“Yes, Host, your understanding is correct.”
Xie Yizhou reflected seriously on the plot details the system had mentioned earlier. To change Gu Yulan’s fate, he had to act.
“In Gu Yulan’s destiny, all the pain and the tragic ending were caused by the protagonist and his lover. If they were to disappear, then everything would be solved.”
0377 froze instantly. He had not expected his new host, who looked quite gentle, to have such a simple and crude way of solving problems.
[No, no, no! Host, that thought is dangerous! This system is a Peace System. Solving things physically will not work. If the protagonist and his lover die, the World Will of this book will cease to exist, and the entire world will collapse!]
Xie Yizhou frowned slightly. He believed it was the fastest way to solve the problem, but unfortunately, it was not an option.
[Try to think of another way.]
After three rounds of drinks, one or two people had already passed out on the sofa. Gu Yulan stood up, pushing aside a snoring companion who was slumped against his leg. During the movement, his gaze inadvertently swept across the room and paused. He saw the youth still sitting in the same position as before, clutching an empty glass. He sat motionless, lost in thought. He was quiet and appeared to be in a trance, looking a bit dazed.
“Brother Lan, where are you going?” Luo Yu noticed the empty seat beside him and lifted his head drunkenly.
“Mind your business.”
Gu Yulan waved his hand dismissively with his back turned, walking toward the restroom. Luo Yu’s cheeks were flushed. Watching Gu Yulan’s retreating figure, he yelled drunkenly, “Brother Lan, do not forget what we talked about. You must make that ungrateful wretch regret it.”
After saying that, he fell back down and went to sleep.
Xie Yizhou lowered his eyes in thought. The priority now was to find a way to stay. The commotion over there caught his attention. Watching Gu Yulan walk away, his clear eyes suddenly brightened. He had thought of a way.
Xie Yizhou stepped over several people who were dead drunk and followed the direction Gu Yulan had gone. The villa was luxuriously decorated and very large. He was unfamiliar with the layout, so he could only search one by one along the long corridor. Finally, at the end of the corridor, on a corner balcony, a tall and slender figure was faintly visible beneath the window curtains swaying in the breeze.
Gu Yulan’s eyes carried a hint of intoxication. One hand rested on the railing while the wind blew against the hem of his clothes. A cigarette glowed red between his fingertips, and he idly played with a lighter in his other hand, looking lazy and unrestrained. Before Xie Yizhou could get close, he met a pair of cold eyes.
“Are you looking for me?”
He nodded and approached step by step. Gu Yulan looked at the youth standing not far from him with a playful expression. As a deaf-mute, the boy could not hear or speak, yet he seemed to understand what was being said. Was he really a scammer? A hint of suspicion crept into his eyes.
“Speak up, little scammer.”
He moved closer to the youth, his gaze cold. He was mostly leaning toward the conclusion that the boy was a fraud. Xie Yizhou read his lips intently. Though he was a bit out of practice, luckily the speaking speed was not too fast. However, after understanding the words, he froze for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly.
He instinctively tried to speak, opening his mouth, but his tight throat felt a flash of discomfort. Ultimately, he chose to keep his mouth shut, standing silently with eyes that were clear and bright. Gu Yulan did not know what the youth wanted to do and could not help but frown. Then, he felt an intense gaze land on him; more specifically, it landed on his lips. The youth’s direct stare, while devoid of malice, made him feel awkward. An inexplicable irritability rose in his heart.
The two remained in a stalemate for a while until the cigarette burned out. Seeing no reaction from the youth, Gu Yulan dropped the cigarette butt, planning to leave. However, at the moment they brushed past each other, a force grabbed Gu Yulan’s arm. He paused, turned his head to look at the deaf-mute youth blocking him, and said with a displeased frown, “You have something to say to me?”
Then, he saw the youth look at him and nod. Gu Yulan narrowed his eyes. “You know lip reading?”
Xie Yizhou nodded again.
“What do you want to say? Hurry up, my patience is limited.”
Gu Yulan soon felt the youth move. Chilly fingertips traced down his arm and landed on his hand. He followed the motion and opened his palm. He saw the youth’s lips pursed and his brow slightly furrowed as those cool fingertips traced strokes in his palm, one by one, bringing a slight itch.
[I am not a scammer. Can you let me stay?]
His expression was exceptionally serious. Gu Yulan remained expressionless, but his eyes darkened. He met the youth’s earnest gaze, his patience running out the moment the writing was finished. All this effort just to say that? He could not help but let out a soft sneer. He did not want to waste time here.
Just as he was about to leave, those cool fingertips quickly traced across his palm again. He jerked his hand away. The unfamiliar sensation left behind a strange, lingering itch. The sudden withdrawal of the hand left Xie Yizhou stunned. He looked up, his eyes full of surprise.
Gu Yulan looked at that clean profile and the eyes full of innocent shock. Perhaps because the alcohol was hitting him, his frustration grew.
“Do you know how to use a phone?”
He took out his phone, unlocked it, and handed it over. Xie Yizhou took the phone and hesitated for a second. Just as he decided to return it, a guidance symbol suddenly appeared on the screen. At the same time, 0377 gave a faint sigh.
[Consider this a newbie guide.]
Although the youth’s movements were somewhat clumsy and his typing speed was slow, it provided a means of communication. Soon, Xie Yizhou finished typing and handed the phone back.
[I can help you win back the person you love.]
Gu Yulan looked at the simple-looking youth before him. His eyes were dark and intimidating.
“You have been eavesdropping. No, you have been watching us talk.”
Xie Yizhou was stunned for a moment, realizing the other person had misunderstood again. Suddenly, a force came from his collar. Xie Yizhou’s body was unexpectedly yanked upward. He stared blankly at the person in front of him. In his clear eyes, a handsome face was reflected.
At this moment, the distance between them was so close he could see his own startled expression in Gu Yulan’s eyes. Xie Yizhou realized he had been grabbed by the collar by Gu Yulan. It was too late to escape. His brow furrowed. He was not used to being so close to others. He tilted his head back, turning his face to the side.
However, in the next second, his chin was pinched and forced back.
“Look at me, little scammer. Are you really deaf, or are you faking it?”
Could a deaf-mute person really go this far? Gu Yulan’s tone was cold. The scar on his brow bone was clearly visible, making him look very oppressive. Xie Yizhou was forced to lift his head and gaze at the cold young man. The stranger’s breath, mixed with the heavy scent of alcohol, sprayed onto his face, crowding out the fresh air. This awkward position made him feel extremely uncomfortable.
Xie Yizhou began to struggle, but the more he struggled, the more the restraining force increased. Gu Yulan looked down at the youth he held by the collar. The boy was forced to arch his slender neck. His porcelain-white skin was flawless but thin, turning red almost as soon as Gu Yulan touched it. The pointed chin felt particularly bony in his palm, as if he could easily break it with just a little force. With lowered eyes and pale lips pressed together weakly, the boy looked both submissive and pitiful. Even now, the other party showed no flaws.
Gu Yulan’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly. He felt a flicker of compassion. Xie Yizhou’s brow was tightly knit, his lips pursed as if enduring something. His half-closed eyes and long eyelashes hid his thoughts.
Gu Yulan said gloomily, “Tell me, what exactly do you want? What is your purpose for approaching me?”
Before he could finish, his wrist was suddenly gripped. The cool sensation made the hair on his skin stand up instantly. Xie Yizhou suddenly leaned in, closing the already small gap to just a few centimeters. Gu Yulan saw a flash of porcelain white. By the time he recovered, he saw his own reflection in the youth’s cold eyes. His breath hitched, and his mind went blank. He forgot what he had been about to say.
In that moment of distraction, the previously silent youth suddenly lowered his head, tightly gripped the hand that was pinching his chin, and bit down hard. Gu Yulan’s eyes widened. The youth was fast, and the previous illusion of submissiveness had caused Gu Yulan to let his guard down. It was not until a sharp pain shot through the webbing of his thumb that he reacted. He hissed, letting go almost by reflex.
Xie Yizhou released his hold and retreated rapidly. He did not stop until he reached a safe distance, ensuring he could run away at any time. He stood there, watching Gu Yulan with a wary gaze. Gu Yulan’s brow was furrowed. As he raised his hand and looked down, he saw a streak of bright red seeping from the bite. He had been bitten until he bled.
“Are you a dog?”
He glared over fiercely. Xie Yizhou looked up to meet Gu Yulan’s gaze. That ferocious look seemed like it wanted to swallow him whole. Perhaps because they were too far apart, or because his attention was not fully focused, he did not notice what the other was saying. Right now, his ears were filled with silence. Even Gu Yulan’s angry expression looked like a silent pantomime.
Gu Yulan was fuming at Xie Yizhou’s calm demeanor. His eyes turned red with rage. His chest heaved as he clenched his fists. Right, he almost forgot; no matter what he shouted, the other person could not hear. At this moment, he truly did seem like a deaf-mute. No matter how angry Gu Yulan got, it felt like he was performing a one-man show.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. A fire surged in his heart, and he could not help but walk toward the youth. He did not stop until he was at a distance where he was sure the boy could see what he was saying.
He said sternly, “Little scammer, I do not care if you are really deaf or faking it, and I do not care what scheme you are playing. I am telling you, as soon as it is dawn, the butler will take you away from here.”
After saying that, regardless of the youth’s reaction, he turned and left. Xie Yizhou stood motionless, showing no reaction. In the silence, 0377’s voice suddenly rang out.
[Do not you dare tell me you regret it. I am telling you, it is too late to regret it now.]
Xie Yizhou’s expression faltered slightly. He lowered his eyes, the corners of his lips dipping downward.
0377: [Did I not warn you before? Gu Yulan has a bad temper. Could you not just humor him a bit? We just need to finish the mission. Making him angry is just making things harder for yourself. Now what are we going to do?]
Xie Yizhou flicked his eyelids and licked the corner of his mouth, tasting a faint hint of blood. He wiped the blood from his lip with the back of his hand and said without looking up, “Just because he has a bad temper, does that mean I have to let him have his way?”
0377: […]
Xie Yizhou ignored the system’s words. It was like raising a pet; if you only ever give in to it, you will just spoil it. However, before he could take a single step, his vision suddenly went black, and his body fell backward uncontrollably.
On the other side, Gu Yulan was on the phone with the butler.
“I do not care how pitiful that little mute, little deaf, little scammer is. You must pick him up at dawn!”
But before he could finish his sentence, he suddenly heard a thud. Gu Yulan turned his head in surprise. The corridor was empty. The youth who had been standing there a moment ago had vanished. Did the person just disappear?
While he was wondering, his gaze shifted downward. On the cold floor lay a thin, frail body. His eyes widened, and a sudden panic surged in his heart. He hurriedly hung up the phone and rushed forward.