could go through a pack in a week.
Gu Yu responded with action instead of words. He picked up the lighter and set it back down, only for it to land in Jiang Yumo’s hand the next second.
Gu Yu looked at him with mild surprise. Jiang Yumo, holding a cigarette in his mouth without Gu Yu noticing when he picked it up, smiled. “I’m joking.”
The cigarette in his mouth was slimmer than Gu Yu’s, showing it was his own.
Jiang Yumo handled it skillfully, flipping open the lighter with one hand. The lid clicked, and Gu Yu snapped back to attention, snatching the cigarette from Jiang Yumo’s mouth and tossing both it and his own back into the compartment.
Noticing Jiang Yumo’s eyes widen in surprise, Gu Yu paused for a moment, then said, perhaps as a warning, “No smoking in the car.”
Jiang Yumo glanced at the cigarettes in the compartment. Gu Yu touched his nose, released the clutch, and pressed the accelerator. The car immediately drove out smoothly.
“By the way, no need to go to the hospital,” Jiang Yumo said. “I’m fine. Just take me home.”
For Jiang Yumo, minor injuries were a regular occurrence. He could tell the difference between a light and a serious injury. Right now, it was only superficial, at most soft tissue bruising that could be treated with some ointment.
Gu Yu remained silent, so Jiang Yumo assumed he agreed.
After a while, still no question about his address came from Gu Yu. Jiang Yumo thought to himself, “Got you cornered. If I hadn’t been to his place before, how would he know where I live?”
But just over ten minutes later, the Rolls-Royce stopped at a central city hospital.
Jiang Yumo froze, tilting his head in confusion as he looked up from his phone. “Mr. Gu? I said there’s no need…”
Bang!
Gu Yu stepped out, closing the driver’s door, walked around the front of the car, and opened the passenger side door.
Jiang Yumo sat in the passenger seat, and looking up at Gu Yu holding the car door, the man seemed even taller and more imposing.
“Get out,” Gu Yu said, leaning slightly toward him. “Whether you’re okay, the doctor decides.”
He leaned forward a little more, his broad, full chest closer.
Jiang Yumo looked down at his own flat chest and licked his teeth.
Tsk. Same human, different fate. How come he could never train a chest like that?
Jiang Yumo crossed his arms and leaned back in the seat, raising an eyebrow at Gu Yu, as if to say, ‘I’m not getting out. Let’s see what you’ll do about it.’
Zhou Yibai had been waiting for a few minutes. He had received Gu Yu’s message and rushed over without stopping.
Fortunately, his place wasn’t far, so he arrived in time to see someone openly defying Gu Yu.
The boy looked young, but his courage was considerable.
He actually stood up to Gu Yu directly.
Zhou Yibai had never seen anyone so openly defy Gu Yu. He was curious to see how Gu Yu would handle it. After all, he had known Gu Yu for years and understood that beneath his gentle, gentlemanly exterior lay a controlling streak that tolerated no interference.
Then he saw it.
Gu Yu bent down, slipped his arm in to undo the boy’s seatbelt, and then, like lifting a cat by the scruff of its neck, he grabbed the back of Jiang Yumo’s collar with one hand and hoisted him out of the car.
“Hey, you, let go!” Jiang Yumo twisted and squirmed, trying to escape, but Gu Yu was too tall. Jiang Yumo wriggled a few times, realizing he probably looked ridiculous in Gu Yu’s eyes. Yet he refused to submit quietly. His hands flailed until his nails raked red scratches along Gu Yu’s jaw before he gave up.
He looked like a defiant little orange cat being lifted by the scruff.
“Cough, I got your message and came straight away,” Zhou Yibai said, pressing his fist to his mouth to stifle a laugh. “Everything’s ready; he can be checked immediately.”
Gu Yu nodded. “Thank you.”
“No problem,” Zhou Yibai said, eyes resting on the boy. “And this is?”
Jiang Yumo extended his right hand. “Hello, my name is Jiang Yumo. You’re a friend of Gu Yu?”
“I’m Zhou Yibai.” Zhou Yibai lightly touched Jiang Yumo’s fingers with his hand before retracting it quickly. Was it just his imagination, or did Gu Yu glance at them during the handshake?
At this point, Jiang Yumo had no choice but to go inside with the nurse for the checkup. Before leaving, he shot Gu Yu a sharp glare, and it was obvious the silent curse in his eyes was fierce.
While waiting, Gu Yu took a few work calls. Once the matters were settled, Zhou Yibai had already learned the full story from Xu Feiyao.
He was skeptical about Xu Feiyao’s claim that the boy could “win over siblings indiscriminately.”
Who was Gu Yu? He had seen countless beautiful men and women in his life, hot, cold, gentle, wild, every type of personality imaginable.
That boy had been good-looking, sure, but Zhou Yibai could not see what could possibly captivate Gu Yu, much less make him compete with his own sister.
Then again, everything Xu Feiyao said always had to be taken with a grain of salt.
Still, Zhou Yibai was curious. It was, after all, the first time he had seen Gu Yu get scratched by someone.
“When did you meet him?” Zhou Yibai asked. “How come I didn’t know?”
“Not long,” Gu Yu paused. “You’re not in the same circle; it’s nothing to worry about.”
Zhou Yibai: …
So Gu Yu is in the same circle as him?
Zhou Yibai had originally doubted Xu Feiyao’s words, but now he was starting to believe them.
If he had only believed ten percent before, now he believed forty percent, WeChat!
Gu Yu didn’t know that he simply didn’t want Jiang Yumo to interact too much with his friends and risk recreating the tragedies of his past life. As a result, Zhou Yibai’s mind had gone off into the Sahara Desert, twisted in every direction, impossible to straighten!
Bang!
Jiang Yumo pushed the door in with the nurse, laughing and chatting. The nurse looked barely in her twenties and was grinning ear to ear at Jiang Yumo’s teasing.
Zhou Yibai glanced at Gu Yu. The man leaned steadily against the chair back, his expression composed to the point of coldness, but Zhou Yibai noticed that the speed at which Gu Yu tapped the armrest had quickened, he was clearly a little impatient.
Zhou Yibai took the checkup results and immediately sent Jiang Yumo off. “You can go now.”
He lowered his head to read the report. “Multiple soft tissue contusions, no fractures, no internal injuries, mild concussion… hmm? Don’t you feel dizzy?”
“Ah?” Jiang Yumo scratched his head, spreading his hands innocently. “I thought I was just sleepy.”
Zhou Yibai: …
This kid is sharp.
“It’s not serious, though. I’ll prescribe some medicine; just take it on schedule for a few days.”
System: No wonder the host has been cooperating so well, he’s uncomfortable.
System couldn’t resist: 【Host, you can use energy points to restore health!】
Jiang Yumo pretended not to hear. After a few days of adjusting energy points, he only had 9.7 left, so he needed to save them.
Afterwards, Gu Yu drove Jiang Yumo home, but the car didn’t start moving immediately.
“Hm?” Jiang Yumo didn’t even bother turning his head. “Why aren’t we leaving?”
He squinted at Gu Yu, clearly annoyed by the way he looked.
Gu Yu tapped the steering wheel with the back of his hand. “Address.”
Jiang Yumo pouted but gave the address. After everything that had happened tonight, he was tired. Gu Yu’s driving skills were excellent, smooth as walking on level ground.
Jiang Yumo couldn’t help dozing off. When he felt a slight vibration under his seat, he rubbed his eyes and opened them, glancing at the familiar streets outside.
They had arrived.
“Thanks.” Jiang Yumo opened the door, and just as one foot touched the ground, he seemed to remember something. He patted around on his body and eventually pulled out a pack of cigarettes, tossing it with a smile. “This is a thank-you gift for driving me back.”
Jiang Yumo got out and walked toward the house. Gu Yu picked up the pack of cigarettes that had landed on his stomach, already opened, and couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed.
Jiang Yumo walked back into the house, his expression thoughtful and heavy.
System: 【Host, what’s wrong?】
Jiang Yumo: “I feel like I forgot something.”
He couldn’t remember, but before falling asleep, he had spent a long time replaying Gu Yu’s slightly flustered, urgent expression from tonight, and his mouth curled into a smile even as he drifted off.
Until midnight—
The monitoring system suddenly popped up.
【Host, daily task not completed. Random penalty task: Feed Gu Yu candy.】
Jiang Yumo lay back, eyes wide and veins bulging, teeth gritted in frustration. “Damn it! How did I forget this again?! System, why didn’t you remind me?!”